Threads of Suspicion(117)

“Charity event tonight, rope line analysis tomorrow, focus on Jim. It’s plenty for the weekend. You’ve got plans with Maggie?”

“She wants to see a couple of houses I’m considering for myself. And we’ll spend time opening boxes as more of her belongings arrive in the morning. Mostly it will be Maggie on the relaxed side of a performance. She’s wire tight right now. She has a love-hate relationship with performance days.”

David pulled into the business park next to Evie’s car. She disconnected her phone from the charger. “We’ll keep an eye on Lynne, make sure she’s where we expect. Anything else you want me to remember?”

David smiled. “Yes. Have a good time.”

Evie laughed and stepped out. “I’ll remember. See you tonight, David.”





Twenty-One


Evie scooped up the garment bag, purse, and box with her new dress shoes from the trunk, caught movement from the corner of her eye and realized Rob was coming out to meet her. She gave him a distracted smile as she tried to shut the trunk. “Thanks for letting me change here.”

“Happy to be of service,” he replied, then took the garment bag and shut the trunk while she locked the car.

She stood on tiptoe to kiss him. “Sorry I’m running so late.”

“Nah, fashionably late is fashionable.” He led the way inside.

“Your mother will notice, make some comment.”

“She always has a comment. Case breaking open?”

“Sort of—I’ll explain on the drive in.” She took the bag and headed to the guest bathroom to change. She had chosen the dress for its color and simplicity, and she changed into it as quickly as she could, freshened her face with a touch of lipstick and mascara, combed her hair, tucked it behind her ears, took a last look in the mirror. It’ll have to do.

Back in the living room, Rob looked great in his suit—he always made a statement without much effort. “What do you think?” she asked with a semi-dramatic twirl in front of him. “Too much?”

Rob tipped his head, smiled as he studied her. “You look lovely, especially in red.”

“‘Bold and beautiful’ is what the sales clerk said.”

“She was underselling the reality. It becomes you, Evie.”

“Five more minutes and I’ll be finished.”

“In that time I think I can find a tie to match. In case somebody can’t figure out you are mine,” he said over his shoulder.

She felt fresh nerves as she slipped simple gold studs into her earlobes and slipped on the black satin shoes. She took in a deep breath, slowly let it out again. She would handle his parents with tact and a smile. The evening was going to go fine. She rejoined Rob.

“You found more than just a tie.” He’d swapped it out for one perfectly matching her dress’s shade of red, adding a similar red square to his jacket’s breast pocket. He was also holding a jewelry box. It was long and thin, so not a ring, she noted, relieved.

“I did. Why don’t you try this?” He opened the box, and the necklace inside sparkled. Nearly six inches long by four inches wide, the five fine strands of gold latticed through a series of colored gemstones. She felt herself smiling as she carefully lifted it from the box, held it up, saw how the reds picked up the color of her dress. “It’s perfect, Rob. Thank you.” He always had exquisite taste yet didn’t make it such a pricey gift that she felt she couldn’t accept it.

He secured the clasp for her behind her neck. “I was expecting a safe ‘little black dress,’” he quipped, “given we’re joining my parents, and I thought to add some color. Instead, it becomes a good accent piece.” He held her by the shoulders, looked into her eyes and said, “My parents will be blown away. I sure am.”

She laughed, blushed. “Let’s go find out.” She picked up the matching bag with room for phone, comb, compact, Kleenex, and not much else.

Rob helped her on with her black dress coat and offered his arm. “To a good evening already begun.”

“I’m all for that.”

Rob’s car, a dark sedan, was not flashy on the outside but was luxurious inside. He settled her in the passenger seat before circling to the driver’s side. A nice habit, one of those courtesies whenever she was with him.

She was comfortable with this man, she realized as she watched him drive, calmly handling the heavy traffic. Rob was a contrast to the other men in her past, but he suited her in ways no one else did.

“You mentioned the case took a turn.” Rob looked over at her with a question in his expression.

Evie pulled her thoughts back to her day. “I’ll begin by mentioning the special guest singer tonight is Margaret May McDonald. She’s a big deal in the world of music, and dedicated fans make sure to be at events like this. There’s a guy I’m looking for, who might put in an appearance tonight at the rope line. And another of her fans from Ellis has appeared as a possible person of interest and will probably be there too. We’ll be videotaping the crowds to review tomorrow. I met Maggie last night, and I like her a lot. David, the task-force cop I’ve been working with, he’s her guy.”