Read Online Shadows of Doubt by Mell; Corcoran - Free Book Online Page B

speed-dial for just that reason. It worked like a charm when she was hitting up deep pockets, fund raising for her church.
    â€œOkay, now that you’ve made me hungry, lets put this away for the night and go raid the fridge.” Lou pulled the file together and stuffed it back in the envelope.
    â€œOh goodie!” Her mother clapped her hands happily as she sprang up from her chair. “I brought one of those chocolate cakes home from Romano’s!”
    â€œDid you eat anything with nutritive value today?” Lou sometimes wondered who was the parent and who was the child.
    â€œOf course I did!” Shevaun perched her hands on her hips and gave Lou a scolding look. “I had an apple martini and fried mozzarella sticks for lunch. That’s fruit, grain and dairy!” She spun around with conviction and bolted out the door, yelling as she ran down the hall. “Last one to the kitchen does the dishes!”
    Lou rolled her eyes and grinned but didn’t bother to race to the kitchen. Her mother always cheated when they raced and Lou was always last and always got stuck with the dishes.
    Max sat comfortably on the pewter couch sipping from his glass as he listened to Agent Martin Gilroy ramble his report. The man stood in front of Max looking every bit the wanna-be Hollywood playboy complete with horribly over-done highlights, a fresh coat of spray tan and clearly over-priced, over-grunged clothes. To make matters worse, Gilroy had brought his assistant Vito with him. The greasy looking man stood near the entry door with his arms crossed over his chest and a look on his face that made him appear like he had eaten bad clams for lunch. Max supposed the man was trying to look imposing but he simply came off looking like an extra from a Soprano’s episode that spent more time at craft services than at the gym. Max barely glanced at Gilroy as the agent continued to pontificate about how tight he had the west side running and how everything was smooth as silk, blah blah blah. Max glanced at his watch then to Frank who stood in the back corner of the living room, stoic and brooding. With the slightest lift of Max’s index finger, Frank nodded and pulled the phone from his pocket and proceeded to type on its miniature keyboard. To his credit, Max noted that Vito had picked up on the signal and shifted his stance. When the knock on the door came several minutes later, Vito looked to Max with eyebrows raised and Max nodded to him to open the door. Gilroy never broke from his dissertation as four very large men in impeccable black suits entered the suite, saluting Max without a word. The four men stood shoulder to shoulder a few paces behind Gilroy. Vito tried to move to the side, clearly out of his element.
    â€œWhat of Carpesh’s inquiry? Max interrupted Gilroy finally as he set his glass on the coffee table.
    â€œWho?” Was all Gilroy said.
    â€œPeter Carpesh. Our man at the Coroner’s office.” It was only then that Max bothered to make eye contact with the man.
    Gilroy strained a moment. “I don’t know that I received an inquiry from any Carpesh.”
    â€œYou did. Three actually.” Before Gilroy could speak, Max cut him off again. “You are being relocated, effective immediately.”
    â€œWhat?! But... You... Now wait a minute Julian...”
    Before he could blink, let alone utter another syllable, Max was off the couch, in Gilroy’s face and had him dangling with one hand by the throat. “That would be Dominor Julian, you incompetent, self-important toad.”
    Vito jerked but stood where he was as he visibly began to shake. The man could only watch as his charge was being manhandled.
    â€œNow I could very easily, and with great pleasure I might add, pop your head off like a soda cap right this instant. But since I am very fond of the décor in this suite, these men will escort you,