Page 61
Story: Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds
Brie’s confidence that Gino Garmon was a killer started to rub off on me. Maybe because he was a jerk and I got a bad vibe from him. But we needed more than hemighthave been a dirty cop.
“You find out everything you can about him on social media,” I told her, “but don’t ask questions. If heisguilty, it could put you in danger.” I drained my champagne and asked, “Did you learn anything about Parker Briggs?”
“Not much. I didn’t really have the time. His family has a foundation, and Briggs is into all kinds of projects, like he funds ideas or whatever.”
“A venture capitalist?” I suggested.
“Yeah, maybe?”
“Finance is my world. I’ll dig around.” It wouldn’t be difficult. I’d love to do it myself, but since I was on vacation and didn’t have access to all my resources, I’d ask Braden. He wouldn’t mind a side project.
“So, what did you learn?” Brie asked.
I decided to share my confrontation with Sherry in the spa, but downplay it.
“I ran into Sherry after her massage,” I said.
Brie rolled her eyes.
“She thinks I’m trying to come between you and her because I have the hots for your dad.”
As I said it, I realized how silly it sounded and started laughing.
“Do you?” Brie asked seriously.
“No!” I glanced over at Jason. Brie smiled and playfully hit my arm.
“Teasing,” she said. “Sherry is all oh, we should go shopping and get mani-pedis and all that. Do I look like a mani-pedi girl? Andhello, I shop online. She only does it for my dad’s benefit. She can’t wait until I leave for college.”
“I also witnessed a confrontation between Amber and Gino. I don’t know what they were talking about, but Amber was looking for a book—I thinkthebook.”
“See? Gino again. Hehasto be involved.” She frowned. “Amber knows about the book?”
“Diana must have told her, but she doesn’t knowwhatbook—she saw me with it on the beach, didn’t bat an eye.”
“You need to keep it under lock and key.”
“I have it in the safe.”
“Gino is in security, and if he knows about the book, that’s the first place he’d go. Hide it where no one would think to look.”
“There’s not a lot of places.”
We both thought.
“I know,” Brie said. “Tape it behind the dresser. People lookindrawers, maybe evenunderdrawers, but I don’t think anyone would think to lookbehinda dresser.”
I grinned. I couldn’t help it. “You must watch a lot of crime shows.”
She shrugged. “Just common sense.”
It was a good idea. If someone was determined, they might find it, but short of carrying it with me wherever I went, it was the next best thing.
I glanced over to where Jason was working. He had a small crowd around him and seemed to enjoy his job.
I asked Brie, “Do you know anything about Luis?”
“Yeah, he’s great.”
“You find out everything you can about him on social media,” I told her, “but don’t ask questions. If heisguilty, it could put you in danger.” I drained my champagne and asked, “Did you learn anything about Parker Briggs?”
“Not much. I didn’t really have the time. His family has a foundation, and Briggs is into all kinds of projects, like he funds ideas or whatever.”
“A venture capitalist?” I suggested.
“Yeah, maybe?”
“Finance is my world. I’ll dig around.” It wouldn’t be difficult. I’d love to do it myself, but since I was on vacation and didn’t have access to all my resources, I’d ask Braden. He wouldn’t mind a side project.
“So, what did you learn?” Brie asked.
I decided to share my confrontation with Sherry in the spa, but downplay it.
“I ran into Sherry after her massage,” I said.
Brie rolled her eyes.
“She thinks I’m trying to come between you and her because I have the hots for your dad.”
As I said it, I realized how silly it sounded and started laughing.
“Do you?” Brie asked seriously.
“No!” I glanced over at Jason. Brie smiled and playfully hit my arm.
“Teasing,” she said. “Sherry is all oh, we should go shopping and get mani-pedis and all that. Do I look like a mani-pedi girl? Andhello, I shop online. She only does it for my dad’s benefit. She can’t wait until I leave for college.”
“I also witnessed a confrontation between Amber and Gino. I don’t know what they were talking about, but Amber was looking for a book—I thinkthebook.”
“See? Gino again. Hehasto be involved.” She frowned. “Amber knows about the book?”
“Diana must have told her, but she doesn’t knowwhatbook—she saw me with it on the beach, didn’t bat an eye.”
“You need to keep it under lock and key.”
“I have it in the safe.”
“Gino is in security, and if he knows about the book, that’s the first place he’d go. Hide it where no one would think to look.”
“There’s not a lot of places.”
We both thought.
“I know,” Brie said. “Tape it behind the dresser. People lookindrawers, maybe evenunderdrawers, but I don’t think anyone would think to lookbehinda dresser.”
I grinned. I couldn’t help it. “You must watch a lot of crime shows.”
She shrugged. “Just common sense.”
It was a good idea. If someone was determined, they might find it, but short of carrying it with me wherever I went, it was the next best thing.
I glanced over to where Jason was working. He had a small crowd around him and seemed to enjoy his job.
I asked Brie, “Do you know anything about Luis?”
“Yeah, he’s great.”
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