Silence of the Lamps (15 page)

“True love.”

“It can’t be true if he’s looking in another direction.”

“He’s looking back. That doesn’t mean he can’t look forward again.”

Out of nowhere, Caprice heard a beeping. Her phone didn’t beep.

Nikki slipped hers from her pocket. She said, “I recognize this name. She inquired about my services. I should take this.”

Caprice gave her a nod and went toward the tables where the judges and onlookers were gathered. The judges, however, weren’t ready to announce. Caprice dropped to the ground giving attention to Lady until Nikki came back, a worried expression on her face.

Before Caprice could ask, she said, “I have a decision to make.”

“It doesn’t sound like one you want to make.”

“The call was from Trudi Swenson. She wants me to cater her wedding reception.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Drew was supposed to cater it. Her wedding is Tuesday evening and she can’t find anyone else. I had even met with them, and they decided to go with Drew instead.”

“What did you say?”

“I said I’d call her back. She was in tears, Caprice. If I don’t cater it, she’s going to have to cancel her reception. But if I do it, how’s that going to look to the police?”

“You can’t live your life worried about what the police are going to think. You also have to make an income. On the other hand, if the powers that be need just one little excuse to go after you, I don’t know if that could give it to them. Why don’t you call Vince and ask his opinion.”

“I don’t want someone else making decisions for me.”

“This could be an important one, Nik.”

“Instead of thinking about the police or consulting Vince, I’m just going to put myself in her shoes. Her wedding is a few days away and she can’t find a caterer. What would I want someone to do for me?”

“And the answer is?” Caprice knew what Nikki was going to say.

“I’m going to cater it, and I’ll deal with the fallout later.”

That fallout could be a murder charge that Nikki wasn’t ready for.

Someone tapped on the microphone at the head of the tent, and Caprice heard a man’s booming voice say, “We have the results. We’re ready to disclose the winners of this year’s Grocery Fresh Raspberry Festival
.”

The manager of the store, Irving Bradford, was doing the announcing. Caprice could see he was enthusiastic about what he did and how he did it. That’s why Grocery Fresh was one of her favorite places to shop.

There was a round of applause, and Irving raised his hand. “Here we go. In third place, for a twenty-five dollar gift certificate from Grocery Fresh, the winner is Caprice De Luca’s raspberry bread.”

Nikki gave her a hug and Nana waved from across the tent.

“In second place, for a fifty-dollar Grocery Fresh certificate, the winner is Teresa Arcuri with her raspberry rhubarb cobbler.”

Caprice knew Teresa. She’d redecorated her living room and dining room not so long ago. She was her mom’s age and took baking as seriously as anyone in the De Luca family.

“And for our grand prize, a one hundred dollar Grocery Fresh gift certificate, the winner of this year’s dessert raspberry competition is Celia De Luca with her raspberry shortcake. I’ve got to tell you, Celia, there isn’t much of it left. The judges gobbled it all.”

Everyone laughed, and Caprice and Nikki rushed to Nana to give her a hug. At least something good had come from today.

Then Caprice remembered talking to Helen and learning about Bronson’s tennis matches. As soon as she found a quiet spot, she’d call Roz and see if her friend could pull a few strings to reserve a court next to his.

She couldn’t do anything about Grant and his ex-wife, but she could solve Drew’s murder. It was time she put more effort into that endeavor.

Chapter Thirteen

Caprice was so excited as she and all of her family, as well as Roz trailed from the parking area toward the Giant Center on Sunday evening. They entered as soon as the doors opened and went to a special window. Dulcina, Rod, and the girls met them there. After introductions, Caprice could see Dulcina was excited too.

“I can’t believe he did this for all of us.”

Leslie said, “He’s a rock star. He can do whatever he wants.”

Caprice spoke up. “Ace might be a rock star, but he’s just a nice guy too. He likes lasagna and times with his family, and most of all he loves music. You’ll see that tonight.”

When Leslie looked as if she might have a retort, her father hung his arm around her shoulders. Rod was about five-ten, with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes. All of his attention was on his daughters, and Caprice supposed that’s how it should be. But he was dating Dulcina. He should be giving her some attention too.

After Caprice presented their tickets and their backstage passes at the window, the clerk made a call. A security guard came to escort them to the area where they’d be meeting Ace. Caprice’s uncle Dom and Dulcina began discussing Halo as they followed the security guard. They all clambored into an elevator that took them to the ground floor.

Excitement practically hummed in the air as they followed the security guard . . . or bodyguard. This was the home of the Hershey Bears Hockey Club. It also sponsored other sports events. Soon the place would be filled with an enormous concert crowd that could number more than ten thousand fans who wanted to hear Ace’s music. This was a huge venue for Ace, and she wished him every success.

Caprice kept her gaze on her Nana as they went down a hall. They seemed to be headed to the hockey players’ dressing rooms. This had been a long walk for Nana from the entrance of the arena where they left her off to where they were now. Although Nana was a spry seventy-six, Caprice worried about her.

She tapped her nana’s arm, leaned close, and whispered, “Are you okay?”

“Don’t you start,” Nana retorted. “That security guard asked me if I wanted a wheelchair. Seriously? Just look at my sneakers. I walk every day. I’m fit for more than this.”

Caprice had to smile. That was Nana. Raring to go.

Soon they were shown to an area that was set up for Ace’s Meet-and-Greet. Ace was waiting at a table for them. Caprice caught sight of Marsha, Ace’s ex-wife, and his daughter, Trista, talking to the band members, who were also milling about. Marsha waved and Trista ran over to give Caprice a hug.

“Isn’t this so exciting?” Trista asked. “I’ve never seen Dad perform in a place like this before. And Mom and I might be moving to Kismet to be near him.”

“That’s wonderful. Then I can see you more often too.” She saw that Marsha was smiling as she spoke to Zeke Stoltz, Ace’s bass player. Zeke had almost quit the tour, but he and Ace had resolved the misunderstandings between them.

Caprice noticed Ace give Marsha’s arm a squeeze before he came over to them, and she seemed to be looking at him adoringly once more. Was it possible the two of them would reunite?

Ace was a different man now than he’d been before his divorce. He’d taken responsibility for his daughter and a past road-life he didn’t want to repeat with his comeback tour. Whether or not he and Marsha got back together again, their renewed relationship could only be good for Trista.

Although she and Ace had become friends and he’d met Nikki, he’d never been introduced to all of her family until now.

He gave Nana a big hug, and Caprice heard him say to her, “From what Caprice tells me, you remind me a lot of my own grandmother. She was a big influence in my life growing up. I consider her my guardian angel now.”

Nana whispered something in his ear, and Ace laughed.

The evening seemed to take wings as there were photos all around, for her and her family, and for Dulcina, Rod, and the girls. The Meet-and-Greet fun was over way too soon. But Caprice knew Ace had other fans to greet, some who had won an autograph session from a nearby radio station, and others who had won a contest via e-mail through his fan club.

The guard walked everyone back out to the main arena and showed them to their seats in the front row. The ground floor seating was slowly filling up. The bright lights would be dimmed at concert time, but for now it was easy to see the flow of people, all age groups, who had come to hear Ace and his band perform.

Caprice’s attention wandered to Bella and Joe down the row from her. Joe’s arm was around his wife’s shoulders, and they both looked happy to be here. With a baby, date night was a special thing for them. Maybe she and Nikki could hold down the fort for them some night soon so they could go out again. Caprice didn’t feel quite capable of handling an infant and two kids on her own. She was about to say something to Nikki in the seat beside her when Nikki snagged her attention first.

“Caprice, look over there.” She pointed to a row of seats behind a railing, up the first few steps from the ground floor. Caprice didn’t even need the binoculars she’d brought along to see who it was.

“Is that Judy Clapsaddle and Jeanie Boswell?” Nikki asked.

“Sure looks like it.”

Judy Clapsaddle owned the Nail Yard in Kismet where Caprice had had her nails done and had bought a gift certificate for her mom. Judy had given her good information when Caprice looked into the murder of her mom’s best friend.

“Maybe I’ll just wander over there and talk to them,” Caprice said. “I’ve got plenty of time before the concert starts.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Nikki asked.

“No, you stay here. I won’t be long.”

But as she made her way over to the steps and started climbing them, she noticed Jeanie leave the row and head toward a concession stand in the back. Apparently she wanted an Ace Richland T-shirt more than she wanted to talk to Caprice.

Judy, however, aimed a welcoming smile at Caprice. “Imagine seeing you here. I’ll bet we’d notice a lot more Kismet residents if we take stock of everybody who walks in.”

“Probably. I thought I’d come over and say hi. I was going to talk to Jeanie too, but she ran off.”

The din in the arena was growing louder with more people talking now. Music was playing in the background over the speakers.

Judy leaned into Caprice so she could hear her. “I think she’s just embarrassed. She wasn’t sure she should come tonight, you know, after Drew’s death and all. But she had the tickets, and what good would it do her to stay home? When she mentioned it to me, I said we could come together.”

“That’s really nice of you. How is she doing?”

Judy seemed hesitant to answer. “Are you looking into Drew’s murder?”

“Let’s just say I’m keeping my ears open.”

“You really helped the police when Louise was killed.”

“Some of that was inadvertent,” Caprice admitted, remembering how she’d come face-to-face with the murderer but had ended up winning out.

Recalling all that, and apparently the information she’d given Caprice before, Judy said, “It’s always been hard to get to know Jeanie. But because we have businesses practically across from each other, we often bump into each other at the Koffee Klatch or at the deli. So we’ve had a few conversations. That’s how I learned she was coming up here tonight when I ran into her at the deli yesterday.”

“Did she take any time off?”

“Just for Drew’s funeral. And to tell you the truth, she doesn’t seem all that affected by Drew’s death. It’s crazy. I mean, I have a brother. If anything happened to him, I’d be devastated.”

The same was true for Caprice. “What was her mood driving up here tonight?”

“She was all light and excited as if nothing unusual had happened. I don’t know. Maybe I’m reading her all wrong. Maybe she’s just really good at covering up what she’s feeling.”

After a few more exchanged pleasantries with Judy, Caprice returned to her seat beside Nikki.

Nikki asked, “Did you find anything out?”

Caprice just shook her head.

Not long after, as the lights in the arena dimmed, as the excitement and the buzz and then the applause grew, as Ace’s opening act appeared on the stage and swung into an introduction, Caprice’s thoughts couldn’t stop tripping over one hurdle. What if Jeanie Boswell wasn’t just hiding her feelings?

What if she was a cold-blooded murderess?

* * *

Caprice swam laps on Monday afternoon as if her life depended on it, and maybe it did. She needed to burn off excess energy. If she did, maybe she could think more clearly. Her thoughts were disrupted with worry about what Grant and Naomi were saying . . . and doing.
Especially
doing. They were also disrupted by everything she had learned and not learned about Drew Pierson, as well as his sister’s attitude. Just what direction should she go next?

The gym part of Shape Up was a busy place this afternoon. The pool, not so much. Because she didn’t dawdle, her swim took about a half hour, her shower and hair dry about another fifteen minutes. She’d be home to her animals to spend time with them before an evening tennis game with Nikki. Maybe she’d take Lady along. Animals were like kids. You couldn’t leave them for hours on end without them missing you. If they missed you too much, they misbehaved, or tried to get your attention in unusual ways. She tried to prevent that.

She pushed open the women’s locker room door, about to head straight through the gym area to the front of Shape Up. But as she passed the elliptical trainers, she spotted Larry Penya.

Nana would tell her that was a sign.

Away from Bronson, would he open up more than he had at Rowena’s? There was only one way to find out.

She “accidentally” brushed against his machine, her bag catching on the corner. As she stopped to apologize, their gazes met.

“I’m really sorry,” she said. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Then as if a lightbulb had gone on in her head, she said, “I met you at Rowena’s. Larry Penya, isn’t it?”

“You have a good memory. You’re Nikki De Luca’s sister.”

“You know Nikki?”

“No, I don’t know her. I was at the Valentine’s Day dance. Drew pointed you out to me, along with Nikki while he was working with her.”

Almost everybody in Kismet had been at that dance. She’d been preoccupied that night with Grant . . . and with Seth. But now she wasn’t preoccupied.

She moved a little bit closer to Larry. “Because my sister and I found Drew, as well as for Rowena’s sake, I’d like to get to the bottom of what happened if the police don’t. So maybe you could help me with something.”

He looked reluctant to do so, then asked, “What do you need help with?”

“It’s a personal thing, really. Can you tell me if Drew really liked Nikki? He gave her the impression he did, but she didn’t want to mix business with pleasure. I’m not sure if she regrets that now.”

Larry took the towel from around his neck and wiped sweat from his brow. “I guess it doesn’t much matter anymore what I say, so I guess I can tell you the truth.”

Caprice held her breath. It was rare that someone actually spoke the truth.

“Drew knew Nikki was experienced with her business and a good chef. He intended to work with her to learn what he could from her—about running a catering business and about the type of food she cooked. He made a play for her because he thought if they got serious, they could partner up, and he’d be on his way to what he wanted.”

“What did he want?”

“To make some money, to be a success, to ride on somebody else’s coattails without putting a lot of effort into it.”

Caprice didn’t want to respond out of pique, so she waited a few beats before she said, “But it didn’t work out with Nikki. So he must have been motivated. He ventured out on his own and then he managed that lucrative deal with Rack O’ Ribs.”

“Drew was motivated, all right. He wanted the good life like Bronson has. He just wasn’t exactly sure how to get it. There’s a reason he got that deal with Rack O’ Ribs.”

“A reason other than the barbecue sauce tasting good?”

“Lots of barbecue sauces taste good. Drew got serious with the manager’s daughter, and she put in a good word for him with her dad. Drew knew that manager was friends with the CEO of the chain. That’s the kind of conniving Drew did.”

Caprice put the manager on her list of people to talk to next. Maybe Drew’s conniving is what had gotten him killed.

Larry said, “I’m going to hit the showers. Good luck screening Drew’s enemies. He was racking them up.”

Before Caprice could inquire about more of them, Larry had climbed from the machine and disappeared into the men’s locker room. Did he have more information she could tap, or did he have something to hide?

* * *

On Monday evening, Caprice knew she had to practice her swing before she and Roz
accidentally
ran into Bronson on the tennis courts at the country club, she hoped by the end of the week. So she’d asked Nikki to join her at a playground near her sister’s condo tonight. There were four tennis courts here for the general public. Caprice had to admit she didn’t like swatting around tennis balls and sweating. The only good thing was, she’d brought Lady along too. Lady, of course, happily wanted to run and catch each tennis ball. But after about fifteen minutes of that, Caprice had given her a chew toy and now she sat under a bench while Nikki served the ball to Caprice once more.

Her sister lobbed it just over the net. Caprice ran forward, swung under the ball, and managed to fish it up so it bounced back to her sister.

Nikki called, “I didn’t think you’d get that.”

She’d gotten it with luck, not skill. After another fifteen minutes of running and missing and practically falling over her own feet, she pointed to the bench.

Nikki joined her there, and they both opened bottles of water Nikki had brought along. “I can’t believe you even managed to look vintage when playing tennis.”