Fran Rizer - Callie Parrish 06 - A Corpse Under the Christmas Tree by Fran Rizer Read Free Book Online Page A

place to get my dry cleaning done and all those little things. I know where you live. I can pick you up around eight o’clock. You choose where you want to eat, and we’ll share our baggage.”
    “Share what?”
    “Baggage. You know—the things in the past that have made us cautious in the present.”
    Now, if Patel and I had shared more than just a kiss and he was calling me every night, I probably would have had even more hesitation about going out with Sheriff Harmon’s new deputy, but to be honest, the way Patel went on about being attracted to me, I’d been disappointed he hadn’t come to South Carolina around the holidays. Face it. Christmas hadn’t turned out so great when it ended with me finding Santa dead on my porch.
    “That sounds nice,” I answered. “Of course, I never know when I’ll be called in to work.”
    “And I plan to be off that night, though developments in this case could change that, but barring unforeseen work changes, I’ll pick you up at your place at eight.”
    He finished his sandwich and walked briskly out of the room. I heard “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” when he left the building.
    I should have cleared off the sandwich wrappings and gone back to my workroom immediately to see if Odell needed me and check why Otis hadn’t shown up for his sandwich. Instead, I acted like a fourteen-year-old and called my BFF.
    “Callie here,” I said when Jane answered.
    “I think after all these years I recognize your voice. You left early this morning. Are you at work?”
    “Yes, but I called to tell you I have a date for dinner Saturday night.”
    In my mind, I saw the big grin on Jane’s face. “J.T. Patel’s coming back to town?” she asked with a lilt in her voice, but the expression was a statement rather than a question.
    “No. Do you remember the homicide detective who was at the house last night?”
    “The one who made us sit in his car?”
    “His name is Dean Robinson, and he asked me out.”
    “Where’d you see him?”
    “He came by Middleton’s to ask some questions.”
    “What about J. T. Patel?”
    “What about him?”
    “I know you’re not really in a relationship with him, but aren’t you two trying to hook up?”
    Thank heaven a call-waiting beep interrupted the conversation because I didn’t know how to answer that question.
    “Got a beep coming in. I’ll call you or see you tonight.” I hit the “flash” button on the telephone.
    “Callie,” the smooth, velvety voice of J. T. Patel greeted me. “You’ve been on my mind since I woke this morning, and I wanted to see how your day is going. Sometimes thinking about you makes me feel like a sixteen-year-old kid in love for the first time.”
    We chatted for several minutes, and no, I didn’t tell him that I was going out to dinner with another man on Saturday night.
    “Just As I Am” called me from the front door.
    “I’ve got to go,” I said. “Someone’s in the hall.”
    “I’ll call you tonight,” Patel promised, and then added, “We’ve got to make plans to get together.”
    The call from Patel made me wonder if I should cancel the date with Detective Robinson. Patel and I’d never told each other that we weren’t dating other people, but since we talked most nights, it was obvious that neither of us was getting busy in the evenings.
    No time to pursue that line of thought. I stepped into the hall where tall, thin Miss Lettie awaited with her short, slightly plump neighbor Ellen. What time is it? I thought. I haven’t dressed Mr. Morgan yet. Surely it’s not two o’clock already!
    The first thing Miss Lettie said was, “I want to see my baby!”
     
    • • •
     
    Odell joined us before I had time to open my mouth, much less consider what to say.
    “You’ve come early, but of course, you’ll see your son,” he said in that calm, professional undertaker tone he uses. He took her arm at the elbow and guided her into the first conference room. We’ve recently added