Read Stuff to Spy For for Free Online Page A

company that is installing a security system at Synco Systems?”
    “I do.” I smiled. I was the point man for big jobs.
    “And you’re dating Sarah Crumbly?”
    I glanced up at Em, standing there, waiting for me to come out of the yellow vinyl booth and walk her to her car.
    “Well—”
    “I need to talk to you. As soon as possible.”
    The female on the other end sounded very businesslike.
    “And you are?”
    She hesitated. “I’m Carol Conroy. My husband is Sandler Conroy, president of Synco Systems, and I think you need to know some things about the death of Ralph Walters.”

CHAPTER EIGHT
    “Monte Carlo. Have you ever been there?”
    I hadn’t been out of the state of Florida. Travel had been pretty much out of the question. My mother didn’t have any money and neither did I. I dreamed about traveling, and I knew where Monte Carlo was. I saw it on a Discovery Channel show one day.
    Sarah looked into my eyes, and I felt a cold shiver. I looked away. I kept repeating to myself, hooker. She’s a hooker.
    “I won like two thousand euros in the Casino. It was so cool. I mean, much more class than Vegas, you know?”
    I had no clue.
    “It’s this beautiful old building with ornate chandeliers and thick carpet. And just like in that James Bond movie, Casino Royal, guys wear suits and tuxedos and a lot of the women have formal dresses.” There was a faraway look in her eyes. “Sandy promised me we’d go back once this project is done.”
    Casino Royal was filmed on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. But I didn’t tell her that. And, as far as ever going to MonteCarlo, or the Bahamas for that matter, well, I couldn’t even imagine.
    “And Cannes, Skip. Sparkling blue waters, quaint stucco buildings with orange tile roofs that descend like stair steps down to the ocean. During the film festival. Oh, my God, I met Adrian Grenier from Entourage, and we saw Angelina and Brad, and Daniel Craig. And, Skip,” her eyes got big, “we sat front row to see U2, and then went backstage. I mean—”
    It was almost more than I wanted to hear. Em had never done half of those things, and she could afford them.
    “I met Bono. Bono, Skip. He kissed my hand.”
    Now it was getting tiresome.
    “And Sandy leased a yacht that went on forever. I don’t know how big it was, but you could sunbathe totally nude on the deck and nobody batted an eye.”
    What? I would bat an eye. Among other things. Who talked like this? Who experienced this kind of lifestyle?
    I cleared my throat. “You did?”
    She flashed me a shy smile. “Uh-huh.”
    I tried to picture that.
    “Honest to God, Skip, I never thought I’d do anything like that. And then he asked if I’d like to work here at Synco Systems. Well, you can imagine it would have been very hard to say no.”
    Duh. We were sipping coffee in the break room. I’d taken Jim Jobs through the building, and, surprisingly, he’d understood everything. He’d even made some suggestions regarding placement of some of our hardware. He’d left in what James affectionately called the Jim Jobs mobile. Now, Sarah and I were talking. Our first “date,” and I kept thinking how happy Em would be.
    “Have you ever met Carol?”
    I didn’t know what to say. I had an appointment withSandler’s wife in a couple of hours, but I didn’t feel it was a good idea to tell Sandler’s girlfriend. And I wasn’t about to tell my girlfriend. The whole thing was so sordid.
    “No.”
    “I have. Several times. I was invited to a cocktail party at their house just last week.”
    “You visited their house?”
    “She’s a bitch.”
    “He told you that.”
    “She’s with him for status. That’s all. And I think she keeps an eye on Sandy for her daddy.”
    And Sarah was with Sandler for the money.
    “Anyway, it will soon be over. Once Sandy gets the money, he’s promised me we’re out of here.”
    She was a year younger than James, Em, and me. And her financial future seemed to be set. Maybe James