Shades of Earl Grey

“But look at the valuable information she picked up,” argued Haley. “Up until now, did you think this waiter was a viable suspect?”

Drayton shrugged. “It was anybody’s guess,” he said.

“Right,” said Haley. “And look where we are now.” She flashed a lopsided grin at Drayton, who did his best to ignore her.

“Let’s talk about tomorrow evening,” said Drayton. “I’m exceedingly nervous about pulling this off.”

“I think we all are,” said Theodosia. “But at least we’ll have our whole cast of characters assembled there.”

“Graham Carmody is on the list as one of the waiters?” asked Jory.

“His employers at Butler’s Express assure me he’ll be there,” said Drayton.

“Are we keeping an eye on Cooper Hobcaw?” asked Haley. “I’m still suspicious of him after you told me about his nightly runs through the historic district.”

“Cooper Hobcaw will be attending with Delaine,” said Theodosia. “After all, she’s on the committee for ticket sales.”

“What if he’s cooling off over Delaine and getting interested in Aerin?” asked Haley. “I mean, the two of them really had their heads together when I saw them. It looked fairly intense. Maybe he’s up to something?”

“I’ll stop by Delaine’s store tomorrow morning and have a chat with her,” said Theodosia. “See what I can find out.”

“So who else needs to be covered?” asked Jory.

“Claire Kitridge,” said Theodosia. “She’s kind of a wild card in all this.”

“Will she be at the opening?” asked Jory.

“Certainly not as an invited guest,” said Theodosia.

“I hardly think Claire will be there,” replied Drayton, “seeing as how the poor woman’s been placed on suspension.”

“I’ll watch her,” volunteered Jory. “I’ve always wanted to be on a stakeout anyway.”

“I’ll baby-sit Earl Grey,” piped up Haley, “but if anything big happens, you guys better promise to call me.”

“So we’re set,” said Theodosia. “Our bait will be in place, now all we have to do is see if anyone comes sniffing after it.”

“To the hunt,” said Drayton, raising his glass of wine in a toast.

Theodosia, Jory, and Haley raised their glasses to join him. “To the hunt,” they chorused loudly, startling Earl Grey from his bed and prompting a hearty woof.

Haley giggled as their wine glasses came together in a mighty clink.

Only Theodosia did not join in the laughter. To her, this was no laughing matter.

Chapter 21

Clip clop, clip clop. Two great gray Belgian draft horses dipped their noble heads and shuddered to a halt on Meeting Street. Behind them, sitting in the brightly painted red and yellow carriage, visitors perked up and listened with rapt attention as their guide began a slightly theatrical narration about two of Charleston’s so-called “haunted” houses.

Halloween, or All Hallow’s Eve, was tomorrow night and the various carriage tours that plied the lanes and cobbled streets of the historic district were making the most of the spooky legends and ghostly sightings that were so much a part of Charleston folklore.

Theodosia was out with Earl Grey this Saturday morning. Together they were enjoying the fine cool weather and stretching their collective legs. Today, however, Theodosia had opted not to jog, but rather to stroll leisurely through the historic district as she pondered what events might possibly transpire tonight at the Heritage Society’s public opening of the Treasures Show.

She was both dreading and looking forward to tonight. Hoping they’d be able to smoke this cat burglar out of his lair, of course, but nervous about the possibility of putting anyone in harm’s way.

Cutting through Gateway Walk back to Church Street, Theodosia passed by St. Phillips’s Cemetery. Tomorrow night children would dare each other to run through here, she thought. As if these poor departed souls could cause anyone harm. No, she decided, it was the living that threw a wrench into things. It was the living you had to watch out for.

“You be a good boy and wait here,” Theodosia told Earl Grey as she clipped his leash to the wrought iron fence next to the building that housed Cotton Duck, Delaine Dish’s clothing store. “I’ll be back in a couple minutes.”

Earl Grey plopped himself down on the sunny sidewalk and gazed up at Theodosia as if to say, No problem, I could use a break anyway.

“Well, lookie who’s come to call,” sang out Delaine as Theodosia entered the store. “Miz Theodosia Browning.”

“Hi, Delaine,” said Theodosia as she gazed about at the funkiness and opulence that characterized Cotton Duck. Racks overflowed with casual cotton outfits as well as elegant silks. Antique cupboards, their doors flung open, were filled with a luxurious array of cashmere sweaters, silk scarves, beaded bags, and sparkling costume jewelry. Delaine might be a little over the top, Theodosia decided, but she was utterly brilliant when it came to fashion merchandising. On every buying trip that Delaine made, she focused on a specific palette of colors. Sometimes the clothes and accessories she brought back featured brilliant jewel colors such as emerald, purple, and hot pink. Sometimes they were more subdued shades such as persimmon and mulberry and loden green. But whenever you shopped in Delaine’s store, you were guaranteed to find fabulous outfits and accessories that matched and blended beautifully. It was quite a talent, Theodosia had to admit.

“I was just reading the Post & Courier,” said Delaine. “Sheldon Tibbits gave tonight’s Treasures Show another nice write-up.”

“Oh, did he?” said Theodosia with as much innocence as she could muster.

“I certainly had no idea Drayton’s stamp collection was so... elaborate,” said Delaine.

Theodosia decided elaborate was Delaine’s code word for valuable.

“Drayton’s been collecting for an awfully long time,” said Theodosia.

Delaine reached out and straightened a display of leather handbags. “A Z grill stamp. Now that’s something you don’t see every day. Nice of Drayton to allow it to be shown tonight.”

Theodosia turned her attention to a rack of skirts and grabbed a black skirt in an attempt to stifle a giggle. She was quite sure Delaine had never even heard of a Z grill stamp until this morning’s article.

“Oh, no, not that one, dear,” Delaine suddenly protested. “A long black skirt is far too somber for someone like you.” She hurried to Theodosia’s side, snatched the offending black skirt from Theodosia’s hands, and pawed hastily through the rest of the rack.

“This is what you need,” she declared triumphantly as she held up a long, elegant silver skirt cut from thin crinkley cloth. “Très elegant?” she asked.

“It is gorgeous,” Theodosia admitted as she gazed at the shimmery skirt.

“Perfect for tonight,” declared Delaine. “If you pair it with . . .” Her eyes roamed across the stack of sweaters. “Ah, here’s the perfect match,” she said as she pulled a sweater out. “A perfect pearl gray cashmere. Cool and understated, but still delivering a hearty dose of va-voom.”

Theodosia stood back and appraised the outfit. It was gorgeous. Silver and pearl gray. Very ice maidenish. Or Swarthmore ’sixty-two. She could accent the clothing with what? A colored gemstone pin? Maybe her garnet earrings?

Delaine held the clothes out enticingly. “Want to try them on?” Then, without waiting for an answer, Delaine spun on her heel. “Janine,” she shrilled loudly to her perpetually harried assistant. “Put Theodosia in the large