Read Online Gypped by Carol Higgins Clark - Free Book Online Page A

astonishing piece of news.
    “Yes!”
    “Wow. My word.” Nora paused, then asked quietly, “Regan, can you just picture your father?”
    “I thought the same thing! Can you see Daddy, with a flower in the lapel of one of his black suits, sitting in the back of a beat-up cab, waiting on line at the drive-up window?”
    “Not with the meter running.”
    Regan lowered her voice. “I’ll have fries with that.”
    They both started to laugh. Their beloved Luke was so dignified.
    “I’m sorry,” Nora finally said, trying to contain her laughter.“I’m not making fun of Zelda’s troubles. And the only way your father would ever end up in that situation would be over my dead body, so I’m laughing at myself, too.”
    “I know, Mom. Zelda was actually trying to joke about it herself, quoting lines from songs about how love can make you do crazy things. But it’s not as funny for her because she’s not imagining it.”
    “The poor dear,” Nora replied. “Regan, I don’t envy you. I sincerely hope you find nothing scandalous about this woman and Zelda learns to like her. But if that’s not the case, I hope whatever you find is bad enough that Zelda’s father will want to get out fast. Anything in between could be very sticky.”
    “I have the feeling Zelda wants me to find something truly awful.”
    “Well, do you think you’ll head up to wine country tomorrow?” Nora asked, changing the subject.
    “I’m not sure.”
    “It’s funny. The other day I signed several books for fundraisers. You know me with my map on the wall. I love to see where the books are going. One of the requests was from a town north of Los Angeles. The letter struck me as being a little odd, but I sent the book anyway. I figured I may as well since my new assistant had already addressed the envelope.”
    “Why did it seem odd?”
    “It just. . . .”
    There was a loud knock at Regan’s door. “Room service!”
    Regan put her hand over the phone. “Coming,” she called. “Mom, I have to go. My breakfast is here.”
    Three more knocks, even louder. “ROOM SERVICE!”
    “COMING!” Regan yelled.
    “Regan, let me know what happens.”
    “I will.”
    When Regan pulled open the door, a waiter was smiling from ear to ear, a sense of peace and calm emanating from his being. “Good morning, Mrs. Reilly. Are you having a good day so far?”
    “Couldn’t be better.”
    “May I come in with your breakfast?”
    No, I’ll eat it in the hallway, Regan wanted to answer. Instead, she smiled back at him. “Of course, please come in. I’ll hold the door.”
    Two seconds later, her cell phone began to ring.
    The waiter slowly pushed the breakfast table forward, but the wheels got stuck on the threshold. “Oops,” he said, as the glass and silverware jiggled. “Let’s try again.” He slowly backed up the table, then shoved it forward.
    “Got it?” Regan asked, then ran for her phone. Before she reached it, the ringing stopped. She checked the number—Jack had called! She dialed right back but it went to voice mail. He hadn’t left a message. He probably made a quick call when he had a minute, then shut off his phone. She wanted so much to talk to him.
    “Mrs. Reilly, may I pour you a cup of coffee?”
    “No!” Regan wanted to tell him, trying to calm her frustration. Then she almost laughed. I bet I have the same batty expression on my face as when I lost on that game show. There’s no doubt about it—love and money can make you crazy.

13

    A fter Regan left, Zelda left messages for her clients, then fell asleep again. An hour later she was up, heading to the bathroom, feeling very dizzy. I’ll have to go right back to bed, she thought. Norman wasn’t surprised to find her there when he returned to the room.
    “I can’t stand up for long.”
    “I told you,” he said, not unkindly. “You’re not going to be back on your feet until tomorrow.”
    Zelda’s arms were crossed, covering her eyes. “What could have caused