Powdered Peril

by Jessica Beck

  But nothing compared to how I felt when I saw the last name on the list. It was the worst one for me to read, though I shouldn’t have been surprised to see it.

  Grace Gauge’s name was written all in caps, and struck through just once with red ink, a very final slash.

  “Nan’s on his list?” Grace asked. “I don’t understand that at all.”

  “You didn’t realize that they knew each other?”

  “I didn’t have a clue. I’m amazed that I knew anything Peter ever did. How about you? Did she say anything to you when she found out about Peter’s murder?”

  I shook my head. “No, but I’ve certainly got a few things to talk to Nan about when she comes into work tomorrow.”

  “What else besides Peter?” Grace asked as she started driving again.

  “That’s right, I never got a chance to tell you. One of the photographs in Rose’s apartment was of her and Nan together. They looked pretty chummy.”

  Grace slowed a little, and I had to wonder if she even realized that she was doing it. “Your new assistant is in this up to her ears, isn’t she?”

  “Either that, or it’s an awfully big coincidence, and you know how I feel about those.”

  Grace asked, “Are we going back home now?”

  “I suppose we could, but I thought we might see if we can find Kaye Belson, since we’re already in Union Square. From the sound of it, she and Peter had a bit of a love-hate relationship going on. Is that okay with you?”

  “Suzanne, I’m grateful for every second you can spare me. I need to find out what happened to Peter, despite how we ended things. It’s the only way I’m ever going to be able to put this all behind me.”

  “I’ll give you every moment I can,” I said. “You know that. How are you handling things? You seemed a little too brave to me a few times this afternoon.”

  She sighed. “I’m walling it off, if you want to know the truth. The less I think about my emotions, the better off I’ll be.”

  “It’s okay to express your feelings, you know.”

  Grace shook her head. “There will be plenty of time for that after we solve his murder. When we’ve caught the killer, I’ll let myself wallow a little. I could use some company then, if you’re interested.”

  “I’ll be there. You can count on me, along with cookies, ice cream, soda, and anything else you can name.”

  “How about a dozen donuts?” she asked with a slight smile.

  I laughed. “You name the variety, and they’re yours.”

  “Let me think about it,” Grace said.

  We made it to the downtown area of Union Square, but neither one of us really knew where to go from there. “Any ideas about how we might find Kaye?” Grace asked me.

  “We’ve got a ready source here we shouldn’t discount. I say we talk to the DeAngelis ladies and see if they can help.” Angelica DeAngelis and her three daughters; Maria, Antonia, and Sophia, ran Napoli’s, the best Italian restaurant in ten counties. I’d grown quite fond of their family over the years, and I believed that the feeling was mutual.

  Maria was at the front door, and her smile blossomed as Grace and I walked in. Each daughter was lovely in her own right, true reflections of their mother’s beauty. “Ladies. It’s so very nice to see you. I have a perfect table for you.”

  “We’re not here to eat,” I admitted. “We wondered if we might ask you a few questions.”

  Maria lowered her voice. “I’ll do what I can, but Momma is in one of her moods. It would help if you had a little something, you know? She loves feeding you, Suzanne. It might just cheer her up.”

  I looked at Grace. “What do you think? I am hungry.”

  “I can always eat, especially if it’s here at Napoli’s,” she replied.

  “Okay, but we’re in a time crunch,” I said to Maria. “Could we keep it simple?”

  “Two spaghettis, no extras, maybe a little wine; how does that sound?” Maria asked.

  I had dreams sometimes of DeAngelis pasta, so it was an easy sale. “Done.”

  “Then I’ll be right back,” she said after she seated us at a table near the kitchen. Maria disappeared through the swinging door, and Grace said, “Actually, I kind of forgot how hungry I was.”

  “If you’re hinting around that you want my spaghetti, too, sorry. You’re out of luck.”

  She grinned for a moment, and I could see something of my friend buried under her grief. “I’ll try to control myself.”

  Maria came back out with two glasses of wine and matching plates of pasta on a tray. A patron across the room complained, “Hey, that’s not right. They just got here, and we haven’t even been served yet.”

  “They made their arrangements earlier,” Maria said warmly. “Don’t worry; your food will be out shortly.”

  The man wanted to be angry, that much was clear, but Maria’s charm seemed to melt away his temper. “That’s fine; I’m sorry for the complaint.”

  “We’re just happy you’re dining with us this evening,” she said as she bathed him in her warmest smile.

  “You’re good,” I said softly as Maria served us.

  “Men are like puppies,” she said lightly. “All they really long for is a warm smile and a little praise. Who doesn’t like to feel special?”

  I nodded. “I know I always feel like a VIP when I’m here.”

  “That’s because you are,” she said. “Momma has given us all standing orders that you are to be pampered whenever you visit us. The family owes you a great debt.”

  I thought back to the small service I’d done for them once. “It’s not necessary.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Grace said as she looked at her plate. “I’m glad to finally get a perk for being your best friend.”

  Maria laughed. “I imagine there are more than just your visits here. Now, you wanted to ask me a question.”

  I looked back at the impatient patron. “You can get his food first, if you’d like.”

  Maria shook her head. “He can wait another moment.”

  “Okay. Grace and I were wondering if you know someone in town named Kaye Belson.”

  Maria’s smile faded, if just for a moment. “May I ask why you’re interested in her?”

  “We believe she might know something about Peter Morgan’s murder,” I admitted. I might dance around the truth with some people, but the DeAngelis clan deserved my honesty, and I was going to give it to them unless there was an extremely compelling reason not to.

  She looked taken aback by the news. It was a rare stumble for her, and Maria quickly recovered. “It is Sophia you need to speak with.”

  “She knows her, then?”

  “They are best friends, much like the two of you,” Maria admitted, “though we sometimes worry about how close they’ve become.”

  She hurried back to the kitchen, and I took a bite of pasta while I could. If Sophia got upset by our questions, we might have to make a quick getaway, and I wasn’t about to pass up a plate of their pasta as a sacrifice for our investigation. I would try to have both if I could.

  Sophia came out a minute later, carrying the patron’s food on a tray. She served it a little haphazardly, and then took a seat at our table. “You wanted to talk to me?”

  “I’m sorry. There’s no easy way to say this. We need to speak with Kaye Belson.”

  Sophia’s expression clouded over, and I could see her mother in her just then. Of all the DeAngelis women, Sophia showed her emotions most openly. “What’s that got to do with me?”

  “We heard you two were best friends,” Grace said.

  Sophia turned to her. “The key word in that sentence is ‘were.’ It’s definitely in the past tense.”

  “What happened between you two?” I asked, curious about what could split up such close friends.

  “When she started dating Peter Morgan, I couldn’t tolerate her behavior anymore,” she said, not able to make eye contact with either one of us as she said it.

  “It’
s okay, Sophia. We weren’t married,” Grace said softly.

  “Maybe not, but you were committed to each other, and Kaye knew it when she took up with Peter. I tried to tell her it was wrong sneaking around with him like that, but she wouldn’t listen to me. I really am sorry.”

  Grace patted Sophia’s hand. “You don’t owe me any apologies. Is there anything you can tell us about her?”

  “She’s pretty; there’s no question about that. Up until the past three months, Kaye had a really level head about it, but when Peter started showing her some attention, she changed. All it took were a few soft words, and she was lost to him.”

  “Peter could be very persuasive,” Grace said. “Do you think Kaye will talk to us about her relationship with him?”

  “Alone? Not a chance,” Sophia said.

  “Would you come with us, then?” I asked softly. It was a great deal to ask, and I knew it, but we needed to talk to Kaye.

  “Is it that important to you?” she asked, clearly reluctant to acquiesce.

  “I wouldn’t ask otherwise,” I said.

  “Let me talk to Momma,” she said, and stood abruptly.

  When Sophia was gone, I said, “I’m not sure how this is going to go, so if you’d like a last bite, I’d take it right now.”

  I did as I advised Grace, and we were finishing up when Angelica came out. A few diners tried to catch her gaze as she came out of the kitchen, but her attention was focused solely on us. “Suzanne, is what Sophia just told me true?”

  How did I know exactly what her youngest daughter had just said? “We need her help. I’m sorry to ask, but there’s no other way.”

  Angelica pursed her lips, and then asked, “This involves Peter Morgan’s murder, doesn’t it?”

  I nodded. “It does, but I don’t think there’s any chance your daughter is in danger. If you’re not comfortable with her going with us, though, I completely understand.”

  Angelica shook her head briefly. “Nonsense. The DeAngelis women don’t back down from danger, not for our friends. I just want your assurance that there’s no other way.”

  “I can’t do that,” I said. “Grace and I haven’t even spoken with Kaye yet. We just have your daughter’s word that she won’t talk to us. We can try to see her ourselves first.”

  “Sophia said that Kaye wouldn’t speak with you without her?”

  “She did, but it’s fine,” I said as I stood, with Grace following. “Dinner was wonderful.” I took a twenty from my wallet and pressed it in her palm. “Thanks so much.”

  I was nearly out of the dining room when Angelica caught up with us. “Suzanne, don’t leave. I didn’t say no.”

  “You didn’t say yes, either,” I said. “Angelica, I get it, I honestly do. You have every right to look after your daughters.”

  “Wait here,” she commanded us, and I didn’t have the nerve to disobey.

  “How long do we wait?” Grace asked.

  “As long as it takes,” I replied. There was no way I was going against Angelica’s order. Her friendship, not to mention her food, meant too much to me. Besides, I would never be able to face Jake again if I got us banned from our favorite restaurant.

  Angelica came out two minutes later with Sophia in tow.

  “She’ll take you to Kaye,” Angelica said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Just keep her safe,” Angelica said.

  “Momma, I’m old enough to watch out for myself,” she protested.

  “I know you are, but indulge your mother,” Angelica replied. “And don’t linger. We need you here tonight.”

  Angelica kissed her daughter’s cheek, and Sophia immediately rubbed the lipstick off.

  Once we were outside, I asked, “Where should we start looking for Kaye?”

  “We don’t have to look far,” Sophia admitted. “I know exactly where she is.”

  CHAPTER 10

  “Sophia, what are you doing here?” a pretty young woman asked as we walked into the Laundromat just down the street from the restaurant.

  “You need to talk to these women and answer their questions, Kaye,” Sophia said.

  “Why should I?” she asked as she looked at us. There was no recognition when she glanced at me, but the moment she saw Grace, her face reddened considerably.

  “Because we used to be best friends, and Momma won’t be pleased if you say no,” Sophia replied. “Do you really want to risk being banned from our restaurant?”

  Evidently the threat was taken to heart. “What do they want to know?”

  “Ask them, not me,” Sophia said. She moved to one side, picked up an old magazine, and took a seat. The Laundromat was mostly empty, so we had privacy for our conversation.

  “What can I do for you?” Kaye asked with a clear and confident voice.

  “We need to talk,” I said.

  “About Peter,” Grace added.

  “I don’t know anyone named Peter,” she said in a tone that no one would believe.

  Sophia coughed once, and Kaye looked over at her guiltily.

  “Funny, we found out that you were dating him when he was murdered,” I said. “I’m sure the police would be happy to talk to you if you don’t want to have a friendly little chat with us.” It was an outright lie, since what Chief Martin did had nothing to do with my actions, but did Kaye know that? I doubted it.

  “So, maybe we went out a few times. It was all just for fun,” she added, and then looked at Grace. “The truth is, he loved you, not me. I was just something for him to do on the side.”

  I couldn’t imagine knowingly being anyone’s spare, and I was about to say just that when I remembered why we were there. I wasn’t trying to reform this girl’s character. I was looking for information.

  “I heard you were a little more passionate about things than that,” I said.

  Her lips formed two thin lines as she shook her head. “I’ve got a bit of a temper, and I show it too much sometimes,” she admitted. “I didn’t kill him, though.”

  “Do you have an alibi for last night and early this morning?” Grace asked.

  “I was home alone,” she said.

  “That’s tough to prove,” I said.

  She looked as though she honestly didn’t care. “I don’t have to. I didn’t kill Peter. He didn’t mean that much to me, and I sure didn’t care enough about him to go to jail over the guy.”

  I wasn’t sure how to respond to that when Sophia spoke up. I hadn’t even realized that she’d been listening to us, but evidently she hadn’t missed a word. “Kaye, tell them the truth.”

  Kaye looked at her former best friend with resentment clear on her face. She finally admitted, “Fine , have it your way. If you want the truth, I was with someone else.”

  “We need a name,” I said.

  “He’s married,” Kaye admitted. At least she appeared to be ashamed of the fact, but that did nothing to appease Sophia. She threw the magazine down on the floor, and then stormed up to her former friend. “Married? Seriously? Have you just made up your mind to be a tramp for the rest of your life?”

  I thought Kaye might explode at the accusation, but instead, she nearly collapsed in Sophia’s arms. “I’ve been a fool, and I know it. What happened to Peter was awful. I never should have gone out with him, and I made an even bigger mistake right after that. Sophia, I’m so sorry. You were right, and I was wrong. I miss you so much. Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?”

  Sophia’s own anger dissipated like morning fog. She embraced her friend as she began to cry as well. “Hey, come on. Take it easy. You’re forgiven.” She pulled away a few seconds later, and then asked, “You’ve really changed? You’re finished with older men, and married ones, too, no matter how old they are, right?”

  “I swear,” Kaye said.

  “Okay,” Sophia said.

  I hated to interrupt their tender moment, but I needed to know Kaye’s alibi. I was about to ask her for the man’s name when Sophia caught my gaze
and shook her head subtly. I decided it could wait. “Thanks for your time. Let’s go, Grace.”

  I led my friend away, who looked surprised by our departure. “Suzanne, she could have just as easily been lying to us.”

  “I know that. Sophia will find out what we need to know a lot easier than we’ll ever be able to.”

  “How can you be so sure of that?” she asked.

  “If she doesn’t, we can ask Kaye ourselves later,” I said. “I’m afraid that if we push her right now, we might never find out who she was with.”

  Grace was clearly unhappy with my answer, but she accepted it. “I know it’s getting late for you, but is there any chance we can make time to speak with Henry Lincoln since we’re in town anyway?”

  I glanced at the dashboard clock. It was nearing seven, and getting closer and closer to my bedtime. I had to be up in seven hours, and we weren’t even in April Springs yet. Then again, what was a little sleep compared to my friendship? “Sure, why not?”

  Grace nodded. “Thanks. I’ll make this all up to you someday. I promise.”

  “Grace, you don’t need to thank me. We’re in this together. Let’s go see if we can find Mr. Lincoln and see what he has to say about Peter.”

  It was not to be, though. Henry Lincoln wasn’t at his office when we checked his address in the telephone book, and his residence was unlisted. “We can pop back into Napoli’s and see if Angelica knows where he lives.” I yawned as I said it, though I’d tried to squelch it.

  “No, it can wait until tomorrow,” Grace said. “You’ve got to get up early.”

  “I can handle it,” I insisted, though my statement was broken up by another yawn.

  “We’re going back to April Springs right now,” Grace said. “We’ve got a better chance of finding him tomorrow.”

  “Okay, we can come back here right after I close tomorrow at eleven,” I promised.

  * * *

  The next thing I knew, Grace was shaking my shoulder. “Suzanne, wake up. We’re here.”