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Da These landlords weren’t the first and, sadly, probably wouldn’t be the last to turn us down I needed a real office soonest, but after the destruction of my last place played multiple times on every news channel, nobody seemed to want to let me rent from them I couldn’t blame them In their shoes I’d have felt the same way, but it sucked I fu, I was going to be able to do about it

"So," Dawna asked, "you obviously called for a reason What’s up?"

"We need et a chance to check out your cousin’s references?"

"Yeah, they were all good"

"Cool Call her Tell her that her eight-hour shift starts tonight at six She can meet up with you to do the official paperwork toive him a call See if he wants to do some pickup work If he does, his shift starts when Talia’s ends The client’s in roo Bubba?" Dawna didn’t even try to hide her delight Bubba had been a friend of ours for years We’doffice into the third floor of our office building, just down the hall from my office He’d had to close his doors awhile back when his wife had been diagnosed with cancer I’d wanted to stay in touch, but soh, smart, and utterly loyal I’ve trusted hiretted it I could only hope he didn’t

"If he’ll take the job I don’t know that he will"

"Heas a bouncer and as a roadie for his brother-in-law’s band I’ that pays better They had to sell the house to pay Mona’swith Mona and Sherry on the boat King Dahlot the number"

I’d known about the house, had even offered to lend Bubba soht, but I kneouldn’t take it He was much too proud As it happened, he wouldn’t even accept a loan "Dahlmar replaced his boat?" I hadn’t known that I was really, really glad One of the things that had weighed on my conscience was the fact that Bubba’s precious boat had been destroyed during one of our previous adventures

"I told you that I know I did"

"Nope All you said was that Mona was better"

"Oh Oops Well, he did and she is Full re so far"

I smiled That was the best news of all I knew that Bubba wouldn’t begrudge having lost his business, the house, or anything else, as long as Mona was going to be okay I’ve known a lot of couples Very few are as crazy about each other as Mona and Bubba They’ve been together more than fifteen years and they still act like needs

"Awesome I may just head down to the marina"

"Oh, can I call, please? I’d love to be the one to offer him the job--and Mona likes me better"

That was so true it wasn’t even funny "Fine, you do the honors Call me and let me knohether he takes it"

"I hope he does It would be aweso Kevin and Bubba both on staff"

"Then all we’d need is Ron," I teased her Ron, an attorney, had had an office on the first floor of our old building He was a monumental ass and he’d treated Dawna like slave labor

Her voice grew hard "Not funny, Celia Don’t even joke about it"

"Aw, come on, Dawna You know you miss him," I teased

"About as much as a case of the clap," she snapped

I decided not to push it,it well I wasn’t sure what had happened between the two of thee the subject "So, any good prospects for office space?"

"Nada It’s getting depressing I’ from scratch"