A Canary in the Canal Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #8 (Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series)

by Anna Celeste Burke

  “Follow me, Melody,” Kay added. “I’ll show you the way, so you don’t get lost in this magnificent house.”

  “Thanks so much,” Melody responded, dashing after Kay, who was moving quickly. “I can’t believe I’m going to be singing with you.”

  “Said the spider to the fly,” I whispered.

  “Georgie, did I hear you correctly?” Jack asked.

  “I’m sorry. That was snotty. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Then my inner voice spoke up.

  You most certainly do know what’s wrong, Georgie, because you have a nose for trouble. Melody Monroe is trouble with a capital “T.”

  3 A Canary in the Canal

  “There you are, Max!” a man said as he sauntered inside from the patio. I immediately recognized Bill Yeats. He was one of the wealthy men Max was recruiting as a producer on his JAZZ! animated feature. While the studio would bankroll most of the production cost, Max always took on partners to spread the risk. It’s about more than money since their input keeps him “grounded,” or so he says.

  More importantly, Bill Yeats had well-established ties to theaters and other venues where the feature film could be distributed. That still matters even though new movies go to digital distribution more quickly than in the past. Max intended to make a big splash when JAZZ! was released with a celebrity-studded premiere walking the red carpet.

  “It’s good to see you, Bill,” I said. “You look happy and healthy. Have you been vacationing on your yacht?”

  “I can’t keep anything hidden from Georgie,” Bill replied, speaking to Max. Max shook his head, as in no, you cannot. “Happy and healthy is right. There’s nothing like sea air for your health. As for happy, here comes my reason for that. I want you to meet my wife, Helen Grant.”

  “Sorry not to keep up with you, Bill, darling. I just met the most amazing woman. She’s a designer with a terrific new line planned for winter. I’m going to preview it next week for the magazine.”

  Helen might have continued gushing about the designer, but Bill cut her off. A couple decades younger than Bill, Helen was probably in her early forties. Marrying a younger woman is a cliché among Hollywood producers. I have to give credit to Bill for not falling for a twenty-something starlet. Not too much credit, though, since he’d married and then divorced a starlet not long ago, who, if the tabloids were correct, had cost him plenty.

  “Helen, this is Georgie Shaw, one of Max’s ‘go-to’ people for just about anything. This must be the man who’s made your life so much happier. It’s Jack, isn’t it?” With Max’s help, we completed a round of introductions.

  “Nothing gets past you either, Bill. You’re right about how happy married life has made these two. Technically, they’re still newlyweds since they won’t have their first anniversary until right before Christmas. It would be delightful if we could celebrate their anniversary in New Arcadia where they were married.”

  Jack and I looked at each other. I’m sure I wore the same puzzled expression he did. I shook my head no, ever so slightly since Max hadn’t said a word to me about our anniversary. Max can be so presumptuous it’s irritating. I didn’t trust myself to address the matter in public, so I switched the subject. After more small talk, Max took Bill aside for a serious discussion.

  “I’ll join you in a few minutes to welcome our guests, Georgie. After hearing Kay sing, I’ve got to tell Bill what a treat we’re in for tonight.”

  That was my cue to step into the role of public relations rep. Carol moved closer to Helen, so she wouldn’t be left standing there all alone.

  “What magazine do you work for?” Carol asked as I excused myself, and then followed the two of them as they wandered off toward the patio.

  “Are you hungry, Brett?” Jack asked. “I’m starving. Let’s go investigate and make sure the food’s okay.”

  “A detective’s work is never done, is it?” Brett added.

  “No. To serve and protect is my sworn duty as a cop—even under the most demanding circumstances.” The two men headed toward the open door. As a server passed them, they each grabbed a glass of Champagne. I did the same on my way outside and then began welcoming people.

  Every so often, I glimpsed Jack, who was a happy camper with a small plate of goodies in his hand. He and Brett gave me a thumbs-up. I’d worked my way through the crowd of maybe sixty people, had greeted most of them, and thanked them for joining us tonight. When I found myself on my own for a moment, Jack popped up next to me.

  “You’ve got to keep up your strength if you’re going to be my dance partner tonight.” He handed me a plate of nibbles and took off.

  Max was “working the room,” moving indoors and out, often gesturing wildly with his hands. Much of the time, Kay was with him or nearby as he introduced her to guests. Eventually, Melody returned too. When she abruptly left about twenty minutes later, I found it puzzling. This was a chance to see and be seen. Maybe she didn’t want to share the limelight with Kay, but that didn’t make sense either.

  I was on the patio then, so I wondered if Melody was visiting with guests indoors or on the deck above us. Why not check? I thought when Carol walked out through the French doors and toward me.

  “Take me aside, so it appears we have something important to discuss, will you?” I asked her. “I need a break.”

  “Sure. By the looks of the plate you’re holding, you haven’t had a bite to eat,” Carol said as we stepped into a corner near the French doors.

  “Our dream dates seem to be having a good time,” I said as I popped a shrimp into my mouth.

  “Are they ever! They’re deep into a discussion about the best detectives in mystery fiction. I was enjoying it until I got distracted. Melody took a phone call and headed inside, so I decided to do a little detective work of my own and followed her. She’s an odd one, which is something coming from me, given my occasional eccentricities.”

  “Is that why she left so soon after joining Max and Kay?” I asked, trying not to look at the Princess Angelique ballet shoes Carol wore. Carol is one of Marvelous Marley World’s biggest fans and must own every pair of shoes ever made for adults. The deep purple, soft leather shoes were more discrete than most of her choices. They perfectly matched the velvet pants she wore with a beautiful silk blouse under an embroidered bolero-styled jacket.

  “Yep. Last to arrive and the first to leave,” Carol commented. “It’s odd, I tell you.”

  “Kay must agree with you about the last to arrive part being odd. She was obviously concerned that Melody was late,” I responded before attacking the rest of the food on my plate. I swallowed as fast as I could when another question about Melody popped into my head. “Did Melody seem upset by the call? It could explain why she was late if she’s dealing with a personal problem of some kind.”

  “I’d say she was more excited than upset. I followed her, but I didn’t hear a word of what she said before she ran up the stairs.”

  Suddenly, the lights inside dimmed and then went bright again, like the flickering lights at a theater that signaled the show was about to begin. I hadn’t even noticed that the band had stopped playing, and there was no sign of Kay now either. Maybe Melody had needed a little extra time to get ready, and her sudden departure had nothing to do with the phone call. Jack suddenly appeared at my side with dessert for me.

  “Let’s get in there before it’s too crowded,” Jack said. “Kay is going to sing a few songs, and then Melody will join her. Once they’ve finished their set, the band will continue to play so guests can dance.”

  “That’s a good plan,” I said as we crossed to the far side of the room near the entrance to the butler’s pantry. “I hope he’s also planned a break, so everyone doesn’t try to dance in here.”

  “You know Max,” Jack said. “He’ll have Kay and Melody mingling again—the crowd will go wherever he leads.”

  “I checked upstairs, and you can hear the band just fine on the second story deck where there’s plenty of room to
dance,” Carol added.

  “That’s where we’ll head rather than fight the crowd down here. We can use the elevator the catering staff is using,” I whispered. An image of Frederick’s disapproving face flitted through my mind. Not that it changed my plan to use the elevator. It did trigger my curiosity about the man. “What do you make of Frederick?”

  “He’s too young to be ex-KGB,” Jack replied, smirking. “He’s no butler if that’s what you were wondering.”

  “I don’t know what I was wondering. He’s been nothing other than helpful. I just have this feeling that I don’t ever want to cross him.”

  “At least not before you eat your dessert. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear these mini-beignets came straight from the French Quarter. The bite-sized pecan bars are delicious too. You’ve done your duty saying nice things about the company, Max, and the feature film he’s planning to make. I was watching you do your PR thing, and your jaw must be sore from all the talking and smiling. It’s time to put it to better use eating dessert.”

  I didn’t need a bit of persuading and scarfed down the desserts as we moved as close to the stage as we could get. Max bustled in not long after we did, went to the microphone, and did his thing. He was bubbling over with charm, enthusiasm, and gratitude. When he turns it on, Max can be remarkably charismatic. He can also be rather long-winded, so I breathed a sigh of relief at the “without further ado” point in his introduction.

  “After hearing Kay sing earlier, I’m still as nervous as a cat for her,” I whispered.

  “Miles and Ella just spooked you with all their effort to keep us at…” The end to Jack’s sentence was lost amid clapping, hoots, and hollers as the crowd welcomed Kay. The lights went out for a few seconds, and when they came back on, there she was at the mic. Carol and Brett, who stood next to me, were yelling loudly.

  “Hit it, boys!” Kay commanded. Max started to leave her side, but she grabbed his arm and burst into the playful Cole Porter song, You Do Something to Me. I couldn’t believe that Max, apparently caught by surprise, appeared awkward as Kay played the vamp. Kay had added a stunning long bright yellow silk scarf to her black dress. At one point in the song, she laced it around Max’s neck and used it to pull him closer.

  It wasn’t until the “boys” in the band joined in a refrain of the chorus—you do that voodoo that you do so well—that Max relaxed. He smiled and even bowed at that point, which received a boisterous response from the crowd. Kay curtsied at the end of the song and allowed Max to leave.

  “How about a big thank you to our host who has done so much to make this enchanting evening possible.” He took another bow and exited amid applause.

  After thanking the crowd, Kay sang several more jazz standards, which allowed the members of the band to display their skills in short solos. When Kay launched into a version of Cry Me a River, her voice was silky smooth, and her tone so bluesy that I got chill bumps. A lot of living went into the way she sang that song, which made me worry again about her vulnerability. As she hit the last note, the crowd stood silently for a moment before applauding loudly. Kay glanced at me as if wondering what had just happened. I wanted to run and give her a hug but decided instead to blow her a kiss. She smiled and stepped to the mic.

  “Thank you so much. It’s been a while since I’ve performed, and it’s great to be back. You’ve made an old canary like me feel like a young chickadee again.” She giggled as sweet bird sounds came from the band. When she turned around to see where they came from, the chirps stopped, and all the band members looked at each other. Kay laughed again, and the audience laughed with her.

  “How about a round of applause for the talented gentlemen in Marley World’s marvelous jazz combo. Max had better watch out, or I might just lure them away.” She waved the end of that yellow scarf at the band members, and several raised their arms in front of them, zombie-like, as if her voodoo had worked its magic on them.

  “We love you, Kay,” they replied in unison. Sweet bird sounds started again, which set off more laughter.

  “Max has an eye for beauty and an ear for talent. I want to share one of his newest discoveries with you. Please welcome a young, up and coming talent in the jazz community, Melody Monroe.”

  My head turned toward the hidden door. For a second, nothing happened, and I wondered if Melody had taken off. Then the room went black, and when the lights went up, she was standing next to Kay. She’d also added a yellow scarf to her black dress. The scarf made her cat eyes stand out even more.

  At that moment, I finally relaxed and enjoyed the rest of what was a long set. Kay and Melody did several duets, and then Kay stepped away and let Melody do two songs on her own. They closed with a rousing medley of standards that included a few funny bits of choreography. When they finished, there was no way they were getting away from the crowd without performing an encore. Of course, they had songs at the ready.

  Finally, Max took to the mic again, thanked Kay and Melody, and invited us to dance here, outside, and on the deck upstairs. He also added, that after a short break, Kay and Melody would be back to mingle. As Max passed into the butler’s pantry with Frederick leading the way, Kay stopped for a moment.

  “Thanks for the support, Georgie,” she whispered. “Can I call you tomorrow? I need a little advice from Jack, given his detective skills, if that’s possible.” I was glad she was close because the music had started again, adding to the noise from the happy guests.

  “Please call,” I said. “Do you know how to reach me, or do you need to speak to us tonight?”

  “Max gave me your cellphone number, and I’d rather wait until tomorrow if that’s okay with you.” Then she smiled. “As you heard Max say, this gig isn’t over yet. I have no idea how late I’ll be.”

  “Tomorrow’s fine. Call anytime. You’re welcome to join us for lunch if you’re not allergic to cats. We usually eat around one.”

  “I love cats. Lunch would be great. Max has assigned a company driver to take me places. If he doesn’t already have your address in his directory, I’ll call before I leave. Otherwise, I’ll see you at one,” Kay said. She hugged me, dashed into the butler pantry, and Frederick, who’d been eying me again, shut the door behind her.

  “What was that about?” Jack asked as the room cleared out some.

  “Let’s go upstairs to the deck to dance, and I’ll tell you, okay?” I replied

  I was feeling desperate for fresh air and pushed the panel to the butler’s pantry open. Fortunately, Frederick was gone. Carol, Brett, and Jack followed me into the kitchen. Several racks in the kitchen were crammed full of empty sheet pans. Another that had been loaded with desserts was nearly empty.

  “The food must have been a hit,” I said.

  “Five stars!” Jack exclaimed to the crew. Ann smiled.

  “You should have heard his praise for the baby beignets and praline pecan bars,” I added. “I hope there are still some left upstairs on the deck, so we can have more.”

  “Let’s make sure,” Ann suggested, walking to the elevator with us.

  “I loved the barbeque shrimp and the bread pudding was the best I’ve ever eaten in my life. If Brett keeps coming to these events with me, I’m going to have to learn to cook,” Carol added. Then she giggled. “Or he will. As a server at the Versailles Veranda restaurant, he has way more food-related experience than I do.”

  Kay’s words echoed in my mind as we stuffed ourselves into the small elevator. I had trouble paying attention to the chatter as we rode up to the second floor. It was slow, which probably wasn’t a bad thing when transporting food and wine. When we spilled out of the elevator, I could see the deck through a set of sliders that were wide open on the far side of the room which was set up as a lounge area. The dance music and chatter reached me from guests milling about outside. As soon as Ann and I checked the food set up on the amazingly roomy deck, I grabbed one of those bite-sized beignets from the warming tray she opened.

  “These are excellent w
armed a little,” I said.

  “Try one of these too,” Carol said, handing me a tiny serving of bread pudding drizzled with a bourbon vanilla sauce. It melted in my mouth.

  “Okay, it’s time to dance.” Jack took me by the hand and led me into the crowd of dancers. We’d barely taken a step when he demanded, “Spill it.”

  Sharing Kay’s request with Jack lightened the load. He didn’t see anything particularly disturbing in it and assured me that if it was urgent, she wouldn’t wait until tomorrow. I’d already said the same things to myself, but hearing Jack say them was reassuring. Soon, we were immersed in the music, the beauty of the night sky, and the gentle breeze.

  As we danced, Carol and Brett swirled around us a few times making me smile. They’re such wonderful dancers and their delight in dancing with each was a joy to see. When we stopped for a break, I’d lost track of the time. Carol and Brett were nowhere to be seen, and Jack had gone off in search of a restroom.

  I turned and looked over the balcony rail to the patio below. Kay and Melody were seated at a table on the patio autographing the beautiful programs the PR department had printed to mark the event. Max had also brought boxes of Kay’s CDs to give to guests, and Kay was signing those too. The crowd had thinned, and some thoughtful person had supplied both women with food and drink. At first, it had taken me a moment to figure out who was who, until I noticed the CD Kay was signing.

  “It appears most of the revelers are saying their goodbyes, is it okay to leave?” Jack asked a few minutes later. “Carol and Brett must have left since Brett has to work tomorrow.”

  “Without saying goodbye?” I asked. “Hang on. I saw them waiting in line for autographs a few minutes ago.”

  I glanced at the scene on the patio again. Melody must already have gone into the house. Max was ushering Kay into the house while she still signed CDs as guests followed them. A staff assistant from PR was gathering up the remaining CDs and clearing the table where Kay and Melody had been seated.