Spruced Up Read Online Free

phone.  “Do you remember how the boys used to complain we hogged the phone?”
    “That never happens any more.  Everyone has their own cell phone.”  She shook her head.  “I think this type of reminiscing might be a sign that we’re getting old.”
    We looked at each other and burst out laughing, then with the type of connection that only the oldest of friends have, said, “Never,” together.

Chapter Four
     
    “So what did you find?” my mom asked as we drove up State Street and parked in front of Molly Branigan’s Pub. 
    Rather than telling her I found squat, I asked, “What do you think about Mary Kay, Betty Lou, and Laurel?  They’re newish and I don’t know any of them well.”
    “They’ve all be with us for.…” She was quiet a moment as she thought, “probably five years.  I like them all.  They fit in well with the rest of the staff.  They all were hired about the same time and they’ve all become good friends.  Art calls them the three amigos .  Gil just calls them trouble .  I don’t want you to think he means that in a bad way.  He means it in pretty much the same way he meant it when he called you trouble.”
    If those three could give my very Mac-ish brother the same kind of trouble I gave him back in the day they were all right in my book.
    “How about the two newest employees?  Joslyn and Carson?”
    “They’ve both fit in well.  They’re not exactly new.  Joslyn’s been with us a year and, oh, maybe a half.  Carson a year.”
    “That means both of them were there long enough to have something to do with the missing supplies.”  I asked the question I didn’t want to ask but knew I had to.  “Are you sure they are missing supplies?  Maybe someone made it look like supplies were stolen but in reality they were pocketing the money.”
    “I’m not sure how easy that would be.  I think someone would notice when orders came in for less than we ordered.”
    “Someone did notice,” I told her.  “You and Dad did notice something wasn’t right.”  Looking at the order forms and sheets, I figured someone could have made it look as if they were ordering more supplies than they were.  But odds are, they’d have to have a partner at the suppliers’.  And there was more than one supplier, so they’d have to have more than one partner.
    No, I think that might get too complex.  Simple was probably better, and more likely.
    My mom shook her head.  “I guess it is possible, but I don’t think it’s plausible.  It would be hard for someone brand new to figure out how to make it work. They’d need a connection at each of the suppliers and.…”  She shook her head.  “No, I don’t think it’s likely.”
    “Me either.”  It would have been easier for me.  Money was a motive I could understand.  Office supplies—I couldn’t find a way to make stealing them seem worth it.
    Mom and I walked into the lower eastside bar.  Irish music blared over the speakers.  Mom led the way and I followed her through the tight clusters of tables and patrons.  Everyone was there already.
    I looked at the table.  My two brothers, Gil and Art, looked like younger clones of my father.  Their wives, Tanya and Marie , respectively have always been nice to me, but I’ll confess, I don’t know them well.  I see them when I come home for visits, but generally like this…in family situations.  I looked at my mom and thought about how much our relationship had changed over the last few months.  Maybe it was time to see about changing things with Tanya and Marie, too.
    “Quincy,” they all said.  It was a rather staid welcome but given that it was my family where even understated excitement was overstated, I felt welcome.
    “Hi, everyone.”  I sat on one side of my dad, and Mom sat on his other side. 
    I braced myself for a night of medical conversations and was practically shocked when Gil said, “So, about the forgeries?”
    “Yes,” Art said.  “Tell