Chapter 19
THE VISIT IN CHARLOTTE had been nice, but Tom was glad to get back into his normal routine. He only had one class to teach on Tuesdays, and that was at two, so he spent the morning at the church catching up on things in his little office. Around ten he went downstairs in search of John Cullen and found him in the church kitchen, having coffee with a man whom Tom recognized as a member of the vestry.
John looked up from his cup when he saw Tom approach. “Good morning, Dr. Foster,” John said. “Care to join us?”
“Sure,” he said. “Let me pour myself a cup.” He went to the counter where coffee was always available and helped himself.
He sat down with the two men, and John said, “Tom, do you know Sam Atkinson, our senior warden?”
“We’ve met,” he said, “and run into each other fro
