In the Dark Read Online Free PDF Page A

straight back.
    Jay wasn’t there.
    “He’s not here,” she called.
    “I’ll page him.”
    His voice was smooth as silk, hardly creating a blip against the soft music that always played in the lobby.
    Moments later, Jay Galway, looking only slightly irritated, came striding across the lobby.
    He was tall and lean, with sleek, dark hair, expressive gray eyes and a thin, aesthetic face. Patrician nose. His lips were a bit narrow, but they added to the look almost of royalty that he carried like an aura about him. She really liked her boss. They were friends, and he had always been ready to support her in her decisions, even if he didn’t agree with them. She’d known him before she’d come to work here. In fact, he’d called her about the job when he’d heard about the divorce.
    He paused in front of the counter, perfect in an Armani suit, and stared at her questioningly.
    “What on earth is this all about?” he demanded.
    He was still a short distance away from her, and a few guests had just come languid, sin in their direction.
    “I need to talk to you. Alone.” She glanced meaningfully at Len.
    “I hide nothing from Len.”
    Alex glanced at Len and wondered if there was more going on between the two men than she knew. Not that she cared, or had time to worry about it now.
    “There’s a body on the beach,” she said very softly.
    “A body,” echoed Laurie, who was standing behind her.
    He stared at her as if she had lost her mind. “This is Florida, honey. There are a lot of bodies on the beach.”
    Alex groaned inwardly. “A dead body, Jay.”
    “A dead body?” Len exclaimed loudly.
    They all stared at him. “Sorry,” he said quickly.
    Jay gave his full attention to her at last, staring at her hard, his eyes narrowing. His focus never left her face, but he warned Len, “Shut up. I mean it. That reporter is around somewhere. All we need is him getting his nose into this.”
    Alex stared back at him, aghast. “Someone is dead, Jay. It’s not a matter of worrying about publicity. Will you call the sheriff’s office—please?”
    “Right. Len, call the county boys and ask them to send someone out. Someone from homicide.”
    “Homicide?” Laurie murmured. “Maybe she just…drowned.”
    “It still needs to be investigated,” Alex said, still staring at Jay. His behavior puzzled her. They had no idea who the dead woman might be, where she had come from, or even if there was a murderer loose in paradise, and he seemed so blasé.
    Finally he said, “Show me.”
    “Let’s go.”
    Len started to follow, but Jay spun on him. “You’re on duty. And you,” Jay warned Alex, “make it look as if we’re taking a casual stroll.”
    “Jay, honestly, sometimes—”
    “Alex, want to cause a panic?” Jay demanded.
    “Sure. Fine. We’re taking a casual stroll.”
    They left the lobby, Alex leading, Jay behind her, Laurie following quickly. They took the path through the flowers, passed the Tiki Hut—which seemed unusually quiet for the time of day—and around the lagoon area.
    “Alex, slow down. We’re taking a stroll, remember?” Jay said.
    She looked back, still moving quickly. “Jay, we’re in shorts and you’re in an Armani suit, about to get sand in your polished black shoes. How casually can we stroll?”
    He let out a sound of irritation but argued the point no further.
    They reached the pristine sand beach. The temperature was dropping, the sweet breeze still blowing in.
    Alex came to a halt. Jay nearly crashed into her back. As if they were a vaudeville act, Laurie collided with him.
    “What the hell?” Jay demanded.
    “It’s gone,” Alex breathed.
    “What’s gone?” Jay demanded.
    “The body.”
    Laurie was staring toward the thatch of seaweed where the corpse had lain. She, too, seemed incredulous. “It—it is gone,” she murmured.
    Without turning, Alex could feel the way that Jay was looking at her. Like an icy blast against the balmysummer breeze, she could feel