AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, sorry. I had to deal with something. How’s theFifi and her replacementthing coming along?”
“Callen. She’s doing okay. Fifi’s a good teacher, and she wants her replacement to succeed, so I feel you’re being left in competent hands. I get the impression that, even if Callen shits the bed in a few weeks, Fifi will be available to ride in and save the day. She’s not going far.”
“Have you figured out where her new position is?” I emerge from the street of restaurants and turn right, to continue the journey I began beforeTheodore Harrisoninterrupted my day. “This supposed step up, better job, better boss she’s so excited about.”
“You’re taking it personally,” she taunts. “She didn’t say it was a better boss or a better job. Just that it’s one she’s looking forward to and feels it’s a good move for her career.”
“Her career was at the George Stanley! Her career movement affects my careerstayment. She’s making my life difficult by leaving.”
“Stayment isn’t a word. And she promises to remain available to us until everything is running smoothly.”
“This is all Fletcher’s fault.” I search for the bodega I was so sure wasnear here, furrowing my brows and attempting to look further along the street. Then I stop and glance back.Have I passed it? “Where is it, Aubs?”
“Uh… Fletch? I’m not sure we should be calling him anit. I know you’re mad right now, but eventually this’ll pass and?—”
“No, the bodega.” I turn on my heels and catch Harrison’s shifty, nervous eyes. “There was a bodega here last year. Where is it?”
“I don’t…” Aubs exhales. “I don’t know, Boss. I’m not a New York native, so?—”
“No, not you. You!” I stalk back to Harrison and stop only when we’re three feet apart. “They did the meatball subs like…” I almost groan out loud, but I have the presence of mind to swallow it down and remember who the hell I am. “It was here.”
“Minka?” Aubree tries again. “Who are you?—”
“There’s a place that does good subs about one more block down,” he answers cautiously. “I can walk you there.”
“Who the hell is that? Does Archer know you’re getting lunch with another man? He sounds cute. Is he cute?”
I look into Harrison’s eyes and force a smile. “Timothy Malone’s betrothed is on the phone. She wants to know if you’re cute.”
“Timothy Malone?” he gulps. “Ma’am?”
“The third.” Offering the phone, I wave it around as though to tempt him. “She’s small, blonde, bubbly, educated, and technically exceptionally single. Although, Tim has dibs. Would you like to talk to her about how cute you are?”
He shakes his head, long before the words stumble from his lips. “No, ma’am. That wouldn’t be proper.”
I bring the phone back to my ear and turn on my heels to head toward the sandwich shop. “He’s not interested in being cute for you, Aubs. Sorry.”
“You mentioned Tim,” she growls. “That’s like wrapping me in electrified barbed wire and telling him to hug me. You knew what he would say.”
“Well… if he’s worthy, he’ll hug the wire. And if he’s not, you still get to marry Tim in the end.”
“Goddddddddd. Stop talking about marriage. Stop talking about Tim. He’s a pain in my ass.”
“You wish,” I whisper, only to giggle when her breath comes to a short stop. “Sorry, that was unprofessional. Anything else you need to tell me about the George Stanley before I end this call?”
“No. Everything is fine. How was court?”
“Boring, mostly. The seats are hard and cold, so my butt hurts after sitting for an hour. The judge seems like a bit of a tool, not one I’ve dealt with before. I’m worried he’s gonna be lenient on our perp… my impression so far puts him in theboys will be boyscategory. But I’m holding out hope. The good news is, our perp looks like shit. He’s sick, and it gives me a thrill to know the time he has left on earth is gonna suck no matter where he spends it.”
“How was your testimony?”
“Haven’t given it yet. Maybe this afternoon, if I’m lucky.”
“And if you’re not?”
“Then I’ll be forced to tolerate another night with Felix and Micah Malone making my existence hardly worth living.” I glance up when Harrison gently, soooo fucking carefully, grabs my elbow and steers me into a little corner store built into an old brick building.God forbid he gets handsy and loses them when Felix finds out. “I just walked into this place. I’m gonna order food and choke it down as quickly as possible. Have you seen Archer yet today? No more dead bodies rolled through the door?”
“Nope. But the absence of them is always a plus. I’m wrapping up my body today and forwarding the report. Call me when court is out this afternoon?”
