On Shadow Beach by Barbara Freethy Read Free Book Online

father’s boat. There’s already a betting pool as to whether the two of you will get back together. Want to tip me off ? I could use some cash.”
    “Save your money. Lauren is here to deal with her father’s living situation. That’s it.”
    “I wonder if she’s heard about the movie.”
    Shane sighed at the reminder. Angel’s Bay was buzzing about it. “If she hasn’t yet, I’m sure she will.”
    “The guy who’s making it is right over there,” Michael continued with a tip of his head. “You meet him yet?”
    “Nope.”
    “It’s weird, isn’t it? Lauren comes back at exactly the same time that someone wants to make a movie about her sister, and you happen to be here, too. All the players are in town at the same time. It’s almost as if the angels are stirring things up again.”
    “I don’t think it’s the angels I have to worry about.” Shane felt a deep sense of foreboding. He’d waited a long time to come home, for the rumors to die down, for his family to stop being the focus of gossip, for everyone to forget. Now it was all starting up again.
    “What are you going to do?” Michael asked.
    “I have no idea.”
    “You’d better come up with one fast. You’ve got company.”
    A man slid onto the stool next to Shane’s. “Mr. Murray,” he said with an easy smile. “I’m Mark Devlin. I’m making a movie based on the death of Abigail Jamison. I’d like to talk to you.”
    “I have nothing to say,” Shane replied, getting to his feet.
    Mark stood up as well and put a hand on his arm.
    Shane immediately shrugged it off, giving Devlin a small shove at the same time. He had to fight back a reckless urge to take a swing at the guy’s arrogant face, but he didn’t go off half-cocked anymore. Especially not with the chief of the policesitting a few tables away.
    Mark put up both hands. “Sorry. Look, I just want to hear your version of what happened that night. Surely you’d like to clear your name.”
    “I don’t care what people say.”
    “Well, I don’t think you did it,” Devlin said quickly.
    Shane froze. “Is that so?”
    “I have a few other suspects in mind, including one individual who was never interrogated.”
    Shane couldn’t stop the question from slipping out. “Who?”
    “The older sister—Lauren. Word on the street is that the two sisters were competitive. Lauren was jealous. Abby was smarter, prettier, more accomplished, and Lauren didn’t like the fact that her sister was with you that night.”
    “You’re out of your mind.”
    “Am I?” Devlin had a troublemaking gleam in his eye. “Are you sure about that? You should talk to me. Together, we might come up with the truth.”
    “We’re done here.”
    “For now, maybe. But I’m not going anywhere. Just think about it.”
    Shane strode through the bar, acutely aware that every eye in the place was on him. So much for the past staying in the past. Despite Devlin’s claim that Lauren was his number one suspect, Shane knew he wouldn’t be far behind. There was no way Devlin was going to make a movie and not include him. He’d been named a person of interest when the murderoccurred. He’d been interrogated a dozen times. And even when the police couldn’t bring a case against him, half the town had believed him to be guilty. Some still did.
    He should have known better than to come home. And he had a feeling Lauren was going to wish the very same thing.
    It was almost midnight before Lauren gathered enough courage to enter the bedroom she’d shared with Abby. As she turned on the light, she felt as if she’d stepped back in time.
    Abby’s bed was covered by a red polka-dot comforter, a half dozen throw pillows, and Loveylou, the stuffed bunny her younger sister had slept with since she was two years old. Lauren drew in a sharp breath, feeling an overwhelming sense of pain at the sight of the one-eared bunny. She immediately looked away, but everywhere her gaze fell was another memory.
    Abby’s