Voices in the Wardrobe by Marlys Millhiser Page A

account.
    Charlie wondered if it was possible to overdose on Pepto Bismol. But hey, at least she wasn’t a grandmother—where the hell did that come from? Libby didn’t read newspapers or watch news on TV so how did she know about Kenny Cowper? Probably from Jacob Forney or Doug Esterhazie or his father, Ed, of Esterhazie Concrete fame, who was about to marry his third on Sunday. Charlie popped another little pink Pepto and wondered if she’d live to see Sunday.
    â€œHi, Jerry Parks with the Union-Tribune . We met at the Sea Spa at the Marina del Sol the other day? Please don’t run away this time. I’m investigating the murder there and understand—you sure don’t look old enough to be a grandmother.” He’d caught her slipping out of the ladies’ room in the lobby which was in a separate building from her room and the conference rooms.
    â€œWhat is all this grandmother stuff?”
    Kenny was just coming out of the gents next door. “Charlie, there’s a private bar, not far if you want to sneak away. Monroe’s there already. Said I’d bring you.”
    â€œWe’ll have to kidnap him. He’s press.”
    â€œGive me your cell?” Kenny asked Jerry Parks pleasantly. “Don’t want to miss the action, do you? Where’s your photographer?”
    â€œWho are you? What’s my cell and photographer got to do with—”
    â€œGuess he doesn’t want to go with us, Charlie. I’m her bodyguard. Let’s step into the men’s and I’ll block you into a stall so she can make a getaway. Real reporters don’t pass up chances to get on the inside of a story.”
    Jerry Parks went for his cell and Kenny grabbed it out of his hand before he could punch 911 or his photographer’s number and handed it to Charlie. “You wanna hide this weapon somewhere in the ladies?”
    â€œBut that’s against the law—you can’t—”
    By the time Charlie returned to the lobby after dropping the cellular weapon in the sanitary napkin bin’s disposal slot, Jerry Parks had agreed that he’d rather go to the private party. But he squirmed when Kenny shoved him into a bright red car at the lobby door and they sped off to the Bahia close by.
    â€œPhotographer was in the parking lot,” Kenny explained.
    Brodie Caulfield, driving, winked at her in the rear view mirror. “Lots of budding screenwriters were too. Word’s out you drive a metallic blue Dodge Ram, Ms. Greene, and there’s only one of those in the parking lot.”
    â€œAnd it hasn’t moved since you got here,” the reporter from the local paper said. “But you have.”
    Kenny added, “Yeah, for somebody who doesn’t want to get hassled, you sure know how to stand out.”
    The patio bar at the Bahia was deserted but for their little grouping. Keegan had needed a break from the aspirants too. “I enjoy adulation, but there is something else in the conference air back there. It’s a little scary.”
    â€œDesperation.” Charlie ordered a margarita with salt and dug into the nachos somebody had ordered placed in the center of each of the two tables, shoved together.
    Chorizo, pintos, corn kernels, melted cheese, chopped green chiles, black olives, raw tomatoes, green onion, leaf lettuce sliced into strips on corn chips with a lime, and pineapple and roasted-chile salsa. A welcome and delicious dinner, sadists would consider an appetizer. Charlie would need it. “How do I get my truck back? I have to go to Maggie at the Sea Spa. I want to try to kidnap her and bring her back to my room at the Islandia.”

Fourteen
    â€œSo who all is escaping, Jason North and the other shark? Sarah?”
    â€œShe’s already here.” And Dr. Grant Howard was already looped. “In the ladies. The rest of the faculty, Jason and Morrie, are at the Islandia cocktail party where they should