Chocolate-Covered Crime (13 page)

Written in impossibly small and precise print was a note detailing the time and place of Renee Richards’s birthday party, now passed. My hunch was correct. In some way, Renee was involved in Mae Belle’s death.

The store lit up with a flash of bright light. I squinted against the glare and stumbled backward. “You in the store! Come out with your hands up.” Horror. I grabbed Aunt Eunice’s hand and dragged her with me toward the alley.

“We’re going to jail. We’re going to jail.” Her chants were interspersed with gasps for air. “Oh Lord, not again.”

I ducked into Mae Belle’s office, grabbed my bag, then whirled to yank open the back door. “Come on.” I glanced back at my aunt, turned to dart out the door, and ran into a navy-covered chest. The impact knocked me back. My head banged the brick wall behind me. Breath left me.

“When we got the call about lights, why did I suspect you?” Joe stood with his feet firmly planted even after I plowed into him. I struggled to stand despite the colorful stars blinking in front of my eyes. “And how did I know you’d try to run out the back?”

“Please, Joe, have mercy.” Aunt Eunice folded her hands as if in prayer. “It was Summer’s idea. Please don’t take us back to jail.”

He pushed her hands down. “I’m not taking you to jail, but the two of you had better have found something interesting.”

“Why aren’t you upset?” This didn’t seem like the Joe I’d grown up with. This one sported a grin, like he’d caught us in a joke. Okay, maybe he did resemble the younger Joe, definitely not the stern Big Cop-Man I called him behind his back.

“I heard in a roundabout way, you know how that lawyer Biggs can’t keep his mouth shut, that Mae Belle left the business to you, dear cousin. So officially, you weren’t trespassing.”

A Dream Wedding belonged to me? Aunt Claudia would have a coronary. What would I do with it? The candy store took up most of my time as it was. “Then why the theatrics? You practically scared us to death.” I shoved his shoulder.

“With all the extra work you cause me, I’m entitled to a little fun. What did you find?”

I pulled the note from the cat’s collar out of my pocket. “Here’s what Trashcan wore around his neck, and here is a note with handwriting that matches.” I raised my eyebrows waiting for him to say, “well done.”

“Humph.”

“That’s all you have to say? I’m going to question Renee, somehow, tomorrow night at Mason’s party. I’m sure she’ll be going. They appear to be quite chummy.”

“April and I are invited, too. But let me do the questioning. You don’t have the authority. I questioned Mason about following you. He said he was just having a little fun because you take your detecting so seriously. Seemed to be telling the truth.” Joe waved the paper at me. “I’m sure this is the same thing. Mason and Renee having a little fun at your expense. I’ll talk to them.”

I folded my arms and gave my tongue free rein. “I read somewhere that the male—whatever it is that makes a man male, a chromosome or something—is damaged when entering the woman’s uterus. Brain damaged. Basically, that makes you inferior to women, seeing as how we remain undamaged throughout the cycle of conception.”

Grabbing Aunt Eunice’s arm, I marched away from my wide-eyed cousin and slid behind the wheel of my car.

“I’d say that gives me plenty of authority,” I muttered.

“Is that true?” Aunt Eunice clicked her seat belt.

“I did read it somewhere. I just can’t tell you where. And I’m not positive I got the facts right, but I got my point across.” I squealed tires out of the alley.

“I can’t wait to inform your uncle Roy the next time he’s acting dense.”

She’d get her chance pretty quick. Uncle Roy sat in a wicker rocking chair on the front porch, trusty rifle cradled in his arms when we pulled into the driveway.

I cut the engine. “You didn’t tell him you were leaving, did you?”

She shoved open her door. “He wouldn’t have let either of us go.” She glanced at her watch. “Especially at one o’clock in the morning.”

“Did Joe find you?ht=" oun29">

“You called him?” Aunt Eunice crunched across the gravel and stood in front of the porch. She proceeded to spout off the newest bit of trivia I’d taught her. The more I thought of it, the more convinced I became that maybe I’d heard the information from a comedian. I shrugged and continued to watch the drama before me.

“Are you sassing me, Eunice? Of course I called him. You were missing.”

Uh-oh
. I squeezed past what promised to be a full-scale marital war.

“Summer.”
Horror
. Ethan marched from the kitchen with two cans of soda clutched in his hands. “Where have you been?”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

After a short lecture last night about disappearing without telling Ethan or Uncle Roy where I’d gone, we’d discussed our disguises for the party. He’d forgiven me, some, when he realized I hadn’t gone alone. He wasn’t thrilled, but not angry either.

Ethan and I had gone to a used-clothing store and bought an old dress for me and a suit for him. I pulled a comb through my hair and tugged on a short gray wig, struggling to get my curls to stay under the tight headpiece. I smoothed the skirt of my costume. The polka-dot dress hung on me like a flour sack. It’s a wonder I was leaving the house dressed like this. I stuck my arms through a yellow sweater and rushed downstairs to join Ethan.

He laughed. “This is what you’ll look like as an old lady? I might have to rethink getting married.” He’d powdered his hair. The suit he wore had obviously been made for a man larger around the middle than my buff country boy. The pants bunched beneath a tightly cinched belt, giving Ethan the illusion of a paunch.

I poked his stomach with my finger. “Don’t laugh, mister. All you need to complete your outfit is a cane.”

Ethan pulled an aluminum cane from around the hall corner and twirled it. His eyes twinkled with humor. “Anything else?”

“I think that’s it.” I grinned and linked my arm in his.

Mason’s renovated plantation home glowed like a tiered birthday cake. Couples strolled across manicured lawns in costumes portraying all walks of life. I couldn’t help but wonder how the man thought h=" oiere could throw a murder-mystery party with this many people. There had to be around fifteen couples. How could anyone keep anything straight?

We declined the glass of wine offered at the door and let a young woman dressed as a maid usher us into a large living room. Mason stood near a massive brick fireplace, depicting a man of leisure in khaki pants and navy blazer.

“Welcome to my party. I’m playing myself, Mason White.” He lifted his goblet in a toast. “Tonight’s mystery has been specially engineered just for me and my guests. Enjoy, mingle, and search for clues. Hidden around my home are many weapons, slips of paper, and other paraphernalia pertaining to crime. The victim is the pretty young thing who answered the door. Her body now lies on the chaise lounge in the study. Others of you may end up disappearing or finding yourselves murdered. You’ll know if it happens, so keep your wits about you.

“Dinner is buffet style in the dining room. Have fun! And may the best sleuth remain standing.”

A bit odd, but I couldn’t help the surge of adrenaline coursing through me at the thought of an innocent night of fun doing what I enjoyed—snooping. I gripped Ethan’s hand. “Let’s take a look at the body. That’s the best starting point.”

He laughed. “A bit macabre, but okay.”

The “victim” flopped back, closed her eyes, and threw an arm across her face, leaving the other one to dangle from the chaise when we strode into the room. An empty wineglass lay on the floor. Red liquid stained the carpet.

“Poison.” I nudged the goblet with my foot. “Now, we need a motive and a suspect. Which means”—I wiggled my eyebrows at Ethan—“we get to snoop around Mason’s house.”

“Only pertaining to the game, Summer. And what makes you so sure it’s poison?”

“Elementary, my dear Watson. There’s no blood, no ligature markings around the neck, no bump on the head. This will be so much fun.” Hooking my arm through his, I led Ethan from the room. “Where do you want to start?”

“The dining room? I’m starved. Maybe we can eavesdrop while loading our plates.”

It didn’t take much of our mingling to discover the other guests all had scripts and played their characters to the hilt. Had Ethan and I been a last-minute addition to the guest list? I speared Mason with my gaze. He grinned his shark smile from across the room and saluted me.

“Ethan?”

“Yeah?” He popped a stuffed mushroom into his mouth.

“Did Mason mention why he didn’t give us scripts? Backgrounds for our characters? Alibis?”

Ethan wiped his mouth with a monogrammed napkin. “Said he invited us at the=" ">< last minute. He also said it gave us an advantage. Meaning, we’re definitely not the murderer. We get to fly by the seat of our pants, making up our alibis and stories as we go. It’s a bit suspicious, but I thought we’d play along with his little game. And I don’t mean the murder-mystery. I’ll admit it. Something isn’t right with our host. But hear me—you aren’t going anywhere unless I’m right beside you.”

I grinned. I knew he’d see it my way. Besides, snooping was more fun when he joined in. “There’s Joe and April.” I waved my hand to get their attention.

“Did you hear a word I said?” Ethan frowned.

“Every bit.”

“Hey, Summer. Seen the body yet?” April gave her brother a hug. “The girl isn’t that good. She was sitting up when we went in.”

“Did ya’ll get scripts?”

“Yeah. Joe’s a detective, and I’m his flapper girlfriend. Like the dress?”

Great. She got to come as a cute young thing in a black sequined dress while I was an old lady. “We didn’t get anything.”
At least I’m here. Forgive me, Lord, for being envious
. “Well, time to go nose around. See ya later.”

Joe leaned closer to Ethan. “I hope she’s talking about the game.”

“Of sorts.” Ethan handed his plate to a passing waiter. “I’ll keep her out of trouble.” He winked and steered me toward the hall. “Who do you want to question first?”

I spotted Renee slipping past Mason, one manicured claw brushing across his back as she passed. “Her.” We followed her outside to the patio.

Renee leaned against the banister, letting her head fall back. Her long hair blew in the slight breeze. She bent one knee, balancing her foot against the rails.

“Hello, Renee. Thanks for the kitten.” I tried positioning my body into the same glamorous pose. Somehow, I figured the costume detracted from the appearance I wanted to give, and I straightened.

“Summer. Ethan.” Her voice fairly purred when she said his name. “Ya’ll having fun? And you’re welcome about the kitten. I don’t care how you found out I left it. Mason and I are just playing with you. You take this detective stuff so seriously.”

Very funny. “What about the rat?”

She laughed. “Mason’s idea. Clever, wasn’t it?”

“It was all just a game?”
Great
. I felt like a dodo head for thinking the rat and the kitten were somehow connected with my cousin’s murder.

Renee nodded. “We wanted to see how lon=" usig it would take you to figure it out. Especially with the silly clue left in the cat’s collar. You solved it quickly. I’m impressed.”

“Where were you the night Mae Belle died?”

“Summer, sweetie, you’ve got the wrong body.” She turned to look at me. “If I remember my notes, I was upstairs taking a nap, alone, when Mimi the maid was killed. I don’t have an alibi, but my hobby is botany. Have you found out what the poor girl was poisoned with?”

I mentally slapped myself in the head. I’d stopped at the murder weapon. Maybe if I actually asked questions pertaining to the game, I could slip real investigative questions in by surprise. Trip up my suspect. I grabbed Ethan’s hand. “Let’s investigate the body and the room further.”

The victim plopped back to her prone position when we entered. Mason should’ve done a better job of choosing his victim. If she’d move around with people searching the room, the girl didn’t lend much to the illusion. Another couple prowled the room peeking beneath cushions and behind curtains. If they hadn’t found anything, I wouldn’t waste my time retracing their steps. I frowned at the “actress” and headed for the desk while directing Ethan toward the rows of bookshelves.

The top middle drawer revealed an ornate letter opener with, were those real gemstones? Stamps, paper clips, a gold pen, a pair of pointy scissors, and a rope. I giggled. All I needed was a wrench and lead pipe.

Ethan held up a candlestick. “I feel like we’re playing the board game Clue.”

I slammed the drawer closed. “Nothing in here. Let’s try the bathroom.”

We passed a giggling April and Joe snuggling on a vacant bench in the hall. I guessed my cousin enjoyed his rare time out of uniform. “Ya’ll found any clues yet?”

April stared at me. “Any what?”

“Exactly.” I grinned at Ethan and pulled him along behind me. “Let’s solve this pretend mystery and move on to the real one.”