she found him sitting on the waxer’s rolling stool facing Margot, who was perched on the waxee’s reclining chair. The ex-model and current spa owner sat erect, both feet on the floor. Shewas expressionless and seemed calm, but Skye could tell it was an uncomfortable position to maintain.
“Sorry to interrupt, Chief, but I got your note and am reporting for duty.”
Wally smiled at her. “Great. We can use the help. Between the guests and the staff, we’ve got over thirty people to interview.”
“Where would you like me to set up?”
“The room next door is free, but wait here while I finish with Ms. Avanti. I want to go over a few things with you before you start.”
Skye nodded and leaned against the door to listen.
Wally turned back to the spa owner. “You were telling me that Ms. Gates was a newlywed. Was this her first marriage?”
“Good heavens, no.”
“How many times had she been married?”
“Mmm.” Margot tipped her head, then counted on her fingers. “Let’s see, there were the Bulgari yellow diamonds, the Bickham sapphires, and Pequot emeralds.”
Wally scratched his head. “Which means?”
“Why, three previous marriages, of course.” Margot’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “After all, husbands come and go, but jewelry lasts forever.”
Wally managed a slight smile, then asked, “How long had Ms. Gates been married to her present husband?”
“Not quite a year. Rex’s divorce from Christine took forever.”
“Christine was his first wife?” Wally clarified.
“Yes, and their divorce was really messy. When Rex’s daughter Whitney expressed an interest in coming to the spa, Rex jumped at the chance for her and Esmé to spend a weekend together. He was hoping they would bond if they were away from all the reminders of the bad times.”
“Was that working?”
Margot crossed her legs. “They’d only been here twenty-four hours. I’m sure they would have worked things out if they’d had more time.”
Wally made a note, then asked, “You and Ms. Gates were friends back from your modeling days, right?”
Margot nodded.
“Then you probably know who her other friends were?”
Margot appeared fascinated with the shoe dangling from her toe. Finally, she said, “Friends come and go, enemies accumulate.”
CHAPTER 9
Leave No Stone Massage Unturned
A s soon as Wally finished questioning the spa owner, and he and Skye were alone, Skye said, “When Margot mentioned enemies, it reminded me of something. Did anyone tell you about the protestors?”
“No.” Wally stood up. “What in blue blazes are they protesting?”
“When Trixie and I arrived yesterday afternoon, the spa’s entrance was blocked by a group who called themselves Real Women. They believe that the spa is another example of women being told they can’t be beautiful unless they fit into a certain mold.” Skye repeated what she could remember of the Real Women’s doctrine. “Margot got them to leave the property by saying she had called the police, but I don’t know if she really did telephone.”
“She must have been bluffing. There wasn’t anything about a protest march in yesterday’s report.” Wally scratched his head. “And no sign of them today.”
“That would mean either they gave up really easily, although they didn’t strike me as quitters, or they’re staying somewhere nearby waiting for their next chance to cause trouble.”
“That narrows it down to the campgrounds over in Brooklyn or the Up A Lazy River Motor Court here.” Wallymade a note on his pad. “I’ll have someone check into it as soon as I can shake an officer loose.”
“Good.” Skye searched for anything else she should tell him. “Let’s see, you know about the spa vandal and/or treasure hunter, and that Trixie and I were trying to find the nuisance maker—no luck on that by the way. But did anyone mention the rock someone tossed through the window yesterday?”
When Wally shook his head, Skye
“Sorry to interrupt, Chief, but I got your note and am reporting for duty.”
Wally smiled at her. “Great. We can use the help. Between the guests and the staff, we’ve got over thirty people to interview.”
“Where would you like me to set up?”
“The room next door is free, but wait here while I finish with Ms. Avanti. I want to go over a few things with you before you start.”
Skye nodded and leaned against the door to listen.
Wally turned back to the spa owner. “You were telling me that Ms. Gates was a newlywed. Was this her first marriage?”
“Good heavens, no.”
“How many times had she been married?”
“Mmm.” Margot tipped her head, then counted on her fingers. “Let’s see, there were the Bulgari yellow diamonds, the Bickham sapphires, and Pequot emeralds.”
Wally scratched his head. “Which means?”
“Why, three previous marriages, of course.” Margot’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “After all, husbands come and go, but jewelry lasts forever.”
Wally managed a slight smile, then asked, “How long had Ms. Gates been married to her present husband?”
“Not quite a year. Rex’s divorce from Christine took forever.”
“Christine was his first wife?” Wally clarified.
“Yes, and their divorce was really messy. When Rex’s daughter Whitney expressed an interest in coming to the spa, Rex jumped at the chance for her and Esmé to spend a weekend together. He was hoping they would bond if they were away from all the reminders of the bad times.”
“Was that working?”
Margot crossed her legs. “They’d only been here twenty-four hours. I’m sure they would have worked things out if they’d had more time.”
Wally made a note, then asked, “You and Ms. Gates were friends back from your modeling days, right?”
Margot nodded.
“Then you probably know who her other friends were?”
Margot appeared fascinated with the shoe dangling from her toe. Finally, she said, “Friends come and go, enemies accumulate.”
CHAPTER 9
Leave No Stone Massage Unturned
A s soon as Wally finished questioning the spa owner, and he and Skye were alone, Skye said, “When Margot mentioned enemies, it reminded me of something. Did anyone tell you about the protestors?”
“No.” Wally stood up. “What in blue blazes are they protesting?”
“When Trixie and I arrived yesterday afternoon, the spa’s entrance was blocked by a group who called themselves Real Women. They believe that the spa is another example of women being told they can’t be beautiful unless they fit into a certain mold.” Skye repeated what she could remember of the Real Women’s doctrine. “Margot got them to leave the property by saying she had called the police, but I don’t know if she really did telephone.”
“She must have been bluffing. There wasn’t anything about a protest march in yesterday’s report.” Wally scratched his head. “And no sign of them today.”
“That would mean either they gave up really easily, although they didn’t strike me as quitters, or they’re staying somewhere nearby waiting for their next chance to cause trouble.”
“That narrows it down to the campgrounds over in Brooklyn or the Up A Lazy River Motor Court here.” Wallymade a note on his pad. “I’ll have someone check into it as soon as I can shake an officer loose.”
“Good.” Skye searched for anything else she should tell him. “Let’s see, you know about the spa vandal and/or treasure hunter, and that Trixie and I were trying to find the nuisance maker—no luck on that by the way. But did anyone mention the rock someone tossed through the window yesterday?”
When Wally shook his head, Skye
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