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

stopped her allowance, Stan seemed like the answer to her dreams."

"Go on." Marla wondered about the hard edge in Lacey's tone. Had Stan been the source of contention between two friends?

Lacey's attention wandered to a couple of men who hovered nearby, casting suggestive glances their way. They appeared to be typical yuppies wearing business suits and uniform haircuts.

"At first, Kim was really happy," Lacey continued, redirecting her attention to Marla. "She liked staying home as a housewife. She redecorated their house, planned dinner parties, and played tennis twice a week. She'd just started a new hobby, tracing her genealogy. She was totally taken aback when Stan cracked down."

"I can imagine." Memories surfaced of her own dismay when Stan took control of her life. At first she'd welcomed his overprotective nature. She had needed someone to care for her after Tammy's tragic accident. But when her ego began to rise from the ashes, she realized Stan had restricted her activities to solely waiting on him.

"Kim said it was the last straw when he put limits on her shopping. She retaliated by racking up charges on their credit cards. Stan could be really nasty, and he took her car in for repairs and never brought it home."

"That was pretty drastic," Marla agreed.

Lacey lowered her voice. "She was afraid of him, Marla. He even checked their Caller ID to see who'd phoned her during the day. Desperation made Kim consider her future more seriously. Like her mother, she had a flair for design. I picked her up one day, and we went to the School of Arts and Design. She registered for classes. No matter how long it took, she was determined to leave Stan."

"How did she go to classes if she had no car?"

"Kim made a case for staying in shape. She said her figure would fill out if she skipped her tennis games. Stan believed her and returned her car. He thought she was going to the club when she went to class. The jerk kept bugging her, though, so Kim decided to walk out on him before he cut off her funds. Gary warned her to be careful."

"Gary?"

"Gary Waterford. He's ... a mutual friend."

"I see. Why did he warn her?"

"He feared Stan's reaction. Stan is the type of man who regards his wife as a trophy. He wouldn't take kindly to Kim's abandonment when he felt he owned her."

"I left him. He didn't hurt me, not physically at least."

"But did he ever really give up on you?"

Marla lifted the bushwacker glass to her lips, her movements jerky. "He kept harassing me to sell our property and persisted in telling me how much I needed him."

"See? He would never have let Kimberly go free. She was the type of woman he'd always wanted."

_Oh yeah? Better her than me!_

"Hey, guys. Wanna buy us a round of drinks?" Lacey called, winking at the two men ogling them.

"I have to go," Marla said, handing Lacey a business card. "If you think of anything to add, please give me a call."

During the drive home, she contemplated the various relationships. Either Gary hadn't left off his relationship with Kim when she'd met Stan, or else they'd started seeing each other again after her marriage. Had Kim gotten in touch with Gary at some point, and if so, why hadn't he mentioned it to her?

Lacey claimed Gary was a mutual friend. Just how close were Lacey and the repair man? How intimate had he been with Kim after they'd resumed their acquaintance? Gary had implied Lacey would be jealous if she knew he'd spoken about Kim. Did that mean Lacey was interested in him? Could it be possible both women had set their hearts on the same man? If so, that could have fueled Lacey's resentment.

Kim's classmates might shed more light on her personal ambitions. Gripping the steering wheel, Marla turned north on Pine Island Road. When would she have time to see them? Most likely not until the weekend. After work tomorrow, she had to meet Dalton for her birthday dinner. Turning thirty-five meant climbing another rung on the ladder of life.