It didn’t seem fair to deal with Adele’s problems during my work time, except the part about removing the kid from story-time. I knew I would deal with it better than Adele. Still, it was not something I looked forward to taking care of, and I gladly put it off. I wished I could put off the party planning too, but time was of the essence.
That afternoon when the Hookers met, I took Dinah aside and told her all about it. True-blue friend that she was, she offered to help.
The crew was taking care of Marlowe, which left me free. “Let’s talk about it over dinner,” I suggested. Dinah was ready for another girls’ night and agreed. She even had a restaurant in mind.
• • •
“Roberta keeps talking about this place,” Dinah said as we approached the glass doors of City Dishes. It was at the high end of what was referred to now as fast casual. The dining area was appealing, with wood tables and nice décor. We went to the counter to order and Dinah waved at her student, who walked behind the order taker and was carrying a tray of food. I smiled at her, too.
We perused the menu on a big board hanging over the cashier’s area. I chose the salmon with asparagus and mashed potatoes and Dinah ordered the Chinese chicken salad. We were given a number and found a table near a window. As soon as we sat down, we started to talk about how I’d gotten mired in the mess with Adele and her party business. “I’m going to see it through with these two parties, but then Adele is going to have to step up and be more than the prima donna talent.” I had made some notes on what I needed and put them on the table. I was glancing through them when Roberta showed up with our food.
“I’m one of the assistant managers, but I do everything,” she said as she set down the plates. She saw the notes on the table. “Is this a business meeting?”
“If you call putting together a kid’s birthday party business, I guess it is,” I said. I didn’t mean to, but I segued into the situation of one being a last-minute affair and one being complicated.
“Maybe I can help,” she said. “Being a production assistant has given me a lot of experience dealing with all sorts of things beyond just looking out for rattlesnakes. I had to arrange for all kinds of stuff, like getting one the producer’s Saint Bernard groomed and snagging last-minute reservations for a director at a trendy place that was booked out for a month. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
I mentioned dealing with Adele, and Roberta laughed. “She sounds like everybody I dealt with. They all have fragile egos. It can cost a production assistant their job if they don’t treat the top people right.”
“You probably dealt with the food service since you seem experienced in it,” Dinah said.
“Even there egos clash,” she said. “If someone gets in the wrong food line, it’s a mess all the way round. It’s not a good place to make a mistake.” She looked at the notes again. “What do you need?”
“More than I can tell you in a few seconds,” I said
She said she was due for a break and would come back. “Ms. Lyons-Blaine is the best and I’d be happy to help.”
“Ms. Lyons-Blaine?” I said when Roberta left. The last I had heard was that Dinah was going to keep to Lyons as her last name when she married Commander.
“I know it’s a mouthful, but it seemed to be really important to him that I add on his last name. I recently did it. It seemed like a small request. It’s so confusing to get married again when you’re in your fifties and have a life and identity.”
Roberta returned with plates of cake and said they were complimentary. And then she listened while I explained the situation. “The games and decorations aren’t a problem for the first one,” I said. “I can do all that with a stop at a party store, but the food is another story.” I showed her Lily’s demands for vegan hot dogs and an organic sheet cake.
“No problem. I can arrange that for you,” she said. She glanced back at the food area. “We can do it here.”
“You’re hired,” I said and gave her the kids’ menu. “I don’t think the other party is going to be that easy,” I said before describing the adventure I’d sold Taylor on. Roberta asked some questions about the child the party was for and the location. As soon as I mentioned it was for Andrew Palmer Junior, her face lit up.
“You don’t need to consult the books. It should be a treasure hunt with an Indiana Jones–style adventure. Give them all hats and set up an obstacle course toned down for a five-year-old’s style. This Adele person can lead the way with the kids being her helpers. I would be happy to help with it. Making a good impression on the Palmers would help me get my next PA job,” she said. She had ideas for the decorations and knew where to get everything. She said she would call me with costs and even offered to come with us when Adele and I delivered the detailed proposal and again for the actual party.
“Thank you,” I said. “You’re fantastic. I don’t suppose you know a way to tell a mother that her son can’t come to story-time anymore.”
She smiled apologetically. “I’m afraid that’s on you.” One of the other workers came to the table and told her there was a problem in the kitchen and she left.
“That was easy,” I said, letting out a big sigh of relief. “Problem solved.”
Unfortunately, it was not the only one.
• • •
I had hoped that CeeCee getting Mason Fields involved would keep Rick Carlson off of me, but he was sitting in his Crown Vic when I came into work the next day. I knew without looking behind me that he had followed me into the store. There was no use trying to avoid him, so I turned abruptly and faced him.
“Did you want something?”
He let out a little grunt of displeasure, as it appeared that I had taken charge. “I was hoping to ask you a few questions,” he said. He made it sound like I had a choice, but I knew I didn’t. The Columbo act had gotten tired. I was even thinking of asking Mason for that lawyer referral.
I took him to the yarn department, which was empty at the moment. It gave a semblance of privacy and I invited him to sit at the table.
“What do you want to know?” I asked. There was another grunt of displeasure as I had taken charge again.
“What do you know about the podcast that Daisy Cochran was putting together?”
“Only that it was supposed to be one of those true crime things and she was going to use information she had to shed new light on some old incidents. She was calling it Were They Murders.”
“What were the crimes she was going to cover?” he asked. “Maybe something from your past?”
I couldn’t help myself and laughed. “I’m sorry but I don’t think there’s anything I’ve done that would be that interesting.”
He didn’t seem happy with my answer and asked how developed the audio shows were.
I gathered that CeeCee, through Mason, must have explained that she was there to be considered as the host of the podcast, which would imply there was a plan for the shows, and I remembered the notes I’d seen. All that I recalled was that the beginning of the notes had a heading of House or maybe it was The House. I thought it was better to say nothing, and I simply told him I didn’t know.
He wasn’t pleased with my answer and kept hammering at me about who the subjects of the podcast were supposed to be. After the fifth I don’t know, he finally gave up and left.
He was becoming less like Columbo and more like a terrier. Only I was the pants leg he had latched on to. I really needed to find a way to get him to let go.
When he finally left, I knew I needed something to perk me up before I had to deal with Adele. We were going back to Taylor’s with the more detailed proposal during our lunch break. I still had to tell Adele about Roberta, which I knew would be a problem. Bob saw me and pulled out a paper cup. “Make it a black-eye,” I said.
“You’re really getting into the hard stuff,” he joked as he worked on getting two shots of espresso to add to the cup of coffee. It only took a few sips for the drink to start to work its magic and I felt ready for anything, except for Adele. She balked when she heard the theme was settled without me consulting her, even though she was happy about what it was.
“I guess you don’t remember that you put it on me,” I said. Roberta had come through as she had promised and I wrote it all up.
“Even if I did, you should have cleared it with me before you wrote it all up.” She was being extra ridiculous. She had toned down her attire and there was no costume or explosion of crocheted flowers on a sweater. She had loose-fitting lavender slacks on with a long tunic top in the same color. And then she wrapped a shawl around her and tied it, leaving the knot over one shoulder. It was made of granny squares in all different colors. No one could accuse her of being dull.
I wasn’t compelled to explain any more, but I did. “I was lucky enough to get some help,” I said. “Her name is Roberta and she’s coming with us to explain the setup.”
“What do you mean someone is coming with us?” Adele said in a petulant tone. “You should have talked to me first. Remember, it’s my party business.”
How convenient of my coworker to start acting all possessive when there was nothing for her to do.
“She’s not charging us anything. All she wants is an introduction to the Palmers,” I said, and Adele agreed.
I shouldn’t have worried. Roberta was used to dealing with difficult people and won Adele over before we even pulled out of the bookstore parking lot by complimenting her on her shawl and asking if she’d made it. She was enthused about seeing the Palmers’ house and went on about the history of it from the time it was the summer house of the Beltrons to Margo Palmer’s fall. “All that glamour and then she died there all alone,” Roberta said in a wistful voice.
Elena answered the door as before and sent us back to the guesthouse to wait for Taylor. I wondered if she was really that busy or if it was just to let us know who was more important. Roberta wanted to see what we would be working with and looked over the guesthouse and went outside to check out the grounds. I knew she really wanted to see the inside of the main house but was taking what she could get.
“Wait for me,” Adele said, rushing out after her. “I’m the principal in the party business and should be involved in every decision.” Now that I was alone in the place, I wanted to have another look at Margo’s things. I did a repeat trip to the bathroom hoping to use the unlocked door to get in. But this time the door leading from the bathroom was locked. I remembered the headline on Daisy’s notes for the podcast had been something about a house. I had seen her in two photographs of parties held there. I knew now that Taylor had been at Daisy’s event. Could the house Daisy was referring to be this one? If there was any chance to find something to throw at Rick Carlson to get him off my back, I wanted to get in that room. Normally, I would not have done it, but I felt like I had to do what I had to do. I pulled out a credit card and used it to push the locking mechanism out of the way.
I went right to the desk and looked for the appointment book, and at first I thought it had been moved, but it had blended in with the other things on the desk. I opened it to the day of Margo’s accident and read over the notes with a fresh eye. And then I realized it was all right there in front of me all along, coupled with some information Elise had given me. I just hadn’t recognized it.
I got my phone out and was going to photograph the pages when the door whipped open and Taylor walked in. “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.
“Checking for evidence that Margo wasn’t alone when she fell. I was right when I said you were at the author event. You almost had me believing that I was mistaken, but then I saw you in the photo of the crowd. Daisy knew you were here when Margo fell, if that’s what really happened. It was all about getting this house, wasn’t it? With Margo out of the way, you could finally live in the legendary house.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she sputtered. “The police, coroner, and Andrew all agreed that Margo was home alone when it happened. It was her own fault. She should have left when they got the divorce. Andrew was softhearted and wouldn’t evict her.”
Elise had told me about the research she had done on the house. I had not paid much attention at the time because she had gone off on the lack of romance in marriages of the powerful and wealthy. Her point was that the house belonged to Andrew Palmer and it was spelled out in the prenuptial agreements with both of his wives. Now it made sense.
“Was she really here alone?” I said. “Margo only wore high heels when she had company.” The color drained from Taylor’s face and she gave me a cold look.
“There’s no way to prove that it was me,” she said in a panicked voice.
“It’s right here,” I said, holding up the appointment book. “I thought it was a reminder that she needed toilet paper, but the tp was for Taylor Palmer and that you were coming to see her. You were here when she fell, or was she pushed? And somehow Daisy knew.” I watched the change in her demeanor. She seemed to be falling in on herself. “Daisy knew you were there with Margo and when you heard about the podcast, you had to get rid of her. And then when you heard that Leslie Bittner was going ahead with the podcast, she was next.” Taylor was rocking her head from side to side and closing her eyes. Was she trying to make it all go away?
She opened her eyes and stared directly at me. “Why couldn’t you have paid attention to the note I left on your car? No one can know that I was there the day that Margo fell. I thought that I could talk her into leaving the house since Andrew wouldn’t do it. He could have, you know. It belongs solely to him, but he didn’t want to go through the embarrassment of evicting her. All she did was go on about how she was staying there and that she was the real Mrs. Palmer and that I had just tricked Andrew into divorcing her because I was giving him the sons he’d always wanted. And then to make it even more insulting she got a phone call from Daisy Cochran and went upstairs to talk. By then I realized it was hopeless and I left. I was so upset by the whole thing I had to get myself some self-care to calm myself.”
Taylor’s mouth tightened with annoyance. “When I heard you talking about the podcast she was doing, I realized that Daisy must have known I was there when she called Margo, but never said anything. With her column over, Daisy needed money and was doing whatever she had to. I heard she was even doing PR work under another name. I was going to offer her money to keep me out of her podcast. I had bought a copy of her book and was going to approach her to get it autographed. I had an envelope of cash.”
It seemed as if her throat had gone dry and she stopped to swallow. “When I saw Daisy get sick, I left.” She gave me a hard look. “No one knew I was there and I wanted to keep it that way.” I glanced out the window and saw Adele and Roberta wandering around the yard. “And without you, there’s no proof that I was.”
I wondered if she was telling the truth or just buying time while she figured out what to do with me. It wouldn’t have been the first time someone tried to get rid of me because I confronted them with what they’d done. I tensed, waiting to see if she was going to make a move. Did she have a tiny gun in her pocket or was she planning to grab one of the kitchen knives?
I made a move toward the door and she came up behind me. “No one can know that I was there the day Margo went down the stairs,” she said in a low voice. I prepared to jab her with my elbows if she stuck a weapon in my back, but she didn’t do anything.
Adele and Roberta came in and Adele instantly took center stage and began to give the exact details of the party. Adele described the Indiana Jones–like adventure with a description of the hats the kids would get, the pit of plastic snakes they would have to climb over, and the treasure chest they’d find at the end. Adele was lost in her own performance and never noticed that Taylor and I were both lost in our own thoughts. Taylor gave her approval at the end and didn’t even try to negotiate the updated costs. She left with barely a goodbye, assuming we would find our way out.
I was so rattled by the confrontation with Taylor, I had a hard time taking part in the conversation on the ride back. Roberta was all charged up and wanted to help with the mother whose son was causing trouble at story-time. She sparked when she heard his name and knew the details of what had happened to the boy’s father. We both agreed it was a shame to remove him from story-time and convinced Adele to let us figure out something else.
• • •
“You know the appointment book will disappear after this and even if Elena tells the shoe story, it’s no proof that Margo’s company was Taylor. Daisy is the only one who knew Taylor was there and she and her notes are both gone,” I said to Dinah. “That just leaves me.” My shoulders sagged as I tried to make sense of it all. She had met me at the bookstore as soon as Adele and I returned and Roberta had rushed off to work. We’d forgone coffee and were in the yarn department with our hooks out, which for the moment were idle.
“If she knocked off Margo, Daisy and Leslie, why not me too?” I said. “Not that I’m upset with her decision.” I punctuated it with a mirthless laugh. Dinah was just letting me talk and I continued. “Maybe it was just because Adele and Roberta were there.” I scanned the area nervously. “And she has something else planned. And I still have nothing to get Detective Terrier off my back.”
“Or, she was telling the truth,” my friend said.
Whatever it was, I dealt with it the only way I could. I shoved it to the back of my mind and got on with the rest of what was on my plate.
“The Langford party is this weekend. It’s the official end to my investigation. I barely got Peter to wait until then to make the deal with him. I don’t think he has any confidence in my ability and regrets getting me involved.” I sighed. “Peter will get his money, Miles will get another executive producer credit and l will go back to being just Peter’s mother. I’ll probably be stripped of my grandmother role when Gabby comes back and finds out that I accused one of the people in her mommy group of being a serial killer and investigated another one. She didn’t like me before and it can only go downhill from that.”
Dinah gave me a sympathetic pat on my arm. “The only bright spot is Roberta Tockle. She’s great,” I said.
“We’re sitting in the yarn department. It feels like we should crochet,” Dinah said. We both took out the granny square striped blankets. I was doing two rows of colors to one row of black yarn. Dinah was doing all the rows in color.
I didn’t mean to, but I couldn’t help myself and went back to the encounter with Taylor. “Is it possible I was wrong?”