Liver Let Die Read Online Free PDF Page A

her jewelry-making supplies. She rinsed it and threw it into Maggie’s bowl, watching it skitter through the water and settle in the rocks at the bottom. Before she’d finished spraying the purse, five more fell out and were added to the fish’s watery playground.
    Tomorrow, she’d confess about the purse and make amends to Rosie. She’d probably have to break down and buy her a new one if the smell didn’t go away by morning. That meant skipping lunch all week.
    Jordan sighed, wondering how she’d gotten herself into such a financial mess. Her boss had been right. She could have gotten a better job if she’d stayed in Austin after she graduated, but she’d been in love and thought Brett was, too. All her friends warned her to let him go to Del Rio by himself for a year or two before following, but she hadn’t listened. Now she was too embarrassed to go home with her tail between her legs and admit her stupidity.
    Her eyes were drawn to Maggie swimming fast and furiously around the six rhinestones now glittering among the rocks at the bottom of the bowl. She sighed, thinking every female in the world loved bling. Apparently, girlie fish did, too.

CHAPTER 3

    Jordan dropped her review on Dwayne Egan’s desk and stepped back to await her fate. She’d spent the entire morning researching foie gras on the Internet and had come away outraged and ready to make a stand on the issue.
    That was before Egan grabbed the report and lowered his eyes to read, and all her bravado dissipated. Shifting nervously and second-guessing herself, she tapped out the melody of a rock song along the side of her slacks with her fingers.
    Too late to change her mind as Egan motioned for her to sit.
    She eased into the chair behind her, eyes fixed on the editor while he finished the first page and flipped to the second. Her nerves were like aliens ready to burst through her skin.
    “You actually ate this?” he asked, finally glancing at her over the top of his silver-rimmed reading glasses.
    “Yes and no,” she replied. “Mostly, no.”
    Egan had already turned back to the report, rereading the first page. “And this is how they get the duck liver?”
    Her eyes lit up. Maybe he wouldn’t scream at her after all. “Yes sir. They force-feed the animals to fatten them up.” She paused, remembering how the pictures had sickened her, how seeing the tubes shoved down their throats had nearly made her gag. “The ducks are kept in tight cages so they can’t exercise or even move around.”
    “Geez! And they’re serving this right here in Ranchero?”
    “Yes,” she answered quickly. “At a price that would water your eyes.” She stopped, not sure she wanted to remind him how much she’d charged on the company card.
    Egan dropped the report on his desk and leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head, making his ears protrude even more. “This is going to ruffle a few feathers at Longhorn Prime Rib.” He grinned, obviously pleased with his play on words.
    Jordan shifted in the chair. “I was totally complimentary about the restaurant in general.” She thought about the Chocolate Decadence Cake that had doubled as breakfast that morning. “The desserts were phenomenal and the service—fantastic.”
    Egan studied her face, his head tilted as if in deep thought. “I had you pegged for a simple meat-and-potatoes girl. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why you’d order this when you’re obviously so outraged at how they get it.”
    Here it is! This was where she’d have to admit she was clueless when it came to fancy food. This was where he’d realize what a big mistake he’d made giving her the job. “The waiter recommended it. Said it was imported from Canada. Since I knew it was too expensive to ever try on my own, I went with it.”
    “I still find it hard to believe you’d even order the dish, knowing how you feel about it.”
    “I thought it was chicken,” she blurted, looking away for a moment, imagining