Styled for Murder

by Nancy J. Cohen

  “That’s awful. I’m assuming he reported the theft.”

  “Yup, but it was too late. The scammers were already ghosts by then.”

  Ghosts. A chill crept up Marla’s spine. Hadn’t Dalton said the same thing about Brad’s past? Brad... and Ben Brigham. What were the odds they were one and the same?

  Dalton cleared his throat. “Do you recall who else worked with Jack?”

  “It’s been ten years since our remodel. Our memories aren’t that good,” Ellen said. A buzzer sounded from the kitchen. “That’s my timer. The banana bread is done. Would you like a piece?”

  “No thanks, we’ll be going to lunch from here,” Marla replied.

  Dalton addressed Max after Ellen went into the kitchen. “Do you recall reading about a band of copper thieves in the area about the time you were doing your remodel?”

  Max gave a vehement nod. “The newspaper had a big article on them. Those crooks stole everything from air-conditioning units to water pipes. They’d tear up your property to get at the metal. The scrap dealers never questioned the source.”

  “Were the thieves ever caught?”

  Max’s gaze darkened. “Jack was the only one apprehended. We were shocked when we heard he was involved.”

  Marla got out her cell phone and did a search for related articles in that time frame. “Here’s a news item that mentions the thefts. It’s dated ten years ago in March.”

  Max nodded. “That sounds about right.”

  She pointed to her cell screen. “One of the robbers was arrested and the other two fled into the wind. No names were given.”

  “Can you remember anything about the other contractors who’d worked with Jack?” Dalton inserted. “Were they tall or short? Dark hair or light?”

  Max’s face folded into a frown. “His pal had a tattoo of a sea serpent on his arm. I think he’d been in the Navy. He disappeared after Jack’s arrest, so I gather they were in on it together. Imagine those two guys working jobs in the area and stealing copper on the side. Thank goodness they’d finished our project by then.”

  “What about the third man?” Marla asked, scouring her search listings. “Maybe he acted as the fence and sold their stolen goods to the scrap dealers.”

  “I have no idea. Why would this matter now?” Max asked, getting up to pace the room.

  “After his release, Jack went back to work for another remodeling company as a project supervisor,” Dalton informed him. “I’m sorry to tell you he’s dead.”

  “Oh, dear,” came Ellen’s startled cry as she rejoined them. She wiped her hands on an apron. “How did it happen?”

  Marla responded. “He died on my mother’s property. Jack worked for the company my stepfather hired for a bathroom remodel. The tile installer found him dead in the shower. We’re wondering if Jack’s former associates might be involved.”

  “The permit inspector is another victim,” Dalton added. “We don’t know yet if his death is related to Jack’s case.”

  Ellen’s jaw dropped. “Are you thinking he was part of the robbery ring? If so, that would mean two members of their gang are dead. That leaves one of them still on the loose.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Dalton called Detective Wanner once they were in their car outside the condo building. He put the call on the vehicle’s speaker system before filling the detective in on their findings.

  “Pete Ferdinand has a tattoo like the one you’ve described,” Wanner remarked.

  “He’s the same fellow who’s been working at my in-laws’ house,” Dalton said. “If I recall, his pal Juan had a verifiable alibi, but Pete did not.”

  “That’s correct. We’ve confirmed Ferdinand was a member of this robbery ring. Unfortunately, he’s flown the coop. I’ve put out an alert for him.”

  “Have you identified the third copper thief?” Marla asked. “We’re thinking it might have been Tobias Banyan, the permit inspector.”

  “I’m looking into it, ma’am. In the meantime, I’d suggest you don’t make any conjectures unless they’re based on facts.”

  “Wait, you were at my mother’s house inquiring about gas appliances. Is there something about Tobias’s death that led you there?”

  A silence met their ears, followed by a resigned grunt. “We’re calling it a homicide. There was evidence of tampering to his propane system. Please keep this information to yourselves.”

  “Why would you question my stepfather? As far as I know, Reed had no connection to Tobias.”

  “We’ll see.” Wanner didn’t have anything else to add and hung up.

  Marla regarded her husband. “Do you think Pete killed his partners in crime after all these years? I mean, why else would he run unless he’s guilty?”

  “We won’t know his role until Wanner finds and questions him.”

  “How about Tobias? We need to learn if he was part of the robbery ring,” Marla said.

  “Those thefts took place in Boynton Beach. I can ask our team at the burglary desk to contact their colleagues in the area and inquire about the case.”

  “I’ll do more research on the newspaper angle,” Marla suggested. “It would be helpful to find an article that mentions the third person’s name. One thing puzzles me, though. If Pete is the killer, why would he go after his associates now?”

  “Maybe Pete and Jack went back into business together and Tobias threatened to blow the whistle on them.”

  “So why would Pete kill Jack?”

  “Possibly because Pete wanted all the money for himself. Who knows? Let’s relax and focus on lunch.”

  At the restaurant, they climbed a set of wooden steps and entered the seasoned structure with an ocean view at the rear. Marla loved the nautical ambiance with fishing nets and lanterns strung overhead and seaside décor on the walls. The smell of ale hung in the air, possibly from the beer-battered fried shrimp as advertised on a wall poster.

  They got a quiet table with a view. Happy to cool off inside with the air-conditioning, Marla ordered an iced coffee while Dalton got a soft drink. They both had to go back to work so cocktails were out of the question.

  “Are you all set for the garlic festival this weekend?” Dalton asked after their drinks arrived and they’d given their meal orders. Marla had selected grilled butterflied shrimp with fries and coleslaw. She liked Dalton’s choice, too, but felt pecan-crusted mahi mahi and a loaded baked potato would be too heavy for lunch.

  “We’ll be ready when the time comes,” she said, slathering a warm roll with butter. The bread melted in her mouth. It was so good that she couldn’t resist another piece. Two were her limit, or she wouldn’t have room left for her meal.

  “It’s the first time your staff has done a pageant, isn’t it?” Dalton inquired, his brows lifting. His molten gray eyes regarded her as his shoulders relaxed and the tension visibly ebbed from his face.

  Marla sagged back in her seat, grateful for a respite from their worries. “It’ll be our first time involved in a competition,” she acknowledged. “It’s not really a beauty pageant. The girls are evaluated based on their talents. I imagine the backstage work will be similar to the fashion show we did for that Las Olas dress designer.”

  Hopefully, it won’t end in a similar disaster with a dead body, she thought.

  “How long will it take?” Dalton observed the waitress walk past with a steaming platter.

  “We’ll have two hours tops to prep twelve contestants. That’s four girls per stylist. Nicole and Zoey have signed on, along with Robyn. She’ll watch the clock for us. Once we’re finished, we’ll be free for the day.”

  “What time does this start?”

  “Our check-in time is noon, but I plan to get there earlier to eat lunch and look around. The finale begins at two o’clock. I’d like to watch the show until the winner is announced.”

  “You said Davinia was one of the judges? It would be helpful if you could meet her to ask about Brad. She might reveal how she knows Reed and what favor sh
e did for him.”

  “That’s the plan. George Eustice’s daughter will be there, too. I’ll make sure to do her hair myself.”

  He gave her a wicked grin. “Hey, is there a costume award at this shindig? We could dress up. I can be the bulb and you can be the head.”

  A different sort of head came to mind, and she felt heat rise into her cheeks. “Don’t you have that reversed? But no thanks. I’m looking forward to the food. Maybe I’ll find some new recipes or even a cookbook for sale. I hope Ma and Reed are still planning to join us. You’ll need help with Ryder while I’m occupied.”

  With pleasant anticipation of the festival ahead, they enjoyed their lunch. Marla took a bite of the grilled shrimp and savored its buttery taste. They made idle chitchat for the rest of the meal.

  During the drive home, she didn’t feel like talking about anything serious and stuck to topics involving Ryder and the conversations she’d had with other mothers. Teething and food introductions and sleep regressions had become Marla’s world now.

  “Brianna found a restaurant for her graduation party,” she mentioned, almost forgetting to tell him. “Kiki’s by the Ocean has private rooms. They still have availability for lunch on Sunday, June the Sixth. I think we’ll need a larger room between Brie’s guest list and ours.”

  He gave a grunt of agreement. “Isn’t her prom first on the calendar?”

  “Yes, and she needs outfits for both occasions. I need to take her to Tally’s store. Dressed to Kill is bound to have something she likes. Her cap and robe haven’t come in either, but we still have time.”

  Dalton shook his head. “I can’t believe these events are coming up so fast.”

  “I know.” Senior prom, graduation, then college. Hopefully, only happy occasions would follow. Marla had never envisioned her life turning in this direction, but she appreciated every minute. Her heart filled and she fell silent, rejoicing in her blessings.

  ****

  On Friday, Marla managed to do the research on the copper robbers as promised. However, she failed to discover any mention of the third member’s name. His identity had remained elusive to the police even back then.

  They got a break on Saturday afternoon when Dalton left her a text message to call him. She phoned him from the salon storeroom for privacy.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, anxious to hear his news.

  “Pete Ferdinand has been arrested,” he said into her earpiece. “He’s being charged with Tobias Banyan’s murder. Wanner found tools in his work shed along with evidence that he’d sabotaged the permit inspector’s house and caused a propane gas leak.”

  “Did he confess?”

  “He’s claiming innocence. However, he did admit that Tobias was a member of their robbery ring.”

  “Is Wanner also accusing Pete of murdering Jack? That would clear Reed’s name from the case.” Unable to stay idle, Marla put away a few developers that other stylists had taken down from the shelves and not replaced.

  “Not yet.” Dalton paused. “I’m wondering if Jack was the fence rather than Tobias. Jack could have accumulated the cash, paid off his buddies, and secretly kept aside a bigger stash for himself. If he got a hunch that things were about to blow, he might have hidden the goods. What better place than inside the wall at his latest job?”

  “Are you kidding? That’s preposterous.” How did Dalton come up with this crazy theory?

  “Jack figured he’d come back later when the heat was off and tell the homeowners he had to do repairs,” Dalton continued. “Remember that Chinese drywall scandal? People will believe anything.”

  “All right, but then what?”

  “He got caught and went to prison. After he was released, he had to wait a while before returning to the site. His former pals might be watching him, same as the cops. Hey, did you know that term derives from coppers, and I don’t mean the metal. It’s an English derivative. To cop means to capture or to arrest. A copper is a noun, as in one who cops. In those days, criminals used it in a derogatory manner.”

  “O-kay. I think you’re stretching things, but I can dig deeper into the newspaper archives to look for mentions of missing money.”

  Marla emptied the coffee pot she kept in the storeroom for her staff and rinsed it out. She put it on a paper towel to dry and stashed the creamers in the fridge. It was nearly day’s end. Cleaning up now would allow her to leave right after her last client.

  Dalton spoke to someone in the background and then addressed her. “I have to go. We can talk more about this later.”

  “All right. Love you.”

  Marla mulled over their conversation as she went back to work. It couldn’t be a coincidence that both Jack and Pete had ended up at the same house where they’d done work before. The garlic festival would give her the opportunity to learn more. Amaze Design Center had a booth there. If either Nadia or Caroline were present, she could ask if the contractors had requested this assignment in particular.

  ****

  Marla bounced out of bed early on Sunday morning to tend to the baby and to prepare for the day’s excursion. The garlic festival was being held at a popular plant nursery that had a gift shop with fun novelty items, a café, a gourmet food shop, and an elevated stage for local bands to play during weekend festivities.

  She kept her work tools in a bag inside her car, so she didn’t need to pack them. She did add a kit with makeup supplies, though. Dalton would drive separately with Ryder, while Anita and Reed would meet them there.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to come?” she asked Brianna at the breakfast table.

  Still in her pajamas, the teen shook her head. She’d fastened her long hair into a ponytail and looked much younger without any makeup. “No, thanks. I’m going to the beach with my friends. I’ll miss that when I’m in Boston, so I have to go now while I can. Leave the dogs to me. I’ll take them for a walk and make sure their dishes are filled before I go.”

  Brianna offered to wash their empty plates along with the baby bottles from last night, so Marla left her to it. Glad to get out of the house, she headed off in her SUV while Dalton was still packing Ryder’s gear into his sedan.

  The paved front parking lot was full by the time Marla arrived at the festival grounds. She’d been given a VIP pass, so she got directed to a dirt lot closest to the entrance. Other cars zoomed past in a cloud of dust, forced into a single line toward a more distant section. Everyone would need a car wash after this event.

  Outside, the sun streamed down from a cloudless sky on a perfect day in May. She grabbed her tool kits, locked the car, and headed across the grass toward the center of activity. Naturally, the only way to enter the grounds was through the gift shop. She showed her pass to the ticket attendant, collected a festival brochure, and exited through another door.

  She texted Dalton and her mom that she’d arrived and then consulted the map provided. Exhibitors included local businesses, a health care clinic, a fitness club, charitable organizations, and service clubs. She located Amaze Design Center at the number twelve spot not far from the food vendors.

  A smile curved her lips as she noticed her salon mentioned in the credits. Davinia’s name was prominent as the special guest celebrity.

  Aware that her time was limited, she stuffed the brochure into her handbag and hurried forward. A band had started playing at ten o’clock. Loud rock music competed with the boisterous laughter of children and the chatter of adults as she traipsed along a concrete path. She found the backstage green room and entered to check in.

  Nobody was there yet. Tables and chairs had been set up along with mirrors and electrical outlets. Careful not to trip over a wire trailing across the ground, she stashed her bags under a covered table and headed out to find her family. They were supposed to meet at eleven for lunch. It would upset Ryder’s schedule, but hopefully he’d get tired out enough to nap at his usual time.

  Colorful flowers beckoned to her from the nursery section. Potted green plants co
vered the area along with statuary, garden ornaments, rock waterfalls, and faux boulders. Wind chimes tinkled in a floral-scented breeze.

  A text came through from Dalton. “I’m with Anita and Reed over at the south side.”

  Eager to meet up with them, she headed through the throng toward the food stands set up in a row along the walkway. The scent of garlic permeated the area. Oh, yum. Should she get the garlic crab cakes or the jerk chicken? There was the Argentine beef that Dalton wanted to try. It came with black beans and rice. She walked past a set of portable bars selling a variety of drinks, including garlic-flavored beer.

  “Hi, guys.” She tickled Ryder under the chin. He sat in his stroller, his eyes wide as he regarded the bustling activity around them. She grinned at his expression of wonder before greeting Anita and Reed with warm hugs.

  Her mother had made up her eyes in a hue to match her royal blue top. She wore a silver necklace around her neck with “Grandma” written on it that Marla had given her after Ryder was born. Hoop earrings adorned her ears. She looked happy to be there.

  Reed wore a polo shirt in light blue along with navy trousers. With his white beard, he fit the image of a distinguished professor, even in casual clothes.

  Questions about the murders burned the tip of Marla’s tongue, but she didn’t care to dampen their pleasant mood. She’d wait for the right opening later on.

  “We should grab a picnic table before they’re all gone,” she suggested. “I’ll sit with Ryder while you get something to eat.”

  Dalton claimed a seat. “No, I’ll watch him. You go first since your time is short. What are you thinking of getting?”

  “I might try the chicken shawarma,” she said. “It’s chicken thighs baked with spices. It comes with toum, a Lebanese garlic sauce, plus pita bread and cold tabbouleh.” Since the portions were larger than she’d expected, she had decided to pass on the crab cakes and jerk chicken in favor of tasting something new.