The Lush Life (Samantha Jamison Mystery Book 8) by Peggy A. Edelheit Page B
Authors: Peggy A. Edelheit
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“Huh...?”
I should have bumped into the ladies by now.
I glanced around. Not a soul. How could they abandon me? It was just us two until I thought I heard a giggle from up above. Tony’s hands gripped the rail on each side of me. I was trapped. But my crew was above us enjoying all this.
Leaning in real close, his lips now hovering dangerously close to mine, he whispered. “I hope I’m not intruding.”
He was within a hair’s breath of me. If I answered, we’d be kissing. That was the furthest thing from my mind.
Really.
So I did the alternative and mumbled. “Umm, mmm .”
Then the front door burst wide open.
“Whose SUV is out.... What the hell?”
Damn.
Tony turned. “Now, Clay, I didn’t touch one hair.”
Clay’s hands balled into fists. “Lucky for you...”
Tony straightened his tie. “Perfect. You’re both here.”
Clay didn’t expect that greeting. “What do you mean?”
Now I was confused too. “And how is this perfect?”
“I don’t have to bother repeating myself, send an email to be misread, or make any unnecessary phone calls.”
Clay eyed him cynically. “Okay, so far I’m following.”
“Me too,” I added, wondering what else was coming.
Tony then did something unexpected. He sighed loudly then he sat down on the lower step of the curved staircase.
“You both remember my mother?” he asked, sulking.
Clay and I both eyed each other. Oh, yeah.
“How could we forget?” I said.
Tony rubbed his eyes. “This is complicated.”
Clay rested his foot on the lower step directly separating Tony from me. A not-so-subtle message to our visitor.
I swear, males and their territory .
“I’m listening,” said Clay, sharply. I didn’t blame him. Tony caused so much chaos and threatened me numerous times in the past, which Tony eventually clarified. Still, Clay and I harbored a lot of distrust for this guy, including his crazy mother. They were an unpredictable duo for sure.
“After losing that money, she had a nervous breakdown. I’m sure you both noticed how edgy she was.”
“Oh, we noticed, all right,” I said, remembering vividly.
“And?” Clay asked, a man of few words at the moment.
“We arranged for a rest for her, somewhere quiet.”
“As in where?” I asked, now curious.
Tony sighed once more. “A sanatorium.”
“She did seem a little touchy at the end,” said Clay.
“That still doesn’t explain why you’re here now,” I said.
“I have a slight problem,” said Tony. “...She escaped.”
Chapter 25
Keeping Track Of More Than Money
Clay and I turned to eye each other again. Where to?
“So what do you expect us to do about it?” Clay asked.
“I want to hire the two of you to find her for me.”
“You’re joking, right?” I asked incredulously.
“I’ll pay you both double your going rate, plus bonus.”
Clay and I both glanced at each other once again.
Us work for Tony? Why us? Why now? Suspicious...
We were already being paid by Alicia and Chris Worth for babysitting their volatile homestead. Now Tony wanted to do the same to hunt down his volatile mother. Clay and I had joked about us living ‘ the lush life’ and this extra cash, dicey by who was offering it, was too good to be true.
Why not get paid by Tony for keeping an eye on Tony?
I gave Tony a leery eye. “But you lost all your money.”
He looked up, shrugged. “It was my mother’s money.”
“And...?” Clay asked skeptically.
“I’ve had some good days at the track lately. I’m flush.”
I still wasn’t swayed. “What sanatorium? The name?”
Tony fished inside his breast pocket, came up empty then stood to reach into his rear pocket. A gun flashed off his back hip. It was attached to his belt.
“Hey, you said you weren’t carrying!” I challenged.
Tony looked at me and winked. “I lied.”
I noticed Clay had his hand inside his own jacket.
His mantra was mine. Trust no one...
Tony finally pulled out his wallet
I should have bumped into the ladies by now.
I glanced around. Not a soul. How could they abandon me? It was just us two until I thought I heard a giggle from up above. Tony’s hands gripped the rail on each side of me. I was trapped. But my crew was above us enjoying all this.
Leaning in real close, his lips now hovering dangerously close to mine, he whispered. “I hope I’m not intruding.”
He was within a hair’s breath of me. If I answered, we’d be kissing. That was the furthest thing from my mind.
Really.
So I did the alternative and mumbled. “Umm, mmm .”
Then the front door burst wide open.
“Whose SUV is out.... What the hell?”
Damn.
Tony turned. “Now, Clay, I didn’t touch one hair.”
Clay’s hands balled into fists. “Lucky for you...”
Tony straightened his tie. “Perfect. You’re both here.”
Clay didn’t expect that greeting. “What do you mean?”
Now I was confused too. “And how is this perfect?”
“I don’t have to bother repeating myself, send an email to be misread, or make any unnecessary phone calls.”
Clay eyed him cynically. “Okay, so far I’m following.”
“Me too,” I added, wondering what else was coming.
Tony then did something unexpected. He sighed loudly then he sat down on the lower step of the curved staircase.
“You both remember my mother?” he asked, sulking.
Clay and I both eyed each other. Oh, yeah.
“How could we forget?” I said.
Tony rubbed his eyes. “This is complicated.”
Clay rested his foot on the lower step directly separating Tony from me. A not-so-subtle message to our visitor.
I swear, males and their territory .
“I’m listening,” said Clay, sharply. I didn’t blame him. Tony caused so much chaos and threatened me numerous times in the past, which Tony eventually clarified. Still, Clay and I harbored a lot of distrust for this guy, including his crazy mother. They were an unpredictable duo for sure.
“After losing that money, she had a nervous breakdown. I’m sure you both noticed how edgy she was.”
“Oh, we noticed, all right,” I said, remembering vividly.
“And?” Clay asked, a man of few words at the moment.
“We arranged for a rest for her, somewhere quiet.”
“As in where?” I asked, now curious.
Tony sighed once more. “A sanatorium.”
“She did seem a little touchy at the end,” said Clay.
“That still doesn’t explain why you’re here now,” I said.
“I have a slight problem,” said Tony. “...She escaped.”
Chapter 25
Keeping Track Of More Than Money
Clay and I turned to eye each other again. Where to?
“So what do you expect us to do about it?” Clay asked.
“I want to hire the two of you to find her for me.”
“You’re joking, right?” I asked incredulously.
“I’ll pay you both double your going rate, plus bonus.”
Clay and I both glanced at each other once again.
Us work for Tony? Why us? Why now? Suspicious...
We were already being paid by Alicia and Chris Worth for babysitting their volatile homestead. Now Tony wanted to do the same to hunt down his volatile mother. Clay and I had joked about us living ‘ the lush life’ and this extra cash, dicey by who was offering it, was too good to be true.
Why not get paid by Tony for keeping an eye on Tony?
I gave Tony a leery eye. “But you lost all your money.”
He looked up, shrugged. “It was my mother’s money.”
“And...?” Clay asked skeptically.
“I’ve had some good days at the track lately. I’m flush.”
I still wasn’t swayed. “What sanatorium? The name?”
Tony fished inside his breast pocket, came up empty then stood to reach into his rear pocket. A gun flashed off his back hip. It was attached to his belt.
“Hey, you said you weren’t carrying!” I challenged.
Tony looked at me and winked. “I lied.”
I noticed Clay had his hand inside his own jacket.
His mantra was mine. Trust no one...
Tony finally pulled out his wallet
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