Free Deadly Deals by Fern Michaels Page A

Tick-tock.
    The office phone was ringing when Maggie slammed the door of her office. She felt like she was going to cry any minute. “Yes,” she barked into the receiver.
    â€œThat’s how you answer your phone? Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?” Jack Emery barked in return.
    Maggie sniffed. “What? Are you calling to pick my brain, or are you calling me to tell me something I don’t already know, which I find to be very unlikely? Why aren’t you in court?”
    â€œI’m not in court, because crime has taken a holiday, and I already locked up all the bad guys. Actually, I was calling to ask if you wanted to go to lunch with me and Harry. I’m on my way to pick him up. He’s being a real pain in the ass with the construction guys working on his dojo. The foreman on the job pulled me to the side yesterday and asked me if there was any way for me to take him off their hands. Bring Ted and Espinosa. We’ll have a regular party, you know, one of those three-hour lunches we used to do. By the time I get him back to the dojo, they’ll be ready to quit for the day. Of course, Harry won’t see it that way and will probably kill one of us, but what the hell. Anything for my friend Harry.”
    Maggie laughed, her sour, maudlin mood gone for the moment. Jack could always make her laugh. “Squire’s Pub, twelve thirty, work for you?”
    â€œIt does. It would be nice if the Post picked up the tab,” Jack said, then hung up when Maggie started to sputter.
    Â 
    Jack had to park more than a block away and hoof it back to Harry’s dojo. He had to wiggle his way between utility trucks, cable trucks, telephone trucks, plumbing vehicles, plus the cars and trucks of the workers. Harry’s Ducati was wedged in so tight in the back, he would have to physically pick it up and turn it around if he wanted to take it out. Aha! That was why old Harry had invited him over: he needed extra muscle to get his bike out to the street. Little did Harry know he was on his way anyway.
    Jack made his way to what had once been the back door and was now just a big, gaping hole in the building. A dozen different people could be seen scurrying about, shouting orders to one another. Harry was leaning against a half wall, drinking tea.
    â€œI bet you could clear this room in a few seconds if you served those guys some of that shitty tea you’re guzzling,” Jack said by way of a greeting.
    â€œEat shit, Jack. I only share my shitty tea with those near and dear to my heart. What do you think? Not that I value your opinion or anything. I’m just curious.”
    â€œI love it. So will you when it’s done. Listen, I know a secret. Well, I sort of know a secret that concerns Yoko. Nikki didn’t exactly tell me I couldn’t tell you, so I guess I can. You know me. When I give my word, nothing, not even wild horses, can drag it out of me. I pretended not to be interested so I wouldn’t have to give my word so that I could have a clear conscience when I told you.”
    Harry set his cup with no handles down on the half wall. He raised three fingers. Jack knew he had precisely three seconds to tell Harry the secret, or the great master of the martial arts would kill him on the spot.
    â€œOkay, okay. Look, I’m just the messenger, okay, so don’t do something you’re going to regret,” Jack said with a straight face. “That also means you can’t even think about doing something. It seems…Jesus, Harry, I don’t know how to tell you this. I guess I just have to blurt it out. Yoko has had a change of heart. She doesn’t like pink anymore. She’s into…champagne colors. That means you have to get rid of all that pink shit we bought. The bright spot is it was on sale. That should take away some of your pain, and, buddy, I am feeling your pain. I thought it was beautiful, but…it’s champagne from here