Page 114 of The Main Event

Why would she jump to that conclusion? “Um … no. It’s a reference toThe Exorcist.”

Disgust ran roughshod over Tammy’s pale features. “Of course. I should’ve seen that coming.”

“You really should have,” Sheryl agreed. “If you’re going to get bent out of shape over Ouija boards, I think you picked the wrong town to live in.”

“Not if I want to save the misguided souls in this town.”

“Whatever.” Sheryl’s eye roll could’ve knocked her over it was so pronounced. “If I were you, I would make a run for it now,” she said to me.

I’d already come to that conclusion myself. “That’s the plan.” Despite my survival instincts, I glanced at Tammy. “You still haven’t answered my question. Is there anything to report?”

She shook her head, although her lips curved in such a way I was momentarily caught off guard. She looked like an evil villain from a soap opera, ready to strike with some dastardly plan likefreezing the world or slapping a bear in a blizzard. “I believe everything is right on schedule,” she said primly.

I narrowed my eyes. Her demeanor was suspicious, even for her. When I glanced at Sheryl, I found her shrugging. She obviously thought there was something off about Tammy this evening as well. Since I didn’t care enough to dig deeper, I merely smiled. “Well, I’m sure I’ll be checking in throughout the night. You ladies have fun.”

“Oh, I always have fun,” Sheryl enthused. “Once I’m done with my shift, I have every intention of taking a bite out of some delicious partygoer.”

“Should I be worried?”

“Nope. I do it every year.”

“Just make sure you’re not wearing your name tag.” I started toward the ballroom. “I don’t want your biting to be associated with this hotel.”

“You’ve got it, boss.”

I could feel Tammy’s eyes on me as I crossed the lobby, and I slowed down right before I reached the hallway that led to the ballroom. The air felt suddenly thick, although I couldn’t ascertain why. I took a moment to do a long, slow sweep of my surroundings. Everything was in place, as it should be.

On a sigh, I shook my head. I was letting Tammy get to me. That’s what she wanted. I needed to let it go.

I stopped in the bar first. No invitations were necessary to visit the bar, although it was as decked out as the ballroom. I didn’t recognize either of the bartenders who were preparing for the influx of guests, but Daisy had told me that they brought in auxiliary help for the biggest party of the year.

I nodded in greeting at the alien and werewolf who were preparing to pour drinks and then left. It was time to find Daisy.

The ballroom was just as breathtaking as it had been when I’d checked in this morning. The workers were all buzzing about—in costume—and I couldn’t help but notice that most of them had opted for darker offerings. There was one Ken buzzing about behind the DJ station, but it made sense that he would opt to be glitzier than the others.

Daisy wasn’t in the middle of things, as I expected. I figured she would have her clipboard and be barking out orders. Levi was behind the bar, though. He had a staff of seven under his command—there were two auxiliary bars in addition to the main bar in the center of the room, the one he would be running. His costume threw me, however.

“What in the hell?” I demanded as he looked up.

His dark hair was arranged so it was going in a million different directions. He was dressed in loose brown pants, compared to my tighter pants, and his raggedy looking green shirt appeared to have seen better days. It wasn’t dirty, but it was wrinkled and rough.

“No way,” Levi said when he saw me.

“It looks as if I’ve matched the wrong person for a costume,” I muttered as I shifted closer to him. “You’re Shaggy, right?”

He shrugged. “Who else?”

“Why would you go as Shaggy?” That seemed unlikely for a guy who loved his fashion as much as Levi.

“Because that was my favorite cartoon when I was a kid, and we have to be careful when dressing for this party. Nothing too sexy … or weird. That means I had to save my dominatrix costume for a private party tomorrow.”

I couldn’t tell if he was joking. He was the type of person who would get off on making me uncomfortable. Of course, he was also the type of person who might wear a dominatrix costume to a private party.

“Where’s Daisy?” I demanded. I was suddenly uncertain. What if I’d picked the wrong costume? I was trying to send a message. What if Levi was the only one who got the message?

“Are you about to panic?” Levi looked far too amused. “If so, don’t. You picked the exact right costume … you bastard.” He inclined his chin to a spot over my shoulder.

I turned quickly, unsure of what I would find. There she was, though. Daisy. No,my Daisy. She was decked out in a purple dress that hit her mid-thigh. Rather than flats, though, she’d opted for a pair of matching boots that stretched to her calves, leaving a few inches of skin visible between the hem of the dress and the top of the boots. That little bit of skin was somehow more titillating than the Elvira costume had been. Maybe because I knew what was underneath it this time.

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