The Dead-End Job Mysteries Box Set 2 by Elaine Viets

Author:Elaine Viets [Viets, Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781625674838
Publisher: JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc.
Published: 2020-04-27T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 2

“I have the money to get what I want.”

Violet’s sentence sounded sweet to Helen: Nancie’s new client had just handed their struggling PI agency an unlimited expense account. Her reasons sounded noble: She wanted to save her father.

But Helen also detected discordant notes: Violet had used “I” twice, plus “money” and “want.” She’d packed a lot of ego into nine short words. She’d mentioned her father’s millions and her own money.

If Violet solved her problems by throwing money at them, she could give Helen and Phil’s newborn agency a healthy cash infusion.

But that sentence also signaled Violet could be difficult, demanding and determined to get her way. She was so eaten with hatred that she could not say her stepmother’s name. It was an unnerving pattern. Violet didn’t mention her ex-husband’s name, either. She’d erased the man, if not the damage he did to her.

Violet was in the grip of powerful emotions. Her desire for revenge could hinder their investigation.

You’ve spent years in retail, Helen told herself. This isn’t the first difficult person you’ve had to handle. Phil has enough charm for both of us, and Nancie stood up to a whole city and got her way. We can handle one rich, wounded client.

“I know how we can get that woman,” Violet said.

Phil caught Helen’s eye and raised an eyebrow at that we. He knew that was client code for you.

Nancie leaned forward in her desk and gave Violet a gunslinger’s stare. “We’ll be happy to consider any ideas you might have,” she said. “But I am in charge of any inquiry, and Coronado Investigations works with me. We will not do anything illegal or unethical.”

Violet sat back slightly, as if the force of Nancie’s statement made her retreat. She fumbled with her purse strap while she carefully chose her words and softened her voice. “I’m worried that woman will try to kill my father in the hospital,” she said. “She could smother him with a pillow or pull the plug on the ventilator. Then Daddy will never get a chance to recover.” A fat tear escaped and slid down her pale cheek.

Nancie seemed to suppress a sigh. Very slowly, as if she were explaining a complex subject to a small child, she said, “There’s no evidence your father is receiving improper treatment—or that he’s been poisoned. We need facts. All we have is his housekeeper’s bungled attempt to get Blossom arrested and an imaginary boyfriend.”

“He’s real,” Violet said. “She’s cheating on Daddy. My father needs protection, and I can’t be there to help him. That woman won’t let me into his ICU room, but she’d have to let in Daddy’s spiritual adviser.”

“Your father has a minister?” Helen asked.

“Yes,” Violet said. “You.”

Her words detonated a deafening silence. Violet rushed to fill it. “Daddy wasn’t religious. I don’t think he’s been in a church since Mama was buried. But that woman has been with Daddy such a short time she doesn’t know if he has a Baptist minister or a Buddhist monk.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.