Free The Virgin Mistress by Linda Turner Page B

party.”
    Rebecca exchanged a look with Austin and didn’t have to ask if he wanted her to tell Chester why they were there. If he was as skittish of the cops as they’d been led to believe, he’d probably run for cover if he thought he was being questioned about the shooting.
    So acting as if their meeting was a chance one and it wasn’t the least unusual for her to frequent bars, she moved to join him and was thankful Austin was beside her as he joined them.
    â€œActually, I’m a foster daughter,” she said easily, offering her hand as she introduced herself. “Rebecca Powell. And this is Joe’s nephew, Austin. You were in the band, weren’t you?”
    â€œYeah, that’s right,” he said. “I play bass. So how’s the old man? Did the cops ever find out who tried to kill him?”
    â€œYou know, Austin and I were just talking about that,” she replied, and surprised herself with the way she stepped into the role of friendly confidante without the slightest hesitation. If this was what it was like to play P.I., she could really enjoy it! “It’s really bizarre the way the police haven’t been able to come up with a suspect. With so many people standing right there when the shot was fired, you’d think somebody, somewhere, would have seen something.”
    â€œI know, man. It was weird. People were packed onto the patio like sardines. I didn’t realize how bad it was until we took a break and I tried to make it to the back of the crowd for a cigarette. I couldn’t move without bumping into someone with a glass of champagne. Every time I turned around, I got soaked.”
    Beside her, Rebecca felt Austin stiffen, but his tone was casual as he said, “So where were you when the shot was fired? Did you make it to the back of the crowd for your cigarette?”
    He grinned crookedly. “Actually, I ran into this beautiful blonde with the most bodacious…” Suddenly remembering Rebecca’s presence, he swallowed whatever he was going to say next and shot her a sheepish smile. “Sorry. Anyway, the next thing I knew, she screamed and threw herself into my arms and we hit the ground, just like everybody else. It was wild.”
    â€œSo you didn’t see where the shot came from?”
    â€œAre you kidding? With a blonde plastered all over me? I don’t think so.”
    There was no doubt in Austin’s mind that he was telling the truth. Not only was there an honest appreciation in his eyes when he talked about the blonde, but if Austin remembered correctly, he had interviewed the daughter of one of Joe’s neighbors who claimed she hadn’t seen anything because she’d run into a slender, dark-haired man with blue eyes and a crooked smile. Now he knew who that man was.
    Damn! Once again he’d hit a dead end.
    He looked at Rebecca and saw that she, too, realized Chester wasn’t going to be any help to them. But he had to try one more time. “What about before the shooting? Did you see anyone acting odd earlier in the evening? I know you were busy playing, but since you were up on stage, you have a full view of everyone outside. Did you see anyone hanging back by themselves or acting jittery or nervous?”
    â€œNo one but Mrs. Colton, and she was just worried about the party—that everything would be perfect.”
    â€œShe’s always like that,” Rebecca said with a smile. “Fancy parties make her a nervous wreck, but she won’t stop giving them. I don’t understand it.”
    â€œEverybody seemed to be having a great time,” Chester said with a shrug. “Sorry I can’t be any more help than that.”
    â€œYou tried,” Austin said with a shrug. “Thanks.”
    Disappointed, he escorted Rebecca outside, then had to smile when she drew in a deep breath of fresh air. “It was kind of rank in there, wasn’t it?”
    â€œIt was