Read Online Resort to Murder by Carolyn Hart - Free Book Online

quickly. “Stay with me, Diana. We’ll go down for tea.”
    â€œSee you later.” Neal strode quickly away.
    Diana smiled, took my arm. We walked slowly down the path. I wondered how to begin. Diana looked out toward the sea. The pleasure of the outing with her brother seeped away, leaving her face somber. Her delicate features sharpened. Her lips pressed together. She should have been lovely, with strawberry-blond curls framing finely chiseled features. But if I were in the business of giving beauty advice, I’d be succinct: Be happy.
    I’ve spent a lifetime asking questions. All reporters know that the unexpected question can yield enormous dividends. It’s not a polygraph, but definitely the next best thing. Even the slickest liar can be startled by a totally unexpected inquiry. My granddaughter was not a slick liar, but she was a very unhappy young woman.
    We were at the top of the steps leading down to the lower terrace. The sounds of conversation drifted up to us. Abruptly, I demanded, “Diana, was the tower hard to break?” I watched her closely, alert for the flare of eyes, for the sudden immobility of shock, for a quick-drawn breath.
    Diana stopped, puzzled. She bent toward me. “I’m sorry, Grandma. What did you say?” Her voice was polite. And untroubled.
    Not even a trill of joy by a choir of angels could match the relief that flooded through me. “I said that you look as though your heart was about to break.”
    â€œOh, Grandma.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I can’t stand it if Daddy marries her. She’s a mess. You saw the way she acted in the bar last night, playing up to that awful man from Texas. It made me sick. And she doesn’t care a bit about what matters to Daddy. He’s going to leave Dallas and you know how he’s always loved Dallas. And he’s going to leave his law firm. And all of his friends.”
    I could have told her that a city, no matter how much enjoyed, and friends, no matter how treasured, are cold comfort in a double bed alone. Ireached out, took her hand. “Diana, don’t make your father unhappy. I know it’s hard for you and Neal, but try to see this from your father’s—”
    She gripped my hand in her hands, held it tightly. “Grandma, she’s a tramp. Listen, I’ve found out all about her. They’ve been coming here for years and she always had men clustered around her, even when Marlow and Jasmine’s father was alive. Just like that Mr. Patterson. She’s always stayed up late in the bar and there was always somebody drinking with her. And Mrs. Worrell’s husband followed her around and he’d get drunk and sing to her. Mrs. Worrell got really upset. But last year, Dad was here and Connor went after him and that made Mr. Worrell mad. He and Connor had a big fight and the next morning they found his body at the foot of the tower.”
    â€œIs that why you engineered the picture on the point this morning?” My tone was sharp.
    She dropped my hand, looked at me defiantly. “All right. It bothered her, didn’t it? Why should the tower upset her unless there’s something about it she doesn’t want to think about? Like a man getting drunk over her and falling off and getting killed.”
    â€œYou said you’ve found out all about her…”
    â€œShe’s a slut.” Diana was disdainful, her voice hard.
    â€œReally. And how did you achieve this intelligence?” I gazed at her steadily.
    Diana’s eyes fell away. She fingered a shell button on her cardigan.
    â€œFrom George? The ever-helpful young waiter?” My tone was cool.
    â€œHe knows.” Diana’s retort was impassioned. “He sees everything. He knows all about her.”
    â€œAnd apparently can’t wait to broadcast it to others.Diana, look at your source. Why is George doing this?” If Diana didn’t wonder, I damn sure