Chocolate Dipped Death (10 page)

Reminding myself that the search for Savannah was more important than staying in my comfort zone, I led Max up the sidewalk. Not needing a haircut was just the top item on my list. I also didn’t need waxing, buffeting, or polishing, nor did I need any part of my anatomy covered with acrylic. I just wanted to find out if Delta knew where to find Savannah.

Inside, the Curl looks like a throwback to some earlier era. I just have never been able to figure out which one. A small waiting area holds several molded plastic chairs, two coffee tables, countless yellowing issues of hair magazines, and one oversized rock masquerading as a couch.

The walls are a pale, buttery yellow, the hair dryers a ghastly shade of pink, and white eyelet curtains filter the sunlight at the windows. When you’re inside the Curl it’s easy to forget that Paradise is becoming more of a resort town every year. This is where longtime locals come when they want their hair cut the same way every time and a stylist who knows the exact shade of hair color to mix without having to ask.

Conversation droned between stylists and clients, and one lone customer—a mousy woman with mousy hair—sat in the waiting area flipping idly through a magazine. The odors of hair product, chemical processors, and nail polish made my nose burn and big band swing played softly on the public address system.

I renewed my vow to be in and out in three minutes flat.

At one minute and fifteen seconds, Paisley’s mother, Annalisa Kelso, bounced out of the back room wearing a warm, welcoming smile. She’s a short, sturdy woman with sturdy brown hair that never changes—a walking advertisement for Paisley’s dubious skills. She swept a glance over me, then settled on the woman sitting patiently behind me. “I’m sorry Faith. I didn’t hear you come in. Have I kept you waiting long?”

The woman glanced up, and I felt a jolt of recognition. I’d gone to high school with her, but I would never have recognized her if I’d passed her on the street. In high school, Faith had been bright and bubbly—everyone’s friend. Within a year of graduation she’d married her high school sweetheart, Noah Bond, who was now a deacon at the Shepherd of the Hills Church. I’m not sure if marrying Noah sapped the life out of her, or if something else was responsible, but all that brightness had definitely evaporated. Even her hair, once the rich color of Bit-O-Honey had become a nondescript dishwater blonde.

Faith closed the magazine and stood, but I don’t think she actually made eye contact. “It’s fine. I know you’re busy.”

“I have you down for your usual cut. Did you talk Noah into springing for those highlights this time?”

A weak smile curved Faith’s dainty mouth. “Oh heavens no. He likes my hair just the way it is. A cut will be fine.”

It was hard to reconcile this quiet woman with the Faith I used to know, and the changes in her made my heart drop. Annalisa must have felt the same way, because she shared a look with me before saying, “I’m afraid I don’t have an appointment for you, Abby. Did you call in?”

“No. I don’t actually need anything done. I’d like to talk to Delta for a few minutes if she’s working today.”

Annalisa’s lips pursed, and she glanced over her shoulder toward the pedicure station. “Delta’s here, but she’s running behind. I’d rather you didn’t interrupt her.”

“It’s important,” I said. “I promise I won’t take long.”

As if on cue, Delta emerged from the back room carrying a load of folded towels, and Annalisa’s shoulders rose and fell with a put-upon sigh. “Delta, could you come up here for a minute? Abby needs to ask you something.”

There is a family resemblance between Savannah and her older sister, but you have to look hard to find it. Delta’s short hair is an unremarkable light brown, and the curves that make Savannah seem lush and ripe have turned to fat on Delta. She was wearing a pair of gold-framed glasses low on her nose, and she stared at me over their rims. “Abby? This is a surprise. What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to ask you a couple of questions, if you don’t mind. About Savannah.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded once and came around the counter toward me. “What’s she done now?”

Maybe I don’t like Savannah much, but Delta’s reaction still made me sad. “I don’t know that she’s done anything. Miles hasn’t seen or heard from her since she left to go jogging early this morning, and he’s getting worried.”

Faith’s eyes grew round. “She’s missing?”

“I’m afraid so. Have any of you seen her or talked with her today?”

Faith whispered something that sounded like a prayer.

Delta frowned slightly, exactly as she might have if I’d asked about a stranger. “Today? No. She hasn’t been around here.”

“I didn’t think she’s ever been in here, has she?” Annalisa asked.

Delta shook her head. “Not as a customer, anyway. This place isn’t exactly her style.”

Yeah, well that didn’t make her a bad person. “When did you talk to her last?”

Delta tilted her head and gave that some thought. Her chins quivered and folded over each other. “Monday, I think.”

“Did she say anything about leaving, or mention somewhere she might go?”

“Not to me, but then, we didn’t really talk about things like that. Savannah and I aren’t what you might call close.”

“So you don’t have any idea where she might be?”

Delta shook her head again. “No, but I wouldn’t worry. Savannah knows how to take care of herself. She’ll turn up. She always does. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m running behind.”

I trailed after her with Max in tow. Annalisa might ask me to leave, but she won’t mess with Max. “She came to Paradise to take care of your mother’s estate, didn’t she? Is there anything else she wanted to do while she’s here?”

What little friendliness there’d been in Delta’s eyes vanished. She stuffed towels into a cupboard and turned back to face me with barely concealed impatience. “Why are you suddenly so concerned about my sister?”

“We can’t find her,” I said again. “Her husband is worried. A group of us are trying to help him locate her.”

“What does that mean? You’ve got a search party or something?” She made it sound childish, and when I nodded, she laughed and pulled several bottles and a large purple brush from a nearby closet. “Don’t worry about Savannah. She’s just off indulging herself, I’m sure.”

“Any idea where?”

“No, but I know Savannah. She’s always been selfish, and from what I can tell, that husband of hers is about the same. The two of them probably had a fight, and now he’s got you jumping through hoops for him. They’re both horribly melodramatic, Abby. Don’t let yourself get sucked in.”

I’d forgotten about the snatch of conversation I’d overheard the night before, and Delta’s warning struck a nerve. If she was right, Miles had a lot of explaining to do. “When do you plan to see her next?”

Delta shrugged and started away again. “I don’t. She was supposed to stop by yesterday to talk, but she never showed up. Ask me if I was surprised.”

I refrained. Delta’s matter-of-fact attitude disturbed me. Good or bad, Savannah
was
her sister. “What did you do when she didn’t show up?”

“Do?” Delta put down the things she carried and smirked. “Why would I
do
anything?”

“If she promised to stop by and then didn’t . . .”

“You’re missing my point, Abby. The point is that Savannah not being where she’s supposed to be isn’t unusual. My sister has never been the most reliable person in the world.”

“You didn’t try to call her?”

“I saw no reason to. Take my advice. Go back to your store and forget all about this. Savannah’s just fine. You’ll see. Once she has enough attention she’ll reappear like magic.”

She might be right, but I had one more question to ask. “Did you know that Savannah’s competing in the candy-making competition at Divinity?”

Delta’s gaze lifted briefly. “I did hear that. I also heard that she was accused of cheating.”

Bad news certainly travels fast. “I’m curious. Do you know where she’s making her candy?”

Delta straightened the cord of her electric file and swept two one-dollar bills into her kneehole drawer. “Why would I know?”

“I thought maybe—well, I thought maybe she was using your kitchen.”

“Mine?” She laughed and shook her head. “Not likely. Savannah hasn’t set foot in that house in twenty years. She’s very good at avoiding anything she considers unpleasant, you know. It’s her greatest talent. Now I really have to ask you to leave. My two thirty appointment just pulled in.”

I wasn’t ready to go, but I couldn’t force her to let me stay, and I had no idea what more to ask, even if I could. I wanted proof that she actually cared about her sister, that time and distance hadn’t killed whatever feeling she’d had for the little girl who’d once trailed around behind her, but even I could see that I wasn’t going to get it. In fact, the more questions I asked, the worse I felt.

 

When I pulled into my parking space next to Divinity a few minutes later, I was both surprised and pleased to find people milling about outside and a mini-command center set up in Divinity’s kitchen. Someone had produced a map of the city streets, and Bea buzzed from place to place, coordinating the search, giving orders, and making sure that everyone knew their assigned task. It was a perfect job for her.

Miles sat at the table clutching a cup of coffee in both hands and staring at the melee around him as if he had no idea what was going on. Since the temperature had climbed a few degrees, I tied Max’s leash to the bench outside so he could get some fresh air, then made my way through the crowd to Miles.

I sat across from him and touched his hand briefly. He jerked in surprise and his gaze shot to my face. “Abby? When did you get back?”

“Just a few minutes ago. Is there any sign of her?”

He shook his head sadly. “Nothing yet. I don’t even know what to do.”

“Just hang in there,” I said. “There are lots of people looking for her. It’s only a matter of time.”

He sipped, made a face, and pushed his cup away. “I feel so useless just sitting here. I’d rather be out looking myself, but your cousin thinks I’ll be more help answering questions than I would be out on the streets.”

“She’s probably right. She usually is.”

“Yeah? Well, that doesn’t make it any easier to just sit here.”

“I’m sure it doesn’t. Have you called the hospitals to make sure she’s not there?”

Miles looked surprised. “You have hospitals here?”

“Well, not
here
, but there’s one in Aspen and a medical center in Vail, and plenty of doctors’ offices in the vicinity.”

His bloodshot eyes clouded. “No, I—I didn’t even think.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll check with Bea. She might have done it already. If not, that’s something you could do while you wait.”

He rubbed his face with one shaky hand. “Yes. Thanks. Yes, I could.”

Before I could say anything more, noise erupted in the courtyard outside, and a second later, a wild-eyed Karen burst through the door.

I didn’t want her to get anywhere near Miles, so I shot to my feet and tried to head her off.

Unfortunately, she moved faster than I could. She drew up to the table breathing fire and lasering everything that moved with her eyes. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Abby? Why are you helping
her
?”

At least the alcohol on her breath had disappeared. I grabbed her arm and dragged her onto the sales floor, but not before I caught a glimpse of Miles’s stunned expression. Poor man. He didn’t need Karen’s wild accusations on top of all the other worry.

She fought me, but for once I was stronger. I pushed, pulled, and prodded her toward a cubbyhole on the far side of the sales floor, through clusters of volunteer searchers waiting for instructions and the confused customers who browsed around them. There, in the only place I thought we stood a chance at a private conversation, surrounded by the rich scent of huckleberry fudge, hard candies, and lollipops, I finally gave her an answer. “I’m not helping
her
. I’m helping to look for her. There’s a difference.”

“You don’t really believe she’s missing, do you? She’s probably sitting in a coffee shop down the street watching all of you run around like chickens with your heads cut off.”

Both Evie and Delta had suggested the same thing, but it still didn’t feel right to me. “Why would she do that, Karen? What could she possibly hope to get out of it?”

Completely exasperated with me, Karen threw both hands in the air and turned partway away. “We’re talking about
Savannah
, Abby. Who knows why she does anything?”

A couple of men standing nearby glanced over at us, so I lowered my voice and hoped Karen would do the same. “She’s been missing for almost ten hours,” I said. “She could be hurt.”

“Yeah? Well, you know what? I hope she is. Maybe she’ll learn a lesson about messing around with other women’s husbands.”

“Karen, please—” I glanced behind me to make sure Miles hadn’t followed us. “Her husband is in the other room.”

“So what? Don’t you think he deserves to know what kind of woman he married?”

“Not while we don’t even know where she is,” I snapped. “And not when we don’t even know if it’s true.”

Karen narrowed her eyes, and her expression grew stony. “So you still don’t believe me.”

Praying for patience, I kneaded the bridge of my nose and tried again to reason with her. “I believe that you saw Sergio and Savannah having a drink together last night, but you have no proof that they did anything wrong. If you go in there and tell that poor man that his wife was cheating on him because she had one drink in a public place and you’re carrying around a twenty-year-old grudge, then you’re just being cruel.”

Karen’s eyes flashed, and she clenched her teeth so hard I was surprised she didn’t crack a molar. “I don’t think I’m the cruel one around here,” she said.