Read Online Deadly Intent by Christiane Heggan - Free Book Online Page B

you’re not the Bank of America.” “Not in so many words, but he got my drift. I think.” “If he didn’t, let me know. I’d love to wipe that smirk of his—“
    Brady was interrupted by the sound of shouting voices coming from the kitchen. One of them belonged to Sean, one of Campagne’s two kitchen helpers.
    “I told you, Abbie is tied up at the moment,” Sean was saying. “You’ll have to come back.”
    “Look, punk,” the other man replied, “I was in this business when you were still in diapers, so don’t tell me what to do.”
    “That’s Ken!” Brady on her heels, Abbie hurried to the kitchen, slapping the swinging doors open. Ken Walker stood in the middle of the kitchen, his face an angry red, his hands balled up into fists as though he was ready to strike. In his mid-thirties, Ken had the sturdy, muscular build of a wrestler and a volatile temper. Six weeks ago, after a year in Abbie’s employ, Brady had caught the kitchen helper stealing money from the cash
    register. Abbie had fired him on the spot and later found out he had a gambling problem she hadn’t been aware of.
    “What’s going on in here?” she asked, glad the restaurant hadn’t yet opened for business. “Ken, what are you doing in my kitchen?”
    “Hello, Ms. DiAngelo.” He removed his baseball hat and held it in front of him. “I came to see if I could get my old job back.”
    Brady started to say something, but Abbie stopped him. “I’ll handle it, Brady.” Then, motioning Ken into the utility room, she said, “You know that’s not possible, Ken. First of all, my policy hasn’t changed. You stole from me and that’s not something I can easily forgive. Secondly, as you saw, we’ve already replaced you, with Sean. I couldn’t give you your old job back even if I wanted to.”
    “I don’t gamble anymore,” Ken said as though he hadn’t heard her. “And I go to Gamblers Anonymous three times a week. I know it’s working because I haven’t set foot in Atlantic City in over a month.”
    “I’m glad to hear that, Ken, but I still can’t give you a job.”
    “Are you sure? I’ve been watching the restaurant. It’s busier than ever now that you’ve won that award. You probably could use some extra help in the kitchen. I’d even be willing to settle for a lesser position, until I earned my old one back.”
    His stubbornness was one of the reasons they’d had problems with him from the start. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, she repeated, “I can’t do it, Ken. I’m sorry.”
    His tone turned belligerent again. “You like kicking a man when he’s down, don’t you, Ms. DiAngelo? That’s all part of that power trip you’re on.”
    Abbie stiffened. “You’re out of line, Ken.”
    “Maybe you’re out of line. I came here in good faith and admitted I had a problem. I even told you what I was doing to fix it, but none of that matters to you.”
    Brady came out of nowhere and grabbed the man by the arm. “That’s it, buster. You’re out of here.”
    “I’m not finished!” Ken shouted.
    “Oh, yes, you are.” Brady shoved him out the back door. “Ms. DiAngelo didn’t press charges against you the last time because she felt sorry for you, but if you ever show your face in this restaurant again, I’ll call the police myself.” He shut the door and locked it, cutting off the man’s ranting.
    “I don’t like the way he’s acting,” Brady said to Abbie. “Why don’t we call the police and ask them to keep an eye on the restaurant.”
    Abbie shook her head. “I don’t want to get him in trouble. Or hurt his chances of finding a job elsewhere. Let’s just wait and see what happens.”
    She glanced out the window. Ken was gone, but somehow that failed to soothe her already frayed nerves. She wondered what else this day had in store for her.
    Eight
    Ian sat in Rose’s car, no more than a hundred feet or so from the small blue house, wondering if he should go ring Irene’s