Timestep to Murder
Page 21
The grand finale, a whistling launch three hundred feet in the air, saturated the sky, transforming it into a rainbow. A long minute of silence passed before rockets flew high, bursting and forming two deep red, five-pointed stars. It was a fitting sendoff.
The engine revved up, and the boat chugged forward. All eyes stared at the sky. The light, sound, heat, and smoke from the fireworks brought deep emotions to the surface for Abby as she said her own private goodbye to her two dance mates, her youth and the eighties.
The engine revved up, and the boat chugged forward. On the cruise back, Abby watched the moon rise over the Sierra, shining a pathway across the water. On the shoreline, lights twinkled. A strong breeze kicked up, and Abby pulled the collar of her jacket close.
Blade joined her and handed her a steaming cup of hot chocolate. “Cold? Want to join the others inside?”
Abby shook her head. “Later. I can’t seem to get enough of this night.”
Blade leaned his back against the rail and faced her. “Next time we make this trip, it won’t be about business. We’ll go over to South Shore, stay at Caesar’s. I’ll play blackjack; you can relax, go to shows, eat, whatever you want to do. How does that grab you?”
Abby gazed deep into his eyes. “Sounds like an invitation.”
“Exactly. How about it?”
“Accepted, but I’m not sure how soon I can get away again. Tomorrow I’ve got to get back to the shop and take care of business matters. My costume maker has been holding Starduds together while I’ve been gone.” She frowned. “Does it seem like we’ve been in Tahoe for ages, or is it just me?”
“A lot of ugly stuff has gone down over the last few days. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks to sort it all out, especially after two murders.”
Blade was probably right. She’d give it some time. An ex-cop must know from experience.
He took her hand and gently touched her sore fingers. “I’m glad you made it out of that tunnel okay. You worried about Renee, but when I couldn’t reach you on the cell phone, well, I nearly went nuts.”
It had been a long time since a man had been concerned for her welfare, and it felt kind of nice. She liked this P.I. with a flair for the forties. She felt comfortable when he was around. However, she still had a lot to learn about him before she’d commit to a weekend at Caesar’s Palace.
“I won’t be too busy for lunch. How about Max’s on the promenade next Saturday?” Lunch suited her fine right now, but if he wanted more of her time, he’d have to wait. Or maybe he wouldn’t. A gamble, she knew. But that’s the kind of gambler she was.
Norma Lehr is a multi-genre author of short stories, a middle-grade ghost series (Lerners and Northland), and an adult supernatural suspense novel, Dark Maiden (Juno Books, 2007). Timestep to Murder is her sixth published novel.
A former nurse and health food store owner in the San Francisco Bay area, Norma now lives with her husband and two senior white pups in the beautiful Sierra Foothills, where she joined a tap dancing performing group called the Timetappers.
You can find Norma online at www.normalehr.com.