Gone with the Wool (23 page)

Crystal wrinkled her eyebrows in consternation at Wanda's comment. “How about the three of us should work together,” she said. I could see their point and agreed. Wanda had continued wrapping and then moving loops off the pegs as she stood there talking. She saw me staring at her work.

“It's a hat for my son. He saw Kory's and wants one,” Wanda said, continuing to manipulate the navy blue yarn.

Crystal had a pleased smile. “Wanda's son is still in middle school, but Kory is kind of a hero to him—especially being on the football team and now working at Vista Del Mar.” Wanda didn't say a thing. The two workshop leaders left me and made the rounds of the room to see if anyone needed help.

Lucinda was sitting next to me, working on a round loom as well. The way she was using the pick to pull at the looms made it obvious she was upset.

“What gives?” I asked, almost in a whisper. She stabbed at a tight loop and then dragged it up the peg.

“It's the Butterfly Ball.” Her expression sagged. “I don't know how I'm going to deal with Tag being there. I just don't want to see him right now.”

“About that,” I said, keeping my voice low. “He has something to tell you. I know you're upset with him, but when you know all the facts, I'm sure you'll feel differently.”

She stopped working and looked at me. “Why don't you just tell me?”

“He said the same thing. I don't want to go into detail here; just trust me. Everything is okay with him.”

The conversation at the table had turned to the Butterfly Ball.

“It's the last big event for the princesses,” Crystal said. “The Butterfly Queen committee gets together after the ball and votes. They don't notify the winner until just before she's getting on the float. I'm so excited for Marcy,” she added. “My daughter has never done anything like this before. I was shocked when a girl who wouldn't run for student council suddenly announced she wanted to be part of the Princess Court. It would reinforce she did the right thing if she ended up being chosen queen.”

“My sister really wants it, too,” Wanda said. “She's older than most of the others, but she thinks her maturity will help.” Wanda stood up and did her teapot pose. “But I heard Larry Benson's daughter is trying really hard to impress the committee.” She glanced around at the group. “The family is new to Cadbury. He's the pharmacist and owner of Cadbury Drugs & Sundries.”

I hadn't thought about Larry Benson having a family, and I certainly hadn't realized his daughter was one of the princesses.

“If I was on the committee, I'd have second thoughts about choosing a queen who hadn't even lived here for a year,” Wanda said.

“Don't worry, the committee is taking everything into consideration.” Madeleine Delacorte had come into the room and overheard. “I am so sorry to have missed this retreat, but duty calls.” No denim for Madeleine today, but she was still shunning the old way she had dressed and had on a pair of purple
slacks with a matching top. She walked around between the tables, admiring the women's work.

“How did Rosalie feel about Larry Benson's daughter being a princess?” I asked.

Madeleine shrugged. “She was only there for the first interview. But knowing Rosalie, she would have been very negative, since they were newcomers.”

Madeleine returned to the front of the room. “I just stopped by to make sure you were all coming tonight. The Butterfly Ball is always an exciting event.”

The women all nodded in enthusiastic agreement. Scott leaned back in his chair, and I had the feeling he hadn't decided. Madeleine waved and said she'd be looking for them and then left, just as Kory came into the room.

His dark curls were hidden under the hat his mother had made for him. The whole group recognized it, and he walked around the tables, showing it off again.

“No more garbage detail,” he said. “I'm working in the dining hall now, busing tables.” He laughed. “Maybe it's not such a step up from garbage detail.”

When he mentioned the dining hall, it made me think of the chili dinner and what my mother had said. While the group broke for tea and coffee, I called Kory to the side. I made a little small talk before I got to what I really wanted to discuss.

“You said you sat at dinner with the two players who got sick, right?” It took a moment for my question to register, then he nodded.

“I was curious. How did they arrange the seating?”

“You mean like were there place cards or something?” he asked. I nodded and he continued. “No, we just sat wherever we wanted to. The team all sat together at one of the long
tables, and the parents and other people were at a different one.”

“Did you go up and help yourself?” I asked.

“No, it was a big deal that we were served. They came around with a tray full of bowls.” His eyes lit up. “I know why you're asking. It's because of your muffins.” He seemed to be getting ready to go. “It's okay. You must have noticed that they're really moving again.” It seemed an odd comment, and I was going to ask about it, but before I could, he was out the door.

I made it a point to sit down and have lunch with the group and was just settling into the idea of spending the rest of the day with them when I saw Sammy come into the dining hall. He stopped in the entrance and surveyed the room. I figured he was looking for me and waved. As he crossed toward my table, I heard several of the staff members ask if he was there to do a show. Sammy seemed pleased and nervous at the same time.

“Case, my mother's all upset,” he said when he reached me. “My father disappeared before our trip to the aquarium. My mother is a wreck, insisting we have to find him. She's saying we have to do an intervention and the more people there, the better chance he'll listen. She said since you're almost a family member that you should come along.” His eyes were apologetic. “I tried to talk her out of it. I hate to ask you for another favor . . .”

Lucinda overheard. “Go on,” she urged. “By now everybody knows what to do. I hope you'll be back in time for the Butterfly Ball.”

“You can bet on that. Lieutenant Borgnine is going to be there with his wife. I can't wait to see what she looks like.” I took a moment to tell the group I would catch up with them later, then I headed out.

Sammy was already almost to his BMW when I caught up with him. I saw that Estelle was in the passenger seat, so I got into the back. Sammy pulled away as soon as I shut the door, and I was still putting on my seat belt as we turned out of the Vista Del Mar driveway.

“Do you have any idea where he went?” I asked. I couldn't believe they were planning to just drive the streets looking for him.

“Yes, we do,” Estelle said. “He slipped out this morning without saying anything, as if I wouldn't notice.”

“So then he isn't actually lost,” I said, trying to make sense of what was going on.

“No, Bernard knows exactly where he is, but
we
don't know where he is.”

Sammy didn't go through the heart of Cadbury but instead headed for the highway that led to Monterey and beyond.

“I heard you say something to Bernard about his having a problem with an activity. Does that have anything to do with where he went?” I asked.

“Does it have anything to do with it? How about it has everything to do with it!” Estelle was leaning forward, as if it would make the car go faster. “When we find him, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind.”

“Okay, but could you give me a hint about what?”

“Sammy, tell her,” Estelle said. “It just makes me too angry.”

Sammy caught my eye in the rearview mirror and rolled his. “We're going to check out the local card rooms. My father likes to play poker.”

“Likes to play,” his mother said, indignant. “He's obsessed. This is the third time he's slipped away this week. The man has a problem.”

Sammy was biting his lip to keep from smiling. I'm pretty sure he was thinking that the one with the problem was her.

The highway ran along the water of Monterey Bay, and the waves were small as they lapped up on the sand. Not being a card player myself, I had no idea that card rooms even existed.

Sammy was consulting a map on the car's small screen. He pulled off the highway, and we began driving through the streets of Bayside. He followed the directions, and we entered the parking lot of a strip mall that had an Old West look to it. Next to a lounge, there was a sign that said
POKER CASINO
, with some dancing spades and diamonds around it.

Sammy pulled into an empty spot. Estelle was out of the car before Sammy cut the motor, and she marched through the door of the casino. Sammy caught up with her, and I took up the rear. I was expecting some kind of razzle dazzle in the decorations, but it was just a big wood-paneled room with a bunch of round card tables. It must have been mostly a nighttime activity, because there were only three tables in use. I was amazed how no one even looked up as the three of us walked around the players, searching for Sammy's father. Not that it would be easy to recognize him. All the players had on baseball caps, or hoodies, or hoodies and baseball caps. A few were wearing sunglasses. Not one of them broke their expression, even with Estelle practically putting her face in front of theirs.

“He's not here,” she announced, and marched toward the door.

After we all piled back into the car, Sammy punched in something on the GPS and we were off again. “How many of these are there?” I asked, looking at my watch. “I do have a retreat going on, and tonight is the big event of the week.”

Estelle looked around the front seat. “This is much more important than a dance. Family comes first, and it's your duty as an almost-Glickner to help with Bernard.”

I looked up at the rearview mirror and saw that Sammy was sending me an “I'm sorry” look. I felt terrible. I should have been with my retreaters or trying to hunt down Rosalie's killer instead of going on a wild-goose chase. Time was going by quickly. Butterfly Week was almost over, then Lieutenant Borgnine would lower the boom on Chloe unless I did something fast.

I didn't even know where we were by now, beyond that we were in one of the small communities that hugged the bay. We passed one similar area of fast-food places and convenience stores after another, and for the first time, I realized why the town council was so adamant about keeping chains and big-box stores out of Cadbury. As we drove on I felt like we were in a personality-less Anywhere, Small Town, USA. The second card room was located in an old car dealership. I had a feeling the colorful banners that flapped along the outside of the parking lot were left over from its previous tenant.

Sammy parked, and we all marched toward the place. This was a much bigger setup, with many more tables and even a restaurant at the end. But like the other one, afternoon didn't seem to be their busy time, and only a few of the tables were full. Estelle was ready to lead another trip around the tables to check for her husband, and I could see it was going to pose the same challenge as the last place. All I saw as I looked at
the players were a bunch of head coverings. Then one of the players turned his head. Beneath the black baseball cap with
Cadbury by the Sea
embroidered in red across the front, I recognized Sammy's dad. It was almost as if Bernard had some kind of radar that told him his wife was in the building. He instantly began to shake his head in annoyance and held his hand up to stop us. He threw in some cards and gathered up his chips before turning to the man next to him. He gave him a friendly pat, which seemed to be a sign of good-bye and good luck.

The three of us retreated outside, and a moment later he joined us. Before he said a word, Estelle began. “Bernard, you have a problem. You need to face it.”

Bernard took off the hat and looked skyward for help. “Are you crazy?” he said, moving his gaze down to his wife's face. He glanced toward Sammy and me. “I'm sorry your mother dragged you along on this.”

He wanted to leave, but she was insistent on dealing with it right then and there. She turned to Sammy and me. “You two be the judges.” Then she confronted Bernard. “We have been here for not even a week, and how many times have you played cards?”

“You're being ridiculous. So I played a few times.” He seemed annoyed to have to do it, but he explained to Sammy and me that he had a card fund that he played with. “It's not like I'm losing the mortgage money.”

Sammy was shaking his head now, too. “What's wrong if he likes to play cards? As long as he does his day job, so what if he has a passion for something else?”

Was Sammy going to say more and finally tell them the truth? That he was working nights and weekends performing magic and that was why he was in Cadbury? I gave him a little
nudge, and I think he knew what I meant, because he vehemently shook his head and whispered, “Not now.”

“We might as well go back,” Sammy said. There was a minor argument over who was going to drive with who. Estelle insisted she didn't trust Bernard driving alone, that he would just circle back or go on to another card room, and he didn't want to drive with his irate wife. So, I was called into duty.

Bernard turned on the radio, and I expected the ride back to be a silent one, but he started pleading his case to me. He kept talking about the guy sitting next to him as if I knew him and how he was a different story. “I've played cards enough to recognize the guys like me, who play as a diversion, and the guys like him, who have a problem.” I assumed the point of his telling me this was so I could pass it on to Estelle. I mostly tuned it out and watched the passing scenery. We were driving along the bay, and I could see some fishing boats. It made me think of Hank Hardcastle and how far I was from saving Chloe.