Nearly Departed (Spring Cleaning Mysteries) Read Online Free
Author: JB Lynn
bad-mouthing someone else's employees.
" She…" For the first time since we met, Smoke Barclay looked unsure of himself. He stared into his coffee cup as though it could tell him the right words to say. "I know this is going to sound like I'm blowing hot air about myself, but she's…infatuated…with me."
I actually didn 't find that hard to believe. Most people in the crime scene clean-up industry were either coming off a string of bad luck or had given up hope for a bright future. As such, they weren't the most attractive bunch. Smoke Barclay was different. He appeared to be strong, determined, and far from the dimmest bulb in the chandelier.
" She shows up at every job site I work, screws around with my paycheck just so I'll have to interact with her, and is generally disruptive."
I bit back a grin. The idea of the no-nonsense man across from me being annoyed by a lovesick puppy was amusing. "I see."
" I don't think you do. The worst part is she's Tom's sister."
" Oh." Now it made sense. Tom couldn't fire his sister, but he was too decent to let go of Smoke.
" Why crime scene clean-up?" I asked. "You don't seem the type."
A shadow crossed his face, but when he replied his voice was neutral. "I could ask you the same."
" But I'm the employer, and you're the potential employee."
He sat back in his seat. "So it's me against all the other applicants beating down your door, begging for the job?"
I waited for an answer to my question. Something about the guy and this job didn 't add up.
He watched me watching for an uncomfortable beat before he shrugged and made a show of stirring his coffee. "I'm trying to get my real job back, but I need something that pays the bills and keeps me busy until that happens."
That actually made sense and sounded like an honest answer.
"Tom told me he gave you the frat boy job." He looked back up at me. "Face it, lady, you need me. That's too much work for one person to do alone. I can start today."
" I don't need you today." After all, I'd managed to keep Spring Cleaning afloat for more than two years all by myself.
" I'll start tomorrow then?"
He was a friend of Mike 's, he'd passed the handshake test with flying colors, and his current employer had given him an outstanding recommendation. I'd have to be crazy to have let him go. Still…
" How about a two week trial?" he suggested. "You shouldn't work the scene of a triple homicide alone, not any homicide."
My breath caught painfully in my throat , and my eyes stung with sudden tears as the memory of the last time I'd talked to Jerry blindsided me. "Remember, Vicky," he'd said, "you promised me you wouldn't work any violent crime scenes alone. It isn't safe." I missed my brother so much it physically hurt.
" Ms. Spring?" Smoke covered my coffee cup with his palm. "Ms. Spring, are you okay?"
I hadn 't realized I was holding it. I looked down and saw that a small puddle of coffee had sloshed onto the tabletop.
Smoke gently took the cup from me, putting it back in its saucer and blotting up the spilled beverage.
I clasped my hands in my lap and closed my eyes, trying to get hold of my emotions. Mortified that this stranger had witnessed my mini-breakdown, my cheeks burned.
" Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Sometimes I come across too…forcefully." He spit the last word out as though it left a bad taste in his mouth.
I opened my eyes and saw nothing but regret etched in the lines around his.
"I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Ms. Spring." He got to his feet.
" Vic."
" Excuse me?"
Using my napkin to dash away the tears that had leaked from the corners of my eyes, I got to my feet. Extending my hand, I said, "If we're going to work together, you can't call me Ms. Spring. Call me Vic."
CHAPTER THREE
Some days all I wanted out of life was a long, hot shower. Most days life didn't cooperate.
Having finished Myron Blotto 's motel room and dealt with the letter he needed sent, I had just dropped off my
" She…" For the first time since we met, Smoke Barclay looked unsure of himself. He stared into his coffee cup as though it could tell him the right words to say. "I know this is going to sound like I'm blowing hot air about myself, but she's…infatuated…with me."
I actually didn 't find that hard to believe. Most people in the crime scene clean-up industry were either coming off a string of bad luck or had given up hope for a bright future. As such, they weren't the most attractive bunch. Smoke Barclay was different. He appeared to be strong, determined, and far from the dimmest bulb in the chandelier.
" She shows up at every job site I work, screws around with my paycheck just so I'll have to interact with her, and is generally disruptive."
I bit back a grin. The idea of the no-nonsense man across from me being annoyed by a lovesick puppy was amusing. "I see."
" I don't think you do. The worst part is she's Tom's sister."
" Oh." Now it made sense. Tom couldn't fire his sister, but he was too decent to let go of Smoke.
" Why crime scene clean-up?" I asked. "You don't seem the type."
A shadow crossed his face, but when he replied his voice was neutral. "I could ask you the same."
" But I'm the employer, and you're the potential employee."
He sat back in his seat. "So it's me against all the other applicants beating down your door, begging for the job?"
I waited for an answer to my question. Something about the guy and this job didn 't add up.
He watched me watching for an uncomfortable beat before he shrugged and made a show of stirring his coffee. "I'm trying to get my real job back, but I need something that pays the bills and keeps me busy until that happens."
That actually made sense and sounded like an honest answer.
"Tom told me he gave you the frat boy job." He looked back up at me. "Face it, lady, you need me. That's too much work for one person to do alone. I can start today."
" I don't need you today." After all, I'd managed to keep Spring Cleaning afloat for more than two years all by myself.
" I'll start tomorrow then?"
He was a friend of Mike 's, he'd passed the handshake test with flying colors, and his current employer had given him an outstanding recommendation. I'd have to be crazy to have let him go. Still…
" How about a two week trial?" he suggested. "You shouldn't work the scene of a triple homicide alone, not any homicide."
My breath caught painfully in my throat , and my eyes stung with sudden tears as the memory of the last time I'd talked to Jerry blindsided me. "Remember, Vicky," he'd said, "you promised me you wouldn't work any violent crime scenes alone. It isn't safe." I missed my brother so much it physically hurt.
" Ms. Spring?" Smoke covered my coffee cup with his palm. "Ms. Spring, are you okay?"
I hadn 't realized I was holding it. I looked down and saw that a small puddle of coffee had sloshed onto the tabletop.
Smoke gently took the cup from me, putting it back in its saucer and blotting up the spilled beverage.
I clasped my hands in my lap and closed my eyes, trying to get hold of my emotions. Mortified that this stranger had witnessed my mini-breakdown, my cheeks burned.
" Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Sometimes I come across too…forcefully." He spit the last word out as though it left a bad taste in his mouth.
I opened my eyes and saw nothing but regret etched in the lines around his.
"I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Ms. Spring." He got to his feet.
" Vic."
" Excuse me?"
Using my napkin to dash away the tears that had leaked from the corners of my eyes, I got to my feet. Extending my hand, I said, "If we're going to work together, you can't call me Ms. Spring. Call me Vic."
CHAPTER THREE
Some days all I wanted out of life was a long, hot shower. Most days life didn't cooperate.
Having finished Myron Blotto 's motel room and dealt with the letter he needed sent, I had just dropped off my
Readers choose
Daniel Arenson
M. R. Joseph
Janis Sharp
Kealan Patrick Burke
Glenna Maynard
I Thee Wed
Mercy Celeste
Mel Starr
Ken Ludwig
Michael J. Webb