Bikinis in Paradise (Tj Jensen Pardise Lake Mysteries) (22 page)

Most of the models answered the question
with totally bogus tales about bettering mankind and being a role model for today’s youth. The well-rehearsed speeches were meant to sound authentic, but coupled with a teeny, tiny bikini, the answers seemed contrived at best.

Tj held her breath as Chloe was asked the standard question.
She had on a dark green bikini that was well cut but modest and looked almost sophisticated compared to what some of the other girls were wearing. She had on high heels that looked impossible to walk in and a necklace with a solitary stone around her neck. While the majority of the girls had gone for flash, Chloe had chosen simple elegance.

“I want to be a doctor. In order to be a doctor
, I need to go to a top-rated college. In order to pay for a top-rated college, I need the scholarship this contest provides. If chosen as this year’s Ms. Tropical Tan, I’ll work hard for the company during my reign
and
put the scholarship to good use.”

Direct and to the point. Tj thought Chloe had given the only honest answer
of the entire evening, but she doubted it would help her much with the judges, who were looking for tales of using suntan lotion to cure cancer or solve world hunger.

Once the question
-and-answer period was over, a short break was called so that the models could change into their next bikini.

“I could use a beer,” Hunter announced. “Anyone else?”

“I’ll go with you,” Kyle offered.

“I’m good,” Tj answered.

“Me too,” Jenna added.

“I’ve been standing here appreciating this fantastic night and wondering what
they would have done if it had rained,” Jenna said.

“Panic
ked.”

“That’s it? You didn’t have a plan B?”

“Actually, we didn’t. I guess we would have tried to get as many people as we could fit into the community center. It wouldn’t have been as awesome as standing out here under the stars, though.”

“No, it really wouldn’t. Did Annabeth get home okay?”

“I dropped her off
right before you got here. I really hated to take her back, but I didn’t want her to get into trouble if her dad realized she was gone.”

“Was he
there?”

“I’m not sure. Annabeth felt it was best that I
leave off on the road, and she heard chimes and assured me that meant Nona was home. Still, I worry about her.”

“It’s such a shame that she isn’t able to go to school or have friends her own a
ge. She’s missing out on all the cool things that come with childhood.”

“Yeah. I wish I could figure out a way to talk her dad into letting her go to school. Annabeth seems to think that he won’t even consider the idea. I’ve never spoken to the man,
but based on what I’ve heard, I’m pretty sure she’s right.”

Tj waved to a group of her students
, who were attempting to make their way to the front of the crowd. They laughed and joked with one another as they shared the companionship of a night away from school, work, and other responsibilities. Tj wanted that for Annabeth. She wanted fun, and friends, and normal.

“Isn’t that Fenton Ridley arguing with Jazzy?”
Jenna asked, interrupting Tj’s thoughts.

Tj looked toward the tree line
, where Fenton and Jazzy appeared to be in a heated conversation. Jazzy was wearing jeans and a halter top and looked quite a bit different than she had every other time Tj had seen her. Jazzy usually went for flare: big hair, lots of makeup, outrageous outfits. But tonight, without the trappings of her costumes, she seemed no different from the teens Tj worked with during the school year.

“
That’s him, but to be honest, I’m not sure I would have recognized her. She looks so different without the big hair and makeup.”

“I only realized it was her because you really can’t help but notice her chest. Not a lot of women with that figure,” Jenna commented.

“I’m sure Jazzy isn’t happy about not making the final ten.”

“It looks like she’s not the only one who
’s upset,” Jenna said as Porter walked up, struck his dad in the face, and then walked away with Jazzy by his side.

“Yikes
.” Tj cringed. “Looks like Porter has a temper.”

She
thought about the comment Jazzy had made about Tonya making trouble for Porter by telling his father that he’d been sleeping with the models. Could Porter have killed Tonya to keep her quiet? Tj hadn’t thought so before, but he obviously had a short fuse.

“I think I might call Roy and fill him in on the latest development,”
Tj informed Jenna.

“No need
to; here he comes with Kyle and Hunter. He has his uniform on, and Tim is with him. I wonder if this is an official visit.”

“I guess we’re about to find out.”

Tj watched as Roy changed direction and went over to speak to Fenton. Tj couldn’t hear what was being said, but the conversation looked to be of a serious nature. After the men had finished their talking, Fenton signed something Roy handed him, and then Roy directed Tim to handcuff Porter, who was standing nearby with Jazzy.

Porter began
yelling that his dad was setting him up as Tim cuffed him. He accused Fenton of covering his own butt as Roy joined Tim. After Porter was led away, Fenton returned to the bandstand and said something to the announcer, who instructed the band to start the music, announcing that the models would soon return to the stage.

“What the
. . .?” Tj said. “Fenton had his son arrested for hitting him?”

“
That just happened and Roy had to have already been here,” Jenna pointed out. “It must be something else. Hunter and Kyle are on their way over. Maybe they know what’s going on.”

Tj watched the men approach.

“Quite the sideshow,” Tj kidded. “What happened?”

“I
t seems Fenton called Roy a little while ago and told him that he had reason to believe his son had killed Tonya Overton. He didn’t want to come in for an interview since he needed to be here for the bikini contest, but he provided some information over the phone and then signed an affidavit stating that Porter and Tonya were having an affair and he suspected his son of getting mad and killing her when she broke things off.”

“Wow. I honestly have to say I didn’t see that coming,” Tj commented. “I mean
, I guess the thought had entered my mind when I realized Porter had a grudge against Tonya, but somehow the whole thing seems too easy.”

“Why easy?” Jenna asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe
convenient
is a better word. Did Fenton say what proof he had?”

“Roy
didn’t tell us,” Hunter answered. “I imagine they’ll get this all sorted out once the competition is over.”

“Does this whole thing seem sort of cold to you?” Tj asked.

“Cold how?” Kyle wondered.

“Fenton calls Roy and reports that his son murdered a woman
he professed to be friends with right up until her death. He wants his son arrested but can’t be bothered to go down to the station to make a formal complaint. I get this contest is important, but there are plenty of Tropical Tan people on-site to make sure the pageant goes off without a hitch. Fenton didn’t even seem upset. He just signed the paper, watched Roy lead his son away, and went back to work.”

“Yeah, I guess when you put it like that
, it does seem sort of cold,” Kyle agreed.

“Roy’s original intel was that it was Fenton
who had an affair with Tonya. What if Fenton is setting Porter up to take the fall for something he actually did?”

“I doubt that any father would do such a thing,” Jenna countered.

“Fenton left Porter’s mother when he was two. He didn’t see him again until Porter turned eighteen and sought him out. It doesn’t seem like he has a great track record as a father. Porter made a comment the other day that Tonya had gotten him into hot water with his dad. What if Tonya went to Fenton and threatened to go public with the information that his son was sleeping with half the contestants? He kills Tonya and then frames his son.”

“I don’t know
, Tj,” Hunter responded. “Seems sort of farfetched.”

“Yeah, I guess you
’re right. I think I could use a beer. Jenna?”

“Annabeth?” Tj squinted to look at the bedside clock in the dark room. Normally she turned off her cell phone at night, but she’d had a missed call from Annabeth earlier in the evening and hadn’t been able to get hold of her when she’d called her back. She’d never even known of the girl’s existence a week ago, but now she worried about her as if she were one of her own. Tj wasn’t sure what she was going to do about the fact that Annabeth seemed to be left to her own devices far too often for a girl of her age, but she’d made a personal commitment to help her in any way she could.

“I’m sorry to call so late,” Annabeth whispered.

Tj sat up in bed. The moon shining over the lake was almost full, giving off a decent amount of light, so she didn’t have to turn on the table lamp. The clock on her nightstand informed her that it was a quarter past one in the morning. Cuervo yawned, stretched his long limbs, and then circled the area until he found a location to his liking before curling up at the foot of her bed and going back to sleep. Echo had yet to be disturbed by the late-night call and was snoring soundly next to the bed.

“That’s okay
.” Tj pulled the sheet over her shoulders as a breeze from the lake blew in through an open window. “I saw that you called earlier. I guess I didn’t hear the phone with the band and all. I called back, but you didn’t answer.”

“
I had to turn the phone off for a while so Papa wouldn’t hear me talking. He came home right after you dropped me off. He noticed my haircut and new clothes and was mad that I’d left the settlement, so he locked me in my room. I tried to get out, but the door is locked and he blocked the window from the outside.”

“He locked you in your room?” Tj was appalled. What if there was a fire?

“It’s not so bad. He was drunk, and I’m sure as soon as he sobers up he’ll let me out. Besides, I’d actually prefer to stay in my room, out of his way. The thing is, Aaron came over earlier and I heard them talking.” Annabeth was whispering, so Tj had to really concentrate to make out her words. “He was really mad.”

“Aaron?” Tj clarified.

“Yeah. He was arguing with my dad. To be honest, I think they forgot about the fact that I could hear them through the door. Aaron might not have even known I was in the house. Anyway, Aaron shouted that they couldn’t keep her in there forever. I knew they were talking about Kiara. Aaron wanted my dad to let her go, but my dad refused. He told Aaron that it was a father’s responsibility to do what was right for his child.”

“Including kidnapping?” Tj had a hard time wrapping her head around the whole idea. Kiara was eighteen and, b
y law, free to do as she chose, whether her dad agreed with her choices or not.

“Papa doesn’t see it that way. He says that Kiara doesn’t know what
’s good for her. He told Aaron that once they broke her, she’d go along with the plan and everyone would be happy.”

“Broke her? Do you think they
’re hurting her?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think she
’s in physical danger because I’m pretty sure if she was, Aaron would break her out whether it made my dad mad or not. I’m guessing they’re just keeping her locked up until she cooperates. At least that’s how it sounded, although I can’t be sure.”

Tj tried to collect her thoughts. If Kiara was in trouble
, she needed to do something to help her. Problem was, she had no idea what that something should be.

“
What did Aaron say after your dad mentioned the need to break her?” Tj asked.

“I could tell he was very uncomfortable with the fact that they were keeping Kiara locked up
, but I also think he’s scared of Papa. Aaron is a big man who is young and strong, but he’s a gentle person. He tends to go along with the older members of the community.”

“How old is Aaron
?” Tj asked. She couldn’t remember if anyone had actually mentioned it.

“I’m not really sure
, but I think he’s a little older than Kiara. Maybe two or three years.”

“Okay, go on. What did Aaron say after your dad told him that he wasn’t willing to let Kiara go yet?”

“Aaron agreed to give it a few more days. I could tell he was reluctant, but Papa is a leader in the settlement and most of the younger guys don’t like to cross him. Papa is known for his temper.”

“Is that it?”
Tj slipped out of bed and began pulling clothes out of the closet. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but she couldn’t just go back to sleep with both Kiara and Annabeth locked away by a madman.

“Aaron left after that
, and I think Papa might have drunk the rest of his whiskey and passed out. Either that or he left again. I can’t see into the other room, but it’s real quiet.”