by Amber Crewes
Meghan wrinkled her forehead as Mariah and Rosie began to jog away. “That was strange,” she said to Jackie. “There seemed to be some serious tension between them. I wonder what Rosie’s problem is. She seems so different than Mariah.”
Jackie scowled. “I think that Rosie is just a jerk.”
Meghan shook her head. “I can’t imagine it is easy being the assistant to someone who has been your best friend,” she said, trying to consider Rosie’s side.
Dash began to bark, and Meghan and Jackie noticed the two women jogging back toward them.
“Hey again,” Mariah said. “I forgot to ask you something. Jackie? Would it be possible to include a few more things in the pampering session?”
Jackie nodded. “Your wish is my command. What did you have in mind?”
Mariah grinned. “We need something suitable for a man,” she said.
Meghan smiled. “Your boyfriend?”
Mariah shook her head. “Ron Thomas? The graphic designer? Perhaps you have heard of him?”
16
“Meghan? Meghan?
Meghan looked up from the pot of chocolate sauce she was stirring to find Trudy staring at her. “Oh, Trudy, were you talking to me?”
Trudy nodded. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for fifteen minutes. You look a little lost.”
Meghan sighed. “Between everything that has happened with the mugger and Cathy Thomas, I am spent,” she told Trudy. “And I miss Jack. I’m counting down the hours until he returns.”
“When does he get back?”
“He gets home from his training tomorrow. It will be so nice to have him home. He’s loved New Orleans, but with everything going on, I am ready to have him back.
Trudy thought for a moment. “I have an idea,” she announced. “What if we make a treat for him? A King Cake? Those have been selling out like crazy lately, and they are famous in New Orleans. We can give Jack a little taste of Mardi Gras right here in Sandy Bay!”
Meghan’s eyes sparkled. “That is an amazing idea,” she commended Trudy.
The two women got to work, but as Meghan was adjusting the temperature on the oven, Trudy chastised her. “Meghan,” she began. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you are not helping here.”
Meghan’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?” she asked, tucking her dark hair up into a high ponytail. “I’m turning on the oven.”
Trudy shook her head. “You’ve been over there messing around with it for ten minutes. Meghan, you’re still looking lost. Why don’t you call it a day? Pamela’s shift starts in an hour, and I can manage until then. I’m worried about you.”
Meghan closed her eyes. “You’re right,” she said. “I need to accept your help and take some time to clear my head. Trudy, thank you for being so understanding.”
Trudy nodded. “That is what I am here for.”
“What should I do with the rest of my day?” Meghan thought to herself as she removed her apron and wandered upstairs. “The dogs need to be groomed before Jack gets home. I think I will take them to the pet store for a wash and some treats.”
Meghan bundled up and harnessed the dogs into their leashes. She hated to see their faces as the wind chapped their skin, but Meghan knew that they would ultimately enjoy the pampering at the pet store.
“Come on, Dash,” Meghan urged Jack’s dog as he sniffed a fire hydrant.
“Meghan?”
Meghan looked up to find Jackie standing in front of her. “Hey,” Meghan greeted her. “How are you?”
“Busy, busy, busy,” Jackie informed her. “I am on my way to the hotel. Tonight is the big night for the pampering session to honor Cathy.”
Meghan gasped. “I totally forgot,” she cried.
Jackie held up a finger to pause the conversation. “One moment,” she mouthed as her phone rang. “This is Jackie.”
Meghan watched as Jackie’s face fell. “What? Are you serious? Don’t you understand how important this event is to me? Don’t you realize how much Mariah Cooper is paying us? Yes, I understand. Yes, I agree that family comes first….”
Jackie hung up the phone and looked at Meghan with a panicked expression. “That was my assistant,” she told her. “She isn’t going to make it tonight. Something came up.”
Meghan shrugged. “At least you have two assistants,” she said.
Jackie shook her head. “The other one can’t make it, either. I will be the only one at the event. I can’t do it by myself. Meghan! Mariah is going to be so angry. I already signed a contract. What if she sues me? I’ll be in ruins.”
Meghan took her friend by the shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. “Jackie,” she said. “Take a deep breath. I will help you.”
Jackie’s eyes widened. “You don’t know anything about hair. You can hardly manage your own hair!”
Meghan raised an eyebrow. “That wasn’t very nice,” she chided.
“Sorry,” Jackie said, wiping her nose on her sleeve. “That was rude.”
Meghan continued. “Give me a crash course in the basics. I can do my best to keep everyone happy, and together, we’ll figure this out.”
Jackie scratched her head, but then, she grinned. “I have the perfect plan,” she announced. “I’m going to turn it into a workshop. It’ll be a hands-on experience! Everyone can have a turn learning how to do the hair and nails, and then, we’ll try it on each other. What do you think?”
Seeing the worry in Jackie’s face, Meghan pasted a smile on her own face. “I think it is a great idea,” she assured her friend.
“Let’s just hope it doesn’t end like the last pampering event,” Jackie muttered beneath her breath. “Let’s hope it doesn’t go anything like the last pampering event….”
17
When Meghan and Jackie arrived at the hotel, Lewis Templeton was waiting to greet them at the door. “Welcome, ladies,” he said, looking more like his former polished, refined self than Meghan had seen him in awhile. “I regret to inform you that the elevators are undergoing some maintenance today, and you will need to take the stairs to get up to Ms. Cooper’s suite.”
Jackie narrowed her eyes at Lewis. “We have boxes upon boxes of gifts and tools to bring up,” she informed him. “How am I supposed to get my things to the suite without arriving a sweaty mess?”
Lewis pursed his lips. “I do apologize, but there is nothing I can do besides have some of our bellboys help you.”
Lewis snapped his fingers, and four bellboys appeared, each in a gold uniform with green trim. “Boys, these ladies have things to carry up.”
Jackie pushed her way to the front of the group. “I’ll lead the way,” she declared. “Meghan, you bring up the rear.”
Before Meghan ascended the stairs, Lewis discretely pulled her aside. “I heard that you were instrumental in apprehending that terrible mugger,” he whispered as Meghan nodded. “I’ve heard something, and I think I need to share. I know you have connections with the police, and I want to make sure someone knows…”
Meghan’s eyes widened as Lewis began to speak. “A guest at the hotel who checked out today said that she heard an argument take place the night of the murder.”
“An argument?”
Lewis nodded. “Yes. She reported that it sounded like the argument was between two people who knew each other.”
Meghan wrinkled her nose. “Did she know that for certain?”
Lewis shrugged. “I don’t know. She mentioned it in passing, but it seemed important.”
Meghan tilted her head. “Have you reported this to the police?”
Lewis shook his head. “I can’t report every detail of everything I hear at a posh hotel,” he said. “But I thought that you could let the police know?”
Meghan pursed her lips. “I’ll do what I can,” she said as she moved to walk upstairs.
As she walked, she reached for her cell phone to call Lawrence.
“Officer Griffin,” he answered.
“Lawrence? It’s Meghan
. I have some information you might be interested in.”
Ten minutes later, Meghan walked into Mariah’s suite. She was out of breath from walking up the stairs, and as she entered the room, she wondered why she had even agreed to come.
“Meghan Truman,” Ron Thomas greeted her as she peered around the sitting room. “Lovely to see you. I was just about to give a speech.”
Meghan smiled. “Sounds like I’m here at the right time then.”
Meghan stepped to the back of the room as Ron clinked a champagne flute with a tiny silver fork. “Excuse me? Can I have the attention of the room?”
All voices hushed, and every head turned to Ron. “Thank you,” he continued. “I would like to make a toast to my sister, Cathy. Cathy was a good woman with a wild heart; she was always traveling, making friends, and having adventures.”
“More like getting into trouble,” Meghan heard Rosie Jakes giggle to Tia, one of the women who had been at the bakery a few days before.
“My sister is no longer with us, but she would be pleased with the way her dearest friends are celebrating with her tonight...and her boring old brother!”
The crowd laughed.
“So enjoy yourselves, ladies. Relax, kick back, and think of my darling sister as you mix, mingle, and have a lovely evening. Cheers.”
The group of women clapped as Ron sat down. Jackie popped up and made her way to the front of the room. “Welcome, ladies,” she announced. “Tonight, we will be doing a beauty workshop as an homage to Cathy. If everyone could pair up? We will begin in two minutes.”
Meghan looked around the room as the women dashed to get into pairs. Jackie slid beside her.
“Rosie has no partner,” Jackie murmured. “I’m not going to let that woman ruin my night again. Go help her.”
Meghan dutifully made her way to Rosie and smiled. “Partners?”
Rosie looked Meghan up and down, but she nodded. “Fine.”
They sat down together as Jackie gave instructions. “We are going to do global design scheme in honor of Cathy’s travels,” she announced. “I will be coming around with polish and pictures of flags from the different countries Cathy visited in her lifetime.”
“That’s a cute idea,” Meghan said as Rosie rolled her eyes.
“Seems a little tacky to me. I’m going to let you go first,” Rosie told Meghan. “Here, get comfortable.”
Rosie rolled up Meghan’s sleeves and looked at her nails. “Your nails are chipped,” she told Meghan.
“I just had them done,” Meghan protested.
“Looks like this pampering session is perfect timing, because you need them done again.”
Meghan said nothing. She watched Rosie as she worked. “You’re good at this,” Meghan commented.
Rosie cracked a rare smile. “As an assistant, you have to be good at everything,” she told Meghan. “Can I tell you a secret?”
Meghan nodded, hoping that Rosie was finally warming to her.
“I’m leaving Mariah soon,” Rosie whispered. “I’m going to strike out on my own and start my own talent agency. Mariah will be furious when she finds out, but I just bought a space in Portland today where I can meet with clients.”
Meghan’s eyes widened. “That’s a huge deal,” she said. “Are you excited?”
Rosie nodded. “I cannot wait. I think being out on my own will be the best thing to ever happen to me.”
Meghan smiled. “That’s how I felt when I opened my bakery,” she said dreamily, thinking of her early days in Sandy Bay. “It was the best thing I ever did for myself, and I have no regrets. Following your dreams is scary, but it sounds like you are well on your way to making your dreams come true.”
Rosie beamed. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I needed someone to tell me that. Say, let’s do my nails after all. I think some fresh polish will be perfect for my fresh start.”
Meghan giggled, and she gently tucked Rosie’s lavender sweater sleeves up, exposing her thin wrist.
“Oh, let me take my bracelet off,” Rosie said, slipping off a silver braided band around her right wrist. “Meghan? Can you take this for me and set it down beside your phone?”
Meghan gasped as Rosie handed her the bracelet. Meghan fingered the intricate woven designs, her heart pounding.
“Meghan? What’s wrong with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Rosie looked from Meghan’s eyes to the bracelet, the color draining from her face. Without saying a word, she rose from the table, and sprinted out of the room.
“Where is she running off to?” Jackie joked as she stopped by Meghan’s table. “Did you scare her off?”
Meghan shook her head. “Jackie,” she whispered. “I need you to call Officer Griffin.”
Jackie giggled. “Anytime, girlfriend. But seriously, why do you ask?”
Meghan stared up at Jackie. “I think Rosie Jakes might be the murderer.”
Jackie’s eyes widened. She reached for her cell phone and dialed Lawrence’s number. “Officer Griffin? Lawrence? It’s Jackie…Meghan’s friend? There’s a situation at the hotel, and Meghan wanted me to call.”
Meghan watched as Jackie nodded, and then handed her the phone. “Meghan?” Lawrence asked. “What’s going on?”
“It’s Rosie Jakes,” Meghan said. “I think she’s the murderer.”
Lawrence paused. “How certain are you?”
“Certain enough,” Meghan replied. “As she just escaped from the hotel room where we all are.”
“Can you go after her?” Lawrence asked. “Meghan, can you make sure she doesn’t leave the hotel? I’ll be over there with my crew in just a few minutes. I just need you to make sure she doesn’t leave.”
Meghan threw the phone at Jackie and ran to the door of the suite, pushing it open and sprinting into the hallway. “Rosie?” Meghan called as she pushed the elevator button. “How could I have forgotten? It’s broken,” she muttered as she anxiously ran a hand through her hair. “If she couldn’t take the elevator, she must have…”
Meghan noticed the door to the stairway was ajar, and she stepped into the dimly-lit stairwell. “Rosie?” she called out as she heard thudding a few floors down. “She’s running down the stairs. I can hear her,” Meghan whispered to herself as she began to descend the stairs.
“Rosie! Come back. I need to talk to you!” she shouted as she hurried down the stairs, her face growing sweaty and her breath difficult to catch.
When Meghan finally reached the bottom of the staircase, she barreled through the door and into the lobby. Lewis Templeton was waiting for her, tapping his foot in annoyance.
“Meghan Truman,” he chided. “What on Earth do you think you are doing? I heard you yelling and screaming for Rosie Jakes, as did everyone in my lobby.”
Meghan wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. She gasped for breath, and bent over, resting her hands on her knees. “Lewis, have you seen Rosie Jakes?”
Lewis glared at her. “She flew through the stairwell door just a moment ago. Why do you need Rosie Jakes? Why are you causing such a scene in my hotel?”
“I’ll take it from here, Sir.”
Meghan breathed a sigh of relief as Lawrence approached. “Lawrence,” Meghan said. “Rosie just came down the stairs.”
Lewis crossed his arms. “I think the both of you need to leave,” he ordered, looking from Meghan to Lawrence in disgust. “You two are causing a scene. First, Meghan screams and runs down my stairwell, and now, a police officer is in my lobby? After the weeks we’ve had here, we don’t need this, not at my hotel.”
Lawrence rested his hand on his belt, making his gun visible to Lewis. “I recommend you step aside, Sir,” Lawrence said coolly. “You are interfering with an investigation, and I could take you in for defying an officer of the law.”
Lewis’ face turned pale. “What do you need from me?”
Lawrence narrowed his eyes at the hotel manager. “If you saw Rosie Jakes, I need you to point me in her direction imm
ediately.”
Lewis nodded obediently. “She ran down the stairs and into the lobby,” he explained. “I saw her run into the coat check office, just left of the bathrooms.”
“That’s all I need from you,” Lawrence told Lewis. “Meghan, let’s go.”
Lawrence and Meghan ran into the lobby and opened the door of the coat check office. Lawrence peered left, and then right. “There’s no sign of her,” he told Meghan.