Free Molly Dox - Annie Addison 03 - High Anxiety Dye Job by Molly Dox Page B

mayor’s wife, but no, she always wants more, more, more.” She stopped and clucked her tongue. “Oh, I didn’t even ask, I’m sorry. She’s not a client of yours is she?”
    “Actually, no, she’s not. I don’t know her that well.” Annie wasn’t sure what to say. She felt trapped between what she knew and what she was hearing.
    “Well, she got lucky landing Jeff Millbourne, but I’m not so sure I can say the same thing for him. And trying to stuff her sausage-sized body into that dress last night,” she nitpicked. “I was almost embarrassed for her. It was atrocious. She was trying too hard.”
    Annie steered the conversation in another direction once again, hoping to guide Gretchen away from this one. “Any plans for the holidays?”
    “You know…the usual, folks, kids, big dinner, blah-blah-blah.” She gave a pretend yawn. “It will be fine, as long as Sharon doesn’t try to force anymore make-believe award ceremonies on us.”
    Annie groaned to herself. Gretchen was like a dog with a bone.

Chapter 3
     
    Annie was good and ready to lock up for the day. A quiet night at home sounded perfect. Pip would be waiting for her. That little dog was her hero. Who knew that the dog she saved at the rescue shelter would turn around and save her at a later date? It was a perfect match.
    Arriving home, Pip greeted her at the door with more excitement than usual. Annie laughed. “What’s going on, girl?” Pip bounced around. Together they walked through the house to her back door. She knew as soon as she opened the door to let the dog out just what the excitement was about.
    “Squeak, you’re back.” Pip went barreling out the door and chased the cat up onto the fence. Annie talked to the cat like he could understand. “I bought you some food, just in case you’re hungry. I mean, you’re hanging around here so much lately . I’m wondering if you ever go home.”
    The cat made a habit of visiting their yard and tormenting Pip with the fact that he could jump on the fence and stare down at the dog. Pip sat and whined. Annie went in to get a small bowl and filled it with dry cat food. She placed it on the step where the cat kept coming back to when the dog was inside. Pip took too much interest in the cat food, so Annie shooed her back inside after taking care of business and left the food out for the feline.
    Settling on the sofa, she gave her dog a good ear scratch while trying to decide what to make for dinner. When her phone rang, Annie leaned forward, dragging her cell phone from her purse. “Hello?”
    “I’ve got a secret,” Charlotte teased.
    “Oh, do you now?” Annie bit. Was it about the night before or something else?
    Charlotte spilled the news. “I’ve just made the most delicious apple pie, and oh, wait, what? I made two? What a coincidence. Would you like one?”
    “Fresh pie? How soon can you be over?” Annie decided that this was a very good secret, indeed.
    “How soon can you open your door?” Charlotte had the last laugh. She’d just pulled up.
    Annie greeted her friend at the door. “Mmm, that smells amazing. Do you want a slice?”
    “I’ll pass, I just had two at home. I swore I’d just eat one, and then I was digging in again. Are you busy?” Charlotte asked.
    “When am I ever busy? Sit and talk.” Annie slipped out a piece of pie onto a dish and settled back on the sofa to talk to her friend.
    “ Did anything good happen at work today?” Charlotte quizzed.
    “No, just Gretchen ranting about Sharon, saying she looked like a sausage in her dress and she was getting old. It was all catty.”
    “I know it’s wrong, but I love that stuff.” Charlotte laughed. “I never said I was a proper lady all the time.”
    “Gossip is fine, when it’s with me.” Annie chuckled at her biased comment. “I’m the exception to the rule.”
    “Do you think she knows anything?” It was a good question.
    “I don’t know. I overheard a little bit of a conversation she had