Read Online Deadly Deals by Fern Michaels - Free Book Online

found herself measuring the ex-con sitting next to her against Fish. The trouble was, neither one of them was coming up short.
    Myra almost killed herself getting up from the table and running to the pantry off the kitchen, where the others were doubled over laughing. “She’s a loose cannon. Someone has to rein her in,” Myra said, her voice so garbled, the others could barely understand what she was saying. “This is not funny, girls. What if she…crashes and burns? Then what?”
    â€œThat is not going to happen. We’re all going to take her under our wings and teach her a thing or two. That’s not to say she needs teaching. It will be more like taking a refresher course.” Nikki giggled. “You’re getting married soon, Myra. You’re welcome to sit in. You know what they say. You’re never too old to learn new tricks.”
    Myra’s hands flew to the pearls at her neck. “Oh, dear God!”
    â€œOkay, fun’s over. Time to get to work. Straight faces, everyone,” Kathryn said. “Let’s take the small safe and the digital gizmo, along with the instructions, into the living room and see which one of us is proficient at modern safe-cracking. I can’t believe that schmuck said my fingers are too thick. I think I have nice fingers. Rings look nice on my fingers.”
    â€œGive it up already,” Nikki snapped. “Do you hear me complaining that he said my fingers were stubby? I think we should push him off the mountain after he teaches us all he knows.”
    Â 
    As they sat in the kitchen at the Post, Maggie scarfed down pancakes and sausages as she rattled off orders to Ted and Espinosa, who were trying to eat and take notes at the same time. “You can take Carmody with you if you feel you need more manpower. It’s your job to convince the Dawsons and Evanses to go public. I want family pictures, not the ones you had earlier. All new parents take pictures all day long. I want a regular gallery. I want sweet, I want sad, I want devastated. Now, listen to me carefully.” Maggie stopped eating long enough to show how serious she was about what she was about to say. “Only as a last resort are you to mention the vigilantes and their willingness to step in to help. You can mention that there will be financial aid to both families if they agree to go public and their employers terminate them because of the publicity. Take your food in a to-go bag and get on it. I want all this by noon, so get going.”
    â€œHow am I going to eat waffles with syrup in a to-go bag?” Ted grumbled.
    â€œGet some toast and a banana,” Maggie said as she went back to her hearty breakfast. “Do a good job, and I’ll treat you to dinner at Martin’s in Georgetown. I’ll even call ahead to see if we can get John Kennedy’s favorite booth, the one where he proposed to Jackie. Booth three, or maybe booth one, where he would go to read the Sunday paper after Mass.”
    â€œYeah, yeah, yeah,” Ted said as he galloped out of the kitchen, Espinosa on his trail.
    Forty minutes later, Maggie was back in her office. She took care of a few housekeeping details and settled down to wait for Lizzie Fox’s call. She took the three-hour time difference as a personal affront to her own busy schedule as she watched the latest happenings coming in over the wires. Her eyes narrowed to a squint as she stared at her computer.
    Santa Claus, aka Baron Bell, and his elves will arrive in his personal antique sleigh, complete with sleigh bells and his eight worthy steeds, on the South Lawn of the White House for the annual children’s Christmas party at the White House, hosted by President Connor and Baron Bell. The date is three days away.
    Maggie’s gaze raced through the news flash. Tree lighting. Tons of gaily wrapped gifts, snowballs.
    The ultimate in photo ops. No mention who would set the sleigh down in the snow on