There Goes the Groom by Rita Herron Read Free Book Online

because it’s not real. Pendergrass used a little trick called Photoshop and turned this dried up inhabitable land into the resort you see on the screen.”
    Marci gasped, twisting the veil again, this time so hard she ripped it in two. 
    A knock sounded on the door and Georgia slipped in, her dark brows pinched in concern. She motioned for him to step outside for a second, and he left Marci fidgeting in the seat.
    “I pulled some background info on Marci Turner and her financials. Thought you might need them.”
    He took the file from her.  Probably more info to hang her with. “Thanks.”
    He opened the file and studied it, anger knotting his belly as he stepped back inside the room.  Georgia followed him inside and leaned on the table across from Marci.
    He took the chair again, studying Marci while Georgia played bad cop. “Come on, Miss Turner, we’ll go easier on you if you cooperate.”
    One look at Georgia, and Marci Turner paled.  “I think I should make my phone call,” Marci whispered.
    Cade simply stared at her, determined to stay unaffected. She still might have information that he needed. And he’d use her if necessary to catch the bastard who’d cheated his nana and hundreds of other people.
    “We’re not done yet, Miss Turner.” Georgia pointed to the folder.  “I’ve been trying to figure out why you’d help Pendergrass,” Georgia said. “So I took a look at your past. Your father abandoned you and your sister when you were little.”
    Pain flickered in Marci’s eyes.  “So?”
    “And your mother has been married at least three times.”
    Marci picked at the hem of her dress. “I don’t see what this has to do with me being here.”
    “All through school you trailed your sister in everything,” Georgia continued. “Her grades were always better. She made president of the class. You failed class after class and were always in trouble.”
    Cade’s stomach knotted as Marci twisted in her seat.
    “She went to college while you worked at a bar waitressing.”
    “That was my choice,” Marci said with a defiant tilt to her chin.
    “Or maybe you did it because you couldn’t keep up with your twin. Then a few months ago, she marries this handsome architect and once again, she shows you up.”
    “If you’re implying that I’m jealous of my sister, you’re wrong,” Marci said evenly.
    “Maybe not jealous, but you feel like a failure next to her. She graduated with honors, won the good man, has financial stability.” Georgia’s voice rose, a brittle edge to it.
    This time Cade shifted. Good god, she could be describing his relationship with his brother.
     “Then you met Paul Pendergrass and decided he was your ticket to success.” Georgia leaned closer. “Maybe you thought you could finally show up your sister.”
    Marci crossed her arms and looked away as if Georgia had hit the nail on the head.
    Georgia slapped the table. “You were so desperate to have the things your sister did that you didn’t care if you had to cheat people to do it.”
    Marci’s eyes blazed a vehement trail toward Georgia. “That’s not true.”
    “Isn’t it?”
    “No,” Marci said. “I would never cheat those people at the club. They were my friends.”
    A tense second passed, then Georgia’s phone buzzed and she gestured that she should take it.
    Cade cleared his throat as she left the room, and indicated the file again. Marci looked so pitiful that he almost wanted to let her off the hook.
    Do your job, dammit .  “I see you have a prior criminal record,” he said calmly.
    Marci’s eyed widened.   “What?”
    He removed a copy of the document. “You were arrested for shoplifting when you were fifteen.”
    Marci chewed on her fingernail for a minute. “Those records were supposed to be sealed.”
    “I’m a detective, I can unseal them.”
    “But that’s not fair,” Marci stammered. “I was just a messed up kid when that happened.”
    “Some people are tried as adults at