A Candidate for Murder by Joan Lowery Nixon

Author:Joan Lowery Nixon
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780307827463
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2013-09-24T21:00:00+00:00

On Saturday, the night of the party, I got dressed in my roadie outfit, sprayed a wide streak of blue in my hair, and nearly died laughing when I looked at myself in the mirror.

Mom cracked up when she saw me. “That’s a great costume,” she said. “You look like some of those musicians on MTV.”

When Justin arrived to pick me up we all whooped with laughter. He looked hysterically funny in the straggly blond wig, but in that tight, torn T-shirt he looked kind of sexy, too.

I wanted to show off our costumes to Dad, but he was in his office with his campaign managers and a couple of state legislators.

“Maybe it would be better if you didn’t,” Mom said. “They’re discussing the investigation of that construction accident, and Charles asked me to take any telephone messages so they wouldn’t be interrupted.”

I suppose I should have realized that showing off a Halloween costume would be unimportant kid stuff. “I hardly ever get to talk to Dad anymore,” I complained. “I’ll be glad when he’s through with all this.”

“Cary, honey,” Mom said, “we’re still months away from the primary election. If Charles wins the party nomination—and I certainly hope he will—you’re going to have to face the fact that your father will be even busier then than now.”

“I know,” I said.

I tried to think of something to reassure Mom, but Justin grabbed my arm and swung me toward the door. “Come on,” he said. “The dance has already started.”

Justin and I stopped by the Richardses’ house to pick up Greg and Allie. Allie and Greg looked great, and Allie laughed so hard at Justin and me it made me feel good, like our costumes were really the best.

We parked in the big front lot of Loews Anatole Hotel, across from the Dallas Market Center. A few people stared at us as we entered the hotel, but there were enough kids in costume around so that I didn’t feel embarrassed. Once we were in the ballroom our school dance committee had decorated with pumpkins, skeletons, and orange and black streamers, it was lots of fun checking out the other costumes and going into hysterics about some of them.

The music was terrific, there was plenty of food, and it was a great party. But just like before, Mark tagged around after me with that stupid camera. That was one of Mark’s problems. He never gave up.

“Want me to dump him in the punch?” Justin asked me the umpteenth time that flash went off in my face.

The suggestion sounded good, but I felt sorry for Mark. “No,” I said. “He lost the film he took at his own party. Let him take a few more shots. He’ll run out of film soon.”

The teachers who were chaperoning had come in costumes, too. Mrs. Bantry, our chemistry teacher, came as the Wicked Witch of the West, which was very brave of her, considering the remarks she had to put up with all evening.

While we were dancing I happened to glance over near the door and saw a girl with long straight black hair.

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