Free Laina Turner - Presley Thurman 08 - Vows & Victims by Laina Turner Page B

is to have Katy stand by him, and I don’t think he’ll take the chance of losing that. I think after the whole Helen thing he learned his lesson.”
    “I hope so. I don’t want Katy hurt.”
    “Me, either. She’s good for Chris. Crap!”
    “What?”
    “We were talking and I wasn’t paying attention to the GPS and I just passed the road we needed to turn on. I just need to turn around,” Tobey said. He pulled off to the side of the road, and once he made sure there were no cars coming, made a U–turn to head back in the direction we had just come. Within about a quarter mile, he turned right and then right again into a condominium development.
    “If indeed Rachel and Celeste were escorts, Celeste clearly made more money,” I joked. “This is nice but still not on the level of the mini mansion Celeste was living in.”
    Once again, we slowed down and peered at house, or rather condo, numbers until we found the one we were looking for. We found it and parked.
    Tobey turned to me. “I sure hope we are more successful this time.”
    I agreed with him and for the third time today walked up the front sidewalk to a stranger’s house.
    I barely knocked on the door when it swung open and another cookie cutter beautiful girl stood in front of us. Except that this one was a brunette instead of a blonde.
    “You must be here to talk about Bethany. I was wondering when you would get here.”
    Tobey and I just looked at each other. I was completely taken aback. Why would she be expecting us?
    Rachel laughed. “Celeste called me and I just assumed if you found her, I would also be on your list. Come in.”
    We hesitated.
    “Come in, I promise I’m not luring you into your death or something nefarious,” she teased.
    We both laughed, tension subsiding, and we walked into her house. Very tastefully and beautifully decorated. Classy and not ostentatious.
    “Have a seat.” She motioned to the dining table in the corner of the kitchen. “Can I offer you some coffee or coke or water? I have wine if you’re ready for that.”
    “Coffee would be great,” I said, while Tobey told her he was fine and didn’t need anything.
    “Girl after my own heart. I can drink coffee all day long,” she said, setting a cup in front of me with a small bowl of assorted creamers on the table.
    “Wow, just like a restaurant. I get choices.”
    “I love the flavored creamers and I like to keep a few different flavors on hand depending on what mood I’m in for the day.”
    A few minutes later and we were all seated around the table.
    “I heard about Bethany’s murder and I can say I’m not surprised.”
    “Really?” I said, thinking that was quite a bold statement.
    “She made quite a few enemies.”
    “In real estate?” I asked.
    Rachel rolled her eyes. “Come on. You wouldn’t be here talking to me if you weren’t trying to see if the rumors were true about Bethany running an escort service.”
    I liked this girl. She was blunt and to the point and seemed honest.
    “OK. Then we’ll get right to it, but first, why are you so willing to talk to us? Celeste couldn’t slam the door in our faces fast enough.”
    “Celeste is a bit uptight. Me, I don’t have anything to hide. I’m not ashamed of anything I’ve done, and unlike a lot of people, I didn’t dislike Bethany. Sure, she wasn’t the easiest to get along with, but I certainly didn’t hate her like some. She helped me in a lot of ways and I appreciated it.”
    “Why did people not like her?” I asked.
    “If you asked them, I‘m sure they would come up with many different reasons, but in my opinion, it all comes down to jealousy. She was smart, beautiful, and had an amazing business mind. People were just simply jealous.”
    “If you were running an escort service, then how were the charges dropped?” Tobey asked.
    “They couldn’t prove it and, unfortunately for them, Bethany knew a lot of the secrets of important players in town. She didn’t tell me this,