Read Online Death of the Office Witch by Marlys Millhiser - Free Book Online Page A

working like nothing happened. A woman we know was murdered right here in the building.”
    â€œThat’s work for the police, Larry. When I think of something I can do about it, I’ll stop and do it. What do you want me to do, just be upset or what?”
    â€œWhen you didn’t know she was dead, but were worried about her being missing, you were upset enough to be hearing voices in the back hallway. Then when you find out she’s murdered, you seem to feel better about it.”
    â€œWell, I could have maybe done something about her being missing. I can’t do anything about her being dead.”
    â€œYou’re fucking pragmatic for a woman.”
    Charlie was never sure how to take him and didn’t want to hurt or insult him. A good assistant was worth his weight in yen, and Larry was good. So now she said carefully, “Larry, you and I are just different. We’re neither one right or wrong, just different. You see, to me pragmatic is a compliment.”
    He worked up a grimace. “You know, don’t you,” he said, “that you’re everything I detest in a man?”
    â€œHey, if you want to take the rest of the day off, I’ll fight it out with the Vance.”
    â€œThere you go again trying to avoid things. What I want to do is talk about Gloria, not go home and stew about her murder alone. I don’t understand you, Charlie.”
    Charlie didn’t understand him, either—why would you want to talk about something you were helpless to influence instead of something exciting like a megadeal you could participate in? But she had Irma hold her calls and took her assistant to the couch in her office so they could discuss Gloria in comfort. Maurice was right, Richard should get some counselors in here. But Charlie couldn’t picture him spending the money. “Excuse me for sounding pragmatic again, and I’m not questioning your feelings, but Larry, you were not that immensely fond of Gloria.”
    â€œAnd you know it could have been one of us who killed her. Her husband was probably at work and has witnesses to prove it. I don’t think the police are going to buy the theory that a coven of witches waltzed in here unnoticed to do her in. You’ll notice this Dalrymple is spending a lot of time hanging around the office.”
    â€œAround the building. There’re all kinds of offices in it. Larry, what’s really bothering you?”
    He had a male model’s square jaw. When coming into the office he usually wore stylish cotton pants and a white shirt, with the sleeves carefully rolled up above the elbow and the neck open. A lightweight sport coat with patches on the elbows and a necktie in the pocket hung behind the open door to the hall for the occasional dressy lunch. He looked indefinably mussed and rumpled today, and his tan had taken on an unhealthy hue.
    â€œI don’t believe anybody at the agency has the airtight alibi they think they do. And I’m the only one strong enough to heave a body up into the bushes like that. I’m scared, Charlie.”
    â€œYou had no motive. And it was not necessarily just one person involved. Do you know who Richard was talking to in his office earlier that morning when Tracy heard voices?”
    â€œMary Ann Leffler and Keegan Monroe.”
    â€œBefore the breakfast at Universal?”
    â€œYeah, and that meeting didn’t last a half hour. Charlie, when I left to go over to the Chevron practically everybody was here.”
    â€œBut Gloria told me over the car phone that most everybody had come in and then left on business.”
    â€œProbably just to needle you. She was always trying to make people feel guilty.”
    â€œRichard, Keegan, Mary Ann, Irma?” she asked and he nodded with each name.
    â€œAnd Maurice, I think. Dorian, I know,” he said. “And Tracy. I’m not sure about Luella. And when I came back the office was completely