“Actresses have been known to disappear occasionally,” I said.
“But when her mansion is booked full of her guests?” Eleanor asked with a notable frown. “Ask them about Brandy Stokes. We were told she unexpectedly checked out of her room.”
“After an argument with Liv Haley,” I added.
“That wouldn’t surprise me,” Wallace said. “Word has it that Liv and Brandy are rivals.”
“Rivals for what, though?” I asked.
“Movie roles ... men ... you name it.”
“I wish I knew where Brandy is staying now. We believe she might have gone to the Tawas Bay Beach Resort to book a room.”
“That lovely hotel by the bay?” Benny asked. “That’s exactly where she is, if you ask me. She loves the beach.”
“My son Stuart and his wife always stay at the Days Inn,” I mentioned. “I think they’d rather live off the grid.”
“Staying at Days Inn is hardly off the grid,” Eleanor said.
“True that,” Wallace agreed. “It might be a good idea to check it out since you want to speak to her.”
“Unless you have another idea,” Benny said.
“To the Tawas Bay Beach Resort we go.”
I WAVED MY HAND OVER the counter at the hotel as I couldn’t safely stand at the moment.
“Can I help you?” a young woman asked, as she glanced over the counter. “Oh, hello, Agnes, fancy meeting you here.”
“I could say the same, Stephanie. Does your boss at Days Inn know you’re moonlighting over here?”
“Who do you think gave me a good recommendation? It’s not like I can make a good living off working part time.”
“It’s so sad that people these days need to work two or three jobs.”
“How about I do the talking before poor Stephanie has to crane her neck anymore,” Eleanor said. She then quickly explained what had happened to me.
“What can I help you with?” she asked, as she rounded the counter.
“We’re here to speak with the actress, Brandy Stokes,” I said.
Stephanie sighed. “What makes you think she’s staying here?”
“Well, she left the Butler Mansion unexpectedly and this is the only other place in town that an actress would be able to stay in style.”
“The rooms here are rather lovely. Not that I’m downing the Days Inn, mind you. I could look through the register for her name. I must admit though that I have no idea who Brandy Stokes is. She’s an actress, you say?”
“She has long dark hair with the most stunning legs in Hollywood,” Benny said wistfully.
My brow shot up. “Oh? Do you know Brandy personally?”
Wallace empathetically nodded.
Benny shot Wallace a dirty look. “Shut up!”
“I’ll take a look in the computer and see if her name pops up.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” said a woman pressed into a loose business suit.
“Oh, and who are you?” Eleanor asked.
“I’m Iris, the manager.”
“You don’t look familiar,” I said.
The woman looked pointedly down at me. “Whatever happened to you?” she asked.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You’re Agnes Barton. I should have recognized Eleanor here. I’ve read more than one newspaper article about you two.” She cleared her throat. “Who are you looking for?”
“Brandy Stokes.”
“She’s an actress,” Eleanor added.
I whispered. “Sara Knoxville has gone missing and we really need to speak to her.”
“Oh, no. Sheriff Peterson must be searching high and low for her.”
“Actually, no. An adult has every right to go wherever they’d like.”
“And she hasn’t been gone long enough to raise an alert as of yet,” Eleanor said.
“Well, now we need to find this Brandy,” Iris said, going to the computer and tapping away. “I found a Stoker Branson. That sounds like an alias to me.”
“It does to us, too,” I said. “What room is she in?”
“You’ll find her on the second floor, room 205.” She stared over at Benny and Wallace. “I’ll be happy to keep your friends occupied while you go up there.”
“They’re filming a reality series featuring us, or we think it will work out that way.”
“If Roman Douglas decides to go forward with it,” Eleanor said.
“Roman Douglas is in town, too?” Iris asked, as she gripped the edges of the counter.
I frowned. “I really talk too much for my own good. I don’t want to jinx anything.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that, but please don’t ask us to tell you where Roman is staying,” Benny said, as he brought up his camera.
“I’d assume the Butler Mansion,” Iris said as Benny, Wallace, Eleanor, and I disappeared inside the elevator.
“Thanks,” Eleanor said, as the doors of the elevator closed.
I wrinkled my nose. “I smell toast.”
“Me, too,” Eleanor said. “I thought I was crazy for a moment before I remembered the hotel has a restaurant.”
Eleanor pounded on what was hopefully Brandy’s door. We waited a moment with no response. Then Eleanor pounded again, this time loud enough to draw the attention of the man in the next room. “She’s not here,” he hissed. “Try downstairs in the restaurant. She was tossing them back in there earlier.”
“How do you know who’s staying in this room?” I asked suspiciously.
“It’s hard to miss a looker like that. She looks so familiar to me, too. Anyway, what’s the deal with the camera? Why are you filming?” he asked with a whitened face.
“Oh, are you here with your mistress?” Eleanor asked.
“People don’t use words like that to describe their lovers anymore, Eleanor,” I said.
“I’m not having an affair. I just would rather not see myself filmed is all.”
“Are you on the FBI’s top ten most wanted men list?” I asked.
“Good luck with finding who you’re looking for,” he finally said, as he closed the door gently.
“That was weird,” Eleanor said.
“And it makes me hope we find Brandy in the restaurant,” I replied.
THE RESTAURANT WASN’T busy when we walked inside, and it wasn’t currently happy hour. I did a quick online search for Brandy’s picture on my iPhone, but frowned when I couldn’t find anyone who fit her description.
“I told you Brandy loves the beach,” Benny said, continuing to film us.
“Yes, and you’d have us believe you don’t know her personally.”
“He’s right,” Eleanor said. “It’s a nice day for a walk on the beach.”
“Unless she’s just had an all-nighter and is still buried under her blankets and pillows.”
“From my recollection, Brandy isn’t much of the party girl,” Benny said.
I couldn’t wait to find Brandy, if only to see the reaction between her and Benny. Eleanor rolled me outside, but I had to wait on the patio while Wallace was elected to search the beach. Benny continued filming.
It wasn’t even five minutes before a woman with long dark hair who was wearing a skimpy bikini joined us on the patio.
“Whatever Liv Haley told you is a big fat lie,” Brandy said with a heaving chest.
“Liv didn’t say anything about you, from my knowledge,” I said. “We were just wondering why you vacated your room at the Butler Mansion so quickly when you had only just arrived.”
“It was either that or I’d choke that Liv out.”
“So, you had an argument with her at the mansion?” I asked.
“You could say that. Sara invited me to her soirée for her book launch, but I never had the chance to attend, thanks to Liv. I don’t appreciate being accused of only showing up because Roman Douglas was to be in attendance.” Brandy gathered her hair and began to comb it with her fingers.
“Why? Are you competing for a role in a movie?”
“Not that I’m aware. Sure, I auditioned for Roman, but he wasn’t planning to make a decision for a few weeks.”
“So why leave then?” Eleanor asked.
Brandy shrugged. “What if Roman did think I was planning to influence his decision? I couldn’t risk it.”
“But Sara invited you.”
“I know, but I left in a huff, so I never had the chance to talk to Sara. Besides, she was too busy handling a business matter. I had hoped to talk to her today, but her phone went straight to voicemail and her inbox was too full to leave a message.”
“So you didn’t speak to her last night, either?”
“She was too busy with her guests to be bothered last night.”
“Oh?” I quickly jotted down the information for future reference. “I’m so sorry you weren’t able to attend the party last night. It was a very simple affair.”
“I suppose Liv was hanging all over Roman.”
“Not at all. I had a lovely walk with Roman and his wife.”
“So Coco was there last night?” She laughed. “Now I wish I had gone. I bet that put Liv in a bad mood. It’s hard to convince a director you’re perfect for one of his movies with his wife hanging around.”
“Not so far as I could tell.”
“Liv spent most of her time talking to Nash,” Eleanor said.
I shot Eleanor a look and from the wide-eyed look she returned, it was obvious that she had forgotten that we were supposed to keep the involvement between Liv and Nash to ourselves.
“Is that right, now? I wouldn’t be surprised if Liv got her hooks into him already. Lord knows, she certainly makes her rounds with all the hot male actors. Of course in my opinion she does it for publicity. She does have a new movie coming out in a few months.”
“I don’t suppose you might know where to find Sara? It’s very important that we find her,” I said.
“I didn’t speak to her last night, but I bet she probably took Roman and his wife for a tour of the area. Although from the looks of it in Tawas, there isn’t much to do.”
“There certainly is—like fishing, boating, water skiing, taking a hike on one of the many trails in the area,” I said.
“Don’t forget bird watching,” Eleanor added.
“Well, I certainly hope you don’t plan to leave town, Brandy. I’ll make sure Sara gives you a call if we find her.”
“If?” Brandy frowned. “You make it sound like she’s missing.”
“I didn’t mean to, but I’m rather concerned that you haven’t been able to get her on the phone today, either.”
“Benny, give them my number when they find Sara. I really would like to apologize for leaving so abruptly last night.”
I couldn’t believe Benny had Brandy’s number the whole time and didn’t even tell us!
Eleanor turned my chair until I pounded the armrests. “I’m not done questioning Brandy yet.”
Brandy’s eyes brightened. “What?”
“We met a few actors who were planning to crash the party last night. Apparently they booked your room after you checked out.”
“What actors?”
“Tom Lewis and Damon Bronson.”
Brandy rolled her eyes. “Oh, those two. Nothing they do would surprise me.”
“How well do you know them?”
“Only in passing.”
“Didn’t you tell them about the room you vacated?”
“Sure, I gave them a call to tell them the Butler Mansion had an opening. I hoped that would irritate Liv.”
“Except that she’s not staying there.”
“My bad,” she said emotionlessly. “I mean, I know Tom and Damon will do whatever they can to get close to the movers and shakers of Hollywood.”
“Does Sara fit that category?”
“She does since her tell-all book was published. It wouldn’t surprise me if Roman makes it into a movie.”
“That would make people think he was in the book.” I smiled.
“Who says he isn’t?”
“Because I read the book.”
“Except the missing page,” Eleanor reminded me.
“That’s what I meant,” Brandy said. “I noticed my book was missing a page and I almost thought someone ripped them out at the book store.”
“Oh, you bought your book at the bookstore?”
“Yes, didn’t you?”
“No, Sara gave us copies. My husband Andrew is her attorney.”
“The one here, you must mean. Believe me, Sara has more than one attorney. She’ll need one if someone is upset of how they’re portrayed in her book.”
“Can you think of anyone who would be upset about that?”
“You’ll have to ask her publisher, Julian Seals. He’s staying at the mansion.”
“How well do you know him?”
“I don’t really, but truthfully, I’m surprised Sara would even write a book like this. She’ll be blackballed from future acting roles if she wrote anything about some men in Hollywood.”
“Men are good for calling a woman a liar for coming forward about an affair with them,” Eleanor said. “From what I read in the newspaper.”
“Just make sure they’re not scandal magazines,” Brandy said.
“What do you think about that man who is staying in the room next to yours upstairs?” I asked.
“Oh, him.” Brandy laughed. “He’s a fan, and I believe he’s quite harmless.”
“Please be careful,” Eleanor said, as she squeezed Brandy’s arm. “A pretty girl like you always has a reason to be wary around strangers.”
“Don’t worry, I’m a big girl. I’m a black belt in karate, I’ll have you know. My dad taught karate classes when I was a kid.”
“Good, that makes me feel better, at least.”
“She’s a lovely woman,” I said on the way back to the car. “Don’t you think, Benny?”
“Yes, why is it that you have Brandy’s number again?” Eleanor asked.
“Yes, why, Benny?” Wallace asked.
“I went to high school with her. What did you think?”
“Well, you could have said as much.”
“I’m not here to tell you my life story. I’m here—”
“I know, to film us.” I winked.
“Should we try to find Sara’s publisher?” Eleanor asked.
“Somehow, I imagine he’ll be gone.”
“I’ll give Millicent a quick call and ask.”
“What about Tom and Damon?” Wallace asked.
“Thanks, Wallace. They certainly found a way to slip out of the mansion before we could really get anything out of them. I’m hopeful that we’ll run into Tom and Damon at some point.”
Chapter Ten
I SPOTTED PIPER WANDERING past the hotel and shouted, “Hey!”
She turned on her heels and backed up. “Haven’t you done enough,” she shouted back. “Thanks to you, I was arrested.”
Eleanor pushed me closer. “Now, that’s not fair. You stole a purse.”
“So she says. How do you know it wasn’t my purse?”
“Because the woman screamed ‘she stole my purse!’”
“And I don’t imagine you’d have been arrested if you were innocent,” Eleanor added.
“We’re friends with your Aunt Rosa Lee,” I explained. “I’m positive she has your back.”
Piper sighed. “It won’t do much good if I have to serve jail time.”
“I imagine she’ll hire a lawyer for you.”
“I doubt she has the money. She doesn’t sell cannabis anymore, you know.”
“Oh, and what do you know about that?” I shot back.
“It’s hard to keep a secret in our family. Everyone knows what Aunt Rosa Lee’s favorite pastime is.”
“She doesn’t smoke pot!” I insisted.
“No, she eats it,” Eleanor said, as she then slapped a hand over her mouth.
“Eleanor was merely joking.”
“Whatever,
it’s not like I care.”
“So, where are you headed to now?”
“What are you? An undercover cop, with that cameraman following you?”
“No, we’re investigators.”
“Do yourselves a favor and butt out.”
“My husband is an attorney,” I said, before I could stop myself. “He could help you out with your legal troubles.”
“And why would he do that?” Piper asked suspiciously.
“Because you’d ask nicely.”
“I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but I’m not anyone’s pet project. I can do just fine on my own.”
“I can tell,” I said. “It was nice your mother was able to bail you out of jail.”
Piper rolled her eyes.
“You have no idea what your life will be like if you have a criminal charge on your record.”
“Oh, are you saying you have one?”
“N-No.”
“Well, then, leave me alone.”
I gasped as Curt and Curtis whipped into the parking lot.
“You’re going to give me a heart attack,” I complained.
“Sorry, our ma told us to pick up Piper.”
“I’m not going anywhere with either of you,” Piper shouted.
“Look,” Curt began. “Believe me, you don’t want to keep going down this path. Going to prison isn’t worth it.”
Piper rolled her eyes. “Fine, but don’t expect me to stay the night.”
“Of course not,” Curtis said. “I know you have important things to do, Piper.”
Piper rolled her eyes but she got into the truck with her cousins, who waved as they took off.
“Rosa Lee is going to have her hands full with her,” Eleanor said. “I hope you plan on telling Andrew that you offered his services free of charge. I didn’t know he handled criminal cases.”
“Me either, but there’s always a first time.” I shrugged. “I think I need to stop back at my house before we go back to the mansion.”
“Sounds good. I need a pit stop,” Benny said.
I glanced from the window, lost in thought, and called Sara’s number. And just as Brandy said, it went straight to voicemail and the box was too full to take more messages. I really needed to get Andrew’s advice.
Scandal in Tawas Page 8