Free Melissa Bourbon Ramirez - Lola Cruz 01 - Living the Vida Lola by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez

whole reason she was here, her face dropped. “What about the
quinceañera
? I really need your help,Lola. You can talk to your mom and then, like, she can talk to my mom.”
    I gestured my hands in the air, unable to take any more drama for the morning. “All right.”
    She sat up, perky again. “Cool. Thanks.”
    I pulled her up by the wrist and shoved her out of my room. “Great. I’ll call you later. Tomorrow.”
    She stood in the hallway. “Promise?”
    “Yes.”
    She grinned. “What time?”
    “When I can. Good-bye.” I breathed a sigh of relief and checked the clock. Nine-thirty. I had to get moving.
     
    I jammed over to Camacho and Associates first. Had to look up Allison Diggs’s address and do a little background investigation on her. Turning into the conference room, I stopped short when I saw the associates sitting around the conference table. It was Saturday, right? Why were they all here? Indignation hit me like a horde of women at a shoe sale. And why hadn’t I been invited?
    “Dolores,” Manny said by way of greeting.
    “Morning.”
    “We’re just finishing up some business.” He waved his hand toward the vacant chair. “Since you’re here, take a seat.”
    “I didn’t realize there was a meeting today.”
    “Check your messages,” Sadie said. “I called your cell phone myself.”
    I yanked my phone out of my purse. Sure enough, I had a voice mail. Damn phone needed the volume button fixed. “Guess I didn’t hear it.”
    Sadie’s lips thinned, her chin looking more pointy than usual. “So, Miss Marple. What’s next on your agenda? Do youhave a plan, or are you just praying that Emily Diggs will materialize in front of you in a gracious act of God?”
    Oooh, low blow,
I thought just as Manny shoved his chair back. “Sadie. My office.” His voice was measured.
    She sat up stick straight, her upper lip curling. “Excuse me?”
    I had to stop myself from gawking at her. Had she seriously thought her boss wouldn’t call her on her attitude? Her condescension was so blatant, it was pathetic.
    “Now.” Manny’s cowboy boots thumped against the tightly woven Berber carpet as he walked to his private office. When Sadie reached the door, he guided her inside by the back of her arm and then kicked the door closed with his foot.
    I spread my hands out on the table and studied my fingernails, straining to hear. Damn Manny and his soundproof glass. As surreptitiously as possible, I stared at them through the flattened slats of the blinds on his window. It was like an overly dramatic silent movie. Sadie yanked her arm away from Manny and stood with her back to us. Her hands were on her hips, and her posture looked pretty damned defiant. Unlike with most movies, this time I wasn’t rooting for the woman.
    Manny leaned back against his desk. His lips were drawn tight, like a thin string splayed across his square jaw. Sadie’s head jerked back and forth, and her right arm waved in front of her face every few seconds. If she’d been talking to me, I’d have been tempted to catch her wagging finger between my teeth and chomp down. God, I think I needed anger-management classes.
    Another awkward minute passed before the office door swung open and they returned to their chairs. Looking at their tense faces, I had no clue who’d won.
    “Dolores.” Sadie turned so her back was to Manny. “What’s on your agenda in the Diggs case? Can you share those details with us?”
    “Sadie,” Manny warned.
    She threw him an innocent look and flung her hands up. “What? I have a right to ask.”
    I couldn’t imagine why she had any right to ask, but I answered anyway. “I’m on my way to visit the older Diggs kids. And I’m going to see the younger one a little later today.” I channeled my optimism and showed my determined face to Sadie. “I’ll find Emily Diggs.”
    “Sadie, you’re on at Laughlin’s tonight and tomorrow night,” Manny said. “Check in as needed.”
    She nodded at