The Laundry Hag's New Year's Clean-Up by Jennifer L Hart

Author:Jennifer L Hart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romantic mystery, cozy mystery, comedy, mystery series
Publisher: Jennifer L Hart
Published: 2018-11-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

One hour and forty-five minutes ‘til midnight

Maggie

Neil didn’t pace, didn’t waste the energy he needed to see us through this. Outwardly he was a still, dark shape in waiting mode.

Inwardly, I knew my husband seethed.

In a night full of unexpected shocks, he’d just been dealt the most unexpected of all. Amber, his ex-wife and Kenny and Josh’s mother had somehow gotten herself wrapped up in this whole hostage taking situation.

Was it about the money? From what I’d heard downstairs, she had sunk her claws into some doctor. Yet she’d implied that the Long Island ape was her lover.

“Neil,” I whispered low.

He turned to face me.

I lowered my voice and stepped closer. “I think it was her I spied earlier. In that other bedroom. But she was at the party, too.”

“They needed someone on the inside. A guest to blend in and take inventory. You said she was engaged?”

At my nod he swore low. “That means she’s been part of this for a while. They targeted someone in the Swenson’s inner circle to gain access to the party.”

“What do we do?”

He shook his head. “We still need to make a call for help. It just got harder though because they’re in the gallery. If the guy who I’m guessing is the missing George comes to and starts making noise, they’ll find him and know someone is on the loose.”

“And if she recognizes Leo,” I swallowed past the fear in my throat. “She’ll have a good idea who.”

He strode toward the furniture and yanked a sheet off the armoire. “Our time is almost up here. I don’t think looking for an active landline is the smartest move anymore. Get the one off the mirror.”

“The sheet?” I asked as he snagged the one off the bed. I handed it to him and watched in disbelief as he started tying the two together. “Oh no.”

“What?”

“Tell me you’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, Slick.”

“I’m thinking we need to get as far away from the signal jammer as possible so we can use our phones and call for help.” He annunciated the last word as he tied another knot.

“It’s three stories,” I wanted to shriek but settled for a hiss. “Neil, I can’t shinny down a building on a couple of bedsheets like a teenage waif. I can barely get through a half hour Mommy and Me yoga class with Lily in a sling.”

He nodded. “That’s why I’m going to lower you down.”

My teeth sank into my lower lip as I imagined myself being hefted to the ground like a piece of freight too big to clear the doorway. “What about Leo?”

He shook his head and moved to the double hung windows. Unlatched it.

“Neil, we can’t just leave him.”

He popped out the screen, studiously ignoring me.

“Look, I know he’s been a pain all night but I won’t turn my back on my friend when he’s in danger.”

“Maggie, Amber is self-involved. There’s a good chance she won’t place Leo if he’s smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

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