Wild Crown

by Tripp Ellis

  "So this either came directly from the dealer, or somebody tampered with her stash?" I postulated.

  "That's your area. I just tell you how she died. Not why or by whom?"

  "I've got a DNA sample from Ben Brown. Can you run it against the cigarette butt in the Samantha Baxter case?"

  "There's no DNA results on file from the cigarette butt. It was never tested."

  "What?"

  "I checked the records. It was never sent to the lab. At the time, the M.E. didn't think the testing was sensitive enough."

  "So it's been sitting there all this time, and no one has analyzed it?"

  "PCR didn't become widely available until the mid '90s. You know how things happen. Cases pile up. Things get pushed aside, then forgotten."

  I took a breath. "I understand. I'll swing by the lab later and drop off the sample."

  I hung up the phone and slipped the device back into my pocket and shared the news with JD.

  Jack groaned. "You realize we have at least 34 suspects now? Every contestant in that pageant would have wanted Skylar out of the way."

  "33. I don't think Denise is a suspect," I said.

  "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us."

  "We need to track down Skylar’s dealer, ASAP."

  JD concurred.

  I called Sheriff Daniels to see if we could subpoena Skylar Van Doorn's phone records. Maybe that would give us a clue?

  We finished the meal and left Kelp, then headed over to the Seven Seas and found Crystal Connors. She was prepping for the evening's event, overseeing the rehearsal with the girls. The beauty contestants strutted the runway. Most of them wore casual attire, but a few wore their evening gowns so there would be no surprises later. Crystal gave notes to the lighting and audio technicians. The hosts practiced their introductions.

  I pulled Crystal aside. "Do you have a minute?"

  "I'm really busy right now. What is it?"

  I told her that Skylar didn't OD.

  Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. She called to her assistant to take over, and we moved to a secluded area backstage.

  "I'm totally shocked," Crystal said. "I mean, I knew Skylar wasn't the most well-liked of the contestants. But do you actually think one of these girls killed her?"

  I shrugged. "Somebody did."

  "And you're sure about this? This couldn't have been some kind of accident? I read about tainted drugs all the time."

  I shook my head. "This was deliberate."

  Crystal frowned.

  "Did you know about Skylar's drug use?"

  "Like I said, I know it goes on. But I really don't want to know. It's just an added headache for me to try to police these girls. As long as they show up on time, do what they're supposed to, and don't make the pageant look bad, I stay out of their personal lives."

  "Dying of a cocaine overdose makes the pageant look bad," JD muttered.

  Crystal's eyes narrowed at him.

  "Now that we're talking murder, that makes it look even worse," JD added.

  Concern washed over Crystal's face. "Is that public knowledge? I mean, I'm already dealing with the bad press from the overdose."

  "Information has a way of seeping out," I said.

  Crystal thought about it for a moment. "Honestly, I think more people tuned in because of the overdose. We had the highest numbers during the livestream last night than we've ever had before," she whispered.

  "I guess murder will be even better for business?" Jack said.

  That earned him another scowl from Crystal.

  "You know these girls," I said. "Who do you think is capable of murder?"

  A grim frown curled her lips. "I don't know. I mean, if I had to pick one girl that hated Skylar, I'd have to say it was Taylor Lexington."

  "What was the reason for the animosity?" I asked.

  Crystal shrugged. "Who knows? A rude comment? A snide look? Some perceived slight? Or, maybe it was just the fact that Skylar had beaten Taylor in two other pageants."

  "With Skylar out of the way, who's your favorite to win?" I asked.

  "Taylor Lexington. Hands down."

  "Why do you say that?"

  "She's poised. She's confident. She's gorgeous. Well spoken. She has everything the judges are looking for."

  "We'll need to interview the girls one-on-one," I said.

  "All of them?" Crystal asked, lifting her brow with surprise.

  I nodded.

  "I don't know when we're going to have time for that. The schedule is full with rehearsals and pageant events. Don't you have any other leads?"

  "Right now, we're looking at all possibilities."

  Crystal let out an exasperated sigh.

  "How was your relationship with Skylar?" I asked, not too pointedly.

  Her eyes narrowed at me. "You don't think I had anything to do with Skylar's murder, do you?"

  "Just a standard question."

  Crystal huffed. "I had a good relationship with Skylar. I think we had a mutual respect. She was a woman with ambition. I can appreciate that. I know firsthand how hard it is to make your way through the pageant system and consistently win. Whatever her personal habits were, she was a fierce competitor, and she was dedicated. We kept a cordial, professional relationship."

  "Did you ever have any social interaction with her outside of the pageant system?"

  Crystal shook her head. "I may have seen her from time to time at a social event. She comes from a very prominent family and she usually made an appearance at all the requisite society events."

  "As the former Miss Teen Coconut Key, I'm assuming she had many pageant obligations and appearances throughout the previous year?" I asked.

  Crystal nodded. "She fulfilled all of her obligations perfectly, going above and beyond. If she was using drugs then, I didn't pick up on it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a pageant to run."

  She was clearly annoyed.

  "I think it would be faster, and less disruptive, if we organize an interview time for girls. We can set up in an adjacent ballroom and file them in one at a time. It's either that, or we pull them down to the station and ask them questions. I think that would be more detrimental to your event."

  The muscles in Crystal's jaw flexed. Her eyes blazed into me, and a forced smile curled on her plump lips. "Sure. No problem. I'm happy to help. Anything else?"

  "That's all, for now," I said.

  She spun around and stormed away.

  "I could be wrong, but I think we just got on her bad side," JD said.

  10

  "There's a rumor going around that Skylar was murdered," Taylor Lexington said. "Is that true?"

  She sat in a chair opposite us in a small ballroom down the hall from the main event. There was a line of girls waiting outside the door. JD played music on his phone to obscure our conversation. There were probably ears to the door, listening intently.

  "Yes, we believe she was murdered," I said.

  Taylor gasped, dramatically. "That's horrible! Who would do such a thing?"

  Her reaction was a little much.

  I smiled. "That's what we're here to find out."

  Her face twisted with concern. "You don't think I'm a suspect, do you?"

  "We're talking to everyone."

  "Do I need a lawyer?"

  "Do you have something to hide?"

  She looked appalled. "No. Of course not."

  "This won't take long," I said. "Was there animosity between you and Skylar?"

  She reacted like it was the most absurd thing she'd ever heard. "No. Of course not. I think we had a healthy degree of professional respect."

  "She beat you in the Miss Teen Coconut Key pageant by only a few points. That had to hurt?"

  Taylor maintained a smile, but the muscles in her jaw flexed slightly. "I was happy to win second place. Skylar beat me fair and square. She deserved the win."

  "We're not judging the pageant anymore. You can answer truthfully."

  Her eyes narrowed
at me. "I am answering truthfully."

  "Were you aware of her drug use?" I asked.

  "No."

  "Do you happen to know who her dealer was?"

  "If I knew that, I would have told you the first time you asked," she said in a snide tone.

  "Have you ever used any illicit substances?" I asked.

  Her brow crinkled. "Am I on trial here?"

  "We're just asking questions."

  "No. I don't do drugs. I've never done drugs. And I certainly didn't give Skylar any drugs. Is there anything else?"

  "With Skylar gone, they say you are the odds-on favorite to win the pageant."

  She smiled. "I would have preferred to beat Skylar fair and square. But a crown is a crown."

  "If you can think of anything that might be helpful, let us know," I said.

  She forced another fake smile. "Am I free to go now?"

  I nodded. "Could you send in the next girl?"

  Taylor stood up from the chair, made a perfect turn, and strutted toward the exit. Her perfume lingered in the air.

  Willow Rose entered a moment later. She hurried across the room and took a seat. She had such a sad, concerned look on her face. "If what they're saying is true, this is just terrible. Do you think we're in any danger? I mean, do you think this could be a crazy stalker, knocking off beauty queens one-by-one?"

  "There is nothing to suggest that anyone else is in danger right now," I assured.

  She breathed a sigh of relief, but concern lingered in her eyes. "You know, there are some real creepers out there. You would not believe the kinds of private messages I get on social media. And the pictures these guys send me… It's a little disturbing," she understated. “It makes my brother so mad. He’s very protective of me. This whole thing has him worried sick. He’s acting as my bodyguard during the pageant. You know, one time I had a stalker break into my apartment. Crazy. He turned out to be harmless, but it was still scary. He had seen me in a pageant, and wanted to propose. I guess he thought it would be romantic to just appear in my bedroom with a ring.”

  Willow shivered at the memory.

  “That’s kinda creepy,” JD said.

  “I know, right?”

  “Were you friends with Skylar?” I asked, trying to keep things on track.

  She hesitated for a moment.

  “I don’t think Skylar had many friends,” she said, scrunching up her face in sympathy. "I mean, I don't want to talk bad about the dead, but she was kind of mean. I feel terrible for saying that. But it's true. Some of these girls are real B-I-T-C-H-E-S," she said, spelling it out. She paused as a worried look washed over her face. "This conversation is private, right? I mean, you're not going to repeat what I say in here, are you?"

  "You can speak in confidence,” I said. “If there is anything you say that is relevant to the case, you may be required to testify."

  She thought about it for a moment. "I'd hate for people to think I was speaking bad about them. I want to do what I can to help. Don't get me wrong, some of the girls are really nice, but some of them… I think they'd do anything to win."

  "What about you? Would you do anything to win?" I asked.

  "I'm doing everything I can. I'm watching what I eat. I'm working out. I'm exfoliating. I'm staying out of the sun. I'm practicing night and day with my interview questions."

  "You said Skylar was mean. Was that more of a general statement, or did she do something specifically to you?" I asked.

  "I think she was just mean to everybody. Rude. I try to smile at everyone and strike up conversation. When I tried with Skylar, she just walked away."

  "How did that make you feel?"

  "I talked with my psychologist about that. He said that I can't control other people's opinions of me, or how they respond to me, and I shouldn’t take it personally. It's hard, though. I really do try to be nice to people, and it hurts my feelings when they're crappy." She frowned. "There are a lot of crappy people in the world, in case you haven't noticed."

  "We've noticed." Jack said.

  "You see your therapist regularly?" I asked.

  "Once every two weeks."

  "Is there a specific reason?"

  "It's personal, and I’d rather not talk about it right now."

  "Fair enough."

  "Did you see Skylar taking any drugs?"

  She shook her head.

  "I'm guessing you didn't know her dealer?"

  Willow shook her head again.

  I smiled and thanked her for her cooperation. "We may have some more questions for you later."

  "No problem. I'm happy to help."

  She stood up and straightened her skirt. "Do you want me to send the next girl in?" she asked, meekly.

  I nodded.

  Willow left, and Brooklyn Chase entered.

  She had a slight smirk on her face, and there was something behind her eyes. She strutted across the room with confidence, took a seat, and crossed her legs.

  There was a palpable tension between us.

  "Maybe we should clear the air?" Brooklyn said.

  "Are you going to confess?" JD asked.

  Her head turned to him sharply, and her eyes narrowed. "Yes. I'm going to confess."

  11

  "I'm going to confess to being a little intoxicated and quick to judgment," Brooklyn said. Her beautiful blue eyes focused on me. "I apologize for calling you a pompous asshole."

  "Apology accepted," I said. "Is there anything else you want to confess to?"

  "Are we role-playing now?" she asked with a devious glimmer in her eyes. "Do you want me to dress up as a schoolgirl, get on my knees, and confess my sins?"

  Jack cleared his throat.

  "I could tell you how naughty I've been," she said in a breathy, seductive voice.

  It got hotter in the room for some reason.

  "We'll certainly have to investigate that further," Jack said. "But let's stay focused."

  "Skylar's been murdered, and you guys think one of the contestants may be responsible?" Brooklyn stated, flatly.

  "Something like that," I said.

  "I don't blame you. Some of these girls are bat-shit crazy."

  "Present company included?" I asked.

  Her eyes narrowed at me. "Don't start us off on the wrong foot again, Deputy Wild."

  "Let me rephrase the question. Did you have any animosity towards Skylar?"

  "I'm bat-shit crazy, Deputy Wild, but in a fun way. Not in a stab you to death, or lace your cocaine with a deadly substance kind of way."

  I exchanged a subtle glance with JD, then refocused my gaze on Brooklyn. "What makes you think the cocaine was contaminated?"

  "Just a guess. Skylar was a healthy girl. Either she had a bad ticker, or she did a helluva lot of cocaine. If she was doing that much, I would assume it would be difficult to fulfill her obligations on a consistent basis. I put her as a recreational user. I figured maybe the coke was tainted with fentanyl, or some other substance that would produce a lethal reaction. That seems to be the rumor going around, anyway. And since you guys are investigating this like a murder, I would assume that contamination was intentional?"

  She looked at us waiting for confirmation. Brooklyn was no dummy.

  I changed direction. "Is this your first pageant?"

  "It is. I thought it would be fun, and I wanted to make a statement that you can be smart and pretty, and that beauty isn't always just about looks."

  "You've certainly got the looks," JD said.

  She smiled. "Thank you."

  There was a short pause as I decided which way to take the interview.

  Brooklyn had ideas of her own. She took control. I quickly got the impression that she was a woman who liked to take the bull by the horns.

  "Let me save you some trouble, Deputy Wild. No, I didn't have any negative feelings towards Skylar. No, I didn't kill her. No, I don't do drugs. No, I don't know who her dealer is. No, I didn't give her tainted cocaine. I'm happy to take a polygraph test if you wa
nt me to, even though I know those results are inadmissible in a court of law. Did I cover all the bases?"

  "Pretty much," I said.

  "I think you've probably already figured out by now the person with the most to gain by Skylar's death is Taylor Lexington. Not to throw a fellow contestant under the bus, but that's who I'd be looking at."

  "We may have some more questions for you later," I said.

  "Ask me anything you want. I'm an open book. You can either find me here, or at Coconut General. I don't have much of a social life.”

  "No social life? I find that hard to believe, Miss Chase," I said.

  "You've seen my social skills firsthand. I'm quick to judge and I don't mince words. A lot of men can't handle that."

  She smiled, stood up, and strutted out of the room.

  "Now that's a book I'd like to open. I like her," Jack said. "She's got spunk."

  Iris Eden entered the room after Brooklyn.

  She took the hot seat and nervously awaited our questioning. She fidgeted slightly, and her eyes flicked between me and JD. Iris blurted, "I get really nervous in these types of situations."

  "Are you in these types of situations a lot?" I asked.

  Iris had curly dark hair, brown eyes, and flawless skin. She was a pretty girl, but not a pageant contestant.

  "No. I mean, interview situations. I don't like being in the spotlight. That's why I do makeup. I like to make these girls look fabulous behind the scenes. I don't like the pressure of being on stage. I'm not a big fan of public speaking, or anything that makes me the center of attention."

  "You've been doing Skylar's makeup for years, from what I'm told," I said.

  She nodded.

  "Were you two friends?"

  "I have a relationship with all my clients. That's what I love about my job! It's just like having my girlfriends over, playing with makeup. And they pay me for it. I make them look fabulous, and we chitchat the whole time."

  "What did you talk about with Skylar?"

  "The usual. Boys. School. Gossip."

  "Did you know she was using drugs?"

  She hesitated a moment. "You know, when you sit with someone for hours, painting their face, and you do it again and again over the course of years, you get to know somebody pretty well. I know these girls’ faces as well as they do. Every blemish, every wrinkle. I see how their skin fluctuates with their hormones. I can tell when they're stressed out, when they haven't been sleeping, when they've been smoking. You would not believe the residue around the mouth, and the laugh lines, that smoking leaves. It actually turns the skin a little green." She cringed. "And sometimes, the formaldehyde even reacts with the makeup, discoloring it. Part of my job is to stay on top of all of those things."