[B.S. #1] Tied Up in Knotts by Dale Cadeau Page A

around her.
    The front door opened and Clay walked in with James trailing him. Walking up to her desk, Clay grinned. “Nice outfit. I like it. You really dress up the office.”
    Avery couldn’t help the grin. She knew Clay was making a joke at her expense, but the truth of the matter was he was right. Hiding the smile the best way she could, she looked down at her desk and held out a few yellow pages with messages. “Glad you like it.”
    James stepped beside Clay. “Anything for me?”
    Not looking up, Avery muttered, “No, nothing today. I guess you’re not as popular as you thought.” Avery took a quick look at Clay. Was he mad that she was speaking to a fellow worker and his friend this way? Oh God, her mouth was going to be the destruction of her. She just didn’t stop to think. Avery was surprised to see Clay giving James a thumb up as he looked at the messages in his hand. James didn’t seem too happy with her reply. He turned his back on her and walked into his office.
    “Don’t let him bother you. He’s just got a lot of things on his mind right now.”
    Avery watched Clay as he also went his office. I just bet he has a lot on his mind, his next drug deal for Carlos.
    Work progressed through the week without incident. James and Angel seemed to spend a lot of their time in the back alley. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask, but she wouldn’t give James the satisfaction of speaking to him. And Angel didn’t seem to sit still long enough for her to approach him. If she didn’t know better she would think he was avoiding her. Friday was another story. Avery was just going through the mail when James barged through the front door and angrily strove directly to Clay’s office and proceeded to slam the door behind him.
    “What the fuck are you planning? And why didn’t you inform me? Why did I have to hear it from Angel?” James shouted at Clay.
    Clay rose from his desk. “Keep your voice down. Do you want Avery to hear?”
    “Right now I don’t give a fuck! Was Angel right? Are you planning to go after Avery yourself?” James threw himself down in the chair in front of Clay’s desk
    Clay settled back down in his chair now that James seated himself. “Angel’s right, but he shouldn’t be gossiping like an old lady.”
    “Well I’m damn glad he did. When were you going to tell me?”
    “This morning I was going over all the headway we’ve made, and we seem to have Carlos’s distributers biting and ready to sell to us. But with Avery, you really fucked up. You know that, James. She won’t even speak to you. If we’re really going to get to the bottom of this, we have to know if she hiding something. Even the Feds are starting to get antsy.”
    “No,” James shouted at Clay. “No fucking way.” James sat up in his seat, put his arm on his thighs, and debated whether to get up and strangle his friend.
    “Now, James,” Clay shouted back at him. “And keep your voice down, or should I just invite Avery in so she can hear more clearly?”
    “No.” James swiped his hand through his hair. “I‘ll get through to her. I’m just giving her time to miss me.”
    “God you’re fucked up. She’s pissed at you. I don’t think we have time to wait around. You know I’m the best bet. My hands are clean, only you and Angel seem to be visiting the alley for drops that I’m sure Avery has noticed after you let the cat out of the bag.”
    “I can’t let you.”
    “You can’t let me, or won’t let me?”
    “Does it really make a difference? Avery’s mine and I will handle it.”
    “OK, we’ll play it your way”—Clay raised his hand toward James—“but just for a week. I know you’re the boss of this operation but this is serious. One week and I take over. Don’t think I can’t take you out.” Clay grinned at James breaking the tension
    “You and who else?” James said, rising from his seat, grinning now that the tension had abated between them.
    “Well I might ask Angel.