Death by Seduction (Book #13 in the Caribbean Murder series)

“Is that why you came down?” Cindy asked promptly.

“Right,” Taylor shot back. “I wanted to be at the scene of the crime, and a few steps away from the little lady. Pete’s all I got. Our mother and father died years ago in a car accident.”

“Like Loretta’s mother,” Cindy echoed.

“Yeah, sometimes I thought that’s what made them close to each other. But it wasn’t enough. The marriage was bad.”

Cindy wondered if any marriage would seem like a good marriage in Taylor’s eyes.

“It’s good of you to be here,” Cindy answered. “Have you spoken to Loretta at all?”

“Not a word,” Taylor grimaced. “I called her a few times, but she never called back. Nothing new, but at least I tried.”

“You’re doing this for Pete?” asked Cindy.

Taylor gritted his teeth. “I’m doing it for myself. What kind of brother would stay away when something like this happened? Loretta always wanted to keep me away, make me look bad. But this time, I won’t let her.”

“What exactly was wrong with Pete’s marriage?” asked Cindy, desperately wanting

specifics. “I heard he made lots of money.”

“You think that makes a good marriage?” Taylor sneered. “It doesn’t. Besides, he lost plenty of money, too.”

“But Loretta’s boutique must have helped out,” Cindy added. “I heard it’s hugely well-known and successful.”

Taylor’s eyes narrowed again. “You’d think it would help their marriage, wouldn’t you?

You’d think she’d give some of the money to my brother if he needed it?”

“Of course,” said Cindy.

“But there’s lots you don’t know,” Taylor grinned. “Loretta’s stupid father funded that business. It’s not hers at all. Basically, it belongs to him.”

Cindy was startled to hear that.

“And, there was no love lost between her father and Pete,” Taylor’s bitterness intensified. “Henry’s always one upping everyone, especially his daughter’s husband.”

“How did Loretta take that?” asked Cindy.

“Why not ask her yourself?” Taylor quickly drank what was left of his beer. “Her life wasn’t so easy, either. You didn’t know Loretta was a boozer, did you?”

“A drunk?” asked Cindy, startled.

“You can call it that,” Taylor shot back. “She covered it up by drinking at parties and all the stupid events at that boutique.”

“I had no idea,” Cindy murmured.

“So do your job then, check it out,” Taylor stood up then, impatient.

“Of course, I will,” Cindy exclaimed, disturbed. “But tell me one thing before I go. Did your brother visit prostitutes?”

At that Taylor’s hands clenched until his knuckles grew pale. “Instead of digging up dirt about my brother, go check out his lousy, selfish wife.”

“Why should I do that?” Cindy retorted. “Are you suggesting she had something to do with the crime?”

“Of course I’m not suggesting that,” said Taylor. “But if dirt is going to be flung, fling it at her, first. If he did stupid things in his life, she drove him to it. A rotten wife can ruin a man’s life. I’ve seen it before and I’ll see it again.”

“This isn’t about flinging dirt, Taylor,” Cindy stood up tall before she walked to the door.

“It’s about gathering evidence. I’ve got to find out what really happened to Pete.”

“Who cares about gory details?” Taylor cried out suddenly. “We know what happened. He’s gone, he’s dead and nothing’s bringing him back.”

“If you don’t care what happened, why are you here then?” Cindy flung out stridently.

Taylor cocked his head to the side. “I want to go through his records and see if his lousy wife ever helped him out, or if someone was stealing from him?”

“Who would be stealing from Pete? Charma?” asked Cindy, breathless.

“No, maybe Loretta or her dad,” Taylor flung back.

*

When Cindy left Taylor’s room, she couldn’t decide if he were just trying to get revenge for the past, or if he was actually trying to follow the money trail to his brother’s death. Taylor obviously hated and distrusted women, and Loretta was clearly part of that. Cindy wondered if it was also actually true that Loretta drank too much? That certainly didn’t fit what Cindy knew of her friend or the way Loretta was behaving. Even if it were true, Cindy didn’t know how it would fit into the case. It would be easy to track that information down. And, if Cindy found it wasn’t so, that would invalidate everything Taylor said.

Cindy felt disheartened as she went back to her room. The next step would be to change quickly, get down to the brothel and have the girls tell her how to contact Charma’s main customer, Eric. Maybe Eric somehow knew more about Pete and could shed light on both him and Charma.





Chapter 10