Honeymoon To Die For Read Free Page A

she’d take back the words she should never have uttered that sent Sara Lynn to her death.
    Swallowing against the knot stuck in her throat, Bianca said, “I brought your favorite cupcake.” Sara Lynn was one month younger than Bianca. She placed the birthday cupcake on the ground in front of her best friend’s headstone and tucked her birthday card underneath.
    Thunder rumbled louder this time and the wind intensified.
    She had to get through this and admit she was failing Sara Lynn. “Now that the party has settled down, I’ll be honest with you. I have a favor to ask.”
    Was that rain falling in the distance?
    She took in the clouds still piling together and lowered a narrowed gaze at the headstone. “I’m wearin’ my good clothes today, but I’ll make this quick if I’m holdin’ you up.”
    Sarcasm was lost on Sara Lynn.
    Bianca got back to her point. “Our investigation is stuck. I’ve searched everywhere for evidence on this case, but we still don’t have any way of proving how the terrorists in your attack got their hands on those specific weapons.”
    Your attack .
    As if everyone were allotted their own personal death squad when Sara Lynn had been nothing more than a warm body in a humanitarian group to those terrorists.
    There were attacks—somewhere in the world—every few days now, but the one in Istanbul two years ago had taken Sara Lynn from Bianca and eight more victims from their families and friends.
    A few wet sprinkles tapped against Bianca’s arm. She sighed and hurried on. “I promised you I’d see this through and I will, but I need help. I’m thinking you’ve got some pull and ... since your current Boss sees everything...”
    Understatement of the year.
    No flash of inspiration hit her.
    Why should God help her when it was Bianca’s fault Sara Lynn was dead?
    She took a shuddering breath. “I am so sorry I talked you into going to Istanbul. I really thought it would be a great opportunity and it sounded low-risk.” Her voice cracked. “I’m more sorry that I got sick and couldn’t go with you. We should’ve been together, just like always.”
    Bianca’s cell phone buzzed. She scrubbed at her eyes and checked the display. “Really? I take one day off ...” Another round of thunder boomed. She cleared her throat, sat up straight so she could sound professional, and answered, “Special Agent Brady.”
    “Murdock wants to see you in the Atlanta office pronto,” Murdock’s assistant Quinten said.
    Pointing out that Bianca had taken a vacation day she’d put in for months ago was not a wise career move at this point. Not when Jason Murdock, her boss at her temporary assignment and FBI Special Agent in Charge in Atlanta, wanted to see her. “I’m about five hours north of Atlanta, but I’ll head back right away. Can you tell me what he needs? I have my laptop so I can send him something immediately.”
    Water pinged her head and arms. Bianca glared at the headstone.
    Quinten said, “No. Murdock wants, and I quote, ‘his expert on the Van Dyke Enterprises case’ located ASAP.”
    Bianca jumped to her feet. Did that mean they’d had a break in the case? “On my way. Please tell him I’ll be there by three.”
    Rain gushed down as she ran for her Ford Explorer. She turned her face up to the heavens. A regular frog strangler. “So not funny, Sara Lynn!”
    Bianca dove into her truck and slammed the door. Soaked. Oh well, her hair and clothes had five hours to dry.
    Rain pounded the roof of her sport utility, as it had every time she’d come to visit her best friend’s grave.
    Sara Lynn had to be laughing right now. She used to hoot at Bianca for fussing over her hair getting wet. Assuming Bianca was worried about her looks for some boy, Sara Lynn would say, “A man who really loves you won’t care ‘bout no wet hair, BB. Just let it go.”   
    Bianca and Sara Lynn were going to be each other’s maids of honor, but Sara Lynn wouldn’t be getting married now.