Powdered Murder (15 page)

"Oh my!" a familiar voice rang through the room. I cringed, looking at the entrance to see none other than the only couple who could have made this night even more awkward. Mayor Millbreck and his wife Martha. "What a spectacular set up," Martha said.

Martha and the Mayor are two peas in a pod. One word that describes them both is
showy
. Martha isn't the only one in their relationship who thrives on rumors. Mayor Millbreck has been mayor for so long not because he is good at it. It's because most of the town is too nervous to vote him out until he decides to officially retire. The mayor is older than Martha, and he moves much slower.

"Mayor," Patrick greeted them. Patrick looked a little shocked to see them there. "You're here."

"Yes well, we couldn't miss this," Mayor Millbreck announced. His voice was naturally louder than most. "Why this wedding is going to put Bison Creek on the map, my boy. Nice work." He reached out and shook Patrick's hand, pulling him in for a pat on the back like the two of them were esteemed colleagues.

"I'll have them make some extra places for you," he remarked. Patrick left Martha to gloat about her latest trip to Europe and sped towards me.

"Did you know they were coming?" he whispered.

"No." It was the first time we had spoken privately since he showed up at my apartment with wedding doubts. "Didn't you?"

"Absolutely not." He acted like he was offended that the thought had even crossed my mind. He shook his head and took a step closer to me so our elbows slightly touched.

"Well, you can't kick them out now," I joked, glancing at the two of them striding to their seats. "Martha just started telling Bebe the story of how she was almost the wife of an Indian prince. She's on a roll."

"Where's Joy? If anyone has the guts to talk straight to Mayor Millbreck, it's her."

"She's M.I.A." I hesitated to share more with him. "Which brings me to my next point. If she doesn't show up soon, Mr. Kentworth might have a meltdown and fire her. I think I should go."

"Please stay, Essie." He grabbed my hand when he said it like it was a normal reflex. I looked down at our intertwined fingers and instantly broke the bond. "Sorry … but I don't think I can do this without you."

"Then why do it at all?" It was a valid question, and I should have asked it sooner. "It's your wedding too, you know."

"Lila and I…" He exhaled and watched our parents switch cards around so that the four of them could sit next to each other. "Please, help me through this dinner and I'll help you mend things with Mr. Kentworth." He waited anxiously for me to agree. "I'm sure Joy will turn up in a few minutes."

"What if she doesn't?"

"I'll make sure that Mr. Kentworth doesn't fire her," he answered. "I have my ways."

"The perks of stardom."

"Something like that." He grinned and offered me his arm. Before I could accept or refuse, the room fell silent.

Lila stood in the doorway and she had changed into something much more scandalous than her original outfit. She began greeting her guests like she was on the red carpet. Her long, white, sparkly gown showed off her bony back. Her dress was a giant punch in the face, reminding everyone that
she
was the bride. Franco followed right behind her making sure she didn't trip over the train.

"Is that her wedding dress?" I whispered.

"Possibly," Patrick answered. "I know she has a few of them in room she's trying to decide between, but I haven’t seen them."

"Welcome, everyone," she confidently announced. Franco scurried around the room like a nosey mouse. He pulled out Lila's chair and waited for her to take a seat at the head of the table next to her future husband. "Shall we begin?"

"So nice to meet you, Lila." Mayor Millbreck outstretched his hand and began with his usual opening line. "I'm Mayor Millbreck, the only mayor in all the state who has been voted into office unanimously."

"Nice to meet you, Mayor."

"And I'm Martha," Martha Millbreck chimed in.

"Come on," Patrick pulled me with him towards the table. He took his seat next to Lila.

"Oh, Essie," Lila said. "I think you're down at the other end of the table."

How convenient.

"Actually, you're right over there, hun," Dad retorted. "On the other side of Patrick." He said it snidely, watching as Lila's genuine grin turned into a forced fake smile. My parents and Patrick's parents had moved around the seating chart and it appeared that they had more than one reason for it. They were sitting together, and so were Patrick and I.

"How did that happen?" Lila asked.

"That's not important," Dad responded bluntly.

I gulped and took my spot next to Patrick, praying Dad wasn't in an arguing mood. If he was, he would argue with anybody who was willing. Lila would be his greatest contender yet, but it wouldn’t end well. And I was pretty sure that if it came to it the Millbreck's would side with her.

"Thank you all for coming," Patrick said. "Tomorrow is a very important day for us, and we're glad you could all be here to share it." He raised his glass, briefly glaring at the mayor and his wife. The room toasted to the soon-to-be newlyweds, and Patrick gulped down everything in his glass rather than take a small sip. I raised my cup of water and placed the gold cloth napkin in my lap. As Eli and the other servers brought out the first course, Mr. Kentworth poked his head in the room. His cheeks were red and he grimaced when he spotted everyone except the one person he was looking for.

Lila and the mayor began chatting about L.A. and the latest Hollywood gossip while Bebe continued to rave about Mrs. Jaye's cooking. Patrick stared out the window at the lights winding around the chair lift. The first course was a sampling of a tuna tartar with a sweet Vidalia onion, tomato, and blue cheese salad. Mrs. Jaye made a sour face when she bit into her tartar. She was a very home cookin' sort of woman. Her given name was actually Annie Mae but she'd started going by Anne right after she moved here.

The second course was brought out right after the first. I had hardly touched my food, but when I checked the time I noticed that the minutes were soaring by. Eli placed a plate of pasta in front of me. I took one bite and savored the creamy cheese sauce poured on top of it. Right after the second course the main dish was brought out – Colorado lamb with sautéed vegetables.

I took a few bites of my lamb and hardly even noticed when Eli took away my plate and replaced it with a small cup of coffee before dessert. The entire evening I'd been keeping my eye on the doors hoping that Joy would walk through them and take credit for her superb planning skills. My parents stood up and strolled around the room with their coffees, stopping at the windows that faced the ski slopes. They marveled at the light display as Lila and the mayor continued discussing the pros and cons of attending a red carpet afterparty, and Patrick and Bebe buried their attention in the wide selection of dessert wines available.

I took a deep breath and walked towards the door. No one would notice if I left. I needed to find Joy and make sure nothing bad had happened to her. Before I could escape, a hand snatched my wrist. I took a step backwards and almost stumbled. I wasn't use to moving so quickly in these heels.

"Essie, dear." Martha was looking me straight in the eyes.

"Not now, Martha," I replied. "I have something I need to do."

"I understand," she whispered. "But before you go I just wanted to say to you…" She glanced over her shoulder at her husband who was completely engrossed in Lila's story about how she once attended three different after parties simultaneously. "Stay out of my business."

"What business?" I asked.

"A little squirrel told me that you've been nosing around, and asking questions about how I spend my free time." Her polite smile turned to a mischievous glare. "I'm warning you now. Leave it alone or I will make sure you never book a client in this town ever, ever again. Got it?"

Her threat was accompanied by a proper one-armed hug. I stood there speechless as Martha waltzed back to her seat like she was on cloud nine. In a moment of desperation, Martha Millbreck had revealed her true colors. Not only was she an avid gossiper. She was also a plotter. I was certain that she'd already put a great amount of thought into how she would ruin my career if I told anyone about her and the black BMW. But would she have gone as far as killing me to keep me silent, perhaps with my own gym equipment?

That
little squirrel
needed to be shot.

Mr. Kentworth bumped my elbow as I slipped into the hallway. He studied my expression and looked at his watch.

"This is just appalling," he commented. He was a tall, thin man with a dark brown suit and black-framed glasses. He reminded me of a vanilla bean. "Your sister is on thin ice."

"Please, Mr. Kentworth," I begged him. "If my sister is late it's because something is wrong. Maybe she got into a car accident on the way here?"

"You better hope so," he said under his breath. "Because nothing short of a trip to the hospital will be enough to save her now. This wedding was her big chance and she blew it."

"Look around you," I blurted out, against my better judgment. "Those people in there had an amazing dinner in an amazing room. Joy has thought of every detail, and I didn't hear Lila complain once about anything. She never misses a chance to complain. Joy did a brilliant job, and she deserves that promotion."

Mr. Kentworth looked at me in awe. He took a minute to examine each guest's expression while pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. He used it to clean the lenses of his glasses though they were already spotless. He held the glasses up to the light and inspected his handiwork before putting them back on.

"Find your sister, Miss Stratter, and bring her here. I will accept her apology, but just this once."

"Thank you," I gleefully responded. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kentworth."

"Your sister, Miss Stratter," he reminded me, pointing to his watch. "The evening is almost over."

"I'll find her," I agreed. Mr. Kentworth rubbed the bridge of his nose as he walked away.

"Find who?" A light breeze blew through the hallway and filled my nose with the familiar scent of cinnamon and pine. Patrick gently touched my forearm.

"Joy." I turned around. Patrick anxiously looked at me.

"She still hasn't turned up?"

"I'm worried, Patrick."

"Let me help," he replied. "Where's the last place you saw her?"

"My apartment." I glanced behind him where Bebe was sampling a selection of gourmet truffles with Anne. Lila and Franco were studying the state of the silver as if it hadn't been polished correctly. "But I'll be fine. You should stay here."

"And leave you to search for her by yourself?" He shook his head. "After what happened this morning? No, I'm coming with you."

"You can't leave Lila," I protested.

"She said she was going to turn in early and have her dessert sent up to her suite anyway," he informed me. "She won't mind."

"She probably only said that to test you," I teased him.

"Test me how?"

"To see if you would try and convince her to stay." I watched Lila and Franco move towards the windows to chat some more with Patrick's parents.

"As always, you are probably right." He grinned. "I don't mean that sarcastically."

"I'll let you know when I find her," I reassured him.

"You won't have to." He stepped past me and headed for the exit. He wasn't going to take no for an answer. I wasn't sure if I should have scolded him and forced him to stay behind with his fiancé or if I should just play along.

I followed Patrick down the hallway and towards the front of the hotel. The sun had gone down, leaving a royal blue felt-looking sky with holes poked through it for stars. The snow was still falling, but lightly. A fresh powder was on the front lawn and throughout the parking lot. I ran when I stepped outside, putting as much distance in between me and the building as I could. Patrick chuckled, but I didn't care. 

Something might have fallen from the sky.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Prepare for the worst," I said as I unlocked the door to my apartment. There had been no sign of Joy on our drive into town. There were no signs of any accidents either. Patrick and I were surprised to see that Mrs. Tankle's lights were still on in The Painted Deer Bookshop.

"What do you mean?" Patrick asked.

"Oh there you are. Finally!" Mrs. Tankle hustled out of her shop at just the right moment.

"Mrs. Tankle," Patrick said, taking her arm. "You shouldn't be running around like that when there's ice all over the place. You might slip and fall."

"Well, I didn't," she barked at him. "I still have some fight left in me." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. "Go on and open the door, Essie. I heard those two yelling and screaming. I called the sheriff but he hasn't shown yet. I warned you about letting that bum Wade Porter into your apartment."

"Yes, I know, Mrs. Tankle." I nodded apologetically. "I am so sorry."

"Don't make it a habit," she scolded me. "I could have lost business because of it. Lots of my customers like to stay and do some reading after they make their purchases, especially the ones on couples' retreats who are looking for an hour alone in peace and quiet."

"Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of a couples' retreat?" Patrick chuckled. I immediately shook my head.

"What was that?" Mrs. Tankle asked snidely.

"Nothing," he lied. "I mean, I too am very sorry for the noise."

"Well…" She took a deep breath as if accepting our apologies. "It's not your fault, Patrick." She looked at me. "Or yours, Essie."

"Let's sort this whole thing out, shall we?" Patrick gestured towards the door, and I quickly pushed it open. What I found looked like a crime scene.

The coffee table was overturned and all the sofa cushions were on the floor. Some even looked like they had been tossed at the television. The kitchen was a mess. Food was all over the counters and a couple of empty water bottles were on the kitchen floor. Mrs. Tankle jumped when a loud bang came from one of the bedrooms.