Tax Cut by Michele Lynn Seigfried Read Free Book Online

disconnected.
    My phone rang again five minutes later. It was Nero. I answered the phone in order to tell him to stop calling.
    “Clerk’s office, Chelsey speaking.”
    “Chelsey, it’s Mike.”
    “You have to stop calling me at work,” I told him.
    “Well, then can I have your home number?”
    I rolled my eyes. This guy just didn’t get it. I wasn’t sure if he was oblivious or rude.
    “No, you can’t have my home phone number. I want you to stop calling me.”
    “Then how about your cell?”
    “No!”
    “But, I’d really like to take you out on a nice date. I promise, you won’t regret it.”
    “Mike, I have a child and a boyfriend. I can’t go out on a date with you. Thank you for asking, but no thanks.”
    “Dump your boyfriend and go out with me.”
    “No, Mike, now please…don’t call again.”
    I hung up the phone. He called me right back. I hit the “do not disturb” button. I had enough of Mike Nero for one day, and I was still upset about the Marc incident, so I decided it was time to call it a day.
     

 
    Chapter 5
     
     
    In the dark of the night, t wo men had been digging with shovels.
    “This would be a lot easier with a backhoe,” the first one said, gritting his teeth.
    “The backhoe will be too noisy. It’s four in the morning. It’ll wake up the neighbors,” said the second man.
    Nosy neighbors would not have been a welcome disturbance. Tired and sweaty, the men continued to dig for close to two hours.
    “We’re running out of time. This will have to do,” one announced.
    They dragged the bodies that were wrapped in plastic from the office building. They laid the bodies in the freshly dug graves. The sun was due to rise in thirty minutes. There wasn’t much time to cover them. The men worked diligently until daybreak. The bodies were covered, but not deeply. It didn’t matter, though. Foundations to new townhomes would be poured in this area within days. No one would find the bodies under the thick concrete.
    The hissing and screeching of the turkey vultures could be heard. They circled around the recently disturbed soil. Their keen sense of smell could detect the gases emitted from the decomposing flesh. As the scavengers searched for their food, the men headed inside to clean up.
     
    * * *
     
    I shuffled outside to get the morning newspaper. It was freezing out. I was tired of this cold weather. I ran back inside the house and unfolded the paper. The front page had a story about a married couple reported missing by their daughter in the village where I worked. I hadn’t known the couple and didn’t recognize their photos. They lived in an oceanfront house, so I assumed they were well to do, as oceanfront homes in Coral Beach sold for quite a pretty penny. I heard Mandy stirring, so I put down the paper to get her ready for the day.
    After I had left her with my parents, I headed into work and nestled into my chair.
    Bryce peeked his head into my office.
    “Good morning, Madame Clerk.”
    “Good morning, Mr. Assessor.”
    “Would you like a cup of coffee? I’m pouring one for myself.”
    I took him up on the offer. “Yes, please! With that hazelnut creamer we have and Splenda.”
    Bryce returned moments later with the coffee for me. I thanked him.
    “How have your first couple of days been?”
    “As good as can be expected,” I answered.
    “You mean, stressful, then?” Bryce said with a smirk.
    I lo oked into his brown eyes. “You’re perceptive,” I remarked.
    “Nah, I just remember what my first week was like.”
    “How long ago was that?” I asked.
    “Oh, I’ve only been here for a few months.”
    “A newbie, like me!” I pointed out.
    “Yeah, us newbies need to stick together.”
    “I agree.”
    “Well, if there’s anything you need…” Bryce’s voice trailed off.
    “Thanks, Bryce.”
    He left my office, so I turned by attention to my voicemail messages.
    The sound of Mike Nero’s voice, like nails on a chalkboard, filled my