Read Online Some Like It Lethal by Nancy Martin - Free Book Online
Authors: Nancy Martin
money and at least one semi-shady political deal, Lexie had been lucky enough to acquire one of the houses.
With gables, lancet windows and elaborate gingerbread trim, her home looked like a storybook house. The first floor was still a drafty boathouse, but her second-floor living quarters were home to one of the city's most valuable private collections of paintings. Lexie's interest in the art of making money was surpassed only by her appreciation of the fine arts. After her father's death, she became the principle partner in the brokerage house founded by her great-grandfather, and she counseled some of the city's most powerful families about their money matters. Her educated yet daring collection of paintings was the envy of many curators.
As Reed pulled into her driveway, his way was blocked by a parked white sports car, a postal truck and a minivan with the logo of a dressmaker painted on the side.
"Looks like Lexie's in high gear, Reed. This may take a while. I'll call your cell phone when I'm ready to leave. It will be an hour, at least."
"Okay." He sneaked a glance back at Spike, who was snoring on his back on the seat beside me, all four paws twitching in the air as he snarled dreamily. "You taking the animal with you?"
"He looks so peaceful. I hate to wake him. Puppies need their rest."
Reed glowered at me as I got out of the car.
Lexie Paine worked harder than a lumberjack, and I was lucky to find her at home on a weekend. Her assistant, the diminutive and quietly efficient Samir, let me into the house. He was holding a gigantic vase of lilies, which he'd obviously just arranged. Lexie came out of the bedroom wearing a black velvet ball gown. She was trailed by a stoop-shouldered seamstress with a mouthful of pins.
Lexie yelled, "Sweetie! Here I am dolled up like Cinderella, and you look like you just stepped off a Paris runway. See, Gabrielle, this is how I want to dress. Simply drop-dead gorgeous."
The seamstress eyed me coldly, and I realized I had interrupted a battle of wills between them. Lexie had firm ideas about her clothing, and her dressmaker was equally adamant. I was glad she had the pins in her mouth. She looked ready to scream.
"Thanks, Lex." I sidestepped a stack of shipping cartons in the foyer and kissed my friend. "Let's not use the drop-dead phrase today, all right?"
Lexie held my elbows and saw immediately that I was not myself. But with extra people in her home, she did not ask me to spill it all. Despite the ball gown, she hugged me hard, and the seamstress gave a squeak of panic.
"Come in and relax," she commanded, pulling me into a bedroom dominated by a Warhol life-sized portrait of Elvis in his gunslinger regalia. Samir placed the vase of lilies on a Stickley library table below the picture and gave the flowers a fluff before leaving.
Lexie climbed back onto the dressmaker's box and the seamstress grimly went down on her knees to attend to the gown's hem. Lexie looked svelte and gorgeous with her black hair skinned back in a ponytail and the subtle lines of the velvet gown giving her spare body a few gentling curves. "I'm just taking care of a few details today, but I'll be finished in two shakes."
Standing beside the box was a postal delivery man, complete with uniform and clipboard, looking delighted to find himself in the bedroom of a woman as glamorous as Lexie. He said, "Are you ready now, Miss Paine?"
"Oh, of course, sweetie, let me sign for those packages. I'm so sorry to keep you waiting. You've just done all my Christmas shopping, you know, and I'm very grateful."
The postman smiled as she dashed off her signature. "What did I buy everyone?" he asked.
"The DVD of The Godfather. You'd be surprised what a universal gift that is. All my clients get it, and my scads of nephews think I'm very cool. Thank you, sweetie, you've been blessedly patient with me." She shouted for her assistant. "Samir! Will you open one of those cartons and give this charming public servant a
With gables, lancet windows and elaborate gingerbread trim, her home looked like a storybook house. The first floor was still a drafty boathouse, but her second-floor living quarters were home to one of the city's most valuable private collections of paintings. Lexie's interest in the art of making money was surpassed only by her appreciation of the fine arts. After her father's death, she became the principle partner in the brokerage house founded by her great-grandfather, and she counseled some of the city's most powerful families about their money matters. Her educated yet daring collection of paintings was the envy of many curators.
As Reed pulled into her driveway, his way was blocked by a parked white sports car, a postal truck and a minivan with the logo of a dressmaker painted on the side.
"Looks like Lexie's in high gear, Reed. This may take a while. I'll call your cell phone when I'm ready to leave. It will be an hour, at least."
"Okay." He sneaked a glance back at Spike, who was snoring on his back on the seat beside me, all four paws twitching in the air as he snarled dreamily. "You taking the animal with you?"
"He looks so peaceful. I hate to wake him. Puppies need their rest."
Reed glowered at me as I got out of the car.
Lexie Paine worked harder than a lumberjack, and I was lucky to find her at home on a weekend. Her assistant, the diminutive and quietly efficient Samir, let me into the house. He was holding a gigantic vase of lilies, which he'd obviously just arranged. Lexie came out of the bedroom wearing a black velvet ball gown. She was trailed by a stoop-shouldered seamstress with a mouthful of pins.
Lexie yelled, "Sweetie! Here I am dolled up like Cinderella, and you look like you just stepped off a Paris runway. See, Gabrielle, this is how I want to dress. Simply drop-dead gorgeous."
The seamstress eyed me coldly, and I realized I had interrupted a battle of wills between them. Lexie had firm ideas about her clothing, and her dressmaker was equally adamant. I was glad she had the pins in her mouth. She looked ready to scream.
"Thanks, Lex." I sidestepped a stack of shipping cartons in the foyer and kissed my friend. "Let's not use the drop-dead phrase today, all right?"
Lexie held my elbows and saw immediately that I was not myself. But with extra people in her home, she did not ask me to spill it all. Despite the ball gown, she hugged me hard, and the seamstress gave a squeak of panic.
"Come in and relax," she commanded, pulling me into a bedroom dominated by a Warhol life-sized portrait of Elvis in his gunslinger regalia. Samir placed the vase of lilies on a Stickley library table below the picture and gave the flowers a fluff before leaving.
Lexie climbed back onto the dressmaker's box and the seamstress grimly went down on her knees to attend to the gown's hem. Lexie looked svelte and gorgeous with her black hair skinned back in a ponytail and the subtle lines of the velvet gown giving her spare body a few gentling curves. "I'm just taking care of a few details today, but I'll be finished in two shakes."
Standing beside the box was a postal delivery man, complete with uniform and clipboard, looking delighted to find himself in the bedroom of a woman as glamorous as Lexie. He said, "Are you ready now, Miss Paine?"
"Oh, of course, sweetie, let me sign for those packages. I'm so sorry to keep you waiting. You've just done all my Christmas shopping, you know, and I'm very grateful."
The postman smiled as she dashed off her signature. "What did I buy everyone?" he asked.
"The DVD of The Godfather. You'd be surprised what a universal gift that is. All my clients get it, and my scads of nephews think I'm very cool. Thank you, sweetie, you've been blessedly patient with me." She shouted for her assistant. "Samir! Will you open one of those cartons and give this charming public servant a
Similar Books
Cold Grave
Craig Robertson
The Ice at the Bottom of the World
Mark Richard
Silent Night: A Spenser Holiday Novel
Robert B. Parker
The Maelstroms Eye
Roger Moore
The Vampire Princess Saga Box Set
Pet Torres
Tomorrow’s Heritage
Juanita Coulson
Out of Bounds
Annie Bryant
White Nights
Susan Edwards
Bride & Groom
Susan Conant