Free Bad Hair Day 4 - Body Wave by Nancy J. Cohen Page A

married to Stanley Kaufman," she said bluntly. "I understand you were a friend of his late wife, Kim."

The girl's tawny eyes narrowed. "We were best buddies. I didn't notice you at her funeral."

"I'd only met her a few times. We weren't ... on the friendliest of terms."

"So I gathered, from whenever she spoke about you."

An awkward silence passed, during which time the bartender supplied their drinks. Marla had ordered a bushwhacker, her favorite alcoholic beverage. The cool, coffee-flavored liquid slid down her throat while she fumbled for a new opening.

"Stan asked me to help him," she admitted finally.

"Why?"

"I owe him one for old time's sake. He thinks I can find Kim's killer. I've helped the police solve cases a couple times before."

Lacey arched an eyebrow. "Aren't you a hairdresser?"

Marla nodded. "I know a lot of people around town, and they talk to me. Like you're doing now. Can you tell me about Kim's relationship to Stan?"

Lacey jiggled her hips, adjusting her seat. Marla noticed several male patrons glancing their way with interest. "She planned to leave him."

"I know that, because Ga -- " Marla swallowed. She'd been about to say Gary's name. "Gathered as much from what her aunt said," she continued lamely. Oh gosh, she probably shouldn't have mentioned Florence, either. Lacey would wonder where they'd met. "Was Stan aware of her plans?"

"Heck, no, unless she told him. I don't think she'd be so dumb."

"What went wrong?"

"Stan didn't understand her, but it was partially her fault. Kimberly didn't realize what he was really like until it was too late."

"At least she had you to confide in. You were a good friend to stick by her."

Lacey clenched her beer glass. "I knew where she was coming from and where she wanted to go. Stan tried to control her spending. That was a bad move to make."

Marla grabbed a few peanuts from a dish on the counter. "How so?" she said, munching.

Lacey gave her an appraising glance. "Why do you care so much what happened to Kim? She said you were a selfish bitch who wouldn't sell a piece of property he co-owned with you."

"I need the income from my share. Stan just wanted to sell it to buy a bigger house because Kimberly wasn't happy where they lived."

"It wasn't a good neighborhood for her."

"Tell me she was not spoiled by her wealthy background. I heard she couldn't wait for her trust fund, and that's why she married Stan. Do you think she would've been satisfied with anything less than a beachfront mansion?"

"Kim had aspirations. You don't understand, just like Stan didn't."

"So explain to me. If I could get an inkling about her life, it might help me figure out who had reason to harm her." _Besides Stan,_ she thought to herself. Would he have reacted violently if Kim confessed she was leaving him? Did he even know she had been planning that? "You do want to see that justice is done, don't you? I mean, if you cared about Kim, you'll help me find who killed her."

"I might have done it myself if someone hadn't beaten me to it," Lacey muttered.

"What's that?" Marla leaned forward.

"Look, if I tell you what I know, you'll report to the cops that I had nothing to do with her murder, okay?"

Marla's brow wrinkled in puzzlement. "Are you saying things weren't all that rosy between you?"

"We were best friends, darlin'. We disagreed on certain issues, that's all." Her pointed glance told Marla she'd better stay on safer turf or their conversation would be over.

"Tell me about Kim. What did she do after finishing high school?"

Lacey brushed back a strand of wavy hair. "She made it through one semester at Broward Community College but didn't have the patience to stay in school. She got a job at a bank, eager to earn money, but Stella hadn't prepared her for real life. She didn't like waking up every morning to work at a mediocre job. Marriage became something Kim saw as a way out, but only if she snagged a rich man. When her grandmother