Free Lynn Osterkamp - Cleo Sims 03 - Too Many Secrets by Lynn Osterkamp Page B

but
in the process of my investigation I uncovered a lot of his nasty past. And he
threatened to some day make me pay for that.
    “Are you all right?” Diana’s voice sounded faint,
as if I were in a tunnel.
    I took a deep breath. “I know him,” I said.
“He’s not a nice man. What happened with him and Sabrina?”
    “He wanted to marry her. We were finally able to get her
to break up with him, but I think she might have slipped and gone back to him
if he hadn’t suddenly disappeared. She was shocked. Even though they were no
longer together, she couldn’t believe he left her without saying anything. Plus
he owed her and other people money that they’d invested n his business. The
police called it a scam, but she didn’t believe it. She was convinced something
happened to him. She never heard from him again—or so she said—but
she knew how we felt about him, so she might have lied about that. I think
maybe he came back and she went off with him.”
    § § §
    Diana’s massage was so what I needed after hearing about
Erik. Her strong muscles and skillful hands wiped away the tension in my body
and left me slack and smiling. I didn’t ask her any more questions, just
thanked her and went home. When Pablo called that evening, I told him I’d had a
massage and was feeling great. Didn’t tell him about Sabrina or Moxie, or
anything else that might upset him. I figured Diana would call that
co-dependent, but I called it a sweet and satisfying conversation.

Chapter 12
    I woke up Sunday morning feeling relaxed and comfortable. No
nausea. Got me wondering whether massage is the cure for morning sickness. I
didn’t enjoy Diana’s dogmatic negative assessments of people, but her massage
was so amazing, I was ready to go back tomorrow for more.
    This morning I was going to Elisa’s house in the foothills
for brunch. As I drove up the winding mountain road, I wondered what the Moxie
members would think about Elisa’s and my relationship. Even though we’re about
the same age—I’m thirty-seven and she’s forty—our relationship isn’t
exactly one of equals. She’s been a psychologist way longer than I have, she
has tenure at the university, and she has lots of money thanks to her husband
Jack’s skill at real estate development.
    If they knew her, the Moxie women would probably remind me
that she can be bossy and high-handed, but I’d remind them that she’d lay down
her life for me if it came to that—which it almost did last summer. But
more than that, we have some chemistry that creates trust at a very deep level.
I can let go and be totally myself with her, which isn’t easy for a therapist.
    Elisa met me at the door with a big smile and a glass of
ginger ale. “Hi sweetie,” she said, handing me the glass. “This
is in case you need to settle your stomach after the drive.”
    “You think of everything, as usual,” I said, taking
a sip. I was still feeling good. Smells of wood smoke and coffee drifting in
from the living room didn’t even bother me.
    Elisa had a roaring fire going in the living room’s moss rock
fireplace and food set out on the coffee table in front of the couch. The room
had a cozy ambiance, despite the vaulted ceilings and the wall of soaring
windows framing the mountain view that made their house worth the big bucks.
    She took my jacket and motioned me toward the couch.
“Sit, girl,” she said. “I put the food out so we can munch.
Didn’t want to set a huge plate of food in front of you when you might be
feeling nauseous, but I do want to be sure you eat for the baby.” She had
made an asparagus quiche and blueberry muffins, and put out a gorgeous fruit
plate.
    I sat and leaned back with a huge sigh. “Thanks,” I
said. “But I need to talk before I eat. This whole Sabrina situation is
getting so complicated. I’m already beginning to feel like I’m in over my
head.”
    She sat next to me on the couch and turned toward me smiling.
“I’m all ears, girl. Catch