Thugs and Kisses Read Online Free PDF

wasn’t speaking to me. “Besides, I want to talk to your Aunt Odie a minute.”
    Uh-oh. I thought about hanging up but knew they’d only call back. Donny Oliver had been killed at the reunion last night, and I had been there. It must’ve been all over the news this morning, both on TV and in the papers. Seth was going to lecture me, just as Dev Frye had.
    “Odelia, what the hell is going on?” When I said nothing, Seth continued his rant. “Why is it you can’t do anything without attracting killers and dead bodies? You’re a corpse magnet.”
    “Zee,” I said, hoping she was still on the other line. Usually she came to my defense when her husband became overprotective of me. “You can jump in anytime.”
    “Sorry, Odelia, but I’m with Seth on this one.”
    Zee and Seth Washington are closer to me than my blood family. And, like real family, they could be royal pains in my big fat behind.
    “Come on, Seth,” I said. “A corpse magnet? Is that really a fair comment?”
    “Well, let’s examine the facts.” Seth was an attorney, and it showed. “The security guy. The woman in the ravine.”
    “Don’t forget the dead guy in the pool, Dad.” It was Jacob again. He’d probably picked up another extension.
    “What did I tell you, Jacob?” asked Zee.
    “Don’t make me come up there, son,” chimed in Seth. “If I do, you’ll be washing the cars instead of driving one over to your friend’s later on.”
    We all heard a phone being put down. I was thankful Hannah, their daughter, was at school at Stanford, or I’m sure it would have been four against one, putting me at a more definite disadvantage.
    “Odelia,” Seth said from his end, “do you need a lawyer?” Seth always thought of that angle first. “Zee told me that you and this Donny guy had history together, some bad blood.”
    “What?” I yelled. At my tone, Seamus scooted off the bed and ran for cover. “No, I don’t need a lawyer. I didn’t do anything to Donny Oliver.” I was getting more awake by the second, and more uppity. “This one I didn’t kill.”
    Silence fell over the conversation like a funeral shroud. No doubt, we were all thinking back over a year ago when I did kill someone.
    Seth was the first to speak. Now his voice was gentle. “I’m not saying you did, Odelia. I’m just asking if you need some guidance with the questioning and all.”
    “No, Seth, but thanks. Dev Frye was there. We were all questioned last night.”
    “Isn’t that out of Frye’s jurisdiction?” Seth asked. “Did you call him?”
    I hesitated, sensing I might be stepping into a minefield with the truth. “No, I didn’t call him. He was with me at the reunion. Greg was home sick.”
    There was a collective pause on the other end of the phone. I could almost see Seth and Zee mouthing comments and raising eyebrows at each other.
    “Does Greg know you invited Detective Frye?” Zee asked.
    Boom! The first mine exploded.
    “I’m guessing by your silence,” Zee continued, “that your answer is no.”
    “Damn it, Odelia,” added Seth.
    “Dev was just my escort, nothing more.”
    “Nothing more?” repeated Zee. “Odelia, shame on you. You know better. Detective Frye has a huge crush on you. It’s only because of his decency and respect for Greg that he isn’t openly courting you, and you know it.”
    “He knew it wasn’t a real date and he was okay with it. We’re just friends. It’s not a big deal.”
    Seth cleared his throat. Another uh-oh crossed my mind. “If it was no big deal, then why didn’t you tell Greg?”
    Boom! Another mine went off, this time set off not by Seth’s question but by my own understanding that he was right. If taking Dev with me to the reunion wasn’t a big deal, I would have told Greg about it.
    Seth didn’t let up. “What kind of game are you playing, Odelia? I thought you wanted to marry Greg.”
    “I do.” My voice was small when I answered.
    I do. Would I ever be able to say those words