The Diva Takes the Cake

by Davis, Krista

  FORTY

  From “Ask Natasha” :

  Dear Natasha,

  I hate wedding cakes. My fiancé and I adore malted milk balls, but we can’t just serve those for dessert. Do I have to pay for an expensive cake that I don’t want?

  —Malted Milk Lover in Mount Airy

  Dear Malted Milk,

  Set up a candy bar for dessert. Use glass bowls and vases of different sizes and shapes and fill them with all your favorites. If you provide darling little bags, they can double as favors, too. And if you’d like a hint of cake, set cupcakes on a tiered display next to the malted milk balls.

  —Natasha

  “Constanzo and Roberto?” Hannah wrapped her arms over her abdomen like she was comforting herself. “You mean they weren’t his relatives?”

  Humphrey reached a tentative hand toward her shoulder but withdrew it before he made contact. “Do you think he asked friends to play the part of his family?”

  “A charade? It was bad enough to imagine Craig might have killed Stan, but this would mean he deceived me . . . us.” Hannah unwound her arms and drummed her coffee mug just like our mother did when she was thinking. “Isn’t it possible that all this information is wrong? That the gun was stolen and that Joel just talked to the mother of someone named Donata whom we don’t know? Maybe the phone doesn’t belong to Darby. Maybe one of the other guests left it.”

  “Excuse me. Doesn’t anyone else see the similarities in the names? Robert—Roberto, Stan—Constanzo?” I felt terrible for Hannah. There weren’t many possible scenarios that would appeal to her. Either she was married to a murderer, or her husband and his buddies had deceived her, or, I shuddered to think it, both.

  Hannah snatched up Darby’s cell phone and punched buttons. “Rats. She doesn’t have many numbers stored.”

  Humphrey peered over her shoulder. An excuse to get closer? “I think the charge died.”

  In disgust, Hannah set the phone on the table.

  “We can buy a recharger for it.” Obviously, Phoebe wanted to cheer up Hannah. “Let’s go.”

  Humphrey said, “What about breakfast? I get woozy if I don’t eat.”

  “I can start waffles while you buy a recharger, and then while we eat we’ll see what else we can figure out from the phone.”

  Hannah practically pushed Humphrey out the door. I could hear him insisting he would faint if he didn’t eat. Trying to forget about the mess, I apologized to Daisy for ignoring her and took her for a quick walk.

  We crossed the street and passed Natasha and Mars’s house. I wondered if Natasha had erred in buying a place so close to mine. I didn’t suffer from delusions that Mars pined for me, but we were friends and he clearly considered his aunt’s house, now mine, a haven.

  We crossed another street, and I focused on the murders and whatever odd game Craig’s relatives, if they were his relatives, had been playing. It followed that Stan was Constanzo and Robert was Roberto, but then who was Tony? Stan had Tony’s gun, and according to the woman on the phone, Tony was Darby’s ex-husband. Was he the one who’d walked out on her?

  We turned left and started walking back. I chuckled to myself about the problems we might have created for Donata /Darby when her mother asked her about the new boyfriend who’d called.

  But my chuckles subsided when I glimpsed Wolf near Mordecai’s house. I hoped Humphrey had told him our theories, but I wasn’t in the mood for another unpleasant confrontation. Praying that Wolf hadn’t seen us, I cut through the alley that passed behind Nina’s and Natasha’s houses.

  A hand grabbed my shoulder and I jumped. Wolf had caught up to us.

  “Humphrey called me.” Wolf squatted to pet Daisy.

  “Do you think Robert killed Stan?”

  His nose wrinkled in a cute way, and I couldn’t help thinking how attractive he was. “I don’t think I can build a case based on a boutonniere box, but I’ll keep it in mind.”

  I could understand why Wolf didn’t think the boutonniere box was significant, but someone had bothered to hide it in the cooler.

  Wolf’s phone buzzed and he stood up. “At least I know it’s not you calling. Excuse me.” He used the earbud and listened. “It’s a message from you.” Speaking into the phone, he said, “What time did that call come in? From what number? Thanks.” He removed the earpiece. “Looks like I owe you an apology.”

  That confirmed my suspicions. Someone had been calling him and saying it was me. “Why would anyone call and claim to be me?”

  “You didn’t arrange for us to meet at Bernie’s restaurant yesterday?”

  “Afraid not.”

  “Don’t you think it was too coincidental that Mars happened to be there? Did you bring him with you?”

  “Didn’t do that, either.”

  Wolf sucked in air. “I don’t get it. I’m supposed to meet you in the bar at Bernie’s today at four o’clock.”

  “Should we go?”

  “I’m pretty curious to see who else shows up. Sophie, I truly am sorry. I should have realized that you weren’t the type to play games.” He waved and started back to Mordecai’s.

  I didn’t want to go in the same direction as though I were following him, so I continued through the alley and turned onto the sidewalk. We were almost to the corner when I thought I recognized someone in a parked car.

  Poor Daisy probably thought I’d lost my mind. I spun and tugged her to the alley. Then I peered around the corner. The Mazda3 bore New Jersey license plates, and the person in the driver’s seat leaned forward like she was watching the street. Darby was back.

  I didn’t want her to know that I’d seen her, so I swung open the gate to Natasha and Mars’s garage. Daisy ran through and I closed it behind us. But when we entered the grassy part of the yard, we found Natasha turning in a circle, salt spilling from a container in her hand. She yelped when she saw us.

  “What are you doing?”

  “There’s just no privacy in this town. Why are you here?”

  “I’m avoiding someone. What’s with the salt?”

  “You won’t tell anyone?” Natasha blushed. “You know how superstitious my mom is. She’s convinced that Emily’s spirit will haunt us because she was so brutally murdered.”

  “The salt?”

  “To ward away evil spirits.”

  “Shouldn’t Wanda be out here helping you?”

  “She’s inside, lighting incense. Please don’t tell anyone. I couldn’t stand for Mars to find out. That’s why I couldn’t tell the police my alibi for Emily’s murder. I was at a fortune-teller’s trying to get a love potion.”

  I tried not to giggle. “A love potion for Mars?”

  Pain invaded her face. “I might as well come right out and ask you. Are you and Mars having an affair?”

  I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh, but I had to answer her. “No, Natasha, we’re not.”

  “Then why can’t I get him to propose to me? I was so certain that Hannah’s romantic wedding would flame Mars’s fire, but if anything, it seems like he’s even less interested.”

  “Is that why you bought those silly glass diamonds for the single men?”

  “I thought he should have a diamond available in case the mood struck him.”

  I finally began to understand. “That’s why you hung all over Kevin.”

  “I thought it would make Mars jealous. But all he did was flee to you.”

  Her plan might have worked better if Kevin hadn’t spent the weekend running away from her. “Mars hung around me complaining about your interest in Kevin.”

  “He was jealous? Maybe those things did work.”

  “What things?”

  “I put chamomile in his wine. And the wedding cake—it was supposed to have aphrodisiac qualities, too. Sophie, how did Mars propose to you? I mean, did you discuss it first or did he surprise you?”

  Mars’s proposal brought back warm memories. We’d been so young. Barefoot, walking on the beach in the moonlight. But that wouldn�
�t make Natasha feel any better. “You can’t push Mars or he’ll dig his heels in. Give him time.” Daisy and I strolled toward the service passage.

  “Oh, Sophie,” said Natasha, “I’m sorry about the way things worked out with Wolf. I’d have been better off if he had been around for the wedding. Mars would have seen you two together and, well, I think I made a big mistake. I’ve been trying to get you back together, though.”

  Oh no! She wouldn’t have! “Have you been calling Wolf to set up meetings with me?”

  “Please don’t tell me it backfired. Mom and I thought Mars should see you with Wolf. Then he’d realize he couldn’t win you back.”

  I held out my hand. “My phone, please?”

  Part of me wanted to lash out at her. She’d caused me a lot of heartache. “You know, you could be arrested for that.”

  She flicked a hand at me and laughed. “Don’t be silly. It’s not like I called 911. They were personal calls. There’s no law against that. Besides, I did it with good intentions. You’re my best friend. Do you need help organizing that freezer?”

  I didn’t answer. Instead I turned to leave, and Daisy and I ran through the service entrance to the street, before Wolf could come along and be angry with me anew for being behind the yellow line.

  We walked toward Nina’s house, and I wondered where she and Hermione were. Normally, she’d have shown up for breakfast at my place. I knocked on her front door, but no one answered.

  At the opposite corner of the street, I hoped we were far enough away to be out of Darby’s range of vision. I risked being caught by Wolf, walked to the alley, and slipped through the back way so Darby wouldn’t see us.

  Hannah was still out, but Mochie greeted us at the door. Daisy trailed to the water bowl, drank, and sprawled on the floor. Neither of them acted like anyone else was in the house.

  I peered out the bay window. Darby had parked where she could observe my house. Kneeling on the floor so I wouldn’t be too visible, I kept an eye on her, wondering why she was back. She’d been afraid when she left. What could be so important that she would risk returning?

  A spot of light danced on the wall. It was a reflection from the sun glinting off Hannah’s engagement ring, which rested on the windowsill.

  The diamonds. Everything came back to the pink diamonds. I buried my head in my hands as the pieces began to fit together. Maybe Jen hadn’t overheard Stan threatening to ice Craig. Maybe Stan wanted the ice—the diamonds. And that meant Craig had them. Joel could have been right that Craig didn’t buy Hannah’s engagement ring. And it probably wasn’t a coincidence that none of Craig’s relatives had been invited to the wedding. Then, when Darby saw the wedding Web page, they all descended on him to collect the diamonds. No wonder they’d searched my house. They all thought he’d stashed the loot here. But where was it?

  I dialed the police, crushed that Darby was involved in the murders. I left a message for Wolf to call me as soon as possible but had my doubts about when he might receive the message.

  Mochie sprang onto the window seat and rubbed against me, purring. I ran my hand over his silky fur and glanced out the window again. Darby had left her car. She crossed the street and disappeared from view.

  FORTY-ONE

  From “The Live with Natasha Show” :

  When you’re planning your grand entrance, use a runner. Pine needles, grass, sand, and flower petals look gorgeous in magazines, but they can permanently ruin a wedding dress. Don’t be fooled by magazine pictures of brides romping in the ocean. Those dresses are trashed after the photo shoots.

  I waited for her to appear on the sidewalk. Seconds ticked by but they felt like an eternity. What if she wasn’t coming to the front door?

  If I waited for her in the sunroom and she came through the backyard, she might see me, and that would give her an advantage if she meant harm. I checked the front again. No sign of her. I sped through the kitchen and foyer and up the stairs. Hannah had a great view of the shed when she was getting dressed. I dashed up to the third floor, Daisy and Mochie running along, excited by my frenzy.

  A breeze swept through the open windows, but reminders of the wedding lay everywhere. Hannah’s wedding dress was still draped over a chair, blood caked on the hem. The tiara sparkled on the dresser. She must have hated coming up here last night to sleep.

  The gate in my backyard creaked open. I sat down so I wouldn’t be noticeable, a move Daisy identified as an opportunity to have her tummy scratched. Darby closed the gate and, watching my house carefully, tiptoed across the yard to the potting shed. She opened the door and I heard her stifle a shriek. She stepped back and Robert emerged.

  Darby’s rigid posture suggested she hadn’t expected to find Robert in the shed. Had she meant to hide there? I had no idea why they were in my backyard, but I wasn’t taking any chances. They might be meeting here for completely innocent reasons, but I didn’t think so.

  Hoping Wolf was still in the neighborhood, I called information, only to learn that Mordecai’s number was unlisted. I knew Nina wasn’t home, but Natasha was. I dialed her number and Wanda answered.

  I didn’t dare mention Robert, lest she come running over. Instead, speaking softly, I said, “Tell Natasha to fetch Wolf and bring him to my house. He’s at Mordecai’s.”

  “You girls! Always trying to set me up with Mordecai. Well, listen up. I am not interested in him . . .”

  “Wanda. Wanda.” I tried to interrupt with no success and finally hung up.

  Leaning forward, I sought to hear what Darby and Robert were saying. They exchanged a few words I couldn’t hear, and Robert led Darby to my patio. With a grandiose gesture, he invited her to take a seat on a chaise.

  Their voices drifted up to me.

  “Are you sure no one’s home?”

  “Doesn’t matter. I’m the bereaved father-in-law, remember? My brother was murdered in their shed. They can hardly blame me if I sit here for a bit and mourn him. Good riddance, huh? It was all Stan’s fault. Every last thing that happened was his fault. I should have killed him on the spot when he bashed the diamond courier.”

  I recoiled. Robert and Stan were the thugs who stole the diamonds in the first place.

  Robert continued, “Tony knew he’d be dead as soon as he turned over the ice. Stan should have waited. It’s not right to threaten a man on his wedding day. I couldn’t let him shoot Tony; I already lost five years with my son, I couldn’t lose him again.”

  His son? That meant Tony, the owner of the gun, Darby’s ex-husband, was Craig!

  “If you stabbed Stan, why did they find Tucker’s fingerprints?”

  “I saw him clowning around with the knife.” He pulled a hankie from his pocket. “But a gentleman always carries a handkerchief. They’re very useful for picking up things like guns or money clips without leaving prints. And I knew the prints and the money clip would make Tucker a suspect.”

  “Think Tony’ll show this time?” asked Darby.

  “He knows I saved him from Stan. Besides, Hannah played into our hands. He’ll be back for her.”

  I shuddered at the thought. Maybe Humphrey had been right to fear that Craig/Tony would whisk Hannah away. Suddenly, I hoped her friends would keep her out of the house a bit longer. Where was Wolf? I dialed the police again. He should be here, hearing this.

  Their backs were to me, but I could see Robert reach over and pat Darby’s arm.

  “Once Tony gets here, you better scram, kid. Lay low for a long time.”

  “Where you going?”

  “Ahhh. I have a ticket to Roma.” His arm flew up in the air with more grace than I’d have expected of him. “La dolce vita. And you, Donata, would be wise to stay away from that young man you met. Look what love did to Tony.”

  At the sound of a creak on the stairs, Daisy flipped over. I looked back to see Craig/Tony in the doorway.

  Daisy wagged her tail tentatively and when Craig said, “Treat, Daisy,” she ran to him for the dog bone he held out. “I
told everyone that you would be the problem but they didn’t believe me.”

  I scrambled to my feet. “How did you get in?”

  He held up a key. “When I saw Lina hanging in the pergola, I knew there would be trouble. I made a copy of Hannah’s key, just in case.”

  I needed to stall for time. Someone had to arrive soon. I used my left hand to fuss with my hair, hoping to draw his eyes away from the fact that I was trying to press 911 on the cell phone in my pocket with my right hand. I tried to act nonchalant. “Hannah will be relieved to know you didn’t kill anyone.”