Pokrewne

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Chelsea Handler Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (epub
Brit Brinson [Dia of the Dead Dia of the Dead (epub)
Cody Goodfellow [Radiant Dawn Radiant Dawn (epub)
Cate Tiernan [Immortal Belove Immortal Beloved (epub)
C J Busby [Deep Amber 01] Deep Amber (retail) (epub)
Carl Ashmore [Time Hunters 01 The Time Hunters (epub)
Drew Hayes [Super Powereds 02 Super Powereds Year 2 (epub) i
Beth Harbison [Shoe Addict 02 Secrets of a Shoe Addict (epub)
Cara Lynn Shultz [Dark World The Dark World (retail) (epub)
Brenda Cothern Guns & Hoses Guns

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.Married, nice home, two teenage kids.” Hiram shifted in his seat.“He’s greatly respected in his community.A fine human being.”“I gather you and he are more than friends?”Hiram nodded.“How did you meet?”“We were both stranded in the Chicago airport for two days during a snowstorm six years ago.We’ve kept in touch.”“Everyone who knows you, certainly, understands you’re, um, not the marrying type,” said Victoria.“So I assume it’s your friend who has the problem, not you?”Hiram glanced out the window.“He visits me every year.Tells the family he’s going on retreat.”“I suppose that’s close to the truth,” said Victoria.“His wife thinks she’s to blame for the disintegration of their relationship.He feels guilty and angry.”“Why doesn’t he simply come out and tell her he’s gay and suggest a divorce?”“Money, kids, church, family, position in the community.He lives in Nebraska, not Martha’s Vineyard.”“This is the twenty-first century,” said Victoria.“People recognize that so-called lifestyles are not a matter of choice.”“Not where he lives.”“Wherever he lives, he’d better do something soon, while his wife can still make a new life for herself.”“We’ve talked about that-”Victoria interrupted.“I have no patience with a man whose priorities are money and position in the community.”“Children…” Hiram began.“Does he think he’s helping his children by pretending he’s something he’s not?” Victoria started to get up.“Wait, Victoria.I haven’t told you the problem.”“The problem is that your friend is a hypocrite,” said Victoria, “and you’re not helping his family by covering for him.”“Please, sit down and listen to me.”“I’ve heard more than I want,” Victoria said, but sat again.“I take it Jube figures in this in some way?”“When Burkhardt came to see me the other night with the faked soil tests, I said I couldn’t sign them.At that, he brought out an undated copy of a letter he had written.”“About your friend Tad?”Hiram nodded.“To Tad’s bank, with copies to the local paper.And to his wife.”“I hope you told Jube what he could do with it?”“I signed the certificate.”Victoria pushed her chair away from the table and stood up again.“Hiram, I’m ashamed of you.” She leaned on the table.“I never expected you to give in to blackmail.”“Victoria, listen to me-”“I’ve listened to you and told you what I think.”“There’s more.” Hiram swallowed hard.“Burkhardt and I were lovers before I met Tad.”Victoria turned and looked down at him.When she saw his expression, she sat down abruptly and took a deep breath.“Hiram,” she said, “you didn’t kill Jube Burkhardt, did you?”CHAPTER 3Hiram sat up abruptly.“Of course I didn’t kill Burkhardt!”“When the police learn that you were to meet him on the beach below the cliffs around the time he died,” Victoria said, “they’re going to wonder how he could have fallen to his death from the top of the cliffs.”“That’s right.” Hiram tugged at his short beard.“However, the police are calling his death an accident.A fall from the cliffs.They’re about to close the case.”Victoria studied her fingernails, short and ridged with a line of gardening dirt she hadn’t been able to scrub clean.“That decision must be a relief to you.You’d be a likely suspect otherwise.”“No, it’s not a relief at all.Burkhardt’s death was no accident.Someone killed him.Who? And why?”Victoria looked up.“Then explain that to the police.”“So the police can arrest me? Even you think I might have killed him.”They were both so quiet, Victoria could hear the town clock ring in the church steeple.She looked at her watch.“Ten o’clock.I have to be somewhere at eleven.”Hiram sighed.“Victoria, I’m worried.The killer must have known Burkhardt expected me to go with him.”“What makes you say that?”Hiram lifted his empty mug, then put it down.“After you left last night, I listened to my answering machine.Burkhardt had left a message saying he’d been delayed and would meet me an hour later.Same place.” Hiram toyed with his mug.“The killer may have overheard Burkhardt [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]