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“That’s determination.”
    “I read about it online. I was amazed at her persistence,” Sam said.
    “We all were. If anyone can find that baby, it’s going to be Susanna.” Trula nodded. “She andRobert and Emme together, they’re going to find that boy.”
    “Let’s hope so.” Mallory turned back to Sam. “And speaking of finding someone …”
    She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a file.
    “This is all we have on the Ross Walker case.” She handed him the folder. “I spoke with Lynne Walker on Thursday. She’s expecting to hear from you today or tomorrow. I thought you’d want to start with her.”
    “Thanks.” Sam put the file on the table next to him.
    “Aren’t you going to look at it?”
    “Sure. But right now, I’m going to eat the eggs Trula is putting onto one of those plates, and I’m going to drink my coffee. Then I’ll go to whatever place you’ve set aside for me to use as an office, and I’ll read everything you’ve given me.”
    “Don’t you want to talk about it?”
    “Not especially. Not right now, anyway,” he said honestly. Might as well put that out there, right up front.
    “I get it.” Mallory shrugged. “I should probably be insulted, but I get it.”
    “Get what?” Trula set a plate in front of them both.
    “Sam likes to work alone.”
    “It’s nothing personal,” he told her. “It’s the only way I’ve ever worked.”
    “Haven’t you ever had a partner?”
    “Not recently.”
    “But when you were called in to work as a profiler, surely you had to play nicely with the others.”
    “Mostly I studied whatever information there wasand talked to the people in the field, but I rarely worked a case with anyone else.” He thought about that for a moment. “At least, not until I’d had time to digest the information and talk to a few people, get a feel for it. But even at that, I was really just giving my opinion and my thoughts.”
    “Well, once you’ve had time to do a little digesting of Ross Walker’s case, I’d appreciate your thoughts on it.” Mallory took a piece of toast from the plate that Trula had placed between them on the table and began to butter it. “Actually, I’d more than just appreciate it. I’m going to require it.”
    “So I should think of you as sort of the special agent in charge of the Mercy Street Foundation.” Sam nodded, glad to have the hierarchy spelled out. For some reason, he had assumed he’d be reporting directly to Magellan. Clearly he’d been wrong. It was good to get that straightened out on the first day.
    “Something like that.” Mallory smiled and turned her attention to the scrambled eggs and bacon Trula was serving. “Nice analogy. I like it.”
    Sam glanced at the sparkly round diamond on her ring finger and silently wished a lot of luck to the guy who’d placed it there. Mallory must have caught the look, because she grinned and wiggled her finger to catch the light with the stone.
    “Pretty, isn’t it? My guy done good, don’t you think?”
    “Very nice, yes.” Sam nodded, and Mallory laughed.
    “You’ll meet Charlie soon enough,” she told him.
    “He’s a detective in Conroy, and there are times when we need him to get a little info for us. Of course, now,with your contacts in the FBI, I’m thinking we might be able to let Charlie off the hook a little.”
    “There are some people I can call on if we need to.” Sam nodded, already planning to check to make sure the details of Ross Walker’s murder had been entered into the Bureau’s computer system. “I’m assuming we have copies of all the reports from the investigating police department?”
    “All the ones that were sent in by the widow. But I wouldn’t assume anything. I’m sure the Lincoln police have a lot more. Maybe they’ll even share it with you.”
    “I’ll give them a call. I went to college in Lincoln. Haven’t been back in a while.”
    “That’s right. I do recall reading that on your resume.