Deadly Vintage: A Molly Doyle Mystery Read Free

sides to casually rustle each time he moved his head. Molly was convinced his too-green eyes were contact lenses and would bet he was a tanning salon addict with weekly facials. Halting in front of his wife, he said, “What the hell is going on here? I thought we agreed that—”
    “We agreed to nothing. I’m here to hire Molly. It’s my decision, so stay out of it.”
    Molly held her breath. She decided the best thing to do was keep her trap shut. Her instincts were on the mark. Todd Jessop exploded. “Goddammit, Carla!” He grabbed his wife’s arm. “I don’t want her! I told you that!”
    “That’s about it, pal,” Randall cautioned. “Let her go.”
    “Stay out of this,” Jessop shot back as he shoved Carla away. “I’m talking to my wife.”
    Molly gestured to Carla to step back. Jessop was out of his mind in taking Randall on, and she wasn’t surprised when Randall said, “I’m gonna say this just once, so listen up. Back off, or I’ll be forced to arrest you.”
    “For what? Yelling at my wife? Since when is that a crime?”
    “You’re manhandling her. You just bodily forced her against her will. That’s a misdemeanor. Will that do?”
    “That’s bullshit,” Jessop snarled.
    “Where have you been lately? It’s the law.”
    “Screw you,” Jessop said. “You can’t make that stick. I barely touched her.”
    Randall’s laugh was hardly audible. “I have a low tolerance for men who get tough with women. Don’t push me too far. You might not see daylight tomorrow.”
    While Molly had discovered Todd Jessop to be aggressive and arrogant, she didn’t think he was foolhardy enough to push Randall much further. As she moved out of the line of fire towards Carla, she saw that two women had entered the shop and were standing near the door. Damn it! That was all they needed, an audience. She hadn’t heard the bell over the door, and realized Carla must have left the door open when she arrived. No wonder her husband managed to surprise them. She had little doubt the women heard the angry exchange between Randall and Jessop. Molly quickly moved to them and said, “I’m so sorry, but we’re closed.”
    One of the women asked, “Is there a problem? I see our chief is here and he’s not smiling.”
    Molly forced a laugh. “Everything is just dandy. You must have misunderstood. We’re just about to leave for dinner. Would you mind coming back tomorrow?”
    The woman who had been doing the talking looked at her friend, then shrugged. “Sure. I’m looking for ruby glass. Do you have any?”
    “Not at the moment,” Molly replied. “But I know a collector in Nashville who has a large collection and is downsizing.” Gently herding them closer to the door, she added, “Stop by tomorrow, and I’ll give her a call.”
    “I’m not paying for a long-distance call.”
    Anxious to get them out of the way, Molly said, “Of course not. I wouldn’t think of it.”
    “Well, sure she wouldn’t,” the second woman said to her friend. “She’s gonna make money on the deal, so what’s a telephone call?”
    It was hard, but Molly gave them both a smile. Anything to get them out. Closing the door behind them, she turned the deadbolt and prayed they hadn’t heard too much. When she returned, she saw Randall casually leaning against the staircase staring at Jessop, who stood defiantly with his arms crossed. Carla was at Molly’s desk. The portfolio Molly had spent hours preparing was in her hands. “Is this what you put together for me?” Carla asked.
    With both men dangerously silent, Molly merely nodded. Her faith in Randall’s ability to handle almost any situation gave her some relief, but she was still worried Jessop wasn’t going to leave quietly. “Maybe you’d like to take it home. Look, I’m here anytime, okay?”
    Todd Jessop turned and stared at Molly. Those green eyes that Molly swore were not his true color seemed to shoot right through her. It was all she could do not to