Read Double Whammy (A Davis Way Crime Caper) for Free Online

railroad spikes embedded in it. I tried to recall the events of the previous evening, and the only thing that stood out was the mini bar. I looked around without moving my head and managed to locate the fridge.
    Yep. Wide open and empty.
    I lobbed one limb at a time off the bed and didn’t get anywhere near upright when I attempted to stand. It was all I could do to walk across the floor because it was a landmine of teeny bottles. I drank three gallons of water straight from the tap, then washed down a Migraine Unlimited with a fourth.
      
    *    *    *
      
    Natalie Middleton’s office always smelled like there were a dozen roses in it, but today wasn’t my day, so it almost knocked me down. She dropped her sexy glasses in the middle of her desk, sat back, crossed her arms, and waited for me to sit.
    I glanced at Mr. Sanders’ closed door.
    “He’s in Dubai.”
    Do what?
    “How are you this morning, Davis?”
    I gave her the blankest of blank looks. “Did you not get my note?”
    “I did.” She waved it. “Did you not get a copy of the employment agreement you signed?”
    The telephone book.
    “You agreed to work here for a minimum of ninety days or reimburse us the cost of hiring you. So your choices are to write me a check or fulfill your commitment.” She crushed my resignation letter into a gumdrop-sized ball. “Up to you, Davis.”
    Oh, dear.
    “It’s a simple breach of contract,” she explained, “just as lying on your application, withholding pertinent information, or misrepresenting yourself during any of your interviews would be breach of contract.”
    Oh, double dear.
    “How much money are we talking about?”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Natalie pushed the resignation gumdrop around. “Somewhere in the small-car range.”

    “It cost a small car to hire me?”
    “Your background checks took an unusual amount of resources, Davis.”
    I see.
    “I asked you to play the game, learn it, and tell me how it’s won,” she said. “You walked off the job just before the jackpot hit.”
    Did she stare at the casino cameras all day long?
    “If you think someone’s stealing the jackpot,” I suggested, “can’t you just arrest him?”
    “Him?”
    “Or her! Or it!”
    “No, Davis.” Natalie sat back. “We can’t just arrest him for winning. I want to know how he wins it. That was your assignment.”
    “Can’t you ask the man with the big teeth?” I was trying to come up with Teeth’s name. I grabbed for my phone and pulled up the contact list. “Jeremy?”
    “Jeremy?”
    “Is he the bald-headed one?” I asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Then the other one,” I said. “The one with the really white teeth.”
    “Paul,” Natalie supplied.
    “Right.” Amundo.
    “Why would I ask Paul?”
    Something in the tone of her voice let me know we’d changed lanes. I had no idea why, nor did I want to know. “I thought I saw him,” I said.
    Natalie’s fingers tapped out a tune on her desk. “He works here, Davis. You’ll see both Paul and Jeremy often.” She rose, poured two cups of coffee, then returned.
    I thanked her, then burned my mouth.
    “I’ll give you the chance to make this right in a few weeks, Davis. The jackpot will climb back up, then you can try again.” She picked up the paper ball that was my resignation, then let it drop on her desk. “And I’m going to ignore this.” She leaned in, taking me into her confidence. She spoke slowly. “I don’t know if you saw a ghost , or if someone offended you, or if you simply don’t like the food here.”
    “Oh, I love the food.”
    “Good to know, Davis.” She rolled her eyes a little bit. “Good.” She sat back and crossed her arms again. “You’re welcome to go if you want to.” She gave the door a nod, “but you’ve made a ninety-day commitment, and I’ll need a check from you before you leave.”
    I was brokity-broke-broke-broke. And then some.
    “I went to bat for you, Davis.”
    I saw a little mean streak in her