Patricia Dusenbury - Claire Marshall 01 - A Perfect Victim Read Free

know where--"
    "He was so broken up after Annie Lewis died. I never thought he'd get married again.
Neither did Sherry." Jeanette rattled on as if Claire hadn't spoken. "And you're so young, I never
would have guessed you're a widow, but he told me all about it." A loud sigh. "Both of you lost the
person you loved, but now you've found each other."
    "No one's found anyone. Frank and I are not in love. We are not getting married. We're not
even dating. My company is restoring a property that Frank owns."
    "I know. It's a secret romance."
    "There's no romance, secret or otherwise. There is a problem with a check." Claire spoke
through clenched teeth. "Can someone else help me?"
    "Sherry writes all the checks, but Frank gave her the week off, you know, because he wasn't
going to be around."
    "Please have him call me as soon as possible."
    She returned the receiver to its cradle, gently, not the slam that would have been more
satisfying. Honeymoon reservations? Where had that come from? If Jeanette stopped talking long
enough to listen, she might get her stories straight. She cursed Frank's long-winded secretary
and dialed her office. Jack would have bitten his fingernails to the quick by now.
    As soon as she said hello, he asked, "What did Palmer say?"
    "I couldn't reach him," she admitted. "Who'd you talk to at the bank? I'll call their
boss."
    "I worked my way up to the branch manager, who wasn't giving an inch."
    "I can go higher. Frank introduced me to Bobby Austin a couple weeks ago. Hold on while I
look for his card."
    "Bobby Austin who runs the bank?"
    "Uh huh." Frank had said Bobby was both his banker and his best friend. Asking Bobby for
help might be seen as an imposition, but she was desperate. She held the phone between her
shoulder and her ear and rummaged through her pocketbook. "Here it is. Let's hope he remembers
me."
    The woman who answered the phone sounded doubtful, but moments later Bobby came on
the line. "Claire, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"
    She described the situation, hoping he couldn't hear her desperation. They both knew the
construction industry was littered with small firms gone belly up due to cash flow problems. And
without Frank's check, Authentic Restorations had more flow than cash.
    "There's no reaching Frank when he's gone fishing," Bobby agreed. "But don't worry, we'll
cover his check. Tell your partner to bring it to any branch and have the teller call my office. We're
open until four this afternoon."
    "Thank you, Bobby." Her shoulders relaxed, and she realized they'd been hunched up
around her ears. She had more than money invested in Authentic Restorations. "Jack Giordano will
be at your Saint Charles branch within the hour."
    "Frank can be careless about details, but he's a good man."
    "I appreciate your taking time to help me." Maybe Frank was a good man, maybe not, but
Bobby had earned a gold star in her book. "I know you're busy."
    "My pleasure. And Claire, Frank told me about your plans."
    "What plans?" Had Frank told Bobby about fixing up the cabin?
    "Have it your way." He chuckled. "Your secret's safe with me. And I'm very happy for both
of you."
    "But we're not... There's no..." Claire realized she was protesting to a dial tone. Bobby had
hung up. She stared, befuddled, at the receiver in her hand. Could Frank be telling his friends that
they planned to marry? Why on earth would he do that? They hardly knew each other.
    She searched her memory for anything that indicated romantic interest on Frank's part and
found nothing except, perhaps, the watch. He had insisted on driving her to the airport, part of his
penance for being unreasonable, he'd said. He pulled up in front of the terminal and walked around
to get her suitcase out of the backseat while she waited on the sidewalk. Then, instead of handing it
over and driving away, he put his hand on her arm. He apologized again for losing his temper and
said he was very pleased with the work her firm was doing.
    "I don't