SEE HIM DIE Read Online Free PDF Page A

one customer in particular who persisted in pawing his waitress.
    Marie shrugged. “I understand. It’s not for everyone.”
    Julie pushed away her beer. “I guess I should get my neighbor’s car back home.”
    “How about something to eat first?” Marie knew her too well. Julie often forgot to eat when she was preoccupied in any capacity, good, bad, or indifferent. Driving after consuming alcohol on an empty stomach would be plain dumb.
    “Excellent idea.” Though she’d had only half of one beer, she preferred to err on the side of caution.
    A basket of hot wings and fries and a tall, refreshing Coke later and she was good to go. Marie, as usual, refused payment.
    “I’ll treat you next time,” Julie insisted.
    Marie gave her a look. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten what you did for me last year. I don’t know why you won’t let me return the favor.”
    It wasn’t necessary for her to bring up that bad memory. Marie had just gotten the bar remodeled when a fire damaged the kitchen. Julie had, without hesitation, cleaned out the account Austin had set up for her to bail Marie out of trouble. She’d refused the money when Marie tried to pay her back four months later, telling her to put it in an account for the kids’ education.
    “I’ll call you tomorrow,” Julie promised as she scooted off the stool and headed for the door. She didn’t want her financial problems to become Marie’s. She’d get through this. Marie had two kids, nine and seven years old, to worry about. Being a single mother wasn’t easy even with a successful business.
    Julie took her time driving back to the apartment she now called home. The place was barely a cut above a dump, but she’d lived in a similarly low rent apartment during her grad school days. She felt sure Austin got a real kick out of her current living conditions. Well, screw him. She would manage. Being poor wasn’t a sin and it damned sure wasn’t anything to be ashamed of.
    She thanked her neighbor profusely for being so kind as to lend her the car and offered her any assistance she might need in the future. The old woman only had one question.
    Did you get the job?
    Julie slunk home more depressed than ever.
    Inside her tiny apartment, she kicked off her shoes. She’d never felt lonelier. Sure Austin hadn’t come home much in a long while, but there was something keenly depressing about knowing that no one was coming...
ever
. Shaking off the gloom she dragged her cell from her purse and noted she had two voicemails. She must have missed the calls while she was in the bar. For just a moment hope soared inside her. Maybe Mr. Preston at Wolff, Inc. had changed his mind.
    The first message was from her landlady. A friendly reminder that rent and the remainder of her deposit were due in one week. Julie heaved a disgusted sigh. She’d been so thankful when the landlady had kindly let her move in without the full deposit. Now what would she do?
    The second call was from Detective Duncan. A shiver of awareness skittered over Julie’s skin as she listened to his deep voice.
    “Ms. Barton, I didn’t expect to be calling you so quickly, but a friend has offered to repair the damages to my car for cost. I thought that would cut you some slack.”
    Julie smiled. He was a nice guy. She shook her head at the foolish feeling of attraction that stirred inside her just hearing his voice.
    “The amount comes to one thousand dollars. Give me a call when you get this message.”
    Julie’s smile dropped into a ground-dragging frown.
One thousand dollars
! How could it be that much?
    She considered what was left of the cash she’d snagged from the ATM before Austin closed her account. She couldn’t do this. Even scrapping together the rent looked dismal. What in the world was she going to do?
    She closed her eyes and fought the defeat pulling at her.
    Don’t fall apart.
You can do it
.
    Julie drew in a bolstering breath and made a call to her friend.
    Three rings sounded