Murder on the Candlelight Tour (29 page)

"That would be nice," I replied, smiling, and recalling the magical way the crystal chandeliers in the Metropolitan Opera House ascended to the ceiling with the first chords of the overture.

Ray rewarded me with a heart-melting grin. Gosh, I thought, he's everything any girl could ask for. Why am I resisting?

"Ashley, could I see you for a moment?" Kiki called. Again I was torn from the buffet table and hustled into a corner for a tête-à-tête. "I prepared a love potion, like you asked. It's really very simple: patchouli, lemon verbena, vetiver, various oils. I'll give you the recipe. The thing is you have to find a way to get Nick to bathe in it. That's how it works."

"How in the world will I manage that? Men prefer showers."

"Not me," Ray said, coming up to us and latching onto my last sentence. "That old-fashioned claw-and-ball bathtub you've got upstairs is fantastic, roomy enough for a big guy like me. Sis, I hope you don't mind but I borrowed your bath oil. Had a nice natural scent."

Kiki's huge eyes popped open even wider. We exchanged horrified looks. Ray had bathed in the love potion that was intended for Nick. So that's why he'd been hanging around me all afternoon.

"Good lord, Kiki," I exclaimed. "Don't you dare invite Melanie into the Wiccans. She'll turn us into toads."

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MURDER AT THE AZALEA FESTIVAL

In Wilmington, the azaleas are blooming, the dogwoods are flowering, and the bodies are dropping faster than cherry blossoms on a windy day. But it's spring, and Ashley Wilkes, historic preservationist, is much too distracted by love to give a thought to recent homicides, until one occurs at a garden party where she's a guest. When her client is arrested for murder, Ashley tries her darnedest not to get involved. But she knows the actress is innocent. And just who are her most promising suspects? Why, the entire cast of a hot, new locally-produced television series.

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