Deadly in High Heels Read Online Free Page A

boyfriend too?" I asked.
    "We all did," Delaware finally chimed in. "But everyone talks about their boyfriends here, you know? I mean we all miss our guys back home."
    "Did she say anything specific about him?"
    "She was always talking about the stupid ring he gave her!" New Mexico rolled her eyes.
    Arkansas elbowed her in the side, her eyes again cutting to Dana.
    "Do tell?" Marco prompted.
    "She had this ridiculous 'promise ring.'" New Mexico made air quotes with her fingers. "She went on and on about how it was the perfect emerald color to match her sweetheart's emerald eyes. Gag. I mean—really—what are we in high school? Promise of what? Seriously, this guy couldn't be all that if he couldn't commit already and get her an engagement ring. A promise ring is just a cheap piece of jewelry that says, 'I like you but not enough to buy you a real ring.' You know what I mean?"
    Marco snickered. "Oh, I know what you mean."
    Dana frowned, looking down at her own multi-carat engagement ring on her left finger, courtesy of her movie star boyfriend, Ricky Montgomery. While the sparkling jewelry had been gracing her finger for several months now, Ricky had yet to set the date . A fact I knew was beginning to bother Dana.
    "If they were really that serious, I can't imagine the boyfriend having anything to do with her death," I quickly changed the subject.
    "Well, I don't know if they were that serious," Delaware argued.
    "Why would you say that?" I asked. I had a feeling that Delaware was holding something back
    "Well," she hedged, her eyes cutting to the doorway where a uniformed police officer was posted. She paused, doing some more lip chewing. "Look, please don't tell anyone I said this, but I saw her leaving her room last night."
    "What time was this?" I pounced.
    Delaware nibbled more lipstick. "Around twelve thirty. Maybe one."
    "Impossible," Dana cut in. "She couldn't have gone out after midnight. Miss Hawaiian Paradise Pageant rules clearly state that no contestants are to leave their rooms after the midnight curfew."
    Delaware shot her a look like she'd got her hand caught in the cookie jar. "I—I couldn't sleep, so I went out to get some water from the vending machines at the end of the hall. And I swear I saw Jennifer leaving."
    "To meet a man?" Marco asked.
    She shrugged. "Why else would she be sneaking around in the middle of the night?"
    She had a point. "Did you see which way she went when she left her room?" I pressed, thinking of the men's rooms down the west wing of the hotel.
    Delaware nodded. "She got into the elevator."
    Dana pursed her lips into a thin line. I could tell that had Miss Montana not already been dead, she'd be losing major points right now.
    "So you saw her leaving her room last night about twelve thirty, heading down toward the pool."
    But Delaware's eyes cut to mine, her head shaking back and forth. "No, not the pool. When I got back from the vending machines, I looked out the window and saw her heading toward the beach."
    I heard my own confusion echoed in Marco's voice as he asked, "Who was she meeting on the beach?"
    Delaware did some more head shaking. "I don't know. But whoever it was, I'm guessing it didn't end well."
    I had to agree with that one.
    I was about to ask New Mexico if her roommate had made any previous middle-of-the-night excursions, when Laforge's voice piped up from the ballroom's double doors.
    "May I have your attention please?" he asked, addressing the room at large. Dozens of coiffed heads turned his way. "The police have finished processing the scene and have concluded their interviews for the day. The other directors and I will be convening with the local authorities shortly to discuss the future of the pageant."
    Murmurs of speculation ran through the crowd.
    "We hope to be able to have more information available for you soon, however in the meantime I would suggest that you enjoy the hotel's many facilities."
    I raised one eyebrow in his direction, wondering if