A Merry Christmas Wedding Mystery, Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #4 (Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series)

by Anna Celeste Burke

  “The Tristan costume on that other guy doesn’t make any sense either, does it? How did that big oaf with him get back onto studio grounds?” I asked.

  “Why, is my question. After getting away with his captive, why come back here to steal that dress? Maybe he does have that cat and Brigit’s lunch. Speaking of food, let’s eat now that Ralph’s on the job, okay?” Jack asked when we reached the elevator.

  “Food almost sounds like a good idea. Coffee or tea, even better. I’m no longer in the mood to experiment at that vegan café. Your investigators have already checked out the place, so what’s the point of doing that again? Let’s see what our caterers are serving.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen until we're sure no one has put anything in the food. Besides, when I said Brad wasn’t in costume, what I didn’t tell you was that he's wearing dessert. A dozen desserts, in fact, from a tray Gloria dumped on him when he confessed to having a little fling with Brigit’s double. At first, I thought Gloria was going to faint. Then, boom, she flew into a rage.”

  “She whacked him good with that tray once she emptied it on him.”

  “Quite a rage if she was willing to risk arrest by assaulting him right there in front of the police. Clearly, she’s capable of violence, but this revelation seems to have come as a shock. There goes my suspicion that Gloria did away with Brigit after mistaking her for the other woman with Brad.”

  “Brad was surprised, too. Gloria showed him what can happen when you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar. Assault and bakery, huh? I’m sure she wanted him to get his just desserts.”

  “Oh no, bad puns. That’s what you get for leaving Mara with Carol yesterday,” Jack said as we rode up in that elevator.

  “Gloria had no right to take it out on the rest of us. She shoved that entire dessert cart on its side.” Mara wore a disgusted look on her face again.

  “That’s the way the cookie crumbles, Mara.”

  “Sweet, Georgie,” she said even though she rolled her eyes.

  “No more, you two,” Jack said as he shook his head.

  “How’s Max handling all of this?” I asked.

  “That’s hard to say. I haven’t seen him for a while. Maybe he’s off tending to another ring in his circus,” Jack responded.

  “If he’s still in the building, it’s not like him not to check on Imogene. Maybe he hasn’t heard about the latest problems.”

  “Wherever he’s holed up, I bet he’s at least a couple of disasters behind since he took his lunch with him before Gloria tossed that dessert cart.”

  “Yikes, Jack, I’d better call him and tell him not to eat it. What if he already did and he’s passed out somewhere like Imogene?” Max answered my call right away. A huge wave of relief washed over me when I heard his voice.

  “Max, it’s Georgie. Don’t eat that lunch you took with you.”

  “What are you saying? I ate it about half an hour ago. It was terrific, as usual.”

  “You don’t feel sick or sleepy or anything like that?”

  “No, why?” I filled him in on what had gone on with Imogene and the search for the two men and that wedding dress. “I’m going to call the hospital and make sure they do everything they can to care for Imogene. Find those two men and figure out who did this to her, Georgie. Have Mara order pizza. I’ll stay put here in my office in the Animation Building. I doubt the detective wants people coming and going until you all sort out this latest mess. Pizza will keep everyone in the building.”

  “Good idea, Max.” I hung up the phone.

  "Mara, call Marvelous Marley World’s Kitchen Central, please, and have them send over pizzas."

  "For all of us? How many people could that be?" Before I could respond, she spoke again. "Never mind. I'll ask Nelson."

  "Good. I’ll call Ralph and tell him to let the delivery folks through his blockade in the tunnels when they arrive.” Mara gave me a little salute that seemed more friendly than snarky. I had just reached Ralph and explained that a mega pizza delivery was on the way when a scuffle broke out. Jack took off toward the shouting. A uniformed officer nearby took off with him.

  “Uh oh. There’s trouble, Ralph. Come quick,” I said as I rushed after Jack.

  14 Do Not Disturb

  The trouble had erupted on a gorgeous set where Gloria must have been filming that scene Brigit had mentioned the day before. Gloria had on that beautiful dress Imogene had made for her. She crouched near a grand piano set up against a fantasy backdrop of castle walls and a tower, adorned with colored lights. I couldn’t quite remember the scene from the animated version, but it hadn’t gone anything like this.

  Gloria, in costume, and Brad in his street clothes, were scrambling to dodge missiles being thrown by Brigit’s stand-in, Tamara. She was shrieking at them as Nelson hollered “Stop!” again and again. Jack stole up behind the young woman, reached out, and in one swift motion, disarmed her. The grocery bag from which she had been hurling objects, spilled to the ground.

  “Do I have to cuff you?” He asked Tamara.

  “No,” she replied, out of ammunition and her fury spent.

  “Anybody hurt?” Jack asked.

  “No, we’re okay,” Gloria responded as she and Brad came around to the front of that piano and sat on the bench next to each other.

  “She caught them making up,” Nelson offered without Jack asking what had happened.

  “Karl told me you two couldn’t be trusted.” Nelson’s comment must have reignited Tamara’s rage. Jack restrained her and dangled his cuffs as she lunged toward the objects that had spilled onto the ground. Ralph and a couple of Security Associates arrived just as I spotted an interesting item in among the fruit, yogurt, and bottled water on the floor. A can of cat food.

  “Tamara,” I asked in a calm, steady voice, “where were you headed with the groceries?” Tamara blinked.

  “What difference does that make?”

  “Please, just answer her question,” Jack responded.

  “To Karl. I don’t know what business it is of yours, but I run errands for him and help out, occasionally, in his shop.”

  “Do you know where that is?” I asked Ralph.

  “Sure,” he said.

  “Lead the way. I’ll explain while we’re on the move. Hang on a second, will you?” I hustled over to that spot where the groceries had spilled and stuffed most of them back in that bag. “Okay, let’s go.”

  “Find a nice, comfy spot for Tamara to cool her heels,” Jack said to that uniformed officer. “We may need to speak to her again later.”

  “Spill it, Georgie,” Ralph said as we entered the elevator, on our way back underground.

  “It’s the cat food, right?” Jack asked.

  “Yes, Jack. Karl’s got that cat—and Brigit. I’m sure of it.”

  “If they never left the building, that would explain why we didn’t find any evidence that she’d been in that delivery truck,” Jack said.

  “Why kidnap her? Doesn’t Max pay him enough?” Ralph asked.

  “This isn’t about money, Ralph. I’m pretty sure Karl intends to marry her.”

  When we reached the tunnels, Ralph had several of his security men join us. Seconds later we were zipping through the tunnels in a pair of Park Karts. In minutes, Ralph slowed, and the golf cart behind us slowed, too.

  “It’s ahead, about a hundred yards,” Ralph said.

  “Let’s pull over here, okay?” Jack asked.

  “What’s the plan?” Ralph asked.

  “Have your guys knocked on doors around here already?”

  “Yes. The puppet master's workshop falls within the area we inspected in a search for the men Georgie saw in Wardrobe. Security Associates went in and had a look around. If he’s got that dress and Brigit, it’s not obvious where.”

  “Was Karl wearing that Tristan costume?” I asked.

  “No. If Karl had been wearing it, our security team would have taken him into custody. They had no reason to be
suspicious of Karl at the time. That big guy wasn’t there, either. They would have grabbed him, immediately.”

  “Okay, Ralph. If he gets spooked when we ask to take a second look, can you let yourself in there?”

  “Yes, I have a master key card. We could use that if he won't let us in. We’ll have to move quickly, so he and that thug don’t have time to harm Brigit.”

  “Let’s try something else first, you two. I’m going to make a grocery delivery. You can come in after me, if I don’t open the door for you myself in a minute or so.”

  “That’s ridiculous, Georgie. Ralph and his security guys can hang back, but I’m going in there with you. It’s against my better judgement to let you go in there at all, but if we can scope things out without setting off all the alarms in his head, right off the bat, let’s try.” Ralph looked skeptical, but nodded in agreement. I stepped from the golf cart and grabbed that bag of groceries.

  “Here we go!” I marched toward that door with Jack at my side. I said nothing but glanced at Jack when we spotted the sign on the door:

  Puppet Master at Work. Do not Disturb.

  “Let’s disturb him, Georgie.”

  “My thoughts, exactly.” I knocked on the door, firmly. “Groceries, Karl,” I called out in a cheery voice.

  “Frank’s out looking for you. Where have you been?” Karl asked as he swung that door open. A puzzled expression stole over that baby face of his. I didn’t wait for an invitation and marched in with Jack in tow. I had butterflies in my stomach—not the good kind I get from hanging around Jack, either. I breathed a little easier, knowing Karl’s helper, Frank, wasn’t there.

  “Tamara had a mishap, Karl. She asked me to get these to you right away.” I spoke in a chatty voice as I moved into the room, as far as I could go before Karl had a chance to react. This workshop space was a lot like the one that Imogene used. It was filled with far more bizarre items than those in Wardrobe, though. Not just dress forms, but manikins were strewn about. Realistic-looking body parts—not all of them human—were also stashed in various locations around the room. Beyond this workspace, I could see a bigger area, like the one Imogene used to store costumes.

  “Wow, I can’t believe you do all your magic in here, Karl.” As I spoke I headed into that back room. “Is your fridge back here?” I stopped for a split second when I spotted a lineup of heads like those Karl used for his Swanderlings. I could swear their eyes followed me as I moved. Then, my stomach did a flip-flop. One of those sculpted forms or latex masks—whatever they were—was the spitting image of Brigit.

  “I bet that cat is starving for a treat,” I said in a loud voice, emphasizing that word “treat.” My reply came swiftly. I heard scratching from behind a nearby door marked Private.

  “Shall I feed the kitty for you, Karl? Here kitty, kitty, kitty.” I popped the top on a can of cat food. That scratching sound ramped up.

  “Where’s the cat?” Jack asked.

  “In here,” I heard a voice respond from behind that door. “We’re in here.”

  “You can’t go in there. That’s private!” Karl screeched as he came running toward me.

  “Not anymore, you little weasel.” I dashed to that door and reached it before he did. When that door opened, Marmalade flew out. To my amazement, instead of going for the food, he sprang at Karl, claws out. It was a good thing, too, because as Karl shrieked, he dropped a box cutter. Before he could move again, Jack had Karl on the ground. He cuffed him, and then hauled him to his feet and dragged him toward the door leading back to the corridor.

  “Marmalade, it’s alright, now. Come here,” I heard Brigit cry out. Marmalade followed me into that room which had originally been a suite much like Imogene’s. All the furniture had been pushed against the back wall. In the center of the room, Brigit lay on a bed of rose petals in a large, clear acrylic box, elevated slightly near her head. She resembled a doll placed on display. The lid was open at an angle. Silk ribbons held her arms and ankles in place. She wore a peasant dress like Christiana’s in The Lonely Swan Prince. A band of flowers adorned her hair. That wedding dress stood in a corner of the room. "Is Marmalade okay?"

  “Good grief, that cat’s more than okay, Brigit. How about you? Are you injured?” Marmalade jumped into that box and hunkered down next to her. Brigit sneezed. I ran and grabbed a knife I had seen on a counter in Karl’s storage room and went to work on those ties that held her. As soon as her arm was free, she reached out to pet that cat. I could hear him purring.

  “No physical damage, Georgie. Scared, exhausted, and angry. I haven’t eaten much since yesterday. Karl brought my lunch along as a gesture of his devotion. What a psycho to believe I could eat while he had me trapped like an animal in a cage. I played along, dressing in this outfit.” She sneezed again. “I’ll never complain about being allergic to cats. Marmalade and I both put up a fight. He sliced that idiot, Frank, to bits before Karl stuffed Marmalade into that coffee cart.”

  “You weren’t hidden away in there?” I asked as I worked to free her other arm.

  “No. Karl pushed that cart and Frank had my arms pinned to my sides. It’s a good thing or I might have scratched him, too. I shoved Frank and he stepped on Karl. Karl drove that cart into the wall of the elevator, threatening to hurt Marmalade if I caused any more trouble. Maybe I should have screamed and fought even then, but no one was around. There was Marmalade to think about, and my baby.”

  “Baby? Is that the test you’re planning to run again on Monday?” No wonder she had dumped her drink into that plant, I thought. She had just found out she was pregnant.

  “Yes. I don’t need to run it again, though. I’ve had plenty of time to think about it since then. I’m no longer in denial. I'm pregnant.”

  When I finally had both wrists free, I helped her sit up and she threw her arms around me. I hugged her until she released me. As she leaned back, I could see that her wrists were red and bruised. She must have struggled to get out of those restraints. I went to work on those ties binding her ankles.

  “When we got here, Karl proposed marriage, wearing Tristan’s wedding suit. I tried to tell Karl that I was already married and that I was going to have a baby. His eyes just fluttered like one of those Swanderlings, and he said, ‘Oh, yes, Christiana, I understand. We’re already married in spirit. I want to memorialize it on film. Then, we’ll never be apart again. I promise.’ Creepy, huh? I’m pretty sure this box was a coffin Karl built for two, Georgie.” I wrapped my arms around her and held her again as tears slid down her cheeks. Marmalade forced his way in between us.

  “What a good boy,” I said as he rumbled.

  I suddenly heard a flurry of activity behind me as Jack, Ralph, CSIs, and EMTs rushed into the room. That red-headed cat wrangler came running in there, too. Above all that ruckus, I heard Todd’s voice.

  “Brigit! Brigit!” He pushed past the others to reach Brigit’s side. “They found you. Thank God, you’re alive.”

  I stepped back, giving the two a moment together as he embraced her. Marmalade dove over the side of the box onto the ground as Todd asked Brigit many of the same questions I had just asked her. Then his voice grew louder.

  “A baby? We’re going to have a baby?” Todd gave his wife a kiss and then turned to the EMTs. “We’re going to have a baby. You’ll be careful getting her out of that box, right?”

  “We’ll treat her like a princess,” one of the EMTs responded as the two of them helped her out of that box and into a chair.

  “Oh no. No, thank you. I’ve had enough of the princess treatment to last a lifetime. Just treat me like a pregnant lady, will you?”

  “You can count on it,” the EMT responded, laughing as she began checking Brigit’s vital signs.

  “We’re going to have to put you all on the Marvelous Marley World payroll,” I quipped. There’s no way I could express the relief I felt, so I resorted to humor.

  “Let’s hope not. People in other parts of the county do sometimes require o
ur services,” the second EMT retorted as he maneuvered a stretcher into place near Brigit.

  Ralph’s phone rang. He, Jack, and those CSIs took off. They hadn’t gone far since I could hear their voices in that workspace. I took another step out of the way so the young man who had come to claim Marmalade could reach him. Marmalade made no attempt to escape this time.

  “Marmalade,” he cried, as he swept that cat into his arms. “I’ve been so worried about you. Amber has been, too. Shame on Tamara for letting you out.” Tamara, huh? I said nothing, but filed that bit away to share with Jack later. The cat wrangler set a cat carrier down on the ground, opened it, and Marmalade went right in. A chatty exchange followed between Marmalade and Amber as the happy man and his cats left.

  “Just so you know, Brigit, Karl is under arrest for kidnapping and false imprisonment, and a host of other charges,” Jack said, as he walked back into the room and put his phone away. He led me toward a far corner of the room, away from where those EMTs were speaking to Brigit. Todd watched and listened, riveted by every word his wife uttered in response to their questions. Then, Todd turned to us.

  “What about the coffee delivery guy?" Todd asked. "Brigit says his name is Frank.”

  “Yeah, Frank Spence. We’ve got him, too.”

  “Isn't that good news, Brigit? The police have arrested both Karl and Frank.” Brigit nodded in agreement as she reached out to take Todd's hand.

  “Thank goodness. Frank’s scarier than Karl. I begged Karl not to leave me alone with him. No one else should ever have to go through what I went through the past 24 hours,” she said as the EMTs placed Brigit on that stretcher.

  “Has it only been 24 hours?” I whispered to Jack.

  “Hard to believe. I’ll bet it feels a lot longer than that to Brigit, too.”

  “Where was Frank Pence?” I asked.

  “Fetching Tamara. Karl was getting antsy after that visit from security and sent him to find her so they could get on with the wedding plans. Frank was waiting for her when Ralph’s guys went to secure Tamara’s break area and made sure Brigit wasn’t there.”