Marci’s cell phone.”
Right. They’d confiscated her personal items from the country club bridal room. “What did they find?”
“No proof,” Georgia said. “But it looks like Pendergrass called Marci after he ran.”
Did the man really love Marci?
“What did he say?”
“That he’d call her back.”
“Did you get a location on him?”
Georgia shook her head. “No, he was calling from a burner phone.”
Shit. Cade’s mind ticked over what to do. “Keep the trace on her cell and put one on her home phone. When Pendergrass calls back we can nab him.”
“You think they had a back-up plan? Maybe a place to meet so they can escape together?”
Cade frowned. “I don’t know, but we can’t dismiss the possibility.”
If Marci had lied, she might be meeting Pendergrass. Which meant she might know where he’d hidden his money.
Or where he was going next.
Adrenaline kicked in. Hell, he’d run surveillance on Marci and find out just what that sweet-looking little vixen was up to.
If she intended to catch up with Pendergrass, he’d catch both of them red-handed.
Then he’d never ever have to think about Marci Turner again.
*~*~*~*
Marci sank into the passenger side of Kim’s new mini-van, shoving the crinoline around her to fasten her seatbelt. Right now all she wanted was a hot shower and a change of clothes.
She buried her hands in her dress and dipped her head, too ashamed to even look at her sister. Kim was the director of a home for needy children and depended on donations to keep the place running.
What if some of her supporters saw the news story about her and pulled their backing?
Worry darkened Kim’s face as she chewed on her bottom lip, a nervous habit she’d seen her sister do countless times before.
When she’d had to bail her out of trouble.
“You really are all right?” Kim asked.
Marci nodded, then realized Kim’s eyes were glued to the road so she mumbled yes. “I’m sorry, Kim.”
“Sorry?” Kim said, with an angry shake of her head. “Marci, please tell me you didn’t have any idea what Paul was doing.”
Marci wrung her hands together. “You honestly think I would cheat those people out of their money.” That really hurt.
“I didn’t say that,” Kim said, although her voice cracked as if she doubts had crept in.
The familiar tone -- Kim being the good twin and always doing the right thing -- echoed in her voice.
The Kim she could never live up to.
Marci’s anger sprouted. “So you automatically assume Paul is guilty?”
Kim’s eyes blazed as she swung her head toward her. “Don’t tell me you’re going to defend him. He left you at the altar and ran from the cops.”
“Maybe he has an explanation,” Marci said, although she hadn’t slept all night for wondering what that explanation could possibly be.
And if Paul was exactly what Detective Muller had said he was – a cheat and a liar.
Of course, she didn’t want to admit that to Kim.
But her insecurities mounted. Had Paul ever loved her?
Was she such a big fat fool that he could have duped her?
“Good heavens, Marci,” Kim muttered. “If he was innocent, he would have stayed and defended himself. He would have protected you instead of leaving you holding the bag.”
Marci winced and turned to look out the window.
A tense heartbeat passed, then Kim sighed. “You didn’t tell the police anything, did you? I mean, you know not to talk without a lawyer.”
“I didn’t need a lawyer,” Marci said. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Good grief, you did talk.” Kim moaned.
“I told the truth,” Marci said, her chest pounding.
Kim wove through traffic, then turned down Peachtree toward Marci’s condo. “For God’s sake, I tried to bail you out last night but they wouldn’t let me. But I thought you’d have enough sense to keep your mouth closed and request a lawyer.”
Marci folded her arms and clamped her mouth shut. She knew Kim was just
Right. They’d confiscated her personal items from the country club bridal room. “What did they find?”
“No proof,” Georgia said. “But it looks like Pendergrass called Marci after he ran.”
Did the man really love Marci?
“What did he say?”
“That he’d call her back.”
“Did you get a location on him?”
Georgia shook her head. “No, he was calling from a burner phone.”
Shit. Cade’s mind ticked over what to do. “Keep the trace on her cell and put one on her home phone. When Pendergrass calls back we can nab him.”
“You think they had a back-up plan? Maybe a place to meet so they can escape together?”
Cade frowned. “I don’t know, but we can’t dismiss the possibility.”
If Marci had lied, she might be meeting Pendergrass. Which meant she might know where he’d hidden his money.
Or where he was going next.
Adrenaline kicked in. Hell, he’d run surveillance on Marci and find out just what that sweet-looking little vixen was up to.
If she intended to catch up with Pendergrass, he’d catch both of them red-handed.
Then he’d never ever have to think about Marci Turner again.
*~*~*~*
Marci sank into the passenger side of Kim’s new mini-van, shoving the crinoline around her to fasten her seatbelt. Right now all she wanted was a hot shower and a change of clothes.
She buried her hands in her dress and dipped her head, too ashamed to even look at her sister. Kim was the director of a home for needy children and depended on donations to keep the place running.
What if some of her supporters saw the news story about her and pulled their backing?
Worry darkened Kim’s face as she chewed on her bottom lip, a nervous habit she’d seen her sister do countless times before.
When she’d had to bail her out of trouble.
“You really are all right?” Kim asked.
Marci nodded, then realized Kim’s eyes were glued to the road so she mumbled yes. “I’m sorry, Kim.”
“Sorry?” Kim said, with an angry shake of her head. “Marci, please tell me you didn’t have any idea what Paul was doing.”
Marci wrung her hands together. “You honestly think I would cheat those people out of their money.” That really hurt.
“I didn’t say that,” Kim said, although her voice cracked as if she doubts had crept in.
The familiar tone -- Kim being the good twin and always doing the right thing -- echoed in her voice.
The Kim she could never live up to.
Marci’s anger sprouted. “So you automatically assume Paul is guilty?”
Kim’s eyes blazed as she swung her head toward her. “Don’t tell me you’re going to defend him. He left you at the altar and ran from the cops.”
“Maybe he has an explanation,” Marci said, although she hadn’t slept all night for wondering what that explanation could possibly be.
And if Paul was exactly what Detective Muller had said he was – a cheat and a liar.
Of course, she didn’t want to admit that to Kim.
But her insecurities mounted. Had Paul ever loved her?
Was she such a big fat fool that he could have duped her?
“Good heavens, Marci,” Kim muttered. “If he was innocent, he would have stayed and defended himself. He would have protected you instead of leaving you holding the bag.”
Marci winced and turned to look out the window.
A tense heartbeat passed, then Kim sighed. “You didn’t tell the police anything, did you? I mean, you know not to talk without a lawyer.”
“I didn’t need a lawyer,” Marci said. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Good grief, you did talk.” Kim moaned.
“I told the truth,” Marci said, her chest pounding.
Kim wove through traffic, then turned down Peachtree toward Marci’s condo. “For God’s sake, I tried to bail you out last night but they wouldn’t let me. But I thought you’d have enough sense to keep your mouth closed and request a lawyer.”
Marci folded her arms and clamped her mouth shut. She knew Kim was just
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