“Who is we?”

  “Chief Dawson, Richard Kennelwood, and I.”

  Aunt Tatiana dropped into her chair. “I thought an upset stomach, maybe a touch of the flu . . .”

  “I suppose it’s possible Rebecca did it.” I spoke slowly. “Almost anything’s possible.” When Rebecca finished her scenes with Todd at the bungalow colony, she’d gone directly to her trailer. I hadn’t seen her again. I thought over what Mary-Alice had told me about everyone’s movements this afternoon. She hadn’t mentioned Rebecca. Rebecca hadn’t gone to the viewing of the rushes.

  Had she been creeping around in the woods outside my house, waiting for the opportunity to kill my mother?

  That would be a dangerous thing for her to do. She was a beautiful woman; she had a recognizable face. Rebecca hadn’t done any filming here, but plenty of people at Haggerman’s, guests and staff, had seen her Monday evening and knew who she was. Olivia had been poisoned in the middle of the day; if Rebecca had been here she would have been noticed. She would have risked being followed by eager autograph hunters. Tomorrow, I might have a word with young Lacy. She was a curious and observant girl and interested in the activities of the movie people. She’d been about to approach Gloria and Judy at one time, she’d told me, but her father had called her away. She might have seen Rebecca or one of the other actors or crew where they shouldn’t have been.

  I thought back to Monday night, and then I remembered something else. Rebecca had flirted openly with Luke, the waiter. Elias had been angry about that. I knew now he’d been angry because he wanted Rebecca for himself. Had Rebecca killed Elias and then convinced Luke to poison Olivia?

  Luke had explained where that fancy car came from. Didn’t mean he wasn’t ready and willing to do Rebecca’s bidding.

  “What are you thinking?” Tatiana said.

  “I’m thinking it’s late and you’re tired. As am I.”

  “Are you going to the hospital in the morning?”

  “Yes, I’d like to go first thing. Do you want to come with me?”

  She nodded. I bent over her chair and gave her a kiss, called my good night to Winston, and left.

  As I picked my way down the dark path, I was conscious of the whisper of the wind in the trees and the movement of every small night creature.

  I needed to tell Dave Dawson what I knew. What I’d guessed, at any rate. I reminded myself that I knew nothing much at all. I’d leapt to a heck of a lot of conclusions. I didn’t have his home phone number. I could leave a message with the police dispatcher, but they might not call him tonight. And even if they did, there was no telephone in Velvet’s building, so he’d have to call the hotel and they’d send a sleepy page for me.

  I decided to go to bed. Let everyone sleep. Olivia was safe in the hospital. I’d be safe in Velvet’s room.

  Maybe during the night I’d think of something more concrete to take to the police.

  * * *

  * * *

  I found Velvet sitting up in bed reading. She put the book aside when I came in. “Everything okay?”

  “If you mean with Olivia, I haven’t heard from the hospital, and they’d call me if there’d been any change.”

  “You’re late. I was getting worried.”

  I sat on the edge of her bed. Her face was scrubbed clean, her blue eyes clear, her hair tied in a long golden braid. “I didn’t hear what the doctor said to you, but I’m guessing whatever happened to Olivia wasn’t an accident,” she said.

  “Doesn’t look like it. Richard and I have been asking some questions, trying to do what we can to help Chief Dawson, particularly as he doesn’t seem to be getting any help from the state police, because we’re both trying to protect the reputation of our businesses, but—”

  “You think that’s why Richard Kennelwood’s helping you?”

  I looked at her. “You suspect he has another reason?”

  “Yes, Elizabeth, he has a totally other reason. It has nothing to do with him covering up a crime, so don’t worry about that. You can be so naive sometimes.”

  That was the second time today someone had called me naive. Maybe I’m not as worldly as I like to think I am. “I’ll ask you what that means tomorrow. As I was saying, this attack on Olivia has made it more than a hotel matter. It’s personal.”

  “They’ll be wrapping up filming here in the morning, and at the bungalow colony in another day or two. Meaning they’ll be finished and out of your hair. And then you’ll be out of my hair and back in your own bed.” She stretched out her arms. “Such bliss. I can’t wait for a good night’s sleep. Do you know you snore dreadfully?”

  “I do not!”

  “Yes, you do. The first night, I thought the mountainside was caving in.” She grinned at me.

  “As for them all leaving . . .” I hesitated before blurting out what was on my mind. “Have you made any plans around that?”

  Her eyes narrowed, and her noise crinkled in a question. “Plans? What does the end of the movie filming have to do with me?”

  “You’re not thinking of . . . going with them?”

  “Good heavens, Elizabeth, why would you—?” She burst out laughing. “You didn’t think . . . Surely not . . . You think I’m planning to run away with Todd? How delicious is that?” The smile died and she took my hand in hers. “Is that why you told me about . . . about Ron?”

  I swallowed.

  “I’m honored you shared your secret with me, Elizabeth, truly I am. You did it because you care about me, and I love you even more for that. But I have no plans to go anywhere.”

  “But . . . but . . . you talked about being in movies. You said it was all so glamorous. You and Todd . . . You seem to be getting on really well. You had a date with him the other night.”

  “You are so naive, Elizabeth, and I mean that in a good way. Truly. Todd is utterly charming and so much fun to be with. He knows how to give a girl a good time and make her feel special. The problem with Todd, and all the other guys like him, is that they know how to make every woman feel special.” She put her arm around me. “You need me here. I wouldn’t leave you in the lurch.”

  “Sure you would.”

  “Okay, I would. I know I can’t act, and that means out in Hollywood, if ever I did arrive all sweet and innocent, they’d want me for one thing, and that one thing, by which I mean my stunningly lovely good looks, won’t last for long. Not by their standards anyway. I heard how they talk about Rebecca; you saw Gary screaming at her today. Respect isn’t the word any of them use. She’s lucky she has Gloria to intervene on her behalf. Can’t always count on that.”

  “Gloria. What do you mean?”

  “When Gary was having a go at Rebecca today, Gloria told him to back off. The other night when we were in the ballroom after the dinner, Gloria had a few quiet words with Rebecca after Elias got mad at her.”

  Gloria.

  I jumped up. “I gotta check something out. Won’t be long.”

  “What?”

  “I’ll be back.”

  I charged out of the room and down the stairs. It was after midnight, and the women who danced in the ballroom were staggering in, bleary-eyed, dresses rumpled, shoes in hand, laughing too loudly.

  I ran to the hotel, past guests out for a stroll before turning in or heading to their cabins. The veranda and lobby were crowded with people not wanting the evening to end.

  The bellhop assigned to watch over the main entrance opened the door for me with a respectful nod.

  “Were you here late this afternoon?” I asked him. “Say, between four thirty and six?”

  He blinked at the urgency in my tone but had the sense not to ask any foolish questions. “Yes, Mrs. Grady. I was. I went for my dinner break promptly at eight.”

  “Do you know who Miss Gloria Grant is? The woman staying at Miss Peters’s house.”

  “Sure. The movie star. Nice lady. She gave me an autograph for my wife. My wife was thrilled.”

  “Did you see Miss Grant leave the hotel this afternoon?”

  His face crunched in thought. “I remember. She and Miss Peters and the singer were dropped off here around four. Miss Grant left again a bit later, this time by herself.”

  “Did she take a cab? It would have picked her up outside.”

  “Yeah, she did. Can’t say for sure what time though, sorry, although it was before folks went in for dinner. Before the cocktail hour, as people were still wearing bathing suits and their outdoor clothes and the like.”

  “Tell me what you noticed about her movements around that time. Please.”

  “Nothing worth noting. She came down the path and went directly to the taxi stand. She didn’t speak to anyone, not that I saw. She got in a cab and left. If you need to speak to the cabbie, it was Karl Hurwitz.”

  “The cab was waiting at the taxi stand when Miss Grant arrived?”

  “Yeah. Not a lot of call for taxis at that time of day. Early to go into town for dinner, late for lunch, and folks leaving have checked out long before.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Why do you want to know? Has something happened?”

  “Everything’s fine.”

  He touched his cap. “Have a nice night, Mrs. Grady.”

  I turned to leave, but the young man behind the reception desk was waving at me and I went over. “Yes?”

  “Is Miss Peters all right? We heard she’s in the hospital, and everyone’s concerned.”

  I’d been hoping the news wouldn’t get around the hotel, but I’d been naive—that word again—to think Olivia’s whereabouts could be kept secret. “She’s suffering from an upset tummy, that’s all. Thank you for asking.”

  “I’ll let the staff know. I was surprised her guest’s checking out early, but I guess it’s okay if Miss Peters isn’t too sick.”

  “Her guest? You mean Miss Grant?”

  “She called me a short while ago and asked what time the morning train for New York City leaves Monticello. I’ve made a note for the day staff to have a taxi called and a bellhop to go to the house to collect her bags in time for her to catch it.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” I walked back to Velvet’s room full of thought.

  Gloria Grant had poisoned my mother, I was almost sure of it. She, unlike the rest of them, was a regular fixture of the hotel. She’d been here for almost a week and hadn’t confined herself to the house. She’d eaten in the dining room, danced in the ballroom, lounged around the pool, had drinks on the veranda, and strolled freely around the property. She chatted to people, staff as well as guests, and signed autographs. Lacy had seen her talking to the gardeners. No one would have cause to wonder why she was hanging around Olivia’s house in the afternoon. At the time Olivia phoned the kitchen and asked for her dinner to be brought at five o’clock, Gloria was in her room—i.e. my room—supposedly writing letters.

  Gloria had been due at Kennelwood at five to join the others in watching the rushes. She’d been late; Mary-Alice had told me that in the car on the way back from the hospital. Gloria had apologized, saying she hadn’t been able to get a cab.

  But the cabbie had been sitting in the hotel driveway at that time waiting for a fare.

  Gloria had poisoned Olivia and that had to mean she killed Elias Theropodous. I thought I knew why.

  I had absolutely no way of proving it.

  Chapter 21

  “Everything okay?” Velvet looked up from her book when I came in.

  “Yes. No. But it will be. You said you’re not interested in going to Hollywood with Todd.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’ve changed your mind.”

  “I have?”

  “You have.”

  I sat on her bed and told her everything.

  * * *

  * * *

  We were both up early, but we weren’t any earlier than the movie people. Our parking lot was full of trucks and trailers, and early-rising guests were watching the crew setting up their equipment down by the dock when I ran past. Pale light was spreading across the hills to the east, and the lake was a smooth sheet of shimmering blue glass.

  Gary was waving his hands at the cameramen while Mary-Alice hovered at his elbow. Todd, today dressed not in his army uniform but in the white blazer and navy blue slacks, sipped at a cup of coffee, chatting to Matthew Oswald and Richard Kennelwood. The makeup woman fussed over Roger. No sign of Rebecca or of Nancy Littlejohn, but they wouldn’t be needed for these scenes.

  From my office I called the hospital with a message for my mother to tell her I’d been delayed and would be in to see her later, and I sent a page in search of Aunt Tatiana to say I’d be going to the hospital later than originally planned. I called the police dispatch number and left an urgent message for Dave Dawson, asking him to come to Haggerman’s as soon as he could. Judging by the tone of the voice of the man on the other end of the line, he didn’t regard my message as more important than any other.

  Messages sent, I headed to my house. I left my office by the back door, deliberately avoiding the main path and the movie crew. I didn’t want anyone to stop me and attempt to engage me in conversation.

  I found Velvet waiting, as instructed, behind a tree.

  “This is a stupid idea, Elizabeth,” she said. “As I recall you tried this the last time, and it didn’t work. Call Chief Dawson, and let him know what you’re up to. What we’re up to.”

  “This time,” I said, “I can be sure my listener will be in place, because that person will be me. Gloria’s planning to leave shortly. If I can’t get Dave before the train departs, she’ll be out of his reach. We have to do this now. I’m hoping we can trick her into confessing, and when she knows I know, the game will be up and I can have security hold her here until the police arrive.”

  “Okay, say I buy that. Which I don’t but never mind. Why is it up to you to trap her?”

  “If what I think happened, happened, I can’t let Gloria simply walk away, to go back to her normal life. I might have been able to do that—to leave it to the police, I mean—if not for the attack on Olivia. On my mother. That I can’t forget, or forgive. Nor can I hope the police will be able to prove their case. They might not be able to. I have no proof, and they don’t either.”

  “Okay,” Velvet said. “You’re the boss.” She put her hands under her chin, cocked her head, blinked rapidly, and showed her teeth. “It’s time for my close-up.”

  I gave her arm a squeeze and what I hoped was an encouraging smile, and I slipped away.

  The lights were on in the house, and the drapes were pulled across the living room windows, open to let in the cool night breezes. I crept, slowly and carefully, up the steps. I tiptoed across the porch, scarcely breathing, and leaned against the wall next to the open window.

  Velvet waited until I was in place, and then she clomped up the stairs and rapped loudly on the door. “Helloooo! Anyone at home? It’s me, Velvet.”

  The door opened. “Good morning,” Gloria said. “It’s early, dear. Is everything okay? Olivia’s not here. I got a notice that she’d taken ill last night and had been admitted to the hospital. Did you hear?”

  “Yes, I did. Elizabeth’s gone to the hospital already. I hope you don’t mind me bothering you, but I couldn’t sleep. It’s you I want to talk to, not Olivia.”

  “That sounds intriguing. Come in.”

  Velvet stepped inside. “Oh,” my friend said, “It looks as though you’re packed and ready to go.”

  I didn’t care for the unnaturally high tone of her voice. Hopefully Gloria wouldn’t know Velvet well enough to recognize that she was trying to project.

  “I hate to leave when poor Olivia’s in the hospital, but I have appointments in New York City I can’t miss. I’ll send flowers to thank her and her daughter for their hospitality. I don’t have a great deal of time, my taxi will be here shortly. What can I do for you?”

  “I . . . I want your advice. You’ve been in Hollywood for a long time.”

  “I like to think it’s not been that long.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Quite all right. It has been a long time.”

  “Do you think . . . I mean . . . do you think a girl like me can make it in the movies?”

  “Why are you asking me that? I seem to recall we discussed that very thing at dinner the other night, and I advised you against it. Has something changed?”

  “Todd wants me to come with him. To Hollywood. It would mean leaving Haggerman’s, but I don’t mind that. I don’t like it here much anyway, and Elizabeth can be such a . . . never mind what Elizabeth can be. I want to be with Todd.” Velvet squealed in a very un-Velvet-like way. “He’s sooooo fabulous, but I don’t know about moving to Hollywood if I can’t get work. I mean, Todd’ll help me get set up and do all he can to introduce me to people and such, but I thought maybe you’d be willing to help me too.”

  “Todd Thompson asked you to come with him?” Gloria’s voice had turned to steel. “To Hollywood?”

  Velvet sighed dreamily. “Yes. Isn’t it marvelous?”

  “Marvelous is not the word I’d have chosen. Are you not aware that Todd is married?”

  “Married? He is? I mean, yeah, he told me about that.”

  Maybe Velvet wasn’t such a poor actor after all: she’d adapted quickly to that surprising piece of information. “They’re getting a divorce; his wife doesn’t understand how important acting is to him. He’ll help me with my career. Like Elias helped you.”

  “You think Elias Theropodous helped me?” Gloria snapped. “You think Todd Thompson wants to help you? Don’t be a fool.”

  Winston waddled out of the woods and climbed the stairs. He saw me crouching beside the open window and woofed in greeting. He sniffed my shoes.