Page 87 of All You Want
Suzette sashays to her dresser, but all she has are sequined evening gowns and slinky space-opera jumpsuits. “Is that hunky zombie cowboy going to be around? I’d like to match one of the deputies.”
“I’m a match for that handsome fur trapper from Sutter’s Mill,” Rosalie chimes in. “I don’t see anyone matching you unless it’s that steampunk alien ghost hunter who left.”
“Don’t worry about matching anyone. I’ve a feeling the guards and deputies won’t be dressed tonight,” I tell them. “Visible police presence, as they say.”
“Oh, makes us feel safer already.” Suzette primps her glossy black hair and makes a kissing motion with her bright-red lipsticked lips.
“Good,” I concur. “My groundskeeper also volunteered to hang around, and I’m sure the old guys will be out there with flashlights.”
“What should I wear?” Suzette asks. “That’ll look sexy and keep me warm?”
“You could wear this with a down vest.” I pick up one of the neon jumpsuits and hold it in front of Suzette. “This will work if you’re looking for an alien abduction.”
“If the alien’s that smart Justin Jameson, I’m all on it.” Suzette preens with the hot lime-green suit. You know he wasn’t really drunk, but he went along with the other guys?”
“What would he do that for?” I wonder out loud. “We could have used more eyes on the ground last night.”
“He didn’t want Al and Dillon to be railroaded by that city cop,” Suzette says with a spark in her eyes. “He told me he’s self-studying to be a lawyer.”
“He is the smartest of the bunch,” I admit. “But he’s a lot of bragging and no hat. Irresponsible.”
“Let’s get dressed,” Rosalie says. “Tami, you need to borrow anything?”
“I’m not going to wear a mask,” I reply. “After what happened last night, I want to be around in case anyone needs me.”
“You can be yourself, Tami. Add a cowgirl hat and be a sheriff’s wife.” Suzette pulls a ten-gallon hat from her dresser and puts it on my head. “There.”
“Oh, and borrow this badge Larissa left on her nightstand.” Rosalie pins a toy sheriff’s badge on my shirt pocket. “She got it from her Bigfoot as a souvenir.”
“You mean she undressed him before running off with him?” Now, I’m starting to wonder if she and Todd had a make out session before they both disappeared. Did they take a detour to his cabin to change clothes? If so, does he have her stashed there? How can it be if he practically asked me to marry him? “This is too weird.”
“Not really,” Suzette says. “I’m sure she won’t mind you borrowing it.”
“Okay, then, let’s get dressed and made up.” Rosalie unzips her jeans and steps out of them, then pulls on a pair of leather lace-up pants.
Suzette shimmies into her neon-green jumpsuit and laces up her thigh-high iguana leather boots. I touch up my makeup and make sure my hair looks great underneath the cowgirl hat.
“We still have some time before the trick or treating.” I give them a cue that I have to leave them. “I need to speak to the maids about room cleaning.”
“Okay, wait up.” Rosalie slips on her fur-trimmed ice-age booties. “We promised ourselves not to let you go anywhere alone.”
“Right, we heard some say you’re the murderer,” Suzette lets out. “But we know you’d never do something like that. I mean, you hate blood, and you wouldn’t want to break a nail.”
“Poison would be more your style,” Rosalie chimes in. “I love the way you named the tea canisters.”
“Earl Grey Ghost, High Tea Hemlock, Deadly Darjeeling,” Suzette rattles off.
I can’t get away from Ma Belle’s Tearoom fast enough. My friends have no idea what happened in that barn so many years ago, and they think it’s a spot of fun to joke about poisoned tea. It’s too bad Ma Belle was so prominent at the Bee Sting, and Evan insisted we couldn’t leave her out.
I wonder if he knew.
“Anyway, I don’t have much time to make sure everything’s in place for the Trickvenger Hunt.” I rush out the door, followed by my two buddies, still talking about poisoned tea.
“You two heard anything about the black cat that haunts this place?” I deflect them with a new topic of speculation.
“I’ve seen him,” Rosalie exclaims. “He’s so black it’s hard to see him.”
“He’s not really black.” Suzette huffs. “He has white fur that’s stained black.”
