Trick or Deceit

by Shelley Freydont

  His job did make for a lot of pressure, even though as mayor he mainly ran meetings, voted on tied ballots from the board of trustees, and spent most of his energy getting reelected.

  He was an alarmist and dramatic, but was loyal to his town.

  “What are you going to do about it?” The mayor eyed their pastries.

  “Care for a bite?” Ted asked innocently.

  “No, and I don’t see how the two of you can sit there eating when a murder has been committed and the winning entry of Amanda Marlton-Crosby’s generous donation is in shambles.

  “She’ll be appalled. What if she withdraws her offer? And what about that fellow from that grant organization? How do you expect us to qualify for grants if we keep killing people off?

  “I want this solved before he shows up. Understand?”

  Liv and Ted traded looks.

  “Gilbert, calm down.” Ted turned in his chair to face the mayor, who was rapidly turning purple. “How many reports from Bayside Security have you sat through? We have one of the lowest incidences of crime of any destination town this size.”

  “But other people don’t know that.”

  “I’ll have Chaz run an article showing the statistics,” Liv said. “Will that set your mind at ease?”

  “You have to do something!”

  Neither Liv nor Ted pointed out that murder investigation was not their responsibility. It would be a hopeless argument. The event office organized most of the town’s business lives, brokered deals, arbitrated arguments, and kept the town running smoothly as its numbers swelled and abated with each passing holiday.

  The mayor heaved out of the chair. “Well, I can’t wait around for Bill Gunnison to do his job. I’m calling an emergency meeting—”

  “No!” Liv and Ted said simultaneously.

  “The last thing we—you—need is a horde of people with little information and lots of questions at a town meeting,” Liv said. “Give Bill a chance to get to the bottom of things.”

  “It will be too late by then.”

  Too late for what? Liv wondered. Gilbert Worley was a master of stirring up a tempest in a teapot, and though Liv took murder very seriously, she didn’t think histrionics would do any good.

  “I’ll have to call the judging committee at least. I want you two there, too, and we’ll have to insist that Chaz do his duty.”

  “Chaz wasn’t on the committee,” Ted pointed out.

  “Only because he refused to do it. His father was the same way. Didn’t give a hoot about his civic duty, just spent his time stirring up trouble.”

  “Yes, and printing the truth,” Ted added.

  Liv sat quietly and waited for them to finish. They had been fighting this battle long before she arrived in town. She groaned inwardly. An emergency meeting of the judges, one of whom was Janine, Liv’s nemesis. And possibly Lucille’s.

  Maybe this could be an interesting meeting after all.

  “And I want to be kept abreast of everything that is happening from now on.” The mayor turned on his heel and strode out the door, nearly knocking over the two people who had just entered.

  The mayor stumbled back and stammered. “Amanda, what brings you here this fine morning?”

  Liv didn’t hear her answer because she had just seen Mrs. Marlton-Crosby’s escort: Jonathon Preston. Handsome, intelligent, dressed like he’d just stepped off Fifth Avenue.

  Liv’s breath escaped in a whoosh and she stood, smiling and looking gracious as she walked around her desk while fervently hoping that she didn’t have crumbs on her sweater.

  “We heard the news about the museum being vandalized,” Amanda said. “So we came right down to see what the situation is.”

  The mayor gulped audibly. “Yes, yes, very unfortunate. These things happen—but uh, not here in Celebration Bay. They happen in other places, but here we have very strict security, hire our own company to interface with the police and—”

  “Amanda,” Ted said, coming forward and cutting the mayor off. “So good to see you. We didn’t get a chance to talk, Friday. You know Liv Montgomery, our events co-coordinator?”

  “Of course.” Amanda Marlton-Crosby offered her hand.

  Liv shook it.

  “And we’re old friends,” said her companion. “How are you, Liv?” Jon took her by the arms and kissed both cheeks.

  “Jon, what a surprise. I wasn’t expecting you until the weekend.”

  “I know, but I returned to New York early and came up right away. Thought I’d take a couple of days to catch up on my reports. If I stayed in the city, they’d have me working nonstop on the next project. Besides, Amanda’s family and mine go way back, so I came to say hello before you and I got hot and heavy into the grant proposal. Should I go away until Friday?” His eyes twinkled.

  He was like a burst of intense vibrant air. A shot of adrenaline. He was on. You always had to be on in Manhattan. Liv was afraid she might have lost some of her cutting edge.

  She took his arm. “I’m delighted that you’re here. This is my assistant, Ted Driscoll.”

  Ted nodded formally as the men shook hands. But Liv didn’t miss the assessing look he gave the newcomer. “And I don’t know if you’ve met Mayor Worley? Jonathon Preston.”

  “Haven’t had the pleasure until now.” Jonathon shook hands with the mayor.

  “Ah,” the mayor said, galvanized into speech. “Be sure Liv shows you all our lovely sights. We have an annual influx of tourist numbering—”

  “Yes, your portfolio was very precise and very informative.” Jon glanced at the mayor, but he was smiling at Liv. They both knew whose work the portfolio was.

  “Ah, well, yes.”

  “Actually, we came into town for Amanda to say hello to an old schoolmate of hers. She’s just opened a store in town.”

  “Yes,” Amanda said. “Yolanda Nestor. Have you met her?”

  “We met briefly the other day over one of her beautiful quilts. I’ve been meaning to visit her store.”

  The outside office door opened again and A.K. Pierce, head of Bayside Security, strode in, but stopped in the outer office.

  He nodded abruptly, then stepped back out of the way, and stood feet parted, hands behind his back, in what Liv had come to recognize as his relaxed stance.

  “Excuse us.” Ted took the mayor’s arm and trundled him out the door, closing it behind him.

  “Will you sit down?” Liv asked, gesturing to the two chairs while trying to stand in front of their breakfast remains.

  Amanda smiled graciously. “Thank you, but we just came to get an update on this terrible news. Poor Lucille. Do they have any idea what she was doing there?”

  So much for keeping the story under wraps. “I’m afraid not,” Liv said. “But Bill Gunnison has his men working overtime on it, and the gentleman who just came in is the head of our security team.”

  “He looks very formidable,” Jonathon said, still with that twinkle in his eye and a characteristic half smile on his face.

  “He is, and he runs a very tight and efficient team.”

  “Will Barry Lindquist be able to restore his entry in time for it to open next weekend?” Amanda asked.

  “We have every hope,” Liv told her. “A group of volunteers have been repairing and restaging the displays.”

  “Already? That’s wonderful. Oh, Jon, I hope you get to see it. So clever.”

  He smiled at her, a smile tender enough to have Liv wondering what their relationship was. Then she remembered Amanda was married. Not that that seemed to stop some people in town.

  “Anyway,” Jon said. “I didn’t want you to see me in town and think I was here early to spy on you.

  “Of course not,” Liv said, though they both knew that surprise visits could make or break an event or a fund-raising campaign.

 
“You don’t mind if I borrow him for the morning, Liv?” Amanda posed it as a question, but Liv read it as a fait accompli.

  “Not at all. I was just running out on an errand. Why don’t I walk out with you?”

  Liv needed to talk to A.K. about the permit for the soapbox orator. But Ted could bring him up to speed. If he wasn’t already. A.K. Pierce seemed to have eyes everywhere. But right now she needed to make sure Amanda and Jon weren’t accosted by the doom and gloom man.

  “Let me just tell Ted I’m leaving.”

  She went quickly into the other room, where Ted and A.K. were talking quietly, their heads bent.

  “Change of schedule, it seems. I’m going to walk out with Jon and Amanda. I don’t want them running into the eyesore on the corner on their own.”

  “He’s got a permit,” A.K. said. “Or I would have had someone see him to the county line.”

  “Yes. Ted, could you talk to the mayor about that?”

  Ted nodded.

  “And then make sure he does something about it?”

  “Check and check.”

  “Great, thank you.” She started to go back into her office but turned to Ted. “Do I look okay?”

  “Divine,” Ted said.

  A.K. nodded brusquely.

  Liv grabbed her coat and went to get the others.

  Ted waylaid the mayor as they left the office, and Liv and Jon and Amanda made their way outside.

  Walking down the steps of town hall, Jon slipped his arm around Liv’s waist and leaned over until his mouth was close to her ear. “You look like a real country girl.”

  Just what she had feared; she was losing her edge. “Fits the venue.”

  “Now there’s my Liv. Though I must say, there’s something really appealing about you in corduroy and Fair Isle knit.”

  “And totally out of place standing next to you.”

  “Oh, I brought my casual weekend clothes. I just wanted to wow you on my first day here.”

  Liv laughed. If he only knew—and she was sure he did—that he was the one they hoped to wow.

  They crossed the street to the park where a man was leaning against the hood of a dark green Land Rover. He saw them coming and stood up. He was tall and well-built, with dark wavy hair and a chiseled chin and cheeks. Amanda’s husband, Rod Crosby.

  “Oh, there you are, Rod,” Amanda said. “Did you have trouble parking?”

  “Just had to go round the block a couple of times.” He leaned over and kissed Amanda’s cheek.

  Jon gave Liv his most sardonic look before he leaned close and said, “A real piece of work, that one.”

  Oh, thought Liv. Jonathon Preston, international philanthropist and distributor of charity and goodwill, did not like Rod Crosby—at all. She wondered why.

  Rod was good looking but didn’t hold a candle to Jon, if you like a more refined look. And Jon in his Savile Row bespoke suit and Armani loafers actually managed to look less out of place than Rod in his khakis and polo sweater. And infinitely more interesting.

  Amanda took her husband’s arm and the four of them struck off toward Yolanda’s store.

  It was a clear, crisp day after the rain. A perfect fall day in Celebration Bay. But Liv wasn’t conscious of the weather. As they strolled down the sidewalk, she kept her eyes open for the prophet who was no longer standing on the corner.

  Maybe she could get them to Yolanda’s store without being accosted.

  They were walking past the Corner Café, and Liv was thinking they were home free, when the doomsday prophet jumped out of the alley, waving his hands. He was dressed all in black and his face was thin and pale and his eyes were bloodshot. Liv thought he must be drunk.

  “Save yourselves, flee Sodom and Gomorrah before it’s too late. End to all devil worshippers!”

  Liv gritted her teeth and kept the others moving.

  “Is this part of the entertainment?” Jon asked.

  “No, he just showed up on Friday. Evidently someone gave him a permit to stand there. We’re working on having it rescinded. Not the family-friendly Halloween we celebrate here.”

  Jonathon chuckled. “He’s not nearly as good as the ones on Thirty-fourth Street.”

  “No, but he’s just as persistent. Hopefully he’ll be gone by this afternoon. Please try just ignore him.” Liv looked over her shoulder. He was gaining on them.

  “They shall fall like—”

  Ahead of them, the door to the Mystic Eye opened and Yolanda Nestor stepped out. Today she was wearing harem pants and an ankle-length, flowing vest over a burgundy scoop-necked blouse. The outfit made her look quite exotic, which Liv assumed lent ambience to the store and was probably good for business. Yolanda saw them and hurried over.

  “Amanda! I didn’t know if you would make it in today. The girls just called and they’re only a block away.” The two women hugged.

  “The girls?” Rod said.

  “Members of my . . . ?” Yolanda lowered her voice. “Co-o-o-o-ven.”

  Her tone ran goose bumps up Liv’s arm.

  “You’ll love them,” she said in her normal voice.

  “Witch, witch, burn in hell!” the protester yelled, but Liv noticed he was keeping his distance from Yolanda.

  “Okay, that’s enough.” Liv pulled out her phone and speed-dialed A.K., who she bet was still upstairs with Ted. “We have a situation down here on the street.”

  “We saw it and we’re on our way.” On his words the door to town hall opened and A.K. came running down the steps, followed by Ted.

  “Go back to Hades, you witch!” The man shook his fist at Yolanda. Today he seemed more menacing than annoying.

  “You know, I’m getting awfully tired of you,” Yolanda said.

  A.K. was already at the corner when a maroon, soccer-mom minivan pulled up in front of the store.

  Liv fervently hoped there would be no violence to scare the tourists away.

  All four doors opened at once, and four women who looked just like suburban housewives got out of the car and swept forward like avenging angels.

  The Four Soccer Moms of the Apocalypse, Liv thought. Go for it, girls.

  They surrounded the heckler and began to chant, and with the chant they grasped hands and began to circle. Not widdershins, Liv was glad to note.

  Across the street, A.K. and Ted had stopped in their tracks and were staring in fascination.

  “Back, you Devil’s handmaids—!” His words ended in a gurgle. The circle opened in between two of the women and the protester fell backward. A.K. was there to cart him away.

  “Well,” said Jonathon. “You certainly know how to entertain a guy.”

  Yolanda stretched out her arms. “Perfect timing as always, girls. Let me introduce you all to four of my sisters. Maddie, Gilda, Susanna, and Christie. Welcome to Celebration Bay and the Mystic Eye.”

  “Hi,” Liv said. Always something new in Celebration Bay.

  Yolanda introduced everyone, including Ted, who had joined them. There was some squealing and laughing as the women all crowded into the store, leaving Rod, Jonathon, Ted, and Liv on the sidewalk.

  “Whew,” Rod said. “What a bunch of crazy women.”

  Jonathon raised an eyebrow. “I really wouldn’t say things like that in front of Yolanda,” he said. “She’s bound to take offense.”

  “I’m sure I don’t care. If Amanda hadn’t insisted on opening up the fish camp cabins so they could do their hocus-pocus on our property, we’d be in Miami by now.”

  Jon’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

  Rod shrugged. “I’ll wait by the car.” He strode off, hands in his trouser pockets.

  Liv saw A.K. coming toward them, empty-handed.

  “What happened to the, uh . . .”

  “Handed him off to a couple of my operative
s. They’ve taken him to the mayor. Let him deal with the man.”

  Ted snorted politely behind his fist. A.K. looked completely bland.

  “But will he—? Maybe I should go see.”

  “A.K. and I will take care of it,” Ted said. But he and A.K. just stood there.

  “Listen,” Jonathon said, slightly amused. “I didn’t come early to throw your schedule off. Go take care of what you need to and meet us over at the inn at one. Will that work for you?”

  Liv glanced at Ted. “Absolutely. See you then.”

  “I think I’ll go move Amanda along or she’ll be in there all day. Until lunch then.” He gave Liv his most charming smile.

  Ted and A.K. watched as Jon walked to the door. He stopped on the threshold, turned back, and winked at Liv, then nodded to both Ted and A.K. and shut the door.

  Liv turned to face Ted and A.K. They were both still staring at the door.

  One look at their solemn faces and Liv tried not to smile. “We’re just friends.”

  No change in their expressions.

  “Really, guys. He’s just amusing himself.”

  Nothing.

  “Really. That wink? He’s playing you.”

  She just hoped he wasn’t playing her.

  Chapter Ten

  A.K. and Ted waited for Liv to walk past them and then they fell in step beside her.

  She glanced from one to the other. “What?”

  “Nothing,” A.K. said.

  She switched her focus to Ted.

  He shrugged. “Nothing.”

  Liv wondered what was up. Had they expected trouble? But why?

  She stopped. They stopped. “How did you guys get here so quick?”

  Ted shrugged. A.K. didn’t even twitch.

  “You were already leaving the building when I called you.” Liv glanced up to her office window, down to the corner where the protester had stood. “You were watching us from the window.”

  No answer from either of the men.

  “You were, weren’t you? I know you were. That is so . . . Well, thank you.” She didn’t know whether to be amused, annoyed, or flattered. They’d been watching her—or Jon or Amanda—from the window.