Read Online A Golden Cage by Shelley Freydont - Free Book Online

make sense. She’d been flirting with him when they’d left her backstage after the play. Maybe they’d quarreled. Had he overheard Laurette offer her a place to stay at Bonheur? Laurette had made the offer right before they left the tent and just as Charlie arrived. Or he might have just followed her there. Anyone could have followed her. She rather stuck out in that gold cape and diaphanous gown.
    â€œDeanna!”
    Deanna jumped and turned to frown at Joe, who had sat beside her at the table.
    â€œWill has been trying to get your attention, but you seem to be off in—”
    â€œJoseph, that will do,” his mother said. Deanna blinked. She sometimes forgot that Laurette was Joe’s mother. She seemed so young and vibrant; Deanna had even heard her laughing with her husband.
    â€œI’m sorry, Will—Sergeant Hennessey,” Deanna corrected herself. “What did you ask?”
    â€œMrs. Manon”—he glanced at Gran Gwen—“says you took Miss Deeks to your, uh, room, to um . . .”
    He was blushing. Probably because of his reddish chestnut hair, but still . . . Will Hennessey was blushing over bedrooms. The mind boggled.
    â€œI took her to my bedroom to find her something to sleep in since she arrived with only the clothes on her back.” She glanced at him, but he was focused on the notebook. “A gold cape and a white gauze dress, probably a costume—you could see straight through it and she didn’t have anything on underneath.”
    Laurette cast her a sideways look and quickly hid her face behind her napkin.
    â€œReally, Dee,” Joe said.
    Really, Joe. You’re getting to be such a prude.
    â€œIt’s important to be accurate when giving details of a crime scene . . . isn’t it, Sergeant Hennessey?”
    Will cleared his throat. “Indeed. So you loaned her nightwear and did she go to her room then?”
    â€œNot immediately. We talked a bit first.”
    Suddenly she had everyone’s attention.
    â€œAbout what?”
    â€œWell . . .” Deanna was sure some of the things Belle hadtold her she’d told in confidence, but did that count considering Charlie was dead and Belle was missing?
    â€œGo ahead,” Laurette said. “Whatever she said might help us find her.”
    If she wants to be found
, thought Deanna. “I asked her about being an actress.”
    â€œDon’t even think it,” Joe said under his breath.
    Deanna ignored him. “She said she liked it, but you had to be strong all the time.”
    â€œDid it sound like she was planning to go home?” Laurette asked, then put her fingers over her mouth. “I do beg your pardon, Sergeant.”
    â€œThat’s quite all right, Mrs. Ballard. Did it?”
    â€œShe said she couldn’t go back.”
    â€œDid she say why?”
    â€œNo.” Deanna pressed her fingers to her temples as if she could jar the memory of their conversation.
    â€œIs something wrong, Dee? I mean, Miss Randolph,” Will corrected.
    â€œNo. I just wish I could remember. It was late and I’d been awakened from sleep and I guess my observational skills weren’t at their best. I’m sorry.”
    She could swear she heard Joe grinding his teeth. They needed to have a little talk if they were to keep from coming to blows.
    â€œOh, I asked her if there was anything we could do to help her. I mean, she seemed so distraught. But she said that she didn’t think anyone could help her.”
    â€œDid she elaborate?”
    Deanna shook her head. “Then we started talking aboutthe latest
Old Sleuth
.” She’d been looking at her uneaten food, but looked up at Will. “She reads dime novels, too.”
    Will merely nodded.
    â€œElspeth said she bet there was a man involved.” Deanna’s voice wavered. “And I guess she was right.”
    The room had become so silent