Postcards From Stella Maris by Susan M Boyer

Author:Susan M Boyer [Boyer, Susan M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781959023005
Publisher: Stella Maris Books, LLC

Highlights & Hot Lead

Shannelle Johnson breezed into Phoebe DiTomei’s Day Spa with her customary grace. Blow-dryers clicked off and a dozen wagging tongues tripped and flopped wordlessly, like flounder on a pier. What commanded our attention wasn’t so much the petite ash blonde as the shotgun she carried, a curious accessory to her crisp, white linen pantsuit.

Clack-snap. She chambered a shell and aimed at the ceiling. “Which one of you lying hussies is trying to snare my Jared with someone else’s bastard?”

No one stepped forward.

Phoebe’s was slam full that morning, just hours before the Stella Maris senior prom. Grace Sullivan and I were the only clients with high school diplomas. Half a dozen varsity cheerleaders rotated between the hair, nail, and make-up stations.

Phoebe had my blonde highlights half foiled. “Liz,” she hissed through clenched teeth, “do something!”

My brother Blake is the police chief in our small Southern town, and I guess she presumed it was my responsibility by association. Or perhaps she thought because I was a private investigator by trade, I had related credentials. Flattered as I was by her confidence, I entertained no illusions I was equipped to deal with a deranged, shotgun-toting judge’s wife.

Across the room, Grace Sullivan appeared insanely calm in her pink drape and curlers. “Shannelle…Honey, are you off your hormones again?”

“As a matter of fact, I am.” Shannelle cast her friend an irritated glare. “You know I hate taking pills. But that’s irrelevant.”

Phoebe spoke in soothing tones: “You look a little tense. How about we get you in for an aromatherapy massage?”

“I do not need a massage.” Shannelle narrowed her eyes and beamed a round of poison darts in every direction. Then she advanced.

We all sucked in lungfuls of color fumes, polish remover, and jasmine scented candles.

Shannelle glided over to Kelsey Elliott, the cheerleader closest to the door.

Kelsey quivered, but held her fingers splayed wide, so as not to muss her manicure.

“I understand Jared’s escorting you to the prom, Kelsey.” Shannelle paced in front of the nail station.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“This your first date with Jared?”

“Yes, Ma’am. We’re just friends, really…”

Shannelle eyed Kelsey suspiciously and moved on to the pedicure chair, where Reese Beauthorpe sat with cotton between her half-pink toes.

“Reese?” Shannelle raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, ma’am?” Reese whispered.

“You still dating Michael Simmons?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Steady?”

“Yes, ma’am…for two years now.”

“That’s what I thought.” Shannelle spun to her right and spied Emma Waters. The judge’s wife drew herself up to her full five feet.

Emma dropped from the makeup chair to her knees and commenced praying The Lord’s Prayer, eyes squeezed shut.

“Emma!” Shannelle snapped.

Emma stopped praying, opened one eye, and looked up fearfully.

“You and Jared went out last weekend, didn’t you? To a party?”

“Well…” stammered Emma. “It was a church party.”

Shannelle leaned down. “What did you do afterwards?”

“Shannelle!” Grace was losing patience. “For Heaven’s sake. Put down that gun and let’s get you some tea and a Valium.”

“Hush up, Grace!” Shannelle glared over her shoulder, then turned back to Emma. They were nose to nose.

“We went for a drive,” Emma sobbed.

Shannelle’s voice was low and dangerous.

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