La femme de ménage voit tout

Freida McFadden

Description

Meet Diana Delaney, a nondescript, middle aged, talentless housewife and school office administrator. Diana's got a new job: one she didn't apply for.

Monster Hunter. Now she's got to save New Orleans, one beast at a time.

For the most part, I had no complaints about my life.

Although, it would've been nice if Kenna had decided to go to college locally, where I could protect her and keep her safe. Other than that, life was decent. Of course, I wouldn't object to the divorce being finalized. Still, once Jim accepted that he needed to secure new representation, we could end this dark chapter of our lives and he could get on with my former best friend and their new baby. So, maybe I just needed a change too. If my catering business grew big enough, then I could quit my day job and never have to face Lola again.

I had a dream to achieve and a plan to get me there, which was naturally quickly derailed.

In retrospect, I completely understand how it happened. I made the mistake of telling one of my clients I was willing to plan any event, if it meant I could leave my position at the school sooner.

Phyllis overheard. She ran the athletic association and was responsible for the end of season parties for each sport. Since she was nearing retirement, I'd discovered her enthusiasm for the task had waned with each season. Oh, but this beggar couldn't afford to be a chooser. I wrote up a contract, she signed it, and I started planning. Up first: soccer. I was given a budget and a promise: perform well, and I'd be working the football party next. And let's face it, that's where the major networking would happen.

All I had to do was wow the soccer moms. How hard could that be?

They were impressed. There was mingling. There was laughter and conversation. And while I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I did. I overheard one woman talking to a friend about another mutual friend. Apparently, this woman thought her boyfriend was having an affair, which wasn't such a stretch since that's how they first started dating. That part wasn't even what caught my ear.

Nope. The stunner was the description of the changes in the guy. He was lethargic, complained he felt drained, and had no interest in having sex with her, which was a huge change. Naturally, I whipped out my phone and consulted my digital monster hunter directory. Just as I suspected. This sounded like a succubus, which meant demon removal. That service was on my secret party planning menu. And it didn't come cheap. A few more of those and I'd be school-free. Lola would be a distant memory. And Jim would be out of my life, practically for good.

I turned to the woman talking about her friend's issue and passed her my card. "Have your friend call me. I can help," I explained.

The next day, Lola showed up at my door holding that card. "I need your help," she mumbled.

"It's going to cost you," I warned.

Lola agreed to my exorbitant fee. This woman was determined to hang onto her man. Okay, technically, he was still my man because we weren't divorced yet. And she'd latched onto him then.

That's why I face such a moral dilemma. Did I want revenge? This succubus could kill Jim, thus ending my need for a divorce. Or did I want happiness? Because as I stared at that check and all those zeros, I couldn't help but smile.

Too bad I had no idea how to kill a succubus. And Attie didn't seem to know either. This was no time for on the job training, or trial and error. Not with Kenna coming home for fall break and her father's life on the line.