breakfast tray. “You didn’t eat all your eggs.”
“They have funny stuff in them,” Gertrude said.
“What did you do, mix the eggs with an old salad?”
Judith refrained from saying that Joe had made the
eggs. She also refrained from telling her mother about
the fire. As long as Gertrude’s deafness had obscured
the sirens, there was no point in upsetting the old girl.
At least not yet. Judith had other things on her mind.
Back in the house, the guests were scurrying about,
completing their packing, hauling their luggage downstairs. They seemed as eager to leave as Judith was to
see them go.
“Incredible,” Ben Carmody said to Judith as he put
on a black leather jacket. “How did Win set fire to her
room?”
Looking guileless, Judith shrugged. “Who knows?
Does she smoke?”
“Hell, no,” Dirk declared. “She’s no drinker, either,
at least not at nine in the morning.”
Judith kept mum.
“She’ll be fine,” Ellie said, hooking her arm through
Ben’s. “I’d like to work with her on
“Win’s spunky,” Chips said. “Maybe she’ll be able
to leave for L.A. later today.”
Again, Judith made no comment.
Vito slipped a white envelope into her hand. “The
studio wants to compensate you for your trouble. This
is a promissory note for five thousand dollars. As soon
as everything is cleared up in L.A., you’ll get your
money.”
Judith’s smile was off center. “Why . . . that’s generous. I think.” For all she knew, the money would
cover only the caterers. Of course it was better than a
subpoena.
Dade was the last one out the door. He was halfway
down the steps when he stopped and turned around.
“Tell your momma I’ll be in touch. I’m pretty excited
about this project.”
Judith still couldn’t believe Dade was serious. “You
are?”
“I sure am,” he responded. “That little lady has
some mighty swell tales to tell. I like her style.” With
a salute, Dade ambled along after the rest of the party.
The limos had barely pulled away when Judith
heard a knock at the back door. Maybe it was Renie,
though she rarely got up until ten o’clock, and even
