A Taste of Death (Maggie Olenski Series)

by Hughes, Mary Ellen

  "Please go on in and help yourselves to whatever you like. Dan Morgan's simply outdone himself tonight."

  More guests were arriving, and Maggie and Dyna moved out of the way and into the crowded living room. A musician sat at a baby grand piano angled into the corner, playing a variety of show tunes. Flowers sprouted from nearly every nook and cranny of the room, and the delicious aroma of unidentifiable delicacies floated through the air. Maggie looked at Dyna, whose expression had relaxed considerably.

  "Looks like we'll get our money's worth," Maggie said.

  "Just might. Are you hungry yet? I can wait a bit. I see a bar set up near the sun room. Want to start there?"

  Several people greeted them as they wound their way through the crowd. Maggie saw Susan Larson and her mayor husband over near the baby grand, and waved as Susan looked over with a smile. Annette stood with several others at a food table in the dining room, filling a plate. She wore a puffy red dress which unfortunately accentuated her round shape and brought back the apple-related thoughts Maggie had had at first sight of her the morning after the town meeting. It seemed Annette was determined to keep that image in Maggie's mind.

  Dyna asked the bartender for a white wine. Maggie was tempted to do the same, but thought she'd better keep her head clear tonight and instead asked for a ginger ale. "Put it in a stem glass, though, would you?" she asked, hoping it would look as though she were sipping champagne. The bartender nodded as though he got that request often, and who knew, maybe he did? Possibly more the other way around, though, as in, "Put a couple shots of vodka in a juice glass, with a little cranberry juice for color."

  Alexander didn't seem concerned about concealing his choice, though. As Maggie reached for her ginger ale, Alexander came up beside her and ordered "a double scotch on the rocks, but hold the rocks." He turned to Maggie with a grin, and she managed a polite smile. Karen, she noticed, was across the room with her back turned, and their son Ethan, thankfully, must be safely at home tonight.

  Dyna had wandered over to talk to Annette, and Maggie walked over to join her.

  "These appetizers are out of this world!" Annette declared, polishing off the rest of one in her hand and reaching for another.

  Dan Morgan stood at the end of the table, dressed in a dark suit and looking more dinner guest than caterer. His work must be done, Maggie thought, although his gaze roamed the table, checking the display of ham, chicken, and roast beef, as well as elaborate vegetable platters and hors d'oeuvres. He bowed his head in acceptance of Annette's praise.

  "Wherever do you come up with these ideas?" she asked him. "I would love the recipe"

  A nearby woman looked up eagerly at the word 'recipe' and moved closer. Dan looked decidedly uncomfortable and at a loss for words when Leslie suddenly appeared and came to his rescue.

  "Dan doesn't need recipes. He's a magician! That's all there is to it. An absolute magician. Isn't this table fabulous?" She took Dan's arm and pulled it through her own. Maggie saw him smile, and realized it must be the first time she saw him do so. Leslie led him away from the table. "But now it's time for him to relax and have some fun. No more shop talk for you!" she said, shaking a finger at him. Annette and the other woman watched him go, disappointed, but soon turned back to the table for consolation.

  Leslie and Dan blended into the crowd, and looking after them, Maggie caught sight of Paul Dekens standing with Karin.

  "I feel sorry for Elizabeth having to miss all this," she said quietly to Dyna.

  "Yeah," Dyna agreed, looking in the same direction. "She could have been there, right next to Paul, if all this stuff hadn't happened."

  "Well, time to start working on getting her life back the way it should be." Maggie grabbed a cracker round loaded with something green - avocado, she hoped - and what looked like shrimp pieces. "Shall we split up and see what we can learn?"

  "Okay. Wonder where that vegetarian table's set up," Dyna said, and wandered off toward the den.

  Maggie was looking around, undecided where to go first, when she saw John Severin - Sheriff John - over near a window. She nearly didn't recognize him without his uniform, and found herself having mixed feelings at seeing him here. On the one hand, she liked him, finding him sensible and intelligent. But on the other hand, she hadn't liked his warning her away from police business at all, and feared he might be an obstacle to her goals for tonight.

  As these thoughts went through her head Maggie noticed an unusual expression on John's face and followed the direction of his gaze. He was watching Dyna as she neared the den, and the look on his face was definitely 'interested male'. This was quite a surprise, as Maggie had never seen anything of the sort coming from him before. His manner towards Dyna had always been friendly and slightly teasing, and, lately, forbidding. Of course Dyna did look wonderful in her lavender gown. And John was off duty.

  Perhaps feeling Maggie's gaze, John suddenly looked over at her. His sheriff face quickly reappeared, and Maggie thought she saw a slight narrowing of his eyes. Well, Sheriff, if you think you're going to get in the way of my learning something tonight, you're badly underestimating me. She took a sip from her ginger-ale, immediately coughed as a few bubbles went down the wrong pipe, and, struggling to recover her composure, moved away with as much grace and dignity as she could muster.

  She was heading toward Paul Dekens, planning to talk to both him and Karin when Vickie, Dan's hostess, stopped her with a cheerful greeting.

  "Well, hello again. Don't you look nice tonight!"

  "Thank you." Maggie watched as Paul walked off toward the den, and hoped Dyna might be able to catch him there. "And you too," she answered Vickie politely. "I guess the restaurant's closed?"

  "Oh, yes. It's usually only closed on Mondays, so this is quite a concession for Dan, closing up an extra day. It's not exactly a day off for him, though, is it? And he's at the restaurant even on Mondays, doing the paper work and such. I keep telling him he'll run himself ragged if he keeps that up."

  "It's not easy handling your own business," Maggie said, thinking of her own family's bakery business, and how it had dominated their lives.

  "It would have been easier for Dan if Brenda had lived. They ran a restaurant together once before, you know, but not as owners."

  "Oh?"

  "Uh-huh. Where was it, now. Atlantic City? Dan!" Vickie called out to Dan who stood a few feet away with Leslie, facing people Maggie didn't recognize. He turned around. "Was your last place in Atlantic City?"

  Dan's scowl returned, which immediately made him look more normal to Maggie. Clearly a private person, he didn't enjoy being discussed by his employee. He nodded and said "Yes," turning back at once to his group.

  Maggie heard Leslie say, "Oh, Atlantic City. I lo-ove it there. One of Jack's hotels is right near the casinos and we used to..." her voice was lost in a burst of song coming from the piano area. Alexander had decided to vocalize a few bars of "New York, New York".

  Vickie rolled her eyes at Maggie. "He's getting started early."

  "At least he seems in a good mood."

  "For now."

  Maggie looked around for Karin, but she seemed to have disappeared. Regina, however, had arrived and stood near the doorway. Maggie had a lot of things she wanted to talk to her about. Before she could even think of moving in that direction, however, Susan Larson walked up with a white-haired woman in tow.

  "Hello Maggie, Vickie. Maggie, I don't think you've met our school principal, Carol Martin."

  "I understand you teach math," Carol began, and Maggie was effectively pinned down to a discussion of her own school and classes. Much as she would have enjoyed it on any other occasion, tonight was not one of them. Vickie excused herself and moved on, leaving Maggie wishing she could also. Common courtesy, however, kept her with Susan and Carol, all the while trying to keep her ears alert to the conversations going on around her. When Carol turned to make a comment to Susan, Maggie glanced around, looking for Regina, and saw her talking with a fe
w of the people Maggie remembered from the restaurant. Regina managed, somehow, to be the focus of all their attention despite her diminutive size and her drab, sparrow-like attire, perched as she was among several peacocks.

  Dyna emerged from the den, holding a plate piled high with edibles, and Maggie saw John move in her direction.

  "We haven't really had much to eat yet," Susan said, "and I, for one am getting hungry. Carol?"

  "Yes, I believe I'd like something now. Maggie?"

  "I've been nibbling. I'll catch up with you later."

  Susan and Carol moved off, and Maggie quickly checked the room and spied Karin Dekens standing alone. Having already been blocked twice from her goals, Maggie hurried over before it could happen a third time. Memories of Karin on the ski slopes with Ethan came to mind as she pressed through the crowd, mixing with less pleasant ones of the scene with Alexander at the restaurant.

  Karin's demeanor was as cool and composed as ever, but a smile to Maggie as she approached lightened it considerably, much as the single strand of pearls she wore lightened her sleek, black dress.

  "Enjoying the party?" Karin asked.

  "There's certainly a lot to enjoy," Maggie said. "I hope it raises a lot of money for the school. I imagine Ethan will be starting there soon?"

  The smile, while lingering on her lips, disappeared from Karin's eyes. "He'll be kindergarten age next fall."

  "You might put him somewhere else?"

  "It's possible." Karin took a sip from her glass and, glancing around, raised her voice a notch, changing the subject. "So, since you're here tonight, the snow plows must have been busy on your road."

  "Yes, they did a great job. Dyna and I had to ski out before they got there, though, to do some shopping. Paul and Alexander must be delighted with the snow because of the extra skiers it must draw."

  Karin looked at Maggie for a moment before answering. "Paul, yes." She paused again. "Alexander is concerned with other things."

  As if on cue, Alexander's voice could be heard, causing Maggie to turn in his direction. He stood, fresh drink in hand, with Mayor Tom Larson, his face a bit redder than it had been a few minutes earlier.

  "It's nearly a done deal," he said, loudly enough to be heard across the room. "Big Bear will be sold to the Warwick Corporation any day now. I'll be flying to New York tomorrow, to work out the details."

  CHAPTER 15

  Maggie, shocked, looked back at Karin who nodded, her face as impassive as ever.

  "Paul and Alexander are only two of several owners of Big Bear," Karin explained. "They are the major ones, but Alexander managed to get enough minor ones, mostly distant cousins, over to his way of thinking."

  Maggie didn't have to ask how Paul felt about this. One look at his rigid face across the room told her. She was almost afraid to find Regina, but when she did she saw the expression Regina had worn the night of the town meeting, jaw clamped with what must be painful pressure, sparks almost flying from her eyes.

  "What about the zoning change?" Maggie asked Karin.

  "Alexander feels confident that will be changed. I'm not sure how he comes by that. Perhaps he thinks if the resort is sold, the town will simply give up on it."

  "He might be right."

  Maggie looked back in Alexander's direction, and Karin excused herself and left. Where she planned to go Maggie couldn't imagine, with Alexander's statement still hanging in the air, but she disappeared from Maggie's sight quickly. Maggie, left on her own, decided to roam and listen. Discreetly.

  Most comments she heard were about Alexander's announcement. People were expressing shock, dismay, delight, and resignation. An argument or two sprang up, to be immediately quashed by nearby spouses. Maggie saw the dress store owner, Mona, standing in her elegantly tailored evening suit some distance away. She was speaking to the gentleman with her through clenched teeth, making it unnecessary for Maggie to hear her words to guess their content.

  Near the doorway to the sun room, Maggie felt a touch on her shoulder and turned to see Dyna.

  "Did you hear him?" Dyna asked.

  "Who didn't?"

  "Yeah, he made sure of that, didn't he? It's awful, though. How can he do such a terrible thing?"

  "It must benefit him, financially, and I suppose that's all he cares about."

  "Poor Karin. And Paul. And everyone!" Dyna grabbed the last stuffed cherry tomato on her plate and popped it in her mouth, chewing glumly. Music drifted over from the piano, and a few couples had started dancing in the sun room, now cleared of most of its furniture and larger plants.

  Maggie saw John approaching, and braced herself for another warning. But she felt oddly invisible when he passed her by and asked Dyna if she would like to dance. Looking surprised but pleased, Dyna handed her empty plate to Maggie, and took John's hand to be led near the other dancers.

  Maggie watched them for a while, happy to see Dyna perk up as well as amused to see John trying, somewhat unsuccessfully, to keep time to the music. Her thoughts drifted to Rob, remembering the last time they had danced together, and she felt a stab of melancholy. Their promise to call every night had been slowly disintegrating. Tonight, she promised herself, when she got home, she would .... Her reverie was interrupted by the sound of Leslie's voice.

  "I can't eat yet," Leslie insisted. "I haven't had a thing to drink. I'm parched!"

  "Let me get you some water then," Dan answered her.

  "Water?"

  Maggie turned to see Dan firmly turning Leslie away from the bar. "Alcohol dulls the palate. Are you going to let all my work go to waste by not tasting it properly?"

  Leslie looked a bit uncertain, then smiled and shook her head. "Of course not." She let herself be led away from the bar as Dan did a running explanation of the choices on the table.

  Maggie turned and saw Vickie watching the same scene. She smiled at Maggie and walked over.

  "I just realized," Maggie said, that I haven't seen Leslie holding a drink so far this evening."

  "That might be Dan's influence. He detests hard liquor and only offers wine at the restaurant because of customer demand."

  "Is that because of what he just said? That it dulls the palate?"

  "I'm not sure. I only know that he never drinks, and Brenda didn't either. But then, she was always watching her weight and called alcohol empty calories."

  "Speaking of empty calories...." Maggie nodded towards Alexander, who had loosened a too-tight tie and shirt collar and was draining the last of his latest drink. His eyes had taken on a glaze, and he looked around with some confusion as if he had forgotten for the moment where he was. Spotting Dan and Leslie near the food table, he suddenly lurched in their direction, bumping against an elderly woman who had to be caught and balanced by her husband. Alexander moved on without apology, earning a look of disgust from several bystanders.

  "Hey, got anything to eat here that won't kill me?" he said loudly as he approached the table.

  Leslie's head jerked up, and Dan scowled, putting an arm around her shoulder.

  "I mean, I don't like a lot of extra seasoning." Alexander picked up a carrot stick and looked at the dip near it. "I hear too many people have funny plants around. You didn't sprinkle any of them in this, did you Leslie?" Alexander's finger poked into the creamy dip, and he pulled it out, looking at it with mock serious scrutiny.

  Dan stepped between Alexander and Leslie, moving her back. "Mrs. Warwick had nothing to do with the food preparation."

  "Mrs. Warwick? Oh, yeah, the grieving widow. Or maybe I should say the Merry Widow. You two gettin' along pretty well, huh? The widower and the widow. Just think. If you hadn't come here from Atlantic City you two might never have met. Right? But then, maybe if you'd stayed there, Brenda'd still be around."

  Maggie heard a gasp from someone nearby. Suddenly Paul appeared, grabbing his brother's arm and speaking in a low, angry voice. Maggie couldn't hear it all, but the words "jerk" and "think of Karin" came through.

  "But brother de
ar, it's Karin I'm thinking of. She must be heartbroken to see ol' Dan here moving in on someone else. You should know how that feels, watching Jack and Elizabeth...."

  Paul's fist would have connected with Alexander's face if John hadn't moved quickly, grabbing it from behind. John immediately stepped between them, facing Paul and firmly pushing him back.

  "It's not worth it, Paul. Just let me get him out of here. Go on over to the den and cool down. Let's not let him ruin the whole party."

  John continued talking to Paul in a calm, steady voice, until Paul turned and walked away. John then took Alexander firmly by the arm and, over his drunken protests, marched him to the kitchen, and, Maggie assumed, out the back door.

  Maggie moved toward the foyer and saw Paul helping Karin with her coat, and could only imagine the emotions coursing through each. It seemed, however, that only the guests closest to the unfortunate incident were aware of it, as lively chatter continued in the farther reaches of the party. Maggie had no doubt, though, that the details of it would soon spread, perhaps with a few extra added for good measure. With that thought she looked around for Annette, and saw her, as expected, jabbering animatedly, with many significant looks toward the front door, as Paul and Karin departed.

  Maggie was glad the noise level of the crowd was such that Karin wouldn't have heard most of what was being said. She probably was acutely aware of it anyway, as on other occasions, which likely accounted for her usual air of cool detachment. Maggie wondered just what really went on inside Karin's head, and what her next move, after this latest humiliation, would be.

  She was standing alone, thinking these thoughts, when Regina, passing by, stopped and correctly read her mind.

  "Pity, isn't it?" Regina said.

  When Maggie nodded, Regina looked away and added in a quieter tone, as though to herself, "Some people the world would be a lot better off without."

  <><><>

  Alexander's embarrassing outburst didn't break up the party. There was still plenty of food left to consume, drinks to drink, and gossip to relish. But Maggie, in her continued roaming, was learning little more than that most of the townspeople had had a low opinion of Alexander for quite some time and weren't too surprised at how he'd behaved. Since they were in Leslie's home, they generally avoided comment on what he had said regarding her and confined their remarks to Alexander's drinking problem, his gambling problem, and quite likely his marriage problem.