Bad Hair Day 4 - Body Wave Read Online Free PDF Page A

them. He's home alone all day waiting for me to return from work. It's worth the extra cost." She handed Moss back his paper. "This is super. Show it to your writing buddies."

Beaming with pleasure, Moss took his precious page and left Marla with a smile on her face. After cleaning the dishes, she phoned her best friend, Tally, who'd left a message on the answering machine.

"Marla Shore, what kind of a mess did your ex-husband land in? I saw the report on the news."

Seated at her desk in the study, Marla rolled her eyes. _Here we go again,_ she thought resignedly, then proceeded to tell Tally everything, including her plans to go undercover.

"Wow, that sounds like fun. A fancy estate on the east side of town, huh? Can I come, too? Maybe they need an extra maid on Sundays. I'm a whiz at dusting!"

"I don't think Ken would be happy if you were gone all day." Her stomach full, Marla felt like crawling onto the couch with the newest copy of _Modern Salon._ Tally wasn't about to let her off so easily, though.

"You'll need references if you apply for the job. Give them my name. I'll say you take care of my mother during the week. They don't have to know Mom lives in New Jersey."

"I could always consult Jillian for acting lessons," Marla commented wryly.

Tally laughed, an infectious peal. "After your pretend engagement to Arnie, I don't think you need lessons from anyone! Have you told Dalton?"

"No, I haven't. Arnie and Jill are meeting us for dinner a week from Wednesday for my birthday. Maybe I'll bring it up then, but only if I get accepted for the position." She waited to see if Tally would mention her birthday. They hadn't made plans together yet, and Tally usually treated her to lunch.

"Is it Valentine's Day already next week? Oh, my. How time flies. Well, let me know what happens after Stan calls you tomorrow. Bye!"

Marla stared at the dead receiver in her hand. Was it her imagination, or did Tally sound a bit breathless? Paranoia might be afflicting her, but she sensed Vail and her mother weren't the only ones with something cooking on the back burner.
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*Chapter Three*

At work on Tuesday morning in the Cut 'N Dye Salon, Marla was subject to curious stares from her staff, who'd seen the local news reports. She had no choice but to describe her visit to Stan in the city jail. Sometime during today's full schedule, she hoped to squeeze in a phone call to Gary Waterford, Kim's former flame.

At the station on Marla's left, Nicole Johnson teased a client's hair. "So Stan is supposed to be released today?" Her ebony ponytail bobbed with her movements. The sleek stylist's gaze glowed with the same warmth as her cinnamon skin.

Marla paused, curling iron in hand. "That's assuming he gets an arraignment with a judge who sets bond."

She glanced at her client, Babs Winrow. The woman had shared secrets with Marla in the past, and Marla instinctively knew Babs could be trusted.

"Stan wants me to sound out Kim's relatives regarding possible motives," she confided in a low tone. "He thinks Kimberly might have been murdered for her inheritance. I'll tell you, it nearly bowled me over when Stan asked for my help."

"Why wouldn't the man consult you?" Babs said, snickering. "You're better at solving murders than the cops. Thanks to your efforts, Ben Kline's killer is behind bars. After Ben got his head bashed in, all of us on Ocean Guard's board of directors were under suspicion. Not only did you save our fund-raiser, but you also cleared our slate. Detective Vail should be glad you're on his side! What does he say about your involvement with your ex-spouse? Don't you have a thing going with him?"

Marla's face flushed, and she resumed curling Babs's blond hair. "We see each other occasionally. I wouldn't say either of us is committed. We're just getting to know each other better."

_Liar. What would you call that little scene in his office? Kissing the friendly officer?_

"Dalton hopes Stan will confess