Without Any Warning (A Samantha Jamison Mystery Volume 2) by Peggy A. Edelheit Read Free Book Online Page A

agent that obviously knew them all, a potential mugger on the beach, a burglar who almost got smashed with a statue, a girlfriend who was staying with me and hiding a hotel key behind a painting, and an anonymous compulsive drunken gambler who liked to high roll it with my credit card!
    Did I miss anybody?
    The doorbell rang. I sighed.
    Now what?
    I sat there like stone. I didn’t feel like getting up. It rang once more. I took a calming breath and slowly made my way to the stairwell. It rang insistently again. “I’m coming, I’m coming,” I snapped, sprinting down the stairwell. I firmly gripped the handle and swung the door open.
    “…Oh …my …God!” I said, stunned.
    “Very funny, Sam! What kind of greeting was that? Especially after all we’ve been through too!”
    Shocked, I silently tacked onto that list an elderly, cantankerous, seventy-something woman.
    “…Martha?”
    “Well, it ain’t Angelina Jolie! That’s for sure! Now, get on out there and help bring my bags in. That cabby just dumped them by the curb. Well, I never! Can you imagine being so rude?” She shoved her way in after a quick hug from me.
    Wait a minute! Who was watching my cat, Sneakers?
    I suddenly had another disturbing thought, as panic set in. “Hey, who is watching my store back in Highlands?”
    She waved off my concern with a shake of her head. “Don’t worry about a thing. It’s all taken care of! The shop is in good hands, including that feline of yours. I’ll explain later once I get myself all settled.”
    “But Martha…”
      “You know what your problem is? You’re a worrier! Relax! Trust me. I’ve got it covered.” She turned in place. “Hey, these are nice digs you got here! Look at all those statues! Boy, did you rent a slick place here or what? Just don’t stand there, get a move on! Then you can show me my room and the rest of the place. I’m plum worn out! My arthritis is kicking up. That long bus ride was a real killer.”
      I passed on pushing Martha further for the moment and eventually heaved in her luggage, overwhelmed by all six huge suitcases. I was staggered by their size. “Exactly how long are you planning to stay?Are you sure you have enough clothes?” I asked sarcastically.
      “Is it always this cold here?” Martha asked, ignoring my question and rubbing her hands together.
    “Martha, it’s March,” I patiently explained. “It’s usually cold out at this time of year here.”
      “But I came for the sun and beach!” she protested. “I wanted to work on a tan!”
      “But this is New Jersey!” I answered, gritting my teeth in a sort of smile.
    “Don’t you think I don’t know that?” retorted Martha. “I’m not senile. …Well, not yet anyway. Good thing I thought to bring my heavy coat, mittens and knit hat.”
    “They’ll come in handy, I’m sure.” I said, as I started slowly lugging her bags up the stairs. “Follow me.” I tried once again to pin her down. “…Exactly how long are you here for?”
    “Depends,” Martha replied. “But let’s not worry about that now. We have a lot of catching up to do first. Now, tell me which room is mine?” she asked cheerfully, as she followed me down the hall.
    She stopped to look through one doorway. “Well, isn’t this a pretty room! I love the colors in this one!”
    “That’s Mona’s room,” I said, finally reduced to dragging her bags along the hardwood floor. “Keep going, yours is at the end of the hall.”
    She stopped dead in her tracks. “…Who …is …Mona? You have company? Well, why didn’t you say something in the first place?”
    “She’s an old girlfriend from way back. College. Long story.”
    My insecurities abruptly resurfaced. I’d thought I’d gotten over them through the hellish excitement of finding out the truth about how my husband had died the previous year, but now I wasn’t sure. Sometimes Martha made me feel like a weak idiot, pushing me on purpose, so I’d speak up.