Angora Alibi by Sally Goldenbaum Read Free Book Online Page B

looked through earlier was closed, no sounds indicating life on the other side.
    But as they turned another corner, Janie’s voice stopped them short.
    She was standing between two doorways at the end of the hallway. One opened into a
     large, well-lit room filled with computers, filing cabinets, and bookshelves. The
     other doorway was partially open, but enough to see a winding staircase leading upward.
    Janie’s hands were on her hips, and her cheeks were nearly as red as her hair. “You’re
     supposed to be fixing that computer, not roaming around the clinic. What were you
     doing up there, anyway?” Her hand pointed toward the staircase. “That door shouldn’t
     be open like that. Dr. Seltzer is adamant about it.”
    Justin dropped his head.
    “No, don’t tell me. I can smell it—your darn cigarettes. You can’t smoke up on the
     widow’s walk. Dr. Lily told you that, Justin. You’re going to burn the place down!”
    “It was five minutes, Janie,” he began, but Janie didn’t allow any more words.
    “Dr. Seltzer lives on the next floor, and that staircase goes right by the back door
     to his apartment. He’ll kill you if he finds out you were up there. What are you thinking?”
    Justin tried once more to talk, but Janie put out both her hands, stopping him. “It’s
     too much, Justin. And look at all these files scattered every which way. Dr. Seltzer
     says you’ve lost some of them. I’ve had it, Justin. Just leave. Forget about everything
     and just go away.”
    Justin’s reply was a plea, his voice pouring out into the hallway. “Hey, I’m sorry,
     honest. I’ll fix it all, the charts, everything. One more chance, that’s all I need.”
    Janie walked in, scooped up an armful of files, and began backing out of the room.
    Justin jumped up from the chair and started to follow her. “I’ll make it up to you.
     Things are going to be better now. Honest, Janie. I’m going to be making some real
     money. Don’t be mad.” His voice was a plea, so warm and heartfelt it would have melted
     chocolate had the air-conditioning not been so high.
    “You don’t
think.
That’s your problem. One of them, anyway,” Janie scolded, trying to stay firm. “You’ve
     missed a dozen shifts at the Artist’s Palate—Merry is ready to kill you—and you messed
     up a whole order of books at Archie Brandley’s bookstore. He was so mad he wouldn’t
     even tell me about it. Not to mention the scene at Izzy’s shop today. Justin, sometimes
     I could . . . I could just strangle you.”
    But the last choked words held a softness, like those of a caring aunt or mother or
     teacher trying to hold on to an anger that was slipping away into a warmer feeling.
    She turned, moving into the hallway quickly. Too quickly. Her elbow cracked against
     the door frame, sending the files in her arms flying in all directions.
    “Oh, no,” she cried. One hand rubbed her bruised elbow.
    “Let me help.” Izzy hurried forward.
    But Justin was there in a split second. “Nope. I got it, ladies.” He crouched down
     and began scooping up the folders.
    Janie shook her head and managed a smile for Nell and Izzy. “I can’t even blame him
     this time. It was my clumsiness.”
    Justin stood up, his arms full of files, his eyes begging for another chance.
    “Those need filing,” Janie began.
    “I know, I know. I’m good at it. I like filing.” Before she could change her mind,
     Justin headed back into the room and toward a row of filing cabinets.
    “And don’t forget the lab reports that need to go into them. Dr. Seltzer put them
     on the desk in there.”
    She shook her head once more and began walking toward the reception area, reclaiming
     her professional demeanor. “You need an appointment, Izzy. That’s much easier to deal
     with than Justin. Next week, right?” She tapped the computer to life.
    As Izzy and Janie looked at the appointment screen on Janie’s computer, Nell stood
     back and looked down the