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.Then we wouldn’t get any information.”“Do you cut Vern McCoy’s hair?”“Why.yes.”How about Lou Rutledge’s hair?”“Uh.sure.Lou comes here.”“Ty Brisco’s?”“No.He goes to Joe the barber.”“I see.”I stuffed a tip in her right hand and a five in her left hand.“Put me down for five on Chad Dodson.”“Will do, Trixie.See you at the pageant.”When I got home, I marched right up to Chad Dodson’s mega motor home and knocked.His T-Bird was still in place, like it had never left.He opened the door.“What?”“What do you mean bumping my car from behind? I could have been killed!”“You’re going to have to translate that sentence for me.”“Chad, don’t mess with me.I’m not in the mood.”“Nor am I.” He yawned—it was a phony yawn, like I was boring him.I wanted to grab him by his golf shirt and pull him down the stairs.“You bumped my car—well, it was actually Antoinette Chloe’s van—with your red T-Bird at least four times on Route 3 and Route 13, and don’t deny it.”“My car never left here tonight—ask anyone—and without a doubt I wouldn’t ruin a vintage car.Now, is there anything else?”I mumbled a few blue words as I walked to his car to examine his front bumper.I didn’t see any scratches, but it was shadowy in spite of the lights around the parking lot.“Well?” he said.“I’ll be back, and while I’m gone, you’d better make plans to clear off my land.”“I would, my dear Trixie, but I can’t.Your cowboy friend, the deputy sheriff, stopped by tonight and reminded me not to leave again.He said he wanted to talk to me again and wanted me where he could find me.What do you make of that?”“I don’t know, Mr.Dodson, but I’ll tell you what I’m hoping.”“And what’s that?”“I’m hoping that he arrests you.After all, I have a five-dollar bet riding on you.”Chapter 12I found Ty sitting on my porch, the one facing the lake.He was surrounded by the pageant contestants living in my house and the notorious Antoinette Chloe, murder suspect.“Trixie, your hair looks fabulous!” ACB said.“All you need is one of my fascinators to jazz it up.”“Thanks, Antoinette Chloe, but I never wear hats.I look hideous in them.”Ty’s eyes twinkled.“Your hair does look nice.”My mouth suddenly went dry.“Where did you get it done?” ACB asked.“Harbor Hair?”“Yes.It’s the only place in town other than Joe the barber’s.Two-thirds of the Sandy Harbor Sheriff’s Department goes to Harbor Hair.” I shot a “your deputies blab too much” look at Ty, but he was too busy flirting with Aileen to pick it up on it.Jane O’Clemmons got up and sat cross-legged on the floor of the porch, at Ty’s feet.“Take my chair, Trixie.”“Thanks, Jane.”ACB put a hand on the arm of my Adirondack chair.She wore at least four pounds of bracelets on that wrist and the same poundage on the other side—for balance.“Trixie, we all were thinking.When the other contestants arrive for the dress rehearsal, how about if we have a little reception for them so everyone can meet?” Antoinette Chloe said.“What a nice idea.”“We were thinking that we could have it at the auditorium in front of the stage.I’ll arrange everything with Fingers.”“I’m working tonight,” I said.“I’ll make cookies.”“That’s very generous of you, sweetie.You’ve done so much already for everyone.” She started to cry.I patted her hand.“Antoinette Chloe, dry your eyes.Be happy.Our first pageant will be a success, with all the hard work you did.”“That the committee did.”“Let’s hear it for Antoinette Chloe, Trixie, and the committee!” Aileen said in her best cheerleader voice.There was a round of applause and cheers.Even Ty joined in.He sure was enjoying his role as a cop surrounded by beautiful young women.Oh, wait, he was a cop surrounded by beautiful young women.ACB and I included!At least we were young compared to the Wheelchair Grannies of the Sandy Harbor Golden Age Apartments.And that got me thinking.“Antoinette Chloe, how are the Wheelchair Grannies going to get to and from the auditorium?”“Bonnie Hoff has a wheelchair lift on her van.She’s going to transport them.”“Great.Anything I should do?” I asked, holding my breath.I didn’t know if I could add one more thing to my already very full plate.“No.Just show up to judge.I’ll have the score sheets there.”“Who are the other judges?” I asked ACB.“My ex-friend Marty Butler, Kathy Prellman from the car repair, Lois Valton from the candle shop, and Rachael Diamond from Harbor Hair.”“Five of us?”“Well, we don’t want ties.”The girls were getting excited.I could tell by the high-pitched conversations and giggles.“What about you, Miss Shubert? You seem pretty calm,” Ty said.“Are you excited?”“Of course.”“But you must be used to competing in pageants.”“Each one is new and different.”“How?” I asked.“This one is very small-town.The last one I did, in Vegas, had more hype and glamor,” she said, looking at her nails.“I won that one,” Aileen said.“What was it called?” one of the girls asked, just as I was about to.“Uh.Miss Casino,” Aileen said.“Which one?” Ty asked.She winked one of her deep-blue eyes.“Why, all of them.”ACB grunted as she rose to her feet.“Ladies, I think we should all head up to bed and get our beauty sleep.Tomorrow is going to be a jam-packed day.”There were nods, and just about all the contestants voiced agreement.All except Aileen.“I could stay here forever and listen to Ty’s stories.”He sat up taller in his chair.“I probably should get going, too.It’s been a nice evening, ladies.Happy trails and happy dreams.”He tweaked his hat brim.And I saw all the ladies start to swoon.Oh, brother.I waved to everyone as they left, but I stayed to talk to Ty.“A car followed me to Harbor Hair.He bumped the van a couple times.”“Are you okay?” he asked, scanning my body for boo-boos.How sweet.I flushed.“I’m fine, but it scared me.”“Were you driving your car?”“No, Antoinette Chloe’s white van.”He pushed his hat back with a thumb and shook his head.“Oh my! He must’ve thought I was Antoinette Chloe! That slimeball!”“That’s my guess.Did you get a good look at the driver?”“It was Chad Dodson in his red T-Bird.”“You saw him?”“No, but nobody else has a car like that around here but him.”“But I’ve been here most of the night.And I think I can safely say that he never took his car out.”“It had to be him, Ty.”He shook his head.“You didn’t see his face, so you have no proof.It could have been some kids fooling around.Or someone in town for the pageant, or a drunken fisherman looking to have a little fun.”“It wasn’t funny.”“I know [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]