Spruced Up Read Online Free Page B

their mom.  There are times you can’t be there, but this isn’t one of those times.  Go.  We’ll all cover for yo u.  I heard she picked up a lot of the slack herself that day.”
    “I remember when I was little.  I must have been in first or second grade.  I got sick in school and Mom came to get me.  I thought she’d take me to our babysitter’s house, but she took me home and spent the afternoon making me tea and toast and watching Little House on the Prairie with me.”  Wow, that was a memory I hadn’t pulled out in years.
    There were other times I’d been sick and she’d had surgeries and had to leave me, but that day, she’d juggled her schedule to be with me.  I kinda wanted to find her and hug her.
    “Yeah, she’s a special lady,” I agreed.  I needed to turn the conversation back to them.  “What did you do before this?”
    “I worked at the hospital but found I wanted something different.  I knew your family from there, and when I heard they were hiring, I put my application in right away,” Jocelyn said.
    Carson had been quiet. 
    “And you?” I asked.
    “Jocelyn told me how much she loved it here, so I applied.”  That wasn’t the whole truth, I realized, watching the two of them sitting across the table.  He’d followed her—and not because he’d heard how awesome it was here, but because he loved her.
    I don’t know what I expected, but I’d hoped interviewing the newer employees would give me some kind of clue.  Something that would show me who did it.  But the only mystery I’d solved was why Carson had come to work for my parents.  He loved Jocelyn.
    So, I made small talk with the two lovebirds and realized how much I missed Cal.
    After lunch, I went back to my parents’ house, plugged in the lights on the tree and called him.
    “Hey, Detective, how’s the new case?” I asked.
    “Not talking about it,” was his stubborn response.
    I wanted to assure him I didn’t need to figure out his case, that I was still working on mine and hadn’t gotten anywhere. 
    So, I asked, “Any chance you’ll be finished by Christmas?” 
    “Why?”  He still sounded suspicious.
    “Because I miss you and would love if you could take a couple days off.”  There.  The truth was out.  Seeing Jocelyn and Carson together had made me miss Cal.
    “I’d like that,” he said.  “I’ll see what I can do.  How’s your case?”
    “I noticed you won’t tell me anything about what you’re doing, but you’re quick to ask about what I’m doing.”
    He simply laughed.  He was convinced I was a danger to myself after my two near death experiences—his opinion, not mine.  I had everything handled in both cases.  Anyway, he’s positive I’m going to get myself killed with my new avocation. 
    I answered him, mainly to put his mind at rest.  “I talked to all the new employees.  They all seemed nice and genuine.  I don’t think they went to work for my family’s practice because they’re pa rt of some international toilet paper fencing ring.”
    “Toilet paper?”
    “Yeah, it’s not just medical supplies.  Orders are up across the board.  Toilet paper, hand sanitizer…all of it.”
    “So what are you thinking?” he asked.
    “Maybe someone’s faking the orders and just pocketing the money.  But the invoices seem legit.  And if they did that, they’d either have to have an accomplice at each company we order from or they’d need to fake the invoices and our payments in a way that I haven’t thought of.  I’ve done our ordering for Mac’Cleaners, but I’m not a forensic supply invoice expert.”  I sighed.  This was depressing.  I found out who stole and forged the missing art, and I found out who killed Mr. Banning.  Why was it so hard to figure out where these supplies went?
    “Quincy, don’t put too much pressure on yourself.  You’re supposed to be on vacation.”
    “Cal, my mom has faith that I can do it.  She believes in me.”