The Trouble with Turkeys (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 2) Read Free Page A

something. I had no idea.”
    “With everything that’s happened, I figured you had enough on your mind. I didn’t want to concern you with my problems. Besides, I was embarrassed.”
    “Don’t be.” I smiled in an offer of support. “I admire what you’re doing.”
    “I feel good about my decision. It’s the right thing, but I need money, a lot of it. I’ve looked for other means of employment, but so far I haven’t had any luck. Besides, I can earn as much with this short-term job as a regular gig would pay in two months. So about the job . . . ?”
    “Okay,” I reluctantly agreed.
    “Thanks.” He hugged me. “I know this position is the worst, but it’s only for a couple of weeks at the most and I should make enough to pay this month’s rent and give Gina some money.”
    “Are you and Gina still seeing each other?” I wondered.
    “No, we broke up. Our relationship is strictly financial at this point.”
    I wasn’t sorry to hear that Jeremy and Gina had parted ways. It would have been nice if Jeremy’s baby had both a father and a mother, but Gina was as self-involved and flighty as anyone I’d ever met. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t picture her as a mother, loving or otherwise.
    “So when is the baby due?” I hoped Jeremy would have adequate time to get his financial situation worked out before taking on the task of single fatherhood.
    “Not until the end of April, but Gina was quite adamant about my having enough money saved up to pay for whatever procedures she might require as soon as the baby’s born. She has a contract for a shoot in Thailand in June.”
    “Gina is young,” I said encouragingly. “Chances are her body will bounce back without an inordinate amount of coaxing as long as she watches her diet while she’s expecting.”
    “Let’s hope so. The spa she frequents when she needs to drop a few pounds costs almost a thousand dollars a day.”
    “Seriously?”
    Jeremy shrugged. “You’ve seen her. Yes, she was blessed with enviable genetics, but she works hard for her body. I was actually surprised she was willing to go through with the pregnancy under any conditions. She’s been really great, considering. If I want to be a father, I need to step up and make some money. I really feel like this gravy job is a sign that I’m doing the right thing.”
    “I don’t suppose you know anything about the care and handling of turkeys?” Perhaps I should have asked this fairly obvious question before agreeing to this crazy idea.
    “Not specifically,” Jeremy admitted. “We’ve had birds at the shelter, and I have a contact who knows about the bigger birds. I suppose we can figure it out as we go along.”
    Terrific.
    “I talked to Oliver, and he agreed to let you commute to the farm every day and go back home every evening if I agree to stay on-site,” Jeremy informed me.
    Jeremy had previously explained that Oliver Tisdale was the very unpleasant son of the recently deceased. While I wasn’t looking forward to the daily commute, I much preferred returning to my boathouse up the mountain to staying on the property with hundreds of turkeys sentenced to death.
    “We just need to go over to the house so you can fill out some paperwork,” Jeremy said. “It won’t take long, and then you can go. I can handle things today.”
    I took one final look at the beautiful birds whose days were numbered, then followed Jeremy. Based on the size of the two-story house, which was set apart from the weathered red buildings that housed the birds, I guessed there was money to be made in the raising and harvesting of the epicenter of the holiday meal. The home was laid out like a giant U with a double-wide entry in the center and a beautiful and peaceful garden with a large pool and a cascading waterfall in the rear. Jeremy led me through the double doors, which opened into a grand entry with a wide hallway in the center, as well as narrower hallways to the left and right.
    “The