Part 25 (2/2)

Eve conveniently dropped a few details of my visions into the pot as speculation, but she also threw in a brilliant question, like could Vinney have been hired? I hadn't thought of that. Werner had.

We were still at it, our minds on overload, when an officer came in. ”I found McDowell's alarm company-he's had several plus some outside contractors. His current company said his alarm did not go off last night. And it isn't silent. We couldn't find the alarm at the house because the remote keypad's in a box disguised as artwork in the front hall. The company rep said that was McDowell's idea, like it was stupid.”

”All part of the lie to cover his ascot,” I said, ”in the event neighbors or pa.s.sersby said they didn't hear an alarm. Which they wouldn't have because the door was open, and he didn't take the time to set it before he left. I think McDowell acts first, then he thinks.”

”You should know,” Eve said.

Werner opened his mouth and closed it again.

But if McDowell acted on impulse, which he had tonight, maybe Isobel's disappearance was too well planned for him to be her killer. But I did not want to give that man an out, even in speculation.

An officer returned Eve's personal possessions, and I used her cell phone to call my father, since my phone had gone the way of my Pucci bag, credit cards, and license.

Aunt Fiona came with Dad, wearing his sour expression.

”We weren't charged,” I said, before he could say anything.

”But you spent the night in jail,” Fiona said. ”Why didn't you call me?”

”Us.” My father corrected her. ”Why didn't you call us?”

Whoa, scary statement there. Were they an ”us”? Dad hadn't tripped over the words at all, which didn't mean he wouldn't tomorrow.

”I didn't call because we only had to stay until our story could be verified.”

Eve nodded. ”A couple of hours, a few beers, some Mexican food, and good company. The detective didn't pick us up until well after midnight.”

”Picked up by the police,” my father said.

”I like to live on the edge.” I laid my head on his shoulder. ”Can we go home now, Daddy? I'm tired.”

Aunt Fiona winked at my ”Daddy's little girl” ploy.

”Thank you both for an excellent chat,” Werner said as we headed for the car, and that was the last I remembered until Aunt Fiona woke me when we got home.

”I'll tell you about it in the morning,” I said, going inside. ”I mean, when I wake up.”

”Which has to be around eleven,” she reminded me. ”You're giving away scarecrow clothes today.”

I whimpered. ”I'll set my alarm.”

Not nearly enough sleep later, I got to the shop, where people lined up around the building. Parked cars slowed traffic. Potential contest entrants and a few unknowns, who, I think, needed free clothes, swarmed the tables.

That's when I heard the news from Eve. Her car had been found beside the river with a hole in the convertible top. A hole the size of a spiked heel.

Later, Werner told me that my Pucci bag was neither inside nor out of the car, and I hoped it hadn't ended up in the river. Baste it, I hoped I didn't end up in the river.

Vinney's, I mean the councilman's sweater had gone missing, as well.

I couldn't drive my car until I got a new license. A few days ago, I thought that once I had my car and my stock had been moved in, I'd be home free. So not.

I watched my back that day, but uniformed officers came for scarecrow clothes, so Werner watched it, too.

McDowell wasn't the first enemy I'd ever made. He wouldn't be the last.

But he might be the deadliest.

Thirty-six.

Choose your corner, pick away at it carefully, intensely and to the best of your ability and that way you might change the world.

-CHARLES EAMES I had plenty of reason to fear McDowell, I thought as I closed up shop, my father waiting in the parking lot, but what about the self-effacing man who wanted a dealers.h.i.+p so badly he went there every day, hoping a portrait might fall?

I knew anyone who got in Lolique's greedy, spiteful way should fear her. She'd implicate her husband to get her hands on his money.

Vinney I had reason to fear, his eyes so filled with bloodl.u.s.t when he tried to choke me they haunted me.

The following morning, Eve called as I got ready for Halloween Ball fittings. ”I got the news from Tunney-he who knows everything,” she said. ”Vinney skipped town.”

I grabbed my throat. ”Must have happened during the night, but skipped or not, I don't like Vinney on the loose now that he tried to kill me.”

”I don't like it now that I tried to kill him.”

”We'll both take care. Eve, can you surf the net and find out what Zachary Goodwin, Isobel's father, died of?”

”I'll try,” she said before she hung up.

I was so jumpy after Eve's call I decided that the best way to watch my back was to keep my enemies close, the ones I could find. I called Natalie at the car dealers.h.i.+p, ostensibly to thank her for saving my life the other day, but I knew she kept McDowell's schedule. A bit of chitchat netted me the time and location of his lunch date with his wife. Natalie admitted, however, that McDowell liked to have his schedule leaked for publicity purposes. Big surprise.

That noon, at a local restaurant, I pretended to run into Lolique and the councilman, where I asked them to judge the scarecrow compet.i.tion.

The councilman seemed delighted by the prospect, and I knew he'd bring television coverage, because he never left home without it.

Lolique's reaction to my invitation was tepid, at best, until I mentioned giving her an exclusive on the Vintage Magic article. Not that she'd really wanted to write that story. She'd just wanted to dupe us dopes, which was beside the point.

”You know, Lolique, I lost the Pucci bag I carried when we had drinks the other night. I wondered if I'd dropped it in your front hall when we went in with you.” When you were hammered, I wanted to say but didn't. Yes, I was giving her an opportunity to return my bag with dignity.

She raised her chin. ”I'll ask Maid if she found an old handbag.”

”I'd appreciate it. Have you seen Vinney lately?”

McDowell stiffened. ”I don't care if he is half related to her, if he comes near either of us, again, I'll have him arrested for trespa.s.sing.”

Was the old goat clueless or what? Vinney was a burglar suspected of arson and murder. He wouldn't stop at trespa.s.sing.

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