Maggie and the Black-Tie Affair by Barbara Cool Lee

Author:Barbara Cool Lee [Lee, Barbara Cool]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pajaro Bay Publishing

They took turns pulling wet towels out of the washer and going over them, inch by inch, looking for any jewelry that might have gotten snagged in the fabric.

"How are you so sure the earrings are worth that much money?" Reese asked.

"Jewelry is my hobby," she said.

"Good thing you married rich," he said.

"Not this kind of jewelry." She motioned to her diamond earrings. "I mean, Mac's given me a lot of pretty things over the last ten years. But I'm more into beadwork, creating designs out of crystals and beadweaving and things like that. Not real jewelry. It's too boring."

"Boring?"

"Yeah. Anybody with money can buy incredible earrings. But if you create a design yourself out of beads, it's more interesting."

"Big Mac must be thrilled to save all that money."

"He forbids me to wear my boho designs in public. Says it's not fitting for someone married to him to wear cheap stuff."

Reese opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again. He focused on the towel he was holding for a minute, then changed the subject by saying, "means, motive, and opportunity."

She glanced at him. "I guess you really did read those Chandler books."

He shook his head. "I played a cop in a Law & Order: SVU episode. I spouted stuff like that."

"I remember. Your big comeback. You won an Emmy."

"Yeah," he grimaced. "They love to give awards for autobiographical parts like that."

"Autobiography? You played a cop."

"I played a junkie."

"Right," she said quietly. "So how close are you to the EGOT?" The EGOT was the ultimate awards grand slam: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony.

He shrugged. "I'll never get that. I'll forever be just an EG." He pronounced it egg.

"You've got time. Why not go for it?"

He shook his head. "Big Mac talked me into playing king of the vampires in that reboot. I don't think the Academy is going to be impressed by the fangs."

She laughed. "I suppose not."

He dropped the last towel into the dryer. "Nothing here. So let's see: our thief needed to have opportunity. That points back to the girl. She was the only one in the bathroom."

"But I just realized something," Maggie said. "Mrs. Queen thought nobody could have gone past her without being seen. But she didn't see us come into the hall because she was busy answering the door. If she got that detail wrong, maybe she missed other people wandering around where they shouldn't be."

"Or maybe she's lying," Reese pointed out. "What if she took the jewelry?"

"Mrs. Queen? Of course not."

"Why not? The butler always did it."

"We don't have a butler."

"Exactly. You have the perfect suspect: the housekeeper. A sweet round Irish lady who no one would ever suspect. We missed these." He leaned over the washer and pulled out one more towel and a washcloth. He handed the washcloth to Maggie, and continued, "If we accuse Mrs. Queen, she'll probably say, faith and begorra, I never heard o' such a thing!"

He added the last in an exaggerated brogue.

"You're right," Maggie said. "Don't hold your breath waiting for that Oscar.

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