Deadly Holidays by Anne Marie Becker

Author:Anne Marie Becker [Becker, Anne Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781944055929
Publisher: Anne Marie Becker

* * *

“Are you okay?” Jeremy gazed at her with concern.

“I will be,” Rachel said.

But Lauren would never be okay again. While Rachel had never been close to the woman, and Lauren had likely been involved with Bryce behind Rachel’s back, Lauren didn’t deserve what had happened to her. Nobody did.

“By the way,” she continued, “I know Jake was investigating Bryce for you. He didn’t want to tell me. I just wish he hadn’t hidden his true motives.”

Jeremy grimaced. “Don’t blame him for that. I asked him not to tell you. I wasn’t sure we could fully trust you. But Jake says you’re good, and that makes you good in my book.” Hearing that Jake had defended her, and that he hadn’t wanted to lie to her, melted the rest of the ice she’d built up around her heart. “Plus, you ended up in the river. I doubt Bryce would have done that if you were working with him.”

She lightly punched Jeremy’s arm. “You know me better than that.”

“Yeah, I do. I shouldn’t have doubted you. Accept my apology?”

“Don’t let it happen again.”

“Wouldn’t even think of it.” Jeremy draped an arm over her shoulder as they entered the hotel bar and crossed to the large table where Adriana was surrounded by her parents, future in-laws, bridesmaids, and groomsmen—everyone except Jack, Bryce, and Lauren.

Adriana looked up as they approached. “Is Lauren still sick?”

Rachel’s lip quivered and she bit down hard, but she didn’t have to respond because Jeremy did it for her.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “She’s dead. I wish I didn’t have to break the news this way.”

Adriana froze. As Jeremy’s blunt statement sank in, the rest of the group around her erupted with questions and exclamations.

“I don’t understand,” Adriana said. “I thought it was just a virus.” Jeremy moved to hug her.

Rachel shook her head. “She wasn’t sick. She was murdered.” More questions filled the room and she raised her hand to signal for silence. “Jake’s up there right now, trying to get more information. I don’t know anything else.”

“This is horrible,” Emma said, swiping at her tears. “I feel bad for joking she’d gone to Vegas.”

Cecilia nodded and blew her nose into a napkin. “Me too.” Her jaw dropped. “Was it Bryce?”

“It is odd that he disappeared at the same time,” Rachel said. “The two of them worked together at S&R, so it makes sense they knew each other. But why would he kill her?”

“We should postpone the wedding until we figure this out,” Vida Rosales declared. “We all understand.”

Adriana sobbed into Jeremy’s shirt.

“We can decide that later,” Jeremy said.

Adriana lifted her head with a hiccup and pressed her lips together. “No. I’m not going to let anyone steal our dreams. It’s our special day and nobody, including Bryce, is going to ruin it. Lauren would forgive us, I’m sure. She was a good friend. And we’ll honor her, of course. We can have a special ceremony for her.”

Rachel sighed and sank into a seat, murmuring her thanks when Emma pushed a glass of water toward her.

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