A Jazzy Little Murder

by Beth Byers

“Foreign men are more exotic,” Violet added. “I’ve met many. I would lay a wager that Rita could tell stories that would make your hair curl in the best of ways.” Violet spoke to Martha as though she were describing a new chocolate treat to Denny—enticingly with a sort of longing tone.

  Martha sniffed, but Violet could tell by the brightness of her eyes that she was interested. “Rita will help you find the right place,” Violet told her. “Somewhere truly adventurous, but you’ll need to be good before we leave. Hands and lips off Victor, don’t even speak to Kate, and stop antagonizing Jack.”

  “I want to say goodbye to my friends. They’re playing at that tango club tonight and then at one of our roving parties.”

  Violet met Lila’s gaze. Her friend shrugged slightly.

  The fellows from the club the night before had certainly been neglectful of their friend, and there had been some shady activities happening the corners. Violet had little doubt that there would be drug users at the party. If they kept an eye on Martha and then turned her over, maybe she really would seek adventure elsewhere?

  “You could stop walking the edges of society and experimenting so much and stay here.”

  Martha scoffed.

  “Midnight scavenger hunts, bottle parties at the baths, boating, those things are fun without being out and out stupid.”

  As soon as Violet said stupid, she knew she’d ruined any chance of Martha remaining. Her face screwed up. “You all think you’re so smart with your spoiled lives and your idiotic playing. Scavenger hunts?” The snide tone carried across the room. “I don’t think so. I’ll put up with your control, I’ll go home with Father, and when I leave, I’ll consider Rita’s suggestions, but sooner or later Father won’t be able to control me.”

  “Father can’t control you now,” Lila said in her casual way. “If you were willing to actually work and scrap and struggle like your friends, that would be different. Doesn’t Joshie work three or four regular jobs?”

  Martha blushed deeply before she sniffed dismissively. “Don’t be stupid.”

  Lila ignored her sister and sipped her coffee again. “Did Kate give Victor any trouble?”

  “Happily, she wasn’t all that surprised. Victor does whine very compellingly as well, so that helps. She softened up with his pleading and somehow he got her to take him off his budget of compliments and loving.”

  “I’ll go home with Father and not give him any trouble,” Martha broke in, “if you tell him that your friend suggested I see more of the world.”

  “Father isn’t going to let you gallivant about by yourself.”

  “I’ll handle that part,” Martha said.

  Lila shrugged. “Whatever it takes to get you out of my hair would be lovely.”

  “You don’t have to act like I’m lice. You’re always so mean and then act surprised when I make my own friends.”

  Lila completely ignored her sister and asked Violet, “In the country, what will we do?”

  “Badminton?”

  “No,” Lila said.

  “Tennis?”

  “No.”

  “Horseback riding?”

  “Perhaps once or twice,” Lila conceded.

  “Sleep late, listen to the wireless, read novels, possibly have the gents row us about on the lake?”

  “Better,” Lila sighed. “I do want to read the next Holmes novel. Also, we picked up some of those Edgar Allan Poe detective stories. I like those. And his creepy little tales. They’re my favorite, but they give Denny nightmares.”

  “Of course they do.” Violet laughed.

  “He woke up screaming about the beating heart the other night. I had to rub his back until he fell asleep.”

  Violet laughed until she cried and when she finally gained control of herself Martha demanded, “The tango club then the party after. I want to see them both places.”

  “As long as you behave.” Lila yawned. “Oh, I can’t wait until you go away. You make my head hurt and make me feel as though I’m eleven years old again.”

  “I hate you!” Martha shouted.

  “If we had to have a sister around,” Lila told Violet, “I don’t see why it couldn’t be Isolde. Isolde doesn’t whine. She has good taste in clothes now that she imitates you. And Tomas is all right, too.”

  “Isolde only imitates Violet because Tomas is in love with Vi,” Martha said meanly. “Everyone knows that.”

  “Does everyone know what it feels like to have their ears boxed?” Lila asked as she popped a petit four in her mouth.

  “It’s the truth.”

  “It’s false,” Violet told Martha evenly, trying to imitate Jack. “And it’s cruel. If we wanted to be mean and cruel, we’d mention that your lipstick is on your teeth, your dress doesn’t fit properly and it’s whorish, and we’d tell all the awkward tales of your childhood to everyone we meet. We don’t have to be nice to you, Martha. We’re trying, but if you keep pushing, you’re going to discover we’ve run out of patience and tolerance.”

  Chapter Six

  The tango club was in the ballroom of a hotel that had branched into a restaurant, dancing, and rooms. Violet supposed that they’d be able to pour some of their overindulged customers from the bar area into one of their hotel rooms should it be necessary, a handy arrangement for all involved.

  Vi wore a red dress that dipped low in between her breasts and flared around her calves with zig-zag shapes that drew attention when she danced. Her shoes had heels and diamond buckles, and were strapped about her ankle. With her black pearls, her diamond bangles, and a pearl and diamond headpiece from Jack with her bobbed hair curled under it, she was confident she would shine on the dance floor.

  “They have professional men and woman to dance with you if you don’t know how to tango,” Martha said, all of her earlier venom gone. She looked excited, and Violet didn’t blame her. This ballroom was filled with excellent music and twirling bodies. It begged to be joined in, and Violet had little doubt she and Jack would be back time and again.

  “Do you know the professional dancers?”

  Martha nodded. “They’re some of my friends. Some of the band from last night, who can’t play instruments for the tango music. Most of the band works here too. As barmen or waiters or coat check. Bobby’s girl, Heather, is a coat check girl. Sally works as a dancer. Henry—he plays the bass—plays with the band here. Joshie is in the band, too, but plays bandoneon. He’s so good too. I doubt you’ll have heard anyone who makes it so…enticing.”

  “Perhaps not,” Jack said kindly as though he were trying to not be irritated with the girl.

  She was, Violet supposed, rather young. Violet suspected that the girl was half in love with one of the men, but she wasn’t quite sure which one. Vi didn’t even care. Maybe she should be more charitable than she was, but she was struggling for even the most basic tolerance. Jack held out his hand to Violet and they turned back towards the friends, winking as they swung into the dance with ease.

  “When does the father arrive?” Jack asked, moving with Violet through the dance.

  “Not soon enough,” she said, loving the feel of his hand on her while they danced. Any woman could fall in love while dancing, but she felt certain that dancing with the man you loved was the best way to stay in love. Especially a dance that required so much cooperation and attention to the other. How could she not love Jack when she felt his eyes on her face, his hands on her body, the way he moved with her, held her as though she were a treasure, and all because she’d expressed a wish to tango.

  “That Martha is an interesting one.” Jack leaned Violet over his arm and then let his lips run along her chin. “I’m not sure you can trust her agreement to be good.”

  “I don’t,” Violet admitted through the trembles his closeness still caused along her skin. “Lila doesn’t either.”

  Jack snorted and they slipped back into the dance without talking. The music continued, and they moved to it as though they were communicating by touch alone. Violet
and Jack only left the dance floor when the room had become so hot that they needed a cocktail.

  “I would like a lemon ice,” Violet told Jack, knowing it was impossible. “It’s so hot in here.”

  “That does sound perfect,” Jack agreed. “The housekeeper when I was a child would make those on the hot summer days. I always felt like the luckiest little fellow.”

  Violet grinned at him. “Surely not little.”

  Jack’s grin was a little self-deprecating as he admitted, “Perhaps not little. I suppose I was a bit of a monster then as well.”

  Violet laughed as they moved towards the bar together. She kept one hand on Jack’s arm and her gaze on the dance floor, trusting him to lead her without letting her bash into anyone. Denny was flushed and irritated on the dance floor, dancing with one of the professional dancers. The girl looked a little familiar, and Violet suspected she must have seen Denny’s partner at the party the night before. Despite the way Denny was stumbling through the dance, the look on the girl’s face was pleasant. Violet would love to have been near enough to check the look in the girl’s gaze.

  “Poor Denny,” Violet laughed. She smirked up at Jack and then looked for Lila. She found her friend at one of the tables bordering the dance hall, sipping from a cocktail with a second cocktail in front of her.

  It was a pity that Rita and Ham hadn’t come with them to the tango hall. Rita, it seemed, could already tango, but she did want to see the authentic roving dance party, so she intended on meeting them before the evening was over. Violet wanted Ham to come too. She had created this fairytale in her mind where Ham and Rita fell for each other, but they seemed more like buddies, with Ham being particularly attentive.

  Vi glanced up at Jack. “Do you think Ham cares for Rita?”

  Jack looked down at Violet with that infuriatingly elusive grin twitching at the edge of his mouth. “What do you mean?”

  Violet’s scathing expression had Jack grinning, but he didn’t answer her question. She huffed, let go of his arm, and left him for Lila. A few steps away, Violet paused and said over her shoulder, “I want something with ice and something sweet.”

  Jack lifted a brow and Violet rolled her eyes at him and then walked the edges of the dance floor. Martha was dancing with the fellow named Bobby who had left his girl so defenseless. Violet scowled at the duo and saw that Martha—at least—caught Violet’s expression.

  Violet arched her brow at the girl and then smirked coldly enough so Martha knew what Vi thought of her partner. She flopped down next to Lila.

  “My feet hurt.” Violet examined Lila’s two cocktails and then took one of the drinks from her.

  “Darling, I fought for that drink.”

  “Jack’s bringing more,” Vi said, refusing to give up the stolen cocktail. “Denny looks as though he might weep.”

  Lila laughed but then her expression changed as she nodded behind Violet. Martha had approached with the Bobby fellow on her arm.

  “Looking for my girl,” Bobby said, belligerently. “She didn’t show up tonight or last night.”

  “Hmmm,” Violet said, pretending she didn’t know. “I sent her home.”

  “She didn’t arrive,” Bobby snapped. As he spoke, the girl and Denny approached the table and then Jack with a waiter and several cocktails.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Violet lied.

  “What did you do with her?”

  “Put her in the auto. She gave her address. The driver took her home.”

  “She didn’t get there,” Bobby snapped. He moved forward to loom over Violet, not knowing that Jack was just behind him.

  “Ah,” Violet told Bobby. “Interesting.”

  “Interesting?” Bobby demanded. “What happened to her?”

  Violet sipped her cocktail and told him honestly. “We asked her for her address. The driver took her to the address she provided. Perhaps she didn’t want to return to you?”

  Bobby’s gaze narrowed, and he started to reach for Vi, but Jack took hold of the back of Bobby’s neck with one hand.

  “I don’t mean to be unkind,” Violet told him, knowing she was lying again, “but if I were your girl, I would not have returned to you either after the state I found her in.”

  Bobby flushed, gaze narrowing, but Jack’s massive hand kept Bobby from doing anything other than scowling at Violet. He took in a deep breath. “Please. I love her.”

  The girl with Denny started and Martha cast Bobby a dark look.

  “I don’t mean to be cruel,” Violet lied again, “but leaving your girl like that is not love.”

  Bobby’s expression was cold with anger. “I love her.”

  As if saying it over and over again would make Violet tell him where she was. “Bobby,” Violet told him gently. “She’s safe. She knows where you live. She’ll return to you either when she’s feeling better, or she’s decided that she doesn’t want to return.”

  “You can’t do that. You can’t just interfere.”

  “All I did,” Violet told him, “was help her to an auto and send her home. Anything since then has been her choices. It’s not like you’re married, right?”

  Bobby flushed and glanced away.

  “Of course they aren’t married,” the girl with Denny said. “What a ridiculous thought. She’s your—” Whatever the girl was going to say Bobby cut off.

  “Be quiet, Sally. It’s none of your business.” There was enough emphasis on business that Violet wondered just what the girl had been supposed to be doing.

  Martha laughed nervously. “Bobby, darling, Heather is just your assistant. She’s not your girl.”

  “Do you think you are?” Bobby laughed meanly. “The spoiled princess from the north? You bring in the swells. That’s all.”

  Martha’s gaze widened and her eyes filled, but she blinked whatever she was feeling away so quickly, Bobby didn’t even notice.

  “Calm down, Bobby,” Sally said. “We’re working. Put on a smile. We’ll find Heather. She told you she wanted to get married, didn’t she?” Something in Sally’s tone suggested she wasn’t too keen on that idea.

  “I’m going to find her,” Bobby told Violet. “I’ll marry her and you won’t be able to take her away again.”

  Violet took another sip of her cocktail. “I would say good luck to you, but I honestly don’t care what happens to you.”

  “Then why won’t you tell me where Heather is?”

  “I don’t believe in making other girls’ choices for them. She knows where you are. If she wants to find you—well…” Violet didn’t bother to fill in the rest. Honestly, she thought, the girl had given the driver her home address. Her parents had taken her inside and wept over her. Violet suspected that Bobby had been keeping Heather from her parents. Perhaps her parents had spent the day begging her to stay with them.

  Violet couldn’t be sure.

  “Bobby.” Sally laughed woodenly. “It’s just Heather. She’s just another rich girl slumming. Sooner or later she’d have left you. We’d all heard of that gent who wanted to marry her. She’ll do it eventually and have a kid or two and pretend that we never happened.”

  “Nah.” Bobby shook his head. “Nah. She loves me. I know she does.”

  “That doesn’t mean she’s going to stay with you. And do what?” Sally sneered. “Have your babies in some abandoned warehouse where we have those parties? She’s not our kind any more than Princess is,” Sally said with a sneering glance at Martha.

  Martha’s jaw firmed and she swallowed thickly, but Violet wanted to pat her on the back for the bright expression on her face. Her gaze was narrowed and cold, but her overall expression said she wasn’t bothered at all.

  “Excuse me,” Denny cut in a little too giddily. “Please clarify. Princess is Martha.”

  Sally shot Denny a look that said he was an idiot.

  “Lovely, I see. Heather is the girl Violet took out of the party last night and sent home. Bobby here is the arranger of these events. Sally is clearl
y in love with Bobby, biding her time for the man to look up and see her.”

  Sally scoffed and hissed, “Get back to work, Bobby. We’re all going to be let go and then where will you find your next round of spoilt lovers?” Sally spun and hurried off.

  Denny took the seat next to Lila. “Thought that might do it.”

  Jack let go of Bobby’s neck. “Stay away from my wife.”

  Violet’s lips twitched at the order and Lila oohed. Denny giggled happily while Bobby snapped, “Tell her to keep away from my girl.”

  “As Violet said, your girl knows where you are. Now get out of here.” Jack handed Martha a drink and held out a chair for her before taking the final seat. “What a drama. I felt as though I was reading one of Violet’s favorite books.”

  “I do like them ridiculous.”

  Martha sniffed over her drink, and Violet could see the girl was struggling for composure.

  “Tangoing is hard,” Denny told the others. “The drinks are good, so I suppose we could come back.”

  “Violet and I will be back,” Jack said idly. “The music is excellent. As you said, the cocktails are good.”

  “Tangoing is provocative,” Lila said. “I feel certain someone turned over in their grave the moment we started dancing it.”

  “It’s fun,” Violet said with her wickedest grin.

  Lila met Violet’s gaze and they both grinned. “Bobby is handsy. The other gent barely dances better than Denny. I would like to learn with someone capable. Jack?”

  “No,” Denny said. “You’ve already identified him as Holmes and me as Mrs. Hudson. I’ll learn and then I’ll teach you.”

  “Jealous?” Lila asked idly.

  Denny’s answer was to reach out and take hold of Lila, pulling her in for a resounding kiss. As he let her go, Martha groaned. “Even the smallest of towns would be better than seeing you lot moon over each other.”

  Chapter Seven

  “Ladies?” Violet asked as she finished her cocktail.

  Lila nodded and rose and Martha sighed and came too. They made their way around the dance floor to a back hall, and as they started down the hall, Violet paused. “It’s dark, isn’t it?”