Murder for Bid (24 page)

Shep ushered me back to the chair and ordered me to stay put. “Give me a few minutes to change, and then we’ll be on our way.”

He disappeared into the bathroom. I began praying that he wouldn’t embellish too much. Shep had a strange fondness for jewelry, especially rings. That would be regular rings, earrings, and sometimes a nose ring. That and the fact that he dabbled in makeup from time to time, could make for some strange combinations. Not that it didn’t all fit in with his personality, especially at the Retro Metro, but at the library fundraiser, he’s surely stick out like a sore thumb.

“Thank you, God,” I murmured ten minutes later when Shep emerged looking very much like a typical fundraiser attendee. He had chosen a conservative tux with a black bowtie. His lips were highly glossed, but in a clear tint. There was only the slightest hint of eyeliner accenting his dark brown eyes. Nobody would probably notice. “You look great, Shep.”

“Yeah, I was tempted to accessorize a bit more, but I figured your parents would appreciate a more subdued look.” He smiled and added, “You owe me one.”

“More than one, Shep.”
I placed a few essentials into a tiny sequined bag and took his outstretched arm.

“You’re going to wow them tonight, doll,” he said as we made our way down to the alley. “I brought the Land Rover. It might be more suiting to arrive in a car that isn’t dragging a bumper.” 

I eyed my poor Volvo. “Good thinking,” I agreed.

Traffic was in our favor, and the drive to nearby Lisle only took twenty minutes. The gala was being held in the ballroom of one of the town’s best hotels. Shep handed the keys over to the valet as I stood on the curb trying to look natural. All around us elegantly dressed couples walked arm in arm, chatting and laughing as if attending a formal event was the most natural thing in the world.

I glanced with trepidation toward the lights of the hotel lobby. I had been at this hotel once for a friend’s wedding reception, a grandiose event that I barely remembered as I had spent the whole time by the chocolate fountain, washing down dipped strawberries with expensive champagne. That, however, was my previous life. Back then, I wore power suits and fit in comfortably with other designer label wearers. Lately, I had only been squeezing my buns into jeans. I was out of practice but I knew that somewhere inside me, that classy, powerful woman still lurked. I sucked in a deep breath and willed her to come out.

“Ready?” Shep had looped his arm with mine. “Hang close to me through cocktails. I’ll help you work the room.”

I swallowed my nerves and managed a smile.

We made our way through the lobby and flowed with the current of attendees into the ballroom area. We stopped off at the check-in table to sign in, pick up a program, and locate our table on the seating chart. I clung tightly to Shep’s arm as we pushed our way into the crowd.

I scanned the room hoping to catch a glance of Mom and Dad or Margaret. I also hoped to mingle a little with some of Amanda’s friends. I figured that since she was head of the planning committee, there would be quite a few people who knew her. Maybe if the wine was flowing, and my timing was right, someone would talk. I’d just love to find some valuable lead on my own while Sean was wasting time with that sleepy-voiced co-chairman.

Shep’s mingling skills were amazing and by the time we made it to the bar, we had a small following of groupies. I was just about to take a sip from a glass of Merlot when a familiar voice stood out from the crowd. “Hello, Shep. How are you?”

“Why hello, detective,” Shep said as he glanced between the two of us. “Don’t I have the most beautiful date in the room?” he oozed, waving a hand over me with a wicked smile. Sean’s eyes lingered but he didn’t make any comments. My stomach dropped as I thought back to the sexy voice that had answered his phone the night before.

“Mind if I borrow your date for a few minutes?” he finally asked.

I excused myself and followed Sean to a quiet corner. He looked down at me with hooded eyes, “You do look amazing.”

“I didn’t know you were going to be here,” I managed to say while resisting the urge to ask him about the sexy voice.

“I’m at the commissioner’s table. I was hoping you’d ask me to come, but when you didn’t, I took Sergeant Treble’s tickets; he’s out with a gall-stone.” He glanced over my shoulder and added with a grin, “If you weren’t going to come with me, I guess Shep’s the next best thing.”   

We both peered back at the bar where Shep was involved in a lively conversation with several couples. I guess Sean was glad to see me with Shep, rather than Greg Davis.

“I need to ask you a favor,” he said, placing his hand on my shoulder. I jerked away.

“You’re still mad at me?” he asked innocently.

I bit my lip.

He shrugged and continued, “There are some key players here and I know that you’ll be tempted to question them about Amanda’s murder. But I want you to lay low tonight. No questions, okay?”

What? He dared tell me what to do? I couldn’t hold back any longer. “How dare you tell me what to do with my time, you lying cheater,” I hissed.

“Huh?”

“Did you have a good time last night?” A strange look crossed his face. “Yeah, that’s right Sean. I know you were with her last night. I called your house and she answered.”

“You called my house last …”

“Was it Sarah?” I sprayed a few beads of saliva as I spat out her name. I hated the name Sarah. I always had. Well, I did now anyway.

He grabbed my elbow and pulled me closer. “Look, you’re wrong about this. You have no idea what’s going on.” His gripped tightened. “Look, before you go and get all worked up, I need to tell you something. Schmidt was in earlier today. He’s threatening to file a complaint against you. He said something about you showing up at his office the other day. The bracelet, your nosiness … well, it’s all starting to add up. My lieutenant is starting to wonder if we should take another look at you as a viable suspect. Like maybe you had something for Schmidt and you’ve been stalking him. You’re complicating things,
Pippi. I need you to back off.” He had his face next to mine as he reprimanded me. He was standing so close that my eyeball was practically in his ear. I briefly considered biting it off.

He continued before I could act on my impulse. “Plus, that thing I told you about with the Reiners. Well, the feds are cranking up the heat on that. I need you to forget what you know about Jessica Hanson. I need you to drop it or you’re going to cause trouble for my department.”

This would have been a good time for me to tell him what I had learned from Janie Hanson and that I had seen Jessica at Schmidt’s office, but I was too ticked off about Sarah. Sarah. What did he mean I had no idea what was going on? She answered his phone like, like they were a couple or something. I had never answered Sean’s phone. And, her voice … it sounded so sleepy. Not even really sleepy, more like sleepless as if she hadn’t had a chance to sleep for days. Maybe that was because she had been so busy with Sean.

Infuriated, I jerked loose of his grip. I had only stomped a few feet away when I ran directly into Greg. He steadied me by placing both of his hands on my shoulders, holding me at arm’s length and surveying me from head to toe. “Absolutely exquisite,” he purred. After kissing
my cheek softly, he offered me his arm. “You don’t seem to have a drink. Come with me and I’ll take care of that.” He began leading me back toward the bar. I glanced over my shoulder to where I had left Sean. He was glaring at me like a hungry python stalking a mouse. Well, tit for tat, I thought. Two could play this game.

Back at the bar, Shep rejoined us. “There you are.
Pippi O’Brien, you amaze me. Here I agreed to be your escort tonight, and all I’m doing is fighting off other men,” he teased.

“Shep, this is Greg Davis. Greg, Shep Jones, my date this evening.”

Greg took Shep’s extended hand, but didn’t bother to exchange a greeting. Instead he turned his back and placed his full focus on me. “What are you drinking?”

“Merlot.”
I looked around for the glass I had left on the bar earlier.

“Let me order you a fresh glass.” He flagged the bartender and placed the order. Shep hovered behind Greg’s back, apparently irked that he was being brushed off. I tried to wave him off, but he wouldn’t take the hint. Or, maybe he was reluctant to leave me alone with Greg. It was hard to tell.

“There’s something different about you this evening,” Greg commented after placing my order. I was struggling for a response when he continued, “I’ve been hearing a lot of gossip about you lately.”

“Oh yeah?”
The bartender placed a fresh glass of wine in front of me. I snapped it up and took a long sip. I mentally chastised myself. I needed to slow it down if I was going to keep my wits about me.

“Yes. The judge was asking about you. Seems you’ve stirred things up a little. I think he’s really annoyed at the questions you’ve been asking around town. You’re causing trouble for him.”

“Probably,” I replied, thinking back to Madeline’s comments about me being in danger. Could it have been the judge parked in my back alley the other night?
Maybe he’s waiting for a chance to beat my head in with …with … a gavel. I can see him pounding on my head, a ferocious look on his face. Order in the court, order in the court!

“Have you been up to more sleuthing?” Greg teased.

I snapped back to reality and tried to laugh off his comment. “More sleuthing? You make me sound like Nancy Drew or something. By the way, do you by chance know what type of car Amanda drove?” I asked.

He squinted. “Sure.
A brand new Escalade. Richard made a big deal out of buying it for her.”

Anxious to validate my detecting abilities, I blurted, “I found out that Amanda was meeting on a regular basis with Jessica Hanson. I just can’t figure out why, do you have any idea?”

He took a long sip of his drink before replying, “No idea. I wonder what she would have in common with an intern?”

I shrugged. Shep wedged his way between us. “Are you the Greg Davis that does all that new construction? I happen to know a thing or two about construction,” he inserted.

I laughed mentally. What Shep was thinking was that he could line up some sort of business deal providing furnishings for Greg’s spec homes.

To my annoyance, Greg rudely sidestepped Shep, ignoring his comments.

“Is that guy really your date?” he asked.

His attitude angered me. I was about to retort when Shep reinserted himself between us. “Hey, Doll, I’m going to make my way to the table. Want to come with me?” he asked.

I felt torn between my loyalty to Shep and my need to get a few more answers. “Go ahead, Shep. I’ll be right there.”

He looked hurt.

“I just need to talk to Greg for one more second,” I assured him.

After he walked away, looking like a wounded pup, I continued talking to Greg. “I also talked to Madeline Reiner. She maintains her husband’s innocence. Says he doesn’t have it in him to commit murder. What do you think?”

“She’s his wife; what else would she say? He’s her bankroll.”

“True,” I agreed, “although she claims that she and the judge didn’t know anything about Schmidt’s investigation until the cops were questioning them after Amanda’s murder.”

It was his turn to shrug. “Hmm … I don’t know. Who did Madeline think did it?”

“She thinks Richard had a pretty good motive. Amanda’s affair was an embarrassment to him and was becoming an obstacle to his political career. She could be right. I’m sure when he found out about the baby, he could have flipped. I mean, it
might not
have been his.”

Greg turned pale, “Amanda was pregnant?”

“Yes, hadn’t you heard? I thought it had been in the news.” I tried to remember if Sean had mentioned that Amanda’s pregnancy had been released to the press. I was sure he had. “Anyway, if it hasn’t been out yet, it will soon. Probably by tonight’s ten o’clock segment.”

Greg raised his empty glass toward the bartender.
“Another for you?” I looked down in surprise. When had I finished my glass? Greg continued, “I might tend to agree with you. Richard is known for his short fuse and an illegitimate child couldn’t be good for his political career.”

“Well, neither is a murder conviction.” I laughed at my own joke and accepted another full glass. This time I was just going to hold it.
Nothing more but water for the rest of the evening.

Greg raised his glass, “To you Phillipena O’Brien.
Beautiful and smart.” We clinked, I took just one tiny sip to be polite. Giggling, I reached out to brush a piece of lint off his lapel before looking around and noticing that most people had moved to the tables. I caught sight of Sean, watching from across the room. He didn’t look pleased. Good.

I glanced toward my table. My father and Shep were also watching me. They didn’t look pleased either.

“Well, I’d better find my seat. I enjoyed talking to you, Greg.”

“Likewise, Phillipena.”
Again he brushed his lips across my cheek, sending warm gushes of pleasure all over my body. I started for my chair just as the wine began to take effect.

I was struggling to get one foot in front of the other, when Shep dashed to the rescue. “Right over here, sweetheart. Take it easy on that stuff,” he whispered, taking my glass from my hand and guiding me into my seat. He pushed a glass of water my way.