Summer Vows (Arabesque) Read Online Free Page B

to
employment. And if not them, the rumors had to come from someone in the Slow
Wyne camp.
    Reporters had also attempted to interview Jason, but his ‘no
comment’ left them searching for other leads. Basil Irvine did agree to be
interviewed, stating emphatically that there was no bad blood between his
L.A.-based company and Serenity. He did admit he’d wanted to sign Justin Glover,
but conceded when the singing phenom said the music produced by Serenity was
better-suited for his singing style and vocal range. His Cheshire cat grin and
velvety smooth voice had Ana screaming at the television that he was lying; she
was incensed because she wasn’t able to rebut his allegation.
    It’d been three days since someone had gunned down Tyler and
instead of fading, the image of her cradling him persisted. An unscheduled
gathering of the family descended on West Palm Beach when the news hit that
Tyler had become the victim of a possible sniper. Fortunately the bullet missed
all major arteries; however, the wound was still serious enough for the
attending physician to recommend he remain in the hospital for several days.
    The police were able to find the spent round and a ballistics
expert had identified it as military issue; surveillance feed from cameras
outside the restaurant and several other buildings showed a figure in camouflage
repelling down the side of an office building and speeding off on a motorcycle.
The police were able to identify the make and model of the bike, but when the
video was enhanced the Kawasaki was missing the license plate, leading them to
believe either it was stolen or the plate was intentionally removed.
    Ana had felt like a parrot, repeating the same thing over and
over when interrogated by law enforcement officials. First it was the local
police, then special agents from the FBI. The theory that the sniper was
connected to the military was a cause for concern among family members.
Particularly those who’d had military experience.
    Pulling her knees to her chest, she rested her head on them and
closed her eyes. Why, she thought, did her parents insist on keeping their home
so cool. “I’m freezing, Mom.”
    Serena Morris-Cole stared at her daughter. She was shaking and
it wasn’t from the air-cooled temperature but because she was still traumatized.
“I’ll adjust the air and bring you a cup of hot tea.”
    Ana’s head popped up. Her registered-nurse mother had divided
her time between sitting at Tyler’s bedside and providing emotional support for
Ana. “Thank you, Mom, but I can get my own tea.” Serena gave Ana a look she
recognized immediately: do not argue with me .
“Okay,” she conceded. It was as if all the fight had gone out of her when she’d
never been one to back down from any confrontation.
    David and Serena had raised their children to be free spirits
in the tradition of 1970s hippies and Ana had become somewhat of a wild child.
She was never one to turn down her brothers’ challenges and she preferred
hanging out with them rather her architecture-historian sister who was the
consummate girly-girl. For Ana it was baseball instead of cheerleading, shooting
pool instead of ballet lessons. She’d earned an undergraduate degree in business
and finance before enrolling in law school, with a focus on business law.
    She’d taken control of Serenity Records once her father
retired, while her twin brother, Jason, had become the label’s musical director
and producer. She’d negotiated deals with artists who had served time for
felonies, yet never at any time had she ever felt threatened or intimidated
until now.
    Ana didn’t want to believe Basil’s denial that there wasn’t bad
blood between them, despite his too-sweet letter congratulating Serenity on
Justin’s successful record launch. But the more she thought about it the more
she felt it was retribution for signing up an artist the head of Slow Wyne
coveted as if he were the Holy Grail.
    A tentative smile parted her