Crooked Man: A Hard-Boiled but Humorous New Orleans Mystery (Tubby Dubonnet Series #1) (The Tubby Dubonnet Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

the sofa. He fixed her a gin and tonic, and a glass of tonic water with a slice of lime for himself.
    She took a big sip and sighed happily. She leaned back in her chair, and her bosom rose and fell magnificently.
    “These things reach a point of climax and taper off after a while,” Tubby said soothingly. “You’re at an emotional peak right now. Believe me. Everything is going to blow over and quit pounding on you soon.” Better get back to business, he thought. “You’ve won the custody battle. He’s not going to open up that whole soap opera of misdeeds again.”
    “He doesn’t care about the kids. Now that we’re dividing up the property, Byron’s true colors have come out.”
    “He can’t delay the process much longer, or keep his assets hidden unless he’s a lot smarter than I think he is. I’ve got an investigator checking on his jewelry purchases. Everybody always leaves a trail.” She had perfect cafe-au-lait skin, courtesy of extended weekends at Perdido Key and Destin. He could have studied any part of her for a long time. Her armpits, paler than the rest of her, were interesting. The faint brown wrinkles circling her knee caught his attention. The sandal straps starting up her ankle had a clever knot.
    “I just want this to be over,” Jynx said.
    “You need to be patient,” Tubby counseled. “It will take a while. Look after yourself. Take a trip.”
    “I suppose I do need to relax. It’s very calming talking to you.”
    “You’re good for the long haul, I know,” Tubby said. “I hate to talk about money, but I must. My partner has been fussing at me for not collecting my unpaid bills. I’d appreciate it if you could make some sort of payment to cut the balance.”
    “Tubby,” she said, putting her glass, emptied of all but a mashed lime, on his desk. “You know everything I have is tied up. The kids are literally eating the bank account. When we finally tag Mr. M, we can settle up on everything. But for now there’s just little me against the world.”
    “Still I must be fair to my partner. There must be something you can do.”
    Jynx stood up and leaned over the desk. She stroked Tubby’s face so gently he wasn’t sure he had felt it. “You’re the sweetest little lawyer in New Orleans,” she said. “You’ve been patient and understanding from the beginning. When this is over, you’ll get payment in full, I promise.” A force moved him to cover her hand with his own. “Keep on looking out for me, Tubby,” she whispered, her wounded brown eyes dissolving his.
    Suddenly she straightened up. “Oh, naughty me.” She waved goodbye on her way out the door.
    Tubby stared for a few minutes at the empty space she had left. Then he finished his drink and tapped out the number of his ex-wife, Mattie. His middle daughter, Christine, answered.
    “Hi, baby doll.”
    “Howya doin’, Daddy?”
    “What’s happening?”
    “Nothing much. We’re going to Florida this weekend.”
    “Who’s we?”
    “Oh, me and some friends.”
    “Where?”
    “Fort Walton.”
    “Oh, really?”
    “Yes, Daddy. Mom’s not home.” He noticed how she changed the subject, but he let it pass.
    “Where is she?”
    “She had to go to the O’Briens’ for cocktails by the pool.”
    “Is Collette in?” Collette was his youngest daughter.
    “No, she’s out.”
    “Where’s that?”
    “You know Collette. She’s just out.”
    “How’s school?”
    “Great. Oh. There’s another call coming in.”
    “Drive safe to Florida.”
    “I will.”
    “And tell your mother I called.”
    “I will.”
    “Love you.”
    “I love you, Daddy,” she said, and switched him off. Tubby went to the bar to pour himself another gin and tonic. This time he decided to leave out the tonic. He stood by the window and looked out over his city. He watched the lights of the barges below slowly plowing upstream in the river as it turned black in the gathering darkness.
    Tubby recalled one particularly nice spring