Read Even the Butler Was Poor for Free Online

early this morning? Candy perhaps?"
    "I doubt I'll be hearing from her for a spell," he answered. "No, it was Les Beaujack. He's a VP at the Lenzer, Moon & Lombard Ad Agency and they want me for some My Man Chumley radio spots."
    "Is that good?"
    "Sure, since LM&L is one of the top advertising agencies. The Chumley account alone currently bills about $75,000,000 a year." He nodded, smiling. "They'll pay me a handsome fee—or at least a good-looking one."
    "Lenzer, Moon & Lombard," she said slowly, frowning thoughtfully. "Trinity Winters works for them, doesn't she?"
    "Yes. She appears in all the television commercials and print ads for Crazed perfume." He switched to a sultry-voice. "I'm crazed with love . . . and in love with Crazed."
    "Rick dated her."
    "Rick Dell dated one of the top actress/models in New York?"
    "For a while. I don't have all the sleazy details, but he flaunted her name to me more than once."
    "He was seeing you and Trinity Winters at the same time?"
    "Apparently."
    "I'm impressed. Two stunning women simultaneously."
    "Screw you," she remarked, letting go of his arm. "You still don't appreciate what an attractive person I am. That's why, during the seemingly endless years we were married, you undervalued just about everything about me."
    "Our truce," he reminded.
    "Well, you started it this time." H.J. uncrossed her legs, recrossed them. "Is it kind of strange, do you think, that the same agency that uses Rick's ladyfriend is also anxious to hire you?"
    "Just a coincidence, H.J. I mean, if he'd been dating a woman who was an editor at Bantam Books and they offered you a cover, it wouldn't mean—"
    "Yes, I suppose it is only a coincidence."
    "LM&L has two dozen major advertising accounts, which means they hire a lot of talent each and every day," he said. "And I've worked for Beaujack before. So it isn't as though this were the first time they called me in to do some voice work."
    "What did you do for them before?"
    "Oh, just a voice for an animated cartoon spot."
    "What product? Maybe I saw it."
    "I doubt it's something you'd pay much attention to. It's DynaDiapers and—"
    "Oh, that's the one where the little baby's rear end carries on a conversation with the paper diaper. They have a witty discussion about how ordinary paper diapers can cause itching and such. That one?"
    "That's it." He looked out to sea.
    "Which voice were you?"
    "I played the rough, red baby bottom."
    Laughing quietly, she took hold of his arm again. "That was a very cute voice," she said. "And very appropriate casting."
    He worked free of her, stood and crossed the mildly swaying deck to the rail. The boat was drawing close to Long Island.
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    "T urn left just before the crest of this hill," instructed H.J.
    Hunched slightly, Ben was behind the wheel of his car. The auto had traveled across the Sound on the ferry with them. "Nobody is trailing us," he assured her yet again. "You don't have to sit all scrunched up like that."
    "It's best to take no chances." Knees tucked under her, she was keeping watch of the street behind them.
    He executed the left turn. "I noticed a wide assortment of restaurants in Port Jefferson, during the brief time we were there."
    "Tourist traps."
    "Even so, we could've stopped for lunch."
    "We'll eat after we see the ventriloquist."
    The Street they were driving down pointed toward the small harbor about a mile away, and was lined with trees and large old houses. Two- and three-story wooden ones, some trimmed in intricate gingerbread, sitting on quarter- and half-acre lots.
    "There are probably even some dandy seafood places right here in Coldport."
    H.J. untangled her long legs, settled into a new position on the passenger seat and frowned at him. "You're not going to distract or dissuade me, or any combination of the above," she told him firmly. "I'm going to talk to McAuliffe and I'm going to dismantle his damn dummy if need be."
    "I've been thinking again about Rick Dell," he said. "They