The Price of Greed

CHAPTER 35

Tuesday

Jarlayne closed her file and tossed it back on the desk, raised her feet up onto the credenza behind her chair and sighed mightily, gazing out at the sky turning pink in the setting sun. She had promised Jill a full-bore attack on the work she had been letting slide.

The day had been a grind from the get go. Bills to be approved and paid. Invoices to be approved and sent. Phone calls and e-mails in the dozens, all demanding urgent responses. Then strict attention to new cases, the last of which she had just reviewed and designated as the last bit of work for the day. She hit the intercom.

"Jill, can you get these files and begin our information sheets; I think of the seven we can do justice to four of them. The others we'll turn down with respectful apologies."

The door opened and Jill breezed in, gathering up the files as she complimented her boss on sticking to her guns.

"I'm proud of you, boss. That was a lot of work you cleaned up."

"Not before it needed it. I don't want another day like that one thanks."

"I'd like to get away early if you don't mind. I'll start the forms before I leave and finish them in the morning." She stood back with the files clutched to her chest.

"Big date?"

"As a matter of fact..."

"Wow, well by all means, skedaddle then, the forms can wait 'till tomorrow."

"Thanks, Jar. I won't make it a habit."

"I can hardly complain can I?"

"Not really." Her teasing smile dampened the rebuke. "How is your Detective Yummy?" Her mood had lightened toward Hood since Jarlayne had knuckled down once again at work.

Jarlayne swung her legs down and leaned forward on the desk. "I told you not to call him that and he is not mine."

"Pity. You seemed to be a different person lately." She hoisted her shoulders and sighed. "Well, I'm off then. See you in the morning."

"Yeah..." Jarlayne watched her go and replayed her parting shot. Have I been different? How? Certainly not as attentive to business.

She stood and walked to the window, staring down at the street. Am I slipping into some kind of emotional crack because of Hood? She shook her head and deliberately marched back to her desk, sitting and moving items around unnecessarily. When the phone rang, she snatched it up immediately, happy for any intrusion on her befuddled thoughts.

"Brighton Investigations."

"Don't get upset, I have to talk with you about the case."

"Hood, I told you before, I have my own business to run and I have employees that need to be paid."

"I only saw Jill."

"So what? There are people I use regularly and they are on retainers and actually this is none of your business."

"Sorry. I guess I'm not acting very professional here. The thing is, since you became my unofficial advisor I have been looking at things differently."

"Hood, this is not a conversation I want to have."

"I said it's about the case. What I meant about the other was that you have me looking at things differently... not the way I usually approach an investigation."

She squeezed the phone and silently cursed her assumption. "Okay. What about the case?"

"Do we have to do this over the phone?"