The Complete Zagzagel Diaries Read Online Free Page A

stiffened, but she didn’t pull away. “I don’t know.”
    I brought her head to nestle under my chin. “You do want love, don’t you?”
    “Yes.” The simple answer sounded choked as it left her lips.
    I hesitated, meaning to soothe. “But not with a man, right?”
    “How’d you—” In an instant, she pulled out of reach. “I mean, no—” She adjusted her robe, gaze heavy. “I mean….” She began to pace. “I don’t know.” Her clipped answers were more than expected.
    I fell in step. “But you do know, don’t you, Deena?”
    Without breaking stride, she turned on me and shoved me square in the chest. “Who would want this? ” She made a sweeping motion over her lower body, then whipped around to face the main room. “I didn’t get here by shaking hands. What woman would want me? ” She whirled around, but shock and confusion marred her expression, for I was no longer there.
    “Zag?”
    “Those who matter, won’t mind…now, get dressed.”
    Her movements out of sync, she’d donned a pair of khakis and a tank top just as her cell phone beeped. She answered with a quick hello. “I’m headed down, now.” Then she snapped the phone shut, slipped into a pair of flip-flops, and hustled out the door.
    * * *
    Hood dented, paint scratched, windows shattered, Deena gaped at her Ferrari left in shambles.
    “Excuse me, ma’am. A Miss Karen Porter,” the police officer motioned to Deena’s neighbor propped against the quarter panel of a cruiser, blanket about her shoulders, hand bandaged, “says, you’re the owner?”
    With a quick ‘Yes,’ Deena headed for the cruiser, leaving the officer scratching his head.
    “What—Are you all right?”
    Deena’s neighbor let out a raucous chuckle. “Sorry about your car. If I’d gotten home sooner—”
    Her neighbor’s hand softly held, Deena brushed over the bandaged knuckles. “What happened?”
    Despite a brief protest from the attending officer, Karen shrugged off the blanket, stretching the fingers of her bandaged hand. “Stupid bastard breeched security…must have something against Ferraris.”
    Though Deena knew to which “stupid bastard” her neighbor referred, she stood, numb, unwilling to expound on her assumption.
    “Thought he’d turn his crowbar on me when I confronted him, he did. But to his chagrin, I’m sure, I got one helluva left hook.”
    From her haughty speech, I concluded that I needed to rethink all I knew of the vehicle—owner relationship. Heels abandoned next to the cruiser, Karen swung an arm around Deena’s back. “Between you and me—” She leaned to Deena’s ear. “That crowbar came in pretty handy. Won’t be on his feet anytime soon, I’ll guarantee you that much.”
    Stiffening for just a second, Deena looked around, her gaze beckoning a show of support.
    Oh, what the hell. For a moment, I materialized across the lot and, with a smile, gave her the old thumbs up. Her shy grin as she shook her head told me, my job was done.
    “Don’t know about you, but I could sure use a drink.”
    “Go for it…” Deena smiled at my whispered coax.
    “Yeah…I think, I’d like that.”
    Time for my own show. Papa would be pacing surely, wondering what had taken so long. A little reason, a touch of an excuse…by the time I’d graced His Majesty’s supreme presence, I’d be ready. I hoped.

Desperate
    Nick yanked on the bolt, dropped in the cartridge, shoved the bolt forward, and somehow managed to drop it into place. His finger trembled beside the trigger.
    The man had matured into quite an idiot, sorry to say. Though in reality, I didn’t feel as sorry as I probably should have. None of this was my fault, you see, and that’s what irked me. Had I the freedom I needed to perform my duties without interference, without adhering to Big Papa’s guidelines to the letter, I wouldn’t be here watching Nick toy with making the worst mistake of his life.
    Sadly, Nick appeared beyond toying at this point. If only