Backcountry Cover-Up by Denise N. Wheatley

Author:Denise N. Wheatley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-09-02T18:05:26+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Elle adjusted the hem of her lavender cocktail dress and glanced around the room. The Museum of Contemporary Art was filled with the major players of Bradford, who’d come for the opening of an exhibition of works by North Carolina’s own Pilar Samuels. Even the mayor had shown up to celebrate the artist, who had recently been featured at Art Basel in Miami.

As she wandered through the event, Elle’s thoughts drifted to her evening at Cozy’s with Todd. They’d talked about the case, but they had also enjoyed some much-needed laughs as they reminisced about growing up in Bradford. A smile crept to her lips as she thought of him squeezing her hand across the table, and the sweet kiss they’d shared at night’s end.

Elle approached one of Pilar’s sculptures. The life-size, all-black clay figure of a woman lying in the fetal position was depressing to say the least. The work wasn’t Elle’s cup of tea, but major curators from around the world seemed to love it.

“So, what do you think?” Rachel asked, handing Elle a glass of champagne. “Would you shell out six figures for this masterpiece?”

“Um, no, ma’am.”

“Well, believe it or not, five of Pilar’s pieces have already sold. I’m guessing the other three will sell before the end of the night.”

“Good for her,” Elle muttered, only half listening as she scanned the room once again.

Rachel had personally invited The Precious Jewels to the opening, along with Audrey, whom she’d met at a previous art exhibition. She and Elle were interested to see how they’d all interact with one another. Maybe hidden secrets would be unearthed and unspoken truths revealed once the champagne kicked in.

“Looks like Sloane and her cronies aren’t here yet,” Elle observed.

“Of course not. You know they like to make an entrance. Seems like they’re a good hour late to every event they attend.”

“They really think they’re A-list celebrities, don’t they?”

“Around here, they are,” Rachel rebutted, smoothing the collar on her cream tuxedo dress. “The real housewives of Bradford.”

The museum’s heavy wooden doors opened. Elle stood on her tippy toes, peering over the heads of the sea of guests. Two unfamiliar faces entered the lobby.

“Ugh,” Elle groaned. “None of our guests are here yet. They’d better show up. It took a lot of convincing for Audrey to agree to come. She doesn’t even wanna be in the same room as The Precious Jewels. Especially Sloane. But I told her that seeing them might be therapeutic. All that hate she’s harboring is unhealthy.”

“Well, can you blame her? She believes they had something to do with her friend’s death.”

“True. I can relate to that. But I’m funneling all my anger into this investigation. Maybe she’ll find comfort in knowing that Todd and I are working overtime trying to solve the case.”

“Speaking of Todd, is he coming tonight?”

“He’s gonna try. He and a couple of other deputy sheriffs are meeting up to try and figure out who’s behind all these attacks. So while he works that angle, I’ll be working this one.

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