and along came SPIDER ( A Martina Spalding Thriller ) (Spider Series Book 1) Read Free

license.  Whatever made you suggest a
thing like that?”
    Martina didn’t really
know.  She drew back, frightened by his reaction at first.  “I had to be sure. 
I’m sorry.”
    “Well…  I guess I can’t
blame you for wanting to clarify that.”  Harris eased back down in his chair. 
“And you’re not the first to ask, if that makes you feel any better.  I assure
you the only part of your body we expect you to prostitute here is your smile,
Miss Spalding.  And that we insist you give generously while with patients.  Is
that asking too much?”
    “No.”  Marti smiled
broadly, showing her perfect teeth.
    “Does that mean you’ll
take the job?”
    “Sounds like a dream. 
However, I’ll need to sleep on it… if that’s possible?”
    “Sure.  Take all the
time you need.  I’ll save the spot until I hear from you, then.  How’s that…?”
    “You’ll have my
decision by noon tomorrow one way or the other, Mister Harris.”  Marti stood
and took the hand offered.
    “I’ll be waiting,”
Harris said as she passed through the door he’d opened for her. 
    In the lobby again,
Marti noticed regretfully Gloria was occupied with a well-dressed, gray at the
temples man sitting before her at the desk.  To the side of her a young blond
nurse, dressed in a shapely, but appropriate, white uniform and winged hat,
stood smiling pleasantly down on him.  Since Gloria’s attention was focused
solely on the man as well, Marti passed on by and out through the heavy iron
front door.  Outside, a limousine was parked at the curb.  Spenser House was
painted in small gold letters on the door and a uniformed black chauffeur stood
beside it.
    Filling her lungs with
the sweet smell in the air, Martina turned left at the next corner.  She had
seen a pleasant river park a few blocks down yesterday, and she headed for it. 
Perhaps she had already made up her mind to take the job, although that whole
beauty over experience thing still bothered her.  It wasn’t that she felt
inferior in any way.  It was just the idea.  Opportunity seemed always to pass
to the beautiful in most other professions, as it was.  She just hated to see
that practiced in the one she chose as her life’s work.  There was no question
that she herself had been a wall flower for the better part of her life and
knew all about the hurt of being passed over.  And even though she was
blossoming now, that wouldn’t last forever.  Nursing was a skilled occupation,
and each individual, as a part of it, should be employed based solely on those
skills, not on something skin deep.  And for that reason, she was undecided
about this job and perhaps would remain so for some hours to come.  And as far
as that rose versus dandelion theory, that was deceiving as well.  While the
rose was the prettier and most pleasant smelling of the two, there were often
overlooked barbs to be dealt with.  And as further proof, she recalled the
dandelion wine her father often made.  It was so good — sweet and
delectable…with just a hint of tartness.  Perfect!
    Walking the park,
stopping occasionally to watch riverboats pass, she suddenly got the feeling of
being watched.  And she was, as she discovered a short time later, when she
spotted a middle aged man on a park bench nearby.  He was kind of handsome, she
noted, but much too old for her.  At his age surely he was married, anyway. 
This thought, however, brought her thumb to the ring finger, finding nothing
there.  She had purposely not worn her dead grandmother’s wedding ring today
and now felt vulnerable without it.  Hurrying on, she left the park and
eventually made her way back to the hotel.
    In the room, she
changed out of the blue suit and into blue jeans and a bulky white sweatshirt. 
She then went to the bathroom, let her hair down, brushed it fluffy, and
touched up her lipstick.  Finally, slipping into some brown suede cowboy boots,
she put on the ring and left.
    In the lobby,