LADY KILLER
“There’s something you should know,” Quinn said.
“What?” Annabelle’s heart skipped a beat.
“Griffin has found out that another woman I used to know—Carla Millican—was murdered in Dallas four months ago, on the same day I was there. But I swear to you, Annabelle, I didn’t kill her.”
A fourth victim! Four of Quinn’s lovers had been murdered. There was no way their murders could have been coincidental. “Was she…was Carla killed the same way the others were?”
“She was smothered and her right index finger was removed after she was dead.”
“Someone is trying to frame you,” Annabelle said. “That’s it, isn’t it?”
“Possibly. Griffin and Judd believe we have a psychopath on our hands. A serial killer.”
“You’ll have to share this information with the police. Surely then they’ll realize you’re completely innocent.”
“Maybe. But there’s a chance that since I was in the same city at the time of each murder and have no alibi any of the four times, the police could figure that I killed all four women.”
“But you didn’t. I know you didn’t.”
“I couldn’t blame you if you had some doubts. Hell, if I didn’t know better, I might think I was guilty.” Genuine anguish saturated his speech. “Please, please don’t let me hurt you…”
Books by Beverly Barton
AFTER DARK
EVERY MOVE SHE MAKES
WHAT SHE DOESN’T KNOW
THE FIFTH VICTIM
THE LAST TO DIE
AS GOOD AS DEAD
KILLING HER SOFTLY
Published by Zebra Books
Killing Her Softly
BEVERLY BARTON
ZEBRA BOOKS
KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.
For John Scognamiglio, editor extraordinaire,
and
Richard Curtis, agent par excellence.
Thank you both for excellent professional guidance.
Also, with great appreciation to Michael Speltz,
my research “partner in crime.”
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Michael Speltz, Reserve Inspector with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, with thirty-plus years of service and a lifelong resident of Memphis and Germantown, Tennessee. Mike’s assistance in doing research for this book proved invaluable.
A special Thank You to Mike’s wife, Pat, owner of Pat Speltz Media Consultant in Germantown, Tennessee, who drives writers in the Memphis and Jackson, Tennessee, Oxford, Mississippi, and Blytheville, Arkansas, area. Pat also helped with research on this book.
And to Mike’s brother-in-law, Ben Payne, retired captain of the Memphis Police Department, whose assistance is greatly appreciated.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
Prologue
Lulu Vanderley was rich, blond and beautiful. Women envied her. Men wanted her. She had it all. Everything. Except…There was one thing she wanted that could never truly be hers. Quinn Cortez. And knowing she couldn’t have him made her want him all the more.
They’d been lovers for several months, ever since they’d met through mutual acquaintances in Vail. In the beginning, a hot affair had been enough for both of them. He’d made it clear from their very first date that he was a no-strings-attached kind of guy. And she’d been well aware of his love-’em-and-leave-’em reputation. But that was before she fell in love with the gorgeous hunk, before she decided that she wanted to become Mrs. Quinn Cortez. And as a general rule, Lulu got what Lulu wanted.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror and smiled devilishly. No man had ever been able to resist her. And that was one reason she and Quinn were perfect for each other. They were two peas in a pod—a couple of gorgeous, irresistible philanderers.
Tonight she would spring the trap, the age-old trap that had caught many a poor fool. Quinn wasn’t invulnerable. He was as susceptible as any man to feminine wiles and little white lies. She’d weep and swear she didn’t know how it could have happened. She’d told him the first time they had sex that she’d been on the pill for years and since he’d also used a condom every time, convincing him she was pregnant might not be easy. But all he had to do was talk to her doctor. Lulu was definitely six weeks along.
Running her hands over her tall, slender body, from waist to narrow hips, she studied her image. Her beauty had always gotten her whatever her family’s wealth wouldn’t buy. But neither could give her what she wanted most.
Quinn might be a womanizer, but he wasn’t a heartless cad. If he believed she was carrying his child, then there was a good chance he’d do the honorable thing and marry her.
And if he doesn’t, what will you do?
She’d get an abortion, of course. No way in hell did she want to get tied down with a squalling baby unless the little brat served some purpose.
The mantel clock struck the hour, reminding her that Quinn would be arriving soon. Her stomach tightened. Lulu laughed. It wasn’t like her to be nervous.
Everything was ready. A bottle of champagne was chilling. A second bottle. She’d already drunk three glasses from the first bottle in an effort to steel her nerves and lull herself into a tranquil haze. Not good for the baby, she supposed, but what the hell. The silk bed linens were turned down, soft music was playing and she was wearing her most alluring sheer black teddy.
Quinn had just won another high profile case, this time involving country singer Terry McBryar. The Nashville