Free White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz

Shipley.”
    “I think it was seeing me last night that set her off. Once I’m out of town, she’ll calm down.”
    “I’m not so sure of that. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that she’s the one who picked up the phone and spread the gossip that got you fired and caused Greg to end your engagement.”
    “I wouldn’t dream of arguing with your intuition,” Clare said. “You may be right that Valerie got me fired from the Draper Trust. But I don’t know for certain that it was the rumors about my connection to Brad’s murder that caused Greg to dump me.”
    “Hah. You asked him why he was ending things, remember?”
    “Yes,” Clare admitted.
    “And what did he do?”
    “He told me there was someone else.”
    “Which was?”
    “A lie,” Clare said.
    “I rest my case.”

Chapter Nine
    The voice mail message from Jake was waiting for Clare when she turned on her cell phone after leaving the resort restaurant. It was brief and to the point.
    “This is Jake. When you’re ready to pick up your car let me know. I’ll come and get you and take you out to Stone Canyon.”
    Clare punched the key to erase the message. “Talk about a take-charge type,” she said. “I think Jake Salter could give me lessons.”
    Elizabeth pulled dark glasses out of her purse. “What was that all about?”
    “He just left me a message telling me, not asking, mind you,telling me that he will come and pick me up and take me back to Stone Canyon.”
    “I’m sure he was just trying to be helpful.”
    “Oh, yeah.”
    “I sense undercurrents,” Elizabeth said.
    “So do I,” Clare said. She put on her own dark glasses. “But darned if I have any idea what’s going on.”
    They waited while the parking attendant brought Elizabeth’s Mercedes around. When it arrived Elizabeth slipped behind the wheel. Clare got in beside her.
    “For what it’s worth,” Elizabeth said, driving out of the resort and onto Camelback Road, “I really don’t think you need to worry too much about Jake Salter. Dad trusts him and that says a lot.”
    “Can’t argue with that,” Clare said. “Are you sure you don’t mind running me out to the house?”
    “No problem. I don’t have any appointments until this afternoon. Are you bound and determined to fly back to San Francisco tomorrow?”
    “That’s the current plan.”
    “Well, if you change your mind and stay over another day or two, I’m free tomorrow afternoon. We could go to the spa.”
    “Thanks, Liz, but I wasn’t kidding when I told you that my budget isvery tight at the moment.”
    “My treat.”
    “I really don’t—”
    “Oh, for pity’s sake. This is me, your sister, remember? I’m not Dad. It’s okay to let me treat you to an afternoon at the spa.”
    “We’ll see,” Clare said.
    The compact was waiting precisely where Jake had left it in the otherwise empty driveway in front of the Glazebrook house. The fractured windshield glittered in the hot sun.
    Clare got out of the car, hitching her bag over her shoulder. She leaned down to look back at Elizabeth.
    “Thanks,” she said.
    “Call me when you find out whether or not you’ll be staying for another day or two.”
    “I will.”
    Clare closed the door. Elizabeth drove back down the driveway.
    The front door of the big house opened. Archer came out onto the veranda.
    “Thought Jake was going to bring you back here this morning,” he said without preamble.
    “Elizabeth and I had breakfast. She offered me a lift. It was more convenient. I called the rental company on the way here. They’re going to deliver a replacement car and send a tow truck for this one. They said the new car will be here in about an hour.”
    “Good. Too hot to sit out by the pool. Let’s go inside.”
    “I thought you would be at the office by now.”
    “Been waiting for you.”
    Might as well find out what this is all about,Clare thought. She tightened her grip on her purse and walked toward the veranda.
    “Sorry about Valerie last night,” Archer said gruffly. “She’s got a problem with the booze these days.”
    “I