Lifting the Veil Read Online Free

Eileen had brought during her last visit. A couch, a chair, a couple pieces of wood furniture and knickknacks. There hadn’t been much to clean. She was glad she hadn’t returned to a mess.
    The phone in her pocket vibrated against her hip. Her sister-in-law’s assigned piano melody started to play.
    “Hey, Eileen,” Sophie answered.
    “Hey, Soph. How was your trip?”
    “Ehh. The psychics wouldn’t give me the winning lottery numbers.”
    “Maybe you set the bar too high. You should have started with something more generalized like
    your next job.”
    “Yeah, well, live and learn.”
    Eileen laughed. “I’m having a vision.”
    “Sure you are.” Sophie rolled her eyes.
    “Oh wait…what was that? I see a shield.”
    “Have you lost your marbles too? Do I need to reserve you a room next to Amber’s at the state
    loony bin? I can arrange that you know.”
    “You aren’t playing my game, Soph.”
    Sophie let out a long sigh. “Okay, I’ll bite.” Sophie made a wide gesture with her hand. “So tell me, Yoda, what shield do you see?”
    “A police shield. The same shield your brother wears.”
    “Oh…and why is that significant to me, Obi-Wan?”
    Eileen chuckled. “It’s the same symbol you’ll be seeing every day at the temporary job I lined up for you, grasshopper.”
    “Are you high? There is no way that my brother is going to allow that.”
    “I baked his favorite cookies.”
    Sophie laughed and closed her eyes. “They can’t be that good.”
    “Oh, honey, haven’t you heard? I’m a baking goddess. He’d do anything for the sweet morsels I can
    deliver, in and out of the kitchen.”
    “Thanks for the visual. Now I’m going to have to bleach my eyes and my ears.”
    Eileen chuckled. “You don’t like to hear about your brother and me getting our freak on?”
    “I’m hanging up now.”
    “Fine…I’ll stop. But they’re expecting you at eight in the morning. It’s just filing and stuff to help pay the bills until you find your dream job.”
    Sophie opened her eyes and let out a deep breath. The accounting firm she’d been hoping to work
    for had filled the job position right before her trip. She was a failure, an utter disappointment compared to her brother. She couldn’t tell them the truth. Not yet. It should have been her job; she was qualified.
    Just the thought of being picked over left a sour taste in Sophie’s mouth. She was born to be an
    accountant and punch numbers, unlike her gun-toting brother. It made sense. Eileen’s suggestion didn’t.
    “Eileen…I don’t know.” Sophie hesitated.
    “Soph…it’s just temporary. You can handle temporary. Just show up with your OCD tendencies and
    whip his department in order. You’ll be doing both of us a favor. He’ll be less stressed and you’ll have money.”
    “Fine,” Sophie whined. “Just so we’re clear…it’s only temporary.”
    “The job is as temporary as your last relationship, sister.”
    “Eileen,” Sophie wailed. “You did not just go there.”
    “Sure I did, honey. That’s what family is for. Besides, he wasn’t good enough for you. Another
    month and your brother intended to run him off.”
    “I’m hanging up now.”
    “Bye, sweetie. I’ll bring some cookies up to the office tomorrow to help you adjust.”
    “Make it brownies.”
    “Brownies it is. Now get some sleep tonight. You’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”
    Sophie hung up the cell phone, tossed it onto the table, and closed her eyes.
    A picture of her standing outside the precinct popped into her mind. The image changed to her
    standing in a room filled with black filing cabinets, and a beautiful man stood tall beside her.
    A headache formed over her left brow, the first headache she’d had in a long time. She opened her
    eyes, rolled off the couch and plodded into the kitchen. The pounding in her head intensified while she downed some medicine and water. She grabbed her bag, carried it back to her room, and unpacked. Her