Murder in Paradise (Paradise Series) by Deborah Brown Read Free Book Online Page A

Kevin Cory, that I have no involvement with Koozie or with drugs. You couldn’t inform your partner?”
    Kevin turned red. “Don’t blame me. Koozie implicated you in his crime. I excused myself from any questioning due to a conflict of interest.” He stomped off in the direction of Liam who sat on his bicycle, leaning against the rail of his cottage.
    I pulled out my cell phone. “This is Madison. May I speak to Cruz?” I asked his assistant, Susie.
    Cruz Campion was one of the best lawyers in South Florida and he told me once, “Don’t answer any questions until we talk.” For once, I didn’t have to play twenty “what do you want” questions before she put me through.
    “Are you in jail?” Cruz asked.
    “I’m here with Officer Johnson at The Cottages. A drug dealer by the name of Koozie used one of my cottages to cook up a pan of meth and implicated me. Johnson has a few questions and is threatening me with arrest.”
    “You know the drill, yes or no. Did you know this Koozie fellow?” Cruz asked.
    I turned my back on Johnson. “Barely.”
    “So you might say hello, but anything else is out of the question?”
    “Yes.” I looked over my shoulder. Johnson had moved closer, listening to every word.
    Cruz had perfected the long dramatic pause; probably learned it in law school. “I met Johnson on my last case. He’s a turd. Let me talk to him.”
    “Mr. Campion would like to speak with you.” I held out my phone.
    I wasn’t a bit bashful about listening. They exchanged what seemed to be a few civil words. I knew Cruz was telling him I wasn’t answering questions without my lawyer present.
    Johnson and I rubbed each other the wrong way; I needed to work harder at being civilized so he wouldn’t always think the worst of me. Heaven help me if I ever gave him a real reason to arrest me.
    Johnson handed me my phone. “You didn’t waste any time after we took down the red tape to start construction.” He walked back to his car and turned. “You haven’t seen the last of me.”
    Losing my temper would be stupid. I wondered what Cruz said to Johnson to get him to go away without putting me in cuffs. Cruz knew all the tricks, which made him the best. He had worked both sides during his previous incarnation as a District Attorney. Kevin gave a short wave, not stopping as he walked by.
    Liam rode over on his bike, waiting until Johnson and Kevin both drove off in separate cars. “The Mustang is parked beside cottage seven.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “Johnson walked the property but didn’t go all the way to the end,” Liam confided. “From here you don’t notice that four and seven have spaces on the far side. The driver pulled the Mustang all the way in, so you’d have to stand in the space to see it. Joseph came out and cut Johnson off before he got that far.”
    “Why didn’t you tell Kevin?” If Kevin found out, he’d be back yelling about Liam and Julie moving again.
    “He didn’t ask. Besides, Mom and I have an agreement. I don’t tell anyone squat until I run it by her first. She always knows the right thing to do.”
    “That’s something we have in common,” I said as I brushed his hair with my fingers. “I never tackled big troubles without my mother, and I still don’t. Like your mom, she always knows the right thing. Did you see who parked it there?”
    “Two seconds before Kev pulled in, I rode my bike by the space and saw the car. Word had already spread by then that cops were on the way. Joseph shook his head at me, which I took to mean I should keep my mouth shut.”
    “Don’t do anything Joseph tells you unless you’re sure he’s one hundred percent on the up. In fact, don’t follow anyone into trouble. ” That would be the end of Joseph; I’d show him the curb.
    “Kevin treated me like a little kid. Instead of asking, he sent me back to my cottage and ordered me to not to leave the porch.”
    I get that Kevin’s overprotective; he wants to