Alibi In High Heels

trying to zip up a black baby-doll dress with the other.

'Heel emergency?' I asked.

Angelica nodded. 'Sorry. I tripped over a makeup case.'

I pulled a tube of superglue from my pocket. 'No problem.' I applied a thin layer to the heel, sticking it back in place. Were she going on a day trip to the mall, no way would this hold. But, for a two minutes strut down a runway, it would do.

'Love the outfit,' I said, gesturing to the dress. It featured a high, empire waist and a flowing bell shape, al la vintage Audrey Hepburn. Totally sixties chic.

'Thanks. It would have been better if we'd had a real necklace to go with it,' she said, adjusting the piece of costume jewelry around her neck that Jean Luc had found as a last minute replacement for the real deal, still squirreled away in Moreau's evidence vault along with two dozen pairs of my very best work.

A thought I shoved to the back of my mind, lest I break out in tears right then and there.

'Damned, Gisella. Even dead she's still screwing me over,' Angelica mumbled to herself.

'Well at least she can't steal any more boyfriends away,' I reasoned.

Angelica cocked her head at me, her red curls flopping to the side. 'What?'

'Like she did with your boyfriend, Sam.'

She grinned at me, showing off a row of ultra-white teeth. 'I never said Sam was a man. Samantha was my girlfriend.'

Mental forehead smack.

'Oops. My bad. I guess I just thought…' I trailed off. Considering the type of files on Gisella's camera, I'd just assumed that we were talking about a guy here. I never guessed Gisella might be stealing a woman away from Angelica. I guess I assumed Gisella only swung one way. Something I supposed I shouldn't have.

But in my defense, 'Sam' wasn't exactly the most feminine name. Had she said 'Sally,' I so would have been right there with her.

Angelica waved me off. 'No biggie,' she said, doing another of her Eastern European Americanisms.

'Angelica, you're on,' Jean Luc shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders and propelling her into the wings where Ann shifted her into line.

I watched her go, taking another sip from my water bottle. Sam was a woman. Somehow that new bit of information seemed like it should be significant. But I wasn't quite sure how.

As the swell of music filled the air, cheers erupted from the tent. Ann gave Angelica the silent, 'Go,' and Angelica took her first step out onto the runway, instantly barraged by flashbulbs. The steady pulse of music continued as bits and pieces of information that I'd collected over the past week turned over each other in my head, like puzzle pieces that didn't quite fit together. I took another sip of water.

I watched Jean Luc herd models into line, Ann shouting into her headset, giving each model a, 'Go,' on cue. Dana fidgeted in line, looking nervous, but gorgeous in her teal silk number. She turned and I gave her a reassuring 'thumbs up' as Ann shoved her onto the runway. I couldn't help the little swell of pride as I heard the crowd 'oooo' and 'ahhh' over my best friend.

Model after model began returning from the runway, their stoic expressions transforming to panic the second they emerged backstage, quickly stripping off their outfits and shoving their long limbs into the next look. They were each immediately attacked by a waiting team, hair was teased, clothes flew, shoes shoved on tired feet, all to the loud, steady bass beat of the music pumping through the hidden speakers.

I took another sip of water. The chaos of the room, not to mention the last week, was getting to me. I felt my hands starting to sweat, my heart beating a little faster.

And then there was Felix. He was standing off to one side, his back to the runway as he leaned casually against the wall. His hands were still shoved in his pockets, his eyes watchful, taking the scene in, no doubt trying to mentally come up with a sensationalized slant to the whole thing to run in tomorrow's paper. Typical Tabloid Boy.

So why were my cheeks flushing again? I bit my lip, the loud music, the crowded room, Felix's revelation, all suddenly feeling like they were closing in on me. I was getting seriously claustrophobic. I took another sip of my water.

I took a deep breath, in and out, trying to get the flush under control as I watched Auntie Charlene appear at Felix's side. He turned and gave her a smile, his adorable Hugh Grant dimples punctuating his cheeks.

I shook my head. Adorable? Where had that come from?

Charlene leaned in close, whispering something in Felix's ear. A frown creased his features, then he glanced my way.

Immediately, my eyes hit the ground, loath to be caught staring at him. I took another sip from my water, then peeked back up at him through my lashes. Only he was gone. Charlene stood in his place. Staring straight at me. Her pale blue eyes almost looking as if she were watching me.

I closed my eyes, the warm flush turning into an all out sweat. When I opened them again, the room started to spin, models dancing before my vision, Jean Luc's anxious form fuzzy and in triplicate. I tried to take deep, steadying breaths and took another drag from my bottle.

And still Charlene continued to focus my direction. Eyes watchful. Pale features placid. Body rigid with tension. Charlene. Charlene…

And then the last piece fell into place in my brain with an almost audible click. Charlie. Charlie hadn't been a man, Charlie was a woman.

I felt myself sway on my feet as my crutches slipped out from under me.

'Easy there, Maddie.'

I blinked hard, my vision blurred like I was looking at the world through a sheet of waxed paper. I saw Charlene's face hovering just above mine.

'You?' I asked, my voice sounding a million miles way to my own ears. 'You and Gisella… that night… the necklace…'

'You look a little flushed, Maddie,' she said, her voice echoing in that infuriatingly polite British tone.

I blinked again, trying to control the double visions hitting me harder than a vodka martini on an empty stomach. I looked down at the water bottle still in my hand.

The water.

I let the bottle drop, the contents splashing onto my toes as sweat broke out on my brow. What was in the water?

Felix. Felix had given me the bottle… He and Charlene… It couldn't be.

The room began to spin again as I whipped my head back and forth, scanning the backstage area for Felix. What had he done to me?

'Easy, now, Maddie,' Charlene said, her blue eyes flat as she stared down at me, her manicured claws digging into my arm to hold me up. 'Don't you worry, love.'

I watched a slow wicked smile spread across her features as the room closed in on me.

'I'm going to take good care of you.'

I opened my mouth to speak, but I was suddenly too weak to move my lips. The best I could do was let out a pathetic, strangled sound in the back of my throat.

Just before everything went black.

Chapter Nineteen

I have had the misfortune in my life to be knocked over the head, shot, whacked unconscious, and, last but not least, nearly strangled. (What can I say? Mrs. Rosenblatt is right. My karma really sucks.) But drugged was a new one even for me.

And as I slowly blinked my eyes open, one painful movement at a time, not an experience, I decided, that I ever wanted to repeat. My mouth felt like I'd been eating cotton balls, my eyelids almost too heavy to lift. And my head pounded louder than a heavy metal drummer. I groaned. Bad idea. The sound vibrated through my skull,