Swan Dive (19 page)

NINETEEN

(Day #8 – Thursday Evening)

The ballroom dazzled in frosty white and delicate pink from the sparkling lights to the bubbly champagne. A twenty-seven piece orchestra played lively Christmas tunes while men in smooth tuxedos twirled ladies in shiny gowns.

“You clean up nice,” Tod said. We stood together in the corner near the dumbwaiter and staff entrance on the far side of the ballroom. Tod wore a sharp black tux with a white orchid pinned to his lapel.

“Oh, this?” My pale pink strapless dress was silk with a skirt adorned in pink feathers. It floated when I walked and the pointy toes of my strappy kitten heels barely peeked out from the hem.

He ignored me.

The Ballantynes greeted each guest personally, visiting tables to chat and hug and spread more holiday cheer than Mr. and Mrs. Claus. And they might as well have been the Clauses. At each place setting sat a gift wrapped in pink paper to hide the beautiful Tiffany blue box inside.

“Mrs. Kramer was singing earlier,” Tod said. “But I stopped her before Edward noticed.”

“Why stop her?”

“She was sitting on the piano with a poinsettia on her head using her soup spoon as a microphone.”

“Good call,” I said. “And I got Mr. Colbert a cab. He was trying to drive his Jaguar home from the passenger side. Told his wife to buckle up, they were headed for Big Ben.”

The camera crew wasn’t as intrusive as I had feared. Turned out even the highest of society enjoyed the spotlight. Even if it was for an internet streaming website.

Perhaps they didn’t know that part.

The troupe from
The Nutcracker
mingled with the Ballantyne Board members as donors danced and dined. Matty had arrived with Zibby and Deidre, and the entire room was filled with laughter and chatter and clinking crystal glasses.

“Final course just went out,” Carla said as she joined us. “Then dessert. Pink strawberry cake with sweet buttercream frosting and a chocolate ganache.”

I hugged her. “It was wonderful. As usual. I even tried your crispy lobster dumplings.”

“No, you didn’t,” she said.

“Okay, I didn’t, but they looked amazing,” I said. “How’s Carmichael?”

“Arrogant and bossy,” she said. “But I admit, he made a decent consommé. Paired beautifully with my dumplings.”

A cameraman and grip strolled by and filmed two servers carrying plates to the corner table.

“And Rory?” Tod asked. “She sneak out the back before the coppers got her?”

I smacked him. “Shush. No coppers, Bugsy. And those camera microphone things pick up the faintest sounds, so keep it down.”

“Rory’s been a dream,” Carla said. “And I’m not saying that for the cameras. She’s a talent, for sure. I may need to steal her away from Carmichael.”

I spotted Rory at Zibby’s table near the band. She sat on the edge of the chair next to Zibby’s and speared an asparagus stalk from Zibby’s plate.

“I’m going to say hello real quick,” I said.

With a hug to Zibby’s shoulders, I knelt between her and Rory. “The food is wonderful,” I said to Rory. “I hear you’re quite the talent in the kitchen.”

She smiled, probably the first one I’d seen since I met her. Her blue hair shone under the chandelier lights and her cheeks practically glowed. “It’s been amazing. Working with Chef Carla and Chef Carmichael for an event this prestigious is a dream come true.” She waved at the camera crew filming the dance floor. “And The Stream Kitchen is here. I can’t believe it.”

“You deserve it,” Zibby said. She spread her butternut puree onto a piece of roll. “You’re going to win that show, I know it.”

“Mind if I interrupt?” Matty said.

I stood and he gently kissed my cheek.

He looked incredible. His soft wavy hair around his tan face, his fitted tuxedo on his toned body. His warm hand reaching for mine. “Let’s dance.”

We swayed close to one another while the orchestra played a romantic wintery tune.

“How’s Rory doing? Must be better if she’s here working,” Matty said.

“Actually, it’s about the same. The police aren’t storming in to arrest her or anything, but she’s still their main suspect. Or maybe their only suspect.”

“Really? She’s such a good kid,” he said.

“That’s what you said about Vigo Ortiz.”

The music rolled into another slow song and we continued to sway.

“He’s a good kid, too,” he said. “I’ve know most of Inga’s dancers for years. They’re all good kids.”

I smiled and pulled back, looking up into his face. “You’re the nicest headmaster on the island. You think all the kids are good kids.”

He twirled me, then pulled me close. “I feel bad for them. I was talking to Berg. He really loved Lexie. He would’ve done anything for her. They’d been best friends for years. He’s heartbroken he never got his chance with her. He should’ve told her how he felt, and now it’s too late.”

But I knew timing had nothing to do with it. Lexie knew how he felt, but didn’t want him to cross over from friend to boyfriend. Berg may have been better off regretting a move he never made rather than suffer the hurt of unrequited love.

A slow heat crept up my neck to my cheeks, and I swallowed hard as a realization hit me. Matty was my Berg. He was my friend, my good friend. Not my boyfriend. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t seem to cross over from friend to boyfriend.

“Kyra mentioned she spoke with you about dinner next week,” he said. “I’d love for you to come.”

I nodded and started to sweat.

“School’s on break now for two weeks. Maybe we can get away for a couple days after Christmas. New Year’s in Maine? Get a cabin, just the two of us?”

Matty had the most beautiful brown eyes. Warm and deep and happy. He’d do anything for me. And I missed him so much. We could talk and drink and laugh all night. Any night. Except lately.

“El, you okay?” he asked.

The last notes of the song faded and the dancers applauded the band.

“I need some air,” I choked out. It was just so damn hot in there. And my fitted feather dress wasn’t helping.

He grabbed my hand and led me across the dance floor and down the grand staircase of the Big House. The cool night air drifted over us once he opened the foyer door. With the moon barely a sliver, a million stars sparkled against the midnight blue sky.

Matty stood behind me and rubbed my bare shoulders. I placed my hands on his and held them tight.

“Matty, I love you,” I said. “With my heart and my head and my soul.”

“Elli, you are—”

“Wait, Matty. Please let me finish. You bring me happy, and I can’t imagine my life without you. I never want to live my life without you.” Tears filled my eyes and slid down my cheeks. I squeezed his hands. “You’re my best friend, Matty. And I miss you. I want my friend back.”

“I’m right here.”

“We’re not the same. We haven’t been since you kissed me last May.”

He dropped his hands from my shoulders. “You mean when Nick Ransom moved back to the island.”

“This isn’t about Ransom. This is about us. Or the us that we were.”

“What are you saying?”

I wiped my cheeks and turned to face him. “I’m sorry, Matty. I’m so so sorry. I just want us to go back to the way it was.”

“Tell me what you really mean. Just say it.”

I stared at him. The hurt on his face and his rigid posture. He stood a foot away from me, but it might as well have been a hundred feet. A thousand. My heart ached. It was hard to breathe.

“Matty…”

“Finish it, Elliott. I need to hear it.”

Another tear fell down my cheek. I felt it rush down and imagined it splashing onto my dress. I imagined a million more would fall before the night was over.

“Please, Matty, I don’t want to lose you. You mean everything to me,” I said. “But I don’t think we should date anymore. You want kids and I don’t. I know we’re not there yet, but we will be. So many things don’t fit, Matty. We’re all awkward and strained and I hate it.”

Ransom’s slick racer roared up the drive with two squad cars behind him.

Matty glanced at me, then trotted down the steps before Ransom got out of his car. Matty disappeared into the night, around the side of the lot to the valet.

I didn’t wait to talk to Nick or watch Matty drive out of my life. I hurried into the Big House and into the powder room off the foyer. I quickly dabbed my eyes and blew my nose and took three very deep breaths. My heartbreak meltdown was going to have to wait.

I returned to the foyer as Ransom, Parker, and two uniforms started up the grand staircase.

“Whoa, wait,” I called and rushed up to block Ransom, who led the team.

“I’m sorry, Red,” he said. “But I have orders.”

“You absolutely do not have orders,” I said. “There is no way the captain wants the police storming the Ballantyne’s Palm & Fig Ball.”

“Not the captain, the county prosecutor. He just got elected, going to make a name for himself, and he’s on his way.”

“I don’t care.” I frantically waved the team down the stairs. “In the library, now,” I said. “Please,” I added. “Ransom, please.”

He turned to the officers behind him and nodded. Parker led them to the library and closed the doors. Ransom and I followed, remaining in the foyer outside the library doors.

“You cannot arrest Rory. Not here and not tonight.”

“I came myself to make this as unobtrusive as possible.”

I wildly waved at the library. “Yes, two Sea Pine police officers, Corporal Parker, and you, the Lieutenant, speeding up the drive. Totally unobtrusive.”

“It’s my job, Red.”

“Oh with you and your job. What about other suspects? You had to have known about Lexie’s mother. She’s a convicted killer and she could be anywhere. Anywhere! You had access to all her records and a ton of databases. The second you heard about her, you probably ran a check within the hour. And you didn’t share with me.”

“Because I don’t need to share with you. You,” he said and pointed at my chest for emphasis, “share with me.”

I smacked his hand away. “Do you understand the word share? It implies a two-way street. You know that Lexie’s birth mother is a suspect.”

“Perhaps,” he said.

“Oh my God, you talked to her already?”

“Not exactly. We’re still tracking her down.”

“She’s a murderer!”

“Arsonist. Released due to good behavior. She was in the Operation Behind Bars program. An advanced horticulture student.”

“Do you hear yourself? We’re dealing with a plant poison. You know, a
horticulture
poison.”

“Collards and snow peas aren’t exactly poisonous.”

I stomped my foot in frustration and he held his hands up. “Calm down,” he said. “We’re looking for her. But she was a model inmate. Sweet, kind, and no motive to kill her only child.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” I said. A couple danced on the landing near the top steps of the staircase and I lowered my voice. “There’s something to this, Ransom. Truby Falls goes to prison for killing someone. She gets out and her daughter is murdered. What about the victim’s family? Maybe they wanted revenge against Truby.”

“Mrs. Cho had no family.”

“Who has no family? That’s ridiculous.”

“How much family do you have?”

It felt like a slap and I took a step back. But he was right. I had no family. None. Perhaps a random cousin twice removed, but no one who would take out revenge on my behalf. “There’s still something to this.”

“I can’t ignore the evidence, and it points to Rory Throckmorton. Don’t tell me how to do my job, Elliott.”

“Don’t tell me how to do mine!” I whisper shouted. Another couple joined the first on the landing and I checked my watch. A quarter after ten. Carla was probably serving dessert. Or maybe it was already served. I couldn’t think straight. “You owe me, and for once, you’re going to help me.”

“I’m going to arrest her. I don’t have a choice.”

“Both the Ballantynes will have to be carted to the hospital on matching stretchers if you arrest Vivi’s cousin’s niece in the middle of the Palm & Fig Ball, where she happens to be working as one of the prestigious guest chefs. And she’s being filmed for a tv show.” I ran my hands through my hair. “Jesus, I’ll need my own stretcher.”

Ransom checked his own watch and relented. “Fine, we’ll wait until the ball is over. I’ll ask Parker to wait outside with the patrol officers.”

“And have them move their cars to the side of the house. Opposite the valet. Way, way out of sight.”

“Not a word to Rory,” he said. “Or anyone.”

“Not a word,” I said and started to walk away.

“Hey, Red,” he said. “For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t have done it this way.”

I nodded and plastered a smile on my shocked, saddened, worried face. I entered the ballroom where the dessert plates were being cleared. I spotted an untouched one and ate that sucker in three bites. I watched the Ballantynes swirl and sway on the dance floor. Zibby danced on a chair. Guests thanked me and Tod and hugged and air-kissed and hollered festive wishes.

“Hard to believe you pulled it off,” Tod said. “But it looks like the Palm & Fig was a huge success.”

“Well, it ain’t over yet.”