Jackpot (Frank Renzi mystery series) by Susan Fleet Read Free Book Online Page A

fuzzed her vision. “No. I picked you up at the airport, worked my ass off doing your laundry, cooked you a nice dinner and cleaned it up. I’m tired. I want to relax.”
    “Fine,” he snapped. “I’ll buy new ones. If you ditched that stupid job at the Herald , you’d have more energy on the weekend. You think you’re some kind of hot-shot journalist like that chick on Murphy Brown .”
    “It’s not a stupid job.” Franco loves it. He calls me his Ace Reporter.
    “You wouldn’t be living in a nice house in Westwood if I wasn’t paying the mortgage.”
    “I’m a good journalist. How do you think I got a job writing for a big newspaper in one of the hottest media markets in the country?”
    “Yeah, and it pays shit.”
    The phone on the bedside table rang. Relieved by the interruption, she took the call and heard a familiar voice say, “Hey Gina, wait till you hear my news!”
    Gina grinned. Orchid, her kooky roommate at Boston University, was still her best friend.
    “Hey, Orchid, what’s going on?” she said, and saw Ryan frown.
    “A national outfit that runs craft shows called me. They want me to do an exhibit at a big show in Phoenix. I am psyched! They already bought some of my designer pottery.”
    “Wow! Congratulations! This will really put you in the big time.” Ryan rolled his eyes at her. She turned her back to him. “How are sales going at the studio?”
    “ Comme si, comme ca .” Orchid tossed French phrases around like a native, which in fact she was. Her mother had been living in Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera when Orchid was born.
    “Gina,” Ryan said loudly, “get rid of your weirdo friend. We need to talk.”
    “Uh-oh,” Orchid said, “who’s that? Mr. Important home from the business wars, wanting attention?”
    “Yes. Can I call you tomorrow?”
    “Sure, but not before noon. I’m going out tonight and tie one on to celebrate. Wanna come?”
    “I’d love to, but—”
    “Don’t speak. Mr. Important is listening. Call me tomorrow,” Orchid said, and clicked off.
    She replaced the receiver and said to Ryan, “You know, I don’t sit around all week while you're doing your big important business deals. I have friends.”
    “Orchid’s no friend. She’s a bad influence on you.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    His face turned as dark as a thundercloud. “What I said. She puts on airs like she’s some artsy-fartsy artist, but she’s going nowhere because she’s got no talent.”
    “What do you know about talent? All you do is manipulate numbers on a spreadsheet.”
    His eyes narrowed and his lips thinned, that dangerous look she knew so well. He took a step toward her, fists clenched. Her heart pounded and she backed away. Sometimes the intensity of his fury scared her. Damned if she’d let him know it, though. If he touched her, she’d scratch his eyes out.
    “Is that what you think I do?” he yelled. “Push numbers around? Try explaining to twenty people why you need to lay them off so they don’t wind up sabotaging the company—”
    “Jesus! You fire people and expect them to like it? Six weeks later you walk away and forget them.”
    “Hey, my obligation is to the stockholders.” He came closer and sniffed. “You’ve been drinking. Don’t deny it, I can smell it on your breath. You smell like a cheap barroom whore.”
    Her fingers tingled, icy with fear. And you’re a dry drunk, just like your father.
    “Ryan, I’m tired. I’m going to go lie down in the TV room and watch a movie and fall asleep.” No kinky sex tonight, bubba.
    His eyes morphed into blue steel, as cold and hard as the stainless-steel appliances in their kitchen. “Things better be different tomorrow, Gina. You’re my wife. You better start acting like it.”

CHAPTER 6
     
     
    Sunday, April 30
     
    Vicky heard Nigel shut off the shower and peered nearsightedly at the clock radio beside her bed. Almost noon. Feeling delightfully decadent and not the least bit