Twice Kissed by Lisa Jackson

Author:Lisa Jackson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Kensington

From his viewpoint at an upper-story window, Detective Henderson sipped his coffee around the wad of gum that had grown stale in his mouth. Squinting, he noticed Thane Walker’s black pickup meld into the steady flow of traffic. A few seconds later an unmarked police vehicle followed suit, and he felt a little better. He didn’t trust Walker, and, if his gut instincts were right, Marquise’s twin sister was holding something back, some piece of information.

But then everyone involved was tight-lipped—from Syd Gillette, the second husband, to Wade Pomeranian, Marquise’s latest lover—they all seemed to hold a secret. Even Eve Lawrence, Marquise’s secretary and a woman who seemed genuinely worried, wasn’t anxious to talk to anyone associated with the police department. The same could be said of Craig Beaumont, the cohost of Denver AM, who appeared to hold more than his share of grudges against his partner.

Sooner or later, Henderson knew, the truth would come out. It always did. It just took the right amount of digging and a lot of patience and perseverance.

Of all the people associated with the case, Thane Walker bothered him the most. Probably because he’d been in trouble before. Then there was that little domestic dispute that Marquise’s neighbor, Jane Stanton, had reported. Too bad the woman had heard only bits and pieces of the conversation, but Walker had threatened Marquise according to the woman. “If this is one more of your bullshit lies, Mary Theresa, I swear I’ll kill you.” Or so the neighbor who lived alone with six cats was willing to testify. What was that all about? And why was he so damned secretive? His I-don’t-give-a-good-goddamn attitude settled like lead in Henderson’s gut. “But why would he want his ex-wife dead?” he muttered to himself.

“That’s a good question. He really doesn’t have much of a motive, does he?” Hannah had finished scribbling her notes and tucked the pad into a voluminous purse she forever carried with her.

“She does owe him money.”

“How much?” Hannah’s head snapped up.

This was news he’d just learned from the county records, news he hadn’t yet shared with her.

“A couple of hundred thousand. Closer to two-fifty.”

Hannah whistled low. “Secured?”

He nodded. “Second trust deeds on both her houses. About the only collateral the woman had. She was in debt to her pretty neck. If Marquise is dead, he can force a sale against the estate and collect.” Seeing that the tail was neatly and discreetly in place as the unmarked Jeep rounded the corner, he turned and shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Couldn’t he do it if she was alive?”

“Oh, yes. But she could fight him; make it messy. Lots of bad publicity and lawyer fees.”

“Does he need the money?”

“Doesn’t look that way. The guy has a knack for investments, it seems. Self-made. Worked hard, put money away, got lucky on a couple of real-estate deals. He bought a lot of land in California when the market went bust a few years back. Now that it’s turned around, it looks like he’s a wealthy man.

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