Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 07 - Two Ghosts Haunt a Grove by Janet McNulty Page B

down when I parked the car. I knew no one would steal it; Tiny had put his signature mark on it and no one stole anything with that mark. Running over the blistering asphalt, I hurried toward the lobby door. Suddenly, a hand snatched me and pulled me aside away from prying eyes. Tiny’s voice stopped me from struggling.
    “You’re late,” he said.
    “I had a little trouble getting my boss to let me go.”
    “Well, you’re here now,” said Tiny. “Here’s the plan. You walk in there and introduce yourself saying that Kyle Kellmore invited you over. Which he did. Once you have gone into his office, my boys and I will create a distraction which will force him to come down here. You’ll only have minutes, so make the best of it.”
    “Got it.” I suddenly realized how lucky I was to have run into Tiny that time Rachel took me to Zappy’s. Just think, if I hadn’t broken his nose, I wouldn’t have gained such a loyal friend.
    I smoothed my shirt and brushed dirt off of my pants before walking through the revolving glass doors. The lady at the desk chatted through a Bluetooth while painting her nails a garish shade of red. She glared at me in my simple slacks and blouse as though I had no business being there.
    “Excuse me,” I said.
    The woman held her hand up. “Yeah, I know…I couldn’t believe it either.”
    Oh, give me a break. She’s talking to a friend when she was supposed to be working. It would only take a few seconds to answer my inquiry.
    “Excuse me,” I said again.
    She held up her hand again while giving me a nasty look. I wanted to smack her painted face. “Oh, and he thought that she would actually go for him. I mean, can you believe it?…Oh, don’t waste your time with him, honey.”
    “Look—”
    “Excuse me, ma’am, but I am on the phone. You are just going to have to wait.”
    Wait? She had to be kidding me.
    “Oh, some lady is here being all rude,” the woman continued talking to her friend.
    I was being rude? That was it. I snatched the Bluetooth from her ear forcing her to hang up with her friend.
    “Hey!”
    I slammed the Bluetooth down on the desk; an irate expression etched on my face. “Look lady,” I said, “I am here as a customer and you need to quit chatting with your girlfriend. A few seconds of your time is all I need. Now, I am here to see Kyle Kellmore.”
    The woman glared at me, but was too frightened to do anything. “Mr. Kellmore isn’t seeing anyone today.”
    “I am here at his invitation,” I said.
    That last bit had a desired effect. Apparently, if he invited someone over it was top priority. “Name?”
    “Mellow Summers.”
    The woman picked up a phone and pressed a button. “Yes, Mr. Kellmore, I have a Mellow Summers claiming to be here at your invitation…Yes, right away.”
    She hung up and faced me. “He will see you immediately. Take that elevator to the fourth floor. His office is straight ahead.”
    The woman’s tone had completely changed. She even smiled at me and coated it with a little extra sugar.
    “Thank you,” I said, in an effort to be polite.
    I walked briskly to the elevator and their gold doors. A bing sounded as one opened. Stepping inside, I pressed the button for the fourth floor and waited. Soft jazz played in the background which was remarkably more entertaining than the typical elevator music. The smooth ride had barely started when it ended. Most elevators I had been on were jerky and made me a bit nauseous. This one was so smooth that I never felt a thing.
    I stepped off onto a well-lit interior with big windows that let the sunlight in. Vases full of flowers lined the hall along with paintings of various landscapes. They had spared no expense on decorations. Slowly, I made my way down the length of the hall to the only door in front of me. The entire fourth floor must have been devoted to Kyle’s office.
    Another woman sat at a desk just outside the door. “Go right in,” she said, sweetly.
    Smiling, I opened