Murder at the Holiday Flotilla (5 page)

I turned to the senator. “Spunky is Melanie’s cat. Our family are great animal lovers.” I almost glared at him as I said, “Domestic pets. Wildlife. We defend them against predators. Two-legged predators, if you catch my drift.”

Henry gave me an odd look. Then, ever the politician, he said, “I’m an animal lover myself. I raise dogs.”

I stared him down. Not knowing where I was headed, he dropped his eyes. “Hunting dogs? That’s what I heard. Do you hunt, Senator Henry? Are you a sportsman?” I emphasized the word ‘sportsman.’ “Because, you know, there is nothing sporting about hunting animals that have no means of escape. Don’t you agree? A vile practice, I’d say.”

Henry cleared his throat. Then lifted his glass to his lips and took a swallow. Then another. He’d been nursing that drink. Now he needed it.

“
Ashley, what are you talking about?” Melanie asked, clearly irritated. “Oh, look, there’s Katie Brinkley. Come on, Buddy, you must say hello to her.” And taking him by the arm, she steered him away from me. The look she gave me over her shoulder was hostile. I’d hear about this later.

Faye Brock, Melanie’s gorgeous realtor friend came by and stopped. “The decorations are fabulous. And this house! Ashley, you and Jon restored this lodge so beautifully. I’ve got a historic property listed in Carolina Heights and I’m going to recommend you to do the restorations.”

“
Thanks, Faye. Jon and I adore Carolina Heights. We’d love an opportunity to work there again.” I was happy to see Faye but still smarting over my exchange with Henry.

“
Well, I’ve gotta run. I’m going on to Kay and “Shack” Shackelford’s flotilla party on Harbor Island.”

“
Have a good time,” I called.

No sooner had Faye left than Melanie roared up to me practically foaming at the mouth. “Why are you always embarrassing me with people I’m trying to impress?”

“
Why are you always trying to impress lowlife people? And where is the fox murderer senator? Better not let him near Spunky. He’d find a way to use him as bait.”

“
Fox murderer? Bait? What are you talking about?”

“
Melanie! Hi!” A woman joined us, giving Melanie a hug.

Melanie was all smiles. “Regina! How are you, sweetie?” She exchanged air kisses with the woman. “Regina, I’d like you to meet my sister Ashley. Or have you two met?”

“
I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure,” I said. “Melanie has so many fascinating friends, I’m just getting to know them. Some too well.” I gave Melanie a chilly look.

Melanie ignored me. “Sis, this lovely lady is Regina Redfield. She’s very active in the NCAR. She’s also a president-elect.”

We shook hands. Her bony hand belied a steely grip. Regina was model skinny, not an ounce of fat on her. But stylish. Very, very stylish, in a mannequin sort of way. She wore a scarlet taffeta fitted jacket, tied at the waist, with a peplum ruffle, over black silk pants. Guess this outfit was her interpretation of the term “casual.”

Melanie was babbling. “Regina’s term as president follows mine the year after next. We’ve served on oodles of committees together, haven’t we, Regina sweetie?”

Melanie slipped an arm around Regina’s miniscule waist. “You couldn’t have a better person on your side. Especially when you get into some of the dog fights we get into with the General Assembly. With Regina at your side, a girl can’t go wrong.”

“
And God help the people who get in our way,” Regina laughed. “We make a formidable team.”

“
Yes, we do.” Melanie flashed her broad, disarming smile.

Regina laughed. “Grind them under our high heels, don’t we Melanie?”

Melanie giggled.

“
I’ve heard a lot about your agency.” I told Regina. The Redfield Agency was big in Wilmington, with an office on South College Road and a branch office in Southport. They were developers as well as brokers and were currently developing a marina at Southport.

“
Your sister is going to do us up proud. She’ll make the best president the NCAR has ever seen. I can’t wait to see how she shakes up this state.”

Regina gave me a wide but forced smile, exposing a mouthful of brilliant white teeth. Very expensive cosmetic dentistry. A perfect small straight nose. And a very expensive hair style. Her hair was expertly tinted a soft shade of caramel, and fluffed up into a bouffant style. Not a single strand was out of place.

Then I noticed the cords in her neck. They stood out like ropes. She was scrawny, painfully thin. And flat chested. And while the latest fashions might look good on a size zero figure, I couldn’t help but think her husband or lover must be mighty disappointed when she disrobed.

Just then Cam entered the room, looked around, then made a bee line for me. “How’s it going up there?” I asked, referring to the nursery.

“
Jon sent me to find you. He left the diaper bag in the car and he couldn’t find his keys. He said he must have handed them to you.”

I dug around in my bag and sure enough found the car keys which I removed and dangled. “Yep, got them.”

Cam stretched out his palm to take the keys. “I’ll run out . . .”

“
No you won’t, Cam,” Melanie said. “Let Ashley do that. I’ve been looking all over for you, sweetie. I’ve got some important people for you to meet.” Melanie appeared annoyed with her husband. And with me.

Regina looked from one of us to the other, picking up on the undercurrent that charged among us.

“
I’ll get the bag,” I told Cam, and hurried out of the drawing room and into the reception hall. I glanced up the stairs. Jon must be frantic up there without clean diapers. And lord knows, my little boys sure do go through the diapers faster than Kyle Petty used to zip around a race track.

Outside, the air was fresh and cool. The dark night felt soothing after bright lights and loud voices. The valet was nowhere in sight, perhaps taking a supper break in the kitchen.

Our Escalade was the only car parked in the circular driveway. I hurried to the SUV, clicked the remote, and lifted the hatch back. Now where was the diaper bag? I didn’t see it anywhere in the rear compartment. I slammed the hatch shut and went around to the second row door, opened it, and stuck my head inside.

There it was, on the floor of the back seat. I lifted it out and closed the car door. I was just starting around the car toward the entrance when loud voices stopped me. Two men stepped out of house, and from the ferocity of their voices, they were quarreling. Uh oh, this could be embarrassing.

I drew back to the far side of the Escalade, waiting for them to move away so I could have a clear shot across the driveway. But they didn’t move. They were in each other’s faces, so intent on their quarrel they were oblivious to my presence. I hung back. I could see them clearly in the faux gaslights on either side of the entrance. One of the men was Buddy Henry. The other man I’d never seen before.

“
I never agreed to that,” Henry was shouting, “so don’t go putting words in my mouth. My constituents would throw me out of office if I was stupid enough to introduce such a bill.”

The other man cursed, calling the senator the most vile names - names I am much too ladylike to repeat but not too ladylike to enjoy hearing being hurled at the fox-murderer. Then he yelled, “After all the money I’ve invested in you, you’d better sponsor that bill if you know what’s good for you. And you’ll see that it gets passed too. There won’t be another penny until you do.” He jabbed his finger into Henry’s lapel.

Henry swiped at the man’s arm, knocking it away. “Take your hands off me. Who do you think you’re threatening? You’re out of your league, Red. I don’t think you know who you’re playing with here. I’m not some crooked county commissioner you can buy. You just try to bring me down and you’ll regret it. These are state politics you’re messing in, not local. Now that’s the end of it. I won’t do it and that’s final.”

And with that Senator Henry wheeled about and stomped back through Melanie’s front door.

The other man, the man he’d called “Red”, let out a string of curses, spat angrily at the ground, then he too returned to the party.

I scurried across the circular drive, toting the diaper bag, and prayed my entrance would not be noticed by either man.

5

I didn’t see either man as I hurried across the reception hall and rushed up the broad staircase. I wandered along the upper hallway, following the sound of my babies crying. My sons are fastidious little beings and don’t appreciate soiled diapers. Racing into the makeshift nursery, I attempted to hand the diaper bag to the young woman I found there. A pretty young thing of about nineteen who was able to tune out my babies’ cries because she was staring at my husband with blatant and ardent desire. So smitten was she, anyone could see it written all over her face. My children were forgotten by their sitter. My husband was the object of her adoration.

Jon was sitting in a rocker, holding a bawling infant in each arm, and totally oblivious to the girl’s horniness. She looked like she might, at any moment, leap onto his lap along with Peter and Jonnie.

“
Thank God,” Jon cried when he saw me. “I was about to mount a search party for you.”

“
Oh, were you?” I asked indignantly, mad at him for arousing the sitter’s maidenly yearnings, although knowing Jon he was totally unaware that he was the object of her sexual fantasies.

I thrust the diaper bag at her and she had no choice but to grab it. “You’re the sitter, right? There are clean diapers in there. Once you change the baby’s diapers, they’ll quiet down. I think you can manage on your own. You have changed a diaper before, haven’t you?”

“
Oh, yes ma’am, I have.” Her blonde ponytail bobbed up and down.

Ma’am? At twenty-seven I had become a ma’am!

Her wide blue eyes peered at me innocently as if to deny what I had clearly seen.

Jon stood up and carried the babies to a make-shift changing table that had been set up on a dresser top. “Thank god you’re here with clean diapers. I’ll just stay and help Angelina. Be sure she has everything she needs.”

Oh you will, will you, I wanted to bark. But I did not. Jon had no idea that what this quivering teenager thought she needed was him. Then I quickly reminded myself that Jon is a wonderful father. He wanted to be sure our children were being properly cared for. And so did I.

I gazed at Jon as he began undressing one of the babies. Which one? I’d have to get closer to identify my child. This attitude of mine was absurd. I trust Jon. I moved forward and began undressing the other baby. Jonnie. Little Jonnie looked up at me and began to coo. I kissed his tiny forehead. Side by side, Jon and I replaced soiled diapers with fresh. Horney Angelina was forgotten.

“
Come on down and join the party,” I said to Jon. “She can take over from here.”

Jon lifted Peter to his chest. “I think I’ll stay for a few minutes. I’ll rock them and they’ll be off to sleep. Then I’ll be down. You go on and have some fun.” He kissed me on the forehead.

“
Okay,” I said, smiling up at him. We were tight - a strong family unit. No blonde home wrecker could break us up. “Don’t be long.”

Downstairs, more guests had arrived, and I looked around for someone I knew.

“
Now that’s what I call a silver cougar,” a familiar voice said over my shoulder.

“
Aunt Ruby?” I turned to give my elegant aunt a grin. Aunt Ruby is now seventy-three but you’d never know it. She colors her hair a warm brown, eats healthy foods, and walks two miles every day, rain or shine.

“
Who’s a silver cougar?” I asked, amused by my aunt.

“
Over there.” She nodded in the direction of a man across the room.

I looked where she was staring at the man she thought was a silver cougar. He was the same man I had seen jabbing an angry finger into Senator Henry’s lapel. But even though Aunt Ruby had got her appellations confused, she was right. Here in the light I could see that he was a hunk. About mid-forties. Trim yet masculine, exuding sensuality. His premature silver hair was thick and full, contrasting attractively with his black brows and flashing black eyes.

“
He’s got testosterone by the gallons,” I said. Not someone the older senator should be taking on.

“
Bet he has a hard time keeping his zipper up,” Aunt Ruby declared.

“
Aunt Ruby!” I cried with fake indignation. But I was giggling too. My aunt was something.

“
Don’t be shocked. I’ve had seventy years of observing men. I know a cougar when I see one. Why do you think I chose darling Binkie Higgins to marry?”

“
Aunt Ruby, you slay me. But I think cougar is meant to refer to a mature woman who is hot. Like you, my dear auntie. I believe you mean he is a silver fox. But who is he? Do you know?”

“
I don’t but let’s find out,” she said and started off. “If he was raised right, he’ll be courteous to an old lady.”

“
Old lady, my eye,” I giggled to myself as I trailed along behind my aunt.

She walked straight up to the hunky man in the tight jeans and fisherman’s knit sweater. “Such a pleasant party,” Aunt Ruby said to him. “I’m Ruby Chastain Higgins, Melanie’s aunt.”

I moved to her side, squeezing in between her and Mr. Hunk. “And this is Melanie’s sister, Ashley Wilkes.”