My mom and friend, Reese, arrived a few days' before the party and my mom couldn't get over how much the house, which used to be my gran's and which mom lived in as a child, had changed. I had renovated the whole of the inside by this time and it did look a lot different, even the outside had been changed and had been made lower maintenance, me not being much of a gardener!
"You have done well, honey. You're looking well too," mom cooed, after giving me a great big hug that almost choked me!
"She is too. This move has done you good, Bry," Reese said, stepping out from behind my mom and hugging me likewise, though less firm.
Sunny, my gran's black and white cat I had inherited with the house, came out to greet them and Reese, who loved cats as I did, gave him a good petting.
"Do you both have costumes sorted or is it going to be a last minute job?" I asked.
I looked mainly at my mom as I asked the question, knowing how last minute she always was!
"Oh, don't you worry about that, hon. We have both hired costumes from New York, providing they have arrived with us safely."
"I'm sure they have," Reese said.
"I'll wait for the day to find out what you're going as. That's the way it's usually done," I said.
"Too right. Come on, Reese, let us go and unpack," mom said.
***
T H E D A Y O F T H E P A R T Y arrived and me, Reese and Alley, who were by now fully introduced, were helping one another to get ready in my bedroom.
Fully costumed, we were applying make-up to match our looks. Reese was going as snow white, a look that really suited her face. She had on a black shoulder length wig and I started by applying a white face paint, followed by a very pale dusting of compact, and black, smoky eyes.
Reese had just begun to apply my eye make-up and I had my eyes closed, when mom's voice rang out in the room.
"Oh, you girls make me feel old and shabby. You'll put me to shame!" She cried.
"You'll probably be the one to meet someone special though for all that," I said, still with my eyes closed.
"Don't be silly, hon. I'm not looking for anyone, at least not for myself."
Reese finished applying the make-up and opening my eyes I looked over at mom smoothing down her bleached blonde hair that she had applied in rollers making it look big on top of her head, and I still felt she was much prettier than me for all her age!
"Ooh, that looks nice! You do look pretty! You can be sure I intend to do a spot of match making tonight," mom said.
I turned to the mirror hopefully. Reese, who by the way was a professional make-up artist for a living, had done a good job. I had chosen rust make-up with black eyeliner laid on thick with false lashes, and a matte cherry lipstick to better suit the period!
"It looks good, Reese," I said.
"Thanks, Bry."
"Now with your direction I'll do yours," I said, swapping places with her.
Once we were ready, we all clambered into my car and made our way over to the venue.
The party was already packed out when we arrived and I could hardly recognise anyone in their costumes. I kept on having to ask who everyone was all the time until I got used to seeing them in costume.
My mom disappeared into the crowd and I wondered on what mission.
At one point, the snow queen came marching towards us wearing a crystal laced blue dress and silver wig and it didn't take me long to work out who was underneath it all. Vera, of course!
"Hi, frog face and your dowdy friend. That is the best costume for you, sweety, it's so ancient it suits you," she said.
She walked away after making herself known to us, leaving us fuming after her.
"She is really horrible," Reese said.
"Isn't she?" Said a voice from behind.
We turned around to see a pretty red head, with hazel brown eyes wearing a long hat like a princess hat and a pink dress with big sleeves, she looked like she had come as Rapunzel.
We all stared at her.
She introduced herself as, "Celia Lunn, Vera's main rival."
"Nice to meet you," all three of us said at once.
"I have a bone to pick with her tonight, so I'll sort her don't worry," Celia said.
"I'm not worried. I'll fight my own battles, thanks," I said.
"No worries, but I am going to sort her."
Celia marched up to Vera and we all braced ourselves for what was coming. To begin with they started off speaking calmly to each other and it seemed as if they were giving each other sly compliments on their costumes and then things got heated with Vera wagging a finger at Celia and Celia doing likewise.
This quarrel seemed to go on for ages until eventually Vera went very red in the face and stormed away from Celia. She marched off in the direction of the door leading out into the corridor. We saw no more of her for most of the evening after that.
Trying to forget this bit of unpleasantness Alley introduced me to some of the party goers. Vera's younger brother Luke Pritchard was amongst them and I was surprised how much nicer he was than Vera. He looked very cute in his musketeer costume, which included a sandy coloured moustache to match his hair and his blue eyes twinkled in the light. There was all together an aura about him that was old fashioned and charming and I wondered how he could have ended up with a sister like Vera. Though I supposed he couldn't help it really!
"It's nice to finally meet you," I said cheekily, looking across at Alley.
"Finally?" Luke asked, surprised.
"Alley has told me all about you."
"Is that right? She has probably told you all the bad things about me then?" Luke said smiling.
I noticed he had a nice smile.
"No, nothing bad."
"Apart from the fact that Vera is my sister. Have you met Vera yet?"
"Oh, yes."
"Then you'll know what I mean?"
"Exactly, but I think you're different, in fact I quite like you," I said playfully.
"Good, I'm glad we've sorted that out."
"Not to worry."
"I quite like you, if you don't mind my saying so?"
"Not at all."
"Would you like to dance with me, Miss Womack?" He asked, sounding like he had just stepped out of a Jane Austen novel.
"I would love to, Mr Pritchard" I said giggling.
The dancing was a little mixed with some ballroom and some latin in the bag and there were a lot of couples on the floor so we didn't have a lot of conversation, it was fun though.
We were just stepping off the dancefloor in a fit of giggles as I wasn't much of a dancer and I had kept standing on Luke's toes, when I heard a scream coming from the furthest end of the room. The whole room stopped and you could have heard a pin drop in the ensuing silence.
On a sudden impulse I ran towards where the scream had come from and it led me out into the corridor. I saw a girl with mousy brown hair and a plain face standing facing me and she was looking down at her feet trembling and her eyes were wide with fear. I followed the position her eyes were in and saw the snow queen lying motionless on the floor before me.
Vera Pritchard was dead!
C h ap t e r4
The next thing I knew the crowds had gathered around me and then the Sheriff had turned up pushing his way through the crowds along with deputy Shiller. He reached my side and at first he did not seem to recognise me, as he asked me to move aside with the others. His dark brown hair was all over the place and glancing at my watch I realised that he must have been dragged out of bed.
He caught sight of my face when I refused to move, but instead of the scowl I expected to see appear on his brow it remained immovable and he just stared straight at me. I wondered what he meant by it. Was this a new tactic of his? Was he trying to frighten me away?
"It's Bryony, Sheriff. In case you've forgotten me already," I said.
Did I see admiration on his face? Nah, I must have imagined it. If there was it didn't last very long as the trace of his old scowl start
ed to appear again.
"You again?" Was all he said to me.
I nodded and smiled cheekily.
"Why do you always come out of the woodwork when there's a murder?" He asked suspiciously.
"Why do you?"
I almost got a smile out of him here, but he checked himself quickly and stooped down to examine the body.
"The victim's name is Vera Pritchard and she was disliked by nearly everyone here. Nearly everyone in the town, in fact. I think she was killed with a sharp object of some sort," I said leaning over him.
Deputy Shiller, who was the cuter and nicer member of the police in Sunshine Bluff and had helped me on a case before, nodded to me and started to jot down what I was telling him.
"Hang on a minute, whose investigation is this?" Sheriff Mali said, getting to his feet and folding his arms.
"I am only trying to help," I said.
"Well, don't. I can manage," he replied.
He continued checking the body and I went to find Luke Pritchard who was still in shock at the news. I found him sitting with his head in his hands by the now empty dancefloor and I sat down beside him, placing a supportive arm around his shoulders.
"Are you okay?" I whispered.
"I'm fine, really. It's not as if I got on with my sister but it's still a terrible shock."
"Of course it is. That's only to be expected."
He turned to me and smiled, "you are so understanding, Bryony."
"You're the first person to say that."
"No, you are. I mean it."
I smiled to myself, he is such a softy he is almost too good to be true.
"It's obvious she was murdered. Do you know of anyone who would want to kill her? I mean really?"
"No one liked her, I won't pretend otherwise, but I don't think anyone wanted her dead."
"Still, was there anyone who had a particular reason why putting her out of the way would be beneficial to them?"
"She had just dumped her boyfriend and he wasn't too happy," Luke said thoughtfully.
"Really? What's his name?" I asked interestedly.
"Jonny Andrews."
"How long ago was it she dumped him?"
"About a week ago."
"Is she seeing anyone else?"
"I don't think so, though she did mention someone in Chicago where our relatives live. She left Jonny behind when she went there on an extended visit, and I take it she met someone else."
"That wouldn't have gone down too well."
"It didn't. He's been coming round our house pestering her ever since they broke up."
"Interesting."
At that moment the girl who found the body came into the room and she was crying on the shoulder of an older woman.
"Who is that girl? She found the body," I asked pointing her out.
"That's Leann Combs with her mother. Her sister went to school with Vera."
"Did she? She will be the main suspect as she found the body," I said firmly, as though I knew what I was talking about.
"I wouldn't put that to her now."
"No, the Sheriff will have questioned her already. I'll go and see her when she's calmed down."
Luke stared at me curiously.
"What are you, a private detective or something?" He asked.
"I like to think so. I'm not a professional though by any stretch of the imagination," I said giving him a wink.
"But you do investigate crimes?"
"I have been known to. Don't tell the Sheriff, but I'm better at it than he is."
"So I hear. I've heard a lot about him and none of it's good."
"That makes two of us. I find him confusing."
"I would feel easier if I knew you were looking into my sister's death and not the Sheriff."
"I can do so off the record. That's all."
"Good, then go to it."
"I might just do that."
The Sheriff came into the room and slowly spun around as though looking for someone. He paused when he saw me and Luke and I still had my arm around his shoulders.
"Who are you looking for, Sheriff?" I asked.
"Are you Luke Pritchard?" Mali asked, looking straight at Luke as though I was invisible.
"That's me," Luke replied.
"Stand up! I am arresting you for the murder of Vera Pritchard!" He cried.
Luke looked at me pittifully, though he had no choice but to obey the Sheriff, and his hands were cuffed behind his back. Deputy Eddy Shiller then reeled off his rights and started to lead him away.
"This is ridiculous, Sheriff!" I cried.
"You stay out of it. It's obvious you and the suspect are close!" He shouted back.
"What evidence do you have against him?"
"We have found the murder weapon. It was hidden in the rest room and it's a letter opener with the logo of Luke's work on it. If we find a match for his fingerprints the evidence is conclusive."
"But why would Luke do this?"
"They have been at odds for years. A family row. Not to mention the inheritance. I can't discuss it with you any further."
He marched off after Eddy and I could do nothing but stare after them and watch them lead Luke to his fate.
C ha p t e r5
I was absolutely convinced of Luke's innocence but it looked as if someone was trying to frame him, and it would take a lot of work on my part to prove this.
Alley and Reese were supportive of me but I hadn't yet told my mom that I was investigating this, she wouldn't be too happy. She just kept on saying what a shame it all was and how I have missed out on a good match with Luke being so rich. I was glad to get out of the house and begin my investigation.
I knew I needed to start by finding out what was going on at the Sheriff's office and I called the helpful deputy, Eddy, on his mobile to ask him a few questions.
He picked up after a couple of rings and he sounded stressed out.
Hi, Eddy. It's Bryony. How's Luke doing?" I said.
"Bryony, I can't talk to you. The Chief will go mad if he knows I'm telling you anything about the case. Just don't call me, okay?" He said in a very low tone.
"But, Eddy, I'm aloud to ask how Luke is doing, aren't I?" I pleaded.
"Yes, but not here. How about we meet up for lunch?"
"Okay, I'll see you at Lulu's diner in an hour?"
He hung up and took that as a yes.
In the meantime, I decided to start by talking to Leann Combs, as I figured the person who found the body was usually guilty! I looked her up online and found her address, quickly scribbling it down on the phone pad and tearing it out. I made my way straight over there, as it happened it was just a few blocks away from Sunny side and when I pulled up at the curb outside, her mother was just driving away and Leann was standing in the doorway, her arms folded, watching her off.
I quickly climbed out of the car and went over to her before she disappeared inside. She frowned when she saw me and I don't think she had recognised me from the party.
"Hi, it's Leann, isn't it?" I asked smiling.
"Who wants to know?" She asked, getting on the offensive right away.
"You won't remember me from the party. I am Bryony Womack, I was dressed as Boudicea. I was the one who came upon you when you found Vera," I explained quickly, before she closed the door on me.
She looked upset and her mousy brown hair was in desperate need of a wash and a good brushing. She had obviously still not recovered from the shock of finding Vera, or was it something more sinister than that? Was she guilty of killing Vera?
"I just about remember you. Why are you here?" She asked in her quiet, squeaky voice.
"I wanted to see how you are bearing up? It must have been a terrible shock," I said gently. Trying to coax her into telling me everything.
"It was. I didn't like Vera, but I didn't wish her dead."
"No, I'm sure. Same here. May I come in for a minute? It might help to talk about it."
"If you like. I'm not much company th
ough." She sounded down on herself and I don't think she had much confidence at the best of times.
She made a cup of tea and dished up some pink cupcakes, which I noticed were left overs from last night that we all had taken home with us. They still tasted very fresh and delicious!
"So your older than Vera was, how well did you know her?" I asked conversationally.
"Not that well, but she had a bad reputation in the town."
"I know, I've heard about it. Wasn't your sister at school with her?"
Leann looked shocked that I should know this, but she stayed quiet, more so than usual with her and I wondered what it could mean. What was she hiding about her sister? Did she know something about her murder? Maybe she was bullied at school too, like Alley.
"I take it Vera was a bit of a bully?" I asked, trying to get whatever it was out of her tactfully.
"I think she was," was all Leann said. It was obvious she didn't like to talk about whatever it was that was troubling her and I didn't want to push it. I wasn't like the Sheriff, cold and merciless. I figured I would have to find this out by some other means.
"When you found Vera, did you see anyone else around?"
"I have already told the Sheriff all this," she said.
"Well, did you?"
"There was someone in a mask and cape. I think they were dressed as Zoro."
"Zoro? I didn't see anyone in that costume. I would have remembered if I had, I've always thought Zoro was quite attractive."
"Yes, me too. I didn't see them at the party, but I saw them running away when I went out into the corridor and then I saw Vera."
"Did you tell the Sheriff about this?"
"Yes, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. I think he thought I was imagining it, or worse still making it up." Tears had sprung to her eyes as she said it and I knew she wasn't making it up.
I was indignant because I knew the Sheriff had already made up his mind that it was Luke and that was it. Nothing anyone would say to him would make any difference now. It was up to me to solve this!
***
I W A S S E A T E D I N O N E of the booths at Lulu's diner leaning on one hand and tapping my fingers with the other against the table in front of me. I was just beginning to dispair of Eddy showing up at all when he came hurrying in out of breath and sat down facing me.
Costume Corpse Page 2
