[B.S. #1] Tied Up in Knotts Read Online Free PDF Page A

walked up and clasped his very broad hand that seemed to swallow hers. Were they all giants that worked here?
    “Hey, I know you. You’re the waitress at the diner down the block,” Clay said, trying to put Avery at ease. He could tell she was nervous by the way she skirted around Angel, giving him lots of room.
    “Yes, that’s me. You said you were looking at property in the area, but I didn’t know you would settle this close.” Avery shut her mouth. This was not the time to rattle on.
    “I said you were meant for better things. Are you here for the reception job?”
    Avery stepped back from Clay’s handshake. “Yes, I would like to apply, if the position hasn’t been filled yet.” With that said, she glanced toward Angel. “It looks like you already have someone at the front desk.”
    Clay looked at Angel, too. Angel just stood back near the door and looked like he might try to escape at any minute.
    “No, Angel is one of our operatives. Sorry, I mean investment agents. He is just filling in until we can get somebody full time to take over. After all, we don’t want to scare our clients away.” Clay laughed at Angel’s grunt.
    Clay motioned for Angel to leave, telling him he would take over, and Angel was free to go back to the front desk. Angel slid out the door as fast as the eye could see. If she wouldn’t have known he was standing there a minute ago, she might have thought it was her imagination, he disappeared so quickly.
    “Please have a seat.” Clay waved at the chair in front of the desk as he sat back down.
    Avery sat down and dug in her purse for the resume she had sweat over last night. Handing it to Clay, she sat back and bit her lip. This was it. Hopefully he wouldn’t notice the holes in it .
    Clay took the offered document and intently scanned its contents. Avery was getting more nervous the longer he took and tried not to squirm in her seat.
    Standing up, document still in hand, he asked her when she could start. Avery looked at him blankly. “Aren’t you going to ask any questions?” Her nerves were getting to her, she had blurted out the one thing she didn’t want him to do, and that was ask questions. She really needed to start thinking before she spoke.
    “I mean, sure, I can start anytime. I have to put in my shift at the diner today, but there was never a contract with them, so I could probably leave right after I finish. I know the owner’s daughter wants to start working and that would leave a position open for her.” Shutting her mouth, Avery looked down at the carpet. “I guess you didn’t need to know all that, but—”
    Clay put her at ease by carrying on as if she hadn’t said anything. “Don’t you want to know the wages, hours, and terms?”
    “Yes, of course. What do you mean ‘terms’? What possible terms could there be with a reception job?”
    “Well, we have some terms that come with the employment. Since we are in an area of town that, shall we say, isn’t the best, we need someone to stay close and guard the property.”
    “What do you mean guard the property? Is this a night job? I thought it would be nine to five. I have an apartment down the block.” Avery was starting to panic.
    “No, it’s not a night job. This job comes with a furnished apartment over these offices. We want the receptionist to live there and guard—make that ‘look after’ the building. We do have a security system installed, but if someone is living here, there would be lights on most of the time and movement, which would mean less chance of getting broken into.”
    “Sure, I can do that, but would I still get paid on top of the apartment? I need enough to live on. I can’t take it if only the apartment and expenses are paid. I have bills and obligations that have to be met.”
    “I’ll lay it all out then you can tell me if the terms are acceptable to you,” Clay told her in a calm voice. He didn’t want her more agitated than she was.
    Clay laid out the