EXCERPT FROM BETRAYED - A romantic suspense novel | Page 32

MORGAN ST. JAMES

SEVEN
Everyone is as God made him, and often a great deal worse.
~Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote de La Mancha
A young police officer with unruly red hair and a river of
freckles across his nose gave them a quick glance. “I’m Officer
Daily.” He looked down at his notes and tapped a paper on his
desk. “Mrs. Murphy, I have to fill out this form. It won’t take
long. Just answer my questions, okay? By the way, do you have
a picture of your daughter?”
She dug in her worn purse, and brought out a photograph of
Laurel in full costume at her last recital.
He let out a low wolf whistle.
Before the officer saw the picture, he had acted like he was
filing a report about a missing cat. A grin spread across his
freckled face as he said, “Wow, your daughter sure is beautiful.
Shouldn’t your husband should be here, too?”
“Forget it. We’re divorced, and he don’t know nothing. He’s
too wrapped up in his floozy of a wife.”
Officer Daily rubbed his chin. “So then, he’s remarried?”
“Yeah, she’s only twenty-five, you know. What a fool that
man is.”
He swiveled to look at the clock, turned back to face them,
and caught the last part of Maude’s answer.
“You probably heard of him, officer. He’s on the radio.
“Crazy Pat. The Mattress Guy.” Next thing you know, he’ll be on
the TV. They’re livin’ the good life while I scrape for every
penny.”
The young officer frowned at her. “Is that so, Ma’am?”
“You bet. Until all of this nonsense with that ballet company
kicked up, we hardly saw hide or hair of him.” She told the cop
what happened with the contract, pursed her lips, and clearly
relished the scrap of power she was able to hold over her ex.

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