Vengeance Is Mine Read Online Free

Rest. The hours were twice as long as her former shift at the St. Cloud Hospital, but there were definite advantages. At Holy Rest there was a sense of refinement. Perhaps Sister Kate’s Boston background had colored her outlook, but she found it was a pleasure to associate with intelligent, cultured members of the clergy even though they were technically insane. Frequently she felt more like a colleague than a psychiatric nurse.
    At Holy Rest Sister Kate had her own suite of rooms, and after her charges were in bed for the night, she was free to read and study. Tomorrow she had the morning off. Sister Gabriella, the relief nurse, came in two mornings a week. Sister Kate planned to walk downtown if it wasn’t too cold, replenish her supply of Q-tips and color-coordinated file cards, and requisition the newest nursing book by Beverly J. Rambo at the library. If she had time, she might even ignore her cholesterol count for the day and treat herself to a warm caramel roll at Dan Marsh’s Coffee Shop.
    â€œLook, Sister Kate.” Mother Superior pointed at the screen. “I didn’t know that Lassie was really a boy.”
    Sister Kate laughed along with her patients. Life at Holy Rest was good. It was the best assignment she’d ever had.

CHAPTER 2
    â€œWhat a rotten time for Barney Schultz to take a vacation!”
    Margaret Whitworth slipped her gloves into her pocket and let Steve Radke take her coat. Her face felt numb from the four-block walk, and she rubbed her hands together to warm them. Then she said hello to Mayor Les Hollenkamp, who was sitting in on the meeting, and turned to Steve. “Are you sure you can’t reach him, Steve?”
    â€œI called the Hamburg Hilton, Mrs. Whitworth. That’s the number the chief left with us. The desk clerk told me he’d canceled his reservation.”
    Steve pulled out the best chair in the office for Margaret and took his place behind the chief’s massive oak desk. It had been built in the sixties by the prisoners at the state reformatory, right before the unions had forced them to close down their upholstery and furniture shop.
    â€œHarriet’s probably located some of those long-lost relatives of hers.” Mayor Hollenkamp snorted. “She told Trish she’s trying to trace her family tree back ten generations.”
    â€œBursch Travel checked the chief’s itinerary for me, but he’s not due at the London Hilton until the twenty-first, and that’s two weeks away. It looks like we’ll have to handle this thing without him.”
    â€œI can’t believe Chief Schultz left without making plans to call in on a regular basis!” Margaret’s lips tightened in disapproval.
    â€œThat’s my fault, Mrs. Whitworth.” Steve faced her squarely. “The chief offered to check in, but I told him I didn’t think it was necessary. Normally things are quiet in February. There’re always a few fender benders and drunk driving violations, but we’ve never had any real crime this time of year. It’s too cold.”
    Margaret nodded. She knew Steve was covering for Barney, but his loyalty to his superior was commendable. She’d heard good things about the new assistant chief. It was entirely possible he’d be able to handle this thing a lot better than Barney Schultz.
    Steve picked up a file from the desk and opened it. “Dr. Corliss brought over the autopsy report about an hour ago. Some of the details are pretty unpleasant. I wouldn’t ask you to sit in on this, Mrs. Whitworth, but I need your help.”
    â€œThat’s quite all right, Steve.” Margaret Whitworth smiled slightly. It always amused her when people worried about her sensibilities. She had seen it all when she was a newspaperman for the Chicago Times . Newspaperwomen, she always insisted, covered society and fashion. Margaret’s beat had been the crime desk.
    â€œI’ll skip over some of