Jack's Christmas Mission
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When she had threatened to fire him, why had he all but pleaded with her for a second chance? Ego! Male ego! It would be one thing if he quit, but another thing altogether if she fired him. He intended to contact Ellen tonight and tell her that he wanted a female agent to replace him on this job as soon as one became available. That way both he and the client would be happier.
The well-rounded young woman Peggy Jo had introduced to him as Kayla Greene, her assistant, came up beside him and said softly, “Isn’t she wonderful?”
“Huh?” Jack glanced at the friendly Ms. Greene, whose gaze was glued to the set where her boss lady was discussing with a dietician how to eat well during Christmas without putting on extra pounds.
“I’m talking about our Peggy Jo,” Kayla said, keeping her voice low. “Isn’t she wonderful? Everybody in the whole state of Tennessee just loves her. That’s why I can’t figure out why anyone would want to hurt her. Do you think it’s possible that her stalker is just some misguided guy who’s in love with her?”
“Sure, the guy stalking her could think he’s in love with her, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t dangerous.”
“I’m really glad that Ms. Lennard talked Peggy Jo into hiring you. If anything happened to her, we’d all be just devastated.”
Jack laid his hand on Kayla’s plump shoulder. She gazed up at him and smiled. He indicated with a nod that he wanted her to move back farther away from the set. She followed him into the nearby corner.
“What is it?” she asked, her blue-gray eyes sparkling and her round cheeks flushing a rosy pink.
“I was wondering if you’ve got any idea about who Miss Peggy Jo’s stalker might be,” Jack said. “You probably know everyone she works with and the guys she dates and—”
“I’ve got my suspicions, that’s for sure. If it’s somebody who cares about her, then it might be Mr. Compton. He’s been peeved at her ever since she stopped dating him.”
“Yeah, I already know about him, and he’s at the top of my list. But what about someone else? What about Ross Brewster or Burt Morgan?”
When Kayla shook her head, her halo of chestnut-brown curls bounced about her moon-pie face. “It’s not either of them. Ross is such a sweet guy and Mr. Morgan is super-nice. They both adore Peggy Jo.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Jack patted his Stetson on his leg. “So, Chet Compton is your only suspect?”
“I didn’t say that. I just said it might be him. But if I were a betting person, I’d put my money on either Buck Forbes or Tia Tuesday.”
“According to my files, Buck Forbes is Miss Peggy Jo’s ex-husband, so I can see why you’d consider him a suspect, but who is Tia Tuesday?”
“Tia? She’s the airhead bimbo on a local rival station who has an exercise-and-fitness show on at the same time Self-Made Woman airs. Our show has been beating hers in the ratings ever since her show debuted last year, and the woman has made no secret that she despises Peggy Jo. She’s been saying some pretty mean things ever since Peggy Jo’s show got picked up for national syndication.”
“Is that it?” Jack asked. “Anybody else?”
“Those are the only people I know about, but couldn’t the stalker be somebody Peggy Jo doesn’t know?”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, that’s always a possibility.” He patted Kayla on the shoulder. “Thanks for you help.”
“Anytime. I’d do anything for Peggy Jo.”
Jack glanced back at the set where his client was finishing up the last shot of the segment with the dietician. As soon as the spot concluded, Peggy Jo shook hands with her guest and thanked her profusely, then turned and walked off the set. She came straight toward Jack, walking with a confident strut, as if she owned the world. There was something downright appealing about a woman who was that self-assured. He couldn’t help wondering if her cocksure attitude was for real or just for show.
“You weren’t interrogating Kayla, were you?” Peggy Jo asked, her voice slightly on edge.
“I asked her a few questions,” Jack said, his tone defensive. “After all, she is your assistant and I thought she might have some insight into who your stalker might be.”
“Let me guess—her number-one suspect is Tia Tuesday.” Laughing softly, Peggy Jo shook her head. “Tia might dislike me, but she isn’t my stalker. For one thing the woman can’t go anywhere in Chattanooga without being recognized. Believe me she has the most recognizable boobs in town.”
“Ah, one of those.” Jack couldn’t stop the wide grin that spread across his face. “But even the most recognizable boobs in Chattanooga could hire somebody to do her dirty work for her.”
“Okay, you’re right.” Peggy Jo reached out to touch his arm, but paused, her hand in midair. “Look, we’ll talk on my lunch break. Right now, I need to freshen my makeup and glance over the information on my next guest, a counselor who’s going to discuss dealing with depression during the holidays.”
Jack nodded, then when she headed toward the door that opened into the corridor that led to her office, he followed her. The minute she realized he was marching along behind her, she stopped and turned to face him.
“I’m just going to the powder room,” she said.
“Where you go, I go.”
“You are not going into the bathroom with me!”
“No, but I’ll be standing guard right outside. So just holler if you need me.”
“Wipe that smirk off your face, Mr. Parker. I hardly think I’ll be accosted in the bathroom. And I’m perfectly capable of doing anything I need to do in there without your assistance.”
With that said, she turned and stomped down the hallway, shoved open the door to her office and made a beeline straight to her private bathroom. Jack leaned against the doorjamb, crossed one ankle over the other and waited.
Usually an optimist, Jack didn’t understand why he couldn’t shake this pessimistic feeling he had that things with Miss Peggy Jo were bound to get worse. It was clear as the nose on his face that the woman was determined to dislike him. And even though she was well-known as a feminist, he didn’t think she hated all men. No, her feelings of animosity toward him were personal. But what could it be about him that rubbed her the wrong way? He wasn’t bad looking. He was fairly smart. And he had a likable personality. Most ladies found him downright irresistible.