Dead Hot Shot (Loon Lake Fishing Mysteries) Read Online Free PDF Page A

her lips are this wide, tight little line — ” Erin held pinched fingers in front of her own mouth to demonstrate.
    Osborne chuckled. “Poor woman.”
    “Not like she couldn’t do something about it,” said Erin, bending to open the oven door and check the turkey. “Drop a few pounds for starters. She spends enough money at the beauty parlor — ” She whirled around from the stove. “Which reminds me, Dad, your ears should have been burning yesterday morning — burning.” She gave him a teasing grin.
    “Oh no, what now?”
    God, how he loved this girl, thought Osborne as they chatted. She was so different from both himself and his late wife. Erin had lucked out — inheriting the upbeat Irish genes from both sides of the family. Tall and slim with a complexion much fairer than his own, she juggled husband, children and pursuit of a law degree part-time — without losing her sense of humor or ever rushing a child or an adult who needed to talk.
    “You’ve made quite an impression on your female houseguest, that’s for sure.”
    “Really?” said Osborne with a twinge of dread.
    “I had Beth and Mason in for haircuts at Jorene’s Le Cuts yesterday and Kathleen was there. She was on her back in the shampoo chair with a towel over her face getting some sort of conditioning treatment so she didn’t see us come in. And guess who happened to be the topic of conversation — ” Erin spoke with a lilt that spelled trouble to Osborne.
    “You’re kidding, I hope.”
    “She was going on and on about you and Fred and your hair — ”
    “Our hair?” Osborne interrupted her. “Fred doesn’t have any hair.”
    “Correct. Her exact words were, ‘Then there’s Dr. Osborne, same age as my husband, but he’s got all his hair. Thick, black, wavy — silver at the temples. So-o-o good-looking in a man that age.’”
    “Erin — you are exaggerating.”
    “Swear I’m not. And she went on. Said Fred’s let himself get fat — but not you. She told the ladies in the salon you’ve got the flattest stomach she’s ever seen in a man your age. You’re sixty-three but you’ve got the body of a fifty-year-old.” Erin grinned at him. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment, Dad.” Osborne put his head in his hands.
    “And while old Fred sits around fussing with his fly rods or watching the History Channel, you’re always on the go.”
    “I’m on the go, all right. Trying to keep out of the line of fire between those two.” Osborne stood up and walked over to set his coffee mug in the dishwasher. “That’s it. I have got to get those people out of my house. Tomorrow if I’m lucky. And you’re not pulling my leg? Kathleen really said all that stuff — in public?”
    “D-a-a-d, she’s got a crush on you.”
    He threw up his hands. “Let’s call Mallory. I know she’s not planning to visit until Christmas but maybe I can change her mind and she can catch a plane this afternoon. I’ll buy the ticket. Then I can tell the Merrills they have to move out of her room.”
    “Forget that. She’s on deadline for her thesis plus she’s invited to Thanksgiving dinner with the parents of that guy she’s been seeing. And you shouldn’t have to make excuses, Dad. It’s your house. You simply say that it’s time for them to find somewhere else to stay because you have plans.”
    “I do? What kind of plans?”
    “Dad — ” Erin looked at him in frustration. “That’s not the point. Whatever plans you have or don’t have is none of their business.”
    Just then the phone rang. Erin stepped around the corner into the den where they kept the cordless phone and answering machine. “Whoa,” she said as she reached for the phone, “we’ve got six messages! Hello?” As she listened, she walked back into the kitchen and handed the phone to Osborne. “It’s for you. Lew has been trying to reach you all morning.”

CHAPTER 5
    Good morning, Lewellyn. Happy Thanksgiving,” said Osborne, eager to hear