Free Traci Tyne Hilton - Mitzi Neuhaus 04 - Frozen Assets by Traci Tyne Hilton

had been huge, ugly, and inefficient. Now an even bigger screen hung elegantly against the wall, its black plastic frame glinting with newness.
    She frowned. “Something to share with me?”
    Alonzo looked up from his phone, a big grin on his face. “Makes the room feel much bigger, doesn’t it?”
    It didn’t. “How much did that cost?”
    “It doesn’t matter so long as it makes you happy, babe.”
    It didn’t. “I don’t mean to be a pain, but don’t married people talk before they make big purchases?”
    “It’s just a TV.” Alonzo’s smile was fading.
    “It’s a two-thousand dollar TV.”
    “I got it on sale. You like sales.”
    Alonzo looked hurt and confused, like a dog who doesn’t know why he’s in trouble. Her heart melted a little. It was just a TV, after all.
    “I do.” She sat down on the edge of the chair. “For the future, can we set a dollar amount for things we talk about before we buy them?”
    “Like if it is more than X dollars, we have to talk about it?”
    “Yes. Would you mind?”
    Alonzo shrugged. “I guess not. How much are you thinking? Like five, maybe ten-thousand dollars?”
    Mitzy choked. “I was thinking of like five-hundred dollars.”
    “Oh.” Alonzo drummed his fingers on his phone. “Why?”
    Mitzy repeated the question to herself. Why indeed? Was it because she was the major financial contributor to the family and saw the money as basically hers, or was it because she just liked to control things, generally speaking? She felt her cheeks flush. She hoped it was more innocent than either of those things. Perhaps she just wanted to keep a good flow of communication going.
    “I mean, we aren’t short of money, as you pointed out.”
    “I know. We aren’t. Can we find a happy medium? We talk before we spend, um… fifteen hundred?” About half a month’s wages, after taxes, for her future assistant. Any spouse would think it was reasonable to talk before spending a half a month’s worth of money, right?
    “This is just family money, right? Not business expenses?”
    “Of course, of course. It just feels like, you know, we’re married, so we should talk before we make big purchases.”
    “Okay. I can do that.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “You know I’m just used to being on my own, right? It’s hard to change a bachelor’s ways.”
    Mitzy kissed his scruffy cheek. “I don’t want to change you, just, you know, figure out how to live with you.”
    “Great TV, though, right?” Alonzo nodded at his new baby, the smile back on his face.
    “Yes, hon, HGTV shows are going to look marvelous on it. Speaking of things we did this afternoon…” Mitzy hesitated. Somehow investigating the mystery gypsy seemed like a worse infraction than buying a huge, expensive TV. “You will never guess what happened while I was driving down 82 nd .”
    “Drive-by shooting?”
    “Nope. A gypsy jumped in the car with me.”
    “What?” Alonzo’s face clouded over. “What did he do? Are you all right?”
    “I’m fine. I had been asking some questions about an RV that had been seen on Karina’s street before the murder. I guess he followed me out of the RV park.”
    “That’s it. That is the last time you go digging into things without me. Do you understand?”
    Mitzy leaned away from Alonzo. “You mean I can still investigate this murder?”
    “Obviously you’re going to keep sticking your nose into things. From now on we go together. Do you understand?”
    On the one hand, Mitzy did not appreciate being spoken to like she was a child. On the other hand, she appreciated that he didn’t try to forbid her again. And if she was honest with herself, she appreciated his offer of protection. “I understand.” She glanced at the TV. Negotiating this relationship wasn’t simple, to be sure. “Since you are offering help, we have a trip to take.” She explained the invitation to see the psychic sister. “We just need to figure out which house is the