Pairing a Deception

by Nadine Nettmann

  “Where’s the money now?”

  Anita studied me. “Why? It’s mine. I don’t care what kind of investigation you’re doing, you don’t get the money.”

  “No, sorry, that’s not what I meant. I just—” I hesitated, unsure of how to say my next part. “I just had an idea in case it was counterfeit. I mean, it was rather generous of her to give you the money.”

  “I don’t think it was counterfeit. I’ve already spent it. I paid my bar tab with it and the bartender held it up to the light and checked for that string thing.”

  I nodded. It was weird how Rachel insisted on paying Anita. Either she was a genuine person who followed through on her promises or she was trying to cover all of her tracks. “Did you know her name wasn’t Jocelyn?”

  “It wasn’t? What was it?”

  “Rachel.”

  “Get out. Like she was on a secret mission or something?” Anita picked up her purse. “Well, this was fun, but I should get going.” She stood up and then sat back down. “Actually, I just remembered something.”

  My heart rate accelerated. “What?”

  “It might be nothing, but she had a bottle of wine with her. I didn’t think anything of it at first. I mean, it’s a wine festival, right? But she took the bottle out of her purse, laughed, and said someone would be seriously ticked if they knew she was going to drink it. I figured she had taken it from the bar. I didn’t care much. I just wanted to get my money and get out of there.”

  “Do you know who she thought would be ticked?”

  “Maybe the person paying her? I don’t know. That really is all I can tell you.” She stood up.

  I closed my eyes and went back to the scene of Rachel’s death. I focused in on the bottle in her hand. “Did the wine have purple writing on it?”

  She thought for a moment. “Yeah. Purple writing and shapes on the label.”

  I had seen it recently, at Walt and Ben’s table in the bar. Tama Winery, the same one that Hudson just announced a partnership with. At least now I knew exactly why Rachel had tried to get into the festival and why she was so eager to get to Hudson. Someone had paid her to push Tama wine on him. But who?

  “It’s time for me to go. I have a feeling the bars are going to be rocking tonight. I might try the Lancaster. I’ve heard good things.”

  “Thanks again for your help.”

  “You got it, old friend.” Anita winked and left the room.

  I looked around, but Dean’s seat was empty and Hudson was gone, too. I was alone.

  I found Dean in the hallway, leaning against the wall as he stared at the far end by the lobby.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Keeping an eye on Hudson,” said Dean. “He went that way with a group of people, but I didn’t want to leave you.” He looked at me. “How’s Anita?”

  “She’s fine, but this whole thing revolves around Tama Winery.” An idea went through my head like wine flowing from a decanter into a glass, splashing up the sides. “Listen, I need to find the bottle of wine that Rachel had.”

  “I’m not following.”

  “The one that was in her hand.”

  “It’s evidence and part of an active murder investigation. They won’t release it and I’m not going to get it out of evidence for you, even if I could,” said Dean.

  “No, I wouldn’t ask you to do that.” I stared at the empty hallway as I thought about where I could go. “I just need to find another one.”

  “Why?” asked Dean.

  I looked at him. “To trap the killer.”

  twenty-nine

  pairing suggestion: pinot noir —central otago, new zealand

  A similar style to California Pinot Noir but with more spice.

  I walked down the hall at such a fast speed, Dean could barely keep up.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the bar. I want to find out if they have the wine.”

  “Which one?”

  “Tama Winery, the one that Hudson announced tonight. Walt and Ben had a bottle and it wasn’t from the Lancaster, so I’m hoping it was from here.”

  We arrived in the New Sierra bar. There were a few people seated at the tables but Hudson was not one of them.

  “Welcome back,” said the bartender. He was the same one from when I had a drink with Isabella. “What can I get you?”

  “Actually, can I see your wine list?”

  He handed over the folder and attended to other customers.

  I scanned it, but Tama wasn’t on the list. “Nope, no Tama.”

  “Walt and Ben are walking through the lobby. You said they had a bottle, correct?”

  “Yes, but they wouldn’t say where they got it. They only said it was from a friend.” I stared at Walt and Ben. They noticed and headed in our direction.

  “A friend who kills?” asked Dean.

  “Possibly.”

  “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” said Ben as they stopped a few feet away. “Oh, that’s right. You’re the one who schooled Walt in the blind tasting.” He smiled.

  “Thanks for bringing it back up,” said Walt.

  “My pleasure,” replied Ben.

  “Coming here for a drink?”

  “Nope,” said Walt as he flipped a cork in the air. “We’re on a mission.”

  I glanced at Dean and back at them. Could their mission be the same one we were on? “Care to share your flight plan?”

  “Walt here has a hankering for a certain whiskey and apparently they have it at the other hotel.” He motioned toward the Lancaster.

  “They do,” replied Walt. “I saw it there yesterday. And if you say apparently again, I’m going to make you buy it for me, because it actually exists. Nothing apparent about it.”

  Ben stayed silent, though it was clear he was biting his tongue.

  “Didn’t want to stay with wine, the theme of the weekend?” I smiled.

  “Call it palate fatigue,” said Walt. “Or perhaps just a craving for a single malt Scotch.”

  “Not another bottle of Tama?” I added.

  Walt gave a side glance to Ben. “Not tonight, maybe tomorrow.”

  “Want to join us?” asked Ben.

  “Not at the moment,” said Dean.

  “Come by when you can,” said Walt as he turned his attention to me. “Unless it’s like yesterday, where you pull out mad skills and can tell us what the whiskey is just by tasting it.”

  “I like whiskey, but no more blind tasting. At least not tonight.”

  “What about you, Dean? How are you with the non-wine drinks?”

  Dean smiled. “While I do love a good Scotch, particularly the smoky and peaty styles of Islay, and I enjoy the grassy styles of Speyside, I’ve been known to stick to a good old Kentucky Bourbon.”

  I stared at Dean. All of this was news to me.

  “Nice,” said Ben.

  “Perhaps we’ll join you later,” Dean continued.

  “You got it, chief,” said Walt who seemed clearly impressed by Dean’s knowledge. The two of them walked away.

  “Okay, wait a minute. How did I not know you knew all of this about whiskey and Scotch?”

  Dean shrugged as a tinge of pink filled his cheeks. “You love wine so I enjoy talking about wine with you.”

  “But you never mentioned it?”

  “I like to talk about what’s important to you.”

  “Yes, but we need to share more. And you and I are going to drink some whiskey soon.” Although wine was my passion and career, I also loved exploring whiskey, beer, sake, and other liquors. Every bottle had a story to tell.

  Dean motioned to the nearby bar table. “Let’s take a seat.”

  “Detective Stillwell, where’s your investigative spirit? I thought you would be more interested in solving this than
having a drink.”

  Dean stifled a laugh. “Standing here isn’t going to do any good except call attention to ourselves. I suggest we sit, talk it over, and figure out our next step. Together. Unless I’m not allowed to help.”

  “I’d love your help. We make a great team.” I pulled out the chair at a corner table and sat down. Several of the tables were occupied, but we still had our privacy.

  “So there’s no Tama wine here,” said Dean. “What next?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but I need a bottle of it to make this work,” I replied. “It’s the key element to the crime.”

  “Considering Hudson just announced his partnership with Tama, he might have a bottle, but I have a feeling that won’t work for your plan.”

  “No, it won’t.”

  Dean’s face turned serious. “Do you think Hudson killed Rachel?”

  “Even if he did, he had help. He couldn’t tie himself up, you said that yourself. But afterward, he changed his tune about representing the winery.”

  “Katie, I don’t think just locking him in the closet would create that change.”

  “Neither do I.” I stared into Dean’s eyes. “Blackmail.”

  “What would they be blackmailing him about?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe he did something not so great in the past.” I put my hand up. “But listen, Anita said someone paid Rachel to push Tama on Hudson. So either she was killed because she didn’t do that, or because she didn’t take Hudson to whomever she was supposed to that night. He said she wanted him to meet someone.”

  “We don’t know who that was.”

  “No, but there’s a way we can find out.”

  “Katie, be careful.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because your ideas often involve some amount of danger.”

  “There’s nothing dangerous with what I’m about to do. I’ve used my deductive wine skills to solve other murders, right? But what if this time, I make the other person use theirs?”

  “I’m not following.”

  “The killer was trying to get Hudson to endorse the wine, right? That’s who paid Rachel. And when you work with a certain wine a lot, you know every nuance, every subtle characteristic within it. Tama Winery isn’t well known, at least not yet. If someone tonight identifies the taste of Tama wine, then we know they’re involved with the winery and possibly behind this whole thing with Hudson and Rachel.”

  “What about Walt and Ben? They had the wine last night. They might recognize it.”

  “I don’t know if tasting one bottle would be enough for them to identify it. Also, maybe they’re involved.”

  Dean shook his head. “Even if you hide the label at first, they’re going to see it eventually and know it’s Tama.”

  I stared across the room. “Unless it’s not in a Tama bottle.”

  “Katie, what are you up to?”

  “I’m going to pour it into a different wine bottle. If someone still recognizes it as theirs, then we know they’re involved.” I put my hands out and shrugged as I made an innocent face. “Just doing a little transferring of wine. Nothing dangerous about it.”

  He shook his head as a slight grin appeared. “You never cease to amaze me, Katie Stillwell.”

  “I hope it’s always that way. We need to get together everyone who has a connection to Tama and I need one of their wines to make it all work.”

  “How will you do that? They don’t sell it here.”

  “I don’t know. This is where I’m stuck.” I outlined a scratch on the tabletop with my finger. “Even if we drive up to the winery, which is about an hour away, they wouldn’t be open right now.”

  “Maybe a local wine shop has it? I’ll make some calls.”

  “You will?”

  “I want to help, but know that I’m only doing this because I care for you. I know how you get yourself into situations and since I’m here, the best thing I can do is keep you out of danger.” He took out his phone.

  “Thanks, I really appreciate it.” I glanced around at the tables. If I was going to trap the killer, the bar here at the New Sierra would be the best place. Walt, Ben, and Hudson had spent most of their evenings over at the Lancaster bar. They would know that wine list too well. “Be right back.”

  I returned to the bartender and glanced at his name badge before speaking. “Tom, I’m going to come in here with some friends soon, hopefully in the next hour. Can I reserve that side table?” I pointed to a larger one with nine seats ready to accommodate a group.

  He glanced at the table. “It’s first come, first serve,” he replied. “We don’t do reservations.”

  I sighed. “Okay, can we pretend that I’m already sitting there now and have just stood up for a moment? Which would actually be longer, but I digress.” I put a twenty on the bar. “This can be my first drink. Maybe I’m going to spend the next hour drinking it.”

  Tom smiled as he picked up the twenty. He pulled a folded Reserved sign from behind the bar. “Here, go claim your table.”

  “Thank you. One last request. Can I buy an empty bottle of red wine from you?”

  “You’re joking.”

  “No, I’m really not.” I stared at him while I waited for a response. “I want to pay for the bottle in full, but I want it to be empty.”

  “I’ve had some strange requests in my time, but this one is throwing me for a loop. Is this so you can sit at the table and not order drinks?”

  “Don’t worry, we’re ordering drinks tonight. I just need to show a bottle to some of my friends. It’s part of a blind tasting trick.”

  Tom studied me for a moment and then reached below the counter. I heard the clanking of bottles. He poured the last few drops from a bottle of Rubywood Cabernet into a glass. “Here, this one was about to go into the recycling bin anyway. It’s all yours.”

  I took the bottle and turned it label side down in the crook of my arm to hide the name. “Perfect. Thank you. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  “Sure,” said Tom, clearly puzzled by my actions.

  I was set. Now to find each of the players.

  thirty

  pairing suggestion: malbec—cahors, france

  This region produces Malbec, also called Cot, with firm tannins and structure.

  Dean put down his phone as I returned to the table. “You’re pretty lucky.”

  “To have you? I definitely am.”

  Dean smiled. “Well, yes, but there’s a bottle of Tama Cabernet in Solvang.”

  “Perfect. The empty bottle is a Cab, too. That works great.”

  “Except they close in thirty minutes.”

  I stared at Dean. “Okay, how about this. Can you go get it while I get everyone gathered here?”

  “No. A car tried to hit you and Hudson was tied up. I’m not leaving your side.”

  “If we both go, we may lose the opportunity to get everyone together. This wine is the only way to figure out what’s going on. What if I can prevent something worse happening?” I put my hand on his. “I promise I’ll be careful and I’ll be waiting here when you return.”

  “Why does this go against all of my instincts?”

  “You can’t protect me at every turn. I’ll be fine. Come on, the shop is closing soon. We’ll walk over to the Lancaster together. I need to grab a bag for this.” I lifted my arm with the Rubywood nestled in my elbow. “Then I’ll talk to Walt and Ben there.”

  Dean was silent as we exited the hotel.

  A few people strolled about on the lawn, but other than that, the night was quiet.

  “I still don’t like this.”

  “I promise I’ll be in the New Sierra bar when you get back. Besides, I’ve fought off killers before.” I smiled, but it was lost on Dean. I returned to my serious tone. “I’ll be safe.”

  We
reached the Lancaster.

  Dean stared into my eyes. “Keep on your guard, try not to be alone, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “I’ll be careful. I’ll see you at the New Sierra.”

  He kissed me and headed to the parking lot.

  I kept my head down in the lobby of the Lancaster, not wanting anyone to see me with the bottle. I made it to my room and put the bottle in a large bag, a feeling of relief washing over me. My plan was in motion. Now I needed to find everyone who could be connected with Tama Winery or Rachel Carlson.

  I returned to the lobby and saw Anita in the bar with Walt and Ben, three of the people I needed to find. But the sight of them sitting at the same table shocked me. Were they all in this together?

  “Rick, Roll, Anita,” I said as I arrived at their table. “How do you three know each other?”

  “Just met them today,” said Anita. “They’re so fun.”

  “Katie’s pouring at tomorrow’s event. She’s going to pour a little heavy for us,” added Walt.

  “Good to know,” remarked Anita. “You’re my new favorite wine snob.”

  I stiffened at the reference but faked a smile. “Hey, so do you want to join me for drinks in the bar over at the New Sierra in a few minutes?”

  “What about drinks here? Chair. Bar.” Walt pointed to each item as he said them. “Drinks.” He smiled. “It’s like a math equation and I just solved it for you. You’re welcome.”

  “That’s great, but I’m going to open up a special bottle over there. You might not want to miss it. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “Why don’t you open it here?” asked Ben. “There’s plenty of chairs available at our fingertips.” He touched the empty seat next to him. “See,” he added.

  “I already have a table reserved,” I said. “Be there, or don’t, but don’t say I didn’t offer you the opportunity.” Walt and Ben locked eyes and I knew they would be there. “So I’ll see you guys in a few?”

  “I don’t know,” said Anita.

  “What?” Her statement surprised me.