by Lucy Quinn
“Hey! I’m up to thirty now and I don’t want to disappoint my followers,” the woman insisted.
“Now, Karen. Just chill. You know Gertie was going to pick who would play Scarlett,” Myrtle said, her tone soothing as she rubbed her palm over the woman’s silk-clad arm. “And as much as I know you wanted to be Scarlett, I happen to know that Gertie was leaning toward someone who hasn’t had an AARP card for more than a decade.”
“I can be young,” Karen insisted. “That new night cream is doing wonders for my skin.”
Dora squinted at the woman. She did have nice skin. Her cheeks were rosy, and her makeup was flawless. She’d have to remember to ask the woman about her nightly regimen. If she looked half as good as Karen in her sixties, Dora would be thrilled.
“Oh, honey,” a sassy redhead in a low-cut dress called out from near the bar. “No matter how much plastic surgery you get, you’ll never trump youth. We need Dora to up our standing in the best of 2019 lists.”
Karen let out a shocked gasp and glared past everyone at the redhead. “I paid good money for these cheekbones.”
“I know you did, but next time maybe pay a little attention to the girls.” The redhead grasped her own breasts and pushed them up in a suggestive fashion. “You’d need an industrial pushup bra to compete with that young thing.” The redhead grinned at Dora and then ducked behind the bar and started grabbing champagne flutes.
“Don’t listen to her. It’s your knees that can’t take standing on the float for three hours,” Myrtle said. “Maybe if you’d already had that knee-replacement…”
“There is nothing wrong with sitting on a stool!” Karen practically shouted.
“You’re supposed to be tossing beads and dancing with Rhett,” Myrtle said, her tone gentle now. “Wouldn’t you rather be comfortable on one of the fainting couches? Being Scarlett is a lot of work.” Myrtle slipped her arm through Karen’s and tugged her back toward the bar where the redhead was filling the flutes with champagne.
“I think we need a glass of that,” Evie said, pointing to the bar. “I’ll be right back.”
Dora started to call after her friend but was interrupted when the group surrounded her and started fussing about how she should wear her wig and who was going to work on her dress so she’d look perfect for the big day a week later.
By the time Evie returned with the alcohol, Dora had been measured, groped, and scrutinized within an inch of her life.
“You look like you could use this,” Evie said, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
“You have no idea.” Dora grabbed the glass and downed the contents in one gulp. Then she grabbed Evie’s and drank that, too.
8
While Dora was being pawed over by the ladies, Evie took advantage of the time to see what she could find out about the last few days of Gertie’s life. She jumped up on a stool at the bar and leaned in to talk to the sassy woman who was manning the champagne. “Hey there.”
“Hey.” The redhead flashed her a smile. “Need another drink? This crowd can be a little… overbearing.”
Evie wanted nothing more than to down a few more flutes of the bubbly wine, but she refrained. She didn’t want her tongue to get too loose and out them as being on the run. “No thanks, I’m good for now.”
“Suit yourself. Hope you don’t mind me. I don’t think I can go another second without getting my buzz on.” She tipped one the half-empty bottles to her lips and took a deep swig. After letting out a satisfying sigh, she turned to Evie. “Anything I can get you?”
“Just some information, if you don’t mind.”
The woman’s eyes flashed with interest. “Gossip you mean?”
Jackpot. This one was ready to spill all of the group’s secrets. “Sure.” Evie giggled to play along with the woman. “I was wondering if you could tell us a little more about what Aunt Gertie has been up to. It’s been so long since Dora and I have seen her, and we’re curious what her life has been like the last few months. What or who she may have left behind that we should deal with. Any interesting characters hanging around we should know about?”
“Hmm. Well, Gertie did have her boyfriends. Myrtle’s the best one to tell you about them. Gertie liked variety if you know what I mean.” She pumped her eyebrows as if Evie might have trouble following along.
Evie refrained from rolling her eyes and gave the woman an encouraging smile. “Right. Myrtle mentioned that. Gotta love Gertie. I always looked up to her.”
The redhead snorted. “Who didn’t?”
The words caused an ache in Evie’s chest. Gertie sounded like someone she would’ve really liked, and Evie hated that she and Dora had been forced to lie to the woman’s friends. It wasn’t right. But if Marco had gotten to Gertie, she and Dora owed it to the woman to get to the bottom of things. “What kind of guys did she go for? Younger? Older? Quiet guys? Or maybe louder, like a really handsome Italian guy?”
“Gertie wasn’t picky,” the redhead said. “Any charmer would do.” Her smile softened as she added, “But Gertie had a soft spot for the artistic ones. And come to think of it, I haven’t seen her with anyone special lately. She was so busy with her hobbies and the krewe, you know? She really wanted the parade this weekend to go smoothly. She was hoping to chair the Mardi Gras committee for next year’s parade.”
“Ah. Makes sense. So, no obnoxious Italians have been hanging around, huh?” Evie tried to hide the wince as she heard the words come out of her mouth. The question was so leading that she was certain the woman would see right through her. But fortunately for Evie, the redhead seemed to be tipsier than she’d previously thought since the woman just laughed and shook her head.
“Nope. Not that I know of. And trust me, if Gertie had a new boy-toy, we all would’ve heard about it.”
“She was a sharer, huh?” Evie confirmed.
“Hells yes,” the redhead said. “Over-the-top, TMI over-sharer. Just ask anyone.”
Evie did. She talked to four more of the members of the krewe only to find out that no one knew about any Italian, and as far as they could tell, Gertie was keeping her men at arm’s length until the parade was over. Gertie had worked so hard on the couples in literature theme that she’d been thinking of nothing else for the last three weeks. She had even started to source costumes according to one of the ladies who was helping her.
“You’ll need to bring Dora to Antoine’s so he can get her fitted into one of the Scarlett outfits,” the woman said.
“One of them?” Evie asked.
“Sure. Gertie wanted options.” She gave Evie a serene smile and patted her arm. “Your aunt was a true treasure. I’ll make an appointment so he can get started.”
“Sounds good,” Evie said.
An hour later, after striking out on learning any information about possible foul play, Evie followed Dora out of the speakeasy to the sidewalk.
“How do I let you talk me into these things?” Dora grumbled, pausing to readjust the strap on her high heel.
“Please. Without me, your life would be boring with a capital B. Besides, this was an investigation mission, remember?”
“I feel like my body and I were the ones interrogated. I think I have bruises in places that have rarely, if ever, been touched. Did you learn anything?” Dora asked.
Evie opened her mouth to make a crack about places on Dora that hadn’t been touched much but decided to refrain. She knew Dora had been pushed enough already. Instead, she said, “I learned that no one knows anything. This was a dead end.”
“Great. And now I’m stuck doing this parade when we need to be focusing on much more important things... like if Marco killed Gertie.”
“That’s exactly what we were doing here,” Evie reminded her friend and then frowned. “Can’t you just go with this? I mean when else are you going to find yourself dressed up like Scarlett O’Hara and tossing beads to a bunch of drunk people? If I didn’t love you so much, I’d be so damned jealous you’d have to worry about me pus
hing you off the float so I could step in for you.”
“Evie—” Dora started.
Evie sighed. She knew she was in for a night full of protests. Protests that she didn’t want to hear. And before she could stop herself, she cut Dora off and blurted, “It’s not my fault you’re the perfect spoiled little rich girl.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dora asked, hurt creeping into her dark eyes.
“Nothing.” Evie glanced down at Sunshine as guilt burned in her stomach. The little dog was sniffing hard at something unrecognizable on the sidewalk. She wasn’t proud of her jealous outburst and wished she could take her words back. “Forget it. I didn’t mean anything by it.” She tugged gently on Sunshine’s leash. “Come on. Let’s go before we melt in this heat.”
The door swung open, and Myrtle stepped out onto the sidewalk. “Oh, hello, ladies.” The older woman’s eyes were still red-rimmed, but she had a small smile on her face. “That went well, don’t you think? Gertie would be so pleased that her niece is going to be Scarlett. And the ideas you had for the float were just inspired. It’s going to be lovely.”
They’d learned that the float still needed to be decorated, so Evie had suggested getting a bunch of silk flowers that could replicate the garden at Tara where Scarlett and Rhett could dance. They’d build the porch of the old plantation in the center of the float where other couples from literature could hang out. It was an ambitious plan considering they only had a week, but Flora said she had a carpenter already scheduled and they were ready to get to work.
Evie pasted a smile on her face. She knew Dora was still angry about her careless comment, but she also knew her friend wouldn’t hold a grudge for long. Evie might have to work to get Dora out of her funk, but she’d manage it once they got back to the apartment. “Can we walk you back home?” she asked Myrtle.
“I’d love that. What a perfect opportunity to spend more time with Gertie’s girls.” She linked an arm though Evie’s and then held one out for Dora.
Evie saw it the moment her friend shrugged off her irritated mood. Her shoulders relaxed, and the tension around her eyes softened as she moved to link arms with Myrtle.
Myrtle cleared her throat. “Um, I hate to bring it up, since it’s so soon, but were you girls planning Gertie’s service? Some of the ladies were asking.”
Dora and Evie exchanged a glance. Dora shrugged and Evie turned to Myrtle. “You know, I think her ashes will be sent to our parents for them to decide.”
“Right,” Myrtle said with a nod, her eyes welling again. “Do you mind if the ladies here plan something? It will likely be after the parade. A memorial, probably at one of the clubs on Bourbon. Gertie always did like a fun night out.”
“I think that would be wonderful, Myrtle,” Dora said softly.
Myrtle nodded and wiped at her eyes. “Me, too.”
It took them twice as long to get back to the apartment building since Myrtle was chatting about every business they passed by. They learned the history of the shops for the last twenty years, how the city changed after hurricane Katrina, and all about the nudist who lived across the street and had asked her out no less than a dozen times before he finally asked her outright if she kept saying no because of his nudity. Myrtle snorted out a laugh and said, “I told him no. I could live with that. It was the fact that he never washed his hands after scratching his… ah, package that put me off. I’m not about to get friendly with a man who has penis hands. Know what I mean?”
Both Evie and Dora had side aches from laughing at Myrtle’s stories and were still giggling when they got off the elevator on their floor.
“Oh, look,” Myrtle exclaimed as she rushed over to what looked like a soft-sided thermal bag. “Raúl was here!”
“Who’s Raúl?” Evie asked, peering over her shoulder as Myrtle unzipped the bag.
She pulled a cardboard food container out of the bag and popped the top open. Inside there was rice and that was covered with some sort of brown sauce. Even cold it smelled divine. “He’s the sweet young man who has been preparing meals for me for the past couple of months. You just have to try this. He’s a genius!”
“Preparing meals?” Dora asked, her voice going high with suspicion. “Did he cook for Gertie, too?”
Evie knew what she was thinking. Had Raúl brought the scampi? If so, they could be way far off in thinking that Marco had gotten to Gertie.
“No,” Myrtle said with a huff. “I’ve been trying to get her to hire him. Goodness knows she was so stressed with all of her duties for the krewe and her other work that she wasn’t eating properly. And did I mention that Raúl is a genius? I swear, the man has the magic touch when it comes to cooking. I’d follow him anywhere.” She licked her lips and darn near drooled as she said the words. “Also, I just felt good about helping him out. He’s sort of new in town and just getting his meal delivery service off the ground. I told him I’d spread the word as long as he took good care of me. I don’t want him getting in such high demand that he forgets about me, you know?”
“Sure,” Evie said, still eyeing the dish. “What is that?”
“Crawfish étouffée,” she said proudly. “One taste of this and you’ll know what it’s like to be in heaven.”
“Do you know him well?” Dora asked, no doubt also questioning if Raúl had been a threat to Gertie.
“Oh no. He’s from down south in the swamps. His family lives in a tar-paper shack out in the bayou. They mostly live off the land, you know? Fishing, hunting, that sort of thing. He came here with nothing and now he has a decent start with his business. I’m so proud of him. He’s the grandson I never had. I’m so sad that Gertie never got around to experiencing his genius. You two will just have to step in for her.”
Myrtle bustled into her apartment, but before she disappeared behind the door, she turned to Dora and Evie. “Wait right there. I’ll be back in a hot second.”
The door slammed before either of them could respond.
Dora turned to Evie. “Well, what do you think? Do we need to track down Raúl?”
“It doesn’t sound like it,” Evie said. “You heard Myrtle. Gertie wasn’t using his services. If that’s true, and we have no reason to believe it isn’t, then I don’t see what there is to talk to him about.”
Dora nodded. “Sure. It sounded a little suspicious is all.”
“Yeah, I had those thoughts too, but it doesn’t add up. Let’s keep focusing on looking for Marco. Maybe the—”
Myrtle’s door swung open again, and Evie slammed her mouth shut. She may be flighty sometimes, but she knew when to keep quiet. Myrtle reappeared with a clear plastic container in her hand. “Here.” Myrtle thrust the food into Evie’s hand. “You girls try this for dinner. I’m telling you it will change your life. Best étouffée you’ll ever experience.”
Evie tried to hand it back. “We can’t take your dinner, Myrtle. Raúl made this for you.”
“Oh no, you don’t. Take it. I gave you girls half, so I still have plenty. Do it for Gertie. She would’ve died if…” Her voice trailed off as tears stung her eyes. “Oops. Bad choice of words. Sorry, girls.”
Evie and Dora both stepped up to hug the older woman.
“It’s okay,” Dora soothed, taking the container from Myrtle. “We know what you meant. And thanks for the food. Evie and I will give it a try.”
Myrtle pulled back from them, joy shining in her big eyes for the first time since they’d met her. “Oh, please do. And don’t forget to let me know what you think. Raúl could use impartial feedback.”
“Sure thing,” Dora said, giving the woman one last hug. “We’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
“I’m so excited,” she said, clasping her hands together. “You gals are in for a treat!”
She was still smiling when she retreated into her apartment.
Dora glanced at the container in her hands. “I’m not eating that. I don’t do mudbugs.”
Evie just rolled her eyes. “You have
to at least try it. What will you tell Myrtle?”
“That you ate it all.” Dora smirked and spun around, heading for Gertie’s door.
9
Dora was still a little queasy from her bout with food poisoning, but all the poking and prodding she’d endured for the role of Scarlett O’Hara on the parade float had made her hungry. While Evie walked Sunshine, Dora rummaged through Gertie’s pantry and fridge and came up with a can of soup and the fixings for a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner.
The spoon scraped against the bottom of the pan as she stirred the soup while she thought about how Evie had snapped at her earlier. She wondered if it was because Evie wasn’t used to her having the spotlight. She’d never craved attention the way Evie did, but Dora did understand what it felt like to be overlooked. She knew her friend had gotten over herself quickly, but she could certainly remain aware that Evie would have preferred to be the star so as not to cause her any more pain.
The door creaked open, and Dora glanced over to Evie and Sunshine.
“Wait until you see the pictures I got for Sun—Sushi’s Insta,” Evie said as she plopped down a stack of mail on the counter.
It hadn’t been that long since they had sent the package containing the flash drive from Florida, and they’d agreed the night before to check Gertie’s mail daily in case it hadn’t arrived yet. Dora didn’t want to wait for Evie to tell her story, and she asked, “Any Buddha packages?”
Evie let out a sigh, “No. But when I tell you about Sushi’s adventure you’ll cheer up. We saw a man playing the saxophone outside the building. He’s really good, and he had Sushi under his spell.” Evie walked over to show Dora the photos.
The little dog did indeed appear to be in a trance, and Dora said, “Adorable,” as Evie flipped through more. “Oh my gosh, how cute is that?” Dora exclaimed when she saw the photo of Sunshine giving the man a kiss on the cheek. He looked just as enamored with Sunshine as the little pup was with him. “That one definitely has to be posted.”
