Bad Hair Day 4 - Body Wave by Nancy J. Cohen Read Free Book Online Page A

fit in?" His voice was angry, as though it were her fault that Kim had died.

She gave a small smile. "I was Stan's first wife. Look, I know you need time to assimilate this, but the police may come to question you. I thought I'd give you fair warning."

His eyes bulged, and he glanced briefly at the newspaper open on the counter. Marla sidled nearer, catching a glimpse of the page listing Gulfstream horse races before he snatched it out of sight. Being closer gave her the advantage of noticing peeling paint and an accumulation of grime. None of the parts on display appeared to be in prime condition, making her wonder if Waterford struggled to maintain his business. In South Florida, that didn't seem likely considering air conditioners were in constant need of repair. So why was Gary here instead of out in the field? Maybe he had other employees, or else he mismanaged his funds. That might account for the air of desperation she sensed from his nervous mannerisms and the decaying surroundings. One other possibility sprang to mind: this business served as a front for a more nefarious activity.

"I don't get it," he said, shaking his head. "Who would hurt Kim?"

"That's what I hope to find out. Do you know if she still maintained any of her old friendships?"

His gaze shifted uneasily. "How should I know?"

"Since you'd been so close, I thought you might have kept track of her."

"I haven't seen Kim since we broke up."

She pounced on the opportunity his words offered. "You must've been terribly upset when she left you."

His eyes blazed. "Sure, I was pissed. We were hot together, but I wasn't good enough for her. She chased after that fancy-pants lawyer who gave her all the things she wanted. Kim's grandpappy was rich, but her grandma holds the purse strings. Their money is all tied up in a trust. Kim was too impatient to wait for her share."

"So you admit Kim went after Stan with the intention of breaking up his marriage?"

Waterford lumbered to the other end of the counter, picked up a gauge, and attached it to a piece of machinery. "She had ambitions, and I wasn't part of 'em."

"So at what point did she tell you good-bye?"

"As soon as she got the job in his office. Kim planned to worm herself into his bed. I told her the guy sounded like a real tight-ass, but she laughed. With his ego, she felt it would be a breeze to seduce him, and then she'd be on easy street. But Kim was wrong." He paused, glancing at Marla. "She should've bailed out sooner."

Marla leaned against the counter. "What do you mean?"

"The bastard didn't treat her right. Kim didn't tell hardly anyone because she was afraid."

Her pulse accelerated. "Afraid of Stan?"

"You got it." His gaze narrowed suspiciously. "How did you say she was killed?"

"Stabbed to death," Marla said quietly. "Stan found her in their foyer early Monday morning."

Gary glared at her. "I hope she didn't tell him. I told her not to mention it because of what he might do."

"Mention what?"

"That she was -- " He caught himself, stopping with a choking cough. "She was going to walk out on Kaufman," he finished, although Marla got the impression he'd been about to say something else.

"Kimberly was planning to leave Stan?" Now it was Marla's turn to stare. Could this be true? If so, how would Stan have reacted when he discovered his wife's intent? Or did he even know?

"I thought you hadn't seen Kim since she went to work in Stan's office, and that was nearly two years ago."

Waterford stiffened. "That's right. I wanted nothing more to do with her after she gave me the shaft. I, uh, heard about her from a mutual friend."

"Name?"

He hesitated, bouncing on his heels. "Look, don't tell no one I talked. Lacey Mills is her name. If you see her, you'd better not mention your visit here."

"Why?" Marla sensed undercurrents racing through their conversation, and tried to focus on them. _Bless my bones, I'm getting more like Dalton every day._ What happened to the