Read Online Lying Eyes by Toni Noel - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Toni Noel
Tags: Serial Killers, Cops
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eyes drifted closed, but opened in time to see Susan poke Marsha with her elbow and grin his way.
"Wait until I tell the Captain," Susan whispered, her hand concealing her mouth. "Napping on assignment. I can think of much better use of the stubborn detective's time."
Me, too, and it doesn't involve boring speeches. Just Allison and—
Chapter Nine
––––––––
A llison glanced at Carlo again and across the room where a dark-skinned man peered at the crowd from behind the swinging doors to the kitchen.
Part of the staff? She hadn't seen a catering uniform, just a face, but the glance made Allison uneasy. Her chest ached.
A spurt of applause marked the end to the speaker's talk, scattering her thoughts. She turned to Carlo.
"Want to head back upstairs?" he asked.
"As soon as I make sure The Garden Room has been properly arranged for my presentation."
With the help of her three trusty guardians, she soon had her scrapbooks and photographs satisfactorily displayed on the four tables the Event Staff had provided. Allison sighed with relief.
"We're going to the room and relax. Why don't you two take a break for a while?" Carlo asked Susan and Marsha. "I'll be right next door if Allison needs anything. I suspect she'd like to kick off those ridiculous heels and review her presentation without anyone interrupting her thoughts."
The Do Not Disturb sign still hung on her door at the funny angle he'd left it, but Carlo signaled everyone to wait while he went through his room to hers, checked her room for intruders, and unlocked her door.
"I'll see everybody at one," she said, sounding tired as she walked past him. He closed and locked the door.
"You couldn't find a handsome man loitering under the bed?" she asked him.
"No grubby drug dealer hiding in the closet, either. You have the worst luck."
She laughed. "What say we keep it that way until after my presentation?"
"Agreed," he said, his hands on the connecting door's latch. "This is a good time to relax, Allison. You've had a stressful morning, and who knows what the afternoon will bring?"
"I plan to kick back." She tossed her shoes aside and caught him admiring her bare toes.
"See ya later," he mumbled, his words gruff.
Grinning, she was just getting comfortable on her unmade bed when her cell phone rang. She answered with, "Allison."
"Good, I did catch you. Having a good time?"
"Ellie?" The office gossip? Why the hell is she calling me here?
"In the flesh. How's it going?"
"Great. I'm just about to go downstairs and make my first presentation. You're lucky I had my phone on. What's up?"
"I thought you'd want to know Larry called us together before lunch to announce he'd named Alice to replace Roger Thornton. She'll be reporting from the Noon News desk on Monday," Ellie gloated.
Throwing my phone across the room won't help. Allison cleared her clogged throat. "That's good to know. I'll be sure and congratulate her the next time our paths cross. I have to go, Ellie. Thanks for letting me know."
Without waiting for Ellie's reply, Allison ended the call and sank back on the pillows, inhaling short, gasping breaths and fighting tears.
Despite her efforts, the dam holding back her tears burst in a flood of emotion.
After her sobs slowed she asked, " How could he?" of the empty room, rubbing her swollen eyes with clenched fists.
"Allison? Is something wrong?" Carlo asked, so close his warm breath caressed her cheek, startling her.
She jumped, uncovering her eyes. "Y-you—I didn't hear you come in."
"I didn't want to scare you. I heard your sobs. What's wrong?"
"Nothing you can fix."
He scooted her over, making room on the bed and sat beside her. "Need a broad shoulder to cry on? I've been told I'm a good listener."
She hiccupped.
Wrapping his arms around her, Carlo tenderly kissed her forehead. "I never could stand to see a woman cry. Try me."
He pulled a neatly folded linen handkerchief from his hip pocket and dried her tears.
She
"Wait until I tell the Captain," Susan whispered, her hand concealing her mouth. "Napping on assignment. I can think of much better use of the stubborn detective's time."
Me, too, and it doesn't involve boring speeches. Just Allison and—
Chapter Nine
––––––––
A llison glanced at Carlo again and across the room where a dark-skinned man peered at the crowd from behind the swinging doors to the kitchen.
Part of the staff? She hadn't seen a catering uniform, just a face, but the glance made Allison uneasy. Her chest ached.
A spurt of applause marked the end to the speaker's talk, scattering her thoughts. She turned to Carlo.
"Want to head back upstairs?" he asked.
"As soon as I make sure The Garden Room has been properly arranged for my presentation."
With the help of her three trusty guardians, she soon had her scrapbooks and photographs satisfactorily displayed on the four tables the Event Staff had provided. Allison sighed with relief.
"We're going to the room and relax. Why don't you two take a break for a while?" Carlo asked Susan and Marsha. "I'll be right next door if Allison needs anything. I suspect she'd like to kick off those ridiculous heels and review her presentation without anyone interrupting her thoughts."
The Do Not Disturb sign still hung on her door at the funny angle he'd left it, but Carlo signaled everyone to wait while he went through his room to hers, checked her room for intruders, and unlocked her door.
"I'll see everybody at one," she said, sounding tired as she walked past him. He closed and locked the door.
"You couldn't find a handsome man loitering under the bed?" she asked him.
"No grubby drug dealer hiding in the closet, either. You have the worst luck."
She laughed. "What say we keep it that way until after my presentation?"
"Agreed," he said, his hands on the connecting door's latch. "This is a good time to relax, Allison. You've had a stressful morning, and who knows what the afternoon will bring?"
"I plan to kick back." She tossed her shoes aside and caught him admiring her bare toes.
"See ya later," he mumbled, his words gruff.
Grinning, she was just getting comfortable on her unmade bed when her cell phone rang. She answered with, "Allison."
"Good, I did catch you. Having a good time?"
"Ellie?" The office gossip? Why the hell is she calling me here?
"In the flesh. How's it going?"
"Great. I'm just about to go downstairs and make my first presentation. You're lucky I had my phone on. What's up?"
"I thought you'd want to know Larry called us together before lunch to announce he'd named Alice to replace Roger Thornton. She'll be reporting from the Noon News desk on Monday," Ellie gloated.
Throwing my phone across the room won't help. Allison cleared her clogged throat. "That's good to know. I'll be sure and congratulate her the next time our paths cross. I have to go, Ellie. Thanks for letting me know."
Without waiting for Ellie's reply, Allison ended the call and sank back on the pillows, inhaling short, gasping breaths and fighting tears.
Despite her efforts, the dam holding back her tears burst in a flood of emotion.
After her sobs slowed she asked, " How could he?" of the empty room, rubbing her swollen eyes with clenched fists.
"Allison? Is something wrong?" Carlo asked, so close his warm breath caressed her cheek, startling her.
She jumped, uncovering her eyes. "Y-you—I didn't hear you come in."
"I didn't want to scare you. I heard your sobs. What's wrong?"
"Nothing you can fix."
He scooted her over, making room on the bed and sat beside her. "Need a broad shoulder to cry on? I've been told I'm a good listener."
She hiccupped.
Wrapping his arms around her, Carlo tenderly kissed her forehead. "I never could stand to see a woman cry. Try me."
He pulled a neatly folded linen handkerchief from his hip pocket and dried her tears.
She
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