Read Online Hide and Snoop (The Odelia Grey Mysteries) by Sue Ann Jaffarian - Free Book Online Page A

it had become part of my arsenal.
    Carl’s eyes bore into mine to see if I meant business. I didn’t crack under the pressure. I had nothing to lose.
    “Go back to your desk, Odelia,” he finally said. “Do your work in the same efficient manner you always have. It’s rather slow right now across the firm as a whole, but I’ll rustle up some work to keep you afloat for the time being, and I’ll have other attorneys divert billable work to you as much as possible. Don’t forget, you have a lot of loyal supporters here.”
    “What about Lily?”
    “I know it’s an imposition, but if we can’t iron out that problem today, do you think Zee would keep her tomorrow while you’re here?”
    I thought about Zee cuddling with Lily. Kids were like crack to her. “I believe she would.”
    Carl reached for his phone. “In the meantime, I’m going to get in touch with Erica.”
    “Good luck. No one seems to know where she is at the moment or when she’s returning. She might even be gone until Monday.”
    “Hmm.” He held up a finger, indicating for me to stay put. After unhanding the phone, he swung around again to gaze out the window to think. Thirty seconds later, he turned back around.
    “We’ve shelved the decision about the paralegals for a few weeks,” he told me. “That should buy me time to get to the bottom of this. How about you putting some time into locating Erica? But do it quietly. When you do find her, make sure she gets in touch with me immediately.” His eyes were almost glowing. I knew that look. It was how he looked when he had enough evidence to nail an opponent in court.
    “More unbillable work, Carl?”
    “For now, it might be necessary.” Carl picked up a pen and started twirling it between his fingers as he set out his battle plan. “Remember that internal billable code we used when Steele went missing? Use that for your time. If anyone asks, you’re on a special assignment for me.”
    Like with Erica, Carl didn’t give me a chance to decline the assignment. “Sure, Carl,” I answered as if everything was hunky-dory.
    “And while you’re at it, find out more about Erica and Mark’s relationship. Again, with discretion.”
    With that order, my task went from locating a boss for a conference call to digging into her personal life like one of those slimy divorce detectives. I had already planned on finding out more about Erica and Mark. After all, if she was slinging mud at me with the partners, I had to be prepared to do battle. From time to time, the firm had called upon me to research the background of questionable corporations and individuals connected to them. It usually involved digging around on the computer through public records and connecting the dots. But this was different. A name partner had given me the green light to burrow into the personal life of another partner. If this went sour, it would taint us both with a stink that would be hard to shake.
    Carl put his hand back on the phone, then stopped and looked into my face. “We were all very pleased when you didn’t follow Mike Steele to Templin and Tobin. I think it’s time to remind the partners about that.”
    With one foot out his door, I let loose with my final volley. “Don’t you think it’s equally important to remind me why I didn’t?”
    Carl stared at me, grunted something indecipherable, and turned back around to gaze out his window. He was still twirling the pen.
    I walked down the hall to the other side of the building, towards my office, thinking how Zee had seen this coming. She’d told me not to get involved, not even if they asked. But what was I to do? I had to find Erica, hand Lily off to her, and hopefully show the powers-that-be that of their two paralegals, I was the keeper.
    Truth is, unemployment was beginning to look pretty damn snazzy.
    I was barely back in my office when Alyce rushed in. “I got your message that you were coming back.”
    As soon as I agreed to return to the office,