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Back Fleeced Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Acknowledgments
  2. FLEECED
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. 73
  76. 74
  77. 75
  78. 76
  79. 77
  80. 78
  81. 79
  82. 80
  83. 81
  84. About the Author

“Believe me, Cousin, we can celebrate,” Archibald declared. “With all the negative publicity, no one will want to join that club. I will own that building before the buds are on the trees. So bring on the sherry!”

Vernella hurried to the sideboard and took out three small glasses. Archibald broke out his favorite bottle and poured it with great ceremony. “I propose a toast.”

“Go ahead, sweetie,” Vernella urged.

“To the end of tacky days in Gramercy Park and to the fall of the Settlers’ Club. Let it be swift and sure.”

They clinked glasses.

You’d better believe it, Thorn thought. You don’t know how swift and sure. He looked across the street and pictured all the emergency vehicles with their flashing lights that would be racing to the Settlers’ Club tonight.

He couldn’t wait.

72

Regan had lined up the seven perfume bottles on Thomas’s desk. Janey was sitting with her eyes closed, facing the other way. Regan didn’t want her to be influenced by the names or packaging, and she wanted Janey to concentrate completely on her sense of smell.

“Ready?” Regan asked.

“Ready.”

Thomas was sitting in the corner, biting his fingernails. It was a habit he had developed only yesterday.

Regan picked up the bottle of Daisy Dewdrops and sprayed it on a sheet of paper. May as well start slowly, she thought. An unlikely scent for a criminal, but you never know. She held the paper up to Janey’s nose.

“That’s beautiful,” Janey sighed. “Could I have that bottle when we’re finished?”

“Why not? But I guess that’s not what we’re looking for.”

“No.” Janey sat up a little straighter and gently wiped her nose with a tissue.

Regan sprayed Ocean Water on paper and held it up.

“Definitely not,” Janey said.

Regan had been afraid to try the Lethal Injection because, in her heart, she knew it was the most likely candidate and she didn’t want it to be rejected. After all, Georgette had lied to her. If a boyfriend had given her the perfume, it must have been recently. Had she really broken up with her boyfriend? If not, what was she doing at the singles parties?

Regan picked up the bottle, pushed the needle, which released the spray, and barely had the paper under Janey’s nostrils when Janey cried out, “That’s it! That’s the perfume she was wearing!”

Thomas leaped from his chair, and the two of them engaged in another hug, similar to the one that took place when Janey was sprung from the closet yesterday.

“I knew you could do it,” Thomas cried. “I’m so proud of you.”