Fleeced: A Regan Reilly Mystery by Carol Higgins Clark Read Free Book Online Page A

upstairs. Here’s the key to the apartment.”
    Regan looked at her watch. “After I talk to Lydia, I’ll go in and call Nat’s brother.”
    “I’ll be in my office,” Thomas said, and like a shot, he was gone.
    Regan followed Lydia inside. The apartment was architecturally a mirror image of Nat’s, but the resemblance ended there. The living room contained six pastel love seats. No couches. No chairs. Just love seats. Pale pink carpeting covered the floor, and large murals of blooming floral arrangements brightened the walls.
    “I like a happy feeling in a home,” Lydia explained, following Regan’s glance around the room.
    “Very nice,” Regan said, thinking that the decor was oddly interesting. “I see you like love seats.”
    “My singles parties are much more successful since I bought the love seats. People are forced to sit closer to each other. It either turns them off or on. Either way, you find out fast if there’s interest. It’s a big time-saver.”
    “And what no one seems to have enough of is time,” Regan said as she took out her notebook.
    “Look at Nat. His time is up. He’s on a different plane now. But he’s happier,” Lydia pronounced.
    “How do you know?” Regan asked.
    “I just have a feeling. I’m a little psychic, you know. He’s reunited with his great love, Wendy, and that’s what’s most important. And he didn’t suffer.”
    Once again Regan asked, “How do you know?”
    “If he slipped in the tub and hit his head, it was over fast. He didn’t have a long illness.”
    “But he could have had several more good years,” Regan said. “He was full of plans.”
    Lydia sighed. “He did seem to enjoy life. I didn’t know him all that well. I just moved in here last fall. My first party here was held on Valentine’s Day, and I invited him in, even though he’s way over my target age group. I wanted to be neighborly. He loved to tell jokes. They weren’t always the best jokes, but he was fun.”
    “Did he come to any other parties?”
    “Sometimes he’d knock on the door and just stay for a few minutes. Usually because he had a new joke to tell.”
    Regan decided to get to the point. “ Lydia, do you think I could get a list of who was at the party last night?”
    Lydia looked aghast. “I know there are supposedly diamonds missing. But if you go questioning my guests, you’ll ruin my business.”
    “What did you hear about the diamonds?” Regan asked.
    “My butler, Maldwin, told me that he’d heard there was going to be a big announcement about Nat and his friend Ben donating the money from some diamonds they owned and were planning to sell. The announcement was planned for the anniversary party on Saturday night. We were both so happy. Regan, we want this club to stay open. We’ve set up our businesses here.”
    “And other people knew too?”
    “Well, people were talking about it at the party.”
    “Who?”
    “There was a cameraman here who’s doing a story on us and the club. He had heard the news and was asking people if they might want to join the club now that it was going to get a lot of money. It was all done in fun. Everyone was in a good mood.”
    “Then it’s in both of our best interests to get those diamonds back, Lydia.”
    “I know but…”
    “ Lydia, all I want to do is talk to the people who were here. They won’t think they’re suspects. I just want to see if they saw anything or heard anything. Believe me, most innocent people love to be involved in investigations. They think it’s exciting.”
    Lydia cocked her head. “But a lot of people don’t want others to know they go to singles events. They get embarrassed.”
    “Who’s going to find out? Besides, do you want to live across the hall from where a crime may have taken place and have it go unsolved? Or worse yet, have someone coming to your parties who is a criminal?”
    Lydia sat up straight. “Of course not.”
    “I’m here to help Thomas get this straightened