Highlights to Heaven (14 page)

Was that a veiled warning? Marla pondered their conversation on her way back to the salon, where she wanted to make sure things were locked up. She didn’t understand the vibes emanating from her former teacher. You’d think any threats would come from Cutter and his cousin, Evan Fargutt. Was he hinting someone else menaced her? Surely not Goat.

Her brain addled with theories, she didn’t at first notice the folded newspaper at her styling station. When she reached to pick up a stray comb, her glance fell on the highlighted article.

Lori Snow, a Palm Haven resident, was the apparent victim of a freak electrocution. The mother of two, a hairstylist just back from vacation, received a fatal shock when she plugged in her curling iron at work. A short in the system was blamed for the accident.

Blood rushed to Marla’s face. Lori had been a member of her gang at beauty school. First Eileen McFee had drowned, then Louise Cunningham became a hit-and-run victim. Now she and Kenya Dobson were the only two left, not counting Wyeth.

Marla flew to the telephone. After looking up the number of Kenya’s salon, she dialed, but no one answered. She must have finished work for the day, meaning she wouldn’t be back until Tuesday. Darn! Rummaging under the counter, Marla scrounged for a directory and searched for Kenya’s name in the white pages. She had to be warned, but against what and whom?

Unable to find a listing, she shut the book and put it away. Her sense of personal jeopardy heightened, she wondered what to do next. What she lacked was a connection between the different puzzle pieces: her colleagues being knocked off, Yani’s death, Goat’s involvement, and Cutter’s scheme with his cousin.

Best to deal with those problems tomorrow. Right now, she had to get ready for a barbecue at Eddie’s house. Nicole’s boyfriend liked to entertain, and he’d invited the salon staff to his place for ribs and chicken.

Nicole is lucky she found someone who likes to cook. Now if only Eddie would be as committed to their relationship as he was to the outdoor grill
, Marla thought while securing the salon.

She tried to empty her mind of the day’s events during her drive home, concentrating on what to wear for the evening. Her sense of caution made her glance into the rearview mirror more often, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

After taking Spooks out, she changed clothes and wrapped the barley and wild rice dish she’d promised to bring. Hopefully, tonight would provide more than a good meal in friendly company. Nicole was an avid mystery fan. Marla was hoping she’d offer some fresh insights on recent events regarding Goat and friends.

Seven o’clock found her knocking on Eddie’s door in Davie, where he lived in a single-story ranch home. He greeted her with a friendly smile that seemed a permanent fixture on his face. Eddie had curly black hair, puppy-brown eyes, and a short mustache. His colorful island shirt hung loose on his tall frame over a pair of faded jean shorts. A strong whiff of Old Spice wafted her way, mingling with the mouth-watering aroma of sizzling beef ribs.

Outside on the patio, Nicole rushed to greet her. The cinnamon-skinned beauty wore a flattering sarong dress and had braided her raven hair down her back. “Marla, I was afraid you’d be late. Where did you run off to this afternoon?”

Marla smoothed her belted black slacks. The air felt cool, as a light breeze stole under her royal blue blazer. “I went to see Cutter. I’ll tell you about it later,” she said, spotting other staff members mingling with the couple’s friends. “Did you by any chance leave a newspaper lying open on my station?”

“Not me.” Nicole gave her a curious glance. “Why?”

“Because someone wanted me to see a particular article. If it wasn’t you, who left it there?”

Nicole nodded at a passing acquaintance. “I don’t know,” she said to Marla. “What did it say?”

“Another stylist was killed, supposedly by accident. She’s the third one in my group from beauty school. There are two of us left.”

Her friend’s eyes widened. “You said someone at Cut ‘N Dye left this article for you to see?”

“It may have been a customer. Or maybe not. Anyone could have entered through that back door. I’m always forgetting to lock it during the day.”

“I’d have spotted a strange face.”

“Not if you were occupied.”

Nicole gasped. “You don’t think it’s one of us? That new shampoo girl, Joanne, or her sister Jennifer? They’ve only been working with us a couple of weeks.”

The new staffers had been invited to the party. Marla glanced in their direction, reluctant to believe someone from her salon could be involved in a conspiracy against her.
It happened before, remember? You can’t trust anyone.
The women were flirting with two men not of Marla’s acquaintance.

Maybe her rival, Carolyn Sutton, was trying to scare her. She might have paid one of these gals to leave that news article on her chair.

Marla clenched her fists. She wouldn’t put it past Carolyn to plant people to spy on her, but damned if she’d become paranoid. She trusted her own judgment to a good extent, and she liked the Cater sisters. They just couldn’t mean her any harm.

Then again, another possibility entered her mind. Maybe the article had been left on her chair as a friendly warning, not as a threat. Could Goat be in the vicinity, keeping an eye on her? If so, she wished he would turn himself in. Surely Vail would find a way to protect him from the killer still on the loose.

When she had the opportunity, Marla brought Nicole up to speed on the case. She related her conversation with Cutter, her trip with Vail, and her growing fear that she might be a target for an unknown murderer.

“It’s very strange,” Nicole agreed as they sipped Bahama Mamas on the patio. “I don’t understand how these events are connected. One thing I can tell you: your friend Goat probably has all the answers if you could only locate him.”

“I’ll bet he left Siesta Key after he was spotted. I have a feeling he’s closer at hand. But why won’t he reveal himself? Who or what does Goat fear?”

Marla spent most of Sunday catching up on housework, doing some food shopping, and visiting Miriam Pearl. She described her exploits to the old lady, who delighted in her adventures. They’d become close friends after Marla helped solve her granddaughter’s murder a few months ago.

“What are you going to do next?” the matriarch asked, as Marla pushed her wheelchair along a shaded path on the family’s extensive estate. Miriam reached up a bony hand to fluff her newly set hair. Marla always gave her a wash and blow-out when she came.

“I’ll let Detective Vail find Goat. I’ve been away from the salon too much, and it’s time for a staff workshop. I like to do them once a month. Besides, this week is Passover, and I have to get ready. I need to take care of things on the home front.” Not to mention friends like Tally who required attention. That didn’t even count her problems with Dalton, or Ma trying to push Barry on her.

“What are you doing for the seders?” Miriam asked.

Marla sniffed the pine-scented woods that surrounded them. “We’re having our big family gathering on the second night. I’m going to my friend Arnie’s house for the first night. His girlfriend, Jill, is setting things up. It was nice of them to invite me.”

“You’re always welcome here. Barbara and the kids are flying in later this week.”

She heard the note of sadness in Miriam’s voice. “You must miss them terribly.”

“I don’t blame them for leaving after what Morris did. My son got what he deserved.”

“You still have Stella and Florence.” Not that Miriam’s daughters were much use.
See what happens when you interfere? You wrecked this entire family structure by investigating the granddaughter’s murder. If you would let Vail do his thing alone, you wouldn’t feel so responsible
.

Marla tightened her resolve to mind her own business later that afternoon when she took Spooks for a walk. Someone was taking an unhealthy interest in her activities, and if she stuck to her own affairs, perhaps they’d back off.

A shiver snaked down her spine. She couldn’t disregard what had happened to the other three stylists. Regardless of her desire to end her participation in Vail’s case findings, she might not be able to withdraw so readily.

Spooks pulled on his leash as he caught a whiff from the next lawn. She stood by patiently, admiring a cluster of brilliant crimson and fuchsia impatiens while he did his business. The cool air was redolent with the scent of orange blossoms. Overhead, few clouds disturbed the clear March sky. Her thoughts turned to Goat, who’d never returned to water Moss’s flowers as promised. Her shoulders sagged with discouragement at the lack of progress in locating him.

“Come along, precious,” she said to Spooks. Emotion clogging her throat, she crouched to pet him. He lapped at her hand, grateful for the attention. She found comfort in snuggling against his warm, silky coat.

“Hey, Marla.”

She jumped upright, whirling to regard Hector bearing down on her. “Hi, what’s up?” Her gaze darted nervously down the street.

“Haven’t seen you in a while. Everything okay?”

“Sure. How’s Amada?”

“
Muy bueno
, thanks.”

He stepped in front of her path.
Dark hair, with Latin good looks
. That’s how Virginia had described Cutter’s companion at the hair show. Hector fit the bill perfectly, except he didn’t have a cosmetology license.
Cutter would know how to get around that problem
.

Spooks sniffed Hector’s ankles, growling ominously. “Uh, did you want something?” Marla’s pulse raced, her flight-or-fight response activated against her will. Surely she had nothing to fear from her neighbor in broad daylight. She was getting paranoid.

Hector jerked a hand toward Goat’s house. “Anything new in the detective’s case? Goat still hasn’t come home.”

She followed his gesture. “As far as I know, our neighbor is alive and well but is eluding the authorities. Lieutenant Vail is checking out the victim’s relatives and acquaintances. Why? Did you have something to add?”

He kicked at a stone on the sidewalk. “I’ve heard a motorcycle around here lately. No one in the vicinity owns one. I wonder…I mean, I hope whoever killed that guy doesn’t think we know anything important.”

Her mouth dropped open. “You’re scared he’ll come after you?” She laughed mirthlessly. “And I thought you had something to hide.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You had a grudge against Goat. His sister told me all about it.”

His brown eyes widened incredulously. “She knew?”

“She told me how you’d blamed Goat for the ants invading your yard because he wouldn’t use pesticides. So you put granules out and one of his cats died as a result. He responded by dropping tarantulas into your window.”

Hector’s mustache quivered. “You’re right, senorita. He had no right to refuse the exterminators. It’s part of our homeowners’ agreement.”

“Normally, they just spray inside.” She reined in the dog’s leash. Spooks tugged at the other end. “I assume you got rid of the spiders.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t hear my wife shriek. I decided right then, that lunatic was a menace to our community. He kept snakes, noisy parrots, and farm animals which you could smell from our backyard. I reported him.”

She had no idea this feud had been going on right under her nose. So much for her powers of observation. “What happened?”

“He got cited for a code violation. I was so mad, I wanted to run him out of town.”

Looks like you’ve succeeded, pal. Or someone else did it for you
. Giving a resigned sigh, Marla asked a loaded question. “Were you acquainted with Yani Verkovich, the dead man found in Goat’s house?”

“No. Why? Should I be?”

“Well, if a person wanted to get rid of Goat, framing him for murder would do the trick.”

“You…you think I would stoop to something so low?”

His furious expression made her take a step back. “I didn’t say I suspected you,” she hedged. “It’s just as likely Yani wasn’t the actual target. Maybe the killer made a mistake.”

“You are as loco as your friend. I merely tried to do my civic duty.”

“Sorry, but we have to consider all the possibilities.”
No, we don’t. That’s Vail’s job, remember?

Bless my bones, I’ve done it again
.

“Forgive me, Hector. I’ve had threatening things happen to me lately, and I don’t really know why. I’m concerned about that motorcycle you’ve heard. Ever seen its license plate?”

He shook his head, anger fading into anxiety. “I’m sorry, too. It’s unfortunate when bad things happen in the neighborhood. It turns people against each other.”

“How about I watch your back, and you watch mine?”

“Deal.”

They shook hands, then Marla headed home.

As she opened her front door, the phone rang. She raced into the kitchen to pick up the receiver. Spooks pranced at her feet.

“Hello?” she called, cradling the phone on one shoulder while she untied his leash.

“Hi,” Dalton Vail’s voice said. “I haven’t spoken to you all week. How’s it going?”

“Great. You?” Despite her reluctance to resume their relationship, her heart soared at the sound of his voice.

“Things are progressing. I thought if you didn’t have any plans, you might want to come over for dinner. I’m doing salmon fillets on the grill.”

“Oh. Will Brianna be there?”

“She’s working on her homework. I’ve been tied up in my office, but I needed a break. I’d hoped you and I could, you know, review the facts on the Verkovich case.”

“Heck, Lieutenant, I thought you weren’t allowed to divulge details.”

“You already know most of them,” he said with a hint of amusement.

“Don’t you usually use Brianna for a sounding board?”

“She suggested we call you since you always come up with fresh insights.”

Thanks, honey
. “Okay, what time do you want me and what should I bring?”

His voice deepened. “I want you all the time, and you can just bring that luscious body.”

She ignored his innuendo. “I’ll get ready, and then I’ll come over.”

“Actually, how about if you bring back Brie’s chess set? It doesn’t matter that you haven’t found a matching game board. We can use one from another set. I’d like to get started teaching her how to play.”

Marla’s throat tightened. “Sure, I’ll go get it right now so I don’t forget.”

Hanging up she wondered, while changing into a long skirt and sweater, how to explain the missing piece. Vail was already sensitive about his late wife. He wouldn’t be pleased to learn she’d ruined part of his gift.

“Spooks, it’s all your fault,” she said to the dog, who followed her like a shadow. Guilt assailed her for having left the chess set lying around where he could get it. This would only serve as another wedge between her and the detective.

After fixing her makeup and hair, she made a quick phone call to Tally to confirm their dinner date for Tuesday night, checked in with her mother, and guiltily phoned her brother at Anita’s urging. She’d just switched handbags when the sound of the telephone jarred her senses.

“Now what?” She grabbed for the receiver in her bedroom.

“Hello?”

Silence.

“Who’s there?” Her tone sharpened.

“Marla…” a raspy voice grated.

“What? Who is this?”

“It’s me. I’m calling to warn you.”

Her sweaty fingers gripped the receiver. “Goat! I don’t believe it. Where are you?” She barely recognized his voice.

Static sounded. Her Caller ID said PRIVATE CALL. No way to trace it. “Stay away from…” His next words were garbled.

“What? Stay away from the white home?” Whose white house? “I can’t hear you; the reception is bad. Can I call you back?” Click.

“Hello?”

Darn, he’d hung up, or else they had been disconnected. Either way, his message puzzled her. He’d said he was calling to warn her. But against whom, or what? The only white house that came to mind was the one in the nation’s capitol…or the residence on Evan’s ranch. She wasn’t fool enough to venture there by herself again, so why did he feel it necessary to contact her?

Her body trembling, she waited by the phone in case Goat decided to call again. Was he all right? Or had he been detained by his enemies and interrupted in his effort to warn her? Biting her lower lip, she counted the minutes until she realized the wait was useless. Might as well go to Vail’s and tell him about it. Besides, he might have something new to share with her.

Brianna opened the door, looking every inch the teenager with her midriff exposed under a busty top, tight jeans, and shoes from Nine West. She’d pulled her dark hair back into a ponytail and applied a subtle touch of makeup that Vail probably hadn’t noticed. Greeting Marla, she grinned broadly.

“I’m glad you could come,” Brianna said, flinging herself into Marla’s arms.

Stunned, Marla hugged the girl. This was the first time Brianna had made any show of affection toward her. Marla’s paranoia kicked in again, and she wondered if the girl had an ulterior motive for inviting her over.

“Daddy is in the kitchen. He’s making a mess.”

Clutching her purse and a shopping bag, Marla followed Brianna through a short hallway and into the kitchen. As always, the room produced immediate claustrophobia in Marla. Its single window over the double porcelain sink was too small, not letting in enough light. The dropped ceiling with plastic panels and fluorescent lighting increased illumination, but it hailed from the seventies, as did the speckled linoleum floor. Patterned fruit wallpaper, tacky prints of wine and cheese, a grandfather clock, and antique furniture pieces made her cringe. So did the collection of angel figurines and painted plates in a wooden cabinet. No way could she ever live in a kitchen like this. Admittedly, it had a comfortable, cozy feeling, but one more in tune with another woman’s personality.

Marla swallowed her disquiet and smiled at Vail, who stood by the sink preparing a salad. “Hi,” she said, admiring his physique. He wore a polo shirt tucked into a pair of tan Dockers. Her breath caught when he swung his penetrating gaze in her direction. Smoky gray eyes slammed into her senses with sensual force. Somehow, being in a kitchen with him put their relationship on a different keel. It almost felt…right.

“Hi,” he said, his glance traveling her length.

“I brought a bottle of chardonnay, and here’s your chess set.” She withdrew the items from her bag and put them on a counter. “Uh, about your game…” Might as well get it off her chest. “I had a little accident. Spooks got hold of one of the pieces and thought it was a chew toy. I’ll get a replacement.”

His mouth tightened. “I see.”

“I can always buy you a new set,” she offered.

“That’s not the point. This one is special. Or at least it was.” He dried his hands on a towel and stepped over to pry open the lid. “It’s missing a knight.” He said it matter-of-factly, but she caught the hard edge in his tone.

“I’m sorry. I know how much this means to you. I promise I’ll get a close match.”

He must have noticed her contrite expression, because his face softened. “Accidents happen.”

All that worry, and he was actually being nice about it. She glided over and kissed him. “I would have told you earlier, but I was afraid you’d be angry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Brianna called out. She sat at the maple dining table, schoolbooks spread in front of her. “Daddy’s more eager to play that stupid game than I am.”

“Your mother and I bought this set on our trip to Europe,” Vail explained.

“So? You bought a lot of things together. That doesn’t mean I have to like them. Right, Marla?”

She exchanged a glance with Vail. “You have the right to your own opinions,” she told his daughter. “I’m sure you treasure some of your mother’s things.”

“I have her needlepoint pictures in my room, and I like her angel collection and her crystal bells. Some of the other stuff is okay, but it makes the house too dark. You should see my friend’s place. Andrea lives in this huge house in Weston. It has vaulted ceilings, a really modern kitchen, and not nearly as much junk as we have scattered around. Her parents’ bathroom is bigger than my bedroom. It’s awesome.”