"Bennett, Cherie - Sunset Island 009 - Sunset Scandal" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bennett Cherie)

"I know them," Darcy said, rolling her eyes. "I met them on the boardwalk a couple of weeks ago, when I was out with Molly. The dark-haired one looked at Molly as if she shouldn't be allowed out in daylight. They're one level down from cockroaches."
Lorell and Diana spotted the girls and made a beeline for their table.
"Well, well," Diana said to them sarcastically, "if it isnt the rest of the Aqua-Man gang." Diana had derisively nicknamed Kurt Aqua-Man the summer before.
"Oh, too funny, Diana," Sam replied. "Go crawl back under your rock."
"Now, now, let's not be nasty," Lorell
trilled. "Emma, honey, I think maybe your boyfriend should stick to lovin' instead of glovin'P
Diana cracked up, and Lorell smiled at her own cleverness.
"Of course, if Kurt had thought to wear gloves," Lorell continued, "he might be eatin' lunch with /all right now, instead of chowing down jail food on Alcatraz."
Oh, no, Emma thought. Somehow they found out about Kurt. It's going to be all over the island by this afternoon. That's the last thing Kurt needs!
"Dont look so pale, Emma." Diana's voice dripped with false sincerity. "I know that the members of the Aqua-Man gang take care of each other. I'm sure that Kurt will get the best defense money can buy. You can afford it," she added pointedly.
Darcy looked directly at Diana. "Instead of worrying about Kurt, maybe you should worry about not using a condom last night," she said conversationally.
Emma watched Diana's face turn white. For a moment the girl was too stunned to respond. Evidently Darcy was right! Emma looked at Darcy in wonder. How had she known?
"How did you find out about Kurt?" Carrie broke in.
Diana brightened. "When everyone's talking about something, it's hard to avoid listening," she answered sweetly.
"It's important to be friends with your local police," Lorell put in. "One of the nice officers told us about it. With so many dangerous criminals walkin' the streets of this island, you can't be too careful!"
"He didn't do it," Emma shot back at her.
"That's not for you to decide, is it?" Lorell asked. "Diana, I think we'd better take our leave and let this little club continue its meeting. Bye, y'all!" Lorell and Diana went to find a table of their own.
Emma rolled her eyes.
"Those girls are hateful," Darcy said.
"You got that right," Sam replied.
"But what can we do to help Kurt?" Carrie asked.
"There are only two things to do," Darcy said.
"And they are?" Sam inquired.
"Simple," Darcy said. "First, find the real burglar. Second, get the judge to sentence him to life in prison with Diana and Lorell!"
B1GHT
That evening Emma chose a booth at Rubie's Caf6, near the old fishing village. Ruble's was owned by Kurt's self-proclaimed adoptive mother and was not frequented by summer residents. Kurt had explained to Emma earlier that afternoon that he preferred to meet there rather than at one of the more popular island establishments.
"Everyone's already looking at me like I'm Charles Manson or the guy who shot the President to impress Jodie Foster," Kurt had said over the phone. "I'd rather meet on my home turf."
He looks exhausted! was Emma's first thought as he walked toward her. She was stunned at Kurt's haggard and drawn ap-
pearance. I've never seen him like this. He slowly walked straight to her booth, trying not to notice a couple sitting at the counter who pointed at him and whispered as he walked past.
He saw them, Emma thought, and he's trying to pretend he didn't. But I can tell.
"Hey, gorgeous," Kurt said quietly, sliding tiredly into the booth, "I missed you this afternoon."
Emma smiled and brushed a wisp of hair out of her eyes. Her hair was held back with a pair of black sunglasses perched atop her head, and she'd chosen a simple pair of form-fitting blue jeans and a yellow silk tank top. She'd made an extra effortЧshe wanted to look great for Kurt's sake.
"I missed you, too," Emma murmured, and leaned across the table to kiss him gently on the lips.
Kurt kissed her back. "That's a lot more fun than spending the afternoon with your lawyer."
"What did you and Jane talk about? You look so tired!" Emma asked with real concern.
"No kidding," Kurt agreed. "After spend-
ing all night in jail, I got a crash course in criminal procedure from your boss. Law's a lot more relevant when you're the person wearing the handcuffs!"
"I don't doubt it," Emma said understand-ingly, taking a sip of water. She could hear the gentle slapping of the surf against the pilings outside the restaurant as they talked.
"There's no way I can thank Jane enough for what she's doing for me," Kurt said. "She knows I can't afford to pay her."
"I don't think she cares about that," Emma said.
"Well, she's amazing," Kurt said gratefully. "She's got pages and pages of notes. Then we drove out to the beach so she could see the scene. Then, after she dropped me at the country club, she said she was going home to start writing motions."
"Motions?" Emma asked, puzzled.
"Legal motions," Kurt explained, taking Emma's hand as he spoke. "For example, a defendant is allowed to ask the prosecutor for all kinds of information, and the prosecutor has to hand it over. Stuff like witness lists."
"I don't know very much about these things. I've never had a reason to."
"Me neither," Kurt said, caressing Emma's fingers. He stared out the window at a couple of lobster boats pulling into their moorings. "Until now."
A waitress came over and took their orders. Kurt ordered a bucket of steamed Maine clams, and Ruble's special broiled cod fillet.
How could I possibly eat? Emma wondered, but she forced herself to order.
"I'll have a cup of clam chowder and the crab cakes," Emma said.
The waitress wrote down their orders, and then seemed to linger just a moment, staring at Kurt, before heading to the kitchen.
"What's she staring at?" Kurt asked. "Have I grown an extra nose or something?" He fell silent, his face a mask of-fatigue, anger, and confusion.