Secrets and Seduction: 5 Romance Novels Read Online Free PDF Page B

her mother for not making her hurt worse about Caro’s death, for not spilling additional poison into an already unbearable situation.
    “Maybe it is.”
    “Marisa, about Carolyn … ”
    The bell over the door chimed and two college-aged women walked through. They made a beeline for one rack containing needlepoint blouses, exclaiming in delight as they held the first blouse up to examine it. Anjelita rose to assist them.
    The phone rang and Marisa lifted the receiver. “Glen Accounting.”
    “It’s Nick Stark.” Marisa felt fluttery with nerves at the sound of his deep voice. “Brian just got the coroner’s report. Do you want me to come to your office or would you rather hear it over the phone?”
    Marisa braced herself. Her stomach tightened into a hard knot. “Tell me.”
    “Cause of death was blunt force trauma. She died instantly … ”
    Her breath whooshed out. “Thank God.”
    “Whether it was suicide was inconclusive. However.” Nick drew an audible breath. “Carolyn Wentworth had been pregnant, but no longer was. The coroner didn’t believe she’d delivered a full-term baby.”
    “No.” Marisa’s eyes filled. Caro wouldn’t keep something like that to herself. “It can’t be true.” But Caro hadn’t said a word to her, her best friend.
    Nick’s voice gentled. “Dr. Hampstead has been a medical examiner for twenty years. The sheriff said he’s very thorough.”
    Fat tears rolled down Marisa’s cheeks, dripping onto the audit reports in front of her. She tried to blot the drops from the papers before the ink ran. “So you believe it’s true, what her husband said?” She couldn’t even say the words aloud.
    Nick sighed. “The sheriff can’t rule it out. Not now.”
    “Caro wasn’t like that. She wouldn’t have killed herself.” Nor would the Caro Marisa had known have kept a pregnancy secret. She’d have called Marisa to share her joy. The world was off kilter. This was a bad dream and she’d wake up to find her friend alive and Kevin still her loyal fiancé.
    “Your friend might have tripped. I’ll ask Brian to do a little more digging and see what he can find.”
    Hope rose again, faint but breathing. “I’d appreciate that. Thanks for calling me.”
    “You’re welcome. Marisa?”
    She hesitated. What if he had more bad news? “Yes?”
    “If you need someone to talk to … ”
    “Yes?” She held her breath.
    “Don’t hesitate to get those phone numbers from Brian.”
    Marisa didn’t know what she’d expected, but his answer was a disappointment. What was wrong with her? Only yesterday, she’d been in love and engaged to be married. Now she wanted comfort from a dark stranger?
    “I remember.” She disconnected with a quick good-bye.
    The world had gone mad. All of her anchors had snapped free and she felt lost and adrift. And then she remembered Caro’s baby. Had the miscarriage sent Caro into a depression where she felt she couldn’t talk to Marisa about something so personal and devastating? Had it made her not want to live?
    Tears continued to run down Marisa’s cheeks in ever-increasing numbers, destroying much of the spreadsheet. She found herself gulping sobs, and then loving arms were around her, her mother’s familiar lemony scent in her nose. She clung to the anchor in this crazy world and cried for what she’d lost.
    • • •
    Scott Wentworth made a point to glance at his watch when Marisa arrived at the lawyer’s office at five minutes before two that afternoon. Marisa wanted to hit him. Her eyes were still puffy from weeping; yet Scott looked completely unaffected by grief. Even his hair was perfect.
    “You cut that close,” he said.
    Marisa stiffened. She’d never liked Scott. Apparently, now that Carolyn was gone his animosity was out in the open. “Mr. Overmyer said two o’clock. It’s not yet two.”
    Scott’s face smoothed into an aloof mask and Marisa gave him a cold look. She didn’t have to worry about strained relations