Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear Read Online Free PDF Page A

Dustin smiled at the older woman, and she lowered her head coyly. Did this guy ever give it a rest?
“Is that what you did?” Her voice sounded weak, like a vapor. She needed to recover her gumption if she was going to help Earl.
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember you.” He threw his hands up. “I just talk to so many people.”
She’d seen a flash of recognition in his eyes. This was just one more way he wiggled out of a confrontation. With one decision he had swept away all their plans, put their home, their future, their savings in jeopardy. And he didn’t even remember her? A twinge of rage pinched a nerve behind her right ear. “You gave my husband’s booth away to someone else. Apparently because they were willing to pay more money.” She managed to keep her voice level.
The woman disappeared into the vending machine room. Ginger listened to coins tinkling against metal and waited for Dustin’s response.
Dustin aimed his laser-beam gaze on her. Charismatic Ken doll was back. He could turn it on or off with the flip of some internal switch. Was he even aware of it? “I don’t know what you have heard, but I didn’t sell off your booth. My ex-wife has issues.” He leaned closer and whispered. “She’s paranoid.”
Only hours into her stay at his hotel, and she had already concluded problems were always someone else’s fault in Dustin’s world. “You stole my husbands dream.” She couldn’t help herself. Despite her best effort, her voice slipped into a higher octave; anger colored every syllable. She took a step toward him. “We worked so hard and risked so much to get here.” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “And you took it from us in an instant.”
Dustin stepped back and held up his hands. “Mrs. Salinski, I understand you are upset.” He touched his hand to his chest. “But please don’t threaten me.”
The woman from the vending machine room sashayed past, holding a bucket of ice and three Almond Joys. If she moved any slower, she’d be going backward.
“I didn’t threaten you.”
“You touched me.” His eyebrow cocked up slightly.
Vending Machine Woman hesitated at her door and then disappeared inside.
Tears warmed Ginger’s eyes. “I am too upset to deal with this right now. But you just wait, mister.” She planted her feet. “And this is a threat. Once I have had a nap, I am going to see to it that my husband gets his booth back one way or another.”
Dustin held up his hands again and then turned his back. He ambled toward the elevator and pushed a button.
Once he was inside and the doors zinged shut, Ginger said, “I hope it gets stuck.”
Phoebe meowed.
“I know. It’s wrong to want bad things to happen to your enemies.” She tilted her head toward the ceiling. “Forgive me, Lord.” She grabbed the carrier and trudged toward the stairs. “It’s just that I have had enough of Dustin Clydell. Just about enough.”
Ginger heard a gasp behind her. She whirled around. Vending Machine Woman drew her fingers up to her mouth.
Ginger stepped toward her, ready to explain why she was so angry with Dustin.
The woman’s eyes widened with fear. She slammed the door shut. The lock clicked in the bolt.

Ginger stepped out onto the fifth floor. She turned the old-fashioned skeleton key in the lock and opened the door of room 517. One wall of the room was a window that looked out on the convention floor. Afraid she would see the booth that was supposed to be Earl’s, she couldn’t bring herself to even glance out the window. She drew the curtains.
She parked the Phoebe holder by the bed and tossed her travel purse on the nightstand.
The room was nice, done in bright colors. The only signs of the toy theme were the teddy bear lamps and the Raggedy Ann doll shower curtain. Nice, but ordinary. At a hundred bucks a pop, she’d expected a gold-plated hot tub and her own massage therapist.
She got food out for Phoebe, then poured water into a cup and set it beside the food dish.