Killer Cupid (The Redemption Series: Book 1) by Maeve Christopher Read Free Book Online

daughter a massive diamond ring that looks like it was stolen from a museum somewhere! Just so she would wait for him to come back from his business trip?”
    “Diamond ring?” Cindy and I locked eyes.
    “Debbie has no idea who this guy is! But, she’s wearing his ring! Her best friends, who were supposedly taking care of her, have no idea who this guy is! Her doctor, who is nowhere to be found, allowed all this to happen without saying a word to this child’s parents!”
    Bud grabbed George’s arm as he began circling again. “George, you’ve got to calm down. You look like you’re having a stroke.”
    He helped him to a chair. George collapsed, and put his head in his hands. Dottie assisted Marion to a seat beside him.
    “George, it sounds like you need to get hold of Dr. Gallagher. He must have a personal cell phone,” Bud said calmly. He seemed truly concerned for old George.
    “Well, he doesn’t answer it.” George sounded defeated. At least he had lowered his voice.
    “Let’s try it again, then.”
    Just as George located his phone, it rang. “Yes? Gallagher! Problems with your beeper? I’ll give you problems with your beeper!” George hollered into the phone at him.
    “I need to know, who is David Henning? Why was he allowed to visit my daughter over the past three days? Without my knowledge or consent! Why is my daughter wearing his diamond ring, waiting for him to get back from his business trip? I’m told you know this man, Gallagher, so maybe you can explain all this to me! Just what business is he in?”
    Cindy and I gaped at him, like we’d hear Gallagher’s response.
    “Get to the point, Gallagher!” George looked like he’d reach through the phone to kill him. “Nice, intelligent young man? ... Hospital benefactor? ... And frankly, you don’t know him well? But you do know he’s a friend of Dr. Payne’s? ... Perhaps Bill knows more about him and his business?” George’s gruff monotone of repetitions was the calm before the storm. “You SOB! You mean to tell me, you let that man in to see my daughter, and you don’t know anything about him? And this ring?”
    I braced myself for the finale. George was pacing like a caged lion again.
    “Upset? Of course I’m upset! My child’s doctor is introducing her to strange men, because she’s impressed with him? This is positively frightening! This is positively outrageous! What in hell does my daughter know, to be impressed with someone? She’s so sick she can barely lift her head off the pillow. She’s nineteen years old! She’s a mere child! What in hell does she know?”
    “George!” Marion hated profanity, especially in front of people like the Bainbridges.
    “I’m not done with you, Gallagher!” George clicked the phone. “Useless, positively useless, this guy is! Now I need to track down a Dr. Bill Payne. Apparently this Henning character is some great friend of his. Let’s go, Marion. Sorry Bud, Dottie. Sorry we’ve made such a scene. But this is unbelievable. I thought my child was getting the best care.”
    “It’s okay, George. We understand. I’m sure everything will turn out fine.”
    “I don’t see how it can, Bud.” George took Marion by the arm and marched her out.
    I heard Bud and Dottie close the door behind the Aldridges. “Oh crap, Cin! He said Dr. Bill Payne.”
    “Pain-away Payne? Ohhhhhhh.” Cindy clutched her chest
    “Shit, Cindy, the guy’s a drug dealer.”
     
    ***
     
    George had a private investigator on the case that night. When Cindy’s dad called to check and see if George had a stroke, he got another earful on the phone. Cin and I heard half of that conversation too. It confirmed what I already knew. The guy had plenty of money, and the only explanation for it was that it was drug money.
    I had a few auditions for bit parts and some modeling jobs, but it was a slow time for me. So I ended up going with Cindy to the hospital most days. It was a way to keep busy and keep my mind off