Read High Heels Are Murder for Free Online

some privacy from the permanent neighborhood watch. One twist and the bulb would be back in action.
    “Thanks, Stan,” she said. “I’ll fix it tonight. I appreciate you looking out for me.”
    She hoped he hadn’t looked out when she’d been making out with Josh. She knew Stan was in love with her and made excuses to repair things at her place. Josie could never love a man who wore a pocket protector. It was shallow and she knew it, but that didn’t change her mind.
    “He really likes you, Mom,” Amelia said seriously as they drove off.
    “I really like him,” Josie said. “He’s a good friend.”
    “Grandma thinks you should go out with him again,” Amelia said. “She thinks you didn’t give him a fair try.”
    “I like Stan, but not as a date,” Josie said. Once was enough.
    “He’s not a hottie,” Amelia said. “He’s got droopy buns.”
    “Amelia! Where did you get that talk?” Josie said.
    “Zoe says her older sister, Celine, bun-watches at the mall. She won’t let Zoe go with her because she’s too young. Celine says some boys have hot buns and some don’t.”
    Zoe was the bane of Josie’s existence. The kid was nine going on thirty-nine, and destined for the Future Sluts of America. But Josie had to admit the bun-watching bit was pretty funny.
    “Amelia, you shouldn’t talk about men like that,” Josie said, trying not to giggle. “It makes them into sex objects. Men don’t like that treatment any better than we do.”
    “But it’s true. Guys who wear pocket protectors never have good buns,” Amelia said.
    Josie gave up the fight for men as persons in their own right. She burst out laughing. “At least if you’re watching their shirt pockets, you won’t be staring at their behinds.”
    “Josh has sweet buns,” Amelia said.
    “That’s quite enough,” Josie said, as she turned into the driveway of the Barrington School.
    But her daughter was right. Josh had sweet buns, a firm chest and unprotected pockets. Josie was half crazed with longing after their date the other night. She craved him almost as much as her morning coffee at Has Beans. She had time for both before her first stop at the mall.
    The coffeehouse customers seemed to come in waves, and right now the tide was out. There was only one older woman at a back table.
    Josh whistled when she came in the door. “Nice outfit,” he said. “You look like a rich guy’s third wife.”
    “That’s exactly how I’m supposed to look,” Josie said. “I may seem harmless, but I’m deadly. Fix me an espresso and I’ll tell you how I ruined a man’s life.”
    “Fatal attraction,” Josh said. “I love it. It’s the element of danger that draws me.”
    He looked around the coffeehouse. The older woman was finishing her decaf and giving them looks as black as her dyed hair. Josh would have to rein it in, or Mrs. Black would report him for sure. He started fixing Josie’s espresso.
    Josie loved to watch Josh work. His arms were strong and his hands were quick, which led to pleasant thoughts that had nothing to do with coffee. She had a fine back view of Josh in his well-tailored khakis. Buns and coffee. Amelia was right. Definitely sweet.
    The black-haired woman slammed her empty cup on the counter and left.
    “Finally,” Josh said, and vaulted over the counter with one hand. “When do I see you again?” He wrapped his arms around her.
    Josie could feel his hard body. She ached for his kiss. But Josh backed away suddenly and said, “Damn, the Vulture is here.”
    The Vulture could usually be found hunched over the coffeehouse computer. With his sloping, skinny shoulders and long beak of a nose, he looked like a bird of prey. The Vulture bought one cup of coffee, the limit to use the computer, and loaded it with so much sugar the spoon could stand up in the cup. The Vulture hunted for odd scraps on the Internet to put on his blogging site.
    Josh went back to the other side of the counter, this time through the