have any weird pop?”
Judith knew that Bill preferred oddly flavored sodas
that came in strangely decorated bottles. “Not really,”
she said.
“Oh.” Bill firmly closed the refrigerator door.
“Maybe I’ll just have a glass of water.”
He was turning on the faucet when Eugenia Fleming barged into the kitchen.
“Do you people know how to keep your mouths
shut?” she demanded.
“No,” Renie shot back.
“Yes,” Judith said, giving Renie a dirty look. “I assume you’re referring to the media?”
“Of course,” Eugenia replied with a scornful glance
at Renie. “Morris is very concerned that we can’t keep
the lid on this location much longer.”
Joe stepped forward to face Eugenia, who met him
at eye level. “Are you saying,” he inquired, “that
there’s been no leak as to where the non–Cascadia
Hotel guests are staying or where Bruno died?”
“That’s so,” interjected Morris Mayne, who had
come up behind Eugenia like a small caboose following a large locomotive. “But eventually they’ll put two
and two together. I’m sure they’ve checked out most of
the hotels by now. Eventually, they’ll get to the bedand-breakfasts. Once they tie in the emergency calls
that have been made from here, they’re bound to show
up en masse.”
Joe tipped his head to one side. “So?”
“So,” Eugenia said, rising up on her tiptoes to look
down at Joe, “we must insist on the utmost discretion—indeed, total silence—from all of you.”
“Fine,” Joe said.
Morris peeked out from behind Eugenia. “Really?”
Joe was nonchalant. “Sure.”
Bill moved closer to Joe. “I have a question.”
Both Eugenia and Morris looked surprised. “What
is that?” Eugenia asked.
“Why should we keep quiet? It hardly matters to my
wife and me what the media might learn from us.”
Bill’s voice was, as ever, very deliberate. “Mrs. Jones
and I could sell information about all these Hollywood
shenanigans for quite a big sum.”
Renie’s eyes practically bugged out. “We could?”
“Of course,” Bill replied. “Especially to the tabloids.”
Judith and Joe exchanged uneasy glances. Morris
seemed stunned. Eugenia was growing red in the face.
“You wouldn’t dare!” she exclaimed. “Aren’t these
people your friends?” She waved a big arm in the
Flynns’ direction. “Do you know what legal straits they
might be in?”
