Guilty Pleasures Read Online Free PDF Page B

got a feeling you think we know. We don’t, Mr. Spinnel.”
    “Jack, please.” His smile endowed them with a flash of gold. “I produce, write, and direct Polly's Place. Sorry. I should have mentioned that up front.”
    “Yeah.” Dusty glowered as washers spilled into lengths of hose. “Might have been a good idea. My granddaughter watches the show when she comes.” His unwavering stare warned Nasty to keep his mouth shut. Since Junior didn’t have a grandfather, Dusty had appointed himself surrogate.
    “I’ve got a cowriter for some segments. Mary Reese. You’ve probably seen her name. But it’s my show. My idea.”
    Nasty lowered himself back into a chair and tented his fingers. In time this guy would get to the point.
    “I asked about you around town,” Spinnel said, addressing Nasty. “Everyone’s seen you. No one knows you.”
    Slowly, Nasty met Spinnel’s eyes. “I guess I’m not gregarious.”
    “You’re silent, that’s what they say about you. Not easy to talk to.”
    Nasty took in a long breath through his nose. “Sorry to hear I’m not a likable guy.”
    “Expensive sailboat, I’m told. And you live aboard.”
    “Am I supposed to be impressed because you ask questions and get answers.”
    “I always get the answers I want,” Spinnel told him. “People in this town like me. They like the show. They’re glad we chose this location. It brings a lot of money into Kirkland.”
    “Bully for you,” Nasty said. “Your point?”
    “I may not be the only one who wonders about you.”
    “Give me names.”
    Spinnel turned the comers of his mouth down and shrugged. “It’s not important. I can make my point without naming names. But if you make enemies in a small community, it could get hard for you to do business here.”
    “That’s a threat,” Dusty said explosively. “Where do you think you get off coming in here and threatening us. Fuck off, asshole.”
    “Charming,” Spinnel said, without bothering to look at Dusty. “My point is that you’d better work at staying in line and getting along with people.”
    “Or you won’t spotlight us on your show?” Nasty said amazed at the man’s balls.
    “Most businesses in this town would do anything to be featured on Polly’ s Place. The print shop says their business has quadrupled since they were on. And ask those crazies who run the voodoo dolls and tell-your- fortune joint. Belinda and Fes tus. We had to do that one carefully—stick to the homemade soaps, and candles. Feel-good herbal tea. That kind of thing. But they’ve never had it so good.”
    “I’m happy for them. Is this the way you approach all your prospective features?”
    “You aren’t a prospective feature—yet. I just want you to think about making sure you don’t offend anyone. Especially me. I can be a bad enemy. I could also be really easy to get along with.”
    “Maybe I don’t care about getting along with you.” Nasty didn’t want to play this game anymore. “Maybe I’m just not a very friendly guy.”
    “But you like good-looking women.”
    The pieces of this puzzle dropped abruptly into place. “What man doesn’t?”
    Spinnel’s laugh wasn’t pleasant. “That’s not the point. The point is what you do about it. I’ve seen you before. And so have some members of the cast and crew. Nice Zodiac.”
    Subtle as a tank in a churchyard. “I’ve got a Zodiac. I use it—a lot. But I don’t have the only Zodiac in Kirkland.”
    “You’ve got the only Zodiac that hangs around the docks in front of the condos where Polly lives.” Spinnel’s humid brown eyes turned hard. “She takes walks on those docks in the evening. And you hang around there every night at about the same time, Ferrito."
    “Hey—”
    “Don’t worry, Dusty,” Nasty said rapidly. “This is between Jack, here, and me. I’ll handle it.”
    “She’s high-strung,” Spinnel said.
    Nasty tapped his fingertips together and squinted through them. “Is that a fact?”
    “I