Nailed

by Avery Daniels

  “I got something from the massage therapist this morning.” I took a drink from my coffee. Ooooh, I would miss this dark brew. “Leona was upset that her boyfriend made it here but with his wife. Get this, it was even some sort of anniversary which made it worse. So, she was having a long-running affair.”

  Porsche jumped in, “So that ruby necklace from her boyfriend could have been a gift from a married man. If the married guy killed her, then it makes sense he would take the necklace on the chance he could be linked to purchasing such an expensive gift.” Well yes, that made sense. Why didn’t I think of that?

  We stopped talking while the waitress delivered our meals and we each took a bite.

  Johan picked up the conversation. “That would explain why the sim card from her cell phone was removed too. Any text or phone calls to and from the married man would incriminate him.” Either the coffee was reviving him, or he functioned well with little sleep because I missed that rather obvious connection.

  “There’s the possibility of a wife killing her too. If the wife was enraged, I bet she could strangle Leona. Particularly if she had the element of surprise.” Porsche chimed in.

  Johan was making notes in his notepad. I gave him a few moments to catch up before I continued.

  “Plus, the massage therapist who treated Kara on Thursday shared with my therapist that Kara was excited about getting even with someone or exposing something. No names.” I waited for him to write that down.

  “After our massages, we sat in the lounge around the fire and Porsche gossiped with an older couple who had another tidbit.” I motioned for Porsche to relay her information.

  “Well, apparently the man heard from a poker player last night...” At Johan’s raised eyebrows and obvious doubt about the source, she stopped. “Okay, I know that sounds convoluted, but it’s no worse than third hand through the therapist grapevine. So anyway, the man shared he saw Leona with that Chris guy, the one suing Kara. He said Chris was pretty close to Leona and cozy. Maybe he is her lover and he got away from his wife for a few moments.”

  Johan stopped taking notes, “I just wish all these people would’ve come to the police when they heard or saw things concerning this case.”

  I didn’t know what to say so I took another bite of my sandwich. My theory was people would gossip over things that might be salacious or odd, but they wouldn’t consider it criminal or important enough to report to the police. We lapsed into silence as we all devoted our energy to eating.

  We each finished in record time and the uncomfortable silence had stretched long enough.

  “Okay guys, I’m going to my room and Skype with family.” I didn’t want to say I would be devoting my time to internet research on the suspects. Johan may not appreciate the assistance. I also wanted to consult with my original investigative assistants, my neighbors at Mountain Shadows.

  I stood up only to see the young man, Justin, at the entryway looking around. I sat back down and shifted so Johan blocked any view of me.

  “What...?” Porsche started but saw Justin looking around. “Is that the kid who is crushing on you?” She had a wicked twinkle in her eyes.

  “Don’t you dare call him over here, I’ll never forgive you...and his future therapist visits will be on your head.” My whisper didn’t come out as lethal as I planned.

  Johan moved to turn around and look, but I grabbed his arm. “Aren’t you supposed to protect and aid those in need? Then don’t turn around or move. I am not going to trample that boy’s ego.” I sounded desperate. Okay, maybe I was a little.

  He turned to Porsche, “How old is this kid?”

  “Oh, fifteen or sixteen.” She guessed.

  Johan chuckled, “His ego will be hurt for a little while until a girl his age strikes his fancy and then you will be a memory he dreams of when he’s having his mid-life crisis years from now.” That was good news for Justin and left me feeling... replaceable.

  Justin finally gave up and left. He was determined; I’d give him that. I waited another minute and left the restaurant. To avoid Justin, I sprinted up the grand staircase like dogs were chasing me and skidded to a halt to show my identification to the hall monitor.

  In my room, I put on some decaf coffee to brew and turned on my laptop. I settled in and had just entered Preston the realtor to Google when my Skype popped up. I know I was supposed to be chatting with family, but I wasn’t telling Detective Larson I was doing some internet investigating.

  My neighbor Nathan’s aged face appeared, filling the screen as he was too close to the web camera. Nathan was a retired doctor with long white hair usually tied back in a ponytail.

  “Hey, young lady, glad I caught you...” He began

  “You’re too close, don’t you know how to do this?” I could hear the disembodied voice of my other neighbor Delores. “See where I’m pointing ya ole goat. That’s your big nose filling the camera. Sit back, don’t give the girl a view of your nose hairs.” She continued to mutter in the background.

  He backed away but only slightly. “Domineering Delores is on my case as you can hear.” He smiled a tobacco-stained grin.

  Auburn shorthaired Delores began shouldering him over, “Move your old bones over so I can chat with her too. Don’t hog the camera.” She was a regular at Skyping with her grandchildren. Beverly managed to get both of them in the camera frame.

  “We’re glad to catch you, dear. We heard a news report that the local realtor Kara Caine died in Vail. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” Her eyebrows were raised in question. I guess the police couldn’t keep it out of the news for long with all the resort guests talking to family and friends.

  “Ummm, yes and no. She was staying here but I really didn’t know her.” Although they had been my original Baker Street Irregulars last fall without even realizing that’s what they were, I didn’t want to dance around the truth and I wasn’t sure how much I was allowed to share.

  “Oh dear, Julie is holding out on us. Do you believe that?” Nathan shook his head.

  “She knows more than she’s sharing, I can see it in her eyes.” Delores always thought she could read people... okay, she thought she could read me. She was usually correct. I don’t know how she does it either.

  “You think you’re so smart, but just maybe you’re wrong.” Nathan tossed out the challenge.

  “Look guys, it’s an ongoing investigation...” I probably shouldn’t have said that.

  “See, told you.”

  “Bet we can help.” Nathan was quick to add.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  “I don’t know how you could help, we have only a few hours before all the guests are released tomorrow and odds of arrest after that will diminish.”

  “Let this be a lesson to you girl, you should’ve gotten with us sooner and we could’ve had this all cleared up by now.” Nathan wore his disappointed look. He had grown children, so I got the benefit of the years of looks and guilt trips he had honed to perfection with his kids. I didn’t have a chance.

  “I’m not involved, I was nowhere near the woman and I didn’t discover the body either. So I don’t know what you expect from me.”

  Beverly moved her face closer giving a close-up of her wrinkled face, “Don’t try to bamboozle us. We know you probably have a finger on what’s happening. We want to help you, dear.”

  “Help me? I don’t see how guys.”

  “We might have some insights. Anybody local involved that we might know?” Nathan had a glint in his eyes.

  I debated if I should share the few suspect names. There was a chance they might have come across one or more of them since they were involved in the community.

  I shared the people I would like to know more about and provided an overview of motives for each. They were like giddy children writing down the names.

  “I can tell you right now Kara would go to City Council meetings and stir the pot. Sometimes she would seem reasonable until you saw her away from a mi
crophone. I witnessed her get dogged mean if she didn’t like a person or their proposals.” Beverly would go to City Council meetings fairly regularly to keep on top of what was going on, she said. I suspected she gave council members her two cents as well.

  Nathan had been busy typing away, “I thought that name sounded familiar. Preston Pinder is a realtor I know a bit. He’s had several bad deals with Caine and warns people away from dealing with her. They’ve had bad blood for a while now. I think they even had a professional mediation to resolve one deal. Wish I had more on him.”

  “Wait a minute, what was that gal’s name again?” Beverly asked.

  “Debra Graham, she’s self-employed with her own grant writing business and volunteering for charities.” I had got that from online research already.

  Beverly’s forehead was wrinkled in concentration. “I think I know her, drinks like a fish.” I choked in surprise; Beverly, the tattooed short dynamo with a southern accent, could out drink most anybody. “I remember there was a rumor I’d dismissed at the time, that her husband left her claiming she was emotionally unstable. Of course, that’s a rumor and I have no evidence of any such condition.”

  I had considered Debra as my least likely suspect, but I thought about her some more. Revenge is a powerful motivation and she has certainly let her anger fester. From the visit to the gym that morning we witnessed she was strong enough to maneuver dead weight, maybe not like tossing a bag of potatoes, but she could probably manage. But what would she honestly have against Leona?

  “Hey guys, what do you know about Leona Dolman?” I didn’t bother to share that she was another victim. Currently, they were happy to help but that could change to overprotective in a heartbeat and they would have my aunt and uncle in a tizzy.

  “Doesn’t ring a bell at all.”

  Well, I at least learned that realtor Preston has had long running issues with Kara. I wasn’t counting on the dubious rumors about Debra as true, although she certainly knew how to hold a grudge.

  Beverly patted her gray hair, “Are there many single men there? I love a man who fills out a cable knit sweater.” Her eyes had a sparkle.

  Nathan swatted at her. “She wouldn’t notice single guys, she’s taken.” I didn’t want to tip them off concerning my reservations about my couple status. I was fairly sure after his latest bodyguard job and lack of communication, I would break up with Mason. This time away had given me some clarity about what I truly wanted and needed from a man.

  “Oh please, like every guy doesn’t notice women even if they’re married. I call BS. Women get to look too.” She winked at the camera and I chuckled. My senior neighbors were a handful and I missed them.

  We chatted for a few more minutes and caught up on events at Mountain Shadows, the townhome complex where I lived. Colorado Springs had only gotten a few inches of snow from the storm at a little over six thousand feet elevation, nothing like what Vail got socked with.

  I described the events to keep us all busy and occupied, knowing they would find it interesting.

  Beverly had a wicked gleam in her eye. “But do they have a nude painting class with a live male model? I wouldn’t even drink during that painting class.” Nathan sputtered at that. Beverly was incorrigible.

  I said goodbye to the terrible twosome. I had just finished clearing out my email when Porsche breezed into our room.

  “We have to get ready for tonight, come on.”

  I stared at her, “It’s not for...almost two hours yet. I only need a few minutes.”

  “Oh no you don’t. We are getting dressed up tonight and having our hair done. I made us appointments.” She smiled like I should reward her, as if.

  “Have you and Felicia formed an alliance against me?” My cousin Felicia was usually the one trying to dress me like a life-size doll.

  “I do believe it was you just the other day who dressed up for dinner by yourself. Let me think.” She placed two fingers to her chin and looked off into space, “Yes, that was definitely you getting all spiffed up. This is a masked party and probably the most fun we‘ll have in this entire fiasco. Humor me. Okay?”

  I hated it when she did that. “Fine, but don’t go overboard. This isn’t that big of a deal.”

  Porsche had opened the small closet and began taking out dresses she had brought. I now understood why she had brought two large suitcases. She had claimed sweaters were bulky, but she had a full contingent of clothes for most occasions.

  I, on the other hand, had only brought clothes appropriate for the conference and maintaining a business persona with a few pairs of jeans and winter sweaters added.

  “Here, try these on and let me see.” She handed me five dresses.

  It was useless to fight it...resistance was futile in this case. I tried on the first dress, a clingy knit maroon color number. I took my phone and got the oldies song I’m Too Sexy to play as I walked out as if I was a model on the catwalk. I held my head up, adopted a serious look into the distance, and strutted to the patio door, spun and faced Porsche with my hands on my hips.

  She applauded and laughed. “Next one.”

  I repeated my performance to another runway-worthy tune.

  “Work it, honey.” She said between laughing.

  We repeated the catwalk routine with various songs until she settled on a plum-colored raw silk dress with oriental styling and long skirt with a split. Naturally, she had shoes to coordinate. I was of average height, but with the shoes I looked long-legged and sleek even. I had to admit some long gloves would’ve made me feel like Audrey Hepburn, my favorite actress. The chicken dance was out tonight.

  She eventually settled on a sexy and playful sleeveless red dress with a full skirt and matching heels for herself. She informed me we were due at the spa for hair and makeup and we grabbed some glitzy clutch purses.

  I had never had my hair and makeup done by professionals. I explained I didn’t like heavy makeup to my artiste. She studied me, shifting my head for every angle. “I’m thinking of putting your hair up, if you are agreeable.”

  “Okay, let’s do it.” I rarely put my hair up, so this would be an experience.

  After my hair was washed, blown out, and put in spiral curlers, she began on my makeup. I was facing away from the mirror so I couldn’t see what she was creating. She was quiet, her complete attention on what she was doing.

  What felt like half an hour later she finished with my makeup and removed the curlers. She quietly explained what she was doing for the hairstyle while she worked. She took the crown section of my hair and worked in sections, hair spraying and then back brushing to build a full top. She then twisted it and created a slight poof of hair and tucked the ends under the back with bobby pins. For the rest of my hair, she loosely wrapped strips around several fingers and then pinned the sculpted rings around the back of my head and nape of my neck. She draped the curls on the sides and fixed them with more pins.

  When I finally got to look in a hand mirror, I was amazed. It was the most romantic updo I had ever seen. It was worthy of a fantasy princess. Then I saw the makeup. I smiled. Even though it felt like I had a lot of makeup, it didn’t look like it. My eyes stood out, but the overall look was soft and dreamy.

  Porsche squealed when she saw me. She opened her purse and took out a pair of rhinestone drop earrings for me and two-inch gold chandeliers for her.

  I turned to my hair and makeup guru and hugged her. “Can you take a picture of us please?”

  We posed in front of the spa’s glass entry doors with the resort name on the glass. I got the picture I wanted with Porsche even though it wasn’t outdoors in the snow.

  “I’m posting this on Facebook and tagging Mason. I don’t think he’s ever seen you looking this stunning, so it’s my duty to show him what he’s missing.” She gave me a big smile and winked. The photo was my equivalent of his red-carpet photo. Probably the closest I’d come.

  It was time for the masked party and I had a suspicion we were overdressed.
Porsche handed me a mask, one of the feathered ones she had grabbed from the creepy wall. We put them on and were amazed at how such a small item could add mystery.

  All of the meeting rooms we had used for the conference had the walls removed, making one large ballroom. To one side I could see a long buffet table and the desserts were set apart at another table for traffic flow. We signed in by our room numbers, they would charge dinner to our room bill to make it easy.

  Smaller tables were scattered around with lovely candles on mirrors for centerpieces. The overhead chandeliers were dimmed to a soft glow. Twinkle lights adorned potted silk trees all around and the walls had sheer golden fabric draped for lush backdrops. The sound system had jazz music playing and the overall feel was of an upscale carnival.

  My worries that we were overdressed were unfounded. News of being able to leave tomorrow gave this gathering a buoyant party feel and most people were wearing their dressy best. We decided to just enjoy the evening and put the murders out of our thoughts. I could do it – really. We headed to the cash bar and stood in line waiting to order something to put us in a more festive mood.

  Of course, all the suspects had to parade in front of me at that moment, testing my resolve. Debra wore an emerald green pantsuit and held her leopard spotted mask in her hand.

  Preston and his wife strolled by arm in arm. He wore slacks and button-down shirt with a wool blazer while his wife had a lovely dress with a slight sprinkling of sequins. She had her mask on, a red and gold harlequin design. Preston held his mask, matching hers only with black and gold diamonds.

  Bryce was alone as his girlfriend had never returned after their fight the first deadly night. He wore slacks and a nice red sweater. I watched him slip on his basic mask of swirled teal and white with braided ribbon edging.

  Lawsuit Christopher and his wife with their son in tow passed my field of vision a little further away. She wore a basic black dress and he had on a smoky gray blazer over a hunter green sweater with black jeans. I didn’t see a mask in evidence for any of their party.