Free Veiled Threat by Alice Loweecey Page A

Sidney’s only gone for seven working days. I’ll come in here in the mornings and go out to the resort in the afternoons.”
    “It’s going to crash and burn. Just like when Sean got promoted and Michael picked up a fat Christmas bonus for being top salesman.” He slumped in his chair, flopping his head backward off the top.
    Giulia stared at his upside-down face. “Those are your brothers, right? Where did all this come from?”
    “From two family phone calls and Jimmy’s eagerness to snatch you away.” His frown had the opposite effect with his head in that position. “Could you be any more eager to work for him? Why don’t you just hand in your resignation now? I’m going to have to go live in my parents’ basement again. If you’d bothered to get your gun license I’d ask you to shoot me now and put me out of my misery.”
    The laugh burst through Giulia’s mouth despite herself. “That’s why you’ve been giving me grief? What a stereotype you are.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “Listen very carefully because there’ll be a test later. The work will continue to get done. I will pull ridiculous hours at both venues for the duration. I have already lined up a temporary receptionist, remember? He starts Friday morning.”
    “Yes, but—”
    “Don’t interrupt. We will find Katie; Captain Jimmy will pat us on the back; and come Monday morning I will not, repeat, not be handing in my resignation.”
    His inverted face was such a muddle of hope and forlornness that she bent down and kissed him.
    “I prefer kissing you right side up. Now sit up, remember what I said, and set an example for your employees. Come drive me to the car rental place, please.”
    She escaped to the outer office to regain her composure, rather than react with all-too-typical embarrassment at kissing him in the office.
    “Sidney, did you have any luck with the car place?”
    “Oh, yes, no problem. They’ve got a 2007 Escort waiting for you.”
    “You’re a gem. Thank you.” She stared at Sidney’s ruler-straight brown hair.
    “Um, Giulia?” Sidney reached up and patted her hair straighter —an unnecessary movement.
    Giulia pulled back her own curly mop into a tight ponytail. “Does this make me look nondescript-er? I mean, unobtrusive?”
    This time Sidney blinked. “Um, I guess. Oh, wait. You’re going undercover again. Cool!” She pushed back her chair and stood up in one fluid motion. “Try braiding it. Here, let me.” Sidney’s long fingers separated Giulia’s thick hair into three sections.
    “Ouch. You’re yanking it out of my head.”
    “Am not. I’m pulling it into a super-tight braid.” She tugged right, then left, then right. “Your hair’s always loose and bouncy. If we plaster it real close to your head, you’re going to look …”
    Giulia’s hair flopped against her back as Sidney came around front. “Yes … you look just different enough on real short notice. Ask Mr. D.” She raised her voice. “Mr. D., can you come out and see this?”
    Frank’s door opened. “What?”
    “Well?” Sidney said.
    He looked around. “Well, what?”
    Giulia and Sidney rolled their eyes at each other.
    “Giulia’s hair, Mr. D. Doesn’t it make her look different?”
    Frank’s face blanked. “I guess so. You pulled it back, right?”
    Sidney shook her head. “Never mind, Mr. D. Giulia, you look different.”
    “Thanks, Sidney. It’ll help me get into character.” She looked down at her blue sweater and jeans. “The clothes are all right, but my shoes aren’t.” She grabbed her gym bag from behind her desk and pulled out her beat-up Reeboks. “Perfect.”
    Sidney said, “Perfect for what?”
    “Housekeeping.”
    “Ew. Cleaning other people’s toilets and getting ignored like you’re part of the furniture. I did it one summer for a hotel chain that I refuse to name. Never again.”
    “I could use the time off of my sentence in Purgatory.”
    Sidney made a face. “I’ve gotta