Cross-Over Murders by Frank F. Atanacio Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Janet was in the office very late. That was unlike her, but nevertheless, she was. She had taken off her makeup. She was barefoot, wearing loose sweats and a New York Jets tee-shirt. She looked very comfortable, and everything around her was cozy. She had a blanket on two chairs, and several pillows tossed onto the filing cabinets. It looked as if she was preparing for a slumber party.
Nick had just walked in and was almost surprised to see his secretary still at work. She had a half bottle of red wine on her desk, and a package of store bought combination of cheese and crackers. The combination you get in the potato-chip section. She looked at the private eye for a moment and then she tried hiding, but realized that it was just a little too late.
“Busted,” Nick said.
She nodded slowly. “I can explain?”
“What, you couldn’t steal enough of my petty cash to cover your mortgage?”
She gave him the finger.
He smiled.
“If you must know..”
“No, I really don’t care.”
“I’m telling you either way,” she said. “They’re spraying my condo for fleas. I brought in two stray cats last week and they infested my condo with fleas. I mean Nick, they’re everywhere.”
Nick didn’t respond to her as he just walked over toward the small refrigerator near Janet’s desk, and took out a cold beer. He popped the cap off and downed it in just a few seconds. It was what he needed, and no boring story was going to prevent him from getting to it.
“Oh my god! You worked!”
Nick wiped his mouth with his knuckles and turned toward the excitable secretary.
“You worked!”
“Okay, yes.”
The expression on Janet’s face had taken on a life of its own. She was extremely animated. She couldn’t contain what was not anxiety as much as it was excitement. She quickly rushed to the liquor cabinet and poured some whiskey into a glass. She stopped for a moment, and took a deep breath. She then rushed it over to the private eye. Nick looked at it for a moment, then drank some.
“How did it go?”
“Lets just say, I worked.”
“You like painting?”
He just shot daggers at her with his cold stare.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” she said. “Any clues?”
“No.”
“No clues?”
“Not yet.”
“Did you get paid?”
He shook his head slowly from side to side.
“Well?”
“Yeah, I got paid!”
“How much?”
“What’s all this.. Yeah! Yeah! I got paid fifty bucks!”
She laughed.
“I’m tired Janet,” he said evenly. “I’m sorry for snapping at you.”
Janet nodded.
“So your place is being sprayed?”
She nodded again.
“You say roaches?”
“Fleas you ass!”
Nick smiled.
“From the two strays, haven’t you been listening?”
“Yeah, I’m just teasing you,” he replied. “I’m sorry to hear about that. I hope this office works out better than a hotel, or staying with family.”
“I don’t like to bother people,” she said.
“Or spend money,” he added.
She smiled.
“Don’t worry about it,” Nick said. “My office is su casa.”
“Thanks Nick,” she said as she poured some wine into a glass and held it up as if she were toasting him. “I’m getting my place sprayed for free. I’m also saving money staying here. You have everything I need. A shower, food, drinks. I’m good.”
“Spraying for free?”
“A couple of seductive winks, and a slow swish to my desk,” she smiled sheepishly. “I got that poor sap eating out of the palm of my hand. I tell you Nick, sometimes it just pays off being an attractive woman.”
“You know Janet, you’re going straight to hell,” Nick said.
“Maybe,” she smiled. “But if that happens, you and me know I’ll be running that joint too.”
“Yeah, I don’t doubt that.”
“I’ll be making the devil, my bitch.”
Nick smiled.
“You know me, Nick.”
“Sometimes, I feel like your bitch.”
She laughed.
He drank some more whiskey.
“So you’re going back to work in the morning?”
He blinked.
She laughed.
“I’m going back.”
“Good work won’t hurt you Nick,” she said. “People do it all the time.”
“I’m not afraid of it.”
“Of course not.”
He drank again. The whiskey had helped soothe him. It was what he really needed, and Janet knew it. She was definitely his right hand man.
Or right hand person?
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