Drummer In the Dark Read Online Free PDF Page B

introducing herself.
    “I should have called in,” Jackie told Neva. “But to be honest, I didn’t know what to tell you.”
    This was not Neva’s problem. “You better have a serious case of the never-get-overs, girl. Else I’m supposed to ask where you want us to mail your final check.”
    “I’ve been offered another job.”
    Neva brightened. “Always said you were too good for this grind. Doing what?”
    “Investigation.”
    “You got your license and you didn’t tell me?”
    “I don’t need it for this.”
    “So tell.”
    “I’m being offered a ton of money by some rich old lady. She’s given me this fancy contract, calls me an independent consultant. Wants me to check out something related to my studies.” Neva was the only person at work who knew the whole tale of Jackie’s former life, and about her brother. Not to mention about her ex-fiancé, Shane, the ultimate destroyer of dreams. “I wish I knew what to do.”
    “Wait, let me work on this a minute. Somebody’s come by, offered you a job that’ll get you out of this hole, and says they’ll pay you a heap of cash. And you’ve spent all day hanging in between?” She gave Jackie a chance to come back, then said, “What am I missing from this picture?”
    “Come on, Neva. How often do things like this happen without a serious catch?”
    “All the time, girl.”
    “Not to me. This looks like just another chance for life to stab me with what I see but can’t ever have.”
    “So you’re turning it down?”
    Jackie wanted desperately to return to the safety of aiming low. But she was bored to tears with life and aching for change. She had not realized how much until the sleepless hours before dawn, lying there with the darkness illuminated by her fears. “You know what my problem is? I want things too much. All it takes is a tiny glimpse of everything I’ve never had, and I go up in flames.”
    “What kind of answer is that?”
    She was saved from further confessions by a knock on her door. “Hang on a second.” She set down her phone and walked over to where a UPS delivery man stood outside her screen door. “Can I help you?”
    “You can if you’re Ms. Havilland.” When he held up his packet she realized it was ringing. “It’s been doing this for the past thirty minutes. Maybe it’s a bomb.”
    “Right.” She unlatched the door, signed his electronic clipboard, and accepted the package. “Rid the world of a pair who really matter.”
    She ripped the pull-tag, reached inside, came up with an ultraslim cellphone. She pushed the button and raised it to her ear. “Hello?”
    It was the frosty matriarch from Boca Raton. “Where are you?”
    “Standing in my doorway, staring at a delivery man’s dental work.”
    “They promised delivery at nine. It’s almost half past. If I pay for a service I expect precision.”
    “We run on Florida time down here. That’s something all the money in the world can’t change. Hold on just a moment.” She walked back over to her other phone and told Neva, “I have to go.”
    “Tell you what. I’ll speak with the man, remind him of how you walk on water round here. See if maybe he’ll give you enough time to check this thing out.”
    “I don’t know what to say.”
    “Just go find some good luck for both of us. And keep in touch, you hear?”
    She set down one phone, picked up the other. Cradled it a moment. Wishing for more clarity than the day offered. Beyond her front window the trees rocked and shuddered beneath a steadily growing wind. “All right.”
    “I tried all yesterday to reach you.”
    “My place only has one line. I’ve been on it trying to research your problem.”
    “There’s a sealed envelope in this packet. Open it, please.” As Jackie tore open the envelope, Esther went on, “Your first payment, as promised.”
    So much money. The slip of paper should have weighed a ton, pulled earthward by the ballast of temptation. “Why pluck me out of the