Hide and Snoop (The Odelia Grey Mysteries) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Hannah and Jacob, both grown now and out of the house. Something told me empty-nester Zee was itching to get her hands on a little one as much as offering to help me out.
    “Seriously, Odelia,” Zee urged, “bring her over so she can get the rest she needs and you can get some work done.”
    “Humph,” I snorted. “Like I have any work to do.”
    “Call Mike Steele. He’ll give you a job in a heartbeat.”
    “You sound like Greg. He said the same thing to me last night.”
    “And we’re going to keep saying it until you listen.”
    Getting up, I went to retrieve Lily to go back upstairs. “But if I wait it out,” I said into the phone, “I’ll probably walk away with some nice cash when they lay me off.”
    “I know you, Odelia. Unless that happens soon, and I mean very soon, you’ll go insane in the meantime.”
    “You’re assuming I’m not already.”
    “Well, before you go completely crackers, get that child over here. She doesn’t need to witness your descent into madness.”
    Zee was right. Lily would be better off at her house, although I hated seeing the kid palmed off on yet another stranger. As soon as we returned to my office, it hit me. I couldn’t just throw Lily into my car and take off for Zee’s. I’d have to get all her stuff downstairs and into the car and set up the car seat somehow. And I’ll bet Erica didn’t leave instructions. I was developing a headache to go along with Lily’s unhappy nose. Instead of dropping her off at Zee’s, maybe I should go home sick and call in tomorrow, too.
    I was trying to figure out how best to get both Lily and her baggage down to the car in one trip when Stump ambled by with the mail cart. He stopped to drop a few envelopes into my inbox.
    “Hey, Stump,” I said, eyeing his cart. “Do you have another one of those carts in the copy room? One I can use to get all this stuff down to my car?”
    Stump, whose real name is Stanley, eyeballed Lily’s stuff, taking quick measurement. “Sure. Give me a minute to finish up my rounds and I’ll help.”
    True to his word, Stump was back at my office in about ten minutes with a two-tier cart. He packed the car seat, stroller, suitcase, and other items onto it like a pro. Stump was tall and angular and pushing thirty. By day he ran our copy room and all aspects of our office services department. By night he wrote screenplays, which he hoped would one day sell and allow him to write full-time.
    “Did you hear about Kelsey?” he asked as he made sure the stroller was secure.
    My ears perked up. Kelsey Cavendish was the firm’s librarian and one of my closest friends. “No, what about her?”
    “She was let go.”
    I froze until Lily said, “Ow.” I was holding her hand and had tightened my grip upon hearing Stump’s news. I loosened my fingers but never took my eyes from Stump. “Are you sure?”
    “Just delivered her mail. She found out, like, two minutes ago.”
    I started down the hallway to the library, towing Lily behind me, then remembered Stump and the cart. I retraced my steps. “Can you give me a few minutes, Stump? I have to go see Kelsey.”
    “Tell you what—give me your car keys, and I’ll take this stuff down and load it up for you. You still park on the fifth level?”
    I nodded and let go of Lily’s hand. Going to my desk, I opened my bottom right-hand drawer and retrieved my car keys from my bag. I handed them to Stump.
    “Don’t worry, Odelia, I’ll even install the car seat for you. Got two little kids at home. I’m an old hand at this.”
    “Thanks, Stump. I really appreciate it.” I gently placed a hand on his arm. “How about you? Is your job in jeopardy?”
    He gave me a small, sad smile. “I don’t think so. The guy from the other firm is only a part-timer. Goes to college the rest of the time.” He shrugged. “But you never know.”
    Stump leaned close. “Watch your back, Odelia,” he whispered. “There’s a target on it.”
    Seems everyone had