The Palm Beach Murders by James Patterson (the read aloud family .TXT) 📕

had a glass of wine in her hand. She sat down on one of the bamboo chairs that matched the couch and said, “I’m trying to head off trouble, Christy. I just got off duty and thought it was best if I came up to tell you we had another complaint about noise. Management is thinking about telling you to find another place to live. I’d hate to see that happen.”

Even as she spoke, I realized I was just focusing on the way her mouth moved. She was gorgeous. Even the dowdy hotel uniform couldn’t hide her curvy body. The combination of wine and Ecstasy had really done a number on me. I wish I could say I didn’t like it, but it was so new and exciting.

After a few minutes, Allie picked up on it and said, “What’s with you two? Are you high?”

Marty showed her the pill, and my giggle pretty much explained what was going on. Allie simply reached across and plucked the pill from Marty’s hand and popped it into her mouth. I was shocked and pleased at the same time. Now, this was a party.

Before any of us could change our minds, we were all scampering to the bedroom and losing our clothes along the way. The bed felt like it was swallowing us whole as Marty and Allie planted themselves on either side of me. Maybe I had been a good girl for too long. This was the kind of night I had fantasized about but had never told anyone.

It really was fun being a bad girl once in a while.

Chapter 8

The next morning I was surprised to find myself alone in bed. Somewhere in my foggy brain I realized Allie had left in the middle of the night, but that didn’t explain Marty’s absence. For just a moment, it flashed in my head that he had left with her. But that wasn’t how I recalled it. The night was a wild, sweaty, and exhilarating blur. I wasn’t sure I could give any details if I was asked to. But I didn’t regret it. Not for a moment. I just hoped it wouldn’t be awkward with Allie. Then again, thinking about some of the things she’d done in bed made me realize she wasn’t much for feeling awkward. And that last night hadn’t been her first time in a threesome. Live and learn.

I sat up in bed, and it took a moment for my vision to catch up with me. I slipped into a sundress and looked through the apartment, trying to figure out if Marty had left a note or any clue about where he had gone. Then I noticed his wallet and keys on the desk in the living room. He had made coffee for me as well. I gladly took a cup and sipped it as I sat back on the couch and tried to piece together everything that had happened the night before. I had gone from feeling angry about the divorce and losing my house to the wild delight of a new experience that I would never get to brag about. Not bad for a Wednesday.

A few minutes later, Marty came through the door wearing his short swim trunks and an old T-shirt with the logo completely faded. He looked great. He was trim and tan and had just enough muscles to prove he wasn’t a slacker. Every inch of him was covered in sweat.

I was surprised how relieved I was to see him. I couldn’t explain the doubts I’d had when he wasn’t in bed with me when I woke up. And I’m typically not that insecure.

“You were quite a ninja leaving this morning. I had no idea where you went.”

He grabbed his left foot and held it behind his back to stretch his quadriceps as he said, “You looked so peaceful when I woke up that I slipped out and used the workout clothes you let me keep here. I went for a run along the public beach and kept heading south, all the way to your former house. In the daylight, it’s even more spectacular. I could see that even the bungalow on the beach was beautiful. Something about running on the deserted beach and seeing that big house really pissed me off. As badly as I was treated by my ex, I feel like you were treated worse.”

Obviously I agreed with him, but I didn’t want to sound vindictive or petty. I just gave him a quick kiss on the cheek to show my appreciation. But the look in his eyes told me there was more to what he was saying. Seeing that house had sparked something in Marty. He wasn’t exactly who I’d thought he was when I first met him. And I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

Chapter 9

There was no way I could risk the scandal of a dine-and-dash at a local restaurant, so when the bill came at Charley’s Crab, I snatched it right out of Marty’s hand. We’d had lunch and only had a few cocktails. I hadn’t been a midday drinker since I was in college, but it was kind of fun and there was something about doing it with Marty that made it seem okay.

Before I could get to the bottom figure on the bill, Marty had grabbed it back and handed his American Express card to the waitress.

I didn’t want money to become a problem between us, so I said, “We don’t have to keep eating at fancy restaurants every day. I’m a simple girl from Jersey. A sub or a hot dog can keep me filled up for a long time.” I hadn’t meant it as a double entendre, but the smile on his face told me that was how he took it. A typical guy. But in his case, he was so good-natured that anything I said to make him smile made me happy.

Marty said, “It’s fine, I have jobs lined