Jamie Hill Triple Threat Read Free Page B

front of her TV so she could shower and dress.
    It was a short walk to school, where she gave the boys hugs before sending them into the cafeteria for a more substantial breakfast. She’d see them at the diner that afternoon. Fortunately, it was close enough they could walk. They had a pretty good arrangement when Dave kept up his end of it. She was ticked that he hadn’t called.
    Moe’s was a busy little neighborhood diner with a large crowd of regulars. Dinah, a middle-aged divorcee, served as the opening shift waitress and left when the lunch rush was over. Crystal worked from eight to four. Tina, a bubbly high school student, came in after school and stayed through the less-busy dinner shift until Moe closed the doors at seven.
    “I can’t believe Dave hasn’t called.” Crystal looked around the diner as the lunch crowd began to thin out. She was getting more and more irritated as the day progressed and she hadn’t heard from him.
    “Men are scum.” Dinah wiped off the counter and tossed the rag in a tub on a shelf. “He’s using you, like they all do.”
    “I know.” Crystal nodded, letting the harsh words roll in one ear and out the other. Dinah had a jaded view of life. Crystal hadn’t sunk to that level yet. She let Dinah talk, not putting much stock in her words. “But he does pay me to watch the boys.”
    “Such as it is.” Dinah rolled her eyes.
    Crystal chuckled. Dave paid her pretty well when he had the money. It generally evened out. She looked up as their boss came out of the back room. “It’s tapering off now,” she told Moe. “I can handle it if Dinah wants to go home.”
    He nodded, and rolled down the sleeves on his plaid shirt. Crystal had never seen Moe wear anything but plaid shirts. She wasn’t sure she’d recognize him if he ever changed his look. She guessed he was pushing sixty, with a shock of white hair that always made her think of a peculiar mad scientist. His demeanor was anything but peculiar, though. Crystal thought he was the kindest person she could have ever wanted to work for.
    “Sure, go ahead, Dinah-belle.” He called her the nickname only he could get away with. “See you tomorrow.”
    Dinah gave another little eye-roll behind Moe’s back and Crystal had to smile. “Bye Dinah.”
    “Tomorrow, folks.” Dinah waved, gathered her purse and jacket, and headed out.
    “Check with Caesar and make sure he’s got plenty of chocolate chip cookies, will you Crystal-ina?” Moe asked her. “Those boys are going to be hungry when they get here.”
    She smiled at him, not even bothering to roll her eyes at his nickname for her. “You’re going to ruin their supper, you know. You spoil them, Moe.”
    He smiled and shrugged like a proud grandfather might. “They have me wrapped around their little fingers. What can I say? A few cookies won’t hurt them. They’ll still eat their vegetables, you watch and see.”
    “I know they will,” she agreed. “You’ve got them trained, that’s for sure.” She went in the kitchen to talk to the cook but didn’t spot him offhand. The back door to the alley stood open, unusual on such a chilly day. “Hey Caesar?” she called uncertainly. “Moe wants to make sure you have enough chocolate chip cookies.” She walked to the back door, and peered outside cautiously. Everything was quiet. “Caesar?” she asked again, and took a step into the alley. It was eerily quiet, and she quickly turned around to step back inside.
    Before she could move, she sensed someone next to her. She was grabbed roughly from behind. Crystal screamed as a hand cupped her breast, and then was silenced as another other hand clamped over her mouth.
    “Looking for something?” a voice whispered in her ear.

 
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
    Crystal ’s eyes grew wide as she fought and freed herself from her attacker.
    He chuckled and kneaded her breast one last time before he released her. “I was taking out the trash,” Caesar said.
    Crystal took a