by Amber Crewes
Meghan stood awestruck as ten young women ran into the foyer. “You know Mariah Cooper?” she asked Cathy.
“Of course,” she replied. “My brother is in the art and design industry, and it is a small, small world.”
The young women began to paw at the boxes Meghan was holding. “I want something sweet,” whined a leggy caramel blonde girl.
“I’ve been on the strictest diet lately, so it will be nice to let loose and have some cake,” another girl announced as she reached into a box.”
“Girls, no!” Jackie yelled frantically. “The pampering session isn’t over! I have so much work to do still. Let me finish your makeup and hair before you eat; I don’t want you to ruin your looks.”
“Why don’t you put the boxes down on that table?” Lewis directed Meghan as she defended her treats from the small crowd of hungry young women.
Meghan obeyed. “Well, Cathy, I put in plenty of King Cake, just like you asked.”
“Splendid,” Cathy told Meghan, a twinkle in her eyes. “Now, let me introduce you to Mariah; I hear you’ve had a little encounter before, but let me take you to meet her personally.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Jackie sputtered from the corner.
Cathy turned to glare at her. “Excuse me?”
Jackie clapped a hand over her mouth, clearly embarrassed at her outburst. “I….nothing. I didn’t mean to say anything.”
Cathy shot a dark look at Jackie, but took Meghan by the hand and led her to the loft. “Come. Mariah is like a junior sister to me, and I know she will just love you.”
Meghan’s heart beat quickly as she climbed the stairs. She was thankful that she had taken extra time to primp before venturing over to the hotel.
“Mariah,” Cathy cooed as she reached the top of the stairs. “I have someone for you to say hello to.”
Meghan smiled as Mariah stared at her. Mariah was sitting on a white leather couch with Rosie Jakes beside her. Both women wore silk robes and slippers, and their faces were the color of pickles.
“They have face masks on,” Cathy whispered as she watched Meghan’s eyes. “Mariah, Rosie, Meghan Truman provided the goodies for the event today. I wanted you both to say hello.”
Rosie wrinkled her nose at Meghan, but Mariah smiled kindly. “Thank you for your contributions,” Mariah said in a soft voice. “My entourage does so much for me, and I’m so happy to treat them. Thank you for being part of it.”
“It’s no problem,” Meghan told Mariah. “Cathy’s brother, Ron, is doing some work for my bakery to help rebrand and establish our social media presence, and I was more than happy to make desserts for Cathy. They’re nice people.”
“They are,” Mariah agreed. “I’ve known Cathy for years, and she is such a doll.”
“Oh, you are too kind,” Cathy said. “Anyway, Meghan is going to get on her way now. I’m sure she’s very busy.”
“How old are you?” Mariah asked Meghan.
“Me?” she asked.
“Yes, you,” Mariah laughed.
“I’m twenty-seven, almost twenty-eight,” she told her.
“You’re really pretty,” Mariah told Meghan. “Would you have any interest in hanging out with us for the rest of the afternoon? My crowd here is mostly from the art scene, and I think it would be fun to have someone different around.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Rosie argued. “Maggie needs to leave, Mariah. I’m sure she’s very busy.”
“Actually, Meghan would love to stay, Mariah,” Meghan declared as Cathy clapped her hands joyfully. “I would love to hang out and relax.”
The rest of Meghan’s afternoon was spent lounging in the loft with Cathy, Mariah, Rosie, and the rest of Mariah’s entourage. Meghan felt awkward at first; she could tell that Jackie was annoyed with her presence, but after sipping on a glass of rose, Meghan began to relax. She was given a silk robe of her own to put on, and she and the other women listened happily as Cathy told stories of her days as a young artist in New York City.
“And that is how I earned my first commission,” Cathy said as she finished her last story.
“That was lovely, Cathy,” Mariah said. “Girls, our day is winding down, but I want to give credit where credit is due. Let’s give a round of applause to Rosie for securing this venue and planning our day.”
The crowd clapped for Rosie, and Rosie took a dramatic bow. “It’s just another day at the office, girls,” she said haughtily.
“And let’s hear it for Cathy Thomas for finding the best dessert chef in all of the Pacific Northwest to provide treats for today. Her desserts are good, but her company is better. Thank you, Cathy, and thank you, Meghan!”
Everyone clapped, and Meghan burned with pride as her new friends lifted their champagne flutes to toast to her. “It’s a pleasure to be here, ladies,” Meghan said, glowing with the attention.
“Well, that’s all for today, ladies,” Mariah announced. “Feel free to relax, visit the pool, or nap; we have dinner being delivered in a few hours, but for now, we have some quiet time.”
Meghan turned to see Jackie standing behind the crowd, her face filled with hurt. “Ahem? Mariah? What about me?”
Mariah glanced up and saw Jackie. “Ahhh! Thank you, Jenny, for all of your help with your pampering. It was so sweet of you and your assistants to help out.”
Jackie turned and darted down the stairs, and Meghan followed close behind. “Jackie,” Meghan called out. “Jackie?”
“I planned an entire day,” Jackie said through gritted teeth. “I transformed the loft, as well as the bedrooms, into a salon. I paid my assistants overtime. I hauled my things over here. I paid for new outfits for myself and my staff. And you get the big whoopdee-doo thank you from Mariah and you get to stay for the pampering? Seriously?”
Meghan shrugged. “I’m sorry,” she told Jackie. “I just…”
“I’m leaving,” Jackie said angrily. “Just leave me alone.”
That night, Meghan was relieved to see Jackie’s name flash across her phone. “Jackie,” Meghan answered. “I’m sorry about today. I never wanted to steal your thunder; I didn’t plan to stay! I’m sorry if you felt like I was stepping on your toes. I truly didn’t know my order was to be delivered to your event. Cathy---”
“Meghan,” Jackie replied in a weak voice. “Cathy Thomas is dead.”
6
Meghan nearly dropped the phone. She imagined Cathy Thomas holding court at Mariah’s event with a smile on her face and a piece of King Cake in her hand. Meghan had only known Cathy a short time, but she enjoyed Cathy’s boisterous personality and ability to make others feel welcome.
“You have to be kidding me,” Meghan whispered. “She’s dead? What happened?”
“They found her outside of the hotel,” Jackie began. “They thought she was joking--everyone said Cathy Thomas was such a jokester. Anyway, she had blood on her face, and then they discovered she had a blow to her head.”
“That’s horrible,” Meghan muttered as she remembered hugging Cathy goodbye only hours earlier. “When did this happen?”
“She left the hotel only a few minutes after you did,” Jackie informed Meghan. “Everyone was winding down for the evening and taking naps, and Cathy slipped out a little after five.”
“Did anyone go with her?”
“I don’t know, Meghan. I was trying to direct my staff and clean up the event. The event that was going to be my true big break, but will now be remembered as the event someone died at. Oh, Meghan! This is terrible.”
Meghan could hear the concern in Jackie’s voice. Her heart broke for Jackie, as well as Ron Thomas, who was now without a sister, and Mariah Cooper, who had lost a dear friend. “I’m so sorry, Jackie,” she murmured. “What a tragedy for all.”
A few minutes later, Meghan and Jackie said goodnight. Just as Meghan placed her cell phone on her bedside table, her heart sank; she remembered that she had left several of her display trays at the hote
l. “That is the last place I want to return to right now,” Meghan moaned as she ran through her weekly schedule in her head. “But if I am remembering correctly, we need those trays tomorrow afternoon. I’m going to have to go over there sooner than later.”
The next morning, Meghan woke up ten minutes before her alarm clock went off. She lifted her arms over head and kicked her legs out, enjoying the sensation of the full-body stretch. She reached down and stroked the soft, curly fur coats of her little dogs. “Good morning, my babies,” she murmured as Fiesta crawled onto her chest. Meghan buried her face in Fiesta’s belly and blew hot air onto the dog’s warm skin, giggling as Fiesta flailed his little legs around as though he were being tickled.
Suddenly, Meghan’s stomach dropped as she recalled the events of the previous day. She felt tears brim in her dark eyes as she remembered Jackie’s sad voice and the terrible news of Cathy Thomas’ death. “And I have to go back over to the hotel,” Meghan remembered in horror. “I have to collect the display trays…”
Meghan rose from the bed and ventured to the chest of drawers in the corner of her bedroom. She moved slowly, feeling weighed down by the tragedy of Cathy’s unexpected passing, and it felt like getting dressed took an eternity. Instead of picking out her prettiest outfit as she had the day before, Meghan chose to dress comfortably, selecting a pair of olive green leggings, a long beige sweater, and matching ankle boots. She tied her wavy hair in a loose fishtail braid and decided to forgo makeup, knowing that she would likely cry it all off anyway.
Meghan left her apartment and went downstairs, surprised to hear the happy chatter of Pamela and Trudy coming from the kitchen. “They must not know what happened,” Meghan thought as she solemnly entered the kitchen. “They must be keeping it quiet for now.”
Pamela noticed Meghan first. “Meghan?” she asked. “What’s wrong? Why do you look so upset?”
Trudy chimed in as well. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Meghan. Is everything okay?”
Meghan took a long, deep breathe. “Well, it’s funny you should say that,” she said. “There’s been a tragedy, ladies.”
Pamela’s eyes widened. “A tragedy? What happened?”
Meghan bit her bottom lip. “Cathy Thomas, the woman who placed the private order that I delivered yesterday? She’s dead.”
“She’s dead?” Trudy screeched. “Ron Thomas’ sister, dead?”
Meghan nodded. “She was found dead outside of the hotel last night.”
“Meghan, that is so scary,” Pamela lamented. “Another death in Sandy Bay?”
Meghan shrugged. “It’s horrible. Cathy was so kind to me. I can’t believe she is gone. And now, I have to go back to the hotel. I left some of our display trays over there, and we need them at the bakery this afternoon.”
Trudy’s eyes widened. “Do you want us to go with you? You look pretty upset.”
Meghan shook her head. “No,” she said. “It will be okay. I will be okay. I just need a cup of coffee and some breakfast to settle my stomach before I head over there.”
An hour later, Meghan arrived at the Sandy Bay Hotel, her hands shaking as she pushed through the magnificent revolving doors of the lobby. She walked slowly to the front desk, feeling slightly relieved to find Lewis Templeton behind it.
Meghan’s eyes widened as she stared at Lewis; his face was pale and gaunt, and he wore the same outfit he had the previous day, though today, it was covered in wrinkles. Meghan had never seen Lewis Templeton look unkempt, and she knew he must be devastated over the death of Cathy Thomas and the impact it would have on his hotel.
“Meghan,” Lewis muttered as she approached the front desk. “Good morning.”
“Lewis, you look like you need a tall cup of coffee,” Meghan weakly joked, a thin smile on her lips.
Lewis nodded. “I’ve been up all night,” he confessed to Meghan, and she saw his eyes were bloodshot. “Ever since Ms. Thomas was found, this place has been a madhouse. I can’t keep the press away, and the police have covered the Presidential Suite with tape and barriers. People are marching in and out of my hotel, and now, we will be ruined by this scandal.”
Meghan hung her head. “Any suspects been named, yet?” she asked Lewis under her breath.
Lewis shook his head. “Not that I know of,” he admitted. “But I think her death has something to do with the string of muggings that’s been going on in town.”
“My boyfriend, Jack, mentioned that there have been some muggings after the holidays,” Meghan said. “Do you think it was a mugging gone wrong?”
Lewis frowned. “Two of my guests have been victims of mugging in the last week,” he told Meghan. “And Cathy Thomas would have been an easy target; with her...girth and her expensive clothes, well, she would be an obvious choice for a mugging.”
Meghan bit her lip and leaned closer to Lewis. “Did the guests who were mugged see who it was?”
Lewis pursed his lips. “They couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman,” he said. “And the face was covered. But they said the mugger was very quiet and came out of nowhere...they were shocked.”
Meghan’s face grew pale. “That sounds just like the person who mugged Karen,” she whispered, thinking of her dear friend’s situation. “I wonder if all of this is connected? I wonder if it’s safe to be in Sandy Bay right now?”
7
“And did you see anything? Was the police tape everywhere? Was there blood inside of the suite?”
Meghan sighed as Pamela peppered her with questions, her eyes bright and her face eager. “Pamela, I told you that it was a quick trip to the suite. My things were laying in the kitchen, and I collected the trays and left quietly. I didn’t want to cause a scene. I didn’t really see anything crazy.”
Pamela shook her head. “Surely you saw something! You went to a murder scene!”
Trudy scoffed. “You’re being rude, Pamela,” she chastised the teenager. “Meghan is upset over Cathy’s death. You shouldn’t be prying like this.”
Pamela hung her head. “Sorry, Meghan.”
Meghan bit her lip as the little silver bells attached to the front door chimed. Lawrence Griffin, one of the police officers on Jack’s unit, strode into the bakery with a clipboard in his hands. He removed his hat upon making eye contact with Meghan, and he grinned. “Meghan, good to see you.”
Meghan nodded curtly. “Lawrence, nice to see you as well. What can I do for you? Are you in the mood for a coffee, or perhaps a croissant?”
Lawrence shook his head, his dark curls sweeping into his eyes. He was a year or two younger than Meghan, and from the corner of her eye, she could see Pamela practically swooning in the corner. “I’m here on an official capacity, Meghan,” he told her. “It’s a bummer Jack is out of town; if he were around, you could have talked to him. Chief Nunan thought it would be best if I came out today, though. She thought that since Jack and I are buddies, you would feel comfortable during our interview.”
“Interview?” Meghan asked.
Lawrence nodded, brushing the dark ringlets from his face and pushing them back. “Yeah, Chief Nunan is gathering statements from everyone present at Mariah Cooper’s little girls’ night. The Chief thinks someone there will have the key to Cathy Thomas’ murder.”
“They’re officially calling it a murder now?” Meghan gasped.
Lawrence shrugged. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything, but yeah, it’s pretty clear that it wasn’t an accidental death. Ms. Thomas took a hard blow to the head, and the Chief has been abundantly clear that we are considering this a murder case.”
Meghan felt hot tears brim in her eyes. “Well, what do you need from me?” she asked Lawrence.
Lawrence gestured at one of the little white tables in the corner. “I have some questions to ask you about the event, as well as your interactions with Cathy,” he told Meghan. “Can we sit down?”
Meghan glanced over at Trudy. “Trudy, can you and Pamela hold down the fort for a bit?”
Trudy nodded. “Of course, Meghan.”
Meghan turned to smile weakly at Lawrence. “Please, have a seat. I’ll have Pamela bring out some tea and donuts for us.”
Lawrence grinned. “I knew this would be the best stop of the day,” he told Meghan as he adjusted his clipboard and retrieved a blue pen from the pocket of his police jacket. “Now, Meghan, I’m going to ask you several questions today. I am going to take notes, as well as record your statement. Is that alright with you, or would you prefer to have your attorney here?”