The Fatal Fortune by Jayne Castle Read Free Book Online

smile.
    "How do you do, Miss Pemberton. Please sit down.
    I'm so glad you could come. Miss Hood has explained the job to you?"
    "She gave me an overview when I talked to her." Evelyn Pemberton nodded cordially at Trina, who was getting ready to leave for lunch. "Mr. Justis sounds as if he can be a bit of a handful at times, but I've been married for twenty-five years and raised two sons. I'm quite familiar with the male of the species. They have their occasional ego problems, and they can be temperamental, but I've learned to manage over the years."
    Guinevere nodded in enthusiastic agreement. "Mr. Justis needs someone who can maintain a calm office environment. His clients are often nervous and worried, as you can imagine. It's the nature of his business, of course. During the past year, his client list has been growing quite steadily, and he's reached the point where he needs full-time secretarial assistance. The job routines will be quite varied, and confidentiality is an absolute must." Guinevere glanced shrewdly at Evelyn Pemberton. "You do understand that? Mr. Justis would let you go in an instant if he thought you had been indiscreet about one of his cases." But first, Guinevere added silently, he'd probably chew you to pieces.
    "And he'd probably chew me up into little bits before he fired me, right?" Evelyn Pemberton asked easily.
    Guinevere grinned. "I think, Miss Pemberton, that you have a good grasp of the job requirements. I'll send you over to talk to Mr. Justis first thing in the morning."
    "That will be fine."
    Guinevere found the little house on First Hill without too much trouble. It was located in the shade of an old brick apartment building that filled up most of the rest of the block. Madame Zoltana apparently did not believe in advertising. There was no sign out front announcing the sort of service being offered inside. The house was a basic, old-fashioned frame structure with a well-tended garden stretching around to the back. The curtains in the windows were dark and heavy and pulled shut, which was surprising on such a pleasant, sunny day.
    There was nothing to announce that this was the abode of a rip-off psychic. Guinevere checked the address one more time before going up the front porch steps. As she lifted her hand to knock on the screen door, it occurred to her that she was nervous. She had a fleeting wish that Zac had accompanied her, and instantly gave herself a mental kick for being so chicken. This was her case, not his.
    The door was opened on the second knock, and Guinevere found herself facing a bosomy woman in her late fifties. Her face was serenely austere, almost aristocratic. Piercing blue eyes regarded Guinevere with cool inquiry. The woman was dressed in a black caftan trimmed at hem and sleeve with a white, embroidered design. Her hair was silvered and worn very long. It fell down her back in soft waves. Several silver bracelets and necklaces jangled lightly when she moved. A cigarette dangled carelessly from her right hand. The room behind her was quite dark, due to the drawn curtains, and smelled of stale cigarette smoke, and Guinevere could see very little in the darkness.
    "Madame Zoltana?"
    The woman inclined her head regally. "I am she. What can I do for you?"
    "I'm Guinevere Jones. Ihave an appointment with you." Guinevere was still fighting a strange sense of nervousness. Planning the big expos é of Madame Zoltana's shady business practices was one thing; carrying out those plans was clearly going to be another. For some reason, Madame Zoltana wasn't quite what she had expected. There was too much shrewd intelligence in those blue eyes, and an unnerving degree of quiet arrogance in Madame Zoltana's posture. It occurred to Guinevere that she might have bitten off more than she could chew. Instantly she pushed aside the notion and summoned up one of her famous, charming smiles—the kind of smile Zac claimed made people want to instantly confide their most secret thoughts.