Laina Turner - Presley Thurman 07 - Cupids & Crooks Read Online Free PDF Page A

I’m sure in their line of work one had to be subtle.
    “ Satisfied now?” Cooper asked. “You know it’s going to be like this at the other places. People just don’t stick around in these type jobs for years on end.”
    “Someone did at La Maison , and here too, just not someone who knew anything. Stop being such a pessimist and let’s go check out the next two places, then we can go back to the hotel and I can take you up on that deal of showing me just how not boring you are,” I smiled.
    Unfortunately, I completely struck out at the next two places. No one worked there during the time of the murders of victims three and four, Fawn Garcia and Esperanza Ochos. I was disappointed but not entirely surprised. Maybe when I talked to Belinda tomorrow she would have an idea for the next step.
     
     

Chapter 5
    Belinda had called and pushed back our meeting so I had a couple hours this morning to kill. Cooper was golfing again, with the promise we would go in to town and do some shopping later, so I thought I would see if Denise and Regina were at the pool. I liked the fact that Cooper and I could vacation together and enjoy time apart and together. Some might find it strange that so far we had spent so much time apart on a vacation, especially one that was to somewhat celebrate a romantic holiday, but this way we both had a good time.
    I walked down to the same pool we were at yesterday. The main pool was still closed, which was fine with me. It still seemed a bit creepy to go in the water where a dead body had been floating a day earlier.
    I spotted the ladies as soon as I stepped out onto the deck, noticing Denise’s big red sun hat from yesterday. They saw me and waved and I walked over to where they were sitting.
    “So glad you could make it,” said Denise.
    “Pretty suit,” Regina said.
    Today I had on a royal blue one piece with a silver mesh cover up. It hid my flaws nicely.
    “Thanks. So have you been out here long?”
    “Nope, just came out here after breakfast. The guys went golfing again. Is that where Cooper is?” Regina asked.
    “You know it. I find golf about as boring as he finds lying out by the pool so we each do our own thing and met up in the afternoons. It’s a win-win.”
    “That’s how we are too,” said Denise. “It’s nice.”
     

     
     

Chapter 6
    “Sorry I’m late,” I said to Belinda as I finally made it to our arranged meeting spot. Denise and Regina had kept trying to get me to stay and although I wanted to find out what their big secret was, and enjoy the sunshine, this was more important.
    “Not a problem. I was just catching up on some work,” she said stuffing some papers back in her briefcase. So I’m dying to know. What did you find out?”
    “Not a lot unfortunately.” Belinda’s face fell a little but she bounced back quickly. She knew as well as I had that it was a long shot anyone could give new information after so much time had passed. “Two of the places didn’t have anyone left on staff from the times of the murder and out of the two who did one guy had no information. I did talked to someone at La Maison who said he saw Malia arguing with an older gentleman before she was found murdered. Since we didn’t share information beforehand I didn’t know if this was old news or new news.”
    At this Belinda looked excited. “I don’t think anyone mentioned her arguing with someone before.” She picked up her large tote bag and sat it in her lap digging around in it until she finally pulled out a beaten up leather journal. Flipping through the pages she paused and her finger moved down the page, as she seemed to be reading something. “Nothing in here about Malia arguing with anyone. I wonder why I didn’t find this out. Who gave you this information?”
    “Diego Vazquez.”
    “No wonder!” Belinda said. “Diego wasn’t working when I tried to talk to him. He was gone for a few months I think, someone there told me to take care of a family