A Canary in the Canal Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #8 (Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series)

by Anna Celeste Burke

  A few minutes later, Miles was on the bathroom counter, standing in front of the mirror. As I tried to apply my eye makeup, he bumped my hand, and the mascara wand I held missed its mark.

  “Miles, now I’ve got mascara on my cheek.”

  “You make a better door than a window, buddy,” Jack said as he hugged Miles and put him on the floor. That set off another round of bellowing. When I turned away from the mirror for a second to comfort Miles, I heard a thump followed by a clinking sound. Ella, our Klepto-kitty, had grabbed my necklace from the counter. She was off and running in a flash. I hadn’t put my heels on yet, so I tore after her. If I didn’t catch her quick, she’d hide it, and I didn’t have time to hunt for it.

  “Oh no, you don’t. This is Mama’s shiny toy,” I said as I reclaimed it. She flipped her tail at me and took off grumbling. “What is up with these two?”

  “They’ve grown accustomed to our quiet nights at home, sitting in our laps or next to us while we read or watch television. I guess they’re not looking forward to being home alone.”

  “In other words, they’re spoiled.” I checked my makeup and donned the necklace. When Miles cut in front of me as I left the bathroom, I had to stop abruptly to keep from tripping over him.

  “Miles, no! You almost made me fall. What if I’d torn my dress? I can’t afford to change my clothes.”

  “You look fantastic,” Jack said as he adjusted his tie. That evoked a grimace on his otherwise handsome face. When he slipped on the dinner jacket, I let out a low whistle. It wasn’t a very good one, but it brought a smile to Jack’s face.

  “Bond, James Bond,” he said, striking a pose as if holding a fake gun in both hands while examining himself in the mirror.

  “Okay, James, let’s go,” I said, stepping into my heels. “These cats are determined to get us to stay home. I swear they come up with new tricks every day.”

  “Maybe two heads are better than one among felines as well as humans,” Jack commented, nodding toward where they sat with their furry heads together on the back of the couch. Their backs were to us, so I was pretty sure we were being shunned.

  The drive to the house in Venice was uneventful, which made it too easy to worry about our crazy cats. Jack was rather quiet, perhaps worrying too. Most likely, he was concentrating on how to get to our destination on time, so Max wouldn’t pitch a fit.

  We pulled up in front of the house at six-thirty on the dot. It was dark by then. By contrast, the house and grounds were lit up like high noon. A valet was waiting to park the car. The spectacular house was a huge surprise, but not an entirely pleasant one.

  It’s amazing how one unpleasant surprise so often follows another, I thought. Miles’ booming voice bounced around in my head as we got out of the car and I worried about what surprises were ahead. I almost told Jack to turn around and go home. Then Miles’ wailing was drowned out by the prospect of Max chewing me out for letting him down.

  “Let’s go face the music,” I muttered.

  2 Overtures

  “This is an unexpected start to our evening,” I whispered after Jack had handed the keys to the valet, and we walked to the front door.

  “Where? What is it?” Jack asked as he quickly scanned the area around us.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to set off an alarm. This modern mini-mansion isn’t what I imagined Max meant when he said the party would be held in a Venice canal home,” I replied.

  “The cats being upset and slowing us down still has me on edge. I was looking for a seven-foot cartoon character about to haul us inside for being two minutes late,” Jack said as he relaxed. “The area is historic, but there aren’t many of the original little bungalows left. You know they’ve been building bigger and bigger homes along the canals at least since the seventies. No one wants to live in a thousand square feet anymore.”

  “True,” I sighed. “I have no room to complain. I can’t imagine living with those two cats in that small a space.”

  Before we knocked on the front door, it swung open. A young woman wearing a black and white server’s outfit and sporting a nametag greeted us. I didn’t need the nametag since I recognized her as a regular who helped out at catered events.

  “Good evening, Kelly, how are you?”

  “Just fine, thank you. May I take your wrap?”

  “That’s great. Will it be nearby in case I need to retrieve it later?” I asked, handing her the paisley wool shawl I removed from my shoulders.

  “Yes. Unless we run out of room, I’m stashing items in the closet here in the foyer,” Kelly said. “There’s also a small locker for bags if you’d like me to take your purse for you.”

  “Why not?” I replied. Then I leaned in and whispered, “Is ‘he’ here?”

  “Yes. He’s showing Kay Garland around upstairs. There are two floors above us with a large deck on the next floor up. The views are great. Carol is with them, along with her date, who sure looks familiar to me.”

  I was about to explain that Carol’s beau, Brett Henson, works in the theme park so she may well have seen him before when Max spotted us. He was coming down a swooping set of stairs, followed by Carol and Brett. The wrought iron railing retained elements of Venetian design, although the home was thoroughly modern. Other touches, like the marble floors and large Murano glass mirror in the foyer, acknowledged the home’s historic surroundings.

  There was an attractive woman with Max. Dressed in a form-fitting black sleeveless dress, she had to be Kay Garland. When they set foot on the floor not far from us, Max greeted us but kept moving.

  “Georgie, Jack, please join us,” Max said. “We’re going to check out the stage setup in the enormous dining room.”

  Carol and Brett paused to say hello. Then we all hustled to catch up with Max and Kay, who quickly moved down a hallway before disappearing. The dining room in which we soon stood was indeed large.

  Here too, the designer had combined touches of the Venetian Renaissance with a modern aesthetic. The ceiling had been painted with blue skies and intricate designs which added to the room’s airy feeling. A blazing ornate chandelier made of glass and wrought iron hung in the center of the ceiling. Wall sconces around the room and large Murano glass mirrors made the room appear even bigger than it was. A sidebar that ran the length of the room was the only hint that food might be served in here because all the furniture had been removed.

  French doors opened to an expansive patio, where bistro tables had been set up for guests to enjoy the outdoors. Patio heaters had been set out to tame the chill. The tables were empty, but with guests arriving within minutes, they wouldn’t stay that way long. The weather was perfect, and the tiny lights strung above the seating made everything outdoors seem to sparkle.

  “What do you think, Kay?” Max asked.

  “It’s lovely, but can we adjust the lighting to make it a bit more romantic for dancing later?”

  “Of course,” a tall, middle-aged gentleman in formal wear responded. Until he spoke, I’d been so taken by the room I hadn’t even noticed him. He moved to the wall nearest the stage that had been set up in front of a massive floor to ceiling fireplace. When he opened a panel and pushed a button, the lights dimmed. “How’s that?”

  “Perfect, Frederick,” Kay replied. “If you’d prefer to leave the lights brighter until we start performing, please do. The room is amazing and should be shown off in all its glory. Now that we know how to do it, one of the guys in the band can dim the lights.”

  “I’ll be happy to do it now that I know what sort of ambiance you’d like to create when the dancing begins.” Frederick had spoken with an accent. European, but from so few words, I couldn’t tell if he originated in the east or west. The lights went up, and Frederick closed the panel. “Do you need anything else?”

  “We can take if from here,” Kay replied.

  Frederick nodded in response. Then he disappeared behind a concealed pocket door that opened and closed without making a sound.

  �
�We rehearsed here, but I’d like to hear what it sounds like with the doors open. Let’s have the band play a few bars.”

  The band members had been in the process of setting up, suddenly came to order. In a flash, the quit moving and waited for Kay to command them. “Marvelous Marley World’s Jazz Combo” was written on one of the drums.

  “Hang on a second, boys. I want to say hello to the lovely couple who joined us, then you can let it wail,” Kay said.

  “Forgive me, will you?” Max said, taking Kay’s hand. “I’m so enthralled by the moment that my manners have escaped me.”

  “Don’t worry, Max. I can handle the introductions. I’m a big girl.” She squeezed Max’s hand and then removed it from his grasp to offer it to me. “I’m Kay, as you’ve probably guessed. You must be Carol’s boss, Georgie Shaw. She’s been raving about you since she arrived. You’ve got a name I could never forget, given my love of jazz. May I call you Georgie?”

  “Yes, please do. The Shaw name is well-represented in the world of jazz, but I’m not related to Artie Shaw or the Georgie Shaw in the music business. I don’t play an instrument, and I can’t sing a note, but I love jazz, so I’m thrilled to meet you.”

  I took Kay’s hand and then gave her a hug. There was a vulnerability beneath the “big girl” bravado. It was more than the fact that she wasn’t much taller than Max. Kay looked great—as fit and attractive as any middle-aged woman I’d ever seen. The vulnerability was in her beautiful blue eyes, where a hint of darkness lurked. Was she worried about her voice? I wondered.

  “Max and my husband have both been singing your praises to me,” I added once I’d released her from the hug. “As you’ve probably guessed, this is my husband, Jack Wheeler.”

  “I’ve heard a good deal about you, too. Max told me you’re a fabulous detective, but he neglected to tell me how handsome you are,” Kay replied as she offered her hand to Jack next. “It’s wonderful to meet you both.”

  “I’m looking forward to hearing you sing,” Jack said with a boyish eagerness that never ceases to delight me. His enthusiasm was contagious. Standing next to me, Carol pulsed with anticipation.

  “You can say that again!” she added.

  “Well, let’s hear what the guys can do in this room. Every setting for a live performance is a little different. I hope Melody gets here soon, so she can have a few minutes to get acquainted with the surroundings as they are tonight.” As she said that, Kay’s brow furrowed.

  “I sent a car to pick her up. I’m sure they would have called if they weren’t on their way. Don’t worry, though, the guests at this party want to hear you,” Max added. “As long as you’re here, everyone will be happy.”

  Just then, Kelly came rushing from the kitchen. She reached us and paused before speaking. Her eyes searched my face.

  “What is it, Kelly?” I asked.

  “I hate to bother you. We could use some advice in the kitchen.”

  “Will you excuse me, please? Every catering situation is a little different too, depending on the kitchen we’re using.”

  As I stepped away, Kay and Max walked closer to the band. With a wave of her hand, music began to fill the room. Jack beamed as the combo played Round Midnight. The velvety strains wrapped around me, and I wished I could stay. I love that song.

  “Help my husband keep his feet on the ground while I’m gone, will you please?” I asked Carol in a whisper.

  “Sure. Who’s going to help me?” She winked as I let her go after embracing her, so I could speak directly into her ear.

  “That’s splendid, guys. Now, play a little of something I’ll be singing tonight,” Kay commanded. I hurried after Kelly as Kay began to sing Unforgettable, one of my favorite Nat King Cole songs. I paused, not wanting to miss a single note Kay sang. When Kelly opened the door to the kitchen, I followed her inside.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “We don’t have enough room to store the food. Ann’s gone to see how much space we have in the driveway.”

  “I’m back,” Ann announced as she came in through the side door. “We can keep the engines running on the vans so the food will stay cool, but there’s no room for a larger refrigerated truck. The driveway is long and narrow. When we originally planned this party, we only needed one van, but the guest list has grown larger. We were lucky to fit two vans in that space.”

  “Have you spoken to Frederick?” I asked.

  “Not yet. I was hoping we could make do. We probably can, but we’ll have to move fast to haul items from the van when they’re needed during the party. That means there’s more chance of a mishap.” Ann bit her bottom lip. A seasoned team leader, she was often nervous before one of the high-end events. I trusted her judgment, though.

  “Let’s not take any chances. Kelly, find Frederick. He can’t be far since he was just in the dining room.” Before I’d even finished my sentence, Kelly dashed across the spacious modern kitchen. When she slid the panel door to the butler’s pantry into its pocket, Frederick was there, speaking on his cellphone. He was startled, but recovered quickly, and ended the call.

  “May I help you?” he asked.

  Once we’d explained our dilemma, the problem was easily resolved. A cold storage room, large enough to store trays of food on the carts already wheeled into the kitchen, was located on a floor below us. Frederick suggested that we store the extra food in the cold storage room and place the Champagne in a chiller in a wine cellar built into the same area. He showed us an elevator installed near the kitchen when the owners built the four-story house, that would make accessing the stored food and wine easy.

  Crisis over, I thanked Frederick, who struck me as an enigmatic figure. It could just be my imagination, but he’d initially appeared irritated about having his phone call interrupted. Did he really expect the butler’s pantry to be private with a party going on? Not that it would get much use since the dining room had been transformed into a stage with a dance floor that opened out onto the patio.

  A man of few words, I still couldn’t place the accent. When I asked him if he’d grown up in Europe, he eyed me as if trying to understand why I’d asked, and then merely responded yes without elaborating. I’d learned enough from being married to Jack not to be too curious about people when I didn’t need to be.

  With problem solved, I left the kitchen to rejoin Jack. I stopped short when I reached Jack’s side. Two women stood with their backs to me, speaking to the band members. They were dressed in matching black, sleeveless dresses. It took me a moment to realize that Melody Monroe had arrived. She was a couple inches taller, a size or two smaller than Kay, and her hair wasn’t quite as dark. Part of Melody’s height advantage came from the killer pair of spiky heels she wore.

  “Do you want me to introduce you to the new singer?” Jack asked.

  “That won’t be necessary,” I replied. “We’ve already met.”

  Something in my response must have struck my ever-so-perceptive husband as peculiar. He gave me a quick sideways glance, and then a grin appeared.

  “She told us she’s Max’s protégé,” Jack said. “I take it that’s not news to you.”

  “No,” I sighed. “Melody has a great voice, but her high opinion of herself isn’t shared by all. Someone needs to help rephrase her overtures of friendship or whatever they really are.”

  “Come on, she’s a kid,” Jack commented. “Give her a little wiggle room.”

  Just then, the two women turned around, and Melody dashed toward me. Her heels clicked on the gleaming wood floor. She’d grabbed Kay’s hand, pulling her along behind her. Fortunately, Kay, who wore a sensible pair of shoes with a low heel, was able to keep up without “breaking a leg” before her performance.

  “Georgie, there you are. Max told me you’d been called away to the kitchen. I’m so glad you’re not going to be stranded in there for the entire evening,” Melody said. “I was afraid I was going to have to insist that he rescue you.”

  When she was in h
ugging distance, she grabbed me by both arms and delivered air kisses. In her mid-twenties, Melody was a striking young woman. Startling eyes accentuated by dramatic makeup and long eyelashes set off her perfectly symmetrical features. High cheekbones, voluptuous lips, and a creamy complexion gave her the appearance of a porcelain doll framed by a shoulder-length bob of dark hair. She beamed a sparkling white smile at me.

  “Have you been introduced to Kay?” Melody asked with enthusiasm.

  “Yes,” Kay and I responded almost simultaneously.

  Our eyes met, and there was an instant recognition that we held a common opinion about the confident young woman. Melody’s confidence bordered on conceit, a trait I considered to be a character flaw. Then again, who was I to judge?

  Most of my youth had been misspent by being too timid and caring too much about what other people thought of me. Maybe it’s a generational divide since Melody was probably raised with fewer warnings not to show up the men in her life by being overly competent or ambitious. Melody is much more than just a pretty face. Her voice is the real deal, although she lacks the depth of feeling Kay expressed in every note.

  “I take it you solved the problem in the kitchen,” Max added. I nodded. “Fantastic! Our guests have begun to arrive as you can probably tell by the buzz outside. We’re steering them through a side gate and lovely arbor around to the back where they can help themselves to Champagne and delectable treats.”

  “I can’t wait to meet them, but I need to run upstairs and freshen up,” Kay added. A flicker of something passed through those blue eyes of hers. I hoped it wasn’t self-doubt.

  “I’m sorry I had to leave the room while you were singing. Your voice is mesmerizing,” I said. “Can we get anything for you? Do you have the bottled water Stacy told me you asked for?”

  “Yes, I do. Max handed me a bottle the moment I walked in the door. There are more in the beautiful room upstairs that Melody and I are sharing as a dressing room tonight.” Kay leaned in and grabbed both of my hands. “I drank the entire bottle, which is the main reason I need to run upstairs now.”