The rest of my evening was spent at the emergency room being fussed over by Dee and Lindsay, then being questioned by Detective Bud Ohlsen and Richie Faria. I didn't have time to write out my speech then or even the next morning before leaving for The Clip and Sip, where I'd lucked into a last-minute appointment for help in making myself presentable for the quilt show.
Some of my nervousness over the prospect of ad-libbing the speech dissipated with the warm welcome at the quilt show. Everyone complimented me on my quilted messenger bag and my new upswept hairdo, and no one seemed to notice my dull navy pants suit, more suitable for a courtroom than this colorful community.
I was seated at the head table with Dee and Emma and half a dozen other members of the local quilt guild. Dessert had just been served, and Emma, looking a little tired but otherwise recovered from her ordeal in custody, leaned over to whisper something to Dee, who got up and headed for the podium at the center of the stage. Emma glared at the audience, willing them into silence. By the time Dee was ready to introduce me, the room was quiet except for the occasional clink of dishes being removed by the servers.
Public speaking had never made me nervous, but I was a little intimidated by the fact that it looked like at least half the residents of Danger Cove, as well as dozens of quilters visiting from out of town, were waiting to hear what I had to say. Even the famous local author, Elizabeth Ashby, had come to the luncheon, sitting dead center in the front row of tables. Beside her was a woman I'd been told was the new owner of the independent bookstore here in Danger Cove.
I did a final scan of the audience, like I'd always done with a jury before the closing statement to see who was open to hearing from me and who would need extra cajoling. After all the preparation, it always came down to the emotional connection between the speaker and the audience. I had to hope that would be enough today. My speech was nothing more than an outline, but I knew what I wanted to say, and I thought the audience would want to hear it.
Matt was at a table a little to my right, wearing what was apparently his "formal" pair of cargo pants. They were black, worn with a white sports shirt and a gray blazer that, now that I knew about his wealth and background, I was fairly sure had cost more than I used to earn in an average month as a trial lawyer. He caught me looking at him and used hand gestures to let me know he planned to call me after the show.
I owed Matt more than just a tour of the bank vault in my home now. I'd found out from Fred Fields last night that Matt was the one who'd sent the police to the museum. He'd been looking through some files on his smartphone and found the picture he'd taken of a woman coming out of Monograms when we were on our way into the meeting with Tremain. We'd all forgotten about her, since she'd been gone well before Tremain was killed. But Matt had recognized her, and it made him curious about why she'd lied about not knowing Tremain and about having been halfway across the district at the time of the murder.
Matt had followed up with Lindsay, who'd double-checked the original notes for the list of Tremain's clients. Lindsay had been shocked to find that she'd missed three names that should have been on the list, including Nancy's. Matt had immediately realized Nancy had to be the politically connected person he'd been seeking, the one who'd been scammed by Tremain and therefore had a motive to kill him. When I didn't answer Matt's call, he'd gone to Stefan's gallery, where he'd learned that I'd gone to the museum to question Nancy. Matt had then called the police, arriving at the museum himself just in time to hear that I'd passed out but was otherwise unharmed.
Lindsay was seated at the same table with Matt, wearing a pair of eyeglasses at least three years out of style. She looked through the lenses defiantly though. She'd come to my house this morning to apologize profusely for the mistake she'd made. She'd confessed that the vast majority of her mistakes the last two years at the law office, and then again this week while compiling Tremain's list, came from her refusal to wear glasses. She hadn't realized until my life was endangered just how serious the consequences could be for her mistakes.
I couldn't blame Lindsay for being in denial. It had taken several syncope episodes before I'd been willing to seek treatment, and even after the diagnosis, I'd been reluctant to admit I needed to make certain lifestyle changes.
Lindsay appeared to have embraced her glasses more fully than I'd embraced my own diagnosis. It wouldn't take much to convince Veronica that Lindsay was finally ready to commit to her work at the law office, with a new pair of glasses and a better understanding of the consequences of her actions both firmly in place.
On the other side of the room, also at a front table, were Gil and all of the nonhomicidal members of the museum's board of directors. In my statement to the police and in an exclusive phone interview with Matt, I'd managed to make it clear that Gil and the board—other than Nancy, of course—had been instrumental in uncovering Tremain's frauds and then identifying his killer. The board members had pushed each other out of the way in their rush to be the first to let me know they'd always respected Gil and were thrilled to reinstate her. They were all looking forward to working with me in the future as we went forward with Gil's quilt acquisition program, starting with Stefan's four-patch.
Way in the back of the room, at the main doors, was Fred Fields, who'd managed to snag a spot on the security detail. He looked as anxious as he ever did, but someone had slipped him a handful of vanilla sugar cookies, which he nibbled surreptitiously.
Dee was winding down, so I rose to go to the podium. As I did, I caught a glimpse of Stefan sneaking into the room with Fred's tacit approval, perhaps as a reward for Stefan's assistance in locating me last night. There weren't any empty seats, so Stefan shuffled over to an inconspicuous spot where he could lean against the wall.
With all my new friends here, I decided there really was nothing for me to stress about. I didn't need a polished, formal speech today, not when I had a subject that was guaranteed to keep everyone's attention.
I placed my notes on the podium, just as a precaution, and then began speaking into the microphone. "Good afternoon, quilters."
The audience returned my greeting with enthusiasm, and I felt something I could only describe as the opposite of stress. Adrenaline flowed the way it always had while performing in a courtroom, but without the underlying worry of knowing that someone's future depended on what I did in the next few minutes. I was among friends, and I had a story to share.
The audience settled down again, and I said, "I'm here to tell you about how a quilt appraisal helped to solve a murder."
* * * * *
Meet the local residents, explore our interactive town map, and read about the next Danger Cove mystery!
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Secret of the Painted Lady
Murder and Mai Tais
Death by Scones
Four-Patch of Trouble
Deadly Dye and a Soy Chai
Killer Closet Case
Tree of Life and Death
* * * * *
Gin Jones is a lawyer who specializes in ghost-writing for other lawyers. She prefers to write fiction, though, since she doesn't have to worry that her sense of humor might get her thrown into jail for contempt of court. In her spare time, Gin makes quilts, grows garlic, and serves on the board of directors for the XLH Network.
To learn more about Gin Jones, visit her online at: http://www.ginjones.com
Elizabeth Ashby was born and raised in Danger Cove and now uses her literary talent to tell stories about the town she knows and loves. Ms. Ashby has penned several Danger Cove Mysteries, which are published by Gemma Halliday Publishing. While she does admit to taking some poetic license in her storytelling, she loves to incorporate the real people and places of her hometown into her stories. She says anyone who visits Danger Cove is fair game for her poisoned pen, so tourists beware! When she's not writing, Ms. Ashby enjoys gardening, taking long walks along the Pacific coastline, and curling up with a hot cup of tea, her cat, Sherlock, and a thrilling novel.
* * * * *
Danger Cove Quilting Mysteries
Four-Patch of Trouble
Tree of Life and Death (coming November 2015!)
Danger Cove Farmers' Market Mysteries
A Killing in the Market
(short story in the Killer Beach Reads collection.)
Helen Binney Mysteries:
A Dose of Death
A Denial of Death
A Draw of Death
A (Gingerbread) Diorama of Death (holiday short story)
* * * * *
of the next
DANGER COVE MYSTERY
DEADLY DYE AND A SOY CHAI
A DANGER COVE HAIR SALON MYSTERY
BY
TRACI ANDRIGHETTI & ELIZABETH ASHBY
CHAPTER ONE
"That statue's not wearing any panties!"
My body tensed at the outrage in Donna Bocca's voice. As the preeminent gossip of Danger Cove, not to mention a women's undergarment salesperson, she'd spread the news of this latest Conti family calamity all over town.
"And a child is watching," PTA member, Mallory Winchester, added through clenched teeth.
I stole a glance over my shoulder at the crowd gathering in the street. Besides Donna and Mallory, there was an elderly couple, an attractive thirty-something male with a camera, and Reverend Vickers' wife, Charlotte, with the members of her Bible study group. Even worse, a ten-year-old boy was speaking into a walkie-talkie with the intensity of a CIA agent on an intelligence-gathering mission.
I looked at my watch. It was a quarter after one on a Thursday in September. Why wasn't that kid in school?
I took a deep, calming breath of the crisp ocean air and then tried to convince myself that the situation wasn't really that bad. I mean, sure, there was a wooden statue of a gold rush era prostitute hovering, like a ghost of times past, from a rope in front of my home slash hair salon. And yes, she was skirtless and spread-eagle on a chair, displaying her intricately carved wares for all to see. But at least she had a shirt on.
"Beaver shot!" a young boy shouted.
I turned and saw packs of pre-pubescent males speeding up the sidewalk on bikes, alerted to the sex show, no doubt, by the CIA wannabe.
Okay, if little boys were ditching elementary school, then the situation was that bad.
I looked up toward the roof. "Tucker—" I began, trying to control the rising anxiety in my voice. "You need to get that statue down. Now."
"Mellow out, Cassidi," he replied. "I told you, the pulley's stuck."
Tucker Sloan was the owner of One Man's Trash, a junk shop on the outskirts of Danger Cove that dealt in antiques, used furniture, and eclectic decorative items, like my late Uncle Vincent Conti's—ahem—art collection. As Tucker's hippie-speak indicated, he was all about peace, love, and understanding. But right then, I wasn't about any of those things. When he'd bought the statue from me, he'd said that because of its "splayed style" it would be easier to move it out of a second-floor window than to try to take it down the spiral staircase. So much for that idea.
I cupped my hands around my mouth and whisper-shouted, "People are getting upset. Can't you unstick it?"
He shook his thick dreads. "Looks like old Sadie's not going to leave without a fight."
"Sadie?"
"Sexy Sadie's what your Uncle Vinnie used to call her. He nicknamed all of his women, real or otherwise." He grinned. "That cat was far out."
That was one way to describe him. "Could you please just try yanking the rope again?"
"Okay, but I don't think it'll do any good." Tucker braced himself with his legs and pulled until veins bulged in his neck and the fringe on his moccasins shook.
The pulley didn't budge, but Sadie did. She began to move back and forth like a swing. Each time she swung toward the street, the onlookers let out a collective gasp—and it wasn't because they were afraid that she was going to hit them.
"Seriously, Tucker?" I cried.
"I told you so, man," he replied.
I put my head in my hands—that is, until I heard one of the boys yell "Boobies!" followed by cheers from the rest of the under-twelve crowd.
I looked up and saw Zac Taylor pushing the ship's figurehead from my second-floor apartment out the double doors of the salon. It was also the likeness of a woman, but instead of baring her nether region, this one was baring her breasts. And Zac's face was buried right smack between them.
"That's a sight for sore eyes," a deep female voice said.
I turned and saw Amy Spannagel, the assistant librarian, dismounting her bike.
"You mean, an eyesore."
She pushed up her glasses. "I'm talking about Zac's ripped biceps. What are you talking about?"
I gave her a blank stare. For a PhD student, Amy could be kind of dense. But, as much as I hated to admit it, Zac's muscles were kind of distracting. Repairing boats at the Pirate's Hook Marine Services had done his body good. "I'm talking about my Uncle Vinnie's antique porn."
"It's not porn." She tucked a strand of mousy brown hair behind her ear. "It's art."
"Psh," I said with a flick of my hand. "You're from Seattle."
She arched her quasi unibrow. "So?"
"So, it's a lot more open-minded than where I'm from. Trust me. In Fredericksburg, Texas, this stuff is straight up smut. And apparently," I began, glancing back at the scowling faces in the crowd as Zac pulled the bare-breasted wench down the steps of the porch and into the yard, "it's smut in Danger Cove too."
Amy inclined her head to one side and nodded, conceding my porn point.
"Zac," Tucker shouted, "Sadie's putting up a fight. Come and give her a tug from below."
"Sure thing," he replied. "Just let me put Pearl on the truck."
"Who's Pearl?" Amy asked.
"That figurehead," Tucker replied. "She was the apple of Vinnie's eye."
I frowned at Pearl's cupless corset. "She's a real peach, all right."
Zac pushed Pearl up a ramp and into the bed of Tucker's old pickup. Then he walked between Sadie's legs, jumped up, and grabbed onto her thighs.
I was less than thrilled about the suggestive scene, but I was more than happy that he was blocking the va-jayjay view.
"Now that's what you call eye candy," Amy breathed, ogling the backside of Zac's tight jeans.
"Hello!" I gave her a shove.
"What?" She lurched to the side and stumbled out of a penny loafer.
"I'm trying to clean up the image of The Clip and Sip and the Conti family name, and your gawking isn't helping."
Avoiding my gaze, Amy put her shoe on and pulled her socks high, as though suddenly ashamed of her naked knees.
"She's starting to drop," Zac announced as he let go of Sadie's massive thighs. But instead of lowering to the ground, she began to rock left and right.
The little boys began whistling and fist pumping like budding wannabe strip club patrons.
"Sadie sure is kicking up a fuss," Tucker commented.
"She's kicking all right," I yelled. "A burlesque version of the cancan."
No sooner had I spoken than a woman in the crowd let out a muffled cry.
Amy turned toward the street. "Looks like Charlotte Vickers just went down."
I threw my hands in the air. "That's it," I shouted. "Cut the rope."
"But Sadie's over a hundred and fifty years old," Tucker protested. "She might not survive the fall."
"Then you can take comfort in the fact that she's had a good, long life." I pointed at the offending item. "Now, you promised me that this would be a quick job, so you've got ten more minutes to get this junk off my property."
Tucker pulled a pocketknife from the front pouch of his Mexican Baja jacket and began cutting. "This is a real drag, man."
After a few seconds, the rope snapped and Sadie hit the ground. But she didn't have the decency to fall on her face. She landed upright, lascivious grin and all.
Tucker hurried down the ladder and ran to Sadie's side. After he was sure that her parts were intact, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Groovy."
"Yeah, outtasight." I put my hands on my hips. "You dig?"
His face was expressionless. Then a light went on in his burned-out brain. "Grab a leg, Zac. Let's get Sadie on the truck."
Zac ran a hand through his thick, brown hair and flashed me a mischievous smile. "Did you want us to take Hope, Faith, and Charity too?"
My face turned as pink as my Blushing Berry lip gloss. He was referring to a painting-sized photograph from the late 1800s of three prostitutes on their backs with legs splayed, clothed only in socks and shoes.
"We'd be happy to take them off your hands," he added, winking a sexy, steel blue eye.
"I'm sure you would," I intoned as he turned to help Tucker with Sadie.
"Hey," Amy said, punching my arm.
"Ow." I glared at her as I rubbed my bicep. "What did you do that for?"
"Because you promised me that picture."
"You can have it. But why would you want that hideous thing?"
"It's vintage erotica." She adjusted her beige cardigan. "And not everyone can have blonde hair and a petite figure like you. Some of us girls need a little help with the opposite sex."
I pretended to be absorbed in the loading of Sadie onto the truck. Amy and I had become friends a couple of months ago when I started studying for my online accounting class at the library. And if there was one thing I'd learned (it wasn't accounting), it was that she liked to talk about her nonexistent love life. As much as I wanted to be there for her, now wasn't the time. I had a staff meeting to plan and a quiz to study for. Besides, truth be told, talking about Amy's man troubles reminded me of mine, and that was something I'd rather forget.
"The girls are ready to go," Tucker said as Zac slammed the door of the truck bed shut. "Later, Cassidi."
Now that Sadie and Pearl were covered by a tarp, I turned to the sizable crowd. "Peep show's over, folks."
The townspeople began to disperse, and Tucker climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. Zac saluted and got into the truck.
"Wait," I said, approaching the passenger door. "How much do I owe you for helping Tucker move the, uh, things?"
He leaned out the window. "Nothing. I used to work for Tucker in high school, so I was happy to help." He paused. "Especially since it meant coming to your place."
Flustered by his comment, I pulled some cash from the pocket of my jeans. "I insist."
"Okay." He gave an opportunist smile. "Then how about dinner?"
I felt my face flush. "I…I'd rather pay you for your time." I shoved three twenties into his hand. "That should cover it."
He looked from the money to me. "For now."
I nodded and then did a double take when I processed what he'd said. But before I could respond, Tucker flashed the peace sign out the driver's window and sped away.
"Can you believe that Zac guy?" I asked as I stared after the truck.
Amy punched me in the arm—again. "He was hitting on you."
"You're hitting on me," I corrected. "What's up with you today?"
"Someone has to knock some sense into you." She put her hand on her hip. "Zac Taylor is one of the most sought-after guys in town. You owe it to those of us who'll never get a date with him to go for it."
I crossed my arms. "I told you. I'm not interested in dating right now."
She looked me straight in the eyes. "It's because of whatever happened between you and that guy back in Fredericksburg, isn't it?"
"That has nothing to do with it," I fibbed, wishing I'd never alluded to the unfortunate incident. "You know that between the hair salon and my class, I've got more on my plate than I can handle."
"That reminds me," Amy said as she reached into her messenger bag. "Here's that textbook you wanted."
"Thanks." I took the accounting tome, and the sheer weight of it served as a reminder of the burden of school. "If I don't make a C or better on that quiz in the morning, I'll have to drop the course."
"You can do it." Amy straddled her bike in her blue pencil skirt. "Are we still on for Girls' Night tomorrow?"
"Absolutely." I frowned at the textbook. "Pass or fail, I'm going to need to get my drink on. This has been a hard week, and the statue strip tease just now didn't help."
She wrinkled her forehead. "Is everything okay?"
I shrugged. "Business has been especially bad. I can count the number of clients that Lucy, Gia, and I've had on two hands."
"Well, you've only been in town for a few months. The customers will come."
"Yeah." I stared at the pink-and-orange plaid pattern on my shirt. "I'm sure they will."
Amy looked at her watch. "My lunch hour's almost up. I'd better get back to the library."
"'K. See you tomorrow night." I watched Amy ride away and wondered whether the customers really would come. In the four months that I'd been in Danger Cove, I'd gotten a real education, and it had nothing to do with my degree. The people of the town were nice but wary of me and my salon. And now that I knew why, I couldn't say that I blamed them. As much as I'd wanted to escape small-town Texas, I might have stayed put if I'd known the truth about Uncle Vinnie and this building.
* * *
I stared at the bank balance on my laptop screen. That couldn't be right, could it? The clock was showing the correct time, two thirty p.m., so my computer was working properly. I blinked in case something was clouding my vision. Nope, still the same number. I tried closing my weak eye, but it was no use. Any way I looked at it, I had three months of money before my inheritance from Uncle Vinnie ran out. I sighed and rested my head on the back of the wooden chair.
"I hear I missed quite a show today," my step-cousin, Gia Di Mitri, said from the doorway of the salon break room.
I turned my head to glare at her but winced instead. I didn't know which was more blinding—the afternoon sun shining through the bay window or Gia's bright blue stretch top, pink cheetah print tights, and neon yellow stilettos. "Who told you that?"
"Woman Mouth," she replied, translating Donna Bocca's name from Italian. "I was shopping at Lily's Lingerie when she came in for her shift. She told everyone in the store that the statue gave Zac Taylor a lap dance." She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a can of lemon soda. "Which is pretty funny if you think about it."
"Yeah. Hilarious." Despite my sarcasm, I could see the humor. It was a tragic comedy.
Gia popped the tab on the can and flopped into a chair. "Just remember, Cass, there's no such thing as bad publicity."
"No?" I spread my arms to emphasize the emptiness of the salon.
Lucy O'Connell rushed into the room, her curly red tendrils flying. "Sorry I'm late," she said as she took a seat at the table. "Since we didn't have any clients, I babysat for Mallory Winchester while she ran an errand, but it took longer than she expected." She bit her lip. "She said it was because she had to stop by here to see your porno yard sale with her own two eyes."
"Yard sale?" Now I took offense to that but not to the "porno" part. I was hardly the type to sell the girls—and by that I mean "the merchandise"—on the front lawn.
Gia's shiny lips straightened into a flat line. "Yeah, I'll bet she wanted to see it—every square inch."
"Oh, Mallory wouldn't have any interest in those statues," Lucy said. "She's into Pennsylvania Dutch art."
Gia rolled her eyes.
"Let's just start the meeting," I interjected. As upset as I was about Mallory's take on the event, I had to brush it off—just like I'd brushed off the news that the Victorian home I lived and worked in had a hundred-year history as a brothel for local lumberjacks. "Now," I began, glancing at my notes, "the plan is still to grow The Clip and Sip to fill the three empty salon chairs and hire a receptionist, despite the lack of customers."
Lucy cleared her throat. "Yeah, about that…"
I looked up.
"Um, if business doesn't pick up soon…"
"Yeah?" Gia prodded, tapping the silver-glittered tips of her French manicured nails on the table.
Lucy looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Well, I'll have to find another job."
My heart sank. I couldn't lose Lucy. I'd had to lure Gia from New Jersey with the promise of free room and board after Lucy was the only hairstylist in Danger Cove who'd answered my ad. "I understand."
"I'm sorry," Lucy said, big blue eyes welling with tears. "It's just that I won't ever be able to save enough money to marry Sven."
Sven Mattsun was a Swedish exchange student from Stockholm whom Lucy had fallen head over heels for two years ago during their senior year at Danger Cove High School. Ever since he'd returned home last year, Lucy had been scrimping and saving to pay for her to move to Sweden and their wedding.
Gia snorted. "What do you really know about the Swedish Fish, anyway?"
"Gia!" I scolded. "Sven's not a piece of candy."
"Too bad for Lucy," she said, examining a lock of her hair for split ends.
Lucy's chin trembled. "I know that I love him, no matter what you think."
Gia tossed the lock of hair to the side and shook her head.
"I met Sven when he came for a visit, and he's very nice," I said in a soothing tone for Lucy's benefit. Then I turned to Gia. "He's way better than those brainless bodybuilder types you go for. They can barely carry on a conversation."
She flipped her silky black hair over her shoulder. "Who needs to talk?"
I smirked. "Men aren't just for sex, you know."
"Who said anything about sex? I just meant that men aren't exactly known for their conversational skills."
She had me there. "Give it a little more time, Lucy. I have some ideas to bring in more business."
"Really?" Her eyes widened. "Like what?"
"For starters, The Clip and Sip now serves alcohol." I handed each of them a copy of the new drink menu. "Every customer gets either a free glass of wine or one of my homemade liqueurs."
Lucy's face brightened. "This is awesome. It'll feel more like a spa experience."
Gia took a sip of soda as she perused the drink list. "And a little Texas moonshine might help to alleviate the bitter taste in people's mouths about the building's past."
I shot her a look. "Peach liqueur hardly qualifies as moonshine. Anyway, Gia, you'll also offer a complimentary manicure to our customers."
She dropped the menu. "How will I get paid?"
"I'll have to cover your commission during the promotion." I couldn't afford it, but it was the least I could do. Even though my Aunt Carla had married Gia's father, Frank, ten years before when we were both sixteen, my Uncle Vinnie hadn't left Gia so much as a mention in his will. Apparently, he hadn't been as into family as my dad, Domenic. But now that I thought about it, ever since my dad had divorced my mom last year and moved back to his native New Jersey, he didn't seem too interested in family, either.
Gia patted me on the back. "Thanks, Cass."
"Also," I began, "since we're so close to Seattle, we're going to offer coffee drinks. I bought a professional-grade espresso machine by Nuova Simonelli."
"Those are like twelve grand!" Gia exclaimed. "I knew your Uncle Vinnie was loaded."
"He wasn't. I bought the machine on credit." My stomach turned as I admitted that last part. "Anyway, I'm glad you're excited about the machine, because you're going to make the drinks."
"I'm going to make cawffee too?" she squawked, her New Jersey accent rearing its colorful head. "Why do all of your new promotions involve me?"
"Because you have skills that Lucy and I don't," I replied. "Plus, your makeup services haven't exactly taken off."
Her eyes narrowed. "It's not my fault that the nature-loving ladies of Danger Cove don't appreciate the smoky eye."
The smoky eye was the unofficial state look of New Jersey. But the combination of purple, blue, and even green eye shadow with smudged eyeliner would be more appropriately named "the sickly eye." "No, but it is your fault that you don't apply makeup that's suited to the client."
"But the whole point of makeup is to look made up, not…" She wrinkled her mouth. "…natural."
"The whole point is to make the client happy," I snapped. "Now, I've put an ad about our new services in the Cove Chronicle that will start running today. In the meantime, I need the two of you to spread the word, especially you, Lucy. Tell all of your girlfriends and their moms."
She nodded. "I'm sorry to bring this up, but…"
Gia exhaled loudly. "For crying out loud—just spit it out."
"Is there any update on getting the ceiling fixed?"
Gia and I exchanged a look.
"I know it's a sensitive subject," Lucy continued, "and I wouldn't normally bring it up, but it's starting to sag. And since it's right above my chair…"
I shifted in my seat. "Well, I'll have to get police permission for a plumber to go into Uncle Vinnie's room. I can stop by the station today."
"Thanks, Cassidi."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room.
Gia turned to me and cocked a well-plucked brow. "Is that it?"
I looked at my meeting agenda. "That's all I have."
"No, I mean, is that all you have planned to bring in new clients? Because, if you ask me, we need something bigger."
Of course, I hadn't asked Gia, but I knew from experience that she was going to tell me exactly what she thought. "What do you have in mind?"
"Egypt." Her face beamed brighter than her outfit.
I blinked. "I'm not following you."
Gia stood up and started to pace. "Think Cleopatra, the most regal and seductive queen of all time."
"O-kay," I said.
"We want to make women feel like her. You know, spread out all sexy on a gold chaise lounge."
I was pretty sure that the chaise lounge was a modern French invention, but whatever.
"So, picture this," Gia continued, motioning like a movie director, "we give the clients blowouts. But instead of the smoky eye we do the Cleopatra eye. And the whole time they're in the chair tanned bodybuilders are fanning them with those big feather-duster things and feeding them with their hands."
I stared at Gia openmouthed, and Lucy went pale.
"You do realize, don't you, that using sex to sell the salon is exactly what I don't want to do?" I paused for effect. "For obvious reasons."
"Gawd!" Gia threw her head back in frustration. "Sex sells, Cassidi. It sold when this place was a brothel, and it sold when your Uncle Vinnie ran his hair salon here. That's why his business was so successful."
"Yes." I met her gaze straight on. "But that's also what got him murdered."