some simple movement classes. My mom thought it would miraculously make me graceful.”
He grinned. “I guess it worked. You waft over the ground like a gazelle.”
“More like a cow pony running through a rough pasture. But the lessons were helpful when I was doing all those pageants. Part of every competition is a big musical number to open the show, and all the contestants have to participate. The number had to be simple, of course, because some of us couldn’t dance. And the others usually couldn’t sing.”
“And you wore men’s dance shoes?”
“I wish! Usuallywe had to wear high heels, and they were picked for color, not comfort. But lots of the choreographers were men. And they had to teach this ungainly group to move around the stage with a reasonable amount of rhythm and grace, so they definitely did not plan a ballet number. No point work, no lifts, no high kicks. And no tap dancing, either. Therefore, the guys teaching us would wear jazz shoes.”
Joe still looked puzzled, so I went on. “If you’ve seen male dancers perform, you’ve seen jazz shoes. And as I said, women dancers wear them for some numbers. The shoes look like oxfords, and they tie like oxfords. But they’re more flexible than oxfords. They’re soft.”
“Ideal for burglars.”
“Yes! They would be ideal. Remember how quietly that guy ran down the stairs and across the bare floorof the living room?” I rapped the table for emphasis. “Besides, I could see that bunion on his right foot, and a stiff oxford or even a pair of black leather tennis shoes probably would have hidden it. So I’m sure I’m right. He was wearing a pair of black jazz shoes!”
I heard a mew. That was the only word for it. It sounded like a cat in distress, and it was coming from the living room.
BeforeI could take the sound in, Gina came into the dining room. She was smiling oddly.
I stared at her. “Are you all right?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“What was that funny noise?”
“It may have been me. I turned my ankle, but it’s nothing serious. Did I hear you talking about Capezios?”
“I mentioned jazz shoes. I suppose they could be Capezios. I don’t know much about the brands. Why?”
“Oh. No reason.” Gina walked on through the kitchen, apparently bound for the bathroom.
I turned to Joe. “Should I call the detectives and add that bit of observation to the statement I made last night?”
“Sure. You never know. Jazz shoes might fit the MO of some known burglar. And I’ve got to leave.”
“I thought you and Darrell were going to work on the bathroom today.”
“We were. But we’ve bothgotten roped into the search for the home invaders.”
“ The Search for the Home Invaders. It sounds like a bad movie.”
“I’m afraid it’s not going to be that entertaining. The state police want the shore searched for several miles north and south of Double Diamond. I’m going to get out the boat, and Darrell and I will follow the shore from the river south to Double Diamond’s beach, looking foranything interesting on the way. They’ve got other people asking around the docks, looking for boaters who were out last night.”
“Then I guess they’re not sold on the thieves escaping by running up the beach, the way Harold thinks they got away.”
“No, they’re checking out the boat angle, too. But our part of the search is a complete waste of time. Just routine.”
“At least you won’t be workingin the bathroom, so I won’t be in your way if I take another shower.”
“Shower away. I hope Darrell and I can get back to the construction business this afternoon.”
I got some bottled water out of the refrigerator for Joe and Darrell. I reminded Joe that this was my day off. Joe assured me that he had his cell phone and would call to tell me when they’d get home.
By the time I’d eaten a pieceof toast, Gina had gone back upstairs. Before I cleared the table, I picked up the phone to call the Warner
He grinned. “I guess it worked. You waft over the ground like a gazelle.”
“More like a cow pony running through a rough pasture. But the lessons were helpful when I was doing all those pageants. Part of every competition is a big musical number to open the show, and all the contestants have to participate. The number had to be simple, of course, because some of us couldn’t dance. And the others usually couldn’t sing.”
“And you wore men’s dance shoes?”
“I wish! Usuallywe had to wear high heels, and they were picked for color, not comfort. But lots of the choreographers were men. And they had to teach this ungainly group to move around the stage with a reasonable amount of rhythm and grace, so they definitely did not plan a ballet number. No point work, no lifts, no high kicks. And no tap dancing, either. Therefore, the guys teaching us would wear jazz shoes.”
Joe still looked puzzled, so I went on. “If you’ve seen male dancers perform, you’ve seen jazz shoes. And as I said, women dancers wear them for some numbers. The shoes look like oxfords, and they tie like oxfords. But they’re more flexible than oxfords. They’re soft.”
“Ideal for burglars.”
“Yes! They would be ideal. Remember how quietly that guy ran down the stairs and across the bare floorof the living room?” I rapped the table for emphasis. “Besides, I could see that bunion on his right foot, and a stiff oxford or even a pair of black leather tennis shoes probably would have hidden it. So I’m sure I’m right. He was wearing a pair of black jazz shoes!”
I heard a mew. That was the only word for it. It sounded like a cat in distress, and it was coming from the living room.
BeforeI could take the sound in, Gina came into the dining room. She was smiling oddly.
I stared at her. “Are you all right?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“What was that funny noise?”
“It may have been me. I turned my ankle, but it’s nothing serious. Did I hear you talking about Capezios?”
“I mentioned jazz shoes. I suppose they could be Capezios. I don’t know much about the brands. Why?”
“Oh. No reason.” Gina walked on through the kitchen, apparently bound for the bathroom.
I turned to Joe. “Should I call the detectives and add that bit of observation to the statement I made last night?”
“Sure. You never know. Jazz shoes might fit the MO of some known burglar. And I’ve got to leave.”
“I thought you and Darrell were going to work on the bathroom today.”
“We were. But we’ve bothgotten roped into the search for the home invaders.”
“ The Search for the Home Invaders. It sounds like a bad movie.”
“I’m afraid it’s not going to be that entertaining. The state police want the shore searched for several miles north and south of Double Diamond. I’m going to get out the boat, and Darrell and I will follow the shore from the river south to Double Diamond’s beach, looking foranything interesting on the way. They’ve got other people asking around the docks, looking for boaters who were out last night.”
“Then I guess they’re not sold on the thieves escaping by running up the beach, the way Harold thinks they got away.”
“No, they’re checking out the boat angle, too. But our part of the search is a complete waste of time. Just routine.”
“At least you won’t be workingin the bathroom, so I won’t be in your way if I take another shower.”
“Shower away. I hope Darrell and I can get back to the construction business this afternoon.”
I got some bottled water out of the refrigerator for Joe and Darrell. I reminded Joe that this was my day off. Joe assured me that he had his cell phone and would call to tell me when they’d get home.
By the time I’d eaten a pieceof toast, Gina had gone back upstairs. Before I cleared the table, I picked up the phone to call the Warner
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