Escape to Paradise. Pamela Yaye

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СКАЧАТЬ was something I could do to help his victims.” Sniffling, Claudia cleaned her mascara-stained cheeks with her fingertips. “If my accounts weren’t frozen I’d—”

       Maxine gasped. “The banks froze your accounts? They can’t do that!”

       “They can if there’s a court order. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a request with the court on Monday, and there was nothing my lawyer could do to stop it.”

       “I don’t understand why the authorities are pursuing you. You’re innocent.”

       “The investigators are convinced I was in on it, and since we were married for ten years and only recently divorced, they argued for additional time to substantiate their case against me.” Hearing herself repeat her attorney’s words made the situation more real, made her realize that things were going to get a whole lot worse before they got better. And that brought a fresh batch of tears. “Mr. Tibbs said I’ll probably be subpoenaed to testify in William’s case.”

       “I can’t believe these people. Next thing you know they’ll be fitting you with an ankle bracelet and confiscating your passport.”

       “They tried, but the judge refused.” Claudia forced a smile. “It’s a small victory. At least I’m free to come and go as I please without fear of being hunted down.”

       “If you need anything, just ask. Money’s been tight ever since Royce lost his job, but I don’t mind dipping into my savings to help you out.”

       “I couldn’t ask you to do that. You’re pregnant.”

       “I know, but it’s the least I could do. I was the one who encouraged you to date William and look how things turned out.” Maxine made a clicking sound with her teeth. “If I had known he was a lying scoundrel, I never would have advised you to marry him.”

       “That’s in the past. I’ve moved on, and despite everything that’s going on right now I’m in a really good place.” Claudia tugged on her cap, pulling it down so low it covered her eyebrows. Okay, so she was lying, but she didn’t want Max to feel guilty about something that wasn’t her fault. William was her past, and as of last Thursday they were officially done. That painful chapter of her life was over and she was determined to move on.

       To escape the thoughts crowding her mind—thoughts of losing her house, her business and her sanity—Claudia shut her eyes and leaned back in her seat. “I wish I could disappear. Just go somewhere where nobody knows my name.”

       “Oh, that’s right, they don’t have TVs or newspapers in Lynchburg,” Maxine quipped, her tone ripe with sarcasm. “You know how much Aunt Hattie likes to talk. The whole town will know you’re coming before your plane touches down!”

       They drove in silence for a moment, and then Maxine let out an ear-piercing shriek. It was so deafening Claudia was surprised the windows didn’t shatter into a million pieces.

       “You should go to Cabo San Lucas!”

       “I can hardly afford the plane ticket to Lynchburg, let alone to Mexico.”

       Weaving in and out of traffic like a NASCAR driver going for broke, Maxine took the exit marked Departures, zoomed up the ramp and flew into the first available parking space. “Royce and I had such a great time there during our honeymoon that we purchased time shares. It’s a good thing we did when the market was strong, because we could never afford it now.”

       Claudia screwed her face into a frown. “I don’t want to go to a resort that’s packed with kids and rude tourists. I need to rest, clear my head.”

       “And you think you can relax in Lynchburg? I love Aunt Hattie but she yaks nonstop. You’d get more peace and quiet staying at an amusement park!”

       A giggle tickled the back of Claudia’s throat. It didn’t matter how bad she felt, Max could always make her laugh. “Don’t bad-mouth Aunt Hattie. She’s the only family we’ve got left.”

       “Then we’re in really bad shape!”

       Claudia didn’t laugh, but Maxine did. Her laugh was smooth, easy, as if she didn’t have a care in the world. And she didn’t. Despite her present financial woes, she had a husband who loved her, a home in a gated community and not a single reporter camped outside her house.

       “Picture it,” she said, spreading her hands out in front of her. “You stretched out on a beach, sipping cocktails under the hot Mexican sun, and being served fresh fruit by an Antonio Banderas look-alike with rock-hard abs and a tight ass!”

       “That’s no way for a pregnant woman to talk.”

       “Girl, please, I’m only a few months along. The babies can’t hear anything!”

       Claudia shook her head at her sister.

       “Go to Cabo and enjoy yourself,” Maxine instructed. “I promise you won’t be sorry.”

       Famous for its breathtaking waterfalls and endless blue skies, Cabo San Lucas was reputed to be one of the most beautiful peninsulas on earth and a place Claudia had always wanted to see. But her furious work schedule left few hours to sleep, let alone travel to faraway lands.

       “The Sea of Cortez Resort is world-class all the way. I damn near fainted when Royce carried me into our oceanfront suite. And who knows,” she said with a devilish smirk, “maybe you’ll meet someone while you’re down there. A night of passion with a sexy tourist is exactly what your sex-deprived ass needs.”

       “I’d rather swim in shark-infested waters than indulge in a seedy holiday fling. After everything I’ve been through, the last thing I want is to get caught up with another no-good man.”

       “There are still some good guys out there, and it’s high time you met somebody new.”

       “My divorce was only finalized two weeks ago.”

       “Yeah, but you’ve been legally separated for a year,” Maxine challenged, her tone accusatory. “I don’t know how you’ve gone that long without having sex. I need a man to keep me warm at night, or I’ll go insane!”

       Claudia shrugged, conveying how little she cared about having a man in her bed. Since they were teens, her sister had treated dating like an amateur sport and, if not for getting knocked up by her boyfriend-turned-husband four months ago, she’d still be racking up numbers in her little black book. “Maybe I should go down to Cabo for a few weeks.”

       “Of course you should!” Maxine nodded her head fervently, as if she was praising a small child. “The suite is in my name, but if you show two forms of ID you should be fine.”

       “And if that doesn’t work?”

       Her smile was sly. “Then flash some skin! That always works for me!”

       “Could you be serious for one moment? I don’t want to fly all the way down to this resort only to be turned away.” Annoyed that her sister was making light of her being stranded, she decided to stick to her original plan. “Forget it. I’m going to Lynchburg. I don’t need any more stress, and I could see this whole Cabo thing blowing up in my face.”

       “I’ll call the resort to let them know that you’re СКАЧАТЬ