Free There Goes the Groom by Rita Herron

know the truth. “Tell me, Kim. What’s wrong?”
    The detective was watching, but Marci ignored him. Maybe if she pretended like he was a piece of furniture, a wooden table or chair, she could forget he was in the room.
    “Kim?”
    “Three of my investors pulled their support for the children’s center,” Kim said quietly. “They…are worried that I was involved in this scheme and may be filing charges.”
    Marci literally sank onto the couch, her heart drumming to a stop. For the first time in her life, she didn’t know what to say.
    She had screwed her own life up in a big way, and she’d have to live with.
    But Kim was the most honest, hardworking, sincere person she knew. And those poor kids depended on her.
    None of them should have to suffer because of her.
    A tense silence fell across the room, and her stomach pitched as if she might be sick. But she willed the nausea down. In the background, she heard the crime techs searching the place, dusting for prints, invading her privacy even more.
    Then they fingerprinted Kim and Austin, and nausea hit her again.
    Lord help.  The last thing she wanted to do was throw up in front of the mule headed cop who’d started all of this.
    But she had to do something.
    Something to fix it for Kim and those kids.
    She took several deep breaths in the silence, the cop’s eyes heating her skin as he watched. Damn him.  Did he have to witness another humiliating moment in her life?
    “Kim, I’m so sorry,” she whispered. Rallying her anger, she pushed up and planted her hands on her hips.  “Where’s my phone, Detective?”
    Detective Muller stiffened.  “It’s right here.”
    She was tired of being a victim. She couldn’t just sit back and let things disintegrate even more. “Let me see it.”
    “What are you going to do?” Kim asked, a panicked note to her voice.
    “Fix things.” She grabbed Austin’s arm on one side and Kim’s on the other. “Take my sister home please.”
    “Marci,” Kim said. “Please, I don’t want to leave you alone here.” She gestured at the mess. “Not like this. And not with him. ”
    “I’ll be fine,” Marci said. “I really need some time alone anyway. Thanks for everything. Now go home.”
    Kim gave her a beseeching look and halted at the door. “No, come back to our house.”
    “Kim,” Marci said through gritted teeth. “The last thing you need is for me to stay with you and ruin your image any more than it’s already been ruined.” She turned to Austin. “Take her home and call those investors and assure them that my sister wasn’t involved.”
    “I’ll do my best,” Austin said. “In fact, I plan to call our attorney.”
    “Good.” Marci shoved them both through the door.  “Now go. As soon as the cops leave, I’m going to shower and get some sleep.”
    Kim squeezed her hand. “I’ll call you.”
    Marci nodded, then closed the door.
    When she turned back Detective Muller was watching her with raised eyebrows.
    “What are you going to do, Marci?” he asked gruffly.
    She grabbed the phone. “Just what I told my sister. I’m going to fix things.” She darted into the bathroom, shut the door and locked it.
    Tears threatened as she punched her message box to see if Paul had called.
    “You made this mess, Paul,” she whispered.  “Now I’m going to find your ass and you’re going to fix it.”
     
    *~*~*~*
     
    He smiled as that gutsy little Marci locked the bathroom door. He had a feeling she would be valuable to him at some point.
    And so far he hadn’t had to do anything but watch her. Well, maybe he spooked her a little by tearing apart her apartment.
    But the cop and Pendergrass had done the rest.
    Now, all he had to do was sit back and wait on the little woman.
    She would lead him straight to Pendergrass.
    Then his problems would be solved and he would be rolling in the money.

C HAPTER S EVEN
     
     
    Detective Muller stared at the closed bathroom door, his pulse clamoring. Geez,