Free Halloween in Paradise (Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries Book 6) by Kathi Daley Page A

meeting with Samantha Colton go?” Jenna asked. “I’ve been even more anxious to hear after your cryptic comment earlier.”
    “She’s really good at what she does. In just thirty minutes she had me half-believing that practically everyone at the party that night could have killed Holly.”
    “What?” Jenna frowned. “Why would any of us kill Holly?”
    Tj filled her friend in on the interview that afternoon while Jenna sipped her wine and listened intently. Based on the changing emotions mirrored on Jenna’s face, it seemed obvious she was as shocked by Samantha’s suggestions as Tj had been. The thought that someone at the party could actually be a killer was disconcerting at the least. Tj had known most of the partygoers since they were all in kindergarten together. She couldn’t imagine any of them doing such a horrendous thing, but one thing was certain: someone had.
    “I guess it was sort of odd that Brett invited over everyone who just happened to be standing around in the parking lot, and I never really stopped to wonder about the punch,” Jenna admitted. “And I do remember that Brett really didn’t care for Holly, but I don’t think he’d kill her. And the stuff about Jessie and Holly being lovers is ridiculous.”
    “Is it?”
    “Surely you aren’t buying that theory.”
    Tj shrugged. “At first I thought it was nuts, and maybe it is, but there was something different about their relationship. You and I were best friends then—more like sisters—and we still are, but we each have our own lives. Holly and Jessie definitely seemed to share a connection that was more possessive. I’m not saying they were lovers. In fact, I’d be surprised if that suggestion turns out to have any merit. But Samantha Colton’s comment did cause me to look back at what things were like. Don’t you remember how Jessie was always making decisions based on Holly’s opinion? I mean, I guess high school girls tend to lean on their best friends a lot more than adult women do, and they do tend to ask the opinions of others, but it did seem like there was more to it than that.”
    Jenna picked up a pretzel and rolled it between her fingers. “Yeah, I guess you have a point. If you ask me, though, there was something other than sex going on.”
    “I agree, although it was pretty odd how Holly was just standing there staring at Jessie and Nathan when I found them making out.”
    “Yeah, that was odd. Even more odd than Jessie and Nathan hooking up in the first place. I wonder if Jessie ever told Brett what she’d done.”
    “You think she would?” Tj asked.
    “She might. I know Dennis and I decided to come clean about all the little white lies we’d told each other during our dating years before we got married. It led to a huge fight, but it did give us a clean slate on which to build our marriage. I know other couples who do the same kind of thing.”
    Tj nibbled on the end of a carrot she’d snagged from the salad bar. The tacos were good, but they hadn’t really stuck with her. Maybe she’d order a slice of Rob’s pizza if the girls were going to be content to play video games until it was time to pick up Ashley and Kristi.
    “The fact that Samantha is in town digging around is certainly going to make for an interesting reunion,” Tj added. “If we even have one. Roy told me Mia and Jada both decided not to come after their interviews.”
    “Really? That’s too bad. I was looking forward to catching up with them.”
    “Yeah, me too. They both live such interesting lives. I heard Mia’s going to have a starring role in the next J. R. Morgan film.”
    “That’s huge.”
    “Everyone is already talking about an Academy Award. I guess I can see why she wants to distance herself from this whole murder investigation. It seems like publicity like that can only hurt her career, even if she’s totally innocent.”
    “Yeah, if I were her I probably would avoid Serenity too, at least while the Second Look