Dangerous Secrets by L. L. Bartlett, Kelly McClymer, Shirley Hailstock, C. B. Pratt Read Free Book Online

bleached blond hair had only the barest hint of dark roots.
Women with her identical tiny waist and almost nonexistent breasts were always
plastered across the sales flyers that came in the newspaper.
    ‶ I′m Alyssa Nelson.″
She offered her hand.
    I shook it. Bony—and no impressions. Good. ‶ Jeff
Resnick. Nice to meet you.″
    She leaned her equally bony behind against one
of the tables. ‶ I′m
here with my boyfriend. I won a contest on the radio. Four nights and five days
at the Sugar Maple Inn.″
    ‶ Where are you from?″
    ‶ Long Island. Yeah, it′s
nice here. But I wish they had heart-shaped tubs. My mom says it′s not a
major place unless they have heart-shaped tubs.″
    I would′ve settled for any kind of a tub. ‶ What
do you do on Long Island?″ I asked, more out of courtesy than interest.
    ‶ I work in a jewelry store. But
like I said, I′ve been seriously thinking of going to modeling school.
Doug—that′s my boyfriend—he says I could make some good money, and maybe
we could travel.″
    ‶ Where is Doug?″ I asked,
glancing around.
    ‶ By the pool. I just wanted to
see if you could use me in any of your shots.″
    ‶ Sorry, but we′re
featuring furniture.″
    ‶ Too bad.″ She waved a
finger at me, her expression filled with hope. ‶ But if you change your
mind—″
    ‶ I′ll let you know.″
I was still smiling as she walked away. I turned, surprised to find Maggie
standing behind me, fists planted on her nicely rounded hips.
    ‶ Kind of young for you,
isn′t she?″ Maggie doesn′t usually feel threatened by other
women, but she tends to be sensitive about our modest age difference.
    ‶ Yes, she is. And too skinny for
my taste, too. I like my women with a little meat on their bones.″ I
grabbed her by the waist, pulled her close, and kissed her.
    ‶ Oh, you,″ she said and
batted my nose. ‶ Let′s
finish up.″
    It was after five when I packed the last of the
equipment. All that remained was for me to lug it up two flights and then I
could take it easy for the rest of the day.
    ‶ What will you do
tomorrow?″ Susan asked, suddenly hovering once again.
    ‶ The morning light should be
good in the sun room. Or we could do the living room.″
    ‶ Or both,″ she suggested.
    I sighed wearily. ‶ Or both.″
    ‶ Great.″ With that said,
she flounced off in the direction of the stairs, presumably to go back to her
office to count her earnings, or perhaps berate a member of her staff. Ah, the
life of the entrepreneur. Here it was Friday of a long holiday weekend, and
already I longed to go back to my boring every-day life in Buffalo.
    I noticed when it came time for actual physical
labor, my audience of Ted and Nadine had disappeared. It was up to Maggie and
me to trudge up all those stairs to stow the equipment. Three trips—and a
healthy sweat—later, I plugged the power packs in the room′s only outlet,
recharging them for the next day′s shoot, then flopped on the bed to
stare at the ceiling. I longed for a shower.
    ‶ Can we go home now?″ I
begged Maggie.
    ‶ Not yet, I′m
afraid.″ She joined me on the bed. ‶ Just one more day, and we can
relax all day Sunday. That′ll be nice, won′t it?″
    ‶ It′ll have to be.″
I yanked at my shirt and sniffed. ‶ I′d even be willing to
take a bath right now, and all we have is that dinky sink. Boy that friend of
yours is a slave driver.″
    ‶ She′s not really a
friend,″ Maggie reminded me. ‶ She was my chem lab partner—the
most popular girl in my high school class. And I was—″
    ‶ Not?″
    She radiated embarrassment. I put my arm around
her shoulder and drew her close. ‶ Don′t feel bad, love. I
was in the same boat. Why don′t you tell me what′s really bothering
you.″
    She pulled back and stared at the floor. ‶ Back
in high school, we toilet-papered the principal′s office as our senior
prank. Afterwards, they did a locker inspection and found an empty cardboard
core in