Murder Has Nine Lives Read Online Free PDF Page A

commercial!”
    â€œOmigod!” I squealed. “That’s fantastic news.”
    â€œNo, sweetums. That’s good news. The fantastic news is that they’re paying five grand.”
    Thank heavens I wasn’t eating that Chunky Monkey, otherwise I’m sure I would’ve choked on it.
    â€œThe shoot is next week. I’ll e-mail you the address. Just remember. All Prozac has to do is nap and eat.”
    The easiest five grand I’d ever earn.
    â€œYour little princess is headed for stardom,” Deedee assured me. “I just know it. I’ve got infallible star-dar!”
    I hung up in a daze.
    First Jim. Now this. The gods were surely smiling on me.
    â€œWake up, Pro!” I said to my precious furball, who was now snoring atop my pillow. “You got the part in the Skinny Kitty commercial!”
    â€œShe did?” asked a disembodied voice, seemingly from out of nowhere.
    No, it wasn’t a ghost. It was Lance, shouting at me from his bedroom. Thanks to our paper-thin walls, and Lance’s X-ray hearing, the guy can practically hear me putting on my makeup.
    â€œYes, Lance,” I called back, with more than a hint of smugness in my voice. “The cat you said would never make it in show biz has landed a part in a commercial.”
    â€œReally? I’ll be right over!”
    Two minutes later, he was sailing into my apartment in his pajama bottoms, his six-pack abs buffed to perfection.
    I hate it when guys have skinnier waists than I do.
    â€œSo Prozac actually got that part?” he asked, not even trying to hide his disbelief.
    â€œYes, she did. And it pays five thousand dollars.”
    At this his jaw literally hung open.
    â€œOmigod, that’s wonderful!” he cried when he finally recovered his powers of speech. “Just wonderful!”
    I have to admit I was touched. Lance was happy for me and Prozac, after all. He cared about us and had stopped by to share in our good news.
    â€œIf Prozac can land a commercial,” he said, his eyes gleaming with unadulterated ambition, “then my Mamie is destined to be a major motion picture star!”
    Scratch that empathy.
    â€œAll I need is your agent’s name and contact info.”
    Of all the nerve! Asking for my help, after how little faith he’d shown in Prozac.
    Reluctantly, I scribbled a phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to him.
    â€œThanks, hon! And congrats on the Skinny Kitty job,” he added, wrapping me in a warm hug. “I’m thrilled for you guys.”
    And he actually seemed to mean it.
    I sure didn’t see that one coming.
    In fact, I was so touched, I was beginning to feel bad about giving him my chiropractor’s phone number.

    YOU’VE GOT MAIL!
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    To: Jausten
From: Shoptillyoudrop
Subject: The Perfect Bathing Suit!
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    Aloha, sweetheart!
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    Fabulous news! I found the perfect bathing suit for our trip to Hawaii. Only $62.49, plus shipping and handling, from the Home Shopping Channel. An adorable turquoise tankini with a lei embroidered around the scoop neck. I mean, nothing says Hawaii like a lei on your tankini, right? Anyhow, it was so darn cute, I ordered one for you in Outrageous Orange. I just know you’re going to love it.
    Â 
    Frankly, honey, I’m counting the days till we go. Daddy has been driving me crazy, training for the upcoming annual Tampa Vistas Scrabble Tournament.
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    He took one look at the 14-karat gold championship ring on display at the clubhouse and threw his hat in the ring. He’s dead set on beating the reigning champion, Lydia Pinkus. Talk about your mission impossible! Not only is Lydia president of the homeowners’ association and just about the smartest woman I know, but she also happens to have her master’s degree in library sciences, which means she knows practically every word in The Oxford English Dictionary .
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    But for some idiotic reason, Daddy’s