Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 02 - No Rest for the Wicked by Elizabeth C. Main Read Free Book Online

Maybe not, but i f it’s true that you’re known by the company you keep … well, let’s just say you’ ve come up quite a few notches . W e’ll work things out. That’s what friends are for. ”
    I watched as a single tear dripped onto t he back of Alix’s slender hand.
    “ Oh, you think so? ” Alix whispered.
    “ Sorry, your cover’s blown. ”
    She looked up, reading in my face the support she’d been afraid wouldn’t be there.
    I smiled and made a circling motion with my hand to indicate haste. “ So, let’s get on with it. F i nish the story so we can both get some sleep. ”
    “ Okay. ” Alix nodded slowly and swallowed a few times , then continued . “ When they found his body, he had my telephone number in his pocket. ”

Chapter 5
    I stared at Alix, startl ed by her revelation. My attempt to imagine this wonderful, sophisticated friend married to a common criminal absolutely failed, like the struggle to jam the pieces to gether of two separate puzzles. And w hy was he carrying her phone number years later ?
    The salsa rhythm of my cell’s ring tone jolted me back to the present. I raised my eyebrows at Alix as I flipped it open.
    “ Mom, where are you? Is Alix okay? We’ve been waiting at the store for hours. ” Bianca’s barrage of words allowed me to collect my scattered thoughts while I watched Alix grimace and shrug her shoulders.
    “ I was just about to call you. ” I stalled for time until my brain could shift from neutral to drive. “ You went back to the store? And Tyler’s still there? It’s almost eleven o’clock. ”
    “ Well, duh! Minnie, too. You didn’t think we’d just go home tonight! ” No one could do indignation better than my daughter. “ I mean, we knew you’d take care of everything, but were you going to leave us hanging all night? What’s the story? ”
    I watched as Alix stretched out on the loveseat, one arm over her face again as though to shut out the world, at least for a while. The vision of Bianca, Tyler, and Minnie, quivering with pent-up energy and ready to charge over here to help, gave me all the impetus I needed to do what had to be done. I lied.
    With forced gaiety I said, “ No story. Sorry. Didn’t mean to worry you. ”
    “ So … a misunderstanding? ”
    “ More or less. ” My conscience was poking me, but I didn’t want to get into the truth now.
    “ I knew it. What was it? ” Bianca wasn’t going to let go that easily. I lowered my voice to a near whisper before answering.
    “ Call it a weird coincidence. Look, it’s late , and Alix is trying to go to sleep. I’ll explain tomorrow. ”
    “ Well, okay, but before the meeting, right? ” Bianca asked.
    “ Sure. ” What meeting was she talking about? I’d agree to anything to get me off the phone without spilling the beans.
    “ You still want me to introduce Dr. McCutcheon? ” Bianca’s clue gave me my bearings . The Save Our Seniors meeting.
    “ Of course. He was really impressed that someone of your age cared about elder abuse. You don’t have to say much, but it’d be a help. ”
    “ Well, if you think so. ” I heard Minnie’s voice in the background before Bianca spoke again. “ Minnie’s going home now to make lemon scones for the meeting . ” Minnie was famous for baking at all hours of the day and night, especially when she was upset . Better to have her in the kitchen than here .
    “ Great. Guess we’d all better finish up the day. It’s been a long one. ” With a sigh of relief, I signed off and turned to Alix, surprised to discover that she’d fallen asleep while I’d been on the phone. She must have been exhausted. Her arm had dropped away from her face to expose her expression, now beautiful and serene. What a far cry from the anguished look I’d glimpsed only a few minutes earlier.
    Who was this person? I knew Alix as a loyal friend and excellent businesswoman, but when I searched my memory for information about her marital background, I came