Organizing the event was a lot of work for the three of us but everything somehow fell into place, culminating with me sitting at a table, welcoming speakers and flogging workshop tickets.
When Trisha Curtain entered the Lee’s lobby she was covered from shoulder to ankle in a red woolen poncho. She wore a stiff-brimmed scarlet hat matching the poncho’s hue perfectly. The hat’s brim looked sharp enough to cut cheese and it was tilted just right to accentuate tear-drop ruby earrings that dangled from her lobes. The author of ‘The Blast Mystery’ was simply ‘take-your-breath-away’ stunning, and I mean she had the ‘room-goes-silent’ kind of beauty that movie star’s exude. That was especially the case considering what everyone else in the Lee Hotel lobby was wearing. Everyone including me. I was suddenly embarrassed. As the conference chairperson, Trisha Curtain’s outfit made me realize I should have been better dressed to meet and greet our arriving speakers. What kind of impression will well-stressed jeans and t-shirt with a hokey conference logo give a celebrity like her?
I didn’t get up right away because of my embarrassment. Instead, I watched to see if Trisha Curtain’s approach to the front desk caught anyone’s attention. Did it ever! I noticed all the male heads turning her way. The milling female conference attendees looked self-conscious all of a sudden, unobtrusively adjusting their clothes or patting down stray wisps of hair. That’s impact! I wish I could pull that off.
I quickly got over my awe because I had a job to do. With a deep breath and clip board and speaker package in hand, I started moving her way. As I weaved forward, most of the attentive women in the lobby went back to what they’d been saying or doing when Trisha Curtain came in. One man, who’d been sitting in the lobby easy chairs, moved though and he was faster than I.
Paxton Hay, another writer scheduled to speak at the conference, approached the front desk ahead of me. He had a memorable fashion sense of his own. He wore a well-pressed bush fatigues ensemble that included a shirt with epaulets, multi-pocketed beige cargo pants and high-top hiking boots. On his head he wore a floppy Tilley hat that looked as if it was made out of canvas.
I saw him take the hat off and sweep the air at his knees. I wasn’t close enough to hear what he said in greeting, but it obviously didn’t impress Trisha Curtain. As I got up beside them, she turned Hay’s way, and she was frowning.
“I wasn’t sure the rumour was true,” I heard Hay say. “You actually do know where Glacier is.”
I decided it would be most courteous of me to hang back and let them renew their acquaintance since they seemed to know each other. So, I stood beside them, the clipboard and welcome envelope clutched at my chest, and waited for an opportunity to introduce myself.
Tricia Curtain extended a hand to Hay and gave him what looked to me like a cold fish shake. They may know each other but do they like each other?
“Hello, Paxton. You’re looking as elfish as ever.” She gave him a sour smile. “How’d you know I’d be here?” Hay was about to answer but Curtain overrode his reply with the flip of a hand. “Renee. Of course. She never could keep a secret. But sisters are like that aren’t they?”
Hay forced a polite smile. “How’s your sequel coming Trisha?”
Curtain’s sour grin started to look pained. “Bridger told you, did he?” Thomas Bridger was another speaker at the conference. He was publisher for both of them and because I sold him on the promotional value of the Blast Mystery as the conference feature, he got them both to agree to participate. “Is he here already?”
“How could he avoid coming early enough to make sure the local media knows he’s showing off the prizes in his writer stable? A flashy best seller like you and a work horse author like me.”
Curtain winced. “Well, I’m happy to know you’re not starving in some garret,” she said snidely. “Or would that be my sister’s attic?”
Paxton Hay’s expression froze in a grimace. “As it happens, you might be interested to know I’m reprising the Blast story as well, Trish. I thought it might be refreshing for my fans if I published some well researched facts on the mystery at the same time your fantasy sequel comes out.”
She eyed him with suspicion, reacting to his emphasis. “Renee did tell me you were re-hashing my story. That’s practically plagiarism and beneath even you, Paxton. But you always were a dilettante, so I shouldn’t be surprised.”
I was afraid Curtain’s civility was quickly getting threadbare, so I edged forward budging in between them and holding out my hand. “Welcome to the Glacier Writers’ Conference, Ms. Curtain. I’m Melanie Willoughby, the Conference Chairperson.”
After we shook, I passed her the speaker kit envelope. “I’m not sure the accommodation will be up to your Los Angeles standards, but we’ll all do our best to make you feel welcome. We’re looking forward to your workshop and the reading you’ll be giving us at The Grind. In fact, the conference coordinator has some special ideas she’d like to run by you and Mr. Paxton.”
“Ideas?” Hays interrupted with a broad smile. “A new sales promotion? That sounds most engaging. Even you should find that worthwhile, Trisha.”
“Should I?” Curtain forced a smile. “Bridger would want me to go to the meeting I suppose.” She sighed theatrically. “I’ll be happy to.”
“Wonderful,” I quickly replied. “In an hour? At The Grind? It’s the café and bookstore across the street. The Grind will be your special reading venue.” I said it without expecting a reply. The way these two were acting, I wasn’t entirely sure Nancy’s new idea was such a good one afterall.
Order your copy today! Widow’s Walk is Book 2 in the Grinds and Bookmarks Series.
Also by Stan Sauerwein
At https://www.amazon.com/s?k=stanley+sauerwein&ref=nb_sb_noss
Cool Demise Page 22
