Read Between the Tines by Susan Sleeman Read Free Book Online Page B

control, I considered Daisy's latest revelation. If Gary merely interviewed her, why wouldn't she at least admit to knowing him from the interview? Unless there was more to it. What more would a personnel manager have to do with an employee after they were employed and assigned to their manager?
    Discipline, that's what.
    "Daisy," I said. "You mentioned at the field that you'd gotten in trouble for something to do with Briny's costume. Did Gary have anything to do with the trouble at work?"
    "No, I mean not really." She hung her head. "I mean, sort of."
    Silently, I watched as she seemed to struggle with the decision to say more.
    "My manager put me on probation. She said she didn't want to do it but Gary made her. Something about company policy."
    Blowing out a long breath, Adam rested on the edge of my desk, sending papers into a precarious tilt. "Start from the beginning, Daisy. Tell us why you were put on probation."
    Her face colored a glaring red. "I was at the Fourth of July celebration as Briny. It was so hot. Remember? Well, I felt like I was gonna keel over. I couldn't make it back to the tent where I changed, so I slipped behind the bathrooms. I took off Briny's head and opened the front of the costume. A couple of kids ran past and one of them really freaked out. Mary Stills, she's my manager, said I shouldn't have let the kids see me. If I did it again, I'd be fired. That's why I had to go into the woods today." She looked me square in the eyes. "Don’t tell Mary this, but if the same thing happened as on the Fourth, I'd do it again. She said it would be better for the kids to see a passed out pickle than a beheaded one, but I don't agree. Could you imagine a child ever recovering from seeing a dead pickle?"
    A dead pickle? Jars were filled with them everywhere. Kids consumed the crunchy buggers all the time. I fought back a laugh. Daisy's predicament was serious. Keep it together, Paige.
    Adam had grown even more frustrated. I doubted he'd be laughing soon. Something I could understand as Daisy had just admitted multiple reasons for wanting to harm Gary Buzzy. Kill him, not likely. But harm him, most definitely.
    "Paige." Daisy looked at me. "I really messed up. You've got to help me. You can figure out who killed Gary just like you did with Bud."
    "No way." Adam's gaze met mine. "Paige, get that look out of your eyes. You are not getting any more involved in this."
    "But I—"
    Adam laid a hand on my shoulder. "No, Paige. I forbid it."
    Forbid it? Was he serious? I eased back and out from under his grip. He was just like all the other guys I'd dated. Thinking once we were in a relationship, he could control me. Make me do what he wanted. Why did he wait so long for his true colors to come out?
    I opened my mouth to speak and looked into his now softened eyes.
    "I'm sorry, Paige," he said. "I can't tell you what to do. I don't even want to boss you around. I just don't want you to get hurt."
    Well, Paige, you have a choice. You can let him have it and send him packing, or you can compromise, relax the control obsession God is trying to eradicate and keep Adam around.
    I turned toward Daisy. Despite tears dripping from a quivering chin, I said, "Sorry, I can't help you."
    Adam let out a rush of air. "That's my girl."
    He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and gave me a quick hug.
    Guilt tugging at me, I pulled away. If I was his girl, why was I still planning to help Karen solve the murder? Worse yet, now that the topic had come up, why didn't I tell him about it instead of keeping silent?

Chapter Six
    Earl ushered Daisy out the front door with his hand fixed on her shoulder. After a curt nod goodbye, Adam traipsed behind the odd couple. The often-cantankerous Earl had surprised me by his sincere concern for Daisy's well-being. He'd raced into the office, gathered her up in a fierce hug, and asked what he could do to remedy the situation. The four of us decided not to waste any time. Daisy would immediately go