Begging for Trouble (31 page)

“Now that you mention it, it could be worth the fuss.” She waved at Joe, standing behind the counter. “Now be nice or we won’t get fed.”

“My, my, my. Aren’t you just the prettiest thing. You look like a million bucks, and your little man does, too.” Georgette’s housekeeper opened the door wide so Ellie, Sam, and Rudy could enter the apartment. “Come in, come in.” She gave Sam an appraising once-over, then said to Ellie, “Your big man is looking mighty fine, too.”

Ellie wrapped the housekeeper in a bear hug. “We’re happy to see you, too, Corinna. Excited about the big night?”

“Pshaw. Your mama and I, we done bigger parties than this one. It’s all for the judge, of course. Mr. Stanley is the man of the evening, even though he says this shindig is in honor of those three muckety-muck judges.” She took a step back and gave Sam a smile. “Welcome, Detective Ryder. It’s a pleasure seein’ you again. What have you been up to since Thanksgiving?”

“Keeping your girl out of trouble,” he said, helping Ellie off with her coat. Then he slipped out of his trench coat and passed the items to a young man standing at attention next to Corinna. Bending low, Sam kissed the diminutive woman on the cheek she tipped up for what she considered a proper greeting. “It’s nice to see you again, too.”

“It’s good to know someone’s watchin’ out for Ellie. Lord knows she keeps finding trouble wherever she goes.” Corinna gave him a wink. “Are you ready for tonight?”

“I guess, but you should probably know this type of meet-and-greet isn’t my strong suit. I may just hang out in the kitchen until everyone leaves. I can even lend a hand if you need me.”

“I might take you up on that offer. Maybe you’d like to fill in as a bartender or pass the canapés? That could be useful, too.”

Ellie smiled at the byplay between her mother’s faithful housekeeper and Sam. From the moment they’d met this past November they seemed to share a bond, and it was nice to see that it still held strong.

Sam had been nothing but agreeable since he’d arrived home from the station late this afternoon. After taking his turn in the shower, he’d put on his tux without complaining and whistled his appreciation when she finished dressing. He even forgot to mention that the last time he’d seen her wearing the beaded navy blue sheath was the evening he’d caught her on a date with another man. Stanley had made a point of telling her that Kevin McGowan and his parents were not invited—one less reason for her to worry about tonight.

When Vivian came upstairs to give her official stamp of approval, she’d straightened Sam’s tie, given Ellie a once-over, and pronounced them both ready for the red carpet. Viv’s opinion had put her so at ease that she’d felt like taking a bet her picky mother wouldn’t find a single thing to reprimand her for when they met.

“I have a better idea. How about bringing Sam to Mother?” Ellie teased. Sam was well aware that Georgette was impossible to please. Best guess, he’d rather direct traffic in Times Square on New Year’s Eve than be at her mother’s beck and call. “I’m sure she’d love a bit of attention from a handsome man.”

“I’ll pass on that suggestion,” Sam said, rolling his eyes. “But I wouldn’t mind talking to the judge.”

“That’s a fine idea,” Corinna agreed with a giggle. “You’d be doing me a huge favor if you went to the library and found him. And bring Rudy with. Judge Stanley’s talked about that dog all day. I believe he wants your boy for a security blanket, while Ms. Georgette needs a cool head to keep her calm.” She handed Ellie a bag graced with the name of one of the area’s most exclusive pet stores. “I already took a place mat and a bowl of water to the library, and here’s a little something for your boy.”

“It’s about time someone gave me a thought,”
Rudy yipped.
“Corinna always gets me the best stuff.”

The housekeeper held out her hand to clear the path for a trio of men carrying chairs into the main living area. “All right, young lady, it’s your job to see to your mother, ’cause I got more important things to do right now.”

“We’re on it,” Ellie said. “And thanks for getting something special for Rudy.” She watched the housekeeper head toward the kitchen, then turned to Sam. “Do you remember the way to the judge’s lair?”

He shrugged, nodding in the direction the set-up men were traveling. “Back there somewhere?”

“Through the living room and into the rear hall, then hang a left past the bathroom and guest bedroom. It’s the last door on the left.”

“How about you provide a road map?” he joked. They could put both their apartments into this penthouse and still have room to spare.

“I’ll only be a couple of minutes. I promise.” She passed him Rudy’s leash. “Take his coat off when you get to the library and drape it over a chair so it doesn’t get lost. You won’t have to do much else with Rudy, because the judge will take over.”

Ellie bent and rubbed her yorkiepoo’s ears. “You be good and keep Stanley occupied, okay?” She straightened and opened her evening bag. “Here are a few more goodies, plus what Corinna gave me. You’ll be fine.”

“If you say so,” Sam answered.

She leaned forward and dropped a quick kiss on his frowning lips. “Cheer up, Officer Grumpy. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes. Just let me see what Mother needs, okay?”

“Ten minutes and I come looking for you,” he warned. Then he sauntered off with Rudy at his side.

 

Sam sat on the tan leather sofa in Judge Stanley Frye’s library, feigning interest in a conversation the retired judicial legend was holding with Ellie’s beast of a canine. If not for a debilitating stroke that had left him in a wheelchair several years back, the judge would probably still be on the bench handing out fair and concise decisions on all who appeared before him.

Sam found it hard to believe that Judge Frye and the many-times-divorced Georgette Engleman were a happy couple. Ellie’s elitist and opinionated mother was a pain in the ass, while the judge was cheerful and approving of all who held intelligent and kind beliefs. That he loved Ellie like his own daughter made him number one on Sam’s list of people he admired.

For the past few minutes the judge had interacted with the four-legged stinker Ellie referred to as “her boy.” The little demon had played to the wheelchair-bound senior as if he were the deciding vote on an Animal Planet talent show.

The moment they’d arrived in the library, Rudy had vaulted onto Stanley’s lap and licked his face as if they were long-lost brothers. Then he’d jumped down and begged for a treat. After receiving the reward, he gobbled it down and proceeded to roll over and play dead.

The entire act was a con, of course. All done for the big payoff: Corinna’s marrow bone.

The judge gave Sam a grin as he watched Rudy gnaw at the bone. “Such a fine little fellow, don’t you think?”

“Sure,” Sam lied.

“And so entertaining. Do you know how many tricks are in his repertoire?”

Tricks?
“Uh, no.”

“He can sit up and beg, shake, roll over, play dead, and fetch certain toys by name alone. He also watches television. We’ve sat through several games of
Wheel of Fortune,
and he even knows when the contestants call an incorrect letter.”

“You’re kidding,” Sam deadpanned.

“Not at all. One bark means yes, right letter, and two means no. And after every double bark, I can almost hear him say, ‘Wrong choice, loser.’”

“Amazing,” Sam said, keeping his opinion of Ellie’s fuzzy troublemaker to himself.

“I think he understands exactly what a human says. He simply can’t form the words to answer.”

Sam recalled all the one-sided discussions he’d heard his girl hold with her dog. “Ellie would probably agree with you there.”

“I’m sure she would.” The judge stopped watching Rudy and gazed at Sam, his blue eyes flashing. “You are aware she holds full-blown conversations with him, are you not?”

“I’ve seen her in action, so, yes, I’m aware.”

“And you approve of her doing so?”

“I approve of almost everything Ellie does.”

“Almost
everything?”

Tread carefully, bud,
Sam warned himself. “I don’t care if she talks to her dog, the television, or her toaster. What I do mind is her meddling in police business.”

“Ah, I see. Are you afraid she’ll prevent you from doing your job? Or maybe solve a case before you do?”

Sam prayed for patience. “I’m
afraid
she’ll get caught in the cross fire, like she did a couple of months back, and I won’t be there to save her.”

“So you enjoy leading the charge to rescue a damsel in distress, eh, Detective? A modern-day Robin Hood to her Maid Marian.”

“Uh, sorry, but I’m not sure what you mean.”

The judge shook his balding head. “Come, now, I see the way you look at her. Does she know?”

Oh, crap.
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business, sir,” he said, trying to be respectful.

“Oh, but it is. I consider Ellie my daughter in every way possible except birth. I only want what’s best for her, and that includes making certain she finds the right man.” The judge raised a bushy white eyebrow. “She’s in my will, and she’ll inherit quite a bit when I’m gone.”

Sam’s blood began to boil, but he kept a tight grip on his temper. “Neither your money nor what she’ll inherit from her mother has anything to do with my reason for lov—er—dating Ellie. She can take all the cash she gets and set it on fire, for all I care.”

Stanley smiled. “I doubt she’ll burn it, but I can see her donating it to some animal charity. I believe Best Friends is her primary concern, but the ASPCA could benefit as well.”

“Fine by me.” Rescued by the sound of the doorbell, he stood. “I think your guests are arriving.”

“So you support her in everything she does?” Judge Frye asked, continuing the questioning.

Sam imagined how sharp the old guy must have been when he was district attorney for New York County. “Everything but her snooping.”

“Snooping?”

“Like I said a minute ago, I draw the line at her sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.” When the doorbell rang again, he breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m sure you’re wanted out front. Is there anything I can do before we get there?”

“I believe I’ll take it from here, young man.” The judge patted his lap and Rudy jumped on board. Then he pushed a control on the wheelchair and headed for the door. “Come along, if you want, and join the festivities.”

 

After brushing the invisible wrinkles from her dress, Ellie checked her thigh-highs for runs and inspected her three-inch navy Louboutin pumps. If she hadn’t gone to that closeout at Saks, she never would have bought the pricey shoes, red soles or not. Positive that her clothing was in order, she ducked into the foyer powder room.

Not bad, she thought, glancing in the mirror. Lisa, her new hairstylist, had done a great job with her “look.” Her hair gleamed like polished copper, while her makeup complemented her fair skin. No doubt about it, the woman was a miracle worker.

Convinced that there was no more she could do to make herself presentable, she headed through the dining room, took a left, and entered the master suite. After a soft rap on the door, she opened it and stuck her head into the room.

“Mother, it’s me. Are you decent?”

“Come in, come in.”

Georgette’s voice sounded muffled, which meant she was in either the bathroom or the dressing area. Ellie stepped inside and walked to a closet as big as her bedroom.

“Mom? Corinna said you might need help.”

Georgette turned and heaved a sigh. “I’m a mess. I don’t know if I can get through this evening.” She raised a full-length fuchsia gown with a lovely ruffled halter. “Here’s my Valentino.” Then she lifted her other hand. “And this is a Vera Wang.” The pale pink slip of a dress had a plunging neckline and fell to the floor in a ripple of fabric.

The mere fact that her haute couture mother was asking her off-the-rack daughter for fashion advice only proved how nervous she was. “The Vera is sort of sedate, something you might wear to an opening at MoMA. I think the Valentino demands attention, but it won’t hog the limelight.”

Georgette nodded. “Just what I thought.” She passed the ruffled gown to Ellie, returned the Vera to the hanging rack, and slipped off her dressing gown. “Now help me into this thing. I still have to touch up my face and hair.”

Impressed by her mother’s toned and trim size four figure, Ellie did as asked. Though she’d received the best of both her parents’ gene pool offerings, Georgette, with her twice-yearly injections of Botox and Juvéderm, could have passed for Ellie’s fashion-forward, alwaysin-style older sister.

She propped herself against an opposing wall and waited while her mother wielded a rapier-thin eyeliner brush, then a mascara wand. After touching up her nose and cheeks with a bit of pressed powder, Georgette covered her lips with a color that perfectly matched the Valentino gown.