Confer, Lorelei - Deadly Revenge (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Read Online Free

wiped it away. She had to be strong, hard as it may be without her father.
    Her tea finished, she put the cup in the kitchen sink and walked back through the family room and up the stairs to her room. She changed into a nightgown and got into bed. As she lay there listening to the quiet nighttime sounds, she made plans. She planned a timetable of things she needed to do in the next few months in order for her to get back to her job at the beach.
    She needed to make sure all the necessary bills, taxes, and insurance on the house and property were in order. And she needed to be able to get over Matt breaking her heart two years ago, so she could get on with her life, too. How hard could it be?

Chapter 5

    Tory, refreshed from her shower, dressed casually in light colored slacks, a button-front shirt, and a light jacket. She kissed her mom good-bye, grabbed her camera, and went out the door. She backed her mother’s car out of the driveway and started down the steep and winding road into the small town of Hickoryville nearby, population approximately fifteen thousand on a good day.
    She looked at the surrounding green and lush, kudsu-covered landscape along the way, noticing two new housing developments, actually gated communities, in different stages of construction just outside of town. It’s a good thing Mom and Dad bought the extra acreage when they built their house or they would be crowded with neighbors.
    Tory parked the car in front of the small one-teller bank building and went inside. There was one other customer ahead of her, so she waited patiently in line. The tall, well-toned woman with long, dark hair was talking to the teller.
    “The bank must have made a mistake. I know there had to be more than enough money in our account, so the bank must have taken it out without my knowledge.”
    Tory stepped back farther, not wanting to eavesdrop anymore than she already had, but the size of the bank made privacy difficult.
    “This is the bank’s fault, and it’s going to pay, believe me, it’ll pay all right.”
    The customer became louder and more belligerent, drawing the attention of the other two employees in the bank before she finally said to the teller in a huff, “I’ll have to take my business elsewhere then, and believe me, this bank will lose a lot of business.”
    She marched out of the bank, her eyes furrowed, her nose in the air, her lips closed tight.
    Tory walked slowly up to the teller.
    “I’m really sorry about that, ma’am. Mrs. Wilson is a little out of sorts today, I’m afraid. How can I help you?”
    Mrs. Wilson! Could she be Matt’s wife?
    Tory looked at the teller and then at her name displayed on the counter in front of her. Angie Young. She looked so familiar to her, but she didn’t recognize the name and couldn’t place where she’d seen her before.
    “I’d like to open an account, please.” Tory took her wallet and checkbook out of her purse.
    Angie, the teller, looked at her oddly as if studying her for a portrait, and then she asked, “Of course, can I see a photo identification, please?”
    Tory handed her driver’s license over to the teller and jumped when all of a sudden Angie reached across the narrow counter and hugged her neck.
    “I can’t believe it’s you after all this time. You haven’t changed at all. You look great.”
    Overwhelmed and dumbfounded, Tory wished for the life of her she could remember where she had seen Angie before.
    “You don’t remember me, do you? I’m Angie Vickerson from high school, remember?”
    “Angie, oh my god, I had no idea. It’s been what, six or eight years since we’ve seen each other? I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize you,” Tory exclaimed a little breathlessly.
    “That’s okay. It happens, people change, get married, have children,” Angie said with great excitement, as she patted her gained baby weight in her abdomen region.
    “Wow, children! You must be so happy. Who did you marry again?” Tory asked,