6 Beach Blanket Barbie by Kathi Daley Read Free Book Online Page B

everyone had been saying that to me lately. Was I really that predictable?
    “Where ’s your furry sidekick?” he asked.
    “Home with Zak.”
    “Ah, the felon I’m guessing hacked into my police report. You know I can have him arrested for that?”
    “Sure. If you can prove he did it, but you can’t, so let’s move on, shall we?”
    “Fair enough. What can I help you with today?”
    I realized that since I had initiated the informal get-together, I’d be in charge of the questions this time around.
    “How well did you know Barbie Bennington?” I asked.
    Salinger frowned and looked down at his desk. I could tell the question had made him uncomfortable, which is exactly what I’d expected. “I didn’t really know the woman at all,” he lied.
    I waited until Salinger glanced up and then looked him directly in the eye. “And that’s the answer you’re going to stick with?” I knew that my interrogation method left much to be desired, but I hoped my forthright approach would encourage him to level with me.
    Salinger paused. “Are you investigating me ?”
    “If you’re going to lie to me , I guess I’m going to have to.” I hoped I sounded a lot more confident than I felt. The truth of the matter is, Salinger can make my life miserable if he chooses. I know it, and so does he. Challenging him outright probably wasn’t my best move, but for some reason I felt that I needed to establish the upper hand if I was going to gain this man’s help.
    “What makes you think I’m lying?” he asked.
    I just smiled. I’d seen a detective do that once in a movie and it had worked spectacularly. I sat in silence, waiting for Salinger to make the next move.
    “You don’t seriously think I killed the woman?” Salinger spat out.
    “I don’t know .” I paused for affect. “Did you?”
    “Of course not.”
    “But you did know her,” I encouraged.
    Salinger didn’t answer.
    “Keep in mind I already know the answer to this question,” I prodded.
    “ Very well,” Salinger grunted. “Yes, I knew her. What of it?”
    “You had an affair ,” I stated with a certainty I was far from feeling.
    “Now you’re just making stuff up.” Salinger turned the oddest shade of red, sort of a deep purple with a burgundy finish.
    “Am I?” I asked.
    I sat quietly and watched the man sitting across from me as he squirmed in his chair. I have to admit I was rather enjoying the show. After all, the guy had put me through it, and it was quite nice to be on the opposite end of the squirm for once.
    “ I’m not sure you could call what we had an affair,” Salinger began tentatively. “I caught Ms. Bennington breaking and entering, and she convinced me that she could make it worth my while to turn a blind eye.”
    “She convinced you by sleeping with you,” I clarified.
    “I believe that was implied. I didn’t kill her, however, and I’d appreciate it if you’d keep this conversation to yourself. I’d hate for a brief lapse in judgment to ruin everything I’ve spent my life working for.”
    “Gee , that would be too bad. I’d hate for a brief lapse in judgment to ruin anyone’s career.” I emphasized the word as a way of reminding him that he’d used my own mistake against me to get me fired from a job I’d loved not all that many months ago.
    Salinger looked away. He actually looked guilty. I realized that for the first time in our relationship, I had the power.
    “I won’t say anything,” I assured Salinger. “For now,” I qualified. “However, I’ll need some things from you.”
    “Are you blackmailing me?” Salinger tried to appear outraged, but he came off frightened rather than angry.
    I smiled. “Yes , I guess I am.”
    “Oh , very well. What do you want?”
    “I’d like to know more about this break -in for starts. Where did Barbie break into? What did she take? When did the break-in occur? Things like that.”
    “And what, may I ask, do you intend to do with this information?”
    As