Passion, Betrayal And Killer Highlights. Kyra Davis
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the sad part is I don’t even think she’s a racist. She just knew this was her one and only chance at grabbing her fifteen minutes of fame. After all, it’s not like she could ever make it as an actress. The senior citizen who fell and couldn’t get back up was a better thespian than she is. Cheryl’s only talent is making other people’s lives miserable. That and her obnoxious ability to quote from Entertainment Weekly.”
Mary Ann blinked. “I’ve never met Cheryl. Is she into celebrities?”
“Oh, she’s way beyond that,” Leah said. “They need to make up a new word for what Cheryl is.”
“That’s the understatement of the century. I don’t think there’s an E! Television show that she hasn’t seen or an Us magazine she hasn’t read five times over,” Leah explained.
“That’s why she got a job at Hotel Gatsby. She read some article about how Gatsby hotels are always filled with young A-list celebrities, so when they opened one in San Francisco she rushed over and strong-armed some unwitting HR girl into letting her work the front desk.”
Dena rolled her head toward her right shoulder in an effort to stretch her neck. “I thought Cheryl worked at the Ritz.”
“She did, but that didn’t stop her from accepting a few graveyard shifts at Gatsby,” Leah said. “Never mind the fact that the Ritz has a policy against working at another hotel while working for them. The management at the Ritz just found out last week and terminated her employment.” Leah allowed herself a brief moment of smug satisfaction before continuing her tirade. “I suppose she’ll go to full-time at the Gatsby now. But it gives you an idea of what kind of woman she is. I mean really, what kind of person is that disrespectful of the Ritz-Carlton?”
Jack toddled over to Mary Ann and she bent over to kiss him on the forehead, then quickly withdrew her head as she caught a whiff of his current odor. “Oh,” she said in a nasal voice that implied that she was holding her breath. “Does he have a poopy diaper?”
“Of course he has a poopy diaper. Do you think my son smells like this all the time?”
Leah strode forward and reached for Jack, but Mary Ann picked him up before she had a chance. “You seem a little stressed,” Mary Ann said, blatantly understating the situation. “Why don’t you sit down and relax and I’ll change Jack.”
“You’d do that?” Leah’s expression softened.
“Of course. You’ve been through so much. This is the least I can do.”
“Thank you.” Leah’s mouth relaxed into a genuine smile. “I’m sorry I snapped, but I’m just at the end of my rope.”
“Any of us would be,” Mary Ann said reassuringly.
Jack pointed to Mr. Katz, who was busy grooming himself. “Kitty lick.”
“Yes, that’s what cats do when they’re dirty,” Mary Ann explained as she carried him down the hall. “I guess you both need a little cleaning.”
Leah waited until Mary Ann had disappeared into the bathroom before turning her attention to Dena. “I haven’t seen you for a while,” she said coolly. “Sophie tells me you’re dating a vampire.”
“He’s not a vampire,” Dena said with a yawn. “He just wants to become one. Anyway, I broke up with him last week.”
“What?” I scooted forward. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s no biggie. He was getting a little too…” Dena waved her hand in the air as if trying to physically grab the word that was eluding her.
“Intense?” I volunteered.
“Insane?” Leah pitched in.
“Conventional,” Dena finished. “When I first met him he was so dark and mysterious, but then he got a job at the Gap and it was bye-bye gothic, hello ‘Songs by Your Favorite Artists.’”
Leah shook her head. “Do you ever get tired of being a freak?”
“I beg your pardon.” Dena raised herself to her full five feet two inches of height. “And the term is super freak.” She turned to me. “I’ve got to check in with the shop.”
“I left the phone on my bedside table.”
Dena nodded and disappeared down the hall.
“So,” I said, turning back to Leah, “you’re having a bad day.”
“A bad day?” Leah collapsed onto a chair by the dining table. “My husband was shot yesterday!”
“Yes, I know.” And it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
“You know, the cruelest thing I ever did to Bob was serve him a cold dinner. And now Cheryl’s accusing me of shooting him?”
“Like you said, she’s just trying to grab her fifteen minutes.” I could hear Jack screaming in the guest room. I eyed Leah to see if she was going to help Mary Ann out, but she stayed glued to her seat.
“I guarantee you Bob never told Cheryl about our marriage problems.” Leah’s eyes narrowed as she looked out into space. “The two of them were hardly on speaking terms! And now she runs out and gets herself a pink hankie and starts comparing me to OJ? Is she joking?”
“Let’s focus on what we can control,” I said. Jack was still screaming in the background and now I could hear Mary Ann’s pleas for cooperation. Clearly Jack wasn’t one of our controllables. “I found some stuff out today that you should know.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, for one thing I…well, I spoke to Bob’s mistress.”
Leah flinched but didn’t say anything.
“She says that Bob almost left you nine months ago. She implied that you and Bob actually talked about it.”
“She’s lying.”
“So he never said anything at all?”
“You would take the word of a whore over mine?”
I sighed and started massaging my temples in earnest. “You know, it would be so much simpler if she were a whore, but after meeting her I don’t think that title really fits.”
“Really? How would you describe the woman who was sleeping with my husband?”
“I’d describe her as a wide-eyed innocent who bought Bob’s BS hook, line and sinker.”
Leah pressed her lips together.
“I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you that she was some kind of siren whose unearthly song led Bob to the rocks. Although, I’m not a hundred-percent sure she isn’t the one who killed him, if that makes you feel any better.”
Leah shrugged peevishly. “A little.”
I smiled, glad to be able to deliver at least some good news. A fresh-smelling Jack toddled into the living room followed by a somewhat haggard-looking Mary Ann. Leave it to my nephew to break someone’s spirit with one diaper change.
Leah smiled at Mary Ann and pulled out a chair for her, which Mary Ann immediately dropped into. “Thank you so much for doing that.”
“It was no problem,” Mary Ann lied. Mr. Katz stretched his legs and wandered out of the room. Jack went after him, keeping a cautious distance. Leah started to get up to follow him but Mary Ann’s words stopped her. “Sophie tells me you have some fashion questions.”
“Yes,” Leah said urgently. “I need to know what widows are supposed to wear.”
Mary Ann reached out and patted her hand. “The key to the look is earth tones.”
“Earth tones.” By the awe in Leah’s voice you would have thought Mary Ann had just spoken the true name of God.
“Hey,