Christmas Romance (Best Christmas Romances of 2013) by Sharon Kleve, Jennifer Conner, Danica Winters, Casey Dawes
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she hit the desk, Pemsky’s keyboard tray popped open an inch. Bingo! Using the key, she carefully searched through all of Pemsky’s files, trying not to disturb anything.
Halo scoured through records labeled; business meals, business travel, and business taxes. And then, under business equipment, she hit pay dirt—records of all the money transfers from the stolen blue ribbon dogs to his personal bank account at Seattle Mutual Bank. In another folder, labeled miscellaneous business expenses, were payment transfers to a local bank account in a name Halo recognized, Kimberly Henderson. The WWDS had her listed as one of the blue ribbon dog handlers and the payments coincided with the thefts. As a handler, Ms. Henderson would never be questioned about leaving with a dog.
Halo quickly made copies of all the documents and tucked them into her bag. With all this incriminating evidence, the Western Washington Dog Shows President would be able to question Ms. Henderson and hopefully she’d incriminate Pemsky.
After Halo put all the files back, she heard the front office door open. Crap, why hadn’t she locked the door? On her next assignment she’d need a checklist to include the obvious: lock the door when you’re rifling through things you’re not supposed to. She stepped out of Pemsky’s office and walked to her desk.
Mr. Pemsky stood in the reception area, his face the color of freshly cut beets.
“What the hell were you doing in my office, girly?” he demanded.
“Nothing… I’m just straightening things up for you. What are you doing out of the hospital? You should sit down. You don’t look very good.”
He stomped his foot and sweat dripped from his face.
“I’m fine and I’ll take care of my office. Stay the hell out of there,” he huffed.
He pushed Halo out of his way and her stupid heel caught on the carpet again and this time she couldn’t catch herself. She fell and hit the back of her her head on the wall. “Ow!”
Talk about seeing stars .
Pemsky shook his head at her. He didn’t even look her way as he walked into his office. She tried to get up, but her head spun.
Two minutes later he stormed back out of his office. She still sat on the floor with her head in her hands, trying to muffle the pounding.
“Did you get into my files?” he yelled.
“No. I straightened your desk and moved your chair back, is all,” she calmly replied.
He panted and sweated profusely, and used the wall for support. Halo didn’t want him to collapse on her. She turned to the side and tried to lift herself up on her knees, but he reached down and grabbed the lapel of her jacket and shook her.
“You stupid girl. Stay out of my office or you’ll regret the day you were born. If I find out you’re lying to me, I’ll come looking for you. Do you understand?” Pemsky threatened.
“Yes… yes… I understand.” She nodded even though the motion hurt her head.
He let go of her and clutched his chest, her cue to scramble to her feet. He terrified her and she didn’t want him to think she’d be back in the morning.
“Mr. Pemsky, I was offered a permanent job. I left my resignation and keys to the office on your desk.” Without looking in his direction, Halo grabbed her belongings and walked to the door. Before she could leave she heard movement behind her and cringed.
“Missy, you come over here. I want to take a look in that bag of yours.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t feel well. I’m going home now,” she said, and quickly walked out of the office. She looked back then, but the door remained closed.
The stairs weren’t an option with a band of psychotic drummers performing a jam session in her skull. She waited anxiously as the elevator displayed the numbers for each floor. A ding finally announced the elevator’s arrival.
The doors opened and Rich stepped out of the elevator and blocked her escape route, with what smelled like a pepperoni pizza. She put her hand on his chest and pushed.
Halo scoured through records labeled; business meals, business travel, and business taxes. And then, under business equipment, she hit pay dirt—records of all the money transfers from the stolen blue ribbon dogs to his personal bank account at Seattle Mutual Bank. In another folder, labeled miscellaneous business expenses, were payment transfers to a local bank account in a name Halo recognized, Kimberly Henderson. The WWDS had her listed as one of the blue ribbon dog handlers and the payments coincided with the thefts. As a handler, Ms. Henderson would never be questioned about leaving with a dog.
Halo quickly made copies of all the documents and tucked them into her bag. With all this incriminating evidence, the Western Washington Dog Shows President would be able to question Ms. Henderson and hopefully she’d incriminate Pemsky.
After Halo put all the files back, she heard the front office door open. Crap, why hadn’t she locked the door? On her next assignment she’d need a checklist to include the obvious: lock the door when you’re rifling through things you’re not supposed to. She stepped out of Pemsky’s office and walked to her desk.
Mr. Pemsky stood in the reception area, his face the color of freshly cut beets.
“What the hell were you doing in my office, girly?” he demanded.
“Nothing… I’m just straightening things up for you. What are you doing out of the hospital? You should sit down. You don’t look very good.”
He stomped his foot and sweat dripped from his face.
“I’m fine and I’ll take care of my office. Stay the hell out of there,” he huffed.
He pushed Halo out of his way and her stupid heel caught on the carpet again and this time she couldn’t catch herself. She fell and hit the back of her her head on the wall. “Ow!”
Talk about seeing stars .
Pemsky shook his head at her. He didn’t even look her way as he walked into his office. She tried to get up, but her head spun.
Two minutes later he stormed back out of his office. She still sat on the floor with her head in her hands, trying to muffle the pounding.
“Did you get into my files?” he yelled.
“No. I straightened your desk and moved your chair back, is all,” she calmly replied.
He panted and sweated profusely, and used the wall for support. Halo didn’t want him to collapse on her. She turned to the side and tried to lift herself up on her knees, but he reached down and grabbed the lapel of her jacket and shook her.
“You stupid girl. Stay out of my office or you’ll regret the day you were born. If I find out you’re lying to me, I’ll come looking for you. Do you understand?” Pemsky threatened.
“Yes… yes… I understand.” She nodded even though the motion hurt her head.
He let go of her and clutched his chest, her cue to scramble to her feet. He terrified her and she didn’t want him to think she’d be back in the morning.
“Mr. Pemsky, I was offered a permanent job. I left my resignation and keys to the office on your desk.” Without looking in his direction, Halo grabbed her belongings and walked to the door. Before she could leave she heard movement behind her and cringed.
“Missy, you come over here. I want to take a look in that bag of yours.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t feel well. I’m going home now,” she said, and quickly walked out of the office. She looked back then, but the door remained closed.
The stairs weren’t an option with a band of psychotic drummers performing a jam session in her skull. She waited anxiously as the elevator displayed the numbers for each floor. A ding finally announced the elevator’s arrival.
The doors opened and Rich stepped out of the elevator and blocked her escape route, with what smelled like a pepperoni pizza. She put her hand on his chest and pushed.
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