Read The Spellmans Strike Again Online

Authors: Lisa Lutz

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Humorous, #Mystery & Detective, #Women Sleuths

The Spellmans Strike Again

ALSO BY LISA LUTZ

Revenge of the Spellmans
Curse of the Spellmans
The Spellman Files

THE SPELLMANS
STRIKE AGAIN

Lisa Lutz

SIMON & SCHUSTER
New York • London • Toronto • Sydney

SIMON & SCHUSTER
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and
incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or
are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or
persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2010 by Spellman Enterprises, Inc.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or
portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address
Simon & Schuster Subsidiary Rights Department,
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition March 2010

SIMON & SCHUSTER and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at
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Designed by Davina Mock-Maniscalco

Manufactured in the United States of America

10   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lutz, Lisa.
The Spellmans strike again : a novel / Lisa Lutz.
—1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed.

p. cm.
1. Private investigators—Fiction. 2. San Francisco (Calif.)—Fiction.
3. Domestic Fiction. I. Title.
PS3612.U897S69      2010
813’ .6—dc22
2009038267

ISBN 978-1-4165-9340-9
ISBN 978-1-4391-9983-1 (ebook)

To all my friends from Desvernine Associates:
Des, Pamela, Pierre, Yvonne, Debra,
and Gretchen. But not Mike.

THE SPELLMANS
STRIKE AGAIN

Contents

Cover Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

PROLOGUE

PART I CASE WORK

FAMILY CAMPING TRIP #2

RULE #22

UNHAPPY HOUR

A GENTLEMAN’S GENTLEMAN

PHONE CALL FROM THE EDGE #17

UNDERCOVER BUTLER

EX BOYFRIEND #12

RAE’S OBSESSION

THE TROUBLE WITH HENRY

RULE #26

STAKEOUT #1

MANDATORY LAWYER DATE #1

DAVID’S NEW FRIEND MY NEW CLIENT

PHONE CALL FROM THE EDGE #18

FREE SCHMIDT

THE SNOWBALL EFFECT

RULE #28—MANDATORY SUNDAY NIGHT FAMILY DINNERS

UNDERCOVER BUTLER #2

STAKEOUT #2

MANDATORY LAWYER DATE #2

THE BUTLER DID SOMETHING

“QUALITY TIME”

RULE #31—VACATE RESIDENCE EVERY WEDNESDAY

PART II APPEALS

THE BIG BLONDE

THE ENGLE PROBLEM

REEFER MADNESS

LOST WEDNESDAY #1

WAKE UP CALL

MANDATORY LAWYER DATE #3

PHONE CALL FROM THE EDGE #20

THE RETURN OF SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER

TROUBLE BREWING

RULE #40—LEARN SOME MANNERS

SON OF SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER

TRASH DUTY

THE DIALECT WARS

MORE DETECTIVE WORK

MY FIRST HOLDUP

LOST WEDNESDAY THE THIRD

DEAD ENDS AND NEW BEGINNINGS

MANDATORY LAWYER DATE #4

THE “FREE SCHMIDT ” EXPLOSION

THE FINGERPRINT FAIRY

THE BUTLER’S SECRET

A QUIET NIGHT IN

PART III CHARGES

IN THE HOLE

THE MORNING AFTER

CONSEQUENCES

THE HEMLOCK EFFECT

PHONE CALL FROM THE EDGE #28

BRIDE OF SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER

THREE WISHES

BACK TO WORK

PRATTFALL

FREE MERRIWEATHER—

LOST WEDNESDAY AGAIN

FREE MERRIWEATHER—

WHAT THE BUTLER DID DO

SPAWN OF SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER

WOULD THE REAL MASON GRAVES PLEASE STAND UP

THE GIFT OF PROBATION

FREE SOMEBODY ALREADY

FREE MERRIWEATHER—

LAWYER DATE—THE FINAL CHAPTER

PART IV SENTENCING

PROM NIGHT 1994

THE 500 PAYBACK

CASE CLOSED

FREE MERRIWEATHER—

REGRESSION

THE CASE OF THE DISAPPEARING DOORKNOBS

MY AGENDA

THURSDAYS WITHMORTY REDUX

FREE MERRIWEATHER—

THE PERENNIAL PROBLEM

ETIQUETTE LESSON #157

MRS ENRIGHT REVEALED

THE SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER MASSACRE

SLEEP INTERRUPTED

FREE MERRIWEATHER—

CONSEQUENCES

FREE MERRIWEATHER—

DIVINE INTERVENTION

SABOTAGE

DECISIONS DECISIONS

DOING TIME

THE ATTACK OF SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER

THE LONG GOOD BYE

MERRIWEATHER

BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER SMACKDOWN

THE EULOGY

APPENDIX

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PROLOGUE

Phone call from the edge
1
#28

MORTY
: What’s new, Izzele?
ME
: If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.
MORTY
: Never stopped you before.
ME
: I wouldn’t know where to begin.
MORTY
: It’s true. You tell stories funny. You always start in the middle.
ME
: Here’s a headline: Rae committed a felony and might actually have to do time in a juvenile facility.
MORTY
: That is news. What did she do?
ME
: Something very bad.
MORTY
: Usually felonies are. Feel like sharing?
ME
: I’m not ready to talk about it. Let’s switch subjects.
MORTY
: Okay, how’s your Harkey investigation going?
ME
: Nowhere.
MORTY
: Your brother still seeing the hooker?
ME
: I explained this to you before. She’s not a hooker.
MORTY
: Sorry, I got confused. I’m not even going to ask about your Irish boyfriend.
2
ME
: Good. Don’t.
MORTY
: I didn’t. That’s what I just said.
ME
: Don’t you have some news for me, Morty?
MORTY
: That’s right, I haven’t told you yet. We’re moving back to San Fran.
ME
: Say San Francisco, not San Fran.
MORTY
: Why? Life’s short. No point wasting it on extra syllables.
ME
: It makes you sound like a tourist.
MORTY
: You’re grumpy today.

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