Terror in Taffeta by Marla Cooper

happened.”
    He walked to the gate and swung it open in what was not a subtle hint.
    â€œCan I just talk to Naomi?” I persisted. “I can come back”—I checked my watch—“whenever. You tell me.”
    He opened the gate wider and waited for me to use it. “I’m afraid not.” His words had a definite air of finality.
    â€œOkay, well, can you have her call me, or…?”
    He stared at me intently. “Naomi is gone.” There was that frost again.
    â€œYou mean…?” I hugged the garment bag closer to myself as if it offered some sort of protection.
    â€œShe’s gone home.”
    â€œBut you were supposed to fly back together. I’ve got your flight information in my binder.”
    â€œSorry, I don’t know what to tell you. We got into a fight and she left.”
    Kind of like you and Dana got into a fight?
    A tingle went all the way up my spine and back down again as I stepped through the gate and onto the sidewalk.
    â€œThank you for returning my tux, and give the Abernathys my regards,” Trevor said. Right before closing the gate firmly in my face.

 
    CHAPTER 10
    â€œHe did what ?” Brody asked, squinting in the late afternoon sun. When I’d returned from the villa, I’d found my friend lounging by the pool in my absence, enjoying an icy drink Fernando had concocted for him.
    â€œI’m telling you, he shut the gate right in my face. Is there alcohol in that?” I asked, pointing at his beverage.
    He nodded. “You want a sip?”
    â€œNo, that’s okay.” I stared longingly at the glass. “Is it passion fruit?”
    â€œOh, for heaven’s sake, just take it.”
    â€œWell, if you’re not going to finish it,” I said hastily, grabbing the glass.
    â€œSo anyway,” he continued, “what does your gut tell you?”
    â€œThat we need another round.” I scrambled to my feet, noisily vacuuming up the remnants at the bottom of the glass with the straw. Before I could even take two steps toward the kitchen, Fernando appeared out of nowhere.
    â€œ Buenas tardes , Kelsey. Can I get you something to drink?” he asked.
    â€œWow, that’s service. Can I have one of these … whatever this was?”
    â€œOf course,” Fernando said, taking the empty glass from me.
    â€œBetter make it two,” said Brody.
    â€œBetter make it a pitcher,” I added.
    Brody got up from his lounge chair and waded into the shallow end of the pool. “You know, when you asked me to stay, I thought I was being selfless. But this doesn’t suck at all.”
    I walked to the edge of the pool, dipped a toe in, then lowered myself onto the ornate tiles, dangling my feet in the tepid water. “I’m glad at least one of us is getting a chance to enjoy it,” I said, stirring my feet around idly.
    â€œGrab your suit,” Brody said, gesturing toward our rooms. “A swim will help you clear your mind.”
    â€œThat’s okay. I’m having dinner with Evan later, so I don’t want to get my hair wet.”
    â€œYou’re missing out,” he said, floating lazily on his back. “So what do you think? Is Trevor our man?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I said. “Honestly, I felt bad for the guy, but the whole Naomi thing was just so weird. One minute he was opening up to me, but then he clammed up when I asked to talk to her.”
    Brody paddled over to me and hung off the edge of the pool, kicking his feet behind him. “So do you think she really left?”
    â€œEither that or he really doesn’t want me talking to her. But you should have heard the tone in his voice. When I pressed him on it, he sounded almost … menacing.”
    â€œSounds like he’s got something to hide.”
    â€œWell, right now he’s hiding his date. And I really want to talk to her.”
    â€œWhat about calling her? Do