The Hot Ladies Murder Club. Ann Major

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СКАЧАТЬ chardonnay.”

      Taz frowned. “How did your deposition with Mr. Billboard go?”

      Hannah’s eyebrows furrowed.

      “Bad, huh? Well, you got to him. A friend of mine who works for the handsome no-good told me. He was so upset after you left, he kicked a door.”

      Hannah beamed. “He fixed my flat, too.”

      “Better watch yourself, girl. He definitely wants you in bed.”

      Hannah shrugged. “He is handsome.”

      “No man ever does the slightest thing to help you if he isn’t enticed.”

      Hannah rolled her eyes and guzzled a big sip of wine.

      “Test my hypothesis some time. You’ll see I’m right. But I want to talk about this lawsuit stuff. Did I tell you—I’m being sued, too?”

      “What? Why?”

      “As if you need a why in south Texas. But…okay…you want the details. You know I broke up with Sid.”

      “Right.”

      “Well, the night before we broke up, we’d had some pretty raucous sex. Sid was hungry, so I nuked him a leftover hamburger. The damn pickle fell out of the bun and burned his…er…member. The man did carry on. He turned beet red. I’m afraid I started laughing and couldn’t stop.”

      “You burned his pickle with a pickle and laughed and then you dumped him?”

      “Yeah. ’Cause he got so mad when I laughed. I can’t stand a man with no sense of humor.”

      “You shouldn’t have laughed.”

      “You should have heard the mean things he called me. It wasn’t fair. If he wouldn’t have been talking and eating at the same time the hot pickle wouldn’t have…So, it’s his fault! But his lawyer, he says it’s my fault Sid can’t make love to his new woman.”

      “If you go to court, lose the braids.”

      “Hell, now I wished I’d bobbed his pink pickle or something. Then he wouldn’t be worried he can’t put it where he shouldn’t.”

      “You are mad.”

      “I got served with a bunch of legal stuff at school today. What I need is to go out and distract myself. Where are we going to supper? What about a bar, too?”

      Hannah opened the fridge and got out the bottle of wine. Then she sifted through her sink and washed two wineglasses.

      “Don’t bother drying.” Taz grabbed a wet glass and poured. She took a sip and choked. Then she emptied a teaspoon of sugar into her wineglass and swirled it.

      Hannah read Taz’s new hot-pink business card. “Let Sister Tasmania make your wishes come true. Defeat your enemies. And your rivals. If you have a problem with the past, present, future, marriage, business, finance or health, Sister will help you out. There is no burden too great for her to lift from your heavy heart. She succeeds where others fail.” Hannah set the card down and laughed. “You’re supposed to be a school principal.”

      “Not for long. That was my grandmother’s dream. I’m opening myself a little business on the side, something more spiritual, so I have more time to stay in touch with whatever’s out there.”

      Hannah lifted the pink card again. “Oh, boy, do I have a burden.”

      “Mr. Billboard?”

      “He’s one problem, yes.”

      “You want him off the case? Jump his bones. The man has a weakness for the ladies. Get him on your side.”

      “I loathe him.”

      “Baby, don’t you know that’ll just make the sex better? I hated Sid half the nights we did it.”

      “I’m not like that,” Hannah said. “I want to love the next man.”

      “You’re one hot lady. I can tell that about you.” Taz pursed her lips. “Even with sugar, your wine is so-o dry. It doesn’t quench my thirst at all.”

      “Sugar! I can’t believe you put sugar in—”

      “Let’s go out for a beer. And no salad bar! I could do with something tasty like a burger, too.”

      “No more burgers.” Hannah crossed her heart. “I made a vow. Besides, after your hot-pickle adventure, I wouldn’t think you’d want—”

      “I blame Sid—not burgers!”

      With a shake of her head, Hannah pointed toward the back of the house. “I’m sorry Taz. We already ate. You know I can’t go because Georgia’s—”

      “You ate already? That’s just like you. Since I’ve known you, you have never gone out. Not once. You’re going to go crazy if you don’t get out of the house at night at least once. You’re going to snap. I’ve seen it happen.”

      Hannah could almost feel it happening.

      “I’m really sorry, Taz.”

      “I have a girlfriend with some kids two houses down who’ll sit.”

      “Taz, no—” Just the thought of leaving Georgia alone with a stranger at night scared her.

      The phone rang before Hannah could say no again. She covered the phone and mouthed to Taz that it was Zoë. “I’ve got to schedule an appointment with her.”

      “Zoë?” Tasmania’s eyebrows arched as Hannah rummaged through her purse for her calendar. “The doctor’s wife?”

      Hannah shook her head.

      “Oh, right, the new client…the shady lady from Shady Lomas, who’s here looking for a house in town, Veronica Holiday’s editor? She’s here? Now?”

      Hannah nodded as she pulled out her calendar. “In that new beach hotel.”

      “Ask her to meet us at the bar in her hotel.”

      Hannah covered the mouthpiece. “I’m not going out. Besides, she’s married and pregnant.”

      “All the more reason for her to get out—before the baby comes and ties her down. This is fate.”

      Hannah sighed. “You’re hopeless.”

      She flipped her dog-eared calendar to the right page and jumped. Stuck between the pages was that darn picture of her in the thong bikini that she’d accidentally given Joe Campbell.

      “Tell her we’re going out,” Taz insisted. “This feels destined. Besides, we had a date.”

      Why had she ever mentioned Zoë to Taz? As a Realtor, Hannah was alone with her clients in her car long hours. СКАЧАТЬ