Amidst all the hugging and congratulations, someone touched my arm. Danny Durango was standing there grinning as he pointed at my mother. "Is she your sister?"
Oh boy. I smiled and shook my head. "That's my mother."
His eyes lit up. "Is she available?"
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
After an hour of chatting with the media, smiling, and posing for pictures with Olivia, Pierre, and Danny Durango—till I thought my face might crack—we finally managed to break away. My parents wanted to take us out to dinner, but Josie and I begged off. Although I'd eaten nothing besides sampling the dough during the day, I still didn't have much of an appetite, and neither did Josie. We were both too exhausted. We went back to our hotel room and ordered room service, but I could only manage a couple of bites from my sandwich. I called Grandma Rosa to share the good news with her.
"I knew you would win." I caught the unmistakable note of pride in her voice while Gianna screamed in the background. "I am so proud of you, cara mia. Josie, too."
"I'm giving Josie half the prize money," I said, "but I want to repay at least some of what you lent me for Mike's bail."
She grunted on the other end of the line. "I will not take it. You keep the money and put it toward your business. I know you are thinking about expanding and every cent will help."
"Grandma, I would feel so much better if you would let me do this."
"No. I will not take it. Now, it is still early. Only ten o'clock. You and Josie go out and enjoy yourselves."
I glanced over at my best friend who was lying on her bed asleep, fully clothed, with a dusting of flour still in her hair. I smiled as I watched her. There would be no partying tonight. My mother and father had decided to go dancing, and I definitely did not want to be a witness to that.
"I will see you tomorrow. What time does your plane leave?"
"Two o'clock." I hesitated for a moment. "Grandma, have you seen—I mean, is—"
"No, my sweet girl," she said gently. "I have not seen him. But he will be back. I feel it in my heart."
Mine was heavy as I disconnected. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and turned the television on low. I had no interest in watching anything but found the sound comforting. I changed into pajamas and spent a long time sitting on our private balcony, watching the fireworks coming from the vicinity of Disney World.
I knew I should be proud and happy of what we'd achieved today, but I ached for Mike. I wanted his strong arms around me, to feel loved and protected once again in his secure embrace. Despite Grandma Rosa's assurance, I worried he might never come back. I couldn't stand it any longer and sent him another text—only about the millionth one this week.
We won. Leaving for home in the a.m. Hope you'll be there waiting for me. I love you.
I sat there holding the phone between my hands. I waited and prayed but to no avail. My phone remained silent. A lone tear fell onto its screen. He'll come home, and we'll work everything out. Have faith.
That was all I had left now.
* * *
"We don't have to be at the airport until noon," Josie said. "So what's on the agenda for this morning?"
We were sharing the bathroom mirror. Josie was braiding her hair, and I was coating my mouth with lip gloss. "How do you feel about breakfast at the Hooper Inn?"
She looked at me quizzically, and then recognition dawned. "You want to ask about the blonde, don't you?"
"Amber said that's where she'd spotted her. Maybe she worked at the hotel or was a regular customer. It's not much, but we have to try something."
"Okay," Josie agreed. "Breakfast, and then we'll come back here to pack up."
Fifteen minutes later, we were inside the Hooper Inn's no-frills restaurant adjacent to its lobby. Josie and I settled in a booth by the entrance. She ordered an omelet with bacon and toast while I settled on a Belgium waffle and coffee.
She stifled a yawn with her hand and grinned. "I slept like a baby last night."
I smiled. "You needed it."
Her concerned gaze rested on my face. "Did you sleep?"
"Not much," I confessed.
She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "Our winning the contest is a good sign, Sal. Things are changing for the better, I'm sure of it. Mike will come home, and everything will get straightened out."
I wrapped my arms around my middle. "So far, I've done nothing to help him. We have suspects, yes, but no clue as to who could have done this."
Josie frowned. "Well, for starters, there's Amber. He did cheat on her with another woman. That's enough of a motive. And there's that Ramon character and his henchmen. Who's to say they didn't kill him because they were tired of waiting for their money?"
"But Ramon came to me looking for cash."
Josie waved her hand dismissively. "Don't you know anything about mob guys? They have no qualms about killing people. Then they just move on to the next person in the family to collect the debt. This way you know they mean business."
Although the thought was horrible, I admitted there was some truth to it. "Mitzi's a possibility. She didn't deny it when we asked her, either."
"I was just thinking about that lowlife. She's hell bent on getting revenge. I'm sorry for what she's been through with her boyfriend, but I wouldn't put anything past her. She's at the top of my list."
I sucked in some air. "And, of course, it's a huge coincidence that Mitzi showed up in town the night Colin died."
"Exactly my point." Josie cleared her throat. "She's wacko enough to commit the deed. But there are other people to consider as well."
I cocked an eyebrow. "Such as?"
"Kyle."
I thought about this for a moment and pitied Elizabeth. It was bad enough to have your child murdered. But to have your other son be a prime suspect? "No. I can't see it."
Josie pursed her lips together. "You have to admit it's possible. We overheard him telling Krista that he was glad Colin was dead. You told me yourself many times how they'd never gotten along. Kyle didn't even want to be in your wedding. Colin was always Elizabeth's favorite, and his brother resented him for that."
We fell silent as the waitress brought our food and waited until she departed before we continued with the conversation.
I sipped my coffee. "One thing's for sure. There were plenty of people who hated Colin." Goosebumps dotted my arms. How had I not seen his true colors? "Did he think I didn't love him and wanted to be with Mike instead?"
Josie gave me a sympathetic smile. "You did love him. You wouldn't have married him if you hadn't. The problem was that you never got over Mike, and Colin knew this. Plus, Colin was different when you first dated him. He was never one of my favorites and vice versa, but drugs and alcohol change people. I've seen it firsthand myself."
I looked down at my waffle decorated with strawberries and whipped cream. I still had no appetite but managed a few small bites. "If we can somehow find out who the blonde is and if the ring belongs to her, maybe that will tell us something. I have to call Brian when we get back to town, too. I need to pump him for some information."
"Ah," Josie said. "I'd almost forgotten about poor Officer Hottie. Just don't pump him too hard." She winked.
I almost choked on a piece of strawberry. "Josephine Sullivan!"
She grinned. "Brian still has the hots for you. I heard he broke up with that model he was dating. You've ruined him for all other women."
I rolled my eyes at her. "Oh, please. Nothing even happened between the two of us. And how the heck did you find that out? Why am I always the last person to know anything?"
Josie looked pleased with herself. "What can I say? The customers love to gossip with me."
I drained my coffee cup and grabbed the bill. "Come on. Let's ask out at the front desk."
A man about our age was standing behind the front counter talking on the phone. His name tag read Ben. He smiled as we approached and held up a finger. A few seconds later, he thanked the caller and hung up. "H
ow can I help you ladies?" he asked.
I showed him the picture of Colin and the blonde. "I was wondering if you've ever seen this woman before."
He studied the photo briefly. "Yes. I've seen her. Him too. They were together."
"Do you happen to know her name?" I asked.
"No idea. It's been a while since I saw them. The only reason I even remember is because one night they came in very late, and the guy could barely walk a straight line." Ben snorted. "Drunker than your average wino."
"Can you check your records?" I asked. "Is there any way we can find out who she is?"
Ben shook his head. "I don't remember exactly when they were in here. It'd be like looking for a needle in a haystack, so to speak. Unless you happen to know either one's name. We could try searching under that."
I gave him Colin's name, and he entered it into the computer system. He straightened up and shook his head at us again. "Nothing's coming up. They must have registered under the woman's name."
I sighed. We were so close to learning the truth but yet still so far away. "Thanks for your help."
As we walked back to the car, I realized I was officially out of ideas.
Josie clicked her seat belt into place. "Now what?"
I glanced at my watch. Ten thirty. "Pack up and head for the airport, I guess. I just don't feel like we got anything accomplished while we were down here."
"Ahem." Josie cleared her throat nosily.
I grinned. "Besides the competition, that is."
"Aren't you missing the boat on something here? Is it possible that Luke might know who this girl is? And who's to say she even had anything to do with the murder?"
I started the engine. "I guess I can ask him. He texted me yesterday and wanted to know how everything was going. Maybe I can arrange to meet up with him when we get back. I don't think he's returning to Florida for a few more days."
"I believe the answer to the murder is back in New York," Josie said. "And his name is Kyle."
It was too awful to even imagine. "I don't want to consider that right now."
"What about your parents?" Josie asked as we pulled up in front of the hotel. "Are they flying back with us? Please tell me no."
I laughed. "They're staying for a couple more days. Mom said they're on their second honeymoon."
Josie lifted her sunglasses off her face. "The way your parents behave makes me and Rob look like an eighty-year-old couple. And every day is a honeymoon for those two."
"You've got a point there. At least it will give Gianna a nice break. Especially with her exam coming up."
As we alighted from the elevator, I could see the door to our room standing open. Maybe the maid was in there cleaning? Then I caught sight of a mess on the floor and heard Josie's breath catch behind me. We both rushed inside.
Someone had been in our room, but it obviously hadn't been the maid. The person or persons had gone through our personal items—intent on finding something. Clothes had been lifted from suitcases, sheets torn off the beds, and my makeup carrier dumped on the floor along with all its contents. For good measure, they'd also thrown the television to the floor where it lay with a cracked front screen.
"Oh my God," Josie breathed.
It took me a moment to find my voice, which sounded strangely calm to my own ears. Maybe that was the result of too many bad things happening lately. "Call 9-1-1."
"What about the front desk?" Josie asked.
I put a hand over my chest, trying to slow my rapid heartbeat. "I'm sure they'll come up when the police do. There's no time to waste. If we don't leave soon, we'll miss our flight." More than anything, I wanted to go home now.
"Your parents," Josie said. "They could stay here and talk to the police for us."
I put a hand on the nightstand to steady myself. "Good idea. And for the record, I think you're wrong. I'm not so sure the answer to Colin's murder is in New York."
"To heck with that." Josie's eyes illuminated with fear as she held the phone to her ear. "There's more important things to worry about now. Like, what if you're next on the killer's list?"
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I tried calling my mother's cell, but as usual, it kept going to voice mail. Neither of my parents answered the phone in their room. I was afraid they might be involved in extracurricular activities. In desperation, I called down to the front desk and asked if they could page them. Jackpot. They were finishing breakfast by the pool, and I was told they'd be right up.
They arrived in our room at the same time as the police. The hotel manager was there as well, offering his apologies. I tried to pay attention to the questions but kept stealing glances at my watch. No, I didn't think there was anything missing. No, I didn't know who had done this. Okay, that was a little white lie, but I was leaving town and doubted Ramon would follow me to New York.
At least, I hoped not.
I turned to the hotel manager. "I'm so sorry about the damages."
He waved a hand dismissively. "We're truly sorry that you had to endure such an inconvenience. We will be scanning the cameras placed out in the hall to see if we can catch the perpetrator."
My mother placed her hands on her hips. "This isn't a very safe hotel if anyone can break into your room—especially during the daytime hours. My daughter and her friend could have been harmed. How often do you change those access cards?"
"Yeah," my father growled. "I bet the maid did it. What if she had a friend in the contest yesterday, and they came to even the score?"
Okay, so I hadn't been thinking about Mitzi as a suspect for breaking and entering before this moment. I guessed it was possible, but Mitzi's biggest concern wasn't about the contest. Mitzi wanted me six feet under like Colin.
Something told me Ramon might have ways to enter hotel rooms without an access card. Maybe I should have been forthcoming about my suspicions to the police, but I had to get home. To my business, to my life, and especially to Mike.
I managed a laugh. "I really have no idea who might have done this." I hoped they didn't notice I was crossing my fingers.
The policeman nodded to me. "You can start picking up your things. If we find out anything or need to ask you further questions, we have your number."
Josie and I flew around the room, throwing our items back into the suitcases while my mother and father continued to lecture the hotel manager.
I gave both of them a hug and a kiss. "When will you be back?"
My mother giggled. "Sometime on Sunday. We're both getting massages tomorrow. They're supposed to enhance your love life."
I winced, and Josie sucked in some air. The policeman stared down at the floor, and the hotel manager's face turned crimson. If there was one thing that did not need enhancing, it was my parents' love life.
"I'll call you when we land." I mumbled a hasty good-bye to everyone while Josie rang for the elevator. Fortunately, there was no one else at the front desk, so our checkout was quick and painless. We jumped into the car and sped off for the airport.
"I hope security won't take too long," Josie said.
"Security always takes forever at this airport." I glanced at my watch. Only forty-five minutes until our plane departed. We checked our bags, rushed through the airport, and found our way to security at the end of a long line. By some miracle, the plane had been delayed fifteen minutes. We were the last ones to board.
"Thank goodness," Josie breathed as we found two seats together near the rear of the plane. "We'll have to deal with a little extra turbulence, but I can live with that."
I clicked my seat belt into place. "I just want to go home."
She gave me a sympathetic smile. "It's going to be okay, Sal."
"It won't be okay until Mike is off the hook for this. Gianna told me that if the police find out he's left—and, God forbid, left the state—things are going to get worse. He'll go back to prison. And the grand jury is scheduled to meet in one week." My voice trembled. "He can't go to jail for something he didn't do. I h
ave to find out who did this."
"Kyle or Ramon are my top picks," Josie said. "Ramon ransacked our room. And we know what he was looking for. What did you do with the ring, by the way?"
I patted my purse. "It's still in here. I'm going to return it to Krista on Sunday."
"It belongs to someone," Josie said. "That trinket had to cost at least twenty grand. I don't believe someone just happened to give it to Colin. I'm betting he stole it from one of his bimbo girlfriends."
I shrugged. "Well, we don't know who the blonde is, and it doesn't belong to Amber, so what else can I do? As far as I'm concerned, Colin's family can have it back and do with it as they please."
"What if Ramon sends someone after you?" Josie asked. "What will you do then?"
"I'll deal with it somehow. I have ten grand from the contest. Grandma's refused to take any money, so if I give it to Ramon, maybe he'll back off."
Josie's eyes went wide. "It's not your responsibility to pay Colin's debt back."
"Well, it's better than winding up dead. I can't help Mike that way."
She twisted her hands in her lap and stared down at the floor. "You can have my share, too."
I shook my head. "No way. You earned every penny of that money. Plus, you'll need it for the kids."
Josie's head shot up, and I saw that her eyes had filled with unshed tears. "I don't want a dead best friend, Sal."
I sighed. What a mess this was becoming. "We'll talk about it later. Is Rob meeting you at the airport?"
She nodded. "He can give you a ride back to the shop. Do you want me to come with you?"
"No. It'll be dinnertime by then. Go home and spend some time with the kids. I'll handle the shop."
* * *
Baked to Death (Cookies & Chance Mysteries Book 2) Page 15