Twisted: A Tracy Turner Murder Mystery Novel (The Tracy Turner Mystery Series Book 1) (12 page)

Natalya Chaykovsky thumped a wooden-handled hairbrush on my head. Its sharp bristles scratched my scalp as she yanked it through my hair.

“Ouch!”

“Sorry, Trace, but don’t you ever brush your hair?” she shouted over the loud whirr of the hairdryer.

“I do, I mean I did this morning.”

I watched our reflections in the mirror. She tossed her head and the lamp that dangled overhead picked up the shimmering highlights of her straight, silky, blond mane. “I’ll have you looking stunning before you know it. Just sit still.” She pulled through another knot.

“Ouch-ouch! Gentle, Nat, come on…”

“Trace, if you want to look good, you’ve got to pay the price. No pain no gain, capisce?”

I pursed my lips but didn’t retort and let Nat to do what she did best. I tapped my foot to the rhythm of an old Bee Gees’ album that blared in the room. An odd choice for Nat, I mused, but let it go.

It had been a long day, and I had mixed feelings about this evening’s event. The resort’s parties were spectacular, but I was always the one behind the scenes. That was where I belonged and that was where I was most comfortable. This evening, however, I was Cinderella and I was going to the ball.

“Okay, that will have to do,” chimed my fairy godmother. She glanced at the time on the large white clock in her bedroom. It was almost six o’clock and I needed to get ready and back to the resort within the hour.

“Oh thanks. I love it,” I said, twisting my neck from side to side. Nat had piled soft curls on top of my head and left a few ringlets hanging carelessly around my shoulders.

“Hey, they pay me the big bucks for what I do.” A look of amusement crossed her face. Then looking at my hair, she scowled. “Hold still, miss.” She pulled a tail comb out of her belt and used the pointed end to pull out a couple of strands close to my temples and rubbed a glob of pink stuff that smelled of strawberries on her hands applying it to the strands she twisted around her pinky. “There…” She held my chin straight. “Perfect.”

I smiled my approval.

“Okay, now what are we going to wear? I’ve picked out two dresses that are absolutely right for you.”

“Anything that would go with this.” I dug into my bag sitting on her dressing table and pulled out a lip gloss. It was baby pink and my favorite.

“Uh-uh, you’re not.” She looked like she would bash my head in had she not spent the last half an hour working on my hair. “Look, Trace, let’s choose the dress and
then
figure out the rest okay?”

I sighed. “But I need to
like
the dress. No cleavage, okay?”

“Once in a while you need to give those ladies some air.”

“Nat… I’m serious.”

Giggling, she opened her double-door built-in wardrobe that was chockfull of clothes and pulled out a silver dress that sparkled and shone, which I thought would go with my pale pink lipstick. “Wow, that’s gorgeous,” I said.

“You’ve not seen the other yet.”

Her bright blue eyes had a naughty look and I held my breath.

Nat pulled out a bright red box and opened the lid, which had the words Valentino Garavani embossed on it. She removed the smooth white tissue packaging and held up an emerald green evening gown. Rhinestones and crystals embellished the keyhole halter neckline that anchored the ruched bodice and tiered skirt of wispy chiffon, accentuated by a finely pleated empire waistband.

I stared and gulped. “You’ve never worn it… I-I couldn’t possibly…”

“You like it? It’s yours. It’s meant for you, Trace. It matches your hair and eyes so well. It’s your color. Look…” She held the dress against my body and twirled me toward the mirror.

“Okay.”

“Okay? Just
okay
?”

“I mean, I love it. But are you sure?”

“Yes, it was a gift.”

“A gift? A gift from whom?”

Nat looked away. “I’ll explain later. Long story… There’s no time now.”

“But, Nat…”

“Later, okay?”

“Thanks, I love it.” I took Nat’s hand and squeezed it. She looked as happy as I felt. I took the dress from her and undid the clasp from behind. I let the towel draped around me fall to the floor and raised the dress over my head.

“Tracy, stop! That’s not the way. Step into it you dingbat.”

“What would I do without you? And, Nat, thanks for taking care of Katherine Walters.”

“It was nothing, really.”

As I eased into the dress, she poked around looking for powders and potions in her large vanity case that sat on the dressing table.

“Hey, is that guy Brett going to be there?”

“Who? What? Brett, yes he’s going to be there.”

“Who told you?”

“I have my sources, Trace.”

“Millie, it’s gotta be her.”

“Hey, admit it, you kinda like the guy.”

“What? Remember when he joined, you did say he was… what were your words?
Eye candy
.”

“You are mad. That wasn’t me, that was you.”

“Did too. C’mon, Trace. I know that look. When your earlobes go pink, it’s a sure sign.”

I clapped my hands over my ears. “They have not!”

“C’mon, Trace, loosen up. I can see you guys together. Admit it…”

“Okay… maybe a little crush… That’s all. Not thought of anyone like that since Amon.”

“Amon- shmamon. Are you still seriously thinking about that guy? That was doomed from the beginning. He was such a baby. Did not have much… substance. This guy seems more… mature.”

“You mean old?”

“Thirty eight is not old. It’s perfect.”

“O-M-G. How do you know how old he is?” Her eyes darted to the laptop on her bed. “Did you actually Google him?”

“Just looking out for a friend. Besides, there’s an awful lot of information out there. You should try it sometime.”

“Natalya Chaykovsky, you are impossible.”

“Tracy Turner, you are blushing.”

“Am not. Okay, what do you think? A size too small?” I asked, holding my breath.

“You can’t hold your breath all night.”

“Take this. It’s shapewear. Holds everything in.”

“What have you got to hold in?”

“Trust me, we all do.”

“Back too deep?”

“Oh gosh, live a little, woman. And lose these,” she said, pulling off my glasses.

“Hey, I can’t see past my nose without those,” I said, popping them back on.

“Okay already, stop glaring. Sheesh.”

“I’ll carry them in my pocket.”

“Are you crazy? These dresses don’t have pockets.” I turned toward the full-length mirror. I felt like I was in a dream.

“Okay, I’ll carry them in my bag.”

“That old thing…” She laughed. “Take this.” After rummaging through her closet, she thrust a muted silver clutch that was the size of a paperback novel. I was trying to think of all the things that needed to be crammed in there.

She dabbed my lips with a mixture of dark orange and pink lipstick that she had prepared. “One bit of advice, don’t talk to Brett about the case tonight or about Amon. I mean we all know that Ryan’s not into girls, but droning on about your guy friends or your ex are a big turnoff.”

“Nat, it’s not a date. It’s only a… a thing. A meeting. He knows that. We agreed.”

“You what?” She groaned. “Look forget the past, enjoy the moment. Just for tonight, okay?”

The thought of tonight reminded me of my plan to stake out Katherine’s room. I wondered what I would find, and the prospect was exciting.

“Thinking of Brett?”

I smiled and shrugged. I didn’t want anyone finding out my secret.

Ribbons of orange, red, and yellow swirled and intermingled to create a dazzling spectacle of unique shades in the sky. It signaled the day was done and the sun was beginning its much deserved retreat.

A sea of heads had already gathered at the Ethereal room by the time I got there. I weaved my way through a group of women, who looked like an assorted pack of marshmallows with their blown up lips, puffed up boobs, and bellowing dresses.

Dark blue, red, and white drapes symbolized the colors of the tournament and fanned down from the ceiling of the banquet room. The world’s golfing elite vied for the coveted trophy glistening in the center of the room. The fiberglass display case floated in the air like magic, suspended from an overhead beam by an invisible thread.

A live band played in the corner of the room. They were one of a series of entertainers that had been booked for the evening. A vaguely familiar jazz number that I knew but couldn’t identify rippled through the room. My foot began to tap to the music and my head joined in the beat. Despite the plan that I had for the night, a sense of relaxation began to creep over me.

I found myself being drawn closer to the bandstand, and I was just a couple of feet away. From time to time, I tottered up on to my tiptoes on the gleaming white marble floor and searched for a familiar face in the crowd.

I felt a hand on my bare shoulder and twirled around.

“Looking for me?” he asked with a sparkle in his eye.

“I… I didn’t see you there.” Brett wore a crisp white shirt and a blue-gray suit. I stared at the open neck shirt and felt my face flush. Swallowing hard, I smiled.

“I must say that you look ab—” His words were lost in the sound of the blaring music.

“I’m sorry?” I asked, leaning in closer. A strange look crossed his face, and he bent down and gave me a peck on the cheek.

My ears burned now. Had he thought that I had expected a kiss? I averted my gaze and saw Millie walking by. It was hard to miss the look in her eyes as they shone through her wrinkled crow’s-feet. She tossed me a sly smile and waved, and before I could call her over, she had vanished. For an old lady with a cane, she sure was quick.

I hoped that Brett didn't notice my awkwardness or the goose bumps that covered my arms like a bad rash. He seemed to have taken it in stride. Did he think I was too forward or easy? Easy? Easy would be a bad thing. Anyway, why was I worried? It wasn't like I was trying to impress the man.

I wouldn't have recognized her if not for her hair. It was a shade of red that was hard to miss. Her dress was elegant and flattered her tiny figure. She had looked lost in the gathering, and her face lit up when she saw me.

“I must say that you look absolutely divine.”

She had leaned in toward me and I was unsure what to do, but I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Now that was unexpected. Had I misread her cue? She had gone a funny color. I hoped that I had not blown the evening before it had begun.

“The weather should get better soon.” Fiddling with a button on my shirt, I wondered for the third time since getting here if I should have worn a tie.

“I quite like it. The sun’s the main reason I stayed at Regency.”

“Yes, but lately it’s just a bit too… you know.” I was at a complete loss and tried to think of another way to break the ice. It had been way too long.

“May I get you something to drink?”

“No, no thanks. Perhaps later,” she said.

Beckoning a waiter over, I grabbed a glass and spoke into his ear.

I looked back at Tracy. “So I hear you are single.”

“Happily single.”

“And you and Ryan?”

She looked puzzled. “He and I are friends.”

“I see.”

“Ryan is not inclined… you know… what I mean is he has a partner.”

“Oh… I see. I couldn’t tell.” Gosh, she must really think I was dense since I had not picked that much up. “So, you two are good friends?”

“Yep, that’s what I said.”

The waiter brought her a glass of water with a thin slice of lemon, just as she liked it.

“Thank you,” she said as she raised her glass to me.

I led her outside. It was quieter there and as she moved away from the noisy revelers, she became more relaxed and smiled more.

“Did you honestly think that Ryan and I were a couple?”

“You guys hang out together all the time and you seem so gung ho about getting him out of prison. It was a fair assumption.”

“He looked out for me when I first came here. I had a few issues back in the UK and Ryan helped me through them. This is the least that I can do for him.”

“So it was a bad breakup, huh?”