Hocus Croakus by Mary Daheim

Author:Mary Daheim [Daheim, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cozy Mystery
ISBN: 9780061737206
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2007-03-19T13:00:00+00:00

Monday, March 5—L.R. re St. Patrick’s Day promos, 9 A.M.

D.A. re land survey, 10 A.M.

P.J. re St. Patrick’s Day menu, 11:15 A.M.

Lunch—county commissioners, noon

R.B. re investment portfolio, 2 P.M.

N.G., USDI, 3:30 P.M.

G.D.F. re main stage, 4:45 P.M.

All entries had been canceled for Tuesday, March sixth, and Wednesday, March seventh. No doubt, Judith thought, because of the tragedy. In any event, the half dozen that had been scheduled seemed mainly to deal with the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day festivities and a look ahead to Easter.

The only thing on Monday’s agenda that caught Judith’s eye was the last afternoon appointment with G.D.F., who, she assumed, was G. D. Fromm. But that wasn’t surprising. Freddy’s act was playing in the cabaret. Looking at the casino’s entertainment schedule, she noted that the Great Mandolini had opened Friday, March second, and was slated to run through the nineteenth. The replacement act, which had been penciled in by someone, was a Country & Western band called the Kitshickers. The grunge group that had opened for Freddy’s act would do the same for the new troupe.

Judith drummed her nails on the desk. Who was still in Pancho’s office? The exodus had been fairly large. Joe was still in there, so were Pancho, Grisly, Jack Jackrabbit, and Manny Quinn. That was about it.

Or was, until Lloyd Watts and G. D. Fromm returned from taking Freddy to his room. Lloyd paused to nod at Judith, but G.D. bustled toward the second door.

Judith couldn’t resist. “Mr. Fromm,” she called out, “could you come here for a moment?”

Fromm gave Judith a puzzled look. “What now?”

“Nothing important,” Judith simpered as G.D. took a couple of backward steps. “I didn’t notice when we were in the bar because it was so dark, but,” she went on, rising from the chair and coming around the desk, “you have something on your suit coat.”

“Huh?” G.D. shot Judith a doubtful glance, then wiggled a bit as Judith brushed him off. “What is it? Bugs?”

“No,” Judith replied, examining the four tiny specks on her palm, “not unless they’re gold bugs. What is this stuff?”

G.D. stared at the hand that Judith held out to him. She thought he gave a little start, but he shook his head so emphatically that his combover slipped a notch. “Who knows? Something off the stage sets or the costumes, maybe. I’m outta here.” He tromped into Pancho’s office.

Lloyd, however, lingered. “Let me have a look, eh?”

“Sure.” Judith showed him the specks. “They shine.”

“They do.” Lloyd pressed one onto his middle finger to examine it more closely. “Some kind of glitter. I think one of Sally’s costumes has this on it. But she didn’t wear it Monday night.”

“This is Tuesday,” Judith pointed out. “Was G.D. wearing the same suit yesterday?”

Lloyd looked uneasy. “Gosh…I don’t know. He always wears a dark suit. Could be the same one, for all I know.”

Something was niggling at Judith’s brain. It was more gold glitter, but she couldn’t remember where she’d seen it. “Who’s in charge of the costumes?”

“Grisly,” Lloyd replied.

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