Killer Cocktail
Page 16
A few days after he’d been home, Mandy came to visit us. With her she brought a large bouquet of flowers, a large bottle of scotch, and an even larger dog bone. “You can distribute these however you see fit,” she said as she thrust them all into my arms. “I’ve been a horrible friend, and I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize,” I assured her. By mutual agreement we avoided the topic of Barry. Mandy was a grown woman. It wasn’t my place to tell her that she was an idiot. Besides, on some level, I think she already knew. “Come out back and see Nigel,” I said. “He’s stoically lounging by the pool.”
Mandy followed me out to where Nigel lay on the chaise. “You look quite dashing with the sling,” she said as she sat in the chair next to him. “Getting shot seems to agree with you.”
He grinned. “Well, I don’t recommend it for everyone, obviously,” he said. “But I’ve tried to make the best of it.”
“Don’t encourage him, Mandy,” I warned. “He’s close to becoming insufferable.”
Nigel pretended to glare at me. “I took a bullet for you, woman! Show some gratitude!”
“I’m sorry. Do you want me to go put on the nurse’s uniform again?” I asked sweetly.
Mandy groaned. “If you do, I’m leaving.”
I laughed. “Sorry. So, what’s going on in your world?” I asked her. “We’ve kind of had our heads buried here. We did get some good news though. DeDee’s sister called. Her memory has started to return. She doesn’t remember everything yet, but she was able to give the police a statement fingering Danielle as her attacker. Her doctors say that she’s going to be fine.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” she said. Shaking her head, she added, “I still can’t believe that Danielle killed Melanie all those years ago. Frank’s having a hard time dealing with it, too. He’s gone off on some six-week zen retreat that forbids outside communication.”
“How nice for him,” I said. It still made my stomach churn to think about Frank. He’d taken advantage of a troubled young woman and then had been ready to toss her aside when she got pregnant. Granted, he hadn’t killed her, but that didn’t mean he was innocent. I wondered how many other Melanies had been callously used by men like Frank over the years. Then I realized I didn’t want to know the answer. I suspected it would be heartbreaking. “How is Christina doing?” I asked to change the subject.
“Good, actually,” said Mandy. “She’s moving on, just as she always has. She hired Sebastian as her manager. I think they’ll work well with each other. But the really big new is that John left Jules.” Mandy’s eyes danced with amusement.
I glanced up in surprise. “Really?”
She nodded. “Yup. But that’s not the best part. John went back to Christina and begged her to take him back. Got down on his knees and everything. In a crowded restaurant, no less.”
“And did she? Take him back?”
Mandy shook her head, her smile broadening. “She did not. She told him in no uncertain terms that he was a low-down dirty dog and that she wanted nothing more to do with him. It was perfect. I told you her Oscar speech was all an act. And a damn good one, too.”
“This is a strange town, Mandy,” I said after a minute.
Mandy sighed in agreement. “You have no idea, Nic,” she said. “No idea.”
After Mandy left, Nigel and I sat by the water and quietly sipped our drinks. Skippy lay sprawled out on a pool raft, lightly dozing in the afternoon sun.
“I’ve been thinking,” Nigel said after a while.
“About?”
“That maybe we need to go on a vacation,” he said. “Expose Skippy to a little culture.”
I studied him over the rim of my drink glass. “Any place in particular?” I asked.
“Well, I did hear about this one beach in Italy,” he said with a smile. “I’ve made reservations. All that’s waiting is your approval to book them.”
“Do they serve dirty martinis there?”
“They do indeed.”
I leaned back and closed my eyes against the afternoon sun. “Then, in the immortal words of Steve McGarrett, ‘Book ’em, Danno. Book ’em.’”
Footage from the set of
A Winter’s Night
5/8/96
Frank and Zelda are sitting in an empty stage set designed as a 1940s nightclub. They are eating a homemade lunch from a picnic basket. They are not speaking and appear tense.
ZELDA
Have you talked to her yet?
FRANK
No.
ZELDA
Something’s wrong.
FRANK (shaking his head)
Nothing is wrong! You worry too much.
ZELDA (watches him as she takes a bit of her sandwich)
And you don’t worry enough.
FRANK (looking up)
What is that supposed to mean?
ZELDA
It means that you never think anything bad can touch you. It’s childish. There is good and bad in this world, Frank. We all get an equal amount.
FRANK
Yes, but …
ZELDA
I mean it Frank. I’m worried. There’s something going on with her. A mother knows these things.
Camera shuts off.
the end
recipes
the oscar
Ingredients:
75 ml (2½ oz.) Plymouth gin
Juice from ½ pink grapefruit
25 ml (¾ oz.) of elderflower syrup
1 rosemary sprig
the diva
Ingredients:
90 ml (3 oz.) vodka
45 ml (1½ oz.) pineapple juice
15 ml (½ oz.) kiwi syrup
Mint leaves for garnish
the red carpet
Ingredients:
70 ml (2½ oz.) vodka
30 ml (1 oz.) raspberry liquor
20 ml (¾ oz.) raspberry syrup
40 ml (1½ oz.) fresh raspberry juice
the best boy
Ingredients:
10 ml (¼ oz.) Martini Extra Dry vermouth
50 ml (1½ oz.) Bombay Sapphire gin
15 ml (¼ oz.) blue curaçao
Twist of orange for garnish
About the Author
Tracy Kiely received a BA in English from Trinity College. This accomplishment prompted most job interviewers to ask, “How fast can you type?” Her standard answer of “not so fast” usually put an end to further questions.
She was eventually hired by the American Urological Association (AUA), who were kind enough to overlook the whole typing thing—mainly because they knew just what kind of prose she’d be typing. After several years, Tracy left the AUA, taking with her a trove of anecdotal stories that could eventually result in her banishment from polite society. That’s when she thought writing a novel might be a good idea.
Murder with a Twist was her first novel in the Nic and Nigel Martini series. It can be enjoyed straight up or with a twist. She is also the author of the Jane Austen-inspired Elizabeth Parker mystery series: Murder at Longbourn, Murder on the Bride’s Side, Murder Most Persuasive, and Murder Most Austen. These can be enjoyed with either tea or a very dry sherry.
Tracy lives in Maryland with her husband and three children.