Carol Shenold - Tali Cates 02 - Bloody Murder (12 page)

His dark eyes caught mine and held them. The intense gaze plunged deep into my soul. As I fell into the world promised in his eyes, he kissed me and I traveled beyond any boundaries.

I jerked back to reality at the sound of breaking glass. I heard a yell. Aiden jerked back and fell. I jumped up to see Sean all tangled with Aiden.

“Sean, what are you doing?” I pulled on Sean’s arm and pushed Aiden back. “Aiden, get off my kid. Why is there glass all over the deck? Everyone be careful.” Glass covered the deck, as did the splintered frame of Mumsie’s mirror.

“Sean, did you break my good mirror?” Mumsie stepped out onto the deck. “What in the name of tarot are you all up to?”

I helped Sean get up. “Explain.”

Sean looked ready to cry. “I just wanted to show you he didn’t have a reflection. Then he started to bite you so I hit him with the mirror.”

Aiden looked angry and amused at the same time.

“Sean, you have to know the difference between biting and kissing.”

“Mom. Vamps can hypnotize you.”

“Go to your room, Sean. Rusty, go with him and call your mom to pick you up.”

“Awww, Mrs. C, please don’t.”

“We were going to the carnival again—”

“Not any more, you’re not.”

Aiden stepped in—risky move. “Wait. Let me show the boys I’m not a vampire. I do have a reflection, so he doesn’t feel he has to worry about you or me.”

“I didn’t say they thought that.”

“You didn’t have to. I figured it out with the garlic, the ‘special water’—”

“Holy water?” I squeaked. “Guys, you didn’t. Where did you get it? If you got it from the Catholic church on the corner, do you have any idea how many people’s hands have been in it? Ewww.”

Both boys looked at the floor.

“It’s not a big deal.” Aiden picked up a shiny aluminum tray I had leaned against the wall and propped it up against the deck rail. It held reflections of all of us, including Aiden.

“Are you happy now? Go get the broom and dustpan to clean up the mess and then go do what I said. Rusty is not spending the night.” I turned to Aiden. “I am so sorry. I can’t imagine what got into him. He’s not usually this rude. I don’t know if it’s all Rusty’s influence, or too many
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
reruns or the book he read from the library. He needs a father, or some consistent discipline.”

“Don’t apologize. The evening certainly wasn’t dull. What about Sean’s dad? Does he not help at all?”

“Oh, he’s around. He doesn’t want to be a dad, be present in Sean’s life, not like Sean needs.” I looked at my watch. “We’d better go and get this over with. At least, I’d better. I’m glad you came and sorry I have to run off.” I dug in my purse for my keys and ran into the clipping I’d found at the library.

“I’m glad I came also. It’s absolutely more lively here than at my place.” His expression changed and he looked off into the distance. “You’re lucky to have family so close, even if they do drive you nuts at times.”

I touched his arm. “You’ll have to tell me about your family sometime.” I handed him the clipping. “I found this when I went to the library this morning, thought you’d get a kick out of it.”

I waved as I pulled out to go to the fairgrounds. Aiden stood still, holding the clipping in his hand, looking at me as if I were a stranger or, worse yet, a bug under a microscope.

Chapter Twelve

Well hell. What was that look all about? No time to worry about it now. I had to make certain nothing had changed, no one was queuing up at the fairgrounds and that they were gathering at the auditorium. Lyn had agreed to open early so everything could be put into place.

Sure enough, parents argued with the police and shoved behind the yellow crime tape to save their places. I had to break the news to those who hadn’t received the information, calm down tempers and fears. Many attendees hadn’t heard about the murder that afternoon. They were lucky the body had been removed so quickly. Some had family coming from out of town who wouldn’t know where to go. I promised to make sure a reserve officer would stay around to direct people down the street to the alternate location.

I was allowed to make certain no props, trophies, or decorations had been left behind. The judges’ table and the rest of the trophies were still here, piled up in a corner. The show would start at eight; it was seven now, not much time. I could haul this much in the back of my car if I got it loaded. Twenty minutes and four bottles of sweat later, with the help of some passing kids with the awkward long table, the items were loaded and I was on my way.

* * * * *

The old Courtland Auditorium had belonged to the high school before they built a new one. Set close to the street, it was a brick building with twelve-foot tall windows, all open. The high ceilings made the building impossible to heat and cool effectively but the Art Deco style made it worth saving. The air smelled musty and felt clammy.

When I arrived, chaos ruled the building. Angry mothers clustered around Lyn, all talking at once halfway down the center aisle. A steady stream of contestants and entertainers circled from backstage, down the stairs, and into the auditorium and back. I went to rescue Lyn first.

“Where have you been? This has been going on since the Duchess ended. I tried your cell and you didn’t answer. We have no trophies, no judges’ table and chairs. The curtain keeps sticking and who is going to emcee?” She glared at me. “Don’t you ever leave me holding the bag again, Tali Cates. Just because you’re the golden girl around here doesn’t mean you can push me around. I’m going to check on the girls in the dressing room and you can take over here.”

I grabbed Lyn by the arm. “Excuse us for a moment, ladies. I will be right back.” I pulled Lyn down to the front and into a corner. “Don’t you ever pull a trick like that in front of a bunch of mothers. We have enough trouble keeping order as it is. We have to be consistent. If we start fighting or contradicting each other, we’ll be in shit so deep, pointy-toed boots won’t let us kick our way out.”

Lyn would have backed up if her back hadn’t already been against the wall.

“I stopped by the fairgrounds and put the table and trophies in the back of the PT Cruiser. Now I have to get someone to unload it. As far as emcee, my mother agreed to fill in, reluctantly, but if she changes her mind we’ll have to tag-team it like we did this afternoon.”

Lyn ducked her head. “Oh, okay. Didn’t mean to make you mad. But everything was hitting at the same time and some of the mothers don’t think the contest should continue or that Kimmie should compete since her mother is dead and all.” Her voice was all meek and apologetic. Her eyes blazed but whatever she thought, she didn’t say out loud.

I started to pat her on the shoulder but thought better of it. “I’ll go talk to the mob. Please find someone, anyone who has the will and muscle to unload the judges’ table and trophies from the back of my cruiser. I’m parked out front.”

I walked back up the aisle to the waiting cluster of women who were talking so loudly they would never hear a word I said, so I let loose with one of those ladylike two-fingers-in-the-mouth whistles and got their undivided attention.

“Ladies, let’s hold it down to a dull roar. Now, what is the problem?”

One of the girls’ mothers stepped up. “We don’t think the contest should go on with the murders and everything. It’s not safe.”

“And there’s the funeral tomorrow. It’s not right that Kimmie should compete with her mother just dead.”

“Can’t we postpone everything until after?” Another mother asked.

I looked at them all. “If we postpone, it will mean cancelling the contest altogether. The fair is over after tonight and we can’t resume it next week. Kimmie competing depends on Kimmie. Having the contest in a building gives us better security and control so we
can
keep the girls safe. If everyone will take their seats, Lyn and I need to take care of some things so we don’t have to begin too late. The girls have all worked hard for this. Let’s not spoil it.”

My cell phone blared at me.

“Tali. It’s Amy Shojai. I have a problem. My puppy, Magic, just had a close encounter with a skunk. It sprayed him and scratched him. Now, smelling to high heaven, I have to take him to the vet to be checked out, probably get rabies shots, and you know what the car and I will smell like. There is no way I can do all this and get there to judge. I’m so sorry.”

My stomach clenched. I was running out of last-minute options. “Are you sure? You couldn’t get Mahmoud to take him or something?”

“He’s working and I don’t have a choice. You know I wouldn’t do it if it weren’t an emergency. Wait, Magic, don’t come in the house!”

I heard her yell and the phone hit when she dropped it. Now we were short a judge. Lyn was going to have to take over that duty.

“What? Judge? I have a kid in the contest. I can’t do that.”

Damn, she was right. Mumsie would have to judge, unless I could talk Reneé into coming down. No, that wouldn’t work, she was catering a party. Lyn could emcee, and I’d corral the kids. She wasn’t any happier with that idea.

“SueAnn needs my help. I can’t be tied up in front when I need to be in the back. You can emcee.”

“I did that already and I have to show Mumsie all the judging criteria. It’s your turn to be in the spotlight. Enjoy. Come with me and I’ll give you all the cheat cards so you can introduce the girls and the acts. Be thankful this isn’t the Princess Contest with twice as many girls. Also, you won’t have to yell over carnival music when you talk.”

“All right, I’ll do it but you’d better watch out. You’ve been pushing it lately. I end up doing everything. It’s not fair. I have my own problems too. You’re not the only single mother around here.”

My head felt as if it were going to split in two. Lyn disappeared.

* * * *

When it was time for Lyn to start, I didn’t see her. More raised voices filtered from behind the stage and I went back.

Kimmie Baker and Lyn stood toe-to-toe. “You know you don’t want to disrespect your mother by performing this close to her death,” Lyn said. “Besides, you know you won’t be at your best. You don’t want to lose.”

“You don’t know anything about it. My mother wanted me to be in the contest and I’m going to be. I promised her, even when I was sick of doing the stupid song. You can’t stop me.”

Problem was, the expression on Lyn’s face made me think she might.

“Lyn. I’ve already said Kimmie was welcome to compete if she chose. I make that decision, not you.”

Kimmie tossed her head and flounced off to get ready.

Lyn’s face radiated hostility—eyebrows knitted together, a frown creasing her forehead. If she could have sent a flash of lightening at me from her eyes, she would have. “Well, Miss High and Mighty, you think you know everything. You don’t, and you’re messing with the wrong person.”

Lyn had been the picture of cooperation, all sweetness and light at first. What was going on? Was I suddenly that unreasonable to work with?

“It’s time for the entertainment to start. Go prod those potential stars. I’m going to make certain the judges have everything they need. Here are the note cards.”

Lyn leaned close and spoke in a soft voice. “The reason I don’t tell you where you can go, and what you can do with these cards, is because of the kids. I’ll do what you say for now. Don’t think I’ll ever work with you again.”

She clacked up the aisle toward the stage. I imagined sparks flying up from her heels as they pounded the floor. I forced my open mouth closed, crossed the auditorium, went up the stairs and backstage to talk to the judges. I didn’t have time for a new mystery, a stage mother tantrum or diva overtones. I had a show to keep organized, get through, and it would be all over by this evening. I concentrated on the tasks at hand: checking on the judges, finding out where the trophies were dumped and counting them.

Cherilyn was in place. The third judge, Missy Harrison, a former pageant winner herself, should be there shortly. She was a Laurel pick. The girls weren’t out for photo shoots with Cover Girl or scholarships, just a small statue and their picture in the local paper.

Missy arrived, dressed as if she were in the old series
Dallas
, shoulder pads, eighties hair, and all. She was one of the reasons Texas and big hair have become synonymous. I made certain all the judges had water, paper, pencils, score sheets, mints, and their little bag of goodies from local merchants.

Thank God. Someone had finally unloaded my car.

I pulled Mumsie aside to break the judging news to her, ignoring her arguments about not being a judge of teen talent and not wanting to get killed by militant moms.

I finally stopped to take a breath and she quickly burst in.

“Chung Po said to watch out for Lyn. She’s not what she seems.” Out of her clogging costume and in a gold linen pantsuit, Mumsie looked chic and professional.

“I figured that out. Does he have anything more specific, like she’s a voodoo priestess or has a history of multiple personality? She’s acting so strange.” Mumsie opened her mouth to say something more as Lyn’s voice boomed over the microphone.

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to this year’s Love County Fair Queen Contest competition. To begin the evening’s events, we have last year’s Princess, Sara Sue Bergen, singing her arrangement of “Fancy.”

Eight-year-old Sara Sue pranced out in her red sequined dress and heavy makeup and began belting out the song that told of her descent into prostitution. Just the song you want to hear your grade school child singing. Her delivery was pageant with a capital
P
, her voice purring and growling as was appropriate for the lyrics.

Cherilyn rolled her eyes. Mumsie’s lips tightened. I knew they were both appalled that this mother would let her child sing that song in such a suggestive way. However, Missy leaned forward, enthralled. And the competition hadn’t begun.

It would be a long night.

I left to go backstage and make certain we had trophies, flowers, banner ribbons to go over the shoulder with Queen Pageant displayed in sparkles that one of the mothers had made for all the girls who placed to wear. I wished she’d made them for everyone but, no.