Hocus Croakus (15 page)

Or was, until Lloyd Watts and G. D. Fromm returned from taking Freddy to his room. Lloyd paused to nod at Judith, but G.D. bustled toward the second door.

Judith couldn't resist. “Mr. Fromm,” she called out, “could you come here for a moment?”

Fromm gave Judith a puzzled look. “What now?”

“Nothing important,” Judith simpered as G.D. took a couple of backward steps. “I didn't notice when we were in the bar because it was so dark, but,” she went on, rising from the chair and coming around the desk, “you have something on your suit coat.”

“Huh?” G.D. shot Judith a doubtful glance, then wiggled a bit as Judith brushed him off. “What is it? Bugs?”

“No,” Judith replied, examining the four tiny specks on her palm, “not unless they're gold bugs. What is this stuff?”

G.D. stared at the hand that Judith held out to him. She thought he gave a little start, but he shook his head so emphatically that his combover slipped a notch. “Who knows? Something off the stage sets or the costumes, maybe. I'm outta here.” He tromped into Pancho's office.

Lloyd, however, lingered. “Let me have a look, eh?”

“Sure.” Judith showed him the specks. “They shine.”

“They do.” Lloyd pressed one onto his middle finger to examine it more closely. “Some kind of glitter. I think one of Sally's costumes has this on it. But she didn't wear it Monday night.”

“This is Tuesday,” Judith pointed out. “Was G.D. wearing the same suit yesterday?”

Lloyd looked uneasy. “Gosh…I don't know. He always wears a dark suit. Could be the same one, for all I know.”

Something was niggling at Judith's brain. It was more gold glitter, but she couldn't remember where she'd seen it. “Who's in charge of the costumes?”

“Grisly,” Lloyd replied. “She takes care of all the gear. Props, too. Everything.”

“I see,” Judith said. But she didn't see much except the glittery specks that still adhered to her palm. With a shrug, she wiped them off with a Kleenex from a box on the desk. “It probably doesn't mean a thing.”

“Better go inside,” Lloyd murmured and hurried into the office.

“Rats!” Judith said aloud when the door closed behind Lloyd. She didn't seem to be getting anywhere with the murder case. She couldn't even get into Pancho's office. Frustrated, she plopped back down in the chair. The phone rang as soon as she was seated.

“Pancho Green's office,” she said in her best telephone voice. “May I help you?”

“Who's this?” the man at the other end asked, sounding puzzled.

Judith recognized Doc Engelman's voice. “It's Judith Flynn, Joe's wife, Doctor. I'm manning the reception desk in Pancho's office.”

“Good for you,” Doc Engelman said. “Can you deliver a message to your husband and Jack Jackrabbit?”

“Certainly,” Judith replied. “Are you still at the hospital?”

“Yes, the one here in Glacier Falls,” Doc said. “I'm sticking around for a bit to make sure Mrs. Flax can be released.”

“Mrs. Flax?” Judith repeated.

“Yes, she's the woman who was holding the saber. We managed to ID her through the hotel's front desk,” Doc explained. “She checked in last night. Her name
is Marta Ormond Flax, age forty-six, from Salt Lake City, Utah. The poodle is Fou-Fou Eugenie des Plaines, age five, also from Salt Lake. The dog, I believe, is still at the hotel.”

Judith had jotted down all the information. “I gather Mrs. Flax is going to be okay?”

“She'd be better if she went straight to rehab,” Doc asserted. “But that's not up to me.”

Judith cleared her throat. “Don't be put off by the question, but is there a policeman with her at the hospital?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Since she was holding what might be a murder weapon,” Judith explained, “she could be a suspect. My husband would want to know if someone is stationed there.”

“He already knows,” Engelman replied a bit gruffly. “It's that county deputy, Plummer. Just pass on the information about Mrs. Flax's condition, okay?”

Judith said she would. After hanging up, she realized that she could ring Pancho's inner office. But she preferred delivering the message in person. A rap on the door brought her face-to-face with Jack Jackrabbit.

“What is it?” he asked, his thin face serious.

“May I come in?”

Jack glanced over his shoulder, into the smoky room. “Why?” he inquired when there was no response from the others, including Joe.

“I have a message from Dr. Engelman.” Judith tried to edge into the room.

Jack stood his ground. “What is it?”

“It's confidential.”

Jack looked puzzled. “There's nobody here but us.”

Judith looked past Jack to Joe, who was unwrapping a
cigar and ignoring his wife. “Oooh…” With an angry gesture, Judith handed over the note she'd written. “Here. Read it for yourself. By the way,” she said over her shoulder as she headed back into the reception area, “I quit.”

“Quit what?” Jack asked as Judith slammed the door in his face.

She snatched up her purse and marched out of the office and into the hall, telling herself there was absolutely no reason why she had to spend the evening stuck behind a desk. It appeared there was no way she was going to be allowed into the inner sanctum. She got in the elevator and got off on the casino floor. Renie could darn well stop shoveling quarters into those blasted machines and do something worthwhile.

It took Judith almost ten minutes to find her cousin, who had moved on to the Summer section.

“Have you won anything yet?” Judith asked in a crabby voice.

Renie looked up from her Super Sunshine slot. “Dribs and drabs. What's with you?”

“I'm mad. Frustrated, too,” Judith replied, sitting down next to Renie. “I don't understand Joe.”

“What's to understand? He's a man.” Renie shoved a twenty-dollar bill into the machine. “Play that next one. Some old coot won a hundred bucks on it a few minutes ago.”

“You play it,” Judith snapped.

“I would except somebody won four hundred dollars off this one just before I showed up,” Renie replied. “I figure it might still be hot. Go on, take a chance.”

Judith figured it might be best to humor her cousin for a few minutes. “Okay,” she said with a sigh of resignation. “I'll put a ten into it. No more.”

“Aha!” Renie was smiling at the machine. “I got twenty bucks! This one's okay!”

Judith pushed the button and saw two suns and a rain cloud show up. “This one's not.”

“Give it time,” Renie said. “What's your problem with Joe?”

“One minute, he seems to think I could be of help just talking to people involved in the case,” Judith explained as a sun, a moon, and a jackpot symbol showed across the line. “Then the next, he won't let me near the suspects. I don't get it.”

“I suppose he has to present a professional facade to the casino folks,” Renie said. “Hey—another twenty!”

“Good for you,” Judith said without enthusiasm. “I've been sitting in Pancho's office like a big twerp for the past half hour, doing absolutely nothing. It makes me antsy.” She paused, gazing at the screen. “What's with these three symbols?”

Renie leaned over to take a look. “Holy cats! That's the jackpot! You just won a thousand bucks!”

Judith frowned. “Is that why those bells are going off and the light is flashing?”

“That's right!” Renie had gotten out of her chair and was jumping up and down behind Judith. “Coz, you're amazing! Didn't I tell you that thing was hot? High fives!”

Judith held up a limp hand. Renie slapped it so hard that Judith marveled her cousin didn't dislocate her shoulder.

But Renie wasn't done celebrating. She leaned past Judith to kiss the slot machine, then did a little dance in the aisle. “Wahoo!” she cried. “Yippee! Hooray for coz!”

“Cut it out,” Judith said sharply as a crowd began to gather. “You're embarrassing me.”

Renie stopped in midstep. “Huh?” She looked around at the spectators. “Oh. Nothing to see here, nothing to see here.”

The small crowd didn't agree. They saw the three symbols lined up on the screen and began to applaud.

Judith flinched. “Goodness,” she breathed. “What do I do now?”

“Cash out,” Renie said. “It's set on credit now. Here.” She pressed the appropriate button. A cascade of coins began crashing into the metal tray.

“Good Lord,” Judith exclaimed, “how am I going to carry all these quarters to the coin booth?”

“You aren't,” Renie replied. “Look.” She pointed to the instructions at the top of the machine. “This thing only pays the first four hundred quarters. They'll bring you the rest of it in bills.” Renie's head jerked up. “Here comes a mechanic now.”

The mechanic was followed by a cocktail waitress who was followed by two men who looked like floor bosses, all of whom showered profuse congratulations on Judith. Players passing by stopped in admiration. The machine, which had finally dumped all of its treasure, was opened with a key. Another mechanic showed up with a fresh bag of quarters. Meanwhile, one of the floor bosses made some notations, then opened his wallet and handed Judith nine one-hundred-dollar bills. The hopper was refilled. Judith was asked to pull off the winning jackpot so no one else could claim to have won it. The new spin netted her another twenty-five dollars.

“I don't believe this,” Judith gasped as the casino employees practically bowed and scraped their way back down the aisle. The onlookers were talking
among themselves, their words running the gamut from pleasure to envy.

“Believe it,” Renie said with a grin. “I'll help you scoop up the coins. You'll need three buckets for all of this.”

The cousins dug and delved for several minutes. Finally, Judith cashed out her latest winnings while Renie emptied about two hundred quarters of her own into a separate bucket.

The coins were heavy. The cousins slowly made their way to the nearest change booth where Judith was given another hunsky, plus an additional thirty-three dollars.

“I'm taking the hundreds to the safe,” she declared with an ominous glance at her cousin. “I wouldn't want to leave my purse full of hundred-dollar bills with my loved ones and have it stolen. Want to come with me?”

Unfazed by the barb, Renie demurred. “I'm going back to those same machines if the vultures haven't already taken over. I'll see you when you get done.”

Dolly was on duty again at the cashier's window. “Aha!” she exclaimed with a toothy smile. “You must be reeling 'em in. Whatcha got now, sweetie?”

Carefully, Judith counted out the ten bills, but held on to the last one. “I just remembered—I owe my cousin a hundred dollars. I'll keep one bill for her.”

Dolly laughed, a rich, throaty sound. “Keep it in the family, that's the way. Do you want a cashier's check or shall I put the bills in the safe with your other winnings?”

“I'll have you make out a cashier's check and put it in the safe like you did the other time,” Judith said.

“You're the boss,” Dolly said, taking the money. “I'll be back in a jiffy with your receipt.”

Judith glanced over her shoulder. Five people stood in line behind her. She smiled apologetically. A dark-haired woman whose skin was weathered by the sun and whose glasses had frames shaped like butterfly wings came out from the back to open a second cashier's window. Two of the people behind Judith stepped out of the line and moved toward the counter.

It seemed to be taking Dolly a long time to type up a check, write a receipt, and put the money in the safe. Could the bills be counterfeit? There'd been an article in the newspaper recently about phony twenties and even some bogus hundreds being passed in the area. Judith began to fret.

But a moment later, Dolly reappeared, receipt in hand. Her usual cheerful expression was gone, however, replaced by a worried look. Behind the window's gilded bars, she leaned as close as she could to Judith.

“I'm so sorry, Mrs. Flynn,” she whispered. “I think a mistake has been made.”

Judith's worst fears were confirmed. “The money's no good?”

Dolly looked shocked. “Oh, no! It's not that.” Her voice had risen, but she lowered it once more. “I believe one of the new hires got confused and put something into your safe by mistake.” She glanced around nervously, then spoke so softly that Judith could hardly hear her. “You didn't have us put a bag of gold nuggets in the safe, did you?”

J
UDITH CAUGHT HERSELF
before speaking too loudly. “No,” she said softly but firmly. “No gold nuggets. Definitely not.”

Dolly's shoulders slumped in relief. “That's what I thought. Really, you'd think young people these days would know the alphabet. I'll take care of the matter right away. Meanwhile, here's your receipt and four comps for dinner tomorrow night in our premier restaurant, the Johnny-Jump-Up Room. It's our way of apologizing for the mix-up. Now,” she went on, her voice back to normal, “you run along and knock 'em dead.”

Judith was so lost in thought as she made her way back to the Summer section that she almost collided with Joe.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, catching her by the arm. “What's up? You're in a daze.”

“Oh!” She smiled halfheartedly at her husband. “Are you finished with the interviews?”

Joe nodded. “For now. Not that they've done us much good.”

Judith refrained from saying that if she had more opportunity to converse with the suspects, she might be
able to learn some helpful information. Instead, she merely offered Joe commiseration.

“The evening's still young,” he remarked, gazing at the baccarat tables where Bill was studying one of the games. “It's not quite ten o'clock. I think I'll get Bill to further my baccarat education.”

“Okay.” As with her earlier winnings, Judith decided not to tell Joe about her most recent windfall. She couldn't mention the mistake about the gold nuggets, either. If she did, she'd have to explain why she was at the cashier's window. Her silence would serve him right for keeping her out of the interview room. “I'll be with Renie. Wherever she might be.”

“Okay,” Joe said, starting toward Bill. “If I don't see you around in the casino, I'll go to the room about midnight.”

“Fine,” Judith said before continuing on her quest to find Renie.

It wasn't difficult. Renie was still in the Summer section, but she had taken off a shoe and was pounding the slot machine in front of her and swearing at the top of her lungs. A half dozen onlookers stood well back, cringing at each cuss word and wincing at every whack.

“Coz!” Judith cried, hurrying up to her irate cousin. “Stop that! You're making a spectacle of yourself!”

Renie let out one more shriek and gave the slot machine a swift kick with her stockinged foot. “Ow!” She scowled, rubbed her foot, and shot the gawkers a menacing look. “Beat it, or I'll charge admission. That's the only way I'm going to make any money in this stupid place.”

The spectators moved away, some of them shaking
their heads, others chuckling. Renie put her shoe back on and turned to Judith.

“Well?”

“I take it you're losing,” Judith said in a calm voice.

“Yes, I'm losing,” Renie retorted. “How can you possibly tell?”

Judith reached into her purse and took out her wallet. “Never mind. Though I do wonder why you still throw temper tantrums and beat up inanimate objects when you're almost old enough for Medicare.”

“So what? If I hurt myself when I hit sixty-five, I'll get better medical coverage.” Renie fingered her chin. “Or will I? I've never understood Medicare.”

“Never mind,” Judith said with a sigh, handing over the hundred-dollar bill she owed her cousin from the roulette winnings. “As long as you're losing, why don't you come with me?”

Renie, who was eyeing the slot machines with loathing, accepted the money with mumbled thanks. “Come where?” she asked.

“Backstage.”

“We can't go there. It's performance time.”

“Not on a Tuesday,” Judith said, marching in the direction of the cabaret. “The guests will be attending the French revue and the would-be Elvis shows on the second stage.”

The first thing that the cousins noticed when they got to the door that led backstage was that the crimescene tape was gone. So was any sign of a security guard. The only deterrent to their passage was a large sign that read “Keep Out.” Judith and Renie ignored it.

But the door was locked.

“You can pick a lock,” Renie said. “Go for it.”

Judith grimaced. It was true that she had the expertise. During her marriage to Dan, it had been necessary to open desk drawers and strongboxes simply to learn if there was a lien on the McMonigle house or if they'd been charged with income-tax evasion and were headed for the federal penitentiary.

“People are going by,” Judith protested. “I don't dare. We'll get in trouble.”

“So?”

“Don't be stupid.” Judith fixed Renie with a warning stare. “Do you want to get thrown out of the resort?”

Renie looked as if she were weighing the consequences. “You're right,” she finally said with a shrug. “It was a dumb idea anyway. Maybe I should try roulette or blackjack.”

“Maybe not,” Judith murmured, looking beyond Renie to the approaching figure of Manny Quinn. “Hold it, here comes Mr. Quinn.”

“What's up?” he asked.

“No one told us this door was locked,” Judith said with a perturbed expression. “You're Manny Quinn, aren't you? Have you got a key?”

“Yeah,” Manny replied, a wary glint in his gray eyes. “So what?”

“So you can let us in,” Judith said. “Really, this is too frustrating. How can I get my husband's glasses if the door's locked? I'm Mrs. Joe Flynn.”

“Men,” Renie said, rolling her eyes.

Manny studied Judith for a moment, perhaps trying to place her. “Flynn left his glasses in there?”

“Yes,” Judith responded. “He doesn't wear them all the time, but he needs them for reading.”

“What the hell,” Manny muttered. “Here, follow
me.” He palmed a key from the pocket of his tailored slacks and slipped it into the lock. “Ladies first,” he said, making an expansive gesture.

“Thanks, Mr. Quinn,” Judith said. “Will we be able to get out or should we wait for you?”

Manny didn't need a key to open the second door. “I may be a while. I think it's unlocked from this side anyway. If not, get one of the techs to let you out.” He allowed the cousins to go first, then paused at a mirror to smooth his silver hair. “Do you know where your old man left his glasses?”

“Umm…Somewhere near the Mandolini costumes, I think.”

“Then you go downstairs,” Manny said. “There's a spiral staircase over there by that red piano.”

Judith found the steel steps and led the way to the basement. “It's kind of dark down here,” she said, descending the staircase with caution.

“By the way, why are we here?” Renie asked as they reached the bottom.

“Aside from the fact that we're trying to help Joe solve a double homicide,” Judith said, feeling along the wall for a light switch, “I'm curious. I've never been behind the scenes in a theater before.”

“I have,” Renie replied. “It's not that big a thrill. Why don't we try the lamp over in the corner? Maybe it turns on higher than dim.”

The lamp, of the gooseneck variety, had only one wattage, but there was a switch next to the plug in. Judith clicked it. Two overhead bulbs came on, giving sufficient light for exploration.

“I don't suppose they keep the animals down here,” Judith said, taking in the area that was about the size of a baseball diamond.

“Hardly,” Renie replied. “They're outside somewhere, probably in trailers.”

“Good.” Judith's gaze roamed around the cluttered basement. There were wardrobes marked “Costumes,” piles of scenery, musical instruments, and every imaginable prop, from a church altar to twelve-foot-high flamingos on stilts. “This is a maze,” she said. “Look, here's an old wind-up Victrola like the one we had at the cabin. And there's a washstand just like mine that I use for the minibar in the dining room.”

“This wardrobe is marked ‘Vintage,'” Renie noted. “I'll bet it's full of clothes that we wore in our younger years. You've probably still got some of them since you never throw anything out.”

Judith didn't respond to her cousin's dig. Instead, she was studying another wardrobe that had “Mandolini” stenciled on its side. “Let's have a peek,” she said, carefully trying to pry open the front of the wooden box.

A shimmering array of costumes was revealed to the cousins. There were long gowns, bathing suits, cloaks, capes, and even a couple of cat costumes.

“Sally's,” Judith remarked. “The rest of it looks like Freddy's outfits. Dark suits, capes, white shirts. Of course, the costume Sally wore when she was killed isn't here.”

Renie's trained eye had zeroed in on a strapless copper gown that looked smaller and shorter than the others. Underneath it was a purple satin number about the same size.

“What do you make of these two?” Renie asked, fingering the satin material.

It took Judith a few seconds to understand what her
cousin meant. “Ah. Those two outfits wouldn't fit Sally.” She studied the gowns for a moment or two. “Micki?”

“Backup?” Renie said.

“Maybe.” Carefully, Judith lifted the gowns just enough to check the labels for sizing. “These are both a six. The others are a ten.”

“So Micki was the understudy?”

“I suppose there'd have to be one,” Judith said. “But that wasn't Micki we saw at the end of the act. So how—” She stopped abruptly, espying the silver gown underneath the two size sixes. “Good Lord,” she gasped. “This
is
the dress that Sally wore in the saber scene!”

“It can't be,” Renie declared. “That dress would be evidence.”

“Yes, it would,” Judith agreed, removing the sparkling silver gown. “But it's unharmed.” She locked gazes with her cousin. “Which can mean only one thing—this is a duplicate. So who wore it?”

“We've been through that,” Renie replied. “Grisly is the only one who might fit into one of Sally's costumes.”

“No, she isn't,” Judith said, staring at the silver gown. “How about Marta Flax of Salt Lake City?”

Renie was mystified. “Huh?”

“The blonde with the poodle,” Judith said. “Doc Engelman told me who she is. Marta checked into the resort yesterday.”

“She almost checked out today,” Renie noted, “permanently. So who is she now that she's not catatonic?”

Judith was still gazing at the ball gown and didn't answer right away. “What? Oh—all I know is her name and where she's from. But she's the right size and has
blond hair. You know, we ought to take this dress to Joe so he can send it to the county lab for DNA testing.”

“You'd better not touch it,” Renie said. “Get Joe or Jack Jackrabbit to do it. We might screw it up.”

“You're right,” Judith agreed, making sure everything in the wardrobe was arranged in its proper order. “I'll tell Joe right away.”

The cousins were closing the door when they heard a voice from somewhere above them.

“Who's there?”

Judith turned quickly, gazing up at the spiral staircase. All she could see were feet. Sneakers and pants cuffs. The voice belonged to a man. Before Judith could respond, Renie spoke up.

“We're burglars. Who wants to know?”

“What?” The man moved slowly down the stairs.

Judith recognized Lloyd Watts. “Lloyd! You scared us. Have you met my cousin, Serena?”

Lloyd looked relieved. “Not burglars, eh?”

“Hardly,” Judith said as Lloyd joined them. “We just wanted to look around. I've never been backstage before. It's fascinating.”

Lloyd waved a hand. “All this junk?”

“It's interesting junk,” Judith said. “How can you tell where everything is?”

Lloyd shrugged. “Easy. I know what's ours and what isn't. I came down to get my theremin. Somebody put it down here after…the tragedy. I like to keep it with me. They're kind of rare.”

“I enjoyed your performance,” Renie said. “I'd heard about the theremin, but I'd never seen it played before. It certainly suits a magic act. Illusion, I mean.”

“It's a different kind of soul music,” Lloyd said. “You don't touch it. So it's like playing with your
soul. You know—a communion, a spiritual thing.” He stopped speaking as he scanned the section where several instruments were stored. “Ah. There it is. Doesn't seem right. Not with drums and oboes and banjos.”

Lloyd retrieved his precious theremin, gave the cousins a diffident smile, and headed back up the staircase.

“Shall we?” Renie asked of Judith as Lloyd's sneakers disappeared from view.

“We might as well,” Judith said. “Let me turn off the overhead lights.”

She flicked the switch on the wall, leaving only the gooseneck lamp for illumination. Despite the dim light, Judith was still gazing around the basement. She didn't see the cord from the lamp, and tripped over it.

“Oops!” she cried, catching herself on an item that was encased in heavy plastic.

“Are you okay?” Renie asked, alarmed.

“Yes, I'm fine.” Judith turned around. “The lamp's fine, too. I was afraid I might have knocked it over.”

“Give yourself a minute,” Renie cautioned as she moved closer to Judith. “Make sure your hip's all right.”

The cousins both jumped and screamed as a hurtling object fell from above and crashed on the exact spot where Renie had just been standing.

“My God!” Judith cried. “What is it? You could have been killed!”

“So could you,” Renie said, her eyes huge and her face pale. “Whatever it is landed only a couple of feet away from both of us.” Tentatively, she took a step closer to the bulky object. “It's one of those sandbag things they use for theater curtains.” She stared up into
the far reaches of the basement ceiling. “There's a catwalk up there. But I don't see anything now.”