Fireside Homicide Cozy Mystery Bundle
Page 17
"Hence the zombies," Holly finished.
"That you scared me half to death with," Gemma said, her voice muffled by Nick’s thick, winter clothing.
Nick chuckled and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I'm sorry."
"You are not." Gemma glared at him.
"They even had me going there for a while," Holly said. "Until I saw the cell phone clipped to the belt of that tall one." She moved to the back of the vehicle.
Still somewhat shaky and more than a little embarrassed, Gemma pulled back and looked up at Nick. "What are you doing here anyway? Besides scaring the life out of me?"
"Yeah, I didn't think you had to cover this kind of thing for The Herald any longer since you got promoted?" Holly added.
"The guy that is supposed to be covering this has the flu," Nick said with a shrug. "And 'breaking' news is kind of scarce right now. So I thought I'd just come down and hang out with you guys for a while, cover the story..."
"And scare me half to death," Gemma cut in.
He laughed again. "It was pretty funny."
"Was not," Gemma snapped, trying to hide her smile in his chest again. "Okay, it probably was pretty funny."
"Come on, let's get this show on the road," Holly said as she unlocked the back of the SUV.
Gemma pulled out of Nick's arms and went to help Holly unload the car.
All of their HealthGems jewelry was packed in compact, sturdy, easy to handle boxes and they were able to quickly load them onto the low flat cart that Nick brought out for them. But what they were really anxious about was putting up their display booth for the first time. After the record sales at their kiosk at the mall during the previous Christmas season and their ever growing internet sales, they knew their stylish, healthy lifestyle-inspired jewelry was a hit with the public. But they were both curious to see how they would be accepted in the health and fitness industry. So when they'd been invited to be vendors at the Exercise Equipment Manufacture's Association convention at Northlake Manor just outside of town, they jumped at the chance.
The display booth was expensive but they wanted something that showcased their jewelry to its best potential and still looked professional. With time before the convention running short, they had only seen sketches, not the finished product. And now they were anxious to get it up and running. Working together, they placed the heavy folded booth on top of their neatly stacked boxes and followed Nick as he pushed it inside.
A cold wind blew across the parking lot and Gemma pulled her coat tighter around her. She glanced up at the sky only to see that the sun had disappeared behind a swirl of low, gray clouds. More snow coming, she thought to herself. She hoped the bad weather would hold off for most of the weekend, at least until the convention was over. Shivering, she listened to the click of her high-heeled boots on the concrete as she dashed to catch up with Holly and Nick.
The convention hall at Northlake Manor had been transformed since Gemma had seen it last. The scarred and chipped white cinderblock walls were covered with deep burgundy-colored velvet curtains hanging from ceiling to floor. It helped with the acoustics and added a little warmth to the cold concrete area. The floors were different as well, stained to look like wooden planks. The place was a noisy bee-hive of activity and Gemma picked up the energy immediately.
EEMA, a huge organization, was obviously intent on capitalizing on all the New Year's resolutions to get fit and lose weight. Workers from some pretty well known manufacturers were setting up treadmills, elliptical machines, steppers and a few other machines that Gemma didn't even recognize. They looked torturous. She assumed visitors to the convention would be allowed to try out the machines as well as look at them. The weight machines and free weights were along one side of the room with huge freestanding mirrors in front of the curtains to emulate a real gym environment.
"It seems a lot smaller than the last time I was here," Gemma whispered to Nick when he slid an arm around her shoulders.
"That's because they divided it in half with those curtains," he explained, pointing.
"The sci-fi convention is on the other side?"
"Yep."
As if to prove their point, there was some loud grunting and then a crash, low moans and then laughter.
"Where do we go?" Gemma asked, praying it wasn't zombies making all that noise.
"Let's go find out," Holly said and headed for the closest person holding a clip board.
"Hi," she said, flashing a dazzling smile and extending her hand. She was incredibly fit, perky young woman with a pony tail that bounced around with her energetic movements. "I'm Angie."
"Hi, Angie. We're vendors," Holly explained as the two women shook hands. "Can you tell me who's in charge so we can find out where to set up?" Holly asked.
"Oh, I'm in charge," Angie squealed. Gemma was sure that the girl was about to clap her hands and jump up and down.
"Good, we found the right person then," Holly said.
"Uh-huh," Angie answered, the smile growing even broader as her gaze strayed over Gemma's shoulder to where the body builders were warming up for their demonstrations.
"So could you tell us where our tables are?" Holly prompted after a few moments and then motioned toward the clip board.
"Oh, why yes, I can," Angie said, consulting her clip board while chewing on the end of her pencil.
They waited.
"Who did you say you were with?" Angie asked.
"We didn't say," Gemma said. "But we're with HealthGems."
Angie's eyes grew round. "Oh, the jewelry people," she gasped. "I saw your kiosk at the mall."
Both Gemma and Holly nodded. They'd heard that a lot since Christmas.
Angie consulted her clip board again and finally pointed. "Right over there. Two folding tables, right?" She pointed to where Nick was standing with their cart. "Where that cute guy is standing. He's from the newspaper and he's going to do lots of stories on the convention. I think a photographer is coming, too."
Gemma bit back her smile. She might have just found a way to get back at Nick for his little zombie trick.
"Thank you," Holly said. "Do we have an outlet?"
"Yes, and there are extra power strips in the main office if you need to purchase one," Angie told them.
"I think we're good on that," Gemma assured her.
"And if you need anything just let me know," Angie said, obviously pleased with herself for a job well done.
"We will. Thanks."
"Looks like we got a good spot," Holly said as they headed toward Nick. "I mean, we paid for it but you just never know."
"Especially here at Northlake. Everything is always so sketchy," Gemma added. "But, yeah, we lucked out. We can be seen from both doors in and out of the hall," Gemma added.
"Guys, I have to leave you now. My photographer just arrived," Nick said, kissing Gemma's forehead. "Will you be okay?"
"I think we've got this," Holly reassured him and they watched Nick dash off toward another man they recognized from The Daily Herald.
Then the two friends exchanged grins and bumped fists. "Let's do this," Holy said.
The display booth was as easily assembled as they had been assured it would be. The directions were easy to follow, and it turned out to be even more beautiful than the drawings and pictures they'd seen and approved. The background color was eye-catching but not gaudy. The photographs of their jewelry back lit on LED screens and blown up to triple their size were breathtaking. When it was all set up, Gemma helped Holly arrange the color coordinated table cloths that would hide the ugly gray folding tables. Before they started setting out jewelry displays, she walked about ten feet away to get an idea of the overall effect.
"What do you think?" Holly asked.
"Breathtaking," Gemma said.
Holly crossed her arms over her chest and gave Gemma a skeptical look.
"No, really. Come and see."
Holly joined Gemma and almost immediately began to smile. "Breathtaking."
"Stunning."
That deep, rumbling voice at her ear sent a shiver down Gemma's spine but it was the big warm hands on her shoulders that turned her head. She turned to smile up into Ross Ferguson’s lean, handsome face. "What are you doing here?"
"Just came to check on you guys and make sure you made it out here. When I didn't see your car in the parking lot, I had to come in and check it out for myself,” he explained.
Gemma blushed. "I was afraid to take any chances so I rode with Holly. We're staying here all weekend so it just made sense."
"Wouldn't go into drive again, would it?" he asked, those big hands still on Gemma’s shoulders, his dark eyes telling her he knew the real truth.
It was well known that the fourteen year old Subaru that belonged to Gemma’s mother always started and ran great. Unfortunately, it had a mind of its own when it came to changing gears and actually going anywhere.
"I keep trying to talk her into trading it in but...," Holly finished her sentence with a shrug.
"You know I can't do that," Gemma said, a little too loud, a little too quickly. After her parents were killed in a car accident the year before Gemma had been reluctant to part with the cantankerous vehicle no matter how inconvenient it made her life.
"”I know,” Holly said, giving her a gentle hug. “I know.”
"I thought I had it fixed,” Ross said.
“I did, too,” Gemma said. Detective Ferguson had many talents besides being able to turn her insides into jelly with those dark, sexy eyes. He liked to tinker with cars in his garage when he wasn’t solving crime. They had spent a couple of very interesting evenings together while he, um, looked under her hood. She blushed a little at the thought and looked down at her hands. Those sessions had gotten fairly hot and heavy at times, but she had managed to tear herself away before things went too far.
“I’ll look at it again, maybe next weekend,” Ross said, his look growing tender. He tucked a stray red-gold curl behind her ear with one finger.
All around her was the buzz of people talking and the clang and clank of weight machines but Gemma barely heard it, completely lost in Ross’s eyes. He licked his lips and she thought for a moment that he was going to kiss her.
Instead he said, “Can I buy you dinner this evening? I hear they have great steaks at the restaurant here.”
"Absolutely," Gemma said, catching her breath.
"Good. Until tonight then," he whispered and brushed a kiss over the backs of her fingers.
His warm lips and the look on his face sent another shiver down Gemma's spine.
"And stay out of trouble until I get back," he added.
"I will," Gemma said, giving him a two-fingered salute.
Chapter Two
"Wow, if I wasn't already engaged..."
"Oh, hush," Gemma said, as the two of them watching the handsome detective walk away. "You wouldn't trade Mitch for the world and you know it."
“You’re right,” Holly said and they both paused to look at the huge diamond on Holly's hand. It had been there since Mitch proposed on Christmas day. Even though Holly designed jewelry, she wore very little. The jewelry she did wear was usually simple and elegant. Gemma was still trying to get used to seeing the beautiful, sparkling ring on her friend’s hand.
"The question is - have you traded Nick for that sexy detective?" Holly said with a laugh.
"I don't have to trade one for the other," Gemma said. "They're both being perfect gentlemen about our little arrangement.”
"For how long?" Holly wanted to know. "Just how patient is your detective?"
"He's not my detective," Gemma protested.
"Couldn't prove that by me. You haven't noticed the way he looks at you?" Holly asked.
In reality, Gemma had noticed and, even though she enjoyed it, she continued to put it out of her mind. Both men had assured her she didn't have to choose between them until she was ready. While dating both she was able to explore her feelings for each man, one she had known since childhood, the other a new interest that brought a different kind of excitement to her life.
Holly and Gemma worked in near silence for nearly half an hour, setting out their displays and making sure everything looked perfect. Then they double checking their security measures. After losing so many pieces at the mall over Christmas, they were being extra careful. They were going to take orders for custom pieces during this convention, which was something new for them as well.
"I think I'm going to find the restroom," Gemma said.
“Hey, watch out for those zombies,” Holly said with a mischievous smile.
Shaking her head, Gemma walked away from the table. They were going to tease her about that for a long time to come. She stepped through the closest door, which connected the addition to the main lobby of the hotel.
Gemma was surprised to find it was nearly as busy as the convention hall, with plenty of guests lined up to check in. She made a mental note to remind Holly that they needed to stop by the front desk and get their room key before it got much later.
Thick cream-colored carpet muffled her footsteps, but what caught and held her attention was the sumptuous décor. She felt as if she’d stumbled into Victorian England. A tall, intricately carved mahogany counter spanned the space, designed to block the computer screens from view of the guests. Several elegant sitting areas were tucked into nooks around the large room, accentuated by gorgeous ornate mirrors. The mirrors reflected warm light from old-fashioned lamps that looked like they might have, at one time, been oil lanterns.
Even with the tall ceilings, the dazzling crystal chandeliers made the scene warm and inviting. And even though it was crowded, there was nothing like the chaos in the convention hall. It really was almost like stepping back into another time.
Off to her left, she spotted a discreet sign pointing the way to the restrooms. The narrow, dimly lit hall was away from the bustle of the lobby and the sudden quiet reminded her of what had happened at the mall at Christmas. She took a deep breath and hesitated only a moment before she shook off the uncomfortable memory.
After that sign, though, nothing else was marked. Forcing herself forward, she stopped at the first door she came to and pushed it open.
And immediately knew she had made a mistake.
Tables were set up along the wall, much like the EEMA convention next door. To her right were several other-worldly creatures brandishing light swords. Tall shaggy monsters sparred with leather-clad men in one corner, vaguely familiar from a movie she and Nick had once watched. This room had to be an overflow area for the sci-fi convention.
The closest table was occupied by a man with thick glasses, sitting in a folding chair. There were several stacks of books on either side of the table and boxes behind him. At the moment, he seemed to be having a heated discussion with someone in an elaborate military uniform. Even as she watched, the man with the books stood up, shouted something, and almost shoved one of the books right into the older man’s face.
Why would the military be here? Gemma studied the older man. Instead of reacting to the first man’s tirade, he stood ramrod straight, chest puffed out. That chest was covered with medals and he carried a briefcase in his left hand. The man at the table shouted out something else. Gemma only understood a few words, something about ‘a corrupt armed forces’.
A whirring, buzzing sound caught her attention and she saw what looked like robots off to her left. A man that looked like Mr. Spock from Star Trek brushed past her, quickly followed by someone who was supposed to be Captain Kirk. Near the man with the books stood another man in an old fashioned looking, long tailed coat and a top hat. He was surrounded by several onlookers and he seemed to be showing off a cane. It was made of wood with an ornate brass knob on top that looked like a pistol. He brandished the cane, showing it off for the crowd.
And then she saw the zombies again. They were m
ore frightening than that dark hallway. She turned and hurried back through the door, her heart speeding up.
“They’re all just people. They’re not real,” she reminded herself as she hurried through the semi-darkness toward what she hoped were the bathrooms. Nick told them earlier that the sci-fi convention had turned into more of a costume party than anything else.
Still, just the sight of even pretend zombies scared her silly. She knew it was stupid, and that everyone else thought her phobia was funny, but that didn’t help.
The bathroom was in stark contrast to the elegant décor of the front lobby. It was tiled with clean, shiny contemporary fixtures. Gemma was still trying to convince herself the zombies weren’t real when she washed her hands and looked at herself in the mirror. Shaking her head, she ran her fingers through her unruly curls that everyone called strawberry blonde. They were tamed momentarily and Gemma frowned as she watched them flip right back up in defiance.
“Okay, you win this time,” she said, pointing to her reflection. “But one of these days....” Gemma couldn’t think of anything to threaten her hair with, except for maybe scissors or a hat.
Steeling herself for the walk back down the scary hall, she opened the bathroom door and came face to face with a ghost. Heart pounding, unable to breathe or talk she stared down at a tiny, ancient woman with a wizened, wrinkled face and snow white hair. Dressed mostly in white, she appeared to be carrying a huge mesh bag of sorts on one arm.
The ghost clutched her chest with one hand, her pale blue eyes growing wide. “Oh, my, I think we scared each other half to death,” she said.
Gemma blinked. A ghost frightened of her?
“I’m so sorry, dear. I’m Simone Northlake,” the ghost introduced herself in a warm voice with a soft French accent. And then she caught one of Gemma’s hands in hers. They were soft and warm.
“You’re not a...” Gemma gasped, staring down at the gnarled hand that held onto hers.
“Not a what, dear?”
“I thought you were a ghost,” Gemma confessed, corralling her imagination.