Free Booby Trap by Sue Ann Jaffarian Page B

know of. After her murder, they went through all her sales and order records.” He took a hit from his Scotch. “It was very sad. She was killed just as her business hit its stride.” His voice was filled with obvious pride.
    “What happened to the business and her clients?” I watched him closely when he paused before answering.
    “Seventh Veil Costuming is still thriving. I was a silent partner and decided after she was gone to keep it open.”
    “A silent partner?” I glanced at Greg as he asked the question. His mind was going exactly where mine was headed. “So you provided the start-up cash? Were you two already divorced by then?”
    Gordon gave Greg a closed-lip smile. “Yes, we were. We’d been married only a few years, and the prenup allowed for a cash settlement for future living expenses and financial and business advice to start a new business. Crystal Lee wasn’t a stupid woman. She knew I’d never allow her to grab my personal assets in a divorce, and she knew she’d be too old to go back to the pole if we split up.” He laughed his high-pitched squeal. “Who knew that putting gauze and sequins on fags would be so lucrative?”
    I made a mental note to check out Seventh Veil tomorrow. “Mr. Harper, I noted in the information on Crystal Lee’s murder that only your name was mentioned. Did she have any family?”
    He shrugged. “None that I know of. She never talked of any, and no one came forward when she died.” His small, beady eyes turned sad. He got up and disappeared into the next room. When he returned, he was holding two silver-framed photos, which he handed to Greg. I leaned forward to study them with him.
    One photo was of a younger, trimmer Gordon Harper sitting and giving the camera a shit-eating grin. On either side of him stood a naked woman, naked except for beaded bikini bottoms and nipple tassels. A brunette was to his left, a blond on his right. Both women were stunning and cupping their considerable breasts, holding them up and out towards the camera on either side of Gordon’s head. The other photo showed just the blond, dressed in a skimpy harem outfit, in a very provocative pose.
    I noticed my husband paying way too much attention to detail and gently took the photos from him. I handed them back to Gordon. “She was very beautiful.”
    “Crystal Lee was a great broad and a lot of fun. And she was smart. Never got into the booze and drugs like most of the other girls. That brunette in the photo? That’s Joy. She died a few months after that picture was taken from a heroin overdose.” He shook his head slightly at the memory.
    “But Crystal Lee was different. She knew how to use her assets to get what she wanted. According to her, she was on the streets when she was sixteen. Soon some wealthy john noticed her potential. He cleaned her up, bought her a boob job, and put her on stage. She was an instant hit. I owned a few gentlemen clubs back then and bought out her contract. Best thing I ever did. The place was always packed for her shows. She was a real artist, not just some broad wiggling her tits and ass.”
    “Sounds like you’re still an admirer, Mr. Harper. Why did you two divorce?” I picked up my soda and took a few sips while I waited for his answer.
    “Crystal Lee and I were great friends and wonderful in the sack together.” He winked a guy-thing wink at Greg. “She’d been my mistress for a number of years when my first wife died. Shortly after, we thought, why not get married? The marriage was a disaster from the start. The only time we weren’t fighting was between the sheets. We finally divorced to save our friendship.”
    “So when Crystal Lee was murdered, you two were business partners and friends, correct?” I didn’t like the way Gordon’s eyes caressed my chest following my question and neither did Greg. His hands, resting in his lap, clenched and unclenched several times.
    “That’s right. She went back to being my mistress. She got