So About the Money by Cathy Perkins Read Free Book Online Page B

you think that?”
    Laurie shrugged. “Sometimes I got that happy, I-have-a-secret vibe from her.”
    “A married man?”
    “Sorry, it’s just a feeling. I guess that’s a sore subject for you, your dad and all.”
    “Let’s don’t add my father to today’s disasters.” Holly waved a hand, dismissing the topic and the apology. “Did Marcy ever tell you where she got that diamond necklace?”
    “I wondered if it was a gift. I don’t know how much Tim’s paying her, but it looked more expensive than any jewelry I can afford.”
    A pair of seagulls swooped off the river. They hovered overhead, coarse voices screeching. Holly recoiled. Her hands flew out and covered her head. “Get away from me!”
    Memory reran the scene from the clearing. The gulls. The body. The ravished face.  
    Holly’s whole body tightened. Adrenaline—and fear—spiked through her system. She yanked off her hat and swatted at the birds. “Go away.”
    With a final cry of defiance, the gulls tilted their wings and headed upriver.
    “Come on. They’re gone.” Laurie grabbed her arm and pulled.
    Eyes averted from the river and the birds, Holly stumbled after her. They retreated to a bench where the trees protected them from the wind. “Sorry.”
    “The hat dance was a riot, but what was that about?” Laurie pushed back Holly’s hair and lifted her chin. “Jeez, you’re shaking.”
    Warmth climbed her cheeks. She swallowed the enormous lump in her throat. “I forgot there’d be seagulls here. Seeing Marcy’s body…those horrible birds. I’ll never be able to look at seagulls the same way.”
    A shudder crawled across her shoulders and down her spine. She told Laurie about finding the body, ending with a quick description of Marcy’s face. “They ate her.”
    “Oh my God. That’s horrible.” Laurie pulled her into a sympathetic hug. “I’d have totally freaked if I found her.”
    “I pretty much did.” She looked at the concern in her friend’s eyes and again felt tears well.
    Blinking back the tears, she concentrated on the foliage of the closest tree. The leaves danced in the breeze, shifting bands of color. By the time the first leaf floated away from the branch, she was fairly certain her voice would be level. “I keep hoping it’s a bad dream. That Marcy will show up, shouting, ‘Surprise!’”
    “People our age are not supposed to die.” Laurie rubbed her chin. “It’s so weird that you and Alex found her. I mean, it’s spooky how connected you are. You and Alex knew Marcy. She worked for Tim. Tim’s your client.”
    Holly rolled her eyes. “You sound like JC.”
    “JC? You mean JC Dimitrak? I haven’t heard that name in a long time. What’s he got to do with anything?”
    Holly rose and headed for the path. “On top of everything else in my screwed-up life, guess who’s the detective on the case?”
    Laurie knew her too well. Horrified disbelief colored her tone. “No.”
    “Yes.”
    “Oh. My God. I know he’s a cop. He was there? What did you do?”
    “ ‘Awkward’ didn’t begin to describe it. I was already in shock. We found this horrible body and it was Marcy . Alex and I were being questioned by all these cops, and then JC showed up.” She wanted to bang her head against the nearest tree. “All that crap from six years ago was like it happened six minutes ago. First words out of his mouth were a huge personal hit. Of course, Alex noticed. After that, he and JC did everything but pee on the ground, marking their territory.”
    “Hmm.” Laurie lips curved in a three-pointed smile. “So is it pheromones or do you two still have things to resolve?”
    Holly made a rude noise.
    “What are you going to do about it?”
    She jammed her hands in her pockets and blew out a frustrated breath. “JC? Nothing.”
    “Nothing?”
    “What would be the point? I’m going back to Seattle. Living there was never in the Life Rules According To JC Dimitrak.” She flashed a wry smile at her