Pale Stranger (PALE Series) Read Online Free

schedule; I was done before noon to work at the diner.
    "And I work all those hours?"
    "No, only four of them, and a few odds and ends when the need arises."
    "Like it did just now?" I wondered, and he nodded. "Anything strange and kinky you need me to do?"
    He laughed and shook his head. "None that I can think of. Did you have something in mind?"
    "Plenty, but let's keep my mind out of the gutter while we're talking business. It dirties up the verbal contract," I replied.
    "Then we have a deal?" He was as desperate as a teenager on his first night in the Paris nightlife. I couldn't say no to a man in such desperate need to rid himself of such a woman as Miss Sievers, but I didn't want to dive into a pool until I was sure there weren't any sharks; I didn't want to spend the rest of my days with the nickname of Lefty.
    "We have a deal, but on one condition," I answered.
    He stiffened. "And that would be?"
    "I get a trial run. At the end if I'm not happy then I go back to work at the diner," I explained to him.
    Benson furrowed his brow, but nodded. "Very well, but how will you get away from your current job?"
    I shrugged. "I'm up for a vacation." Seven years behind on a vacation; I'd never taken one except when I was sick, which didn't happen often. "My boss will miss me dearly, but I'm sure Sheila won't blow the place up while I'm gone."
    "Sheila?" he wondered.
    "The girl you met last night. She's Sheila," I replied.
    "Ah, I see." He looked me over with a contemplative gaze.
    I glanced down at myself to see if there was a spaghetti stain; it was all clear. "What? I have a booger hanging out or something?"
    Benson shook his head. "No, but there's one very important question I'm surprised you haven't asked me."
    I pointed at his face. "You mean about your rolled-in-flour look?" I asked him. He didn't look mad, just nodded. "Well, are you going to die on me because of it?"
    He shrugged. "Perhaps, perhaps not, but we all die some time."
    "Yeah, but I don't want to have a heart attack after finding you and make it a double funeral," I countered.
    Benson chuckled. "Well, I can assure you I am as healthy as a horse right now." I looked him up and down; only if the horse was on its last leg out of four and going blind. Still, he had shown a lot of spryness when racing to the door, so that was a point on his side; the horse could still run when it wanted to.
    "Then that's all the questions I had for you. You have any for me?"
    He stroked his chin in one hand and looked me over with those sky-blue eyes; he would have made a diabolical and dashing villain if he had a goatee instead of that scruff. "Have you any boyfriend or husband?"
    I folded my arms across my chest and smiled at him. "None that I know of. Is that required for the position?"
    "No, but one must know how many liberties one can take with their employees," he countered.
    "Don't take too many liberties or I'll give you death," I playfully warned.
    He smiled and nodded. "Fair enough. Would you like to stay here for your week of experimentation?"
    I shook my head; no sense getting so attached that I find myself joined at his hip. "I'll commute. The scenery isn't that bad."
    "Very well. I believe that's all the questions I have for you."
    "Then I'll see you at eight o'clock tomorrow morning," I promised him.
    He held out his hand and I gave it a good shake; he gave one better and I got back sore fingers. "Be attentive when you're driving out here. These roads are rather winding and it's easy to get lost."
    I shook my head. "Nothing more than city blocks of corn and wheat. I can handle it."

CHAPTER 3
     
    I didn't handle it; the trip back took an hour longer, and by the time I shuffled into my dreary apartment it was past ten. The peeling wallpaper and cockroaches welcomed me home, and I wondered if I'd been thinking when I refused his offer to stay at that fancy, albeit creepy, house.
    "Too late now..." I muttered to myself.
    I plopped down in my dusty old recliner and dialed