Read Online Christmas Carol Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery) by Leslie Meier - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leslie Meier
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don’t give any benefits, and worst of all, they don’t give people a full week’s worth of hours. They keep them on call, have them come in when they need them, which means they can’t get a second job because they don’t know when they’ll be called to work.”
Lucy bit her lip, thinking this sounded a lot like her working conditions at the Pennysaver . Pam’s husband, Ted, didn’t offer health insurance, and she and Phyllis often joked that their wages made them more like volunteers than employees.
“I know,” Lucy said. “People used to make a living working in the local stores, but those little businesses can’t compete with the national chains.”
“Look at the empty storefronts,” Pam said, with a wave of her hand. “The Mad Hatter, Chanticleer Chocolates, Mainely Books—they’re all gone.”
Lucy lowered her voice and nodded toward the pink and white striped curtains that hung in the windows at Fern’s Famous. “Sara told me this morning she went in to see if they needed help for the holidays and Dora told her business is so bad she can’t use her.”
“Tell me about it,” Pam moaned. “Ads are down at the Pennysaver. Fern’s Famous cut their budget, and a lot of businesses aren’t advertising at all. Ted’s really worried. He doesn’t know how much longer he can keep going.”
Lucy’s heart skipped a beat and her tummy tightened. As much as she complained about her working conditions, she loved her job. She couldn’t imagine her life without it. “That’s awful,” was all she could say.
“Oh, don’t worry. He’s been drawing on the home equity line to make up the difference.” Pam laughed. “We’ll be fine as long as this recession doesn’t go on too long.” She paused, pulling the door open and holding it for Lucy. “And if real estate values recover.”
“Hi, ladies,” Dora said, greeting them from her spot behind the counter. “What can I do for you?”
Lucy inhaled the warm, seductive scent of chocolate and gazed at the vintage picture that hung on the wall as Pam launched into her spiel. If only life was like that picture, full of sunshine and chocolate and smiling cows and apple-cheeked children. But it looked as if it was going to be a long, hard winter in Tinker’s Cove this year.
Chapter Six
W hen Lucy got to the office on Monday, Phyllis was at her desk but Ted hadn’t come in yet. She didn’t hesitate to unburden herself of the disturbing knowledge that had bothered her all weekend, following Pam’s admission of financial trouble.
“I was out selling ads for the Community Players’ program with Pam on Saturday,” she began, unwinding her scarf and removing her jacket. “She told me some pretty scary stuff about our jobs.”
Phyllis smoothed her sparkly, beaded cardigan over her significant bust and leaned forward, propping her elbows on her desk. “Really? What did she say?”
Lucy went over to the chest-high reception counter that separated Phyllis’s work space from the rest of the office. “She said Ted is borrowing against their home equity line to keep the Pennysaver going—and she doesn’t know how long they can keep doing it.”
The thin lines that were all that remained of Phyllis’s eyebrows rose above her reading glasses and she nodded, causing her double chins to quiver. “Now that you mention it, I’m not surprised. Ads have been way down.” She plucked a copy of the Pennysaver from the pile on the counter. “See how thin it is? That’s because there’s hardly any ads. He’s even got a full page house ad touting lower ad rates.”
“I feel really stupid,” Lucy admitted. “Here I’m supposed to be a reporter and I never noticed. I’ve been so wrapped up in Christmas and the show and the kids I didn’t notice what was going on right under my nose. Now it turns out I might not have a job—and at Christmas, too.”
“That’s when the pink slips always come out, which is pretty ironic if you ask me,” Phyllis
Lucy bit her lip, thinking this sounded a lot like her working conditions at the Pennysaver . Pam’s husband, Ted, didn’t offer health insurance, and she and Phyllis often joked that their wages made them more like volunteers than employees.
“I know,” Lucy said. “People used to make a living working in the local stores, but those little businesses can’t compete with the national chains.”
“Look at the empty storefronts,” Pam said, with a wave of her hand. “The Mad Hatter, Chanticleer Chocolates, Mainely Books—they’re all gone.”
Lucy lowered her voice and nodded toward the pink and white striped curtains that hung in the windows at Fern’s Famous. “Sara told me this morning she went in to see if they needed help for the holidays and Dora told her business is so bad she can’t use her.”
“Tell me about it,” Pam moaned. “Ads are down at the Pennysaver. Fern’s Famous cut their budget, and a lot of businesses aren’t advertising at all. Ted’s really worried. He doesn’t know how much longer he can keep going.”
Lucy’s heart skipped a beat and her tummy tightened. As much as she complained about her working conditions, she loved her job. She couldn’t imagine her life without it. “That’s awful,” was all she could say.
“Oh, don’t worry. He’s been drawing on the home equity line to make up the difference.” Pam laughed. “We’ll be fine as long as this recession doesn’t go on too long.” She paused, pulling the door open and holding it for Lucy. “And if real estate values recover.”
“Hi, ladies,” Dora said, greeting them from her spot behind the counter. “What can I do for you?”
Lucy inhaled the warm, seductive scent of chocolate and gazed at the vintage picture that hung on the wall as Pam launched into her spiel. If only life was like that picture, full of sunshine and chocolate and smiling cows and apple-cheeked children. But it looked as if it was going to be a long, hard winter in Tinker’s Cove this year.
Chapter Six
W hen Lucy got to the office on Monday, Phyllis was at her desk but Ted hadn’t come in yet. She didn’t hesitate to unburden herself of the disturbing knowledge that had bothered her all weekend, following Pam’s admission of financial trouble.
“I was out selling ads for the Community Players’ program with Pam on Saturday,” she began, unwinding her scarf and removing her jacket. “She told me some pretty scary stuff about our jobs.”
Phyllis smoothed her sparkly, beaded cardigan over her significant bust and leaned forward, propping her elbows on her desk. “Really? What did she say?”
Lucy went over to the chest-high reception counter that separated Phyllis’s work space from the rest of the office. “She said Ted is borrowing against their home equity line to keep the Pennysaver going—and she doesn’t know how long they can keep doing it.”
The thin lines that were all that remained of Phyllis’s eyebrows rose above her reading glasses and she nodded, causing her double chins to quiver. “Now that you mention it, I’m not surprised. Ads have been way down.” She plucked a copy of the Pennysaver from the pile on the counter. “See how thin it is? That’s because there’s hardly any ads. He’s even got a full page house ad touting lower ad rates.”
“I feel really stupid,” Lucy admitted. “Here I’m supposed to be a reporter and I never noticed. I’ve been so wrapped up in Christmas and the show and the kids I didn’t notice what was going on right under my nose. Now it turns out I might not have a job—and at Christmas, too.”
“That’s when the pink slips always come out, which is pretty ironic if you ask me,” Phyllis
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