Shade of the Tree (Jerry eBooks) by Piers Anthony

Author:Piers Anthony [Anthony, Piers]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jerry eBooks
Published: 2014-12-29T05:00:00+00:00

Next day he drove to the other Heatherwood to see the accountant. It was a fair labyrinth, but he followed the instructions faithfully and located the address. He was right on time, having allowed a margin for confusion. He usually was prompt; it was part of his nature.

The house was a modern neat one-floor structure with a tiled roof, reminiscent of the ones he was used to in the north. Mr. Graham was surely a conventional man. Josh hoped the accountant would be up to the challenge of educating an intruder from another discipline.

A woman answered the door. She was attractive in a light print dress and shoulder-length brown hair. She glanced askance at him.

“My name is Joshua Pinson. I’m here to see Mr. Graham about a matter of accounting.”

“Of course,” she said. Her voice sounded familiar. “Come in, Mr. Pinson.”

Josh stepped in. He had not dressed formally; now, in this tastefully neat house, he felt a bit out of place. He wondered whether this quest was worthwhile. It really depended on the accountant.

“Come to the office, please,” the woman said, leading the way. She was of medium height and well proportioned, though somewhat beyond the bloom of youth. There seemed to be a touch of humor in her voice, though Josh could not place its reason.

The office was spare, with desk and chairs, and a certificate posted on the wall. “Have a seat, Mr. Pinson,” she said, and took the desk herself.

Josh sat. “Oh—you’re the CPA? I expected—”

She indicated the certificate. “Philippa Graham, CPA.”

“Philippa?” He looked at her from a new mental alignment. “Oh, no! Not the horsewoman!”

She smiled. “I know, I know! You didn’t recognize me in clothing.”

“I didn’t recognize you,” he agreed ruefully. “You, in that dress—”

“Say what is on your mind, Mr. Pinson.”

“Well, you’re a comely woman.”

“In contrast to my usual state?”

“I suspect I have dug myself in deep enough. Why didn’t you tell me it was you?”

“I was disinclined to mix business with pleasure.”

“This is business,” he said. “I really do mean to explore the possibility of—”

“Certainly. And I believe we can do business. Otherwise I would not have given you my number. As it was, you caught my father by surprise.”

Her father—the man who had answered the phone. “I assumed he was an associate,” Josh admitted.

“Now I can provide you with the fundamentals—”

“Miss Graham, I am not certain I—”

“Oh, it’s Miss Graham, now?”

“Pip,” Josh said with difficulty. “I just don’t think—”

“Oh? Changed your mind? Because I’m a woman—or because I’m a neighbor?”

“One or the other,” Josh admitted.

“I trust you are aware this is fighting language?” And she was a fighting woman.

“Yes,” Josh agreed. “I’m not saying no, I’m just saying I need to think about this. I’m just not certain I want to work with you in this capacity.”

She frowned. “Now I don’t really need the business, Mr. Pinson. I—”

“Mr. Pinson?”

She flashed a smile. “Touché, Josh. I don’t have to trick anybody into hiring me. I am the best CPA in these parts. I’m not sure I even intended to charge you for this service.

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