‘Mom,’ I cut in, choking a little as I tried to swallow, ‘Devon’s a travel photographer. Don’t you want to ask him about all the amazing places he’s been to?’
‘Really?’ She lit up. ‘Oh, yes, please do tell. You know, I always wanted to go to Italy. See Rome and Pompeii … Oh, and that leaning tower, of course. What a disaster that was, right?’ She laughed and a spittle of pancake landed on the table.
I watched Devon shove a forkful of pancake in his mouth and nod politely as he tried to swallow it.
‘I’m going to get us some water.’ Defeated, I made my way back in the kitchen. Washing out two glasses, I tried to talk myself down from a panic attack. I couldn’t let Devon see me unravel. It was just so hot and so … smelly … and I could hear her going on and on about things that were just fantasy. I had to get Devon out of there before she made a durable imprint on his brain. Before he started wondering if I was just hiding my crazy. After all, it is hereditary. I dried my hands and pulled my hair off my neck. ‘Just this moment. Just get through this moment.’
‘You know you’re the first boy Elvis has ever brought home. I think she was ashamed of where she came from. Ashamed of me. But I didn’t blame her. With kids it’s all about designer this and designer that. They don’t understand what’s important in life is family. Don’t you agree?’
Time seemed frozen as I stood behind her holding the water glasses. Designer what? What was she talking about? I’d been happy to find a halfway decent pair of jeans at the thrift store growing up. There were so many things off about what she was saying, but the one that struck me the hardest was her saying that Devon was the first boy I’d brought home. Forget the whole inappropriate ‘boy’ comment. She apparently didn’t even remember me bringing Tommy Mathers home? She must’ve been too drunk to even know we were there. So, if she wasn’t trying to make up for that whole fiasco, what the hell was she doing with all this fake niceness and pancakes?
Devon was staring at me with a concerned expression. I forced a smile and put the glasses down. Some water sloshed out over my hand. I was starting to feel unsettled and confused. I wiped the sweat off my upper lip. I really needed to get out of there. ‘Devon?’ My eyes pleaded with him. Thankfully, he got the message.
‘Oh, you know, I forgot we’re supposed to pick up that … package for Quinn.’ He took a sip of water. ‘So sorry, Ms Pressley, we’re going to have to cut this short.’
‘Yes!’ I jumped back up, almost knocking over the chair. ‘I forgot about that, too. Sorry, Mom. I’m just going to grab my box of winter clothes. Devon, would you please get the yellow bike from the garage for me?’
‘I will. Thank you for the lovely breakfast.’
I was backing up toward my old bedroom. ‘Yank the garage door handle hard. It sometimes gets stuck.’
I snuck a glance at Mom. She looked confused as she sputtered, ‘Oh. Well. Sorry to see you two kids go so quick.’
I could still hear her talking, probably to herself, and could barely see with the hot tears burning my eyes, but I managed to find my winter clothes box in my old closet. When I came out with the box, Mom had disappeared back into the kitchen. The dishes still sat on the table. I hesitated. I should clean that up.
I couldn’t. I could barely breathe. ‘Thanks, Mom. Gotta go.’ I hurried out the door before she could see the tears. I hadn’t let her see me cry since ninth grade and I wasn’t about to start now.
Devon had found the bike and had the Jeep running. When I hopped in he squeezed my leg silently as I swiped a rogue tear from my cheek. ‘Want to talk about it?’
I shook my head and slipped my hand under the warm, heavy comfort of his. That was all I needed.
THIRTEEN
Seven hours later I’d managed to put the bizarre morning with Mom behind me as Devon and I returned to the Pampered Pup Spa & Resort for the big Halloween bash. We’d decided to bring Buddha but leave a hyper Petey at the beach bungalow. Buddha didn’t seem bothered by the lion mane Devon had picked up for him either, thank goodness.
I was wearing my hair down since it was cooler out and the humidity was low enough it wasn’t frizzing up. I’d tried to put on the make-up Hope had bought me but ended up scrubbing it all off and opting for just tinted sunscreen and lip gloss. They were handing out masquerade masks at the door anyway – why torture myself? We exchanged my two complimentary tickets for masks: a black one for Devon and an emerald green one with a white feather for me.
First thing I noticed as we stepped inside was that they’d removed all the tables except for the ones along the floor-to-ceiling windows. A raised runway draped in a white cloth had been placed in front of the banyan tree. Tiny sparkling lights hung from the ceiling in between the hand-blown glass balls, their reflections studding the windows. The city lights of Clearwater beyond that gave the restaurant a 3D effect. It was like walking into a fairy land or prom, not that I would know how a prom looks. I never went to mine due to the expense. It was fine, though. It made events like this as an adult even more special.
We were early so the place was still pretty empty, but I needed to find out more information about the pet costume contest and my role in it. As Devon snapped a few pictures of the banyan tree with the digital camera he’d brought, I spotted Rita talking to a lady setting up a table in the corner. Turning to Devon, I said, ‘I need to talk to Rita for a sec and ask her about the costume contest.’
Devon draped the camera strap over his shoulder and ran a hand down my bare arm, causing me to shiver. His eyes glistened mischievously behind the black mask. Yeah, he knew what his touch did to me. ‘I’ll run Buddha out to the gardens before it begins then.’
I squeezed his hand. ‘Thanks.’
As I approached the two women, I slid my mask up to rest in my hair.
Rita smiled. ‘Elle!’ She air-kissed my cheeks and then put her hands on her hips dramatically. ‘My, don’t you clean up nicely. Oh, Elle, this is Wanda, an acclaimed pet psychic all the way from New York.’
Pet psychic? I shook the woman’s hand. She looked more like a businesswoman than a pet psychic in her black pantsuit and dark, shoulder-length bob. ‘And I thought I had an interesting job,’ I said, smiling.
‘Elle teaches doggie yoga here,’ Rita offered.
‘How fun. I’ll have to check and see if they do something like that in New York.’ Wanda’s voice was quiet and soothing – a noticeable contrast to her sharp, businesslike outer appearance. ‘I’ve got two highly strung poodles and a terrier mix at home that could use some zen.’
‘Oh, you should’ve brought them to the Pampered Pup with you, Wanda. We specialize in doggie zen here. In fact, that would be an excellent slogan. I need to write that down.’
‘Well, with the live ones you may.’ Wanda’s head cocked to the side like a canary. ‘But you’ve got a couple of restless canine spirits here.’
‘We do? You’ve sensed … ghost dogs here?’ I couldn’t tell if Rita was just being polite or if she really believed her.
Wanda nodded. ‘Not just sensed them. I’ve seen them. Heard them. Last night in the hallway. The veil between the living and dead is the thinnest this time of year, you see. Makes it hard for me not to notice them.’
Rita crossed her arms. ‘Well, we have had complaints about a dog scratching on guests’ doors at night. Could that be these ghost dogs?’
She nodded, catching my eye. ‘I believe it’s the Yorkies. The ones depicted in the paintings hanging in the lobby. Don’t worry, though, the activity will settle down after Samhain and all but go unnoticed again … except for those sensitive to such things.’ These last words were directed at me. I blushed. Could she possibly know?
‘Good.’ Rita seemed genuinely relieved and then she gasped. ‘Not there, Julius! Sorry, ladies. I have to go help them place the ice sculpture. They’re so late. Excuse me.’
‘Wait—’ I tried. But she was already scuttling off, her arms waving. I frowned. I’d have to catch her later to ask abou
t the costume contest details. ‘Well, it was nice to meet you.’ I smiled at Wanda, preparing to head off.
‘You have a guardian angel.’ I turned back to her in surprise. Her smoky gray eyes were soft and almost unfocused. ‘But you already know that, don’t you?’
I almost denied it but then remembered who she was. If there was anyone I could admit seeing Angel to, it would be a pet psychic. ‘Yes. Can you see her?’
She closed her eyes and then shook her head. ‘No. Not at the moment. But her energy is around you like a signature. Protecting you.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘You’ve seen her, yes?’
‘Yes. She appears to me when I’m in danger. Ironically her name is Angel.’
Her smile widened and she nodded. ‘What a gift. Well, she may appear more solid to you right now.’
‘So I wasn’t imagining that?’
She shook her head and laughed softly. ‘No.’
I took her card and went to find Devon, finally spotting him coming back through the door with Buddha. I wondered what he’d think about the whole spirit energy thing? I decided not to find out. I knew if I hadn’t experienced it for myself with Angel I wouldn’t have believed it either.
The café-turned-ballroom was now filling up quickly with patrons donning black gowns, tuxes and masks, accompanied by their dogs decked out in very imaginative costumes. As I watched a white poodle stroll by dressed as Marilyn Monroe – complete with cleavage – I started to get nervous. How in the world was I supposed to judge these costumes? There were so many fabulous dogs here and their owners probably spent ridiculous amounts of time and money dressing them up. My chest tightened and my heart fluttered. Who was I to say which costume was the best? At least there’d be two other judges there to balance out my lack of judgment.
A DJ had set up by the bar and every fifteen minutes or so he’d call out a raffle ticket number and give away a door prize. Free mud baths, massages, acupuncture … all for the dogs, of course. I watched with amusement as women worth millions got excited when they won something. Human nature just baffled me.
‘Thank you,’ Devon was saying beside me as he removed two glasses of champagne from a waiter’s tray. ‘Lovely party.’
‘It is, sir.’
I smiled up at Devon curiously as I accepted a glass from him.
‘What?’
Slipping an arm around his waist beneath his camera strap, I allowed myself to focus on him alone, feeling my anxiety about the contest dissipate. I’ve noticed there are two kinds of blue eyes: the kind that are flat and non-reflective like denim and then the clear-as-glass kind. Devon’s were the latter, dark blue but crystal clear, reflecting both passion and mischief. I held his gaze and let the world melt away. It was one of my favorite things to do lately and made all the easier by the mask he was wearing. ‘You know one of the things I love about you?’
He chuckled. ‘I dare not guess.’
‘The way you treat everyone with respect and kindness and don’t dismiss or patronize the servers.’
‘Really?’ His smile spread, and a wicked one it was. ‘I was hoping you were going to say the way I can never keep my hands off you.’ He moved a palm down to my backside to illustrate his point.
‘Hey, you two, get a room.’
Reluctantly leaving the intimate conversation with Devon, I turned and smiled. ‘Hi, Beth Anne.’ I gave her a one-armed hug, trying not to spill my champagne down her back, while Devon shook hands with her husband, Carl. ‘And, oh, don’t you look good enough to eat,’ I giggled at Shakespeare, her six-pound shih tzu. The dog didn’t seem amused as his dark button eyes watched us from beneath yarn ropes and brown yarn balls. It reminded me of that joke:
‘Make me spaghetti and meatballs.’
‘OK,’ waves the magic wand, ‘poof, you’re spaghetti and meatballs!’
‘I don’t think he’s too happy with us right now.’ Beth Anne chuckled and gave him a kiss on his nose, between the yarn strings. Her long hair was down for once and it fell over her bronzed bare shoulder in a silky pane. Even though she was in a black cocktail dress, her whole being was shades of honey, tan and coffee with heavy cream. Even her nails were beige with white tips. Apparently a color pallet wasn’t just about your clothes and jewelry – who knew?
‘Have y’all seen Violet yet? I cannot wait to see Ghost’s costume. I bet she’s waiting to make her big entrance.’ Before I could answer, she squealed, ‘Oh, heavens, will you look at Miss Prizzy in the Marilyn Monroe costume! I have to go say hi. Come on, Carl.’ She grabbed an amused Carl’s hand. ‘Catch y’all later, Elle.’
‘How am I ever going to choose?’ I moaned, looking over the crowd. ‘I still don’t even know anything about this contest I’m supposed to be helping to judge.’
Devon chuckled and lifted his camera as a whippet dressed up in the likeness of Michael Jackson walked by. ‘Maybe they’ll have different categories like funniest or scariest.’
‘That would make it easier.’ My worries about the contest came to a screeching halt as the Beckleys came through the door. They were all there, including the third Athena, perched on Flavia’s lap in a red sequined Devil costume. Apparently, they were fond of irony. ‘Speak of the devil.’
Devon followed my gaze. ‘Ah, yes. I haven’t had a chance to ask you how your investigation is going so far.’
‘You mean your investigation,’ I whispered, watching M.J. gently slip a gold mask on Lulu at the front door. She beamed and gave him a light peck on the lips for his efforts. The rest of the Beckley family had donned their masks and began to navigate the growing crowd in our direction.
‘OK, how’s my investigation going?’
For some reason, him taking ownership of the investigation did make me feel better. ‘Well, I haven’t gotten very far. The only suspects we have right now are Cali and Sven. We really need to get to the bottom of Selene’s statement and find out if she really was with Cali during the timeframe Michael was killed, leaving Sven’s whereabouts unknown. Or if Selene was secretly with Sven, leaving Cali’s whereabouts unknown.’
‘Solid plan.’ Devon grabbed my hand with the same one holding Buddha’s leash. ‘Come on then.’ He moved toward them and put us smack in their path.
‘Mrs Beckley.’ He greeted Selene with empathy. ‘This may not be the proper time, but I just wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss.’ He took in the whole family with an intense gaze which settled on Cali. ‘My sympathies to all of you.’
Cali shrugged, her dark eyes sliding to her brother behind a red mask. ‘Not much of a loss for me. Maybe for M.J.,’ she teased with a smile like a velociraptor. ‘He was always a daddy’s boy.’
M.J.’s face reddened under his own mask and a white ring appeared around his tightening lips. I would have taken her remark as good-natured family ribbing except for his reaction. He didn’t respond.
Selene chuckled as if Cali hadn’t just insulted her brother and admitted her father’s death wasn’t a big deal to her. Devon and I shared a look before she said, ‘Thank you, your condolences are appreciated. He’s very much missed by most of us.’ She finally noticed me standing beside Devon. ‘Oh, hello, Elle. We took your advice and came. Last night at this place so why not? The police are giving us our house back in the morning.’ Wiggling Chloe in her arm, her mouth softened below her black mask. ‘Doesn’t she make the cutest Winnie-the-Pooh?’
‘She does. It’s perfect.’ I smiled back, all the while trying to figure out a way to bring up her and Cali’s whereabouts at the time of Michael’s murder. I watched M.J. pluck two champagne glasses from a tray and hand one each to his mother and grandmother, completely ignoring Cali and Sam.
‘Efharisto,’ Flavia said, accepting a glass. I noticed Athena’s lip raise as his hand got closer. That dog just didn’t like anyone.
‘Hi, Flavia,’ I said. ‘I love Athena’s costume.’
She shrugged. ‘I no like it but it fits. She is little devil.’ Then she waved me closer with a stiff hand.
‘I finish exercising prayer for you. Things are good now, no? No more headache? Bad luck?’
‘Oh, yeah, well …’ My mind was involuntarily running through all the bad luck I’d had this week. I must’ve been taking too long to answer.
She made an ‘mmmm’ noise and pursed her lips, deepening the wrinkles around her mouth. ‘I must get you your own protective eye. I take care.’ She sipped her champagne and then smacked her lips together, which got Athena’s attention. Her little bat ears perked up.
‘Oh, that’s really sweet of you but not necessary,’ I said. But really, who knew what was around the corner? Angel’s visit seemed to indicate nothing good. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea and what could it hurt? I already knew there were things about this world I would never understand. Who was I to say there wasn’t such things as curses?
When the family began to split up, I thanked Flavia and stood. Cali and Sam wandered off together and Devon was still talking to Selene on the other side of where I stood. I was just catching snippets of their conversation above the crowd:
‘Breezy was like a daughter.’ ‘She was so angry.’ ‘Still shocked.’
M.J. now rested his hand protectively on his yiya’s wheelchair handle, but his attention was firmly planted on Lulu. Who could blame him? I watched her animated conversation. She was all wild hair, palpable energy and a smile that would be perfect for a toothpaste commercial. I had to meet this fascinating creature.
High Jinx Page 10
