Page 157 of Say Yes to the Death

- Catch the bad guys

- Shove it in Jack’s face

“I look freaking ridiculous,” Claire said as she tugged on a shoulder-length wig with pin-straight brown hair. A red sequined cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline dragged on the floor. A gaudy costume necklace adorned her neck.

Mindy stood next to her in the small mirror on the drawing room wall. She got to wear a sensible black pencil skirt and button-down blouse.

“You do,” she said, “but at least you don’t look like yourself. This is definitely the kind of thing Wendy would wear to a professional networking event. She’d storm in and threaten to sue everyone for not bringing out the red carpet.”

Claire groaned and slid on a pair of sunglasses. “Are people starting to arrive?”

Nicole opened the door to the drawing room and stepped inside. “Yep. I don’t know where Sally drummed up all these women on such short notice, but I’m impressed. Even the mayor’s here. Falsies,” she said, tossing fake eyelashes and some glue at Claire.

“Who’s going to see falsies under my sunglasses? By the way, who brought the tequila? I need to dump some on me.”

Mindy pulled a flask out of her purse and handed it to Claire. She dabbed it on like eau de parfum and handed it back. She smelled like a bar bathroom after Cinco de Mayo.

Her phone rang, and she jumped.

“Hi, Mom. Thanks for the care package. You know you don’t have to keep apologizing.”

Alice had sent several packages with empanadas, bath bombs, gourmet chocolates, and apothecary jars since their discussion about Jack.

“I know, darling. I just feel guilty. What are you up to tonight?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just a networking event,” Claire said, rubbing one hand on her incredibly tense neck. Definitely not kidnapping her nemesis and impersonating her to draw out a homicidal mob of morons.

The door opened again, and Kyle and Luke walked in wearing nicely tailored suits. Luke’s leather shoes shone under the overhead light, and his hair was smoothed back. Despite not sleeping, he looked alert and ready for anything. There were literal lives at stake, but damn if he didn’t look good.

“That sounds nice. So, you aren’t planning on doing anything dangerous? No midnight swimming?”

“No, Mom, it’s too cold for any midnight swimming tonight. It’ll only be in the 60s.”

“You know my intuition doesn’t lie, Clairebear. I just woke up from a nap and I had a dream that you were floating under the stars, bleeding. Just stay away from bodies of water, okay?”

Claire laughed, but her stomach lurched. Dying sunlight glittered on the lake outside the window.

“Your imagination is amazing, Mom. Don’t worry. I’m safe.”

“I’m not convinced you are. Keep Luke close. He has such a soothing aura. He’s good for you.”

“Will do, Mom. I love you. I’ll talk to you later.” Claire hurriedly hung up the phone.

“Is Mercury in retrograde tonight?” Luke asked seriously, taking a big sip of water.

She shot him a dirty look. “Even better. My mom said she had a vision of me floating in some water and bleeding. So, that’s encouraging. Who’s ready to get things started?” she said, clapping her hands together and feigning enthusiasm.

“Did Sawyer give the all clear?” Kyle asked.

Luke frowned.

“He did,” Mindy chimed in. “His van is parked across the street. He set up a command center in there where he can see all the cameras.”

“Great. I just want to check in with him quick before we get started.” Claire went through the drawing room to the kitchen and escaped out the side door. Nicole and Mindy followed despite her protests.

They stepped cautiously down the rocky driveway in their stilettos. At the windowless black van, Claire knocked six times in a pre-defined pattern on the side door. Mindy smoothed a flyaway and straightened her posture.

The door slid open, revealing Sawyer in a headset and on a chair before a row of dimly lit monitors. Rosie sat in a bed in the corner of the van, happily panting. She also wore a miniature headset.

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