Free Dead By Midnight by Beverly Barton Page B

Lived in LA? Was originally from Tennessee? That Dean Wilson?”
    â€œYeah, that seems to fit the info his brother gave Sanders. You knew him, didn’t you?”
    â€œYes.” Her gaze zipped toward Mike. “I knew Dean Wilson. We were…uh…friends when I lived in LA. How…? Why…?”
    â€œHe was shot several times,” Maleah said.
    â€œPoor Dean.” Years ago, she had loved him.
    Mike looked at her, studied her face, and for a split second, she saw genuine concern in his eyes. But he glanced away hurriedly, as if he couldn’t bear to look at her. Why did he have to act this way? Even if they could never be friends again, did he have to go on hating her forever?
    â€œBut you say you didn’t know Hilary Chambless. Is that right?” Maleah asked.
    â€œNo, I didn’t—Oh my God! Was her maiden name Finch?”
    â€œThat’s right. And she had a stage name, too. Dewey Flowers.”
    Lorie wished that Mike wasn’t here, that he was not involved in this, that she didn’t have to talk about her sordid past in front of him. But what did it matter really? It wasn’t as if her past was a secret. He knew what she had done, who she had been, how she had lived those last few years in California.
    â€œI knew Dean and Hilary,” Lorie admitted. “Hilary was just an acquaintance. Dean and I were…” She cleared her throat. “We lived together for a while.”
    â€œThen you know they made several porno movies together,” Maleah said.
    â€œYes, of course I know. I told you that I had a bit part in one of those movies.” Lorie glared at Mike, who lifted his gaze from the floor and glared at her.
    â€œWhen was the last time you saw either of them?” Mike asked.
    â€œNot since I left LA and came home to Dunmore.”
    â€œHeard from either of them since then?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œYou’ve had no communication of any kind with either of them?” Maleah asked.
    â€œNone.”
    â€œDo you know of anyone from the time y’all worked together who might have wanted to kill them?”
    â€œNo. I have absolutely no idea why anyone would want to kill either of them or kill me. And my only connection to either of them is in the past, nearly ten years ago.”
    â€œI figured you’d have no idea who the killer might be,” Maleah said. “It could be something as crazy as an unbalanced fan who for some reason has decided to kill the actors from his favorite films.”
    â€œGreat. I had a bit a part in one adult movie ten years ago and now I’m targeted by some nut job who happened to like that stupid movie.”
    â€œKarma’s a bitch,” Mike said, his voice a low grumble.
    Lorie and Maleah snapped around and stared at him.
    â€œThat was a damn cruel thing to say,” Maleah told him.
    A red tinge crept up Mike’s neck and quickly darkened his face. “You’re right.” He looked at Lorie. “I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
    â€œNo, you shouldn’t have,” she said.
    He snorted and then looked at Maleah. “I’ll have a patrol car drive by Jack and Cathy’s every hour once Lorie’s staying with you and by Treasures when Lorie’s at work. If I had the manpower, I’d assign someone to her, but she’s got you so she really won’t need police protection on a twenty-four/seven basis.”
    â€œThanks.” Maleah grabbed Mike’s arm. “Let me walk you out, Sheriff.” She shot Lorie a quick glance. “I’ll be right back. Why don’t you go pack a bag?”
    Lorie hated the thought of being forced to leave her home. But what if the person who had killed Dean and Hilary really did intend to kill her? Her best chance of survival could well be having Maleah Perdue as her bodyguard.
    Â 
    Maleah gave Mike a well-deserved tongue-lashing, reminding him that his actions toward Lorie