The Reading Circle Read Online Free PDF Page A

solution to her husband’s secretarial dilemma with Mrs. Lottie Howard. In fact, January was nearly over when she had revealed her brainstorm over breakfast just before he had set out for work as chief executive at City Hall.
    â€œI had this idea about Lottie because I know what a pain it is for you to go through another hiring procedure,” she had begun, sitting across the table and munching on a piece of buttered cinnamon toast. “Of course, you’d be perfectly justified in letting her go, no matter what.”
    â€œYou know damned good and well that’s one of the New Year’s resolutions I’m bound and determined to keep—waving bye-bye to that maddening woman,” Councilman Sparks had said. “I just need to get all my ducks in a row first.”
    Then he returned to his plate of scrambled egg substitute and turkey sausage, alternated daily with a bowl of vanilla yogurt and blueberries. Durden Sparks, the consummate politician, knew that maintaining his job went hand in hand with maintaining his physique. He knew he had won election after election because of a combination of good looks and clever manipulation. Women still sighed over his deep-set, dark eyes and a mesmerizing display of white teeth, even as the gray hair continued to spread ever so slowly from his temples to the sides of his head. If it were possible for a man to become tenfold more attractive to the opposite sex in his middle years, Councilman Charles Durden Sparks was living proof and then some.
    â€œI remember all your resolutions, Durden. There’s that one, of course, and then the one about getting Maura Beth Mayhew and the library out of your hair for good. No one knows better than I do that you won’t rest until you see ground broken next year on the industrial park.”
    He had drawn himself up proudly and underlined with his outstretched hand an imaginary sign suspended in midair. “I will continue to maintain that The Charles Durden Sparks Industrial Park has a wonderful ring to it.”
    But he could tell from her casual tone of voice that she was not taking his priorities as seriously as he would have liked. “If you’re going to say I should have already fired Lottie and that I should take Nora back, the answer is no. That connection with Layton Duddney is over and done with. Another lifetime. Finis.”
    She swallowed a bite of her toast and took a sip of her coffee. “That wasn’t what I was going to say at all.” She cocked her head to the side, reminding him exactly of their spoiled poodle, Bonjour Cheri, who was lying at her “mommy’s” feet at that very moment. Both dog and wife had that same precious little face with the cutesy, short clipped hairdo framing it precisely. “I was thinking that you ought to give Lottie a taste of her own medicine.”
    â€œHow so?”
    She put down her toast and sat up straight in her chair with her hands limply posed in front, looking remarkably like she was about to beg him for a treat. “I mean that you should start abbreviating the hell out of things the way she does all the time. Leave notes on her desk about important things for her to do, but instead use those big letters in all caps. Then conveniently skedaddle somewhere with Chunky and Gopher Joe, and let her try to figure out what you meant until you get back and enlighten her. Turnabout is fair play.”
    He enjoyed a good laugh and then nodded her way. “Now, why didn’t I think of that? You’re absolutely right. Two can play at hieroglyphics.”
    â€œFrom what you’ve told me, she actually seems to enjoy tripping you up. Just let her find out what that’s like.”
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    Days later, Mrs. Lottie Howard had found out, and he only had to do it to her once to drive home his point. She had padded into his office and earnestly apologized to him in the aftermath. “Okay, you win. I get the message. Or, rather, I