Deceit in Paradise (Florida Keys Mystery Series Book 25) by Deborah Brown

Author:Deborah Brown [Brown, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

The next morning, Fab and Didier showed up early, coming in the front door without knocking. She had a pink bakery box in one hand and I’d bet a lockpick in one of her pockets. Creole had made two pots of coffee.

“How is it that I’m the last to know about this impromptu meeting?” I asked.

Fab slid onto a stool across from me at the island. “Have a cinnamon roll—they were fresh out of the oven. You’ll be much perkier.”

I barely stopped myself from licking my lips.

Didier placed breakfast pastries on a platter and set them in the middle of the island, then passed out plates while Creole poured coffee.

It didn’t take long for the food to disappear and the coffee mugs to be refilled.

“Did you tell Creole about Didier and me seeing Krista at the bar?” Fab asked.

“Knowing my hub’s not going to like my idea of how to deal with that woman, I thought I’d wait and shuffle the telling onto you. If I manage to stay out of jail, why mention old news?” I could feel Creole’s glare without looking his way.

Didier shook his head at me.

“Who’s Krista?” Creole asked.

“Xander’s… you might not know this part.” I motioned to Fab. “Knowing you love a good story, be sure to start at the beginning.”

“Xander’s girlfriend. She’s pregnant… sort of,” Fab said.

“You don’t look very surprised by this announcement,” Creole said to Didier.

“Sworn to secrecy.” Didier smirked and nudged Fab. “Be sure to throw in a timeline.”

Fab relayed the events of the night she and Didier had seen Krista in the bar. Nothing varied from what she’d told me.

“I take it that Xander doesn’t know what you found out?” Creole asked.

“The reason for this morning’s meeting,” Fab said. “Told Didier your idea, and he thinks it needs to be revised. But only in parts.”

“What were you thinking of doing?” Creole asked. “I’m sure you both know that this is one of those situations where there’s no good way to break the news.”

“Kidnap Krista at gunpoint, drag her ass down here, and make her tell on herself,” I said.

Creole laughed. “That was Fab’s idea, and she’s letting you take credit.”

I glared at him. “I can come up with thug ideas of my own.”

“The part I don’t like is that you could go to jail,” Didier said.

Creole put his hand over mine. “There’s not going to be a good way to tell Xander that he was conned. I do like your idea of making Krista do it herself, minus the illegal parts.”

“Unless she’s forced, she’s not going to fess up to anything,” I insisted.

“I’ve come up with an amendment to the plan.” Fab waved wildly.

“No more coffee for you,” I said.

She ignored me, which I’d expected. “We invite her down here for a birthday lunch for Xander. I know it’s not his birthday, but maybe she doesn’t know that.”

“Better yet, invite her to celebrate Xander getting a big bonus,” Didier said.

“If she’s as greedy as it’s been suggested, she’ll show,” Creole said.

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