As Seth and I moved down the buffet table, I mentally noted that I was placing far too much on my plate considering the dress’s lack of elastic, but I couldn’t help myself. Normal buffet food like shrimp, cheese, and crackers were all there, but they were somehow better than normal, beautifully presented and richly flavored. Maybe it was the mountain air, or the same magic that had kept our glasses clear.
Along with the normal stuff, there were many other items. Prime rib, barbecue ribs, potatoes with every sort of imaginable topping, pastry puffs with a variety of different fillings—some with things like seafood and others with more dessert-type fillings like chocolate and pastry cream.
“I guess we can come back,” Seth said as he looked at his full plate and then longingly at the buffet table and the items that couldn’t fit.
“I’m sure we can come back as often as we like,” I said.
A woman in a black dress and conservative white apron leaned toward us from the other side of the tables. “Of course, feel free to come back as much as you’d like. It’s even acceptable to take some home. If you don’t want to sneak it away in a napkin, we have take-home containers. No one is shy. You shouldn’t be either.”
“Thank you,” I said. I hadn’t even noticed her watching us.
“Thank you,” Seth said, his tone infused with glee. I couldn’t help but smile at him.
Tall tables had been set up to the side of the buffet. Chairs were available, but I, like a few others I saw, could only stand. I was only one of the chocolate-pudding pastries down when I saw someone I wanted to talk to. It was more that I wanted to see if she would talk to me, but either way, I patted the corners of my mouth with a white linen napkin and told Seth I’d be right back.
I beelined my way to Nell Sterling. She was even more stunning than usual in a shortish, strapless, sequined black dress that wouldn’t allow her to sit either. Heads turned as she moved through the crowd, but since it was the kind of party that promoted communication, the attention wasn’t distant. Friendly greetings were sent in her direction. She returned them with equally friendly waves and smiles, but she didn’t stop to talk to anyone. Until I got directly in her way.
“Nell! Hello,” I said. “Remember me?”
“I do. Yes, hello, Clare,” she said with an icy tone that I thought broke the rules of the party.
I didn’t much care if Nell Sterling and I ended up friends, but I really despised phoniness, and if that’s what I’d come across when she was in the store, I just wanted to know. No, I needed to know.
“It’s good to see you,” I said.
“Right. Excuse me,” she said as she turned to walk away.
I reached out to touch her arm, but she’d stepped away from me far too quickly.
I thought back over our brief interaction and there was nothing that would be cause for her cold shoulder. Unless, maybe, she thought I was friends with Adele. I’d given no indication that I even knew Adele when she’d come into the shop. However, if that was the reason, Nell must be stereotypically Hollywood shallow and I didn’t need to waste any more of my time wondering if I’d offended her.
I wove my way through a group of thirty-something actors who’d all been in a movie that had been a big part of my teenage years. I smiled shyly at each of them, and they smiled at me, saying hello when I could barely look up at their famous and friendly eyes.
I remembered what the woman at the elevator had said about the requirement that everyone be approachable, but I still couldn’t bring myself to tell these actors how pivotal they’d been to my life, how they’d set up expectations regarding what college would be like, and how it hadn’t turned out that way, but thankfully I would always have those experiences from their movie. I’d work on it and hopefully get better as the evening wore on.
“She didn’t want to talk to you?” Seth said as I rejoined him at the table.
“No, not at all.”
“Sorry. From here she looked pretty rude.”
“Unfriendly for sure. I might have done something to offend her, but I have no idea what it was.”
“Can’t worry about it.”
“Nope, not at all.”
“Clare, Seth.” Another voice pulled me away from the pastry puff I’d taken from my plate.
“Creighton! Hello,” I said.
“Evening,” he said.
“Hi, Creighton,” Seth said. “You got an invite too?”
“I did,” he said with less enthusiasm than probably everyone else at the party.
“Not your thing?” I said.
“Not really.” He tugged at the tight white collar of his dress shirt. I had to admit that he looked great in the black suit and tie, all of which stopped just short of being as formal as a tuxedo.
“How long have you been coming to these?” I asked. “I mean . . .”
Creighton smiled and waved away the awkward question that I kept forgetting was somehow a secret. “This is my first year. You?”
“Our first year too,” I said. Seth smiled and then found a piece of cheese from his plate.
It was weird whenever Creighton, Seth, and I were in the same square footage. I didn’t want it to be and I wanted us all to be grown-ups, but it was still weird and sometimes uncomfortable, though we all tried hard for it not to be.
Sometimes I tried too hard, catching myself doing things like making comments that cemented the fact that Seth and I were a couple. It was a childish behavior but it sometimes happened involuntarily.
It wasn’t that the two men didn’t get along. They did—well, it was more like they didn’t “not” get along. They tolerated each other just fine, but they weren’t going to do much hanging out together. My role in their lives hadn’t been the reason those chances were thwarted. They were just two very different people with totally different interests.
Mostly, probably, I just needed to mellow.
“You look lovely,” Creighton said. Then he cleared his throat. “You both look lovely.”
“Thanks!” Seth said with a big smile. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
We all chuckled, hopefully ridding the moment of any further tension.
“Excuse me,” Creighton said a moment later. “I’m sure we’ll run into each other again.”
I watched him walk away and wondered a few things. Where was his date? Where was the girl Jodie had mentioned? And what had the argument with Jodie been about?
Creighton didn’t strike a lonely man’s pose, but moved with confidence and authority even when he wasn’t on duty. I knew he was searching the crowd and on alert even in the midst of the frivolity of a party. Except . . .
“Seth, something’s weird,” I said.
“It all tasted great to me,” he said.
“No, not the food. But Creighton’s being here.”
“Why is that weird?”
“He doesn’t have a date.”
“Doesn’t need one.”
“No, but something else is going on.”
“Why do you think that?”
“He would have a date.”
“Maybe his date is in the ladies’ room.”
“No, there’s something else.” I wiped my fingers on the napkin. “You ready to mingle some?”
“Sure. I saw two movie stars I hoped to meet. They acted in one of those old Western television shows. My parents had a black-and-white television and we only had a few channels. For the longest time I thought Ponderosa still existed in some remote Western part of the country.”
“Let’s go find them.”
Everyone obeyed the instructions and was friendly and welcoming. Seth and I didn’t ask for autographs, but lots of other people did. Seth met one of his childhood heroes, and I found a couple of people from the group I’d been too starstruck to talk to earlier and told them how much they’d meant to m
e. They seemed to genuinely appreciate my mushy, almost incoherent gratitude.
As we mingled and then became separated, I kept part of my attention on the entryway. I was looking for someone specific and I knew when it was just about time for that someone to make her arrival.
I wasn’t disappointed and I wasn’t surprised by the new party attendee. I knew she’d be there, and I knew she would arrive at the top of an hour, just like she always did.
I’d grabbed a lemonade from the bar a few minutes earlier. When I saw Jodie, I gulped down the last swig, set the glass on the corner of the bar, and made my way to my best friend.
21
“Clare! What are you doing here?”
“Matt Bane gave me his invitation. You?”
Jodie blinked. She wore black silky pants and a pink silky top. She looked girly and pretty. Her hair wasn’t pasted to her head, but fluffy and wavy almost down to her shoulders. It was always a surprise to find it out of tight confines.
“Where’s Mutt?” I said.
“Couldn’t make it.”
“Right.”
“Clare?”
I grabbed her arm and pulled her back, toward a space to the side of the party entrance.
“Something’s going on here tonight, right? Or going down? What’s the term?” I said.
Jodie laughed. “Neither is transpiring, at least that I’m aware of. I have my small pistol at my ankle, though, just in case.” She lifted her pants leg to show me the tiny gun tucked and locked into a tiny black holster that blended with her black hose. “I’d like to know more about this invitation from Matt Bane, though. I thought you guys didn’t talk about much.”
“Right. Well, he did give me the invite, but we didn’t talk about much. Jodie, Mutt would be here if this was just for fun. Creighton would have a date too. I saw him.”
“Where’s your date?”
“Seth is in there.”
“Are you worried you’re missing out on something or are you concerned for your safety?” Jodie asked, her mouth moving to a straight, serious line.
“I’m . . . I’m not worried. I think . . . well, you didn’t stop by to tell me what you found at the hotel.”
“Oh. Sorry, Officer Henry. My bad.”
“You said you would.” It was impossible to sound anything but petulant with those words. I rolled my eyes. She knew I was rolling them at myself.
“Truly sorry,” Jodie said as she put her hand on my arm. “You’re right. I did say I would, but I’m afraid what we found was something I’m not at liberty to discuss. I should have just called you and told you the police were on the case and all was well.”
“But all isn’t well, right?”
“Clare, there’s been a murder. Of course, something’s wrong.”
“You’re here because of something you found?”
“Not totally. I’m here because it’s a party I was secretly invited to, and Creighton’s friend was busy. We decided to find each other once I got off duty and be each other’s plus-one. And there’s been a murder, so both of us decided that it wouldn’t hurt to attend and be observant. Is the food good?”
“Delicious.”
“Good. Take me to the buffet?” Jodie rubbed her hands together.
“Secretly?”
“What?”
“You were secretly invited?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
She bit her bottom lip and threw her hands up to her hips. Her girly left the party and she became the tough officer she was. She looked at me a long time before she answered. I knew she would answer, though. She always answered if she had to think about it. She’d just say no immediately if she wasn’t going to share.
“Well, an invitation was mailed to me at the police station. One was mailed to Creighton too. Before you ask, yes, we’re having them checked for prints, but there’s not a lot we can do with anonymous mail.”
“That is secretive. No note or anything?”
“Just our names on the envelopes.”
“Who would have done that? Would Flint have been that secretive?”
Jodie looked out toward the party. “I may never know if you won’t let me go in.”
“Oh, right. Let’s go. I’ll show you the food.”
I led her directly to the buffet table, where her anticipation was well met and her expectations exceeded.
I knew she’d be busy with the food for a while and she didn’t need me hurrying her along, so I excused myself and told her I’d find her later.
The party space was big and wide even though it was a space made for a house, not a hotel or resort. I tried to imagine what it was used for when there wasn’t a party in it, and the only thing I could come up with was that it would be cleaned and prepared for the next party. I was surprised I couldn’t spot Seth or Chester as my eyes scanned the crowd twice. I saw Creighton as he moved toward the buffet table, but he didn’t see me watching him, so I didn’t wave.
I was about to set off to make my way down the middle of the big room again when a flash out of the corner of my eye captured my attention.
There were hallways leading out from four different directions, two on each side of the big room. I was certain I’d seen something blond at this end of one of the hallways to my right, as if a long trail of blond hair had been disrupted and then the body attached to it yanked into the hallway.
I immediately thought of one person: Nell Sterling.
I didn’t hesitate as I took off for the hallway. I didn’t proceed cautiously, but with tight-dressed short steps as I hustled around the corner and into the space.
And no one was there.
The hallway jutted to the right about ten feet ahead and though the party behind me was noisy, I thought I might be hearing something coming from the deeper nook. I continued the stutter steps, but this time I slowed before I could be seen.
I looked around; no one was paying me any attention and most people were busy having too much fun to look down this hallway anyway. I positioned myself so my back was up against the wall and I listened hard. There were definitely two voices around the corner, both female.
“I can’t believe you came to this party,” one voice said.
“Why wouldn’t I?” another said.
“The man you claim to love has been arrested for the murder of his sister.”
“Right, and you’re out of love with him. You’re the ridiculous one, with your bleached blond hair and all that makeup. Everyone knows you still love Matt. And you’re losing the aging battle, Nell. You know it and everyone else knows it.”
I didn’t need to peek around the corner to know that the two voices belonged to Adele and Nell. I did, however, have the fleeting urge to voice my opinion about Nell actually looking spectacular, no matter what her age was. I kept hidden and listened.
“You don’t have one clue, Adele. You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into. You’re a child and one without a sense of direction. Take advice from this old woman—either get out of this business or get someone in your life you can trust. You’re going to sink. The sharks won’t even need to help. You’ll do it to yourself.”
“Matt was on my side. Howie will help me.”
“Oh, Adele, you just don’t get it. Howie is all about Matt. He’s only on your side if Matt is on your side. Howie will drop you so quickly he will forget your name. And if he forgets it, so will everyone else. If you haven’t figured out the other part yet, let me explain—Matt’s career and reputation are damaged. He’s damaged goods when it comes to helping anyone with their career. Murder convictions will do that.”
I also wanted to point out that Matt hadn’t been convicted quite yet, but I continued to hold my tongue.
“What if he didn’t do it?” Adele said.
“I don’t think the police eve
n suspect anyone else,” Nell said, with more confidence to her voice than I thought was appropriate.
I listened harder.
“But there’s at least a chance. I mean, what if it was Howie who killed Cassie?”
“What? What are you talking about?” Nell said. She might have been a good actress, but I heard the waver of uncertainty and perhaps some fear in her voice. I was sure Adele did too.
“Listen to me, Nell. Howie’s up to something. I think he might have had something to do with Cassie’s death.”
“Do you have some sort of proof?” Nell said.
“Not yet, but that’s why I’m here. I wanted to see what Howie did tonight, who he talked to. He hasn’t done anything to help Matt. He didn’t even seem all that upset by his arrest. He’s continued to work, like he’s not bothered at all.”
“Right. So have you.”
“I’m shook-up, Nell. Howie isn’t at all.”
Nell was silent a long time before she continued. “You know we have to get the location shots finished. We had to get them done.”
“So, the show must go on, right? No one cares about Matt! I don’t understand.”
“Adele, lots of people care about Matt. We all do.”
“Then why isn’t anyone upset?”
“Everyone is upset, but there’s something to what you said—the show going on. It does. We have to do what we have to do.”
“I think you’re all terrible, horrible people!” she yelled, tears and emotion lining her voice. I didn’t hear her foot stomp, but I imagined it.
I knew Adele was coming in my direction, but I didn’t see an out. If I tried to get ahead of her, I knew I’d just get in her way. I disengaged my back from the wall and tried to look casual. I had zero acting ability and was sure to be caught.
But Adele didn’t even notice me. She blew right past me in a flurry of head-down huff and anger. The next person coming around should be Nell. I took a deep breath and worked harder to look casual.
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