Free Good, Clean Murder by Traci Tyne Hilton Page A

home?”
    “Well, I don’t. If
you go home, who will wash these for me?” Jake dropped a pile of laundry next
to her with a thump. “Who knew I had so many filthy clothes? Who usually does
the laundry around here? I swear no one has touched my clothes since
Christmas.”
    Jane lifted her
head. “Shouldn’t you be asleep still?”
    “Can’t sleep.
Terribly depressed. Grief.”
    She tried to read
sincerity into his words, but it was difficult. “Have you given yourself the
chance to grieve yet, Jake?”
    Jake turned away.
He covered his face with his hand.
    There was a sharp
knock at the door and Marjory stepped into the laundry room. “Jacob, leave her
alone. She has work to do.”
    Jake straightened
up like he had had an electric shock. “Yes, ma’am.”
    “And go find your
sister. She’s not answering any of my calls.”
    Jake turned and
snapped his heels together. He saluted his aunt. “Yes, ma’am.”
    “And don’t be a
brat. Get out of here.” She gave Jake an awkward pat on the shoulder as he
marched past.
    She turned her
attention back to Jane. “You must forgive him. He’s not just young, but also
obnoxious. I really don’t know what your role here was while Pamela was alive,
but seeing as how Jake has hired you to be live-in staff, I have a job for
you.”
    Jane stood up and
tried to straighten her clothes. “Yes?” Her schedule didn’t feel like it could
take another assignment, but it was better to listen first and discuss after.
    “This afternoon I
have several men from the business coming over. I will need you to serve coffee
and…refreshments. I don’t care what, but I need you to be on hand to prepare,
serve, and clear.” 
    Jane nodded, but
kept her tongue.
    “They will be here
at two this afternoon.”
    Jane cleared her
throat. “I can be here for that, however the kitchen is empty, as far as I can
tell. Will you be getting what we need or leaving me cash for that?”
    Marjory let out a
heavy sigh. “That’s right. I noticed breakfast was slim today. I’ll leave an
envelope of cash. I won’t be having dinner here, but you will probably need to
get something to feed Jake as well. I doubt he knows how to feed himself.”
    Jane nodded. The
words, ‘an envelope of cash’ were the best ones she had heard in a week.
    Marjory looked at
her watch. “All right then, I’ll see you at two.” She turned to leave, but
paused with one hand on the door, “I know this is all very awkward, Jane, but
loss is like that. Things will get back to normal eventually.” Marjory pulled
the door shut behind her.
    Jane slumped
against the wall. As soon as her clothes were out of the machine she was taking
a shower and leaving. The idea of skipping town with the envelope of cash
brought a brief smile to her face, but she wouldn’t. She’d slip away to the
library, spend some time in the Word, clean the home of her paying client, and
then do the shopping.
    Things were
looking up.
     

 
    Back in the
Crawford kitchen Jane finally felt refreshed. Clean clothes and a shower were
nothing to the hour she had spent in the library in prayer and meditation.
God’s words had soaked deeply into her heart and she felt strong. The Lord was
her tower and refuge, so she would never be truly homeless. His word was her
daily bread so she could never truly go hungry. Plus the other client she had
cleaned for this morning had left her a beginning of the month bonus. They had
never done that before.
    She pulled a pan
of heat-and-rise dinner rolls out of the oven and replaced it with a pan of
miniature cinnamon rolls. She set the hot pan on the granite counter to cool.
In addition to the rolls, she was serving a veggie tray, cold cut platter,
broccoli and raisin salad, cinnamon rolls which were baking in the other oven,
fruit platter, cheese plate, baguette and brie, fresh hot coffee, and
unsweetened ice tea. The piles of food in the refrigerator did her heart good.
She had also stocked up on the basics for the