Murder in a Private School by Paula Bernstein

Author:Paula Bernstein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Third Street Press

After dinner, we strolled down to the beach, which fronted the Santa Barbara Biltmore, took off our shoes, and took a moonlight walk. I thought about how I’d never dare do this in Los Angeles, and how nice it was to be in a place where I felt safe. Daniel put an arm around my shoulders and I snuggled into his chest. This was obviously what adults meant by quality time. If we hadn’t come up here in search of a murderer, it would have been the perfect romantic weekend.

After a while, we dragged ourselves back to the car and to the Bread and Board to get ready for our undercover foray to the restaurant. I was beginning to have second thoughts about Sharon seeing me on her territory, especially with Daniel. Whatever fragile rapport we’d managed to establish would disappear in a second if she thought I was spying for her mother. On the other hand, if I was careful, Sharon didn’t have to see me.

I put on a dark T-shirt, my jeans and a denim jacket. Then I twisted my red hair into a bun, pinned it on top of my head, and covered it with the Porsche hat, which I use for sun protection. Without any makeup, and with my contact lenses exchanged for a pair of glasses, I was as inconspicuous as I could make myself. When I’d visited Sharon, I’d been wearing white and my flamboyant red hair had been curling everywhere. Unless bad luck put us at one of her tables, I considered myself unlikely to be recognized.

We got to the place shortly before midnight, which Daniel assured me was early for that sort of place. It was large and dark inside with tables lit by single candles. As I walked in, I controlled my immediate impulse to start coughing. Every smoker in the state of California had to have congregated at the bar. There was a stage up front and a four-piece band playing loud rock music. The crowd was working class, guys with muscles and tattoos, and girls in minis and too much make-up, chewing gum. Most everyone was crowded together in the bar area, with the restaurant booths sparsely populated. I guess the place didn’t have much of a reputation for cuisine. Daniel steered us to a booth toward the back, next to one being waited on by a tall guy in a white apron. He spotted us and threw two menus on the table. I scanned the place for Sharon but didn’t see her. Eric, however, was one of three guys manning the bar.

We both ordered coffee and Daniel risked a piece of apple pie. The coffee was better than I expected. I couldn’t say as much for the band. They finished the song they’d been playing, then the drummer went into a drum roll. The stage lit up and the star performer appeared.

For a moment, I didn’t recognize Sharon. She was wearing a long, silver-sequined dress, high neck, long sleeves, low-cut.

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