Carrots: A Shelby Nichols Adventure by Colleen Helme

Author:Colleen Helme [Helme, Colleen]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2011-02-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Ramos let Uncle Joey and me out at the curb, and we entered the building through the revolving doors. I was tempted to keep going around and come back out, but knew it was pointless. I mean, how far could I get anyway? Uncle Joey might be old, but he was in great shape. Once we were alone in the elevator, I decided to ask him something that had been bothering me.

“Why do you say you’re Kate’s uncle when you’re not related?”

He was shocked and surprised. “How did you know that?” I tapped my head. “Oh yeah. Umm, well, it’s a long story. Maybe someday I’ll tell you.”

I didn’t really think he would tell me in the first place. I mostly just wanted to stop him from singing that stupid tune. Maybe talking would help. “You need to figure out the motive behind Johnny’s death. How many enemies did he have? Who would want him dead? Is it because of something he did? It could even be something from a long time ago. You’ve been friends for a while. Did anything happen in all those years that would make someone want to kill him?”

Uncle Joey didn’t say anything, but I caught a feeling of regret that he’d had to kill someone, and that Johnny had helped him do it. The image was so powerful it was like I was there. I actually caught a glimpse of a man falling at Uncle Joey’s feet, with a knife protruding from his chest. There was shock on the dying man’s face while Johnny held him from behind. I blinked back to the present when Uncle Joey pushed the memory away.

This was bad, and I tried to cover it by asking, “So, have you thought of anything yet?”

His sharp glance pierced me to the quick, and the skin around his eyes tightened. He was pretty certain I’d just witnessed his crime. “Shelby, what am I going to do with you?” My stomach plunged. Had I just sealed my fate? Again? Just then, the elevator doors slid open. “After you,” he said smoothly.

As we entered his suite, his secretary smiled and gave us a cheery greeting. At least someone was happy. “There’s a Mr. Hodges here to see you,” she said. “He’s in your office.”

“Come with me Shelby. Let’s hear what he has to say.” Since I was in disguise, I could hardly refuse. Besides, I was as good as dead anyway. Uncle Joey greeted Hodges, and introduced me as his assistant. I took the other seat in front of Uncle Joey’s desk next to Hodges, and kept my face averted. Luckily, Hodges was so preoccupied that he didn’t really look at me, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“I just wanted you to know my case is going well,” Hodges began. “The lawyers have worked wonders, and it looks promising that I’ll get the insurance money. It’s been hard going these last few weeks. Until I get the insurance money, I don’t have enough funds to re-stock my store.

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