Privy to Murder Read online

  I laughed. “Editor-girl, huh? I’ll talk to you later and see you at the dance, if not before. I assume you’ll cover the dance for the paper?”

  “That’s right, sir, I’ll call you back as soon as I find out.”

  Just then a call beeped on the line and I picked up. It was the band manager, Jerry Masters.

  “Can I help you?”

  “Yeah. Listen, we have another offer for tonight, and they can pay more.”

  “So you’d ditch the gig you already have for a last minute offer? Where is this job?”

  “Private party at the VFW, some lady named Laura or something recommended us. So, can you match the amount? Because we really need the money.” He sounded really happy to be able to haggle with me when I was over the proverbial barrel.

  I gritted my teeth to keep from saying what I really thought of him. “So, you are totally willing to ruin your reputation by leaving me in the lurch at the last second? It hasn’t occurred to you that you may never be hired again in this part of the county?”

  “You know, I wondered about that, but she said there was always someone looking for a good band and not to worry.”

  “Who said?”

  “That Laura person.”

  Shit, Laurel strikes again. What is up with her? Even if she’s in love with JT, would she really be that eager to ruin my business and the party for the fair board she was part of? I didn’t get it.

  Yes, I did. If she convinced the fair board not to pay extra, it would come out of my pocket. That bitch!

  I took a deep breath. “Okay, I can match the price, but I want you there and set up thirty minutes before the start time. I’ll match the price you just quoted. Is that agreeable?” I remembered the contract I hadn’t remember to get signed.

  “Yeah, sure.” I heard the insincerity in his voice.

  “Good. I recorded the offer and response so don’t try to change it again.”

  “You can’t do that, can you?”

  “Just did. I’ll see you guys tonight. I’ll have the contract with me for you to sign before the concert so we can finalize the verbal agreement we just made. See you at six.”

  All I could do was pray at this point, but I left a message with Marcus, to see if he could fill in at the last minute with karaoke if there were no choices left.

  I had a couple of arrangements to approve at the florist before noon, but I made a house-yard-shed sweep for Chaos before I left. The silly cat had not made a habit of hiding before, but I checked closets, under the bed, under dressers, even under the bedspread in case she’d gotten made up in the bed.

  * * *

  Driving down Main Street to Center, I kept thinking about Donna’s suit. Why sue when she might be able to convince Frank to just sign over her part of the money, have it put into a self-directed CD or something? Nothing made any sense.

  Was there something in the water? Everyone I knew was acting nuts. Reneé was scattered. Cherilyn’s boss was lethal and after me. Because of JT? Could she have been at Donna’s and shoved me? I shook my head. That was reaching. Then we had the band Laurel had tried to take away so she could ruin the party and my career, but it was her party, too. I’d come too far to let everything be spoiled.

  Blooms and More Florist was on the sunny side of the square, a couple of shops down from Brides Galore, where the girls who couldn’t import dresses from Dallas would shop for prom. Conveniently next to that was Salon Envy. One-stop-shopping for girls to buy a dress, try on a prom hair-do and match flowers to their dresses. Everything you might need.

  I walked into the florist to be overwhelmed with floral scents and cool, damp air.

  Missy Ellis’ spike heels clicked out of the back of the shop. Her long blonde hair was arranged in one of those up-do styles that had so many tendrils wisping down over her face, it was difficult to tell which were on purpose and which were accidental.

  “Tali. What a surprise. Why are you here on this wild day?”

  “Remember, Missy, I said I’d come over before noon to approve the arrangements, and you were going to show me the ice saddle you thought I could use on the buffet?”

  Missy tilted her head to one side like a puppy. “No.” She said slowly, speaking as if she were talking to a kindergarten class. “You said you changed your mind and would not be going with fresh flowers. I almost had them finished too.”

  I felt cold all over and it wasn’t the fault of the shop. What the hell was going on here? “No. I didn’t cancel anything. What are you talking about? And who told you that?”

  “Your assistant called me just an hour ago.”

  I slammed my hand down on her counter. “I don’t have a damned assistant.” The shooting pain in the palm of my hand notified me that I’d tried to smash a rose whose thorns were taking revenge. “I need those arrangements, complete with the holders for the candles I finished this week, and I still need them delivered on time.”

  “I don’t know,” Missy whined. “I started using some of the flowers for other arrangements when your—that person cancelled the order. I’ll have to charge you more to start all over again.”

  Fury whirled through my head. This can’t be happening. “No. Since you didn’t verify that I was the one canceling, I will hold you personally responsible, and if they are not on time I will refuse to pay, and I will report you to the Better Business Bureau.”

  Just then Jan, the owner of the shop and Missy’s mother, charged out of the back room. “Tali, how good to see you. Of course we’ll start right in to rectify this misunderstanding, at no extra charge of course. I’m so sorry this happened, and since you’ll have to make an extra stop later this afternoon, for approval, I’ll make certain we add extra blooms you can use to scatter around the tables.”

  She grabbed my arm and bustled me around the counter and to the back of the shop. “I have the perfect ice sculpture for you.” She swept her arm to the side, barely missing me and three glass vases on the counter.

  Standing in the cooler was a sad-eyed carved calf with a rope around its neck, waiting to be hung, or branded.

  “I’m speechless. That’s amazing. Just what I needed. I have to find the perfect place for it.”

  I gushed, she gushed, I needed her, and she needed me with my future business. Missy faded into the background. I tried to figure how the calf would look melting all over the food tables. Maybe I could realistically set it on the grass somewhere.

  I thanked Jan before I went back to the truck to decide if I wanted lunch or not, wishing I could just run to Dallas and leisurely linger over some sinful concoction. Not happening today. But Jerry’s Deli was close, and today’s special was chipotle chicken on foccacia bread. I could do to-go and head for home.

  The sandwich filled the car with the smell of grilled onions and peppers. Also in the sack was one of the chocolate pies Jerry made himself, a secret recipe of his, and heavenly.

  * * *

  I pulled up into the driveway behind Brian’s car. What the blue blazes was wrong now? They weren’t due back until tomorrow afternoon. I had way too much going on for this. I needed Cass to help me, not to babysit her brother.

  Brian unloaded the bag from the car, setting it forcefully on the ground in front of my truck. Sean looked like hell. His nose and eyes were red and he had his inhaler up to mouth.

  Brian stomped back to the car then turned around as I climbed down from the truck. “The next time we set up a weekend visitation, I pick where we go and what we do. This was a disaster before it even started.”

  I opened my mouth to tell him he had picked the place, the activity and I’d warned him against it.

  He went on before I could get a word out. “How was I supposed to know we set up the tent in a cedar grove? I don’t know one evergreen from another. We started to explore the shore of the lake and Sean knows I don’t like hiking. Snakes were everywhere and then he starts wheezing and complaining that he left the inhaler back at the tent. How did any kid of mine become such a whiny
complainer?”

  I pushed by the jerk and sent Sean inside to cool off once I was sure he could breathe okay. Fed up with manipulation, I turned back to Brian. “You threatened me if I didn’t let Sean go with you this weekend. You insisted on planning this macho weekend full of activities that did not interest you at all, in spite of advice to the contrary. Don’t you dare yell at me or Sean over your failure. Your son loves you, God only knows why, and he wants to please you. Maybe he’ll have better luck than I did.”

  “Well, my weekend’s totally ruined now. I even gave away tickets to the Dallas production of SwanLake, all three acts.”

  “You just remember not to come around here any more unless we agree on plans ahead of time, or I’ll use that magic you hate so much to keep you away from here.”

  Brian took a step back, as if he thought I could put a spell on him or something, which only proved how little he’d ever understood about my gifts. He didn’t say another word, or even look at me, just piled into his Lexus and peeled out, spraying gravel everywhere.

  My fear of Brian had just shrunk by fifty percent. I knew this conversation could blow up in my face in the courtroom, but it felt so good to stand up to him and not pussyfoot around in case I make him mad. I’d had enough of fear when I’d been married to him. No more.

  Now that I had Sean home and safe, what was I going to do with him? He’d panic because Chaos was still lost. I suddenly needed a babysitter on a night the entire town would be needing one. I don’t have time to look for a good one, can’t take him with me to the dance.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  I stood in the front driveway, gazing in the direction Brian had driven off and wondering how my fear of him could just disappear. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t still try to take Sean, but I didn’t think he had the guts or the desire. For a change, he seemed more afraid of me than I was of him.

  I went into the house, thinking of the things I still had to do. Eavesdropping was wrong, I thought, as I listened to Sean on the phone in the den.

  “All the guys are going? Just one night? A campout at Bois d’arc? Mr. Rowland will be there? Cool. I’ll talk to Mom.” He hesitated. “She might not let me but I’ll tell her the asthma attack is all gone so I can go. Besides, she’ll be busy tonight and won’t worry. That stupid dance, you know.”

  I couldn’t let him go camping, no matter what story he thought up. I could tell by his hoarse voice that his asthma attack was no more over than the man-in-the-moon was real. He stomped out of the room when I told him no trip with the guys. Now what? More disappointment and I still didn’t have anyone to watch him tonight.

  Cass was supposed to be on her way to the pavilion to help Reneé set up food and me decorate as soon as I could get there. I looked at my watch. Sean would have to stay here and watch TV or play computer games while I finished up. Maybe Reneé would have an idea. I didn’t want to hit up Mumsie, besides she usually had a Bunco game going on at least one night a week. But that might be cancelled since most of the town would be at the dance.

  * * *

  At the lake, the band had set up. They signed the contract rather sheepishly and I had to wonder if they had figured out Laurel might not have been scrupulously truthful in her dealing with them. I wouldn’t be recommending them after the blackmail attempt, even if they sounded like the next Rascal Flatts.

  Reneé scurried around from table to table as I threw colorful shawls and Indian blankets over a variety of boxes and draped things artistically to give depth to the arrangements and allow her to show off her food to it’s best advantage. Thank God the flowers made it.

  The candles we’d all worked so hard on we scattered over the table tops on two sides of the pavilion, leaving spaces for food. Individual tables for group seating were set up on the other two sides. On them, we placed the smaller arrangements of candles, daisies, carnations, and bright zinnia, clustered in casual bouquets, along with small pots filled with various bright beads, some upright, some on their sides. The long tables held larger versions of the same pots and candles. The ice sculpture we set on the small table between the two sides, forming a center for the two long tables. This position kept the calf out of the sunlight.

  I climbed up a ladder to help hang twinkle lights around the outside of the pavilion roof but the boys shooed me away, so I joined Reneé.

  Her eyes sparkled. “About time you got here. I have a lot to tell you. Have you heard all the gossip?”

  “I don’t know, there’s been so much.” I told her about Brian’s visit, what I’d encountered at the florist, and from the band.

  She made a face. “I’m not surprised that Brian tried to pull that crap. We knew he was a jerk, but poor Sean. I’m so glad you stood up for him and yourself.”

  “What do you think about the Laura/Laurel business? Was she really trying to kill the party she hired me to run?”

  Reneé raised her eyebrows. “It’s possible. She must look at you as a menace, maybe because of JT.”

  “But how stupid, and how sad that she has so little self-esteem she’d let me intimidate her by just moving back to town.”

  “Some women can’t always think straight around men.” She gave me a sad little smile and I knew she was thinking about herself and Frank. She hadn’t mentioned him since he’d been arrested, but I knew she had to be upset. “But enough about that stuff.” Reneé arranged finger foods with the speed of light while she talked. “I have more news.”

  “What now. I hope it’s good. I’m really fed up with bad surprises.”

  “Don’t know if this is good or bad. Did you hear about Donna suing Frank for control of her mother’s money?”

  “I heard that. And that somehow Frank’s long-lost son is involved.”

  Reneé looked shocked. “That I hadn’t heard, but the guy involved in the suit is Keith, that cute guy we saw at the ranch party.”

  “Shit, that’s the guy I was stupid enough to go out with, who dumped me at Texhoma Lodge. I was on a date with Frank’s son. How creepy is that?”

  “It gets worse. Seems as if part of the reason he hasn’t been seen around these parts is because he’s been in jail for something. He hooked up with Donna after he got out, I guess.”

  “Do you think she knows it’s Frank’s son she’s been dating? Damn. It would almost be like dating your brother.”

  All the ramifications of this new information ran through my head and something was ringing, a thought I should pay attention to, but then I looked at the time.

  “I’ve to get home and dress before I come back. Have you seen Cass?” I looked around. “She was supposed to be here helping.”

  “She was but I sent her to get some ice. She should be right back.”

  “Well tell her I’ll be at home and to call because I might need her for Sean tonight. I’ll be back shortly. If you think of a babysitter in the meantime, call me.”

  * * *

  I raced back to the house to get dressed. A bath, makeup, and hairdo later, I was ready. I didn’t look half bad for a ghost-haunted mom/psychic/party planner. I couldn’t stop thinking about Keith, the suit with Donna, the connection to Frank. Something about Keith bothered me, nibbled at the back of my brain, and it wasn’t the fact that he dumped me at the lounge—or even the mood swings.

  Sean’s TV blared from his room. I had to find someone to come over. Obviously he was doing fine, but I didn’t want him here alone all evening. I’d have to send Cass back home when I reached the lake.

  I thought about jail and remembered that a friend in Dallas had gone to a website and looked up her daughter’s boyfriend. I went to the computer and sat down. After I logged in I googled Jails, Texas. I found the state prison system, inmate search. I put in Keith’s name. Nothing. I thought for a minute and then put in his first name with Frank’s last. Bingo. Text came up, then a picture, but it wasn’t Keith, it was some long-haired Manson look-alike.

  My heart skipped several beats. I took a deep breath. I knew him. It was
the guy I helped convict a few years ago, the one from the trial in Dallas. Shit, I went out with a convicted felon. No wonder he was so pissed at me, but then, why did he ask me out? What did he have to do with Donna, and how would they even have met? None of this fit any kind of pattern. Would he really risk going back to jail by being involved in something shady?

  He’d been convicted for embezzlement and fraud when the cops couldn’t make worse stick. The lack of evidence got him off the assault charges for beating up and nearly killing his partner.

  I had to call JT. I rang his office, no answer. I left messages on his phone and pager. I had to get back to the pavilion. But Frank was in jail for murder. What if Keith and Donna were involved because of the money? I had no idea how, or how to prove it, but it felt right. Maybe Keith helped Donna find someone to kill her mother? Extreme. A really long jump from Keith being in jail to accusing him of being involved in murder.

  I had no proof as usual. But what if JT could lift prints off that knife, now that we knew who to compare them to? JT would have done that already and found him in the system. Would he have made the connection? If he did, would he have told me? Shit, no.

  I grabbed my cell and ran toward the truck, only to have Mumsie whip into the driveway and block the way. She sprayed gravel, stopped, and jumped out of the car.

  “Well, don’t you look spectacular in your new outfit.”

  “Mother, you have to move your car. I’m on my way to the pavilion. The video person needs to know where to set up. I have to send Cass home to be with Sean.”

  “You listen to me, girl. You shouldn’t be at that party. Something bad will happen. I keep seeing danger for you and Sean. Why won’t you listen?”

  “Mumsie, I’m in charge of the party. I have to be there or I won’t get paid. I’m trying to earn a living here.”

  “You can’t earn a living if you’re dead.”

  “That’s plain overdramatic. It’s a party. Plain and simple. I have to go. And if JT calls, I need to talk to him. Can you stay with Sean until Cass comes?”