The Accidental Florist Read Online Free PDF

sounded younger than he was. Well, of course. He went to school with her uncle Jim. He was wearing a lightweight tartan jacket, a red shirt, black trousers, and had a full head of thick curly white hair. “Hello, Ms. Jeffry. Your uncle thinks the world of you.“
    “He’s not really my uncle. He’s my parents’ longtime best friend. And please call me Jane.“
    “Call me Jack, then. And Detective VanDyne, may I call you by your first name?“
    “Sure. I’m Mel.“
    Jack put his briefcase down and pulled out a fresh legal pad and a yellow pencil. “Let’s start with the dining room. That’s where we’ll cut through. I’ve checked the code and regulations. You are able to extend the back of the house twenty-two feet.“
    Jane led him to the dining room. He looked around. “Nice room. Could that china hutch go on the end of the room or next to the window on the other side?“
    “Sure. I can’t move it myself. But if I empty it out and have help, we could put sliders under it.“
    “Good. Now let me check the studs.“
    He used a gadget that he moved across the room at the same height. A little red light showed up from time to time and the device made a feeble little beep. “Just what I’d expected. The right intervals.“
    He laughed. “In the old days, I’d have tapped it with my knuckles and known from the sound where the studs were, but my son insists that I use this gadget. Do either of you care which end of the room you want the entrance door?“
    Jane and Mel looked at each other and shrugged. “I never thought about it. In the middle?“
    Jack shook his head. “That would break the look of this wall. I’d suggest the far wall. But still move that furniture so Mel doesn’t have to walk around it. Now show me the basement.“
    “The basement?“
    “I need to know how far it extends and if so, if it’s sturdy enough to hold up the weight of an addition. That’s a serious matter of code regulations.“
    Thank God I just cleaned out the kitty litter boxes this morning, Jane thought to herself as she led him to the door of the basement.
    Jack took lots of measurements and kept jotting down notes. Finally he said, “I’ll have to measure upstairs from this door to be sure, but I don’t think the basement will be relevant. It doesn’t go as far as the dining room is my gut feeling. But let’s go back upstairs.“
    He was well in front of them and went up the stairs faster than Jane had ever done.
    After he measured, he said, “I’ll take this back to my office and my son will put it on AutoCad.“
    “What’s that?“
    “A hideously expensive computer program that takes months to learn and is necessary to any architectural company. My son knows how to do this. Oh, and one more thing, where do the phone lines run in? I have to go outside and look. Mel, I assume you need a fast phone line for your computer and fax, and a separate line for telephone calls.“
    “I do.“
    “Where’s the door to the backyard?“

Chapter Six

    The third Women’s Safety meeting was earlier than the ones before—at ten in the morning—and was about foreign travel. It was shorter than the others. Miss Welbourne went through the rules of how to behave, dress, and protect yourself, especially if you were traveling to a Muslim country. “Wear no jewelry. Don’t even take it along, except for a cheap watch. Wear long sleeves, long skirts, and wear at least a scarf on your head.
    “Don’t meet the eyes of men. It’s considered loose and trashy and you’ll be taken for a prostitute. Eat daintily. Women aren’t considered real people in the Muslim culture. Very few women are educated. Don’t get roped into conversations about American values or anything political.
    “You should really try to travel with another woman or if you’re married, with your husband. You will be a lot safer. If you’re with a tour group, obey everything the leader tells you. It’s unwise to rent a car and go off on your own. If you