Vengeance Is Mine Read Online Free PDF Page A

a cup too.”
    The smile stayed on Trish’s face until the waitress left. “Now, Les, what about that meeting?”
    Les searched for something to say. He didn’t want to admit he’d practically lost his cookies over the autopsy report. Suddenly he had an inspiration. He reached out and took Trish’s hand.
    â€œI was saving this for a surprise, kitten, but I just can’t keep it from you any longer. Margaret Whitworth asked me to appear on her interview program this Sunday.”
    â€œOh, that’s wonderful!” Trish squeezed his hand. “It’s just the sort of exposure you need. Wear your gray pinstripe. I’ll pick up a light blue dress shirt at Metzroth’s. White’s too hot for the camera.”
    Trish took a sip of her Perrier and blotted her lips with her napkin. “I’d better talk to Jane Kedrowski—she’s the secretary at the station—and find out Mrs. Whitworth’s views on the issues. Then you won’t be in for any nasty surprises on the show. You don’t mind if I run out and call Janie right now, do you, dear? It’ll take only a second to set up a lunch with her.”
    Les grinned as Trish made her exit, pausing at a couple of tables for a quick smile and hello. Mrs. Whitworth had booked him for a taping more than three days ago, but he had held the news in reserve for exactly this kind of situation. Now Trish would stay off his back, and he might be able to enjoy his lunch.
    Â 
    Â 
    The wind was whipping down the mall in gusts, and Margaret turned up the collar of her fur coat as she hurried past the Loose Tie Saloon and rounded the corner. She probably should have taken the Continental, but she hated to drive downtown, especially since the City Council had voted to make the Ring Road around the mall a two-way street again. The looping road, encircling the three central blocks of downtown St. Cloud, had been converted into a one-way street when the mall was built ten years ago. There had been a series of predictable fender benders for the first few years. Now that motorists had finally adjusted to the change, the city fathers had reversed themselves. Margaret couldn’t help wondering whether someone had a controlling interest in an auto body shop.
    Margaret decided that Harry Truman had been right about at least one thing as she walked quickly down the mall. Brisk exercise cleared the mind and set the blood racing. By the time she got to the studio, she’d be more than ready to throw some difficult questions at Senator Jim Pehler. He had the reputation of being unflappable, but she’d put him through the paces on her talk show this afternoon.
    Hanging plants in baskets decorated the plate-glass windows of the Mexican Village restaurant. Margaret glanced in as she passed by. It was certainly crowded for lunch today. Or was it dinner? After more than thirty years in St. Cloud Margaret still wasn’t comfortable with the names of meals. Breakfast was breakfast—no trouble about that. But lunch was called dinner. Noon dinner. And dinner was supper. Whenever she entertained, Margaret made a point of inviting her guests for seven o’clock dinner or one o’clock lunch, just to avoid any possible confusion.
    A black-and-white police car was double-parked on Sixth Avenue in front of the Northwestern Bell building. A red MG with California plates was getting a parking ticket. The young officer reminded her of Steve Radke. Today’s meeting had confirmed her hunch about him. Margaret liked young men who had the balls to take charge of a situation. And Steve was good-looking to boot. For a moment Margaret wished she were thirty years younger, and the thought made her laugh right out loud. That silly romance novel Jane had left in the office had given her ideas.
    Usually Margaret didn’t have time to read fiction, but she’d been curious when she saw the cover. Desiree’s Desire claimed to be