Joan Hess - Arly Hanks 06 Read Free Page A

his watch was outrageously expensive, his briefcase was more expensive than hers, his shoes were Italian, and his suit had never hung on a rack.
    “Please sit down,” she said, then waited until he’d done so and repeated her invitation for coffee. He shook his head with such alarm that she toyed, albeit briefly, with the idea of offering him a soda pop and a cookie. “Well, then,” she continued, “I’ve only had the account a few hours, but I think I have a grasp of the immediate concern, which, of course, is the contest a month from now.”
    “Next week.”
    “I beg your pardon, Mr. Simmons, but—”
    “Kyle. Call me Kyle.”
    “Then I beg your pardon, Kyle, but the contest is four weeks from tomorrow. Two of the finalists have sent their acceptances. As for the other three, it might be expedient to fax them some sort of formal—”
    “The contest is next week, Miss Gebhearn, and I have the updated list of finalists in my briefcase.” He opened it and began to dig through its contents. Slips of paper fluttered to the floor, along with gum wrappers, laundry receipts, and a very brown apple core. He at last surfaced with a page ripped from a notebook. “Good, here it is. I suppose you’d better have a copy run off so you can contact everybody about the new date.”
    “Next week?” Geri glared at him, her exceptionally large brown eyes narrowed to reptilian slits. “That’s impossible. I only received the account—”
    “The Krazy KoKo-Nut cookoff is to begin on Tuesday.”
    “But I can’t possibly organize it in less than a week. This is ridiculous, simply ridiculous. I’d prefer at least six months, but I’m willing to do it in one.” She hit the intercom button. “Meredith, see if you can catch dear Mr. Fleecum at LaGuardia. Have him paged and say it’s an emergency.”
    “His flight left ten minutes ago, Miss Gebhearn.”
    “Don’t sound so damn pleased!” Geri leaned back in her chair and tried to pretend it was the chaise lounge on the deck of the summer house.
    Kyle held up his hands placatingly. “I’m as perturbed as you are. I’ve been working in the quality control division, and I know nothing about this contest. Last night my father packed a suitcase and, on his way out the door, informed me that I’m to be the liaison for the contest.”
    “Why was the date changed?”
    “Several weeks ago an investment group called Interspace International, Inc. managed to purchase enough stock to have a controlling interest in Krazy KoKo-Nut. Their marketing people insist that the contest be next week. Furthermore, they want it held in a hotel they own in the midtown area, so they can control the cost and take full advantage of the write-off.”
    Geri could almost hear Scotty snickering from under the picture frame. She dropped it in a drawer, winced at the tinkle of glass, and fanned out the contents of the folder. “This is sheer and utter madness, but we’d best get started, don’t you think? May I see this updated list of contestants?” She took the page and compared it to what she had before her. “Three of the names are different. Why is that?”
    Kyle shrugged. “According to my father, one of them declined and two had accidents. The investment firm called him yesterday with these names, and that’s what we’ll have to go with.”
    “This doesn’t make any sense. Prodding, Polk and Fleecum is conducting the contest; we’re in marketing and that’s what we’re paid to do. Why would Interspace International be involved with bothersome details like this?”
    “Favors to friends and relatives, I guess.”
    “So the contest is rigged?” Geri said indignantly, having been reared in an ambience of fair play and the superior sense of morality that was affordable with wealth. “Do you have a second memo that names the winner? Why bother to conduct the contest in the first place?”
    “Neither you nor I appear to be in a position to ask that question,” Kyle