Board Stiff (An Elliott Lisbon Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

said.
    “At least I’m honest.”
    “But Jane, dear, the hat was part of his business,” Zibby said. “It made Buffalo Bill’s famous.”
    “Oh, please. They don’t have cowboys in Hoboken,” she replied. She placed her hand on the table and cleared her throat. “Look, my concern isn’t Leo Hirschorn. Not anymore. My concern is this Foundation. Keeping it strong, keeping it focused. We need to devote our time to the important things.”
    “Yes, I agree,” said Preston Wilde, a semi-retired tax attorney. He looked down his nose in disapproval. “This gossiping is highly inappropriate. We should move on.”
    “Perfect,” I said. “I have an important Leo item I’d like to present. One in his honor.”
    “Thank you, Preston,” Jane said, ignoring me completely. She pulled a neatly-typed agenda from her portfolio. “Finally, on to board business.”
    The door swung open and Carla quietly stepped in with a wave to get my attention.
    “Not now, Carla,” Jane said. “We’re in a closed-door meeting. In case you didn’t notice, what with the door closed and all.”
    Carla ignored her. “I hate to interrupt, Elliott, but you’ve got visitors. The kind who carry guns.”
    She stepped aside as Nick Ransom and two uniformed officers entered the room. Ransom wore his badge on his belt, his gun under his arm, and his shirt clung to his chest for dear life. He looked at me for a full five seconds and my palms started to sweat. Then he slowly surveyed the rest of the room. The bountiful breakfast, the curious upturned faces around the table, and finally, his target.
    He approached Jane while the two officers remained in front of the parlor doors. They looked like sentries guarding the palace entry. “Jane Hatting?”
    “Yes, I’m Jane Walcott Hatting. What can I do for you?”
    “Lieutenant Ransom.” He unclipped the leather case from his belt and showed her the gold and silver shield. “I need to ask you about Leo Hirschorn. Down at the station.”
    Jane didn’t so much as blink toward his badge. “As you can undoubtedly see, I am otherwise engaged. If you leave your card, I’ll have my assistant set an appointment for later this week.” She turned back to face the board.
    “Ms. Hatting, I’m not asking.”
    No one said a word. Every face frozen in such rapt attention, I could’ve sold popcorn and chocolates. 
    “Am I under arrest?” Jane asked.
    “Should you be?” Ransom said.
    He reached out to take her arm, but Jane was having none of that. She whipped her arm out of his reach and her elbow smacked me right in the face.
    My eyes pinched shut in pain. I saw stars. Tiny pinprick-sized glowing shooting stars.
    Tod rushed over. “Elliott, are you okay?”
    I nodded and held my hand over my mouth, hoping blood wasn’t dribbling onto my blouse. It cost three hundred bucks.
    “I’ll get ice,” Carla said and rushed to the buffet bar in the corner.
    Preston Wilde marched over. “Answer the lady’s question. Is she under arrest?”
    Ransom looked down (a good foot and a half). “And you are?”
    “I’m her attorney, Preston Wilde.”
    Ransom raised his eyebrow at Jane. “That was fast. She’s a person of interest in the murder of Leo Hirschorn.”
    Ransom nodded to one of the officers, who then stepped forward and led Jane from the room.
    She didn’t say a word.
    Carla handed me a napkin filled with ice cubes, which I gently placed on my face.
    “Well, today sucks,” I said.
    Ransom leaned down and pulled back the ice pack. His finger softly touched my cheek. “It’s only going to get worse.”
    FOUR

       
    “Holy crap, Jane killed Leo.”
    “I knew she’d kill someone eventually.”
    “Surprised it took her this long.”
    I turned to Tod and opened my notebook with my left hand, the right still attached to the ice pack on my face. “We should adjourn. And quickly,” I said, nodding toward the board members chatting around the room. “We’ll pick a new date when Jane’s