A Gigolo for Christmas Read Online Free

you,” Sheila offered.
    “I can’t do that. It wasn’t your
fault it got a little dingy. I was reaching for the punch too, you remember.
Listen,” Anders continued, “I’ll come by next week when I’m dressed for it, and
we can patch the holes and repaint the walls for a lot less than whatever your
deposit was. What day will be good for you?”
    “Why are you doing this?”
    “What? Helping clean up? Because
I helped make the mess.”
    “You didn’t help push pins in my
walls though, that’s not your mess to clean up.”
    He grinned again, the dimple on
the left side of his mouth playing peekaboo with her. “No, but I heard that
witch fire you, and I want to help you out, just to spite her.”
    “That witch started the evening
as your date...”
    “It’s all right. If you’ll
notice, she’s left without me, and I never plan to see her again. Now. What day
is good for you?”
    Sheila’s shoulders drooped. “Any
day will work, as I just got fired. I’m supposed to go clean out my desk first
thing in the morning, but I don’t have anything there to clean out. What’s your
work schedule?”
    “I work evenings. If it’s all
right with you, I’ll be here at nine tomorrow morning.”
    Sheila nodded. She knew she was
close to tears, and didn’t want to end the evening by crying in front of total
strangers, especially ones as nice as Anders.
    Anders rolled his sleeves back
down, retrieved his jacket from where it was draped across the half-wall, and
spoke briefly with the police officer at the door before he left her alone with
the uniformed men.
    The two men who had been doing
door duty left as well, taking Santa and Jenny with them. The officer who had been
in charge all night returned his full attention to Sheila.
    “Now, there are a good many
charges that might be able to be brought against you and your guests tonight,
but I think you’re going to get very lucky.”
    “I am? I need some luck.”
    “Your landlord has declined to
press charges for disturbing the peace. Because the party immediately quieted
and dispersed, I am also inclined not to write you a ticket on the same count.”
    Sheila began to breathe a little
easier.
    “The only person who seems to
have been damaged in the physical confrontation between you two ladies is
yourself. Miss...” he checked his notepad, “Jennifer Cameron decided not to
press charges against you after I pointed out that there were ample witnesses
in agreement that she started it and that you could press charges in return,
and you were the more injured party. Will you be pressing charges against Miss
Cameron?”
    “No. But I’m never inviting her
to my home again, either.”
    The officer chuckled. “Fair
enough. Now, the only property damage seems to be to your personal property,
and not to the apartment itself, other than the punch stain,” his eyes flicked
to the damp place in the now pristinely white carpet, “which seems to have
disappeared. That could be construed as tampering with evidence.”
    “It had to be cleaned up while it
was still wet, so it wouldn’t stain, but Anders took a picture of it before he
started cleaning. If you need it for evidence, maybe you could get him to email
the picture to you.”
    The police officer made a
notation in his book. “Do you know his last name, offhand?”
    “Adamson, I think, but I only
heard it once, and that was hours ago.”
    He nodded and continued writing.
“Well, it’ll be listed in the paperwork I get tomorrow from my colleagues.
    “Now, charges of indecent
exposure and exposing themselves in front of a minor will be made against Miss
Cameron and Santa, but you don’t come into either of those, other than as a
witness in the case of Miss Cameron. As neither of the exposure incidents were
planned elements of the party, you as host are not held to be legally responsible
for them.”
    “That is good news.”
    “Santa, however, is clearly
drunk, so we need to investigate the alcohol content of the