Read Online Trinity Harbor 3 - Along Came Trouble by Sherryl Woods - Free Book Online Page B

polish every piece. She’d loved imagining tea being poured from this very service by some distant ancestor in London hundreds of years before. She’d read every book in her grandfather’s library about the gracious way of life from which she was descended.
    Dreaming about a bygone era was a far cry, however, from wanting to live in it. She had balked at the old-fashioned constraints her grandfather had placed on her, stolen every opportunity to break free so that she could fol ow Tucker on his adventures. He had given her back the childhood that the tragic death of her parents had stolen.
    Tucker would have given her the world if she’d let him. But Larry had come along with his charm and his prospects. Her grandfather, one of Larry’s staunchest political supporters, had encouraged the two of them to spend time together. He’d believed they shared the same ideals. After several lengthy conversations, Liz had come to believe it, too.
    For her, those talks had been intel ectual y stimulating, nothing more. Spending time with Larry had been the first thing she’d ever done of which her grandfather had total y approved.
    Later that had been a huge incentive to say yes when Larry had proposed, that and the promise of the fairy-tale wedding of which every girl dreamed.
    “Mrs. Chandler?”
    She snapped her attention back to Walker Ames.
    “Is al of the silver here?”
    She nodded.
    “Okay, then, unless you discover something missing, I think we can safely rule out robbery as a motive. I’d appreciate that list of names as soon as possible.”
    “I’l do it this afternoon,” she said.
    “Good. Where can I pick it up?”
    She was startled by the question. “I can’t stay here?”
    “Not for the time being,” he said. “Once we’re sure al the evidence had been gathered, we’l release it, and you can move back in.”
    “Wil I be able to take a few of my things?”
    “Of course. I’l wait while you get them, then I can drive you wherever you’d like to go.”
    “I came with Tucker. I’m sure he can take me…someplace.”
    The deputy looked as though he disapproved, but he said only, “I’l check with him while you pack. I can have one of the deputies go up with you.”
    “That’s not necessary,” she began, but then she saw the look on his face and sighed. “That wil be fine.”
    When Walker had gone off in search of someone to accompany her upstairs, Powel tucked a finger under her chin. “You did just fine. I need to get back to Richmond. Wil you be okay?”
    “Sure.”
    “If they cal you in for more questioning, don’t go until you contact me. Understood?”
    “Yes.”
    “And I’l want to see whatever paperwork you give the police. Make me a copy of those lists and fax it down.” He handed her his business card.
    “The number’s on here.”
    “Thanks for coming, Powel .”
    “No problem.” He gazed into her eyes. “One last piece of advice. Steer clear of Tucker. I know you trust him, but his loyalties are bound to be divided.”
    “Tucker would never do anything to hurt me,” she said with absolute confidence.
    Powel regarded her evenly. “He once thought the same about you.”
    Liz shuddered, despite her conviction that Tucker would always be on her side. Was it possible that he would turn his back on her just when she needed him the most? And how could she blame him if he did?
    5
    T here was some sort of uproar over at Swan Ridge. King spotted the commotion on his way back to Cedar Hil. There were police cars and media vans everywhere, plainly visible from the highway. Probably another one of Lawrence Chandler’s press conferences, King concluded. And he’d probably hired al the local off-duty cops to work security. The man did like al the trappings of celebrity.
    King was tempted to venture onto the grounds and see for himself what Chandler was up to, but the prospect of bumping into Mary Elizabeth kept him away. He hadn’t been able to look the woman in the face without