Pairing a Deception

by Nadine Nettmann

  “I’m just kidding, you fool. Of course I want to try this special bottle.” She laughed and put up her hands. “‘Special bottle,’” she repeated with air quotes. “We’ll come over after we finish this round.”

  “Great,” I replied. “See you in a bit.”

  I left the Lancaster and headed back to the New Sierra, the lack of light on the lawn sending a shiver through me. I didn’t like the dark and, with the car episode earlier, I knew someone was after me and this was a perfect opportunity to follow through. I quickened my pace and was relieved when I entered the brightly lit lobby. Hudson was standing with two people I didn’t know at the far end, and nearby, Isabella was talking to Mr. Tinsley.

  “Ms. Stillwell,” said Mr. Tinsley. “I trust you’re having a good evening.”

  “I am. In fact, I’m just about to meet some friends at the bar for a drink. Would you both like to join me?” I glanced at each of them. Isabella looked as timid as ever.

  “I’m afraid I can’t,” said Mr. Tinsley. “The way this festival has been going, I find I need to keep a literal thumb on every detail.” He held up his hand to show the smudged pen marks on his thumb.

  “Understood.” I turned to Isabella. “What about you?”

  She glanced around. “Um, sure. That would be nice.”

  “What are we all talking about here?” asked Hudson as he joined the group.

  “I invited Isabella and Mr. Tinsley to join me for drinks at the bar. I have Walt, Ben, and Anita coming, too. I’m going to open up a special wine.”

  “One from here?”

  “Not exactly,” I replied. “It’s a unique one and I think you’ll be pleased. It would be a shame to miss it.”

  Hudson studied me for a moment. “I’ll be there. When?”

  I glanced at my watch, though it was just a delay tactic. “About ten minutes.”

  “That’s ideal,” said Mr. Tinsley. “Mr. Wiley, you and I can speak about some of tomorrow’s activities first.”

  “I’ll see you all in a few. And Mr. Tinsley, if you change your mind, there’ll be a seat there for you.”

  “My appearance is unlikely as this point, but thank you for the offer.”

  I looked at Isabella to see if she wanted to accompany me to the table, but she seemed like she was waiting to talk to Hudson. I headed toward the bar to wait for everyone to arrive.

  Hopefully Dean returned with the wine before they did.

  thirty-one

  pairing suggestion: super tuscan—tuscany, italy

  A red wine made with grapes not indigenous to Italy, such as Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

  Walt, Ben, and Anita strolled in a few minutes later.

  “You made it,” I said as they sat down.

  “You told us it was a special bottle. That was enough,” said Ben. “Where is it?”

  “It’s coming. The night is young,” I replied.

  “Well, I’m not. I feel like I’m aging by the minute,” said Anita. She waved her hand at the waiter. “I’ll have a glass of the Chardonnay.”

  “Me, too,” said Ben. “Only, not Chardonnay. What does Ben want? Zin. Yes, Zin.”

  “Zin here, too,” said Walt.

  Isabella pulled out a chair and sat down. “Am I late?”

  I looked at her. “Not at all.”

  “The wine isn’t even here,” said Ben.

  “Is Hudson coming?” asked Isabella in her usual nervous tone.

  “I thought you were with him?”

  “No, he was still with Mr. Tinsley the last I saw him.” She glanced around and I did, too.

  There was still no sign of Dean. The empty bottle of Rubywood was waiting in my bag, but I thought I would have the real wine before everyone convened. Now it was too late.

  The waiter placed the three glasses on the table.

  “Okay, I’m here, the party can start,” said Hudson as he took a seat. “What’s everyone drinking?”

  “Chardonnay,” said Anita. “But apparently Katie is holding us in suspense over some special bottle.”

  “That’s right,” said Hudson. “Where is the wine of the hour?”

  “Who knows,” replied Walt. “Left all sorts of fun whiskey drinks back at the Lancaster only to sit here and wait.”

  “They were empty,” said Ben.

  “I could have ordered more,” said Walt.

  “Katie.” Dean’s voice came from behind me along with a wave of relief. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

  “Ooh, someone’s in trouble,” said Anita. Ben and Walt laughed.

  “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” I followed Dean into the lobby.

  He pulled a wine bottle wrapped in a plastic bag out of his coat. “It wasn’t easy. The store was closing when I pulled up.”

  “Thanks.” I glanced inside the bag. The purple writing on the Tama bottle was the same as I had seen before. Now it was time to make this work. “I have to do a little decanting. Can you keep the group occupied? I don’t want them to get restless and leave.”

  “On it.”

  Dean headed to the table while I put the bottle of Tama next to the empty one in my bag and walked toward the women’s restroom. I acted like I was going there for a normal reason, but I still felt I looked suspicious.

  The restroom’s marble floor and countertop were impeccably clean and all four stalls were open. At least I had the place to myself to proceed with my plan. I had decanted expensive bottles, careful not to let the sediment leave the bottle with the wine, but I had never poured wine into another bottle. This was going to be a very different experience than I was used to.

  I set my bag on the counter and took out the empty Rubywood, but the door caught my attention. If someone came in, such as Isabella or Anita, I would be caught red-handed. I needed to be more discreet. I glanced around.

  The stall.

  The idea of pouring wine in there was ridiculous, but I knew it was the safest bet.

  I went in and placed my bag on the hook as I closed the door. My wine opener easily removed the cork on the Tama bottle and I put it in my pocket along with the foil from the top.

  There was a slight tremor to my right hand as I held both bottles so I took a deep breath, but my tight lungs wouldn’t expand. I didn’t know how long Dean could keep them occupied at the table so I wouldn’t have a chance to calm myself. It was time to pour.

  Bottle to bottle was a whole different skill from my usual routine, yet the wine flowed into the opening in a small stream. Maybe this could be an addition to the Advanced Exam that already included decanting.

  The bathroom door opened.

  My lungs seized but I kept pouring, knowing that if I stopped, there was a chance drips could mar the label and the game would be over.

  Heels clicked across the bathroom floor, pausing briefly in front of my stall before entering the next one. Would she wonder if something was wrong if I stayed quiet for a long time? I didn’t know who it was, but there was a chance it could be Isabella or Anita. Dean might have said I stepped away to the ladies’ room. If she asked me what was going on, I would be stuck.

  My hand wavered and a splash of red wine missed the opening.

  Two drops crawled down the neck. I stopped pouring, but I didn’t have a free hand to wipe the wine away and there wasn’t time to put down a bottle.

  The drops continued toward the Rubywood label and then diverted to the side, missing the paper entirely. I breathed out with relief.

  I held off on pouring until the lady was washing her hands.

  The rest of the wine was soon in the new bottle and I pushed in the cork to complete the ploy. It was show time.

  I put both bottles in my bag and washed my hands at the sink. A woman walked into the restroom and I smiled at her, thinking, Yep, just washing my hands. Totally
didn’t just pour wine from one bottle to another while standing in the stall.

  I returned to the table where the six of them still waited. Dean had done a good job of keeping everyone there.

  “Everything okay?” asked Dean as I sat down.

  “Yes, sorry. Just needed a little extra time.”

  “Are we going to try this special bottle, or did you just get us over here so we could ask your boyfriend lots of questions while you were gone?” remarked Anita.

  Dean’s face was stoic, but I could tell there was a little unease.

  “Ah, it wasn’t that bad,” said Hudson. “Dean was a good sport about it. But how about this wine you mentioned?”

  “Yes.” I kept the Rubywood bottle in the bag under the table as I opened it, not wanting to reveal that the foil had already been cut off. “Coming right up.”

  “It’s about time,” said Anita.

  “The anticipation was forcing me to drink,” replied Walt.

  “Me, too,” added Ben.

  I motioned to the waiter. “Can I get six glasses?”

  The waiter looked at the bottle I hid with my hands under the table. “Sorry, but we don’t allow outside wine in here.”

  “Can you check with Tom? I cleared it with him earlier.”

  The waiter hesitated and walked to the bar. Tom glanced over and gave me a thumbs up. The waiter returned with six empty glasses.

  “Why only six? There are seven of us.” Isabella glanced around at the group.

  “I’m not drinking,” said Dean.

  “This is a group activity,” said Walt. “We all need to participate.”

  “One of us should stay sober,” replied Dean. “It’s been an interesting weekend.”

  I kept the label away from everyone as I poured a few ounces into each glass.

  “So sommelier Katie Stillwell,” said Hudson. “Are you going to tell us about this wine as you serve it?”

  “Not quite yet. I’m going to wait for you to try it first.”

  “Can we know where it’s from?” asked Ben.

  “From a friend,” I replied with a smile. “But I can’t wait to hear what you think.” I finished pouring the last glass and sat back.

  Anita picked hers up and took a sip. “Nice but not one that I would say was worth all the fuss.” She looked at me. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. I just mean that we’ve tried a lot of great wine this weekend.”

  “It’s fine,” I replied.

  Ben and Walt tasted their glasses and shrugged.

  “Not bad,” said Ben. “Wait, is this like a blind taste test?” He tried it again. “Yep, this is a mysterious red wine from the collection of Katie Stillwell. What do I win?”

  “Self satisfaction,” I replied. They’d both had Tama wine the night before, but neither of them seemed to recognize it, especially as they had Merlot and this one was Cabernet. I had one last chance to show the fake name to see if anyone reacted. “Shall I do the reveal?”

  “Please,” replied Hudson.

  “I’m on the edge of my seat,” said Walt without any enthusiasm.

  I held up the bottle of Rubywood Cabernet.

  “You know, I think I’ve tried that before,” said Hudson.

  “Maybe not as special as you hoped it would be then,” added Ben.

  “He’s a Master Sommelier. He’s tried a lot of wine. But I thought it would be fun for the group.”

  Anita relaxed in her chair and Walt seemed distracted by people walking past in the lobby, while Ben drank more wine. No one seemed to know that it was Tama.

  A wave of unease began in my chest as my lungs tightened. Perhaps I had been wrong all along. Perhaps this wasn’t the way to trap the killer.

  Hudson put his glass down. “Let’s order some new drinks. Full glasses this time. Anyone want to do a blind tasting? Katie?”

  I shook my head.

  “I might. I think I can do it now,” said Ben as Walt laughed. “Oh, you laugh now, just you wait. Let’s get some more wine.”

  “Here,” said Walt as he held up the glass. “Tell us what wine this is.”

  “It’s a …” Ben paused as he looked over at the Rubywood. “It’s too far away and I don’t have my glasses.”

  “I’ve never seen you wear glasses a day in your life. Wine goggles, maybe.”

  “May I see the bottle?” asked Isabella.

  I handed it across the table.

  She stared at the label and tasted the wine again.

  I watched her closely. “Do you like it?”

  “Oh,” she replied as she realized I was staring at her. “It’s nice.” She smiled.

  I nodded but continued to watch her. She took another sip from her glass.

  “Is it okay?” I asked.

  She jumped a little, in typical Isabella form. “Oh yes. It’s just not what I was expecting from this winery.”

  “What were you expecting?”

  She gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t know. It just tastes like … Never mind.” She put the bottle down but continued to stare at the label as she drank more of the wine. The look of confusion grew on her face.

  I met eyes with Dean and gave a slight nod.

  It was Isabella.

  thirty-two

  pairing suggestion: syrah—walla walla, washington

  An excellent region for Syrah, these wines are made from grapes with thick skins.

  After Walt and Ben cabbed it to their house and Isabella and Anita headed upstairs at the New Sierra, I pulled Dean aside in the lobby.

  “No one else seemed to think anything about the wine, but Isabella knew it was Tama. She has to be the one who paid Rachel to get to Hudson.”

  “Katie, just because she knew the wine doesn’t mean she killed Rachel.”

  “No, it doesn’t. We need more proof.” I glanced at the bar, where Hudson was having a drink with some more guests. “I wonder if he’s still in danger.”

  “Hudson already announced that he’s working with Tama. Isabella—if it is her—already accomplished her mission.”

  “Then why is she still here?”

  “A lot of perpetrators want to watch the fallout from their actions,” replied Dean.

  Hudson stood up from his table in the bar, shook hands with the guests, and crossed the lobby, leaving the hotel through the side door.

  I moved forward but felt Dean’s hand on my arm.

  “Katie, this is dangerous.”

  “I just want to make sure he gets to his room safely. I don’t think the festival needs him missing again.” It was partly the truth. I didn’t like leaving Isabella in the hotel, knowing that she might be a killer, but I knew there was nothing else we could do at the moment.

  Dean studied me. “Okay then.”

  We walked across the lawn toward the Lancaster. Hudson reached the front door and disappeared inside. I quickened my pace, Dean’s speed matching mine. Hudson was still in the lobby when we stepped inside.

  “At least he’s here now and Isabella is staying at the other hotel. I just wish we had something more concrete.”

  “Let the police handle it. They’ll find out,” said Dean.

  “I hope so.”

  “Mr. Dean Stillwell,” said a loud voice from the front desk.

  “The name game continues,” I replied. “Sorry about that.”

  “I’m almost used to it by now,” said Dean.

  The attendant waved us over. “There’s a message for you,” he continued.

  “I’m going to make sure Hudson gets in his room. I’ll meet you upstairs in a few?”

  Dean hesitated.

  “We’re in this hotel. Isabella is at the other one. And I’m only going upstairs.”

  Hudson stood near the elevator but the doors had opened.
/>   “I’ll be right there,” said Dean. “Be safe.”

  I rushed over and Hudson held the elevator door for me. I stepped inside, hoping he wouldn’t notice that I didn’t push level two. “Ready for the last day tomorrow?”

  “You have no idea,” said Hudson as he rubbed his forehead.

  “Great that the festival brought you new business. I mean, with Tama.”

  “Oh,” he replied as he shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah. One more announcement to make about that at the grand tasting.” He almost looked sad as he said it.

  “I thought you didn’t want to work with them. I mean, at least what you said Friday morning, about Jocelyn—I mean Rachel—wanting your name on the business.”

  “No, it’s all good now. It’s all fine.”

  “So you’re happy?” I asked, hoping he would drop some clues.

  He faked a smile. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

  The doors opened to the third floor. Hudson walked to the right and I turned to the left so he wouldn’t think I was following him.

  “Night,” I said as I glanced back over my shoulder.

  “Night,” he replied. Once the door to 303 was closed and he was safely in his room, I took the stairs down to the second floor.

  The area was quiet, but that was to be expected. Most people were asleep.

  I reached the end of the hallway where it turned to my room, but the overhead light was out.

  An unease began in my chest. I didn’t like the dark and the thought of what, or who, could be lurking.

  A dim glow cast from the adjoining hallway, but it was the darkest near my room ten doors down. Great.

  I thought about waiting for Dean or even going downstairs to meet him, but it was just a hallway bulb that had gone out. That was all. I would call the front desk and let them know and it would be fixed by morning. Everything would be fine.

  I took out my phone and used the flashlight app. Although the beam of light was small, it did what it needed to do. I continued forward, glad I was finally in the habit of carrying my phone with me.

  I held my room key. The antique charm of the hotel also meant they used actual keys instead of keycards.