A Body to Spare (The Odelia Grey Mysteries) by Sue Ann Jaffarian Read Free Book Online Page B

looking into any possible tie-in to me on his own. He’s a retired cop, you know, and still has a lot of connections.” Yeah, connections I can’t talk about.
    “Can’t Dev Frye help?” offered Jill. “He’s been a big help to you in the past.”
    “Clark is coming into town today, and we’re meeting Dev for dinner tonight. Not for this purpose,” I quickly explained, “but I’m sure it will come up.”
    The phone on my desk chirped. It was the front desk. I answered it by punching the speaker button. “Yes, Mandy.”
    “At least I reached one of you,” our receptionist said. “I’ve been paging Jolene and Jill. Do you know where they are?”
    “Right here with me.” I looked over at my two companions, who were listening with interest while licking crumbs from their fingers. “We can’t hear the paging system with my office door closed.”
    “Do you need me, Mandy?” asked Jolene first.
    “Actually, I need all three of you,” Mandy said. “Steele’s on the line. He asked for Jill first, then you, Jolene. Now Odelia.”
    The three of us looked at each other and shook our heads. Steele couldn’t even make it through his honeymoon without calling the office. “Put him through,” I told Mandy, then to the others I said, “Not a word, do you understand?” They nodded.
    Once the call was transferred, I answered it. “Hey, Steele.”
    “Hey, Grey.” He sounded relaxed and not at all annoyed at having to wait while we were rounded up.
    “Jolene, Jill, and I are all in my office. So you’ve got a threefer.” I steeled myself for a smart-ass remark about us not working while he was gone, but it didn’t come.
    “Great,” he responded again with enthusiasm. “One-stop shopping. I just wanted to check in and make sure the place was still standing. Everything going okay?”
    “Everything’s peachy,” I told him.
    “Yep, boss,” added Jill. “Did you get the emails I’ve sent you?”
    He laughed. “To tell you the truth, I haven’t checked my emails even once since I’ve been gone.”
    The three of us looked at each other in disbelief. “Don’t they have an Internet connection at the hotel?” Jolene asked.
    “Sure they do, McHugh,” Steele said with another laugh. “But I’ve been sort of busy.” He paused so we could read between the lines. Jill sneered. I rolled my eyes. Jolene blushed. “Anything I should know now or can it wait until I return next week?”
    “It can all wait,” Jill told him. “I’ve given Jolene anything that couldn’t.”
    “Yes, a couple of things came up yesterday on the Maxwell deal, but they’ve all been handled,” Jolene reported.
    “Perfect,” said our boss. “And are you staying out of trouble, Grey?”
    I shot my two office pals a warning look. “Trouble? Me?” I answered and thought—not for the first time—that he had my office bugged. “I filed those two incorporations you wanted on Tuesday, and the drafts of the organizational documents are on your desk. Other than that, it has been pretty quiet on my end.” Across from me, Jill smirked and elbowed Jolene.
    “Outstanding,” Steele said, not in his usual snarky tone but with pleased enthusiasm. Again Jill, Jolene, and I stared at each other in confusion and surprise.
    “Well, I’m off,” Steele announced. “Michelle and I have reservations at this great little bistro tonight. You guys be good and stay out of trouble, at least until I get back next Wednesday.” He paused. “That’s an order.” Then he laughed and was gone.
    I picked up my mug and took a drink. My coffee was now cold, but I didn’t care. In all the years I’ve worked with Mike Steele, I’ve never heard him so chipper and, well, happy.
    “Do you think he fell while skiing and bumped his head?” Jolene asked.
    “He’s getting bumped, all right,” Jill said with another smirk, “but it’s not on the ski slopes.”
    Our little coffee klatch was disbanding when my phone rang again. “Maybe Steele