Read Online Thugs and Kisses by Sue Ann Jaffarian - Free Book Online Page A

the chair Joan had just vacated and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desktop. She stared at me, her blue eyes hot and piercing, like the flame from a welding torch. Jolene McHugh is a long, lean, and leggy redhead of Irish descent. When she’s emotional, like this very minute, the freckles on her pale face look like paprika sprinkled over milk.
    I took a minute to clear my throat and mentally shelve my personal issues. “Okay, what has our despicable slime ball done now?”
    “You don’t know?”
    I shrugged. “I just got in. And for that matter, Steele isn’t even here today.”
    “I know that, Odelia.” Jolene scrunched up her face and pressed further. “So, where is he, and when is he returning? And how can he be reached? I tried him on his BlackBerry, but there’s no answer. I want to scream at him now , Odelia. Not later and not in an e-mail. I want my pound of flesh now !”
    Generally, Jolene McHugh is a sweetheart with a very even temperament. Whatever the slime ball—ahem, Steele—had done, it had to be big. And as much as I’d like to see Jolene go the distance with him, I knew I had to calm her down. After all, Michael Steele is a partner, and Jolene is not. Associates, even brilliant senior associates like Jolene, cannot extract even an ounce of flesh, let alone a pound, from a partner. Not unless said associate was ready to look for work.
    “I’m not sure if he’s due back tomorrow or Wednesday. I just know he took a few personal days. He didn’t tell me why.” I picked up my phone and punched in Rachel’s extension. “Rachel might know something.”
    As the extension at Rachel’s desk rang, Jolene reached over and punched a button, disconnecting my call. “That’s the problem, Odelia. Rachel’s gone— poof , like the wind.”
    Still clutching the dead phone, I stared at her. “What?”
    “You heard me.” Jolene leaned back in the chair and ran a hand through her curly red hair. “The best secretary we’ve ever had in that spot, and she’s gone. She called Tina this morning and said she did not want to come back. Not now, not after the baby, never. And I just know Steele has something to do with it.”
    I shook my head in disbelief. “But she seemed happy enough on Friday, and she and Steele got along famously. I thought we finally had a winner.”
    My phone rang. The display said it was Tina Swanson, our office manager. I picked it up and said, without bothering with a greeting, “Jolene’s with me right now, Tina. So, it’s true?” I listened as Tina repeated what Jolene had just told me. Rachel Keyo, dream temp, was gone. She didn’t give a reason—just told Tina she didn’t want to work here anymore.
    In the past three days, I had lost a high-school classmate, a boyfriend, and a secretary. That had to be some kind of record. My only comfort was that I was sure I had nothing to do with Rachel’s leaving. My money for that dirty deed was on the slime ball.

We got through Monday with little problem. Tina called an employment agency, and they sent a new temp over. His name was John Warren, a budding musician who needed occasional office work for occasional cash. John had worked in our office before, and while he wasn’t suited for the long haul at Woobie, he could type fast and accurately and knew how to follow instructions. Jolene needed help, and Steele had left several dictation tapes before leaving for his mysterious trip. We could deal with a more permanent replacement in a few days.
    When the Monday workday was over, I looked at the clock with dread. I didn’t want to go home. Even though Greg and I didn’t see each other that much during the week, I knew my evening would be empty without his nightly call. Zee had called earlier to invite me to dinner, but I had declined. I didn’t want to be with well-meaning friends, either. It was almost seven o’clock when Joan Nuñez stopped by to say good night.
    “I was afraid you’d still be here,” she said