The Price of Candy Read Free Page B

wondered, to get her
hands on all of it?
    Toby made another mistake the next day. He
came back and asked for all the money back.
    Of all the nerve, she thought. He said he
needed car repairs, his mother was behind on her mortgage or dying
or something. He just had to have the money back. Forget about
it.
    His mistake in sharing with her had finally
sunk down through his scalp, she guessed. He might also have
realized, since Abby was not putting out as expected, ten grand
could buy him a fantastic amount of sex around town. A fool and his
money are some party. Of course, the first bimbo he connected with
wouldn’t leave his side until she had it all. Like the lion that
lies down beside the zebra for days until all the bones are picked
clean.
    Abby thanked him for the gift of money, said
she’d given it a lot of thought, was sorry, but she’d decided to
keep it. She didn’t mention she’d also decided to eliminate his
future. Abby had all the information she needed to continue Toby’s
scheme on her own. She didn’t need him. He was in the way. He
threatened her. She didn’t care. She had the gun.
    “Settle down, Toby. You need me. We can go
ahead with this money deal together. I want to start spending a lot
of time with you. I want you to come over some night next week.
I’ve got something very special in mind for you. Wait for my
call.”
    She knew his death must appear accidental.
That’s why she had phoned Sandra Reid to get her involved in the
plot.
    Abby recalled a newspaper item about a woman
who testified her husband was clowning around with his shotgun and
in fact put the damn barrel in his mouth. She took the blame for it
going off. Perhaps she shouldn’t have screamed so loud. At least
that was her story.
    Abby could prance around and get Toby to suck
on the end of a shotgun, but she knew the police were unlikely to
buy such a story a second time.
    She couldn’t just invite Toby over to her
house and shoot him accidentally because that indicates she knows
him. Even a junior Sherlock would then start looking for a possible
motive. Why did you want him dead, lady?
    No, Toby needs to remain outside her house as
though she doesn’t know him, as if he’s a stranger, like a prowler.
When he shows up, she’ll tell him to wait out back . I heard a
noise your honor, got my gun, and went outside. I was so
frightened. I’ve a young daughter to protect, you know. Had no
choice, I was terrified.
    Sounded like justifiable homicide to her. In
most states if you shoot a prowler outside it’s best to drag them
inside before phoning the police; there’s a lot less bother. Abby
heard in Florida you could shoot them most anywhere.
    Toby Towalski wasn’t a prowler, but he wanted
that money back, and he stood in the way of her getting the rest.
With him out of the way, she’d go see that man he talked about and
get more money.
    She realized before asking Toby over she must
lay the groundwork for her plan. She must first establish for the
authorities that she was indeed in real danger. I told people,
someone had been prowling around my house. She could ask her
ten-year-old daughter to lie for her. She knew Jamie wouldn’t
hesitate to lie, but the smartass kid was liable to come out with
anything.
    Abby needed someone to back up her story of
being afraid, someone the police would believe, and someone
credible. Sandra Reid had assisted the police in the past and most
authorities regarded her favorably. She’d be ideal.
     
     
     

Chapter Four
     
    Sandy had decided to meet with Abby out of
curiosity rather than for “old times’ sake” as their phone call
suggested. Sandy could recall nothing personal between them to
relive. She doubted they had anything in common other than dreaming
of the day that the stupid system would release them from rehab.
Definitely not buddies, so there could be no fond remembrance of
how they had comforted each another. None of that. She had landed
in that teenage program by mistake or at