Free Read Between the Tines by Susan Sleeman Page A

clients. A month ago, he was arrested on murder charges that were dropped. You know how I don't ask my clients if they're guilty. Lets me provide a better defense if I don't know. Well he insisted on telling me he didn't do it. Now the cops picked him up with the murder weapon in his possession." He stopped inches away, placed his hands on my hips and looked deeply into my eyes.
    My heart kicked into gear as it always did when he was this close and I looked up hoping for a kiss goodbye.
    "Nothing worse than someone who keeps the truth from you," he said and my hopes deflated. "I can forgive anything, but misleading me is tops on the list of things I struggle with." He planted a whisper soft kiss on my cheek then pulled me into a fierce hug and hissed out a long breath. "Gotta go. I'll call you later."
    I leaned on the doorjamb, my stomach tight. I was Judas. Well, nearly anyway. I didn't give the kiss, but I was the betrayer. I had to tell Adam the truth. I just had to. But how could I? Simple. I couldn't. Not after I saw how he responded to his client's lie. I not only couldn't tell him, I absolutely couldn't let him find out. Ever.

Chapter Eight
    To keep my mind off Adam, as truly I wouldn't choose to pay bills for any other reason, I bid Hazel farewell for the night and started writing checks. Watching the checking account balance dwindle, I knew Hazel was right. I couldn't keep hiring the waifs of the world unless I increased business. And I couldn't increase business if I spent all my time searching out killers.
    Killers? Yes, good idea. Put away bills that could wait for another day and look at the Pacific Pickles website to see if it provides any clues to Gary 's killer. I'd start with photos to see if Gary was in any of them.
    The first picture showed the executive management team. Gary stood between Mary Stills and a portly man who looked like he was about to burst through his suit coat. All six of the people had forced, sort of practiced smiles that said hurry up get the picture over with.
    I scrolled down the page and searched through candid shots taken at the company picnic and Christmas party. Unless Gary played Santa, he wasn't in any of the shots. At the end of the photos I switched to the About page and pulled out my notepad in case anything of interest showed up.
    I'd start with the company history. Founded in 1947 by Mr. Langley, the company boasted three plants, one in Texas , another in California and the one here in Serendipity, which also served as the main headquarters. Hmm, never knew the factory here also housed the headquarters. So that meant the people pictured in the executive management photo were the management staff for the whole company, not just the local plant. Interesting, but did that have anything to do with Gary 's death?
    I flipped the pad to a clean sheet and started a list of questions for Nathan Jacobs. My cell split the silence. I jumped and Mr. T flapped his feathers and squawked.
    "Lisa," I said. "How are things going at Karen's?"
    "I'm about to leave. Perry's already fed the girls and I'm in no mood to fix something for myself. You want to meet at The Bakery to grab a bite?"
    I should stay and go back to bill paying, but I could run the leads I'd discovered past Lisa to get her take on things and that was oh so much more fun than writing checks.
    "I'll be there in a few minutes," I said and logged off the website. I hustled around the small room, depositing the checkbook and bank bag into the safe then snatching up my notebook to continue the list when I got home. Lastly, I grabbed my coffee cup to rinse on the way out and headed to the door. "See you later, old buddy," I said to Mr. T and flipped off the lights.
    "Night, John Boy," he replied, sending a smile onto my face.
    I stopped to swish the mug in water and put it in a plastic bin. Tomorrow, if Daisy came to work, her first job would be to load all the dirty mugs from customers into the dishwasher in the small kitchen. And