Love With A Stranger Read Free Page A

kept her face blank. The fact that she wore her dyed black hair pulled back in a bun so tight it stretched her skin over her cheekbones added to her upleasant expression. Cass didn’t like the unfriendly woman, but she was an excellent housekeeper and cook. After moving to Sea Island, Cass and Tom had been told that good domestic help was hard to find, so he had insisted they keep the disagreeable creature. Her husband had been adamant that she would not become a maid or cook in her own home.
    “What do they want, Inez? Is it about Tom’s…accident?”
    “I don’t know, ma’am. Do you want me to ask them again to leave? Or do you want to call Mr. Peter home to deal with them?”
    Cass tossed aside the covers and put on her slippers as she replied, “Neither, Inez. Tell them I’ll be down as soon as I’m dressed.”
    “As you wish, ma’am.”
    Before Inez could leave, Cass ordered in a pleasant tone, “Would you please offer the gentlemen some coffee?”
    “As you wish, ma’am; it’s ready in the kitchen. I’ll bring you a cup to help you wake up.”
    “Thanks, and I’ll have my breakfast on the veranda after they leave.”
    “As you wish, ma’am.”
    While observing the woman’s departure, Cass retorted silently, If I did as I wished, you would have been gone long ago, you irritating—Watch it, Cass, she warned herself, don’t get yourself all worked up; and Inez is being nice today. For Inez, an offer to bring her coffee was a huge and unexpected kindness.
    Cass headed for the bathroom to freshen up, dress in a casual outfit, and put on at least a smidgen of makeup. The coffee was waiting for her when she emerged and she took a few sips. She couldn’t imagine why the police officers had come, but the last thing she wanted to talk about was Tom’s automobile accident and death. If it was only a courtesy or general inquiry call, she reasoned as she hurried, why had they insisted that a grieving widow leave her bed to speak with them?
    She finished the coffee, used a refreshing blue mouthwash, checked her appearance, and left the room.
    Cass entered the large and formal living room, paused just inside the archway, and asked, “What can I do for you gentlemen this morning? This has been a long and trying week and I wasn’t expecting company so early.”
    “I’m Detective Adam Beals and this is my partner, Detective Carl Killian,” one of the men announced. “Have a seat, Mrs. Grantham; this might take a while. We have a lot of questions to ask before we can clear up this matter.”
    Beals seemed short and stocky; Killian looked lanky. She couldn’t tell how tall either actually was since neither man rose from his seat when she entered the room, nor apologized about intruding on her privacy. It was apparent—since no coffee cups were visible—that they had refused Inez’s offer. Neither man smiled, and Beals’s voice sounded as gruff as his expression appeared. Inexplicable panic shot through her. “What kinds of questions, sir? The only things I know about the accident are what the officer who delivered the news told me.”
    “Was it an accident, Mrs. Grantham?”
    “I beg your pardon?” she asked in confusion, noting howBeals stressed the word “accident” and sent her a skeptical look before he continued.
    “We’ve already spoken to his pilot and the woman who flew in with him that night. He’s the only one who drove that particular car, right?”
    Cass nodded. “What woman? Tom didn’t say anything about bringing a business associate or guest home with him, and I wasn’t told someone was in the car with him. Was she injured? Is she in the hospital?”
    “No. He dropped her at the Embassy Suites on Golden Isles Parkway, a Miss Gretchen Lowery, a model, twenty-three, blue eyes, blond hair.”
    “Her name isn’t familiar to me and Tom didn’t mention her when he phoned Sunday morning. Perhaps he gave her a lift home as a favor.”
    “That isn’t the case; she said they