Stuff to Die For Read Online Free PDF Page B

some of the landscaping, the small porch, or the house itself. There were several moments when I thought he might.
    Finally, he had the rear of our Chevy somewhat lined up with the back door. He jumped out and surveyed the angle of the truck much like a painter or brick mason might step back to admire his work.
    “Not too bad.”
    “It took you fifteen minutes.”
    “I’ll get better, Skip. You want to try?”
    I didn’t.
    “How should we do this? One of us could stand in the back of the truck and take the stuff to the rear after the other brings it down the hall—how does that sound?”
    “Doable. We’ll take turns. You do truck duty for the first half and I’ll do it the second half.” I wanted it to be fair for all concerned.
    We went at it for two hours, taking turns bringing boxes down the hall, lifting them into the back of the truck, and repeating the process dozens and dozens of times.
    “The first thing we’re investing in when we get paid is a dolly.” I mopped my brow with the sopping wet T-shirt that I’d removed over an hour ago. If this became a steady gig, I wouldn’t need the weights. Thank God Jackie remembered she had a dolly about halfway through the job.
    Light, heavy, the boxes kept coming. Some of them were open and we could peer into corners of Rick Fuentes’s life. There were desk items like pen sets and a crystal globe. Another open box had dozens of videotapes with titles like Tax Audits Involving Business Travel or Setting Up Your Own Off-shore Bank .
    “It’s shit like this that is the difference between the haves and the have-nots,” James said.
    Em walked in and pointed to the last pile of envelopes and boxes by the door. “Jackie says that’s all the mail he’s received in the last four weeks.”
    “She hasn’t even opened his mail?” If I went four weeks without opening my mail the power and water would be shut off.
    “Apparently he called her and asked her to open it. He said if there was anything important he needed her to call him, but she didn’t. I don’t think she wanted to know what he was involved in. I told you, she was scared.”
    We each grabbed a load and carried it out, shoving everything into the truck.
    “Long Island Ice Tea, boys?” Jackie came out of the house in a loose-flowing, long peach-colored summer dress. I could see through it, and she didn’t wear a bra. She carried a tray with these very fancy glasses, napkins, and glass stirrers topped with miniature pink flamingos.
    I grabbed one as she offered the tray. It appeared we weren’t going to drink on the front porch by the pool, but at this point it made no difference. An iced alcoholic beverage was a beverage from heaven no matter where we drank it.
    Em came out the door sipping hers. She’d kept Jackie company while we did our dirty work. James and I sat down on the small concrete porch and the girls joined us. I closed my eyes and tilted the glass, draining a quarter of it in one gulp. Sweet syrup with a bite. I could immediately feel the relaxing warmth in my veins. I would have settled for just this drink. James seemed interested in more than the drink or the money.
    “I don’t want to sound like I’m coming on to you, but—”
    Jackie smiled. “But you are?”
    “Skip and I can keep this in the truck overnight and unload it tomorrow.”
    Which was new to me. I’d thought we were going to unload it tonight at the storage unit and be done with it.
    “So,” he continued, “would you like to grab a bite to eat after I get cleaned up?”
    “You’re cute.”
    “You said that already.”
    “Yeah. It hasn’t changed. However, I really don’t think going out with you works.”
    James was in his selling game. “Jackie. Is it a class thing? You’re rich, I’m poor? Or is it an age thing? Because you can’t be more than a year older than I am and—”
    She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You’re a charmer. However, I really don’t want to be seen with someone new at