Love Can Be Murder

Deeville. Why the hell had she come back? Angora took another drink and tried to focus on Roxann's speech.
    "...and I'm humbled by your recognition."
    The audience burst into applause and, to add insult to Angora's injury, gave Roxann a standing ovation. She hadn't even gotten a standing ovation when she hit the high end note in "When Whoever's in New England's Through With You" at the Louisiana state fair karaoke competition. She watched as Roxann made her way back to her seat next to Dr. Oney. When Roxann scanned the room, probably looking for her, Angora stepped behind the bartender. She needed time to conjure up congratulations for her cousin, the fake.
    The lights dimmed, and the auction resumed. Another dud presented himself and strutted around the stage—where did they find these guys? Bad haircut, and too-short pants. She continued to drink, despite the fact that she could feel herself being pulled into a funk.
    Then Dr. Carl appeared on stage again, this time as the prize. She swished the wine in her mouth like Listerine, and swallowed noisily. Why not? For as long as she could remember, she'd wanted something of Roxann's—anything of Roxann's. Dr. Carl would do nicely. Besides...the man owed her big-time for that humiliating encounter in his office ten years ago. Even if the cad didn't remember it.
    "Do I hear one hundred?" the auctioneer asked. A hand went up near the stage.
    "One hundred from the lady in the yellow. Do I hear one fifty?"
    Roxann raised her hand tentatively.
    "One hundred fifty from the queen! Do I hear one seventy-five?"
    The lady in yellow raised her hand.
    "One seventy-five! Do I hear two hundred?"
    "Two thousand," Angora said loudly.
    A stunned silence ensued, then all eyes swung to her. The attorney had garnered the top bid of the night at eight hundred, from a bridge foursome who looked as if they needed to have their wills done, pronto.
    "Did you say two thousand ?" the auctioneer asked, arcing his arm in her direction. Dr. Carl looked smug.
    "Yes," she said, stepping forward carefully because the carpet was moving. "Two thousand dollars." It was nearly all she had left from hocking the ring, but moments like these only came around once in a lifetime.
    "Two thousand from the lady in the back! Do I hear twenty-one hundred?"
    The crowd tittered.
    "Sold to the lady for two thousand dollars!"
    This time the applause was for her as she walked forward to claim her prize and say her name. She managed a little wave in Roxann's direction, who returned a watery smile, but Angora directed all her attention to Dr. Carl, who escorted her up the stairs and off the side of the stage.
    "Aren't you Roxann's cousin?" he asked.
    "Uh-huh."
    "I'm sorry, I don't remember your name."
    "Angora. Angora Ryder."
    "Right." He smiled, a glorious display that stole her breath. "Did you buy me as a date for Roxann?"
    She frowned. "No. I bought you as a date for myself."
    He looked her up and down, lingering on her breasts and legs, highlighted nicely in the blue Diane Von Furstenberg dress. "Did you go to school here?"
    "Yeth." Her tongue felt thick.
    "Did I ever have you?"
    "Once, but it wasn't very memorable."
    His eyebrows went up. "Have you been drinking?"
    "Absolutely."
    He laughed. "Well, a bite to eat will sober you up. I thought we'd have dinner, then go dancing."
    "Thounds nithe."
    "Should we say goodbye to Roxann?"
    "Nope."
    He looked disappointed, but shrugged. "Okay, then off we go. Two thousand dollars is a lot of money. I hope you don't regret this in the morning, um—"
    "Angora."
    "Right. Angora."
    She tucked her hand under his arm and melted into his shoulder. "I won't."

Chapter Sixteen

    ROXANN TRIED TO KEEP a smile on her face for the rest of the auction, and eagerly accepted Nell's invitation to dinner afterward, although she had to admit she was hoping she'd see Carl, if for only a few minutes. And Angora's behavior was puzzling, to say the least. If she didn't know better, she'd think her cousin was planning to follow through on her joking comment about losing her virginity to Carl.
    "My treat," Nell insisted as they were seated in a booth at a restaurant called Utopia a few blocks away. "For the Alumni Homecoming Queen."
    She blushed and smiled down at the box holding the crown they'd presented to her. "That was incredibly embarrassing, considering..."
    "Considering?"
    She pressed her lips together, then sighed. "Considering I've been thinking about giving my notice to the