Read Online Tin God by Stacy Green - Free Book Online

lifestyle.”
    “And what lifestyle would that be?” Jaymee whipped around to face him. His crooked mouth warped into a sneer, and she felt the familiar stab in her heart. Why did he hate her so much? She couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t look at her with scorn.
    “Living out there with the damned city trash. I’m sure you’re in the same line of work as your friend. After all, once you’ve allowed your body to be used, what’s the difference? Might as well make some money off it, right?”
    “That’s enough, Paul,” Gereau said. “You wanted to know why she came to work in the police car. You got your answers. Let’s leave before this escalates further.”
    She’d heard this all before. The repetitiveness should have dulled the pain, but the words sliced through the layers of armor Jaymee had built around her heart. Her lips shook as her eyes began to fill. Then she saw the corner of her father’s lips perk up. Bastard. He was enjoying this. She chewed back the sob and responded with as much venom as she could muster.
    “I don’t prostitute. Not that you care.”
    “I don’t. I gave up on you a long time ago. But I won’t allow you to drag my family back into the mud. You almost gave me a heart attack back then. Trying to kill me now?”
    “All I did was tell the church what a hypocrite you are. But one day, Dad,” Jaymee emphasized the word with thick sarcasm, “the truth will come out. Life has a way of making things right. Don’t you agree, Reverend Gereau?”
    Gereau took a step back as though Jaymee pushed him. Deep creases lined his forehead as he searched her face, presumably looking for some sort of forgiveness. She didn’t have any left.
    “Life does have a way of working out the way it’s supposed to,” Gereau finally said. “I only hope one day you’ll see that, Jaymee.”
    “Right.” She rolled her shoulders back. “I’m sorry if my friend’s murder is making your life difficult, Dad , but there’s nothing I can do about it. And frankly, your feelings are the least of my concerns.”
    “Friend? Rebecca Newton was a bitch, but she was a high-class broad. She wasn’t friends with someone like you.”
    “Paul–”
    Anger overcame Jaymee’s misery, and she cut off Gereau’s admonishment. “You call yourself a religious person? Rebecca Newton was murdered in her home, and you’re standing here calling her a bitch?”
    Paul’s cheeks puffed out, red spots flushing his skin. “Don’t talk to me like that, girl.”
    “You can’t hurt me anymore, Paul. What are you going to do, slap me in the middle of the diner?”
    “That’s what you need–a good beating to put you back in place. Maybe that’s what happened to your friend. She probably ran her mouth too much, just like you.”
    A tremor shot up Jaymee’s spine and down her arms. The bottle of cleaner dropped from her shaking hands and hit the floor with a sharp pop. She’d forgotten.
    “You argued with Rebecca.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “After the city planning meeting last week.” Jaymee tried not to gag over the ball of nerves growing in her throat. “She stood up to you about the new zoning issue. You pulled her aside after the meeting.”
    And threatened her, Jaymee remembered. He’d warned Rebecca that a servant of God knew to smite his enemies and eat the spoils. She’d laughed about it when she told Jaymee during her last cleaning session, chalking it up to a religious zealot running amuck. Jaymee had apologized for her father. She should have done more, should have warned her friend.
    “You remember your place,” Paul warned. “Don’t be distracting the police with stories.”
    “It’s not a story. Rebecca told me herself.”
    “So? You think you’ll be believed over me, specially after what you did at church?”
    “That was a long time ago.”
    His thin lips curved, his eyes narrowing into snake-like slits. That evil smile chilled her to the bone.
    “Don’t matter.