For The Love Of Laurel Read Online Free Page A

prove I deserve it.”
    “Is there a pre-nup?”
    “No. There’s just a stingy s.o.b.”
    Laurel took notes. “How do you know he’s fooling around?”
    “Just a feeling. He makes excuses not to come home, he talks on the phone and if I come into the room he lowers his voice or hangs up.”
    “How long has he been doing this?”
    “Several months. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but there comes a time when you can no longer ignore your suspicions.”
    “But that’s all they are at this point? Suspicions? You haven’t any concrete proof of infidelity?”
    Gloria looked down. “No. That’s why I’m here. I want you to get me the proof. I’ve had my suspicions for a while, as I said, but they really came to a head when I suggested a trip to Paris. He loves Paris but made excuses not to go. It wasn’t hard to figure out why. The sooner I can get him served, the sooner I can kick him out of the house. For now, I’m leaving for Paris by myself tomorrow. I’ll be gone a couple of weeks. If you need to get in touch, I’ll leave my contact information with your secretary.”
    It sounded easy. Tail him and get pictures. The best part was that Gloria would pay big bucks, which gave Laurel a kind of smug satisfaction. She didn’t need the case or the money. Given who the client was, normally she wouldn’t take the case. Gloria Grant Gunderson was probably getting what she deserved. But what the heck? Maybe it would keep her mind off her father and she would give the money to charity.
    “Okay, I’ll see what I can find out. My assistant has a contract for you to sign. I ask for a thousand up front.”
    Gloria gave a wave as if she were swatting at a fly. “Not a problem. But how long do you think it will take? The divorce hearing is only a month away.”
    “I should be able to come up with evidence of adultery by then.” She didn’t bother to add “if there is any.” She assumed there was or Gloria wouldn’t be here.
    The day was typical San Diego-beautiful, and Laurel decided to spend the afternoon at the beach. She told herself, and Sue, it was a perfect place to plan her strategy on catching Gloria’s husband, Dr. Miles Gunderson, prominent plastic surgeon, in flagrante delicto .
    She went home to change into denim cutoffs and a white halter top. She searched for her huaraches and found them under her bed. She wiped some sand, courtesy of her last trip to the beach, from the soles into a wastebasket, and then grabbed her purse and digital voice recorder. With an “I’ll be back before dinner” to Mari, she headed for her car.
    As she snapped her seatbelt on and started the car, she noticed Dylan washing the Caddy. She waved, and he nodded back. In suds up to his elbows, he wasn’t likely to follow her around today. Oh, that’s right. He didn’t follow her around. He said so himself.
    She pulled up beside him. “I’d like you to trade in that monstrosity for something more reasonable, and I’d like you to remove the tracking thingy from my car.”
    “Okay. I’ll do it tomorrow.” He went back to his task, giving her the brush-off.
    What a guy. At least he didn’t argue with her.
    The beach at Del Mar was crowded. Laurel found a spot that was reasonably unpopulated and spread her towel on the sand. She reached into her purse for her sunglasses and sunscreen, making mental notes to set up an appointment with the good doctor, watch his house at night, and follow him if he leaves. There. She didn’t have to feel guilty now that she had a plan. Gloria wanted this done as soon as possible, so she had no business on the beach, but what was the point of living in the best climate in the world if she couldn’t play hooky now and again?
    She found her glasses and as she grabbed them, Mike Branson’s card fell out of her purse and onto her lap. She picked it up and looked at it for the first time. It had his name, phone, and fax numbers, and that was all.
    What was it he had said to her? “If