ShadowsintheMist (31 page)

The only thing that could be construed as remotely
ostentatious was the huge square ruby that flashed from a solitary ring on her
finger. She smiled at me and stretched out her hand. I took it in stunned
silence.

“You’re surprised,” she said. Her voice was delicate with a
musical lilt.

“Yes,” I said, regaining some composure. “I was expecting… I
mean, I thought…”

“Don’t be embarrassed.” Her hazel eyes twinkled. “It’s a
very common misconception. Television and cinema have a lot to answer for.”

I smiled. I liked her immediately.

“Come in,” I said, standing aside. “I’m Suzanna Dirkston.
Alicia asked me to show you around. Would you like to freshen up? We’ve set
aside a room for you.”

“Actually, I’ve just come from the hotel. I make it a rule
not to stay at my place of focus. It is often…mmm…disruptive. But I’d like to
put my things somewhere, if that’s all right?”

I looked down at the large leather case and nodded.
Together, we took it upstairs to a guest room not far from my own.

Afterward, we went on a tour of the house and grounds.
Valenia, as she preferred to be called, was interested in everything. Her eyes
devoured the details of each room. Her small, graceful fingers trailed across
furniture, walls, decorations and woodwork. I could almost see her absorb the
essence of the house and I couldn’t help but admire her capacity for information.
Deep down, however, I was still skeptical.

When we reached the den, she stopped dead and I looked at
her, puzzled. “Is something wrong?”

She held up a hand and her eyes roamed around the room. She
then strode across to the sliding doors and looked out at the pool.

“There was violence here?” she asked.

“Well, yes and no,” I replied. “My father died a few months
ago. As you’ve probably heard, it was an accident. He struck his head on the
side of the pool. But violence? Not really.”

It was a lie but the media wasn’t privy to the murder
investigation and I wouldn’t be the first to mention it. For all I knew,
Valenia might be fishing for information.

She turned and looked at me and I could see she was
skeptical. But she didn’t pursue the subject, gesturing instead toward the
pool, now hidden beneath its winter cover. “May I have a look?”

“By all means,” I said and followed her out onto the patio.

The wind was cold and I shivered, watching as she made her
way around the pool. At one point, she bent and placed a hand palm-down on the
surface of the paving, closing her eyes as though in meditation. It struck me
how angelic she looked with her soft blonde hair wisping out from its ribbon
like a halo and her creamy skin almost translucent in the sunshine. Finally, she
stood up, frowning and stared off into the distance.

Kong wandered out of the shrubbery and padded across the
patio to her side. He sat down next to her and curled his tail around his legs.
After a few moments, Valenia turned her head and looked down at him. She
smiled. “Ah, there you are,” she said softly and bent to stroke the cat. He
purred and arched his back to her fingers. She looked at me. “He is for you,”
she said.

I didn’t understand what she meant but before I could ask, I
heard the door open behind me and was surprised to see David.

“Suzanna!” His greeting was warm and he caught me around the
waist, giving me a quick kiss. “Did you miss me?” he murmured.

I pulled away, embarrassed. Wouldn’t the tabloids like a
photo of this? “David, this is Valenia De Luna, the clairvoyant.”

David squinted against the sun, then flashed a broad. “Ah,
our entertainment, eh?” He held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Madam!”

“Valenia, please,” she corrected, taking his hand. Then, she
turned to me, frowning. “Suzanna, if you don’t mind, I think I might go to my
room for a few moments. I’m feeling a bit tired.”

“Of course,” I said. “Are you all right? Can I get you
anything?”

She shook her head. I could see weariness and tension in her
face. “No, nothing. I’ll be all right after a quick rest. Please don’t worry. I
often feel overwhelmed at the start. I just need time to assimilate. You needn’t
come. I can find the way.” She nodded to David and disappeared into the house.

“Was it something I said?” David asked.

I gazed after her. “Perhaps it was something you did.”

“What do you mean?”

I sighed. “Oh, David, you remember what Grant said about
creating further scandal.”

“What scandal?” he asked. “What’s wrong with giving a close
friend a kiss?”

I looked at him and could see the irritation on his face and
I knew without a doubt it was plain and simple jealousy. This time, however,
instead of feeling pleased, I felt pity.

“All right,” I said. “I’m sorry.” I went to him and reached
up and kissed him. “I did miss you,” I lied. “How was the trip? Did you sort
out all your problems?”

He wrapped his arms around me, assuaged. “The trip was
boring. I was stuck for three hours at O’Hare because of flight delays. The
accountant was late for the meeting. But I think we’re finally seeing some
light at the end of the tunnel. If we can just put in a good season this year,
we might even see our way out of the red. How about you? Any problems while I
was gone?”

I pulled away from him gently. “No, not really.” I wouldn’t
tell him about the message in the journal. I wanted to take that particular
information to the police before I told anyone. “I’ll just be glad when this
party is over,” I said.

“Yes,” he agreed. “Alicia will certainly be in her element!
But I don’t really go in for big shindigs. Especially so soon after…” He put
his hands in his pockets and turned to look out over the lake.

I placed a hand on his arm. “I know,” I said with feeling.

He looked down at me and I saw the pain of grief in his
eyes. He nodded. “You’re probably the only one who really does know,” he said.

I went back into his arms and we held each other, finding
comfort in the sharing of loss.

* * * * *

Guests began arriving throughout the afternoon. The majority
of them were from out of town and once they checked into hotels, motels or
bed-and-breakfasts came directly to Beacon. It was like a great reunion where I
was the odd man out. I knew very few faces and fewer names. Some of the guests
were quite famous in their own right and arrived in limousines, having flown in
by private plane or jet.

It was probably one of the biggest events in the history of
this small, unassuming area but because we were meticulously careful to avoid
publicity, there were, as yet, no reporters or camera crews. Still, we’d hired
additional security—four more men, two to check visitors at the house and two
to roam the grounds at random and keep an eye on the beach access. It wouldn’t
be the first time the media tried to sneak pictures of Beacon parties by
approaching via the beach. We didn’t want any surprises today.

The ballroom was opened up for the first time in years and
though usually cold even in summer, tonight it glowed. There was a raised dais
at one end where a string quartet now provided background music for the guests
milling about. There was indirect lighting along the walls, while two enormous
crystal chandeliers lit the dance floor like something out of Cinderella.
Later, the string quartet would be replaced by a dance band.

The costumes so far were stunning. Already there were four
vampires, three witches, a banshee, a hunchback, three Frankensteins and at
least two aliens. I felt somewhat unremarkable in my mother’s white wedding
dress. Alicia had helped me with makeup, powdering my face and hands so my skin
was deathly white, brushing dark shadow around my eyes to give them a sunken
look and painting my lips blood-red. I refused to wear the fake fangs. It was
impossible to speak clearly with them and I felt they were too childish.

Alicia looked magnificent in a black gauzy creation that
clung to her thin frame from neck to ankle. A filmy shroud covered her head and
face and draped over long sleeves, also hung with black, cobweb-like veiling.
She carried a long cigarette holder and her nails were painted black. She
looked like a macabre wraith, drifting from group to group as though on roller
skates. I could tell she was enjoying herself, even though she only lifted the
veil occasionally to sip a drink or eat a tidbit.

Velenia appeared as the antithesis to Alicia, dressed in a
flowing white caftan with golden serpents at her wrists and around her forehead
and golden sandals on her feet. She truly looked like a goddess.

David was quite handsome dressed as Don Quixote with a
black, red-satin lined cape and form-fitting black tights and doublet. His
blond hair, however, looked somewhat incongruous beneath the jaunty plumed hat.
I couldn’t help smiling.

“Is it that bad?” he asked, concerned.

“No, no,” I said, chuckling. “You look wonderful! I was just
noticing your fair hair. I’d never thought of Don Quixote as a blond.”

He smiled. “I had a wig but it was one of those curled white
pompous affairs and I absolutely refused. Alicia thought this up.”

“Yes. She has a talent for it, doesn’t she?” I said with
sarcasm. I let my gaze wander around the room. “Have you seen Colin? Or Grant?
I thought they promised to be here.”

He shook his head. “I haven’t seen Grant but Colin is
getting dressed right now. Wait until you see what Alicia has come up with for
him!”

I didn’t have long to wait. Five minutes later, I looked up
to see Colin descending the stairs, a huge scowl on his face, wearing a
voluminous pink-frilled, floor-length dress, a long blonde wig and carrying a
shepherd’s crook. It was too much for me. I burst out laughing. Colin turned at
the sound and glared at me before Alicia drifted up to claim him and integrate
him into a chattering group near the base of the stairs. David was turned aside
to hide his own smile.

“Little Bo Peep?” I chortled.

“It’s Alicia’s way of getting even, I think,” David
answered. He glanced at his watch. “They’re planning a séance in a few minutes.
I think I’ll make myself scarce and check on the new security guards. I don’t
think I could stand sitting through all that hocus-pocus nonsense. Do you mind?”

“No, not at all. Maybe I should go with you?”

He shook his head. “No, you stay. You might enjoy it.
Besides, one of us should keep an eye on Alicia—just to make sure she doesn’t
overdo, if you know what I mean. I don’t think Colin really notices.”

I nodded seeing the sense in this. I’d been watching Alicia.
It seemed she was only drinking apple cider but I was certain she’d be strongly
tempted to take something alcoholic. Besides, I was curious to see how Madam
Valenia operated, despite my reservations. I’d never attended a professionally
conducted séance.

* * * * *

The séance itself was limited to ten people, all of whom
were nominated by Alicia. The rest of the party moved to the ballroom where a
variety of semi-famous musicians with names like Nudist Monks, Nuked Kittens
and Hell’s Toilet were already performing. I was glad I could temporarily
escape this dubious entertainment by joining in the séance.

The chosen ten assembled in the living room. Cushions were
placed in a circle in the middle of the floor and candles were lit to create an
aura of mystery and suspense. I sat next to the skeleton on the piano bench
observing the people assembling. Alicia chatted with Robert and Louisa
Masterson, both out-of-work actors dressed as Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

Colin, who’d discarded his wig and crook, stood near the
fireplace sipping a large glass of bourbon. He looked understandably
uncomfortable. He had never learned to enjoy Alicia’s crowd of people and,
dressed as he was, must’ve felt ridiculous. I silently applauded him, though.
It took a certain strength of character to be put on display in such a manner.

There was Jonathan Hutchins, the famous hairdresser, as the
Scarlet Pimpernel, complete with lace-cuffed shirt, tailcoat, buff-colored
leggings, red-velvet knee-high boots and an elaborate powdered wig. He was
chatting with Edna Murcheson, a costume designer. She was a rotund lady, who
despite her profession, had made little effort on her own costume. She wore a
voluminous multicolored batik caftan with matching turban wound around her head
and fastened with a huge shimmering blue brooch. From what I heard, she helped
with many of the costumes worn by others and most probably gleaned satisfaction
from those.

Alicia excused herself from her friends and hurried over to
me. “Suzanna, where’s Grant? He and Darla are supposed to make up the rest of
the party.”

“I haven’t seen either of them. Have they come back from
Chicago?”

“Yes. I saw them ten minutes ago. Oh, thank God! Here they
are.” She hurried off with a swish of veils.

Grant and Darla stood in the doorway gazing about the room.
Grant had chosen the old west as his motif and was dressed in boots, buckskins
and sporting a Stetson hat. He’d even managed to find some very real-looking
six-shooters that were slung low on his hips.

Darla was the perfect saloon girl in a red-flounced,
form-fitting dress that revealed more of her bosom than it covered. She had one
side of her hair pulled back and fastened with an artificial rose.

They both caught my eye at the same time. Grant winked and
smiled. Darla lifted the corners of her mouth and slipped her hand through the
crook of Grant’s arm.

“I think we’re all here.” Valenia’s quiet voice somehow
penetrated the din of multiple conversations. “Why don’t you all choose a
cushion? Please try to keep the circle as closed as possible. I shall sit here
at the end. Alicia, perhaps you could get the lights?”

With much chuckling and groaning, we did as directed. Alicia
pulled the doors shut and lit candles around the room with a long taper. There
was one large candle in the center of our circle. It was already dark outside,
so there was no need to draw the drapes. Valenia sat very erect and poised, her
face relaxed, her eyes shut.