“It doesn’t matter,” Barry said, turning back to his work. I stared at his back as he went back to filling in the nail holes. Did he really think I would accept that answer?
“It does matter, a lot,” I said. Barry went on with his work. I saw his shoulders drop just a little, a subtle indication that he’d figured out I wasn’t going to let it go.
“Molly, I can’t tell you. Heather doesn’t want the information to get out.” He put down the can of wood filler and his tool and held both my shoulders in a tender manner. “Telling you would get us both in trouble.” The look in his eyes made it clear that was all the information I was going to get. He took his jacket off the back of the dining room chair and put it on before slipping his still knotted tie over his head and tightening it. He looked at me and cocked his head. Ever the detective, he noticed that I still had my purse in my hand.
“I just stopped here to take care of the animals. I’m going out.” I was going to leave it at that but realized it sounded kind of short, and it wasn’t like I had anything to hide. I mentioned meeting Dinah for a girl’s night out. He called to Jeffrey and said he’d drop him off at home, and the three of us walked out together.
I let him pull out first and then drove over to Dinah’s. She had the door open before I even walked up the few steps to her front porch.
When I went inside, I was surprised to see Sheila sitting on Dinah’s chartreuse couch. She looked up and smiled at me. Her new job at the lifestyle store next to the bookstore had done wonders for her confidence and made it possible for her to have just one job rather than several.
She was so happy with the job, she gladly spent her evenings at the store. It seemed like forever since the three of us had gone out together. “I hope you don’t mind that I invited Sheila to join us,” Dinah said.
“Mind? I’m glad you did.” I went over and hugged Sheila. She looked really good. The owner of Luxe had her wearing pieces from the store. Tonight she had on a peasant blouse with apricot-colored flowers embroidered on it over skinny black jeans and boots. “It’ll be great to catch up with each other.” Dinah and Sheila got ready to go. I pulled out my cell phone to see if I’d missed any calls. There was nothing. How odd that Mason still hadn’t called back.
We went to an Italian restaurant on Ventura Boulevard that had a patio surrounded by trees and illuminated by a string of globe-shaped lights. Even though it was practically on the sidewalk, it seemed like a separate world.
We ordered pasta dishes, salad and garlic bread. Sheila said she was doing better in the nerve department, but she still carried her emergency crochet hook and string. She pulled it out to show us. But working in the store had made such a difference for her. She started chatting on about the customers and how they’d begun to get some celebrity clientele. She’d talked to her boss about putting up photos of their well-known clients, which was common practice. Every restaurant and dog groomer had pictures of some of their famous customers posted on the wall.
Our food came, and since it was served family-style, we began to pass around the plates as Sheila continued. “I told Nicholas that if we were going to have photos, they ought to be unique rather than just head shots.” Sheila smiled broadly. Whenever she spoke about her boss, her face seemed to brighten, and we all thought she had a thing for him, though she denied it. “He listened to what I said and he agreed. So now when someone famous comes in, I take a digital picture of them with whatever they bought. Instead of hanging the photos on the wall, we put them in frames we have for sale and spread them around the store.”
Dinah complimented her on the idea and started talking about her students and getting ready for finals, but then went off into talking about Commander. “This probably sounds stupid, but he’s so nice to me, it’s making me nervous.” My normally chipper friend hung her head. “He’s making all kinds of plans for the summer.”
“Don’t you like what he’s planning?” Sheila asked.
“It’s not what he’s planning that’s the problem. All the things are lots of fun and help people. He has us volunteering at the next Hearts and Barks carnival.” She handed me the pasta in pomodoro sauce. “You should understand,” she said to me. “Look how upset you are that Barry wants you to move to Simi Valley when you get married.”
“Married?” Sheila said. “You’re getting married?” She knew about the ring in the drawer and my lack of an answer.
“I’m not getting married,” I protested.
“Sorry,” Dinah said. “I should have said
“It sounds to me like he’s trying to take you away from your old life,” Sheila said.
As much as I was against the condo idea, I found myself defending Barry. I argued that he wanted us to have a place that was fresh for both of us. And Simi Valley was more affordable. “With Barry’s ego and all, he wants to buy the place.” I made excuses, but what Sheila had said registered. I didn’t want to think it was true.
The pasta was delicious, and when they brought the dessert menu, we ordered a chocolate souffle and shared it. Sheila had seen the cop cars and hazmat team and heard some vague details but wanted the whole story. She shuddered when I told her about the Nature’s Sweetie problems. “You know we sell coffee and teas. We almost were going to sell that sweetener as well. I’m glad now we didn’t. So what’s the next step for you?” she asked.
“Barry thinks I should drop it, but then he never thinks I should investigate anything. But he said now that it seems the problem is with the sweetener rather than Robyn being a target, Nell should be exonerated and get her job back. But it feels strange to me.” I mentioned the no-name boyfriend who’d been cut out of the pictures, and the crocheted items that seemed at odds with the kind of person she was. Then I brought up the doll and how CeeCee was sure that this actress had made it, and I explained why it didn’t make sense. “The doll is definitely old and been through a childhood. If Ariel Rose made it—”
“Ariel Rose?” Sheila said. “She’s been in the store. I just took her picture. She has young kids and she likes it because we have the whole kids’ area.”
“She does?” I said. Far better than anything CeeCee could set up would be just running into Ariel and starting up a conversation. I asked Sheila if she had any idea when she’d be in the store again.
“How about she’s going to be there tomorrow afternoon,” Sheila said with a smile. “She ordered some hand- painted cereal bowls and is coming in to pick them up.” We finished our dessert and coffee. Sheila insisted on picking up the check and said it was her thank-you for all the times we’d taken her out.
I didn’t say anything to Sheila as we said our good nights, because I didn’t want to put her on the spot. But I’d already decided that one way or another, I was going to just happen to be in Luxe when Ariel Rose came for her bowls. I discussed it with Dinah, who suggested we just keep a watch for the young actress from the bookstore and then just happen to show up in Luxe when we saw her go in.
It was late when I finally got home. I checked all the phones and had no return call from Mason. Even though it looked like I might not need the information, Mason didn’t know that. He didn’t even know why I was calling. Now, I was officially worried.
CHAPTER 22
THE THING ABOUT CELEBRITIES WAS THAT AT LEAST some of them had regular lives. When they weren’t being pampered on the set, they went to the grocery store, stopped at a Starbucks for coffee, and shopped at the bookstore. So the idea that Ariel Rose shopped at Luxe didn’t seem that strange at all. But how to approach her in a way that didn’t freak her out was a different story. Who wouldn’t be creeped out if someone just came up to them and pushed an old doll in her face and asked her if she’d made it?
When I called CeeCee to tell her where Ariel Rose was going to be, she insisted on being there and even offered to be the lookout, tracking her arrival. When Dinah heard CeeCee was coming, she bowed out. We decided to say nothing to Adele. It would just stir up trouble if I told her about the plan and then said she couldn’t come. Ignorance was bliss. Right, her ignorance was going to be our bliss.
“She’s coming. She’s coming,” CeeCee said in a stage whisper, finding me after she rushed into the bookstore. “I saw her pulling into the parking lot.” CeeCee started back toward the door, and in some move she must have picked up from some role she’d had, jerked her head as a signal to go. Adele was busy in the kids’ section. She was working on something for Salute to Chocolate and was being very secretive. I told our cashier, Rayaad, I was just going next door for a few minutes if Mrs. Shedd asked for me.
