[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Who s that creep? Helen whispered.
Sam, the biker boyfriend, Denise said. She spoke
so low her lips barely moved.
Cheryl stopped crying abruptly and stared at the man.
Helen thought he looked familiar, or maybe he looked
like every mother s nightmare. His gut flopped over his
belt. His dirty hair was braided. A full beard nearly hid
the stains on his Sturgis T-shirt.
Then Sam took a gulp of beer and Helen saw the tat
too on his wrist Seminole Sam. The recognition was
like a gut punch. This was the scuzzy guy from room 323
with the two women and the strap-on dildo. Helen won
dered who d used it.
Denise stood up. We have a little something for you
from everyone at the hotel. She put the envelope in
Shirley s worn hand and patted it.
Rhonda always spoke so highly of you all, her
mother said.
Murder with Reservations ] 105
Helen didn t dare look at Denise and Cheryl. She
wanted to crawl away.
As Shirley shut the front door in a flurry of blessings
and thanks, Helen heard Sam say, Shirl, could you loan
me twenty?
Back in the car, Denise said, I feel like slime. I want
to eat every ugly word I ever said about Rhonda.
I d get a fork and help, Helen said. She used De
nise s cell phone to call Margery. There s no sign of
Rob, Margery said. Come on home.
Denise dropped her off at the Coronado with barely
a good-bye. They felt too low and ashamed to say
more.
Out by the pool, Helen drank more wine than usual.
She tried to follow Arlene s chatter, but she kept see
ing poor, battered Rhonda. When Arlene finally went
inside, Margery smoked in silence and Helen stared at
the black night sky.
Peggy came dancing back to the Coronado about ten
o clock. We made it an early night because Glenn has
an appointment at six in the morning. Her voice was
soft with suppressed happiness. We had dinner at a lit
tle French bistro, then walked along the water.
Sounds romantic, Helen said.
Margery said nothing.
Except Glenn kept taking calls from Japan, Peggy
said. Some deal he s doing there. She seemed secretly
proud that her man had business half a world away.
Sounds like a real wheeler-dealer, Margery said.
Was that sarcasm? If so, Peggy missed it. Oh, yes,
she said. He s involved in a big deal. He s talking about
millions. She chatted for a few more minutes, then was
gone in a rustle of silk.
Helen heard a car door slam and sat straight up. Is
that Rob?
Let me look, Margery said. You stay behind this
bougainvillea.
Margery came back a few moments later. Arlene
106 ] Elaine Viets
was getting out of Glenn s limo. What was she doing
with him?
Helen didn t have to speculate. Arlene was running
toward them, almost as excited as Peggy. Her outrageous
striped dress looked like a circus tent in a windstorm.
I ve always wanted to ride in a limo, Arlene said,
so I went out and introduced myself to Peggy s boy
friend as he was leaving. He gave me a ride down Las
Olas.The limo has fabulous upholstery and a built-in bar
with Waterford crystal. I felt like a queen. Glenn was so
nice to me. That s what I like about being old. Nobody
takes you seriously.
Margery said, It beats the alternative. Then she
blew a great cloud of smoke.
$)"15&3
he army of reporters had deserted the Full Moon
the next morning. Helen wondered what had
Tlured them from the murder hotel. She slipped
in the side entrance and found Craig and Cheryl in the
laundry room, listening to a radio turned low.
What s happening? Helen asked.
Shh! Craig said. It s Bad Barry and Big Andy.
The nasty shock jocks who did the Hotel Califor
nia routine yesterday, Cheryl added, as if Helen could
forget.
We re waiting to see if they do their routine again.
Craig flashed his boy-star smile and turned up the
radio a notch. Helen and Cheryl leaned in toward the
speaker. She heard maniacal laughter, followed by jack
ass brays.
You re shitting me, Barry said. Sweet Cindy, the
Channel 19 anchor, was really decapitated?
Just confirmed, Andy said. Happened on I-95 this
morning. A beer truck rolled over her convertible. Way
to go, Cindy! Andy could hardly get the words out.
He was snorting like a mad bull. Helen wondered if he
pawed the studio floor.
Gives new meaning to talking head, Andy, Barry
said. The pair laughed like demons.
108 ] Elaine Viets
Cheryl looked stunned. I can t believe they d joke
about that, she said.
I can, Craig said. He had an odd little grin.
Denise walked in and switched off the radio. I m
sorry that poor young woman died. But at least we
won t have to spend another day with all those report
ers. They re on to the next tragedy. Now, everyone go to
work. Cheryl, you and Helen start on three. Craig and I
will clean on two.
Craig followed Denise quietly, like a puppy off his
feed. Maybe he really had been sick yesterday.
Up on three, Helen and Cheryl went about their work
swiftly. Soon they were in the zone, dusting, sweeping
and scrubbing with hardly a word between them. The
thrill seekers had checked out, leaving behind mounds
of beer cans and pizza boxes.
The beer cans are all empty, Cheryl said. You d
think they could have left us a couple of full ones if they
weren t going to tip.
Helen kept sticking her head out the room door, look
ing for Denise. The head housekeeper had promised to
search Rob s room. It was nearly noon when Helen saw
her in the doorway of 312, hands on her hips.Apparently
Denise had struck pay dirt, with the accent on dirt.
I waited until Craig was on break, Denise said. It
wouldn t do to have a trainee see me violate the rules.
Your ex-husband left about ten this morning. I just now
had the chance to go through his room. Does Rob swing
both ways?
No, Helen said. He only inflicts himself on the fe
male sex.
Cheryl turned off the water in the bathroom and
leaned against the doorjamb to listen.
Well, he s got a guy s name and phone number on
his dresser today a Jeffrey Tennyson Barker, Denise
said. There s also a newspaper story about this Jeffrey.
I don t want to sound prejudiced, but Jeff looks a little
light in the loafers.
Murder with Reservations ] 109
Helen sat down hard on the queen bed she d been [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
Who s that creep? Helen whispered.
Sam, the biker boyfriend, Denise said. She spoke
so low her lips barely moved.
Cheryl stopped crying abruptly and stared at the man.
Helen thought he looked familiar, or maybe he looked
like every mother s nightmare. His gut flopped over his
belt. His dirty hair was braided. A full beard nearly hid
the stains on his Sturgis T-shirt.
Then Sam took a gulp of beer and Helen saw the tat
too on his wrist Seminole Sam. The recognition was
like a gut punch. This was the scuzzy guy from room 323
with the two women and the strap-on dildo. Helen won
dered who d used it.
Denise stood up. We have a little something for you
from everyone at the hotel. She put the envelope in
Shirley s worn hand and patted it.
Rhonda always spoke so highly of you all, her
mother said.
Murder with Reservations ] 105
Helen didn t dare look at Denise and Cheryl. She
wanted to crawl away.
As Shirley shut the front door in a flurry of blessings
and thanks, Helen heard Sam say, Shirl, could you loan
me twenty?
Back in the car, Denise said, I feel like slime. I want
to eat every ugly word I ever said about Rhonda.
I d get a fork and help, Helen said. She used De
nise s cell phone to call Margery. There s no sign of
Rob, Margery said. Come on home.
Denise dropped her off at the Coronado with barely
a good-bye. They felt too low and ashamed to say
more.
Out by the pool, Helen drank more wine than usual.
She tried to follow Arlene s chatter, but she kept see
ing poor, battered Rhonda. When Arlene finally went
inside, Margery smoked in silence and Helen stared at
the black night sky.
Peggy came dancing back to the Coronado about ten
o clock. We made it an early night because Glenn has
an appointment at six in the morning. Her voice was
soft with suppressed happiness. We had dinner at a lit
tle French bistro, then walked along the water.
Sounds romantic, Helen said.
Margery said nothing.
Except Glenn kept taking calls from Japan, Peggy
said. Some deal he s doing there. She seemed secretly
proud that her man had business half a world away.
Sounds like a real wheeler-dealer, Margery said.
Was that sarcasm? If so, Peggy missed it. Oh, yes,
she said. He s involved in a big deal. He s talking about
millions. She chatted for a few more minutes, then was
gone in a rustle of silk.
Helen heard a car door slam and sat straight up. Is
that Rob?
Let me look, Margery said. You stay behind this
bougainvillea.
Margery came back a few moments later. Arlene
106 ] Elaine Viets
was getting out of Glenn s limo. What was she doing
with him?
Helen didn t have to speculate. Arlene was running
toward them, almost as excited as Peggy. Her outrageous
striped dress looked like a circus tent in a windstorm.
I ve always wanted to ride in a limo, Arlene said,
so I went out and introduced myself to Peggy s boy
friend as he was leaving. He gave me a ride down Las
Olas.The limo has fabulous upholstery and a built-in bar
with Waterford crystal. I felt like a queen. Glenn was so
nice to me. That s what I like about being old. Nobody
takes you seriously.
Margery said, It beats the alternative. Then she
blew a great cloud of smoke.
$)"15&3
he army of reporters had deserted the Full Moon
the next morning. Helen wondered what had
Tlured them from the murder hotel. She slipped
in the side entrance and found Craig and Cheryl in the
laundry room, listening to a radio turned low.
What s happening? Helen asked.
Shh! Craig said. It s Bad Barry and Big Andy.
The nasty shock jocks who did the Hotel Califor
nia routine yesterday, Cheryl added, as if Helen could
forget.
We re waiting to see if they do their routine again.
Craig flashed his boy-star smile and turned up the
radio a notch. Helen and Cheryl leaned in toward the
speaker. She heard maniacal laughter, followed by jack
ass brays.
You re shitting me, Barry said. Sweet Cindy, the
Channel 19 anchor, was really decapitated?
Just confirmed, Andy said. Happened on I-95 this
morning. A beer truck rolled over her convertible. Way
to go, Cindy! Andy could hardly get the words out.
He was snorting like a mad bull. Helen wondered if he
pawed the studio floor.
Gives new meaning to talking head, Andy, Barry
said. The pair laughed like demons.
108 ] Elaine Viets
Cheryl looked stunned. I can t believe they d joke
about that, she said.
I can, Craig said. He had an odd little grin.
Denise walked in and switched off the radio. I m
sorry that poor young woman died. But at least we
won t have to spend another day with all those report
ers. They re on to the next tragedy. Now, everyone go to
work. Cheryl, you and Helen start on three. Craig and I
will clean on two.
Craig followed Denise quietly, like a puppy off his
feed. Maybe he really had been sick yesterday.
Up on three, Helen and Cheryl went about their work
swiftly. Soon they were in the zone, dusting, sweeping
and scrubbing with hardly a word between them. The
thrill seekers had checked out, leaving behind mounds
of beer cans and pizza boxes.
The beer cans are all empty, Cheryl said. You d
think they could have left us a couple of full ones if they
weren t going to tip.
Helen kept sticking her head out the room door, look
ing for Denise. The head housekeeper had promised to
search Rob s room. It was nearly noon when Helen saw
her in the doorway of 312, hands on her hips.Apparently
Denise had struck pay dirt, with the accent on dirt.
I waited until Craig was on break, Denise said. It
wouldn t do to have a trainee see me violate the rules.
Your ex-husband left about ten this morning. I just now
had the chance to go through his room. Does Rob swing
both ways?
No, Helen said. He only inflicts himself on the fe
male sex.
Cheryl turned off the water in the bathroom and
leaned against the doorjamb to listen.
Well, he s got a guy s name and phone number on
his dresser today a Jeffrey Tennyson Barker, Denise
said. There s also a newspaper story about this Jeffrey.
I don t want to sound prejudiced, but Jeff looks a little
light in the loafers.
Murder with Reservations ] 109
Helen sat down hard on the queen bed she d been [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]