Meeting the Advertising Exec

Today is the last day of November—and my dad’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad!

If you are a new reader, you can scroll back to the beginning of our story, Dead As A Girdle, which started on Monday, November 5^th.

And now, back to DAAG.

Chapter Nineteen

Janelle fumbled with the mail as she sat at her desk on Thursday morning. Would Ben ignore her today as he usually did? After their dinner together last evening, she hoped he would stop by her desk and talk to her. Maybe ask her out…

She sighed. Better not to speculate. Sticking to her goal of solving Jed Thorne’s murder should be her number one priority. Today she needed to get into Jed’s office. How could the murderer leave his office when it was locked from the inside?

There must be an answer.

         A businessman carrying a briefcase walked into the office. Tall and thin, he was dressed in a gray suit and tie, and a tuft of blond hair surrounded the back of his bald head. He strode toward Howard’s door but stopped when he saw Janelle.

         “May I help you, sir?”

         “Oh. You’re the new receptionist.” His voice had a nasal sound. He stepped toward her desk and held out his hand. “Howard Chapman, head of advertising.” 

         So this was Howard. Janelle stood and shook his hand. “I’m Janelle Weaver. Glad to meet you.” His eyebrows looked like tufts too­­—fat tufts of blond hair over bluish-green eyes.

What had Ben said about Howard? “Kind of quirky, but I like him.” And Howard was the one who had that two-hour argument with Jed the day he was murdered.

         “So, it’s Janelle, is it?”

Howard put his hand over his suit coat breast pocket and pressed his fingers into it. A bulky rectangular something resided there. Too big to be a pack of cigarettes.

“Janelle Weaver, right?” The fat eyebrows rose then came down, meeting in the middle. “Tell me about yourself.”

With a little smile, she shrugged. “Well, I just graduated from college a few weeks ago and landed a job here as the receptionist.”

“Graduated from college, huh?” His nasal voice was loud. “What was your degree?”

“Psychology.”

“Psychology? Is that what you majored in?”

The guy must be hard of hearing. Janelle raised her voice. “Yes. A four-year bachelor’s degree.”

“You studied the mind for four years, huh? What in the world are you doing in a menial job like this?”

Good question. Janelle took her seat. “I’d like to be a private investigator, but my dad wanted me to get a job more suited for a woman.”

Howard leaned over the desk, his fat eyebrows dancing up and down. “And a lingerie company is certainly a woman’s job—about as far removed from a private investigator as one can get.”

Unless a murder had been committed.

Howard didn’t look like a murderer, but he seemed to be the number one suspect right now. And he was quirky—with those waggling eyebrows and grating nasal voice.

The outer door opened, and Ben and Elliot entered the office.

“Howard, old boy!” Elliot shook Howard’s hand. “You’re back in town.” 

“Yeah, thought I’d make an appearance.” Howard turned to Ben. “How you doing—Boss?”

“Fine.” Ben shook his hand. “Good to have you back.”

The men talked a few minutes. No one paid attention to Janelle. She rearranged the mail in piles and tried to look busy, but she kept darting glances at Ben. Finally Elliot and Howard moved toward their offices, and Ben went to his. He unlocked his door, then turned and winked at her. The door closed behind him.

Her heart thudded. She hoped Sherry was right and something happened—something like marriage.

* * *

Until Monday, may the Lord bless you with a good weekend!