The Betrayal of Lies Read Online Free PDF

been mostly for the better.”
    “Did Elise ever mention leaving her husband?”
    “No, not to me, but it wouldn’t surprise me.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Camille looked at Emily with a wistful grin. “There’s only so much loneliness a woman can stand before something’s got to give.”
    Emily hadn’t considered how lonely Camille might be when her husband travelled on business so often. Maybe it was easier for Camille than Elise because her work kept her pretty busy and she had a close group of friends she saw often. Elise, on the other hand, hadn’t had that, not until she met Camille.
    However, with Molly going off to college in the fall, Camille would be all alone in the house when Jonathan was travelling, except for the company of Chester, their golden retriever. Emily decided the girls would have to make sure they checked in with Camille a little more often during those times he was away.
    Emily rose. “If there’s nothing else, I need to get going. You’ll give me a call if you think of anything, won’t you?”
    “I will.” Camille stood and hugged Emily tightly. “I hope you find her.”
    ~*~
    On the drive back to the Murphy apartment, Emily made another attempt at calling Elise’s daughter, but again had no luck. She left another vague voicemail, wondering if she should be more specific in the message, more urgent, but she didn’t want Kaitlyn to find out about her mother that way. She’d try her again later.
    Next Emily phoned Colin and brought him up to speed on her conversations with Camille and Elise’s sister. “Sounds like things weren’t as rosy in the Murphy house as the mister led us to believe.”
    “I’m not surprised,” he said. “Most people don’t want to admit when they’re having marital problems, especially not to complete strangers.”
    “Particularly when it might make him look as if he might have had something to do with her disappearance.”
    “Happily married or not, someone did take his wife. He has an alibi—he was out of town on business. I had Ernie verify his meetings and travel plans.”
    “Okay, so maybe the husband wasn’t involved,” Emily conceded. “Any word from any potential kidnappers?”
    “Not yet, but we’re ready for their call when it comes,” Colin said. “By the way, Isabel is here.”
    “Isabel? Why?” Emily was confused. This hadn’t become a federal case yet. Why would the FBI be interested in this situation?
    “She said her office heard about the possibility of a kidnapping and that the FBI just wants to be kept in the loop. I guess Patrick Murphy is a big deal. Apparently, he called his friend the Governor early this morning, who must have called someone he knows in the FBI.”
    “Sounds like he doesn’t trust us small-town detectives,” Emily said with an edge of sarcasm.
    “Yeah, don’t take it personally. The guy wants his wife back,” Colin reasoned. “If you were missing, Babe, I’d call in the FBI, the CIA, and the NSA to do a full-court press to find you.”
    His words made her smile. “I’m pulling up now. See you in a minute.”
    ~*~
    Colin was standing in the far corner of the dining area speaking to Isabel when he noticed Emily and he waved her over.
    Emily stepped inside the spacious and stylish apartment and turned toward the buzz of conversation coming from the dining area to the right of the foyer, appearing to have seen Colin’s gesture. A number of men were in the room, some in suits and others in uniforms, a few seated at the table in front of a bank of electronic equipment, others milling around, talking.
    Isabel, dressed in her usual dark blue business suit and tailored white blouse, with her long dark curls pulled up into a twist, looking very FBI, smiled as Emily approached.
    Emily carefully squeezed between the men that filled the room until she reached Colin and Isabel. “Full house, I see.”
    “Hey, Em.” Isabel grasped her hand. “I was just saying the same thing to