CUTTING ROOM -THE- by Jilliane Hoffman Read Free Book Online Page A

‘Triplets?’
    â€˜
Three-year-old
triplets. My brother and his wife went on a cruise to the Bahamas. So while you were working on that tan you deny intentionally working on, I was cutting up hot dogs and watching Disney flicks. Oh, and potty training.’
    The curl grew into a grimace.
    â€˜Of course they’re boys, so that means none of ’em can aim for shit. We’re talking the ceiling, the walls, the door — anywhere but the bowl. They’re cute and I love them to pieces, but, man, do I feel
old
. I was stressed the whole time. Couldn’t sleep. Always afraid one of ’em might slip out in the middle of the night, ride out of town like Paul Revere, naked on top of the Great Dane, waving a Pull-Up in his hand.’
    â€˜Great Dane?’
    â€˜Her name’s Petunia. She’s shy.’
    â€˜I won’t even watch my sister’s fish.’
    â€˜Oh, and an albino ferret that the kids like to lock in the dryer.’
    â€˜I’ve heard enough.’
    â€˜I think my whacked mother’s plan backfired. Instead of rushing out to find myself a husband and jump-start a family, I might go celibate.’ Daria sniffed at her arm. ‘Do I smell like grape jelly to you? I don’t know what they put in that shit, but it stays in your system. I’m sweating it out of my pores. That and peanut butter. And my shoes are sticking to everything.’
    Lizette nodded. ‘You’re right. I would never advocate celibacy, but you’re not the mommy type. Good thing you don’t need a man to have fun.’
    â€˜That’s not a real concern right now for me, anyway; it’s easy to give up what you’re not getting.’ Daria frowned before adding, ‘Thanks for the mommy comment. I can be warm and fuzzy, you know.’
    Lizette shrugged. ‘Whatever. So who’re you here on?’
    â€˜On today’s menu we have one Talbot Alastair Lunders.’
    â€˜What kind of name is that?’
    â€˜A family one, I suppose.’
    â€˜Obviously not a Miami family. I’m guessing that someone with not one, but two, obnoxious Anglo names must come from money.’
    â€˜You’re right. Young Talbot is of the Palm Beach Lunders.’
    â€˜Who are the Palm Beach Lunders?’
    â€˜Daddy apparently owns some luxury soap company. Or so I’ve been warned.’
    â€˜What company is that?’
    â€˜Dial.’
    Lizette’s eyes went wide. ‘No shit. Really?’
    Daria laughed. ‘No, not really. Some spa brand I never heard of.’
    Lizette surveyed the jury box. ‘All of the boys today look like they come from the projects, not Palm Beach.’
    â€˜Oh, Talbot’s not out yet,’ Daria replied, flashing Lizette the mug shot. The tan playboy with the highlighted, shaggy hairdo and mesmerizing hazel eyes looked more like a brooding Dolce & Gabbana model in his booking photo than a murderer. ‘You’ll probably start drooling when Corrections brings him in. Maybe even consider a career on the Dark Side.’
    Lizette sucked in a breath. ‘If you could guarantee all of my client’s would look like that, I’d enter pleas on their behalf. What crime did poor-little-hot-rich boy commit?’
    â€˜Murder.’
    Lizette shook her head. ‘What a shame. My mother can overlook many things in the hunt to find me a husband, but murderer would be a tough sell. Who’d handsome get so mad at?’
    â€˜A pretty college kid out clubbing at Menace. She was found in a dumpster near the Design District.’
    â€˜Is that the girl who was missing on the news a few weeks ago?’
    Daria nodded.
    â€˜The UM kid. Hmmm. I didn’t realize they’d found her.’
    â€˜It didn’t make much press,’ Daria answered. That was no coincidence. The University of Miami was a prestigious private university that came with a hefty price tag. Parents who shelled out fifty thousand