Read Online The Betrayal of Lies by Debra Burroughs - Free Book Online Page B

treating her like they were strangers, not close friends, and she did not appreciate it.
    “I didn’t mean to offend you, Maggie, I only—”
    “Hey, enough already,” Isabel cut in, obviously attempting to diffuse the situation and rescue Emily from going too far. “Let’s sit down and eat before the food gets cold.”
    “Yes,” Camille agreed. “Everyone grab your plate and let’s try to have a nice dinner.”
    Emily caught Maggie glaring at her as she picked up a plate from the stack. It was an unusually uncomfortable feeling. She had all but accused her good friend of being part of a felony, and if she was wrong, there may be no coming back from it.
    They quietly filled their dishes and took their seats. As was their common practice, they each took turns around the table talking about what was going on in their lives. Emily hoped that would break the silence and return them to their usual friendly conversation.
    Maggie jumped in first, complaining she was working more and more at the Serenity Health Club and less at her own studio, it seemed. Some of her clients were being wooed away by all the luxurious amenities and state-of-the-art exercise equipment the new club had to offer, making it hard for her to compete. “It’s seriously cuttin’ into my bottom line, if you know what I mean.”
    The comment about Maggie’s financial woes did not escape Emily’s notice. It was a possible motive for getting drawn into Elise’s kidnapping, especially if there was a cut of the ransom money to be had.
    Isabel shared that she wasn’t working on anything big right now at the FBI, but her boss had her busy keeping an eye on a potentially sticky situation the Governor had expressed interest in.
    “Tell us about it,” Maggie begged. “It sounds interestin’.”
    “Sorry, I can’t, at least not at this point. Maybe in a few weeks.” Isabel looked over at Emily again.
    Camille boasted that her catering and event planning business was booming, keeping her busier than she would like. She had hired Elise to take some of the load off of her, but now that she was missing, she didn’t know what she was going to do.
    “Of course, I’m not putting my business before Elise’s welfare, you understand. It’s just that I have clients depending on me and I’m going to have to start looking for a replacement.”
    “Clients depending on you, like me?” Emily feigned a sad face.
    “I guess I’ll be the one doing your wedding after all.” Camille swirled the remaining ambrosia around on her plate. “Poor Elise, I sure hope they find her alive.”
    “Cam, is there anything you can tell me that you hadn’t this morning?” Emily asked. “Something maybe you thought of after our conversation?”
    “Like I told you before, she was desperately unhappy in her marriage and—”
    “Was her husband abusive in any way?” Emily interrupted. That would certainly motivate her to leave him.
    Maggie’s eyes grew round at the thought of it. “You mean, did he beat her?”
    “There are other ways to be abusive,” Isabel pointed out in her matter-of-fact way. “Verbally, emotionally, psychologically.”
    “No, not that I know of.” Camille responded pensively, with a slight shake of her head. “But I know some women get good at hiding it, like it’s their fault somehow. Remember that Abby Russell?”
    Maggie and Isabel nodded their agreement.
    “She always went on and on about how perfect their marriage was and what a fantastic husband and father her husband was, remember?” Maggie asked, glancing around the table. “Nothin’ is ever that perfect.”
    “Sounds like she was overcompensating,” Isabel added, “like it was her fault somehow.”
    “So you think Patrick might have been abusing Elise?” Emily asked Camille, before taking a forkful of macaroni and cheese.
    “I hate to share things she told me in confidence.” Camille took a long sip of iced tea.
    Emily wondered when that started. Usually Camille was