Free Murder With All the Trimmings by Elaine Viets Page A

her.”
    “He still going out with her?” Harry said.
    “No. But they have a kid.”
    “I don’t see what the problem is,” Harry said. “In this town lots of people know each other.”
    “Harry, I can’t do that assignment,” Josie said. “It’s a conflict of interest.”
    “I’ll rule on conflicts. I don’t see one.”
    “But—” Josie said.
    “Butt is right. Get your cute little butt over there this weekend if you want to keep your job. I’ll fax you the questionnaire.”
    “Harry, I don’t think—”
    “You’re not paid to think,” Harry said. “That’s my job. You asked for extra hours, so I gave them to you. For some reason, headquarters likes you. But if you’re not available, there are other mystery shoppers looking for work during the holidays, even members of my own family.”
    That was a dig at Josie. She’d reported a sales clerk for rude behavior at a store she’d mystery-shopped. The clerk was fired. She was also Harry’s niece. Rudeness ran in the family.
    “My niece is working at Wal-Mart these days, no thanks to you.” Josie heard a chomp and a distant cheer as her awful boss slammed down the phone.
    My cute little butt, indeed, she thought. If I’d had my tape recorder on, I’d sue his double-wide rear and retire. She giggled at the idea of his haughty niece working at a humble Wal-Mart. She wondered how long this retail mismatch would last.
    Josie was not about to shop alone at Doreen’s store. She needed a witness. Her best friend, Alyce, didn’t like phone calls when her husband was at home. Saturday and Sunday were Alyce’s family time. But this was a shopping emergency. Josie dialed Alyce’s number.
    “What’s wrong, Josie?” Alyce asked. “Why are you calling on a Saturday?”
    “Harry’s making me shop Doreen’s store. She’s Mike’s ex.”
    “That rat,” Alyce said. “I mean Harry, not Mike.”
    “I’ll lose my job if I don’t go,” Josie said. “For this assignment, I want a witness. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to know that store probably won’t pass.”
    “I can’t do it today,” Alyce said. “How about tomorrow if I can find a sitter? I’ll drive to your house about one o’clock.”
    “Fine with me,” Josie said. “We can go for tea at the Kerry Cottage. They have Irish soda bread. My treat.”
    “Thanks,” Alyce said. “But I’ve been baking all day. I don’t need more temptation. If I can’t get a sitter, I’ll call. Otherwise, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    For once, Josie was relieved when Mike didn’t call. She couldn’t tell him she was mystery-shopping Doreen’s store. He’d know it would never survive a professional evaluation.
    Josie was going to send back the pink hoodie Nate gave Amelia. Her daughter was not wearing clothes bought with drug money. She found the precious hoodie tossed on Amelia’s unmade bed. Josie carefully packed it away in her own closet, along with the new cell phone.
    She heard a rattling sound on the windows. The promised sleet storm had started. The sky was the color of old iron.
    Amelia came downstairs an hour later with a plate of warm brownies sprinkled with powdered sugar. “Have one, Mom,” she said.
    Josie bit into the brownie and said, “Yum. Nice and moist. You have your grandmother’s gift for cooking.”
    Josie reached for a second brownie, but Amelia pulled the plate away. “That’s all,” she said. “I’m saving the rest for Daddy.”
    Daddy, Josie thought resentfully. Never mind that I fed and clothed you for nine years. Now it’s Daddy. Josie smothered her jealousy. Besides, she didn’t need the calories.
    “Have you seen my hoodie?” Amelia asked.
    “I’ve put it away,” Josie said.
    “Where?” Amelia asked.
    “Where I can send it back,” Josie said.
    Amelia turned purple with fury. “You can’t do that,” she said. “It’s mine.”
    “Your father didn’t ask my permission to give you that hoodie,” Josie said.
    “He doesn’t have to get