Island of Deceit by Candice Poarch

course she was sure. She beat the heck out of her boyfriend, didn’t she? “I’ll just wait outside for you to lock up.”
    Outside, a couple of spectators had stopped and Harper sent them on their way. He leaned against his car, and waited for Barbara to lock the door and get in her car. His anger simmered as he followed her to the station.
    Behind the wheel of her car, Barbara seethed. It couldn’t have gone better if she’d planned it. She was reeling Elliot in. She could tell he was very interested in the investments. And now this.
    She’d wanted to take the bat and beat the living hell out of Andrew. When she parked in front of the station and got out, Harper caught up with her at the door and took her in back for her statement.
    â€œOkay,” he said, “let’s start from the beginning.”
    â€œI was getting ready to leave because I have a meeting with the Founder’s Day committee tonight. Mrs. Claxton put me on it.”
    â€œShe must have accepted you in the fold, then. That’s a real honor,” Harper said. “What happened next?”
    â€œAndrew showed up at the door. We didn’t have a date tonight, so I didn’t understand why he was there.” She didn’t have to lie. Andrew had admitted to slapping her and he’d attempted to take her money. He’d just failed.
    By the time they finished, Elliot had arrived at the station.
    â€œI’m real sorry about this, Barbara,” Elliot said with contrition and sympathy. “It never occurred to me he’d do such a thing.”
    Barbara summoned up tears and let them spill over. “I thought he was a nice young man. It never…It was so frightening. You have no idea how stressful the ordeal was.”
    Elliot patted her hand. “I know. But…” He cleared his throat. “If you can find it in yourself not to press charges, I’ll see to it he’ll never bother you again. Boy’s too dumb to know a good thing when he sees it.”
    Barbara wanted them to arrest Andrew and throw away the key, but she couldn’t have him arrested. As much as it went against the grain, she had to let him go. She only hoped he’d learned his lesson, but she knew better. His kind didn’t change. Look at his father. What kind of role model did he have?
    â€œYou don’t think he’ll come after me?” she asked Elliot, her eyes wide and feigning fear.
    â€œI’ll see to it he doesn’t bother you again.”
    Leave it to a man to screw up a good plan.
    Barbara nodded. “Well, in that case…if you’re sure.”
    He patted her hand. “I’m sure.”
    Elliot left and Barbara told Harper she wasn’t going to press charges.
    â€œWhat do you mean not press charges?” he snapped. “This is an attempted robbery and assault.” Harper was looking at her strangely, but what could she do? Barbara couldn’t afford the publicity. She had to maintain a low profile. And for her plan to work, she had to find a way to stay in Elliot’s good graces.
    Barbara excused herself to call Naomi to tell her she’d be late for the meeting, but Naomi told her not to come. She’d update her later. Then she went to face Harper and the fallout for her decision not to press charges.
    â€œI just don’t understand it,” John said. “What if he tries to rob someone else and uses a gun next time?”
    â€œI’m trusting Elliot to control his son. Anyway, he’d get out on bail even if I pressed charges.”
    â€œStill…”
    â€œThere are too many of our men in jail as it is,” Barbara defended.
    â€œHe committed a crime,” John pressed.
    â€œLet it go, John,” Harper cut in.
    It was apparent John wanted to press the issue further and Barbara couldn’t blame him.
    â€œI’m off,” he said to Harper with a tired sigh, leaving Harper and Barbara in strained