Cold Moon Dead (17 page)

“Oh, Vin, you make me feel so much better. I was such a wreck and now I am sort of relaxed. Come by early and have some La Grande Dame Veuve Clicquot Champagne with me.”

I gasped. “You’re pulling out all the stops, aren’t you? I haven’t had Veuve Clicquot in ages. I’ll be at the gallery about half-an-hour before opening, so have my glass ready.” I chuckled, said goodbye, and disconnected the call.

A designer to die for, Giorgio Armani is to suits what Martha Stewart is to home décor. At one time I bought a wool stretch belted Armani shift from a Second Time Around Shop on the east side of Providence. It’s a shop where women take clothes that have been rarely, if ever, worn. The little black number had still sported the price tag of six-hundred-plus bucks and I’d nearly choked when I saw it. I’d bought it for a mere hundred and fifty dollars and thought it was a good deal.

Thinking about that dress, I rustled through the closet packed with clothing and found the sophisticated number hanging with my other evening dresses. I laid it on the bed and stared at it while considering what jewelry I could wear with it.

The scoop neckline wasn’t low and would support the silver disc necklace I had gotten from Livvy a couple of years before. The cap sleeves complemented my shoulders and the dress tapered at the waist with a two-buckle self-belt at the center. I remembered that it came to just above my knees and looked simply elegant. I’d only worn it once and I decided this was an Armani evening.

With a smile, I pulled the jewelry box across the dresser top. The necklace, bracelet, and earrings nestled in tissue paper. I laid them atop the dress and stood back. Yep, this was the outfit. Now all I needed was a pair of shoes.

The shoe bank at the bottom of the closet held a perfect pair of black high heels for the occasion, and for the dress. The clothing issue solved, I wandered back into the kitchen and checked the clock. It was around five and there was time to kill before I would leave.

There wasn’t much sense in hanging around with nothing to do but watch the clock, so I donned my jacket, hat, and gloves and headed toward the deli on foot. The newly fallen snow had melted within a day of landing and the sidewalks were clear. The weak winter sun had dipped and a cold full moon shone in the sky. A pale halo surrounded the milky whiteness of the moon’s face. I shivered a bit just looking at it.

The traffic flowed and ebbed at the corner light. I waited for cars to stop so I could cross over to the deli. As I stepped off the sidewalk, a car flew around the corner, missing me by an inch or so. I stumbled backward and felt hands grasp my arms.

“Well, miss, you nearly got run over.” A heavy puff of air followed the statement.

I turned to see the pudgy priest from the Catholic Church. He’d rescued me from being run down and all I could do was stare at him.

I nodded. “Um, I guess you’re right. I never saw that car coming.”

“Neither did I. I only saw you stumbling backwards. There are too many reckless people in this world, miss,” he said as we walked across the street—his hand on my arm. “You take care now.” He left me on the sidewalk outside the deli and hustled across the other street toward the bank.

In silence, I thanked God for sending the priest to my rescue and then wondered if church was such a bad idea. The thought lasted a second, no more. I shrugged and entered the Salt & Pepper Deli.

“Hey, Vinnie. How ya doin’?” Eric asked with a grin on his face.

“Great and you?” I asked with a return smile. If I assumed correctly, Eric and the Makepeaces were getting along swell.

“Couldn’t be better. What can I get you?”

“A cup of Earl Grey tea,” I said. My glance traveled the room. “Is Lola around?”

“She’s in the back clearing up for the afternoon. Bob and I are going to close shop tonight while she goes to some opening or other. Millie is off for the day.” He poured the hot tea into a mug and held it out to me.

I accepted the brew and wandered into the kitchen. All the counters and surfaces sparkled, as always. I smiled as Lola turned toward me.

“This place always looks great. How do you manage it?”

She chuckled and tossed me a copy of her new cookbook. I caught it in one hand, slopping tea onto the floor.

“Sorry,” I said and mopped the spill with a paper towel.

Without answering my question, she asked, “What time are you going to the opening tonight?”

“Are you going?” I countered.

“Of course. Aaron is taking me. I wondered if you needed a ride.”

“Aaron is taking you?”

“Well, not taking me, exactly. We’re riding together. Do you want to ride with us?” she asked.

“No, I’m meeting Larry for a glass of champagne before the event starts. He says he has a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and I wouldn’t miss that for the world.”

“Very nice. What vintage is it?” Lola asked. Then she chuckled and said, “He must be excited.”

“I don’t know what vintage, but knowing Larry it’ll be a special year with a story attached. Excited is hardly the word for him.” I explained the Armani conversation and ended with Larry’s thoughts on Aaron. By the time I’d finished, Lola was laughing hysterically and had to wipe her eyes with a towel.

“We do know some odd ducks, don’t we?” She laughed again.

“Indeed.” I smiled. “By the way, have you heard from Porter Anderson?”

Her cheeks suddenly blotched with two huge red spots and she nodded at me. I smiled and she did too.

“He called. He said you nagged him when you met in Providence. Really Vin, if he was interested in me, he wouldn’t have to be nagged.”

“It wasn’t like that. He was feeling insecure and I gave him a nudge, that’s all.”

“A nudge? More like a shove if you ask me.” She shrugged. “Maybe he did need the extra courage to ask me out. I know your advice was well meant, so I’m not upset over it. I think he’s been considering my brother’s reaction to him asking me out.”

“I think you’re right. Brothers—you can’t live with them and you can’t kill them.” I shook my head and laughed.

As teenagers, my twin brother had been way too hostile toward anyone wanting to date me. He would hassle the daylights out of them and when I didn’t have a date for the prom, my mother wondered why. Brothers are like the measles. They’re something you have, but you’re always glad when they’re gone.

Don’t get me wrong, I adore my brother, but I’m grateful he lives in Nebraska. To me that’s the other side of the world. We talk on the phone and email each other a lot. He was in Rhode Island last Thanksgiving, but even that visit came with issues which managed to make my life anything but mundane.

Lola swiped the cleansing cloth across the countertop with a final swish and untied her apron. She tossed them both in the hamper and we headed toward the door.

I laid money on the counter to pay for the tea as we left the building and waved goodbye to Eric. It was quiet at the deli. Bob, the part time cook, hustled up the steps as we went down. Lola stopped to chat for a minute. At the bottom of the stairs, I glanced at the cold moon and wondered if anything unusual ever happened during a cold full moon.

“Bob plans to work more hours here now that I have the cookbook to promote. Did you bring it with you? I want you to take a look at it,” Lola said when she joined me.

“Of course, I have it tucked inside my jacket. It’s exciting to have your own book published, isn’t it?” I asked.

“Mmm, it is, but the publisher still expects me to do publicity for it. I don’t mind though, it gives me a chance to take some time away from the deli.”

Her reply surprised me. I hadn’t thought she felt chained to the deli, but maybe Lola needed a change in her life.

“Are you unhappy?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“I never thought you would feel the need to get out more. It always seemed that you were happy shaking and baking in the kitchen.”

We stood near her car talking while people whizzed by. Some honked their horns and waved. We smiled and waved back. The sky had darkened, but the moon cast a glow over the night. I glanced upward again and thought how pale it appeared, suspended like a giant round of cheese. I turned back to Lola.

“There is more to life than shaking and baking,” she said. “I have some other ideas that I want to pursue, but the deli will always be my first love.”

We settled inside the MINI Cooper and she started the engine. The car idled while she sat there with an odd look on her face.

“Did something happen while you were on vacation?”

“Um, sort of. It was weird to be a single person at my table. Nearly everyone was with someone and I felt like the odd woman out. Don’t get me wrong, I was flattered and attended to by handsome guys, but it wasn’t the same as being part of a couple, you know?”

My friend, the petite firebrand, was lonely. How stupid of me not to realize. Ashamed that I hadn’t noticed, I smiled and said, “You’ll need to change that then, won’t you?”

“You’ve got that right.” Lola giggled. “I’m going to turn over a new leaf, be the life of the party, and have men swooning at my feet.” Her chin up, Lola turned to me with a wide smile.

“Knock ’em dead, Lola.” I chuckled. Little did I know that would happen sooner rather than later—but not by Lola.

The car slid close to the sidewalk outside my house and I left Lola with a wave of my hand, promising to see her and Aaron later on. She drove away with a beep of the horn while I hurried inside to get ready for the gallery opening.

By six o’clock, I had showered, done my hair and make-up, and slipped into the Armani dress. The jewelry settled against my skin and looked spectacular as an accessory for the dress. A knock at the door announced Aaron and from the pleasure revealed on his face, I knew I’d chosen the dress wisely.

A low whistle came from his pursed lips as he took in my appearance from head to toe. He motioned for me to turn around. I pirouetted while he appreciated the total effect of the outfit.

“You are a delight to the eyes, beautiful,” he said with a wide grin. “Are you riding with Lola and me?”

“No, I’m heading out now to have a drink with Larry before the show starts. He’s quite anxious and I want to support him any way I can.”

The Armani suit story was on the tip of my tongue, but I glanced at the clock and threw my embroidered wool coat over the dress. A small purse holding lipstick, car keys, some money, and my driver’s license sat on the counter. I grabbed it with a promise to see Aaron and Lola at the opening. I left Aaron to lock the door on his way out.

The rental car I was driving hummed down the highway into Providence. Gallery parking was on the left as I crossed the Providence River. A few cars sat in the lot, but none that I recognized. Swinging into a spot near the gallery door, I got out and locked the car. Another pulled in behind me. I turned to see the gray Crown Victoria idle to a stop. Marcus sat behind the wheel with a smile on his face.

“Lady, you can’t park here,” Marcus said as he climbed out of the car and strode toward me.

“Want to arrest me, Officer?” I chuckled, holding out my bare wrists. “Where are the handcuffs, then?” I stepped close as his lips covered mine.

“You look good enough to eat,” he murmured.

“Do you think so?” I snuggled against him, comfortable in his arms. My body temperature started to rise. I knew this was dangerous for me.

A voice came out of nowhere. “You’re here at last. Oh, my God, it’s a disaster, Vinnie,” Larry wailed in a panic-stricken voice as he approached us.

Marcus stepped back, a hand still on my waist. He stared at Larry and then glanced at me, his eyebrows arched in question. I shrugged, waiting for the torrent of words I knew would be coming.

“The guests are arriving, everything is ready . . . and wouldn’t you know it, Jabroni really brought his W-I-F-E? She called earlier today and said she wasn’t coming. I don’t know what happened.” Larry’s hands fluttered and his eyes rolled toward the heavens. “I am so worried now that she’s here.”

Marcus glanced at me and at Larry before his eyes settled on me again. “Jabroni is here? You knew he would attend this affair?” His soft voice belied the disbelief in his eyes.

“Now, Marcus, don’t get angry,” I said. “It’s a public venue with a slew of people attending.” I leaned into his ear and whispered to him about the FBI and Aaron.

A nod from him assured me that I had just saved my skin. It would have taken an act of Congress to keep him from dragging me away had Aaron and his FBI crew decided not to bless the event with their presence. A thank you for that small blessing sped through my head as I glanced back at Larry.

“Don’t get nervous. We can deal with this. If Mrs. Jabroni has any problems with the guests or host, then we’ll head her off before things get out of control.”

Larry’s chubby hand ran over his bald dome while he considered the idea. Then he finally nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.

“What would I do without you to help me stay sane?”

This was too much for Marcus, who burst into laughter. “You want Vinnie to save you? She can’t save herself.” His chest heaved, but I failed to see the humor.

“Excuse me. I think I handle myself very well, thank you very much,” I commented.

Marcus stopped laughing. “No offense, Vin, but you do seem to get into one unbelievable situation after another. I simply can’t see how you would be able to save Larry from some catastrophic incident.” Marcus tried to look serious. But a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.

“Nice to know you have confidence in my abilities,” I remarked. My attention returned to Larry and I forced a smile on my face. “Didn’t you promise me champagne?”

“I have a 1947 vintage ready and waiting, Vin,” Larry said. “Let’s go.” He took my arm and we turned away from Marcus.

“Ahem. Have a great time tonight, you two.”

“We will, Marcus,” I said as Larry and I headed up the steps of the gallery. Annoyed at his comments, I was relieved that Marcus was on duty rather than in attendance at the gallery. It would have been difficult to keep him from sneering and snarling at Jabroni all evening.

The coatroom was to my right as we entered the building. I handed my coat to the young man waiting for the crowd to appear. He gave me a numbered plastic tab that I tucked into my purse. With a smile pasted to my face, I turned to Larry who waited for me to enter the room with him.