Page 58 of Death By Llama
I paused when I caught a glimpse of something beneath a pair of sneakers tucked against the suitcase’s side.My breath caught.A flash of red velvet.
“I think we hit the jackpot.”I shook out the neatly folded cloak—red velvet trimmed in white fur.
“That’s definitely the cloak Nick was wearing at the festival,” Oliver said, his gaze fixed on it.
I held it carefully in front of me, short enough that the bottom of it almost dragged on the floor.“We need to find something to put it in.There could definitely be Nick’s blood or something on it,” I said.
Oliver glanced around the room, but there was nothing in sight to use.“Give me a second,” he said before disappearing into the hallway.
While waiting, I held the cloak up carefully, letting my eyes trace over every inch of it.I scanned the fabric and the trim for stains, hairs, or anything that might lead us closer to answers.My fingers brushed against the neckline—right where the hood met the rest of the cloak.The nap of the velvet material was distinctly flattened in two places, creating shapes that resembled hearts lying sideways rather than upright.I stared at them, feeling an odd pang of recognition.Something about the shapes looked…familiar.Then it dawned on me—I had the answer in an instant.I knew exactly what made those impressions.
Oliver hurried back into the room, clutching a trash bag.He snapped it open and held it out.“Here,” he said, his tone brisk.
I slid the cloak into the bag, careful not to touch it more than necessary.
“We need to call Justin right now,” I said, digging into my jeans pocket for my cell phone, excitement bubbling up in my voice.“This is going to prove everything.”
Oliver and I grinned at each other.
SIXTEEN
Justin tooka seat at the table behind the Boston thespians.Brandy gave me a grin and a “watch this” expression and went over to join him.
“Hi, baby!”she said cheerfully, leaning in to give him a giant kiss.She plopped herself in his lap as he wrapped his arm around her lower back.
“I don’t know how she is doing that with a straight face,” Oliver murmured under his breath, leaning against the bar top.
Brandy played her part perfectly in making it seem like Justin was there for social reasons only.Granted, this wasn’t that much of a performance for her, but she still had taken it up a notch.
“I applaud her efforts.Besides, I’m starting to think Justin actually likes how over-the-top she is.He seems to want someone who is all in on a relationship.”
“She is that.But you’d better make your move.”
“Yep.”
It was now or never.
I straightened my spine and took the tray of drinks Dave had passed over to me and hoisted it up on my palm.Most of the trivia night attendees had departed and with my parents retired to my house behind the pub, this was the perfect opportunity to resolve the matter and clear my llama’s name forever.
“Here you go,” I said to the table as I started passing around the drinks.“You have all had such a trying weekend, I can’t believe you’re still vertical.I would be passed out asleep if I had been through all this.”
Vance took his beer from me and raised his glass.“I think we can all agree that our minds are racing.”
The juggler nodded.“I don’t know how I’m going to go back to work tomorrow.”He glanced over at me as I deposited his bourbon on the table.“I’m a high school science teacher.I just juggle on the side.”
“Oh, that’s a very impactful career,” I said.“Being a teacher.”Then I worried that sounded rude.“And a juggler.”
Daphne shuddered.I had to assume it was because of Nick’s death, not the juggler’s day job.“I’m going to have nightmares for weeks after seeing Nick lying there like that.”
“It’s just so awful,” I said sympathetically.“I guess at least Nick went out doing what he loved.”
That didn’t sound quite the way I had intended it to.I was trying to find a way to bring up acting but that seemed like a bit of a misfire.Vance was scowling, the juggler looked at me like I was in need of medical attention, and Daphne started crying.The blonde, Gemma, wrinkled her nose.
“What do you mean?”she asked.“Did Nick love to jump off cliffs?”
“No, of course not.I mean, not that I know of.I just meant that he was here for the festival because he loved acting.Being an actor.”I was stumbling over my words a bit.I passed a glass of wine to Gemma and tried to think of a way to regroup.
I definitely should have at least asked the juggler his name.It seemed too late to worry about that now.I plowed ahead.
