Free Maggie Lee (Book 11): The Hitwoman Hires a Manny by JB Lynn

manny.”
     
    “What?”
     
    “Aunt Susan hired him to be Katie’s manny,” I explained, not trying to disguise the laughter in my voice.
     
    “Oh.”
     
    “Oh,” I repeated. “When will you be back?”
     
    “Not soon enough,” he muttered unhappily.
     
    I wasn’t sure whether he meant that he was frustrated with whatever he was stuck doing, or if he was eager to get back to me, but I took a gamble and said, “I miss you.”
     
    I held my breath hoping he’d say he missed me too.
     
    Instead he said, “Don’t do anything about Belgard until I get back.”
     
    “I won’t have time with Katie coming home,” I replied, hoping he couldn’t hear the disappointment in my voice.
     
    “Watch out for Rivgali,” Patrick warned.
     
    Then he abruptly ended the call.
     
    “Nice talking to you too,” I said, before tossing the phone back under the seat, where I hoped no one in my family would find it.
     
    Then I pulled back on the road. I had paperwork to get to.
     
    In addition to my hours spent in purgatory at The Corset, I was also going to be working at a real estate office. It was a job that I hoped would eventually provide me with enough income and flexibility to care for Katie. It was also a position that was a little awkward, considering my new boss, Lani, was the sister of Aunt Susan’ s ex-boyfriend, Bob. 
     
    But everyone was acting like adults for a change and all involved had assured me that they were comfortable with my new job opportunity.
     
    I pulled into the real estate office’s parking lot. The company was housed in an old, porch-fronted, three-story house that had been converted into office space. I approached the building with a sense of excitement about trying something new. And legal.
     
    Before I even got in the front door, my past swatted me on my ass.
     
    Literally swatted me. My butt stung.
     
    Whirling around, I confronted whatever obnoxious man had thought he could put his hands on me. “What the--”
     
    Instead of a cocksure grin or well-deserved mortification, I was met with laughter.
     
    “If you could see your face, Chiquita,” my tormentor chortled.
     
    “What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, fighting the urge not to rub my sore backside.
     
    Armani Vasquez, my best friend from my last job, grinned and tossed her shampoo commercial worthy mane. “Redecorating.”
     
    It was then that I noticed that she held a yardstick in her good hand. No doubt that was what she’d used to get my attention.
     
    “You could have just said hello,” I pouted.
     
    She limped toward me and pulled me in for a tight hug. “If you hadn’t recommended us for this job, we wouldn’t be here.”
     
    “We?” My voice was muffled since my mouth was pinned against her shoulder, as I hugged her back. Despite being annoyed with her, I was always glad to see Armani. She’d been a good friend during one of the roughest times in my life. Plus, it made me feel good that she was considered to be even weirder than me.
     
    “Tara,” she reminded me. Letting go, she stepped back, wobbling slightly on her bad leg.
     
    I nodded. Armani'd gone from working as an insurance clerk to running an interior decorating business with the former animal control officer who’d married our ex-boss at Insuring the Future. The world works in mysterious ways.
     
    “What are you doing here?” Armani asked. “Lani’s out of the office.”
     
    “I’m just here to fill out paperwork.”
     
    “Good. Then you have time to talk to me.” She pointed to a row of wicker chairs that lined the front porch of the building.
     
    I hesitated. I really just wanted to get this bit of business done before heading to the library to do some research on Kevin Belgard. “Susan and Angela are expecting me.”
     
    “It’s important, ” Armani said, grabbing my arm with her good hand and pulling me along with her as she made her way over to the ramp at the opposite side of the porch. 
     
    It