Read Linda Lovely - Marley Clark 02 - No Wake Zone for Free Online

fear. But
her eyes flashed with anger. Past experience warned me she was about to blow.
“I loved Jake, you little shit.” Her clipped tone vibrated with controlled
fury. “More than you. Jesus, your grandfather’s body isn’t cold and you’re
ranting about your inheritance.”
    Eric sneered. “What bullshit. You love money, period. I’ll
see you in hell before you steal more.”
    Time to interrupt. “You need to leave—now.” I used my best
up-yours, military command voice.
    The surround sound surprised Eric. He hadn’t noticed I’d
scooted behind him.
    He swiveled. “Who the hell are you? Another over-aged
whore?”
    This boy was not winning brownie points.
    When he grabbed my arm, it made anything I did self-defense.
I captured his forearm with my free hand. My thumb found the spot just below
his elbow and dug in. His face went from pallid to pasty. Silently I thanked
the sergeant who’d schooled me in pressure points and practical defense.
    Eric tried to free his arm. While I didn’t release him, I
eased up on the pressure. “Are you ready to leave?”
    He stared daggers at me and spat at Darlene’s feet. “Guess
you’re hiring freakin’ lesbo guards now. Well, she won’t always be around.
We’re not finished.”
    I eased up more and he jerked free. The scene was so over
the top I felt like giggling. Was he for real?
    As we watched the irate man-child stalk away, neither of us
uttered a word. When he disappeared from sight, Darlene sighed. “Eric thinks he
inhabits a soap opera.” She shook her head. “He’s convinced life’s dealt him a
cruel blow. With Gina as his mother, there’s some justification. But lots of
folks have it worse. Poor Eric’s twenty years old and can’t touch a
fifty-million trust fund till he’s thirty. He’s flunked out of four colleges, majoring
in recreational drug use. This spring Jake tried to interest his grandson in
Jolbiogen, brought him in as a lab tech. He lasted three months. Thought the
job beneath him. Jake worried about the boy, but knew throwing money at him
wasn’t a cure.”
    “Your husband sounds like a gem,” I said. “But I don’t envy
you his family.”
    “Jake told them he planned to write a new will. They’re all
sure I goaded him into it. Truth is, I don’t give a flying rat’s ass if I’m in
Jake’s will. Hell, I could sell this diamond and be set for life.”
    The value of expletives is often underrated. Letting loose
with a few swear words seemed to help Darlene vent her frustration. Her
shoulders straightened. Her eyes flashed.
    A strong lady. Good thing. Whatever was—or wasn’t—in Jake’s
will, Darlene faced tough sledding.
    I did find her nonchalance about a billion-dollar estate
hard to swallow. Darlene was a rare bird if she didn’t covet a chunk of change
for her daughter, if not for herself.

FOUR
    I jumped when a hand gripped my shoulder. “Ms. Clark, we
need to talk.”
    Sheriff Delaney’s shoe-leather face hovered above me. His
gray eyes looked anything but friendly. Darlene started to get up. He held up
his palm in a stop motion. “This is official. If you’ll come with me, Ms.
Clark, I’d prefer we do the interview in private.”
    Little hairs on the back of my neck saluted. Holy crap. If
the sheriff’s squinty eyes were any sign, I’d joined the suspect list.
    A popular Army acronym sprang to mind—FUBAR.
    I followed Delaney back to the Olsen house where Harvey
ushered us into a small study and shut the door. I headed for the red leather
couch, automatically pulling one of the decorative throw pillows onto my lap.
    The sheriff claimed a club chair next to the couch and took
out a pen, a notepad, and a digital recorder. “Mind if I record this?” he asked
as he set it on the end table between us.
    “That’s fine,” I answered, trying to keep my voice from
warbling. My throat felt parched and my nervous fingers toyed with the fringe
on the pillow. I told myself I had no reason to be nervous; I’d