Dead Ringer by Laura Durham

Author:Laura Durham [Durham, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Laura Durham

Chapter 12

“I suppose that’s that,” Richard said as we made our way through the ballroom foyer on the basement level. He’d been peeved that Detective Reese had not wanted him to shake the remaining rings from the model’s head. “I suppose Fern will do a fine job, but my way would have been faster.”

The woman with the clipboard had declared the dress rehearsal to be over and had stalked back to the hair and makeup room with the rest of the models. I’d barely spoken to Detective Reese before he’d gone off to question Christopher in the hotel security office. I’d been proud of myself for acting normal around him. Well, as normal as could be expected after he walked in on my best friend pinning down a model and shaking diamonds out of her beehive. I felt a little disappointed that he hadn’t said more when he saw me, but at least I hadn’t embarrassed myself.

“Your face is still flushed,” Kate said.

I put my fingers to my cheeks. “Flushed?”

“You turned red the second Reese walked in the door,” Richard said. “Even I noticed from the floor.”

I groaned. Great. So much for playing it cool.

“Don’t worry.” Kate patted my arm. “I doubt the detective noticed. He was too busy dragging Richard off that poor model.”

“He did not drag me off. He merely assisted me in standing up. But he should have thanked me for trying to be thorough.”

“You promise me you had nothing to do with him being here?” I asked Kate again as I dodged the one remaining ladder in the foyer.

She drew an X over her heart with one finger. “You know I didn’t. Only a few minutes passed from when I left the room to when I ran into Reese and the security guard coming up in the elevator. Hotel security had already called the police.”

I studied her with suspicion. “And the detective just happened to be the one assigned to the case?”

Kate shrugged. “The hotel may have mentioned that it was a bridal show and there were nosy wedding planners.”

I closed my eyes. “Perfect.”

“At least the show can go on.” Kate glanced at her phone. “And we still have thirty minutes before the brides arrive.”

“Thirty minutes?” I said. “We’ve barely done any setup.”

We passed through the open double doors of the basement ballroom and I stopped. I shouldn’t have been surprised by how dramatically the room had transformed during the half hour we’d been upstairs because it happened with every event setup, but the change still startled me.

Like all major events, this one had come together quickly at the end. The lighting stands had been tucked out of the way and now illuminated the ceiling with swirling patterns of pale pink and lavender light. The carpet had been cleared of all boxes and crates so we could walk freely down the middle of the room. The vendor displays on either side were finished and a string quartet sat tuning their instruments on the stage at the far end.

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