Maggie Lee (Book 11): The Hitwoman Hires a Manny Read Online Free PDF Page A

the room. "Especially that time when you saw Templeton and I removing the painting."
     
    I swallowed hard, and forced words out. "I don't know how to thank you. I couldn't do this without you. I – –" I took a shuddering gasp, trying to ward off the tears that threatened to silence me.
     
    "That's what family is for," Leslie said softly. "We're here to help you in any way we can."
     
    "Besides," Marlene rushed to my side and hugged me tightly, "we couldn't do this without you."
     
    Loretta patted my arm. "Now tell me, how did you like your first day at The Corset?"
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    I must admit that I was feeling pretty good when I ran down the stairs and into the basement. I felt supported by my family, and the logistics of bringing Katie home from the hospital suddenly seemed less daunting.
     
    "Gotta! Gotta!” DeeDee panted.
     
    I hurried across the basement, climbed a couple of stairs, and threw open the storm cellar door, so that she could get outside and relieve herself.
     
    "I don't know why she carries on, your boyfriend was here, and he let her out earlier," Piss, my one-eyed cat, drawled.
     
    "Patrick?" I asked, looking to see what he'd left me.
     
    "Do you have another boyfriend?" God mocked from my chest.
     
    "Out," I ordered. Stalking over to his terrarium, I pushed the lid aside, and dumped him, rather unceremoniously, inside.
     
    "Sensitive skin," he grumbled.
     
    "Oversized ego," I countered.
     
    "Under the pillow," Piss purred, answering the question I hadn't even voiced.
     
    I rushed over to the couch, threw back the throw cushion, and snatched up a cell phone. It immediately buzzed in my hand. Startled, I dropped it. It clattered against the basement floor.
     
    "Brilliant," God said snidely. "Break it before you even get to use it."
     
    "Shut up." I snatched up the throw pillow and tossed it in the general vicinity of his enclosure.
     
    "Violence never solved anything," he gasped.
     
    "You act like I was trying to kill you."
     
    "You were."
     
    "It's a pillow. By its very definition it's soft." I picked up the fallen phone as it buzzed again. "Hello?"
     
    There was no answer. I looked at it more closely and realized it was buzzing to indicate there was a voicemail.
     
    I looked to Piss. "I don't suppose he told you the passcode?"
     
    She squinted her good eye at me. "You do know that most humans don't talk to animals, right?"
     
    "It was worth a shot." I glared at the phone. Why had Patrick left it for me, if I couldn't use it?
     
    DeeDee whined outside the cellar door. "Hungry."
     
    "He fed her. Her appetite is endless," the cat hissed.
     
    "Sure," God complained, "he feeds her, but what about me?"
     
    The cat arched her back. “You weren’t even here.”
     
    Ignoring them both, I opened the door and let DeeDee back in.
     
    The phone buzzed again.
     
    “Patrick!” DeeDee licked the phone affectionately as though it was the man’s hand.
     
    “Hey,” I snatched it away, “careful .”  Moving away to get her some food, I said casually, “ I don’t suppose he gave you the code for the phone.”
     
    God snorted derisively.
     
    “Yes,” the Doberman barked.
     
    I stopped and stared at her. “Yes?”
     
    The dog grinned. “Patrick yes code gave the me.”
     
    “Dreadful!” the lizard thundered from his enclosure. “Dreadful grammar. Dreadful! Do you hear me?”
     
    DeeDee cocked her head to the side and replied innocently, “Yes.”
     
    “ Dumb and dreadful,” God raged.
     
    “Oh stick a sock in it,” Piss stalked toward the terrarium, “before I make you take that back.”
     
    The lizard shrank back, pushing himself against the glass, muttering what sounded like, “Ethically-challenged predator.”
     
    Piss flattened her good ear.
     
    “Can we just back it up a step?” I requested, focusing on the dog. “You have the code?”
     
    She bounded toward me, jumping up to rest her front paws on my shoulders, almost knocking me