Deadly in High Heels Read Online Free

conversation.
    "Tragic," Dana said, shaking her head. "She was so young."
    "Any ideas who could've done that to her?" Marco asked the girls.
    I felt my eyes narrowing as Marco's voice took on that scary Fablock Holmes quality, like he might pull out a deerstalker hat and magnifying glass at any second. I silently sent him do-not-pry vibes. The last thing the pageant directors wanted was dealing with fifty hysterical beauty queens claiming there was a murderer amongst them.
    "No, of course not," Delaware said, her teeth nibbling on her pink lipstick, unnaturally long eyelashes fluttering up-and-down like spiders having seizures. "Everyone loved Jennifer."
    Miss Arkansas nodded in agreement. "We all did!"
    "It seemed to me she was doing very well in the competition," Marco countered.
    "No scores have been turned in yet," Dana chimed in, clearly trying to play neutral. "I mean, everyone is still on even ground with all of the judges."
    "But you all must've noticed how well she was doing, right?" Marco pushed.
    Arkansas shrugged. "I guess. But I think we all felt she whatever points she was getting. I mean, she was just, well, kinda perfect, you know?"
    I was about to open my mouth to protest that even perfect people can make enemies, when Miss New Mexico snorted beside her.
    "You disagree?" Marco asked, arching one perfectly groomed eyebrow. (If I didn't know better, I'd say he'd done some extra plucking since last night.)
    New Mexico shook her head. "Oh, sure, she acted all perfect, but she was really a perfect brownnoser."
    Arkansas gasped beside her, her eyes darting to Dana. I could tell she was mentally picturing Miss New Mexico's chances at Miss Congeniality quickly slipping away.
    "Why do you say that?" Marco pounced.
    "She was always playing everyone's friend, but nobody can be that sweet all the time, especially not a beauty queen. I mean—let's face it—to get to the national level pageants you've got to be competitive."
    "You can be sweet and competitive," Arkansas argued.
    New Mexico snorted again. "Not if you want to win."
    "Do you think any of the other contestants felt the same way about her?" Marco asked.
    "Wait—" Delaware put up one manicured hand. "You're not suggesting that one of the other contestants would want to harm Jennifer, are you?"
    Delaware was a smart cookie. If I knew "Marco Holmes," that was exactly what he was suggesting.
    Arkansas's eyes went big and round, a hand going to her lips.
    Marco opened his mouth to speak, but Dana rode right over him. "Of course not," she quickly said, shooting Marco a look. "I'm sure no one associated with the pageant had anything to do with the tragedy."
    Marco shut his mouth with a click. I was pretty sure he was thinking the exact opposite.
    "Who could've done it then?" New Mexico asked.
    "Do any of you know if Jennifer had any friends on the island? Family? A boyfriend maybe?" I asked.
    Arkansas looked to Delaware. Delaware chewed on her lower lip again, and I could see flakes of lipstick starting to stain her upper teeth.
    "Well, we know she had a boyfriend," Arkansas finally piped up.
    "Oh reeeeeeally. A boyfriend." Marco leaned in. "You know what they say about the boyfriends."
    "What?" Arkansas whispered.
    "They are always guilty."
    I elbowed Marco in the ribs. "Ix-nay on the ilty-gay, Sherlock," I whispered.
    But Arkansas had already taken the bait. "Ohmigosh, you think? That would be terrible!"
    "Did you ever hear her talking about any problems with her boyfriend?" I asked. Hey, if Marco had already opened the door, I might as well step through it.
    Arkansas shook her head violently from side to side, her extensions whipping behind her like a tail. "No, everything that Jennifer said about her boyfriend was always so positive. I mean almost to the point where he seemed…"
    "Nauseatingly sweet," New Mexico finished, smirking.
    Why did I get the impression that there was no love lost between New Mexico and the dead girl?
    "So you heard her talk about a