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

Cindy put her hand on Loretta’s arm to comfort her. “This is going to take time,” she said softly.

Loretta pushed the pillow off her face. “Well, I got all the time in the world now, don’t I?” she responded, her eyes swollen and blurry. She blinked a few times then, trying to look at Cindy clearly. “Okay, so what’s all this about, first thing in the morning? You found Pete’s killer all of a sudden?”

“Almost,” Cindy replied quietly.

At that Loretta pulled herself up. “What do you mean almost?”

“You can help me with the last few steps,” Cindy answered swiftly.

The blurriness in Loretta’s eyes started to vanish. “How?” she demanded.

Cindy decided to get to the main point immediately. “I heard that Pete never gave Val the down payment for the condo,” she said.

Loretta suddenly looked frightened, like a deer caught in the brush. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

“I heard that you gave a hundred thousand dollars deposit to someone else at the real estate company, Lou Gran,” Cindy spoke with no emotion. “that’s why Val couldn’t find a record of anything from Pete.”

Loretta shook her head back and forth a few times. “Wait a minute, say that again,” she muttered, as if she were unable to believe what she was hearing.

“You gave Lou Gran the deposit, Loretta. Why didn’t you tell me that?” Cindy asked.

“Are you crazy or something?” Loretta’s eyes flashed open, “coming in here first thing in the morning and handing me junk like that? Where’d you get those lies from?”

“The police have proof of it,” Cindy stretched the truth a moment to see where it would lead.

“What kind of proof?” Loretta’s hands twisted together. “I never gave any money to Lou Gran, so there couldn’t be any proof. I hardly know the guy. I only saw him once or twice in passing. What are they trying to do now? Frame me?”

“Of course they’re not framing you,” Cindy was quick to assure her.

“I told you Pete had plenty of money and he was buying the condo for him and me! You don’t believe me now?” Loretta was back on her game. “You don’t think he loved me?”

“Of course Pete loved you. It’s not that I don’t believe you,” Cindy replied, “it’s that we have new information.”

“You don’t have anything,” Loretta flashed back, “just a pack of lies. And how come you believe them, instead of me? That hurts, Cindy, it really does. We’ve been friends since college, not you and the police.”

“Did your father give you one hundred thousand dollars, Loretta?” Cindy didn’t want to get distracted.

“Of course not, why would he do that?” Loretta’s eyes flashed fire. “You think Pete couldn’t support me? You think I needed my father for that?”

Either Loretta was totally in a fantasy world, or she was lying point blank, thought Cindy.“Whatever goes on between me and my father is none of your business anyway,” Loretta exclaimed, growing more irate as she thought about it. “It’s nobody’s business. He’s my father and he has the right to give me whatever he wants.”

“Of course he does. No one said he doesn’t,” Cindy tried hard to get back to her good side. “I’m on your side with that completely.”

Loretta’s back arched suddenly like a frightened cat. “No, you’re not. You’re not on my side at all,” she said suddenly. “I thought you were my friend and you aren’t. For all I know Taylor told you those lies and you’re in cahoots with him now.”

“I’m not in cahoots with anyone,” Cindy tried to defend herself, “and did you know Taylor was threatened? Had to go into hiding?”

“Let him hide all he wants, I couldn’t care less,” Loretta exclaimed, “he’s crazy, he’s paranoid, everything terrifies him.” Then she rushed to the phone and quickly dialed. “Get over here right away, Angela,” she screamed into the phone. “Right away, right away. And, you get out of here,” she said to Cindy.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Cindy said softly.

“You refuse to obey my orders?” Loretta started to shout. “You refuse to leave when I ask you?” Loretta then dove back down on the couch then and buried her head back inside the cushions. “We’ll see what the police think about that,” she threatened.

Cindy watched Loretta curl up into a ball and stay that way until Angela burst open the door and flew into the room.

“What’s wrong? What’s going on?” Angela exclaimed, the moment she came in.

Loretta jumped up from the couch immediately and ran over to her. “Cindy’s after me, she’s threatening me with all kinds of lies. Help me, you have to help me.”

“What are you talking about?” Angela looked astonished.

“Cindy came in here and accused me of lying to her,” Loretta started to moan.

“That’s not true,” Cindy broke in. “I came in here with a few questions, just needed more information.”