Once they were alone, the mayor and Gabriel stared at each other for a long, guarded moment. Then the mayor took a step forward and hugged the priest tightly.
“I’m so sorry I got you into this, Gabe,” she said.
Gabriel returned the embrace. “You do keep life interesting, Sandi. If only it kept us young.”
“When I asked you to take the dogs, I didn’t really expect—”
Gabriel pulled back and looked down at her—he had a good foot in height on her. “You didn’t expect only because you didn’t let yourself think about what would happen. You ignore fundamental rules of causality. Everything follows what came before.”
The mayor smiled. “You’ve been saying that to me for years.”
“And here we are again. How, may I ask, does this little excursion end? An act of God, perhaps?”
The mayor slumped down into an offered chair. Molly came out of her hiding place and jumped into the mayor’s lap as if they were old friends. Eliot came over next. “Who’s this? One of the shelter dogs?” The mayor reached down and rubbed his head. Eliot stretched and returned to Gabriel’s feet.
“No. Actually an impulse acquisition that was probably the best decision of my later years.”
“Ah. We’re never too old to have a happy childhood.” The mayor stroked the cat absently while she spoke. “According to Daniel Lewis, the dogs are no longer contagious.”
“Even I could have told you that.”
“And he believes they may be important to figuring out a way to save the sick children.”
“That’s very good news.”
“Yes, but we need someone to believe us. Dr. Lewis is trying to convince the CDC as we speak. There are some countervailing influences and they don’t like being wrong on a good day. But if he can get the CDC on our side, maybe we can convince the governor to back down. Then we can hold the press conference on the church steps and still pull out a Pixar ending.”
“When was the last time this governor backed down?”
“Including this time? Never.”
“And what are the contingencies if he does not?”
“Then we’re looking at the potential for violence and I can’t let that happen. I won’t. I would need to turn over the dogs first and hope they stay alive until I have more proof.”
“So this may all be for nothing?”
The mayor smiled, but only for a moment. “I actually think it’s going to work out.”
“Why would it? It never has in the past.”
“I need you to hold the line for a little longer. This will all be over soon.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Toughen up.”
Gabriel laughed. “Or what? You’re going to beat me up again like in fifth grade?”
“If I have to.” The mayor lowered Molly to the floor. “I’m going to report that we made some progress and that you wanted a little time to think it over.”
Gabriel escorted the mayor and Kendall to the front door and let them out. As he locked the door behind them, someone in the church basement screamed, “Fire!”
And a situation that could not possibly get any worse actually did.