As I watched them laughing and smiling, I decided I’d hit the jackpot in terms of possible suspects. I might as well make the best of it.
Grabbing Higgs’s hand, I pulled him to the dance floor, weaving my way in and out of the crowd, doing my best imitation of what I’d seen people do on Dancing With the Stars. I wasn’t going to be asked to host Soul Train anytime soon, but I could shimmy when necessary—at least enough to fit in with the crowd.
What I hadn’t expected was how good Higgs was. In fact, it made me pause for a second to appreciate how really good he was. He caught the eye of several women as he took the lead, and we danced our way to the tightly packed corner by the purple couch.
Positioned almost in their laps, I tried to hear what they were saying, but it was almost impossible with the thump of music blaring.
Higgs leaned down and yelled in my ear, making it ring. “Margot just said she was going to have a smoke.”
I gave him a quizzical glance, standing on tiptoe to ask him, “How do you know?”
“I can read lips. A little anyway. Learned it undercover. So, I guess you have to get some air?”
Higgs was so dreamy, sometimes I had to remind myself he was real. I know he has faults in there somewhere, we all do. But as for a partner in crime, he was everything a girl could hope for.
Grinning up at him, I nodded my head and as I watched Margot inch her way toward the front door with Julie and Sally hot on her heels. Squeezing his arm and mouthing “wait here,” I turned to follow.
It was chilly outside, but I pretended I was overheated as I decided how I was going to approach this. I didn’t want to be a gushing fan. That might turn them off on tonight of all nights. Though, they didn’t appear to mind the attention they’d received on their way out of the club.
Mostly, I wanted to eavesdrop to see if they said anything at all that would lead to figuring out this mystery, seeing as no one else appeared terribly interested in finding a killer.
Maybe that’s not fair. Maybe the PD are outnumbered here. I know Tansy’s job is tough. And maybe the wall of silence she’d erected was the reason they appeared so disinterested, but I just couldn’t let this go.
Fanning myself, I leaned back against the brick façade and breathed heavily, inhaling some of their smoke. I knew it would catch someone’s attention. I really hoped it would be Margot or Julie’s. I also hoped Margot recognized me from the other night, and she’d see I wasn’t the enemy.
“Phew!” I panted. When Margot noticed I was near and looked my way, I smiled at her. “It’s so hot in there, huh?”
She gave me a vague smile, but Julie was the one who pulled out a Handi Wipe from her purse and handed it to me. She was a pretty brunette with vividly made-up eyes, purple lipstick and very white teeth.
“Here, I use these all the time. Rub it on your neck. The cool air and the moisture from the towelette will help.”
“Thank you.” I took it from her and rubbed it along my neck, even though I was freezing.
“Your makeup is amazing,” she commented with a tentative smile. “How did you blend your eyeshadow so well? I have so much trouble getting mine even, but yours is fierce.”
I had no idea how Coop did what she did. I do know, it involved a lot of brushes and several shades to deepen the colors. She’d muttered as much as she’d applied it.
Because I had no idea, I deflected. “Forget my eyeshadow. I love your makeup. It’s so bright and fun.”
“Thanks, I try,” she said self-consciously, tucking her hair over her shoulder.
Leaning around her, I honed in on Margot, who stood under the neon of the club, her face eerily pale in the garish light. “Hey, aren’t you Margot Winters?”
Taking a long drag from her cigarette, she eyed me suspiciously. “That’s me. Who are you?” she asked in her light southern lilt.
“We met the other night. Under unfortunate circumstances, I’m sorry to say. I’m Trixie Lavender. I was with you when…” I cast my eyes downward at my crazy spike-heeled boots and waited.
“Oh, yeah. Y’all were there when Mitzy…” She shook her auburn head. “At the meet and greet. You were really nice to me when I was all but flippin’ out. Thank y’all for that.”
Inching toward her carefully, so as not to tip over, I asked, “How are you feeling, Margot? I know this has been an awful time for you—for all of you.”
Tipping her head, she let the back of her skull lean on the brick wall and closed her eyes. It was clear it had been a trying few days for Margot. “It’s been pretty crummy. The police have been all over me, asking me a million questions I have no answers for. I just want to go home to my house and my cats and figure out what to do with my life, now that Mitzy’s passed over to the great beyond.”
I gave her a sympathetic look through the haze of smoke. “You must have really loved her. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
There was a long pause—a really long, awkward, uncomfortable pause—before she looked me right in the eye and said, “Are you kidding me? Pardon my honesty, but I hated Mitzy’s ever-lovin’ guts.”
My mouth fell open. Oh dear.
Yet another plot twist.
Chapter 13
Ummm.
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. But it certainly was a tasty bit of information I needed
