All Was Revealed by Adele Abbott Read Free Book Online Page A

incident.”
    “Eight’s fine by me.”
    “Do you know where it is?”
    “I’ll find it.”
    Well, well! This was beginning to look like a real relationship.
     
    I had to pay a visit to the print-shop because I’d run out of business cards. I’d no sooner stepped out of my office when someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was my bestest friend, Miles Best.
    “What do you want, Miles?”
    “Jill, I’m glad I bumped into you.”
    “Looks like you were following me.”
    “You’re right. I’ve been waiting for you to come out.”
    Normally, Miles was all smiles, but today he looked subdued—worried even.
    “Jill, I need a favour.”
    I laughed. “That is a joke, right?”
    “No, I’m serious.”
    “You’re asking me for a favour after that ad campaign you ran?”
    “I’m really sorry about that. I meant no harm.”
    “Of course you didn’t. Like you didn’t mean any harm when you put the rats in Cuppy C.”
    “That was only a joke.”
    “I don’t believe you. You were trying to get Cuppy C closed down.”
    “I would never do anything like that. I still have a soft spot for the twins.”
    “You have a funny way of showing it.”
    “I know, and I’m sorry. But it really was just meant as a bit of fun. I’ve always liked playing practical jokes.”
    “It’s time you grew up, then.”
    “You’re right, and I will, I promise. But I really do need a favour.”
    “I’m listening.”
    “It’s your grandmother.”
    “What about her?”
    “I guess you already know that she’s sabotaged my wool subscription service.”
    “I know no such thing. How do you know it isn’t just broken?”
    “Come on, Jill. You know as well as I do that your grandmother is behind it.”
    “If she is, and I’m not saying she is, but if she is, why are you talking to me?”
    “She won’t listen to anything I’ve got to say.”
    “It sounds like you’re kind of stuffed then.”
    “Please, Jill. This is really serious. I realise that we may have overstepped the mark a little.”
    “A little ?”
    “Okay, a lot then. But Mindy is really keen on this wool shop. It’s something that she’s always wanted to do, and now it looks like we’re going to be closed down before we even get started. If things carry on like they are, we’ll be bankrupt.”
    “I still don’t know what you expect me to do about it.”
    “Would you have a word with your grandmother, and ask her to reverse the spell which is causing the wool subscription to fail?”
    “Why should I do that?”
    “What if I promise to close down Best P.I. Services?”
    “Close it down? Do you actually have any clients yet?”
    “No, but we soon will have after all the advertising we’ve done. If you could get your grandmother to take back the spell, I’ll give up Best P.I. Services.”
    “And do you promise that there’ll be no more dirty tricks on either Cuppy C or Ever A Wool Moment?”
    “You have my word.”
    “Your word? Oh well. That’s okay then.”
    “I mean it, Jill. I’ll close Best P.I. Services today if you get your grandmother to reverse the spell.”
    He looked so desperate that I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him. I’d certainly be glad to see the back of Best P.I. Services. I didn’t need any more competition.
    “Okay. I’ll talk to Grandma, but I can’t promise she’ll listen.”
    “Thank you, Jill.” He threw his arms around me, and gave me a hug.
    “Get off!” I pushed him away.
    “Sorry. And, thanks again.”
     
    “Are you sure that you only need two-hundred of these?” The man behind the counter at the print-shop had a smudge of ink under his nose. It looked like some kind of weird, blue moustache.
    “Yeah. Two-hundred will be fine.”
    “I only ask because most people order a minimum of a thousand.”
    Most people probably have clients to give them to. I still had some of the last batch, but they’d yellowed with age.
    “Two hundred is fine, thanks.”
    “What does P.I. stand for? Is it