over.
I thanked Juliet. She started to go and then paused as if she wanted to say something else. Then she shrugged and went up the aisle.
Donna Sanchez was the next to enter. Her reaction to Venice’s demise was much more vocal. She flew down the aisle to inspect the damage.
“Oh, my God! Who did this? This is horrible!” She turned to me, hands on hips. She was a dark-eyed brunette with a smooth olive complexion burning red with indignation. “Who’s responsible for this? It’s Juliet, isn’t it?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Oh, she’d do anything to keep me from winning.”
“Or coming in second?”
Donna smiled a grim smile. “Juliet told you that, didn’t she? She’s forgetting cheerleading squad and debate team. I totally blew her away on both, plus I’ve got a full scholarship to Wake Forest, and I think she’s going to study Nail Polishing 101 at Parkland Community College.”
“If you’ve got a full scholarship, why bother with the pageant?”
“Well, to spite Juliet, mostly. She thinks she’s got it sewn up, but I’m going to blow her silky lace panties off.”
An interesting visual. “If the pageant is cancelled, who benefits?”
“Nobody. Well, maybe Mr. Stacy and his friends could gloat a little.”
“Do you really think Juliet is responsible for these incidents?”
“I wouldn’t put it past her. But she’s not running me off. I’ll come put this scenery back together myself if I have to.”
“What did you do after rehearsal last night?”
“Evan suggested everyone go home and practice their talent.”
“And that’s what you did?”
“Yes. Juliet thinks her singing is so wonderful, but everyone says my character ballet is the best they’ve ever seen.”
Donna didn’t look like a ballerina, but that never stops the character ballets. “How about this afternoon when you came in? Who was here?”
“Juliet, Randi, and I had to be here by one o’clock for our interviews.”
“What about the other contestants?”
“Six had interviews yesterday. The remaining three come later this afternoon.”
Randi Peterson was also shocked by the sight of dead Venice. After commenting sadly on the Venetian disaster, she gave me a determined stare. “There’s no way anyone’s scaring me away with these silly pranks. I’m here to compete and to keep Juliet from winning. She doesn’t deserve the crown or the good name of Miss Celosia.”
“Why not?”
Randi had brown curls and hazel eyes under high, perfectly plucked brows. The brows went up even further. “Because she’s a bitch. Can’t you tell?”
“There’s at least one in every pageant.”
“Whoever wins Miss Celosia is supposed to represent our town. She ought to be someone good, don’t you think?”
“Good like sweet and kind?”
“Well, yes. Isn’t that the whole idea? Who wants a Miss Celosia who’s bragging about her special designer gown with the one-of-a-kind sequins and looking down her nose at everyone and chasing after every good-looking man in town?”
“Is that what Juliet’s doing?”
Up went those brows. “You’ve met her. What do you think?”
I thought Juliet Lovelace looked capable of anything, but that didn’t mean she’d actually do anything. “It’s possible.”
She gave an unqueenly snort of laughter. “You got that right.”
“What’s your talent, Randi?”
“I’ve written an original poem I plan to recite.”
“Were you practicing your poem at home last night?”
“Yes, I had my whole family pretend to be the audience so I could practice in front of a crowd. Would you like to hear it?”
Lord, how many of these awful recitations had I heard? “I’d love to, Randi, but I need to speak to the judges.”
“That’s okay. You’ll hear it Saturday night.”
After she’d gone, I sat down for a moment in the front row. Randi and Donna had been genuinely shocked by the ruined set, but I couldn’t read Juliet’s reaction. Maybe she was so confident
I thanked Juliet. She started to go and then paused as if she wanted to say something else. Then she shrugged and went up the aisle.
Donna Sanchez was the next to enter. Her reaction to Venice’s demise was much more vocal. She flew down the aisle to inspect the damage.
“Oh, my God! Who did this? This is horrible!” She turned to me, hands on hips. She was a dark-eyed brunette with a smooth olive complexion burning red with indignation. “Who’s responsible for this? It’s Juliet, isn’t it?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Oh, she’d do anything to keep me from winning.”
“Or coming in second?”
Donna smiled a grim smile. “Juliet told you that, didn’t she? She’s forgetting cheerleading squad and debate team. I totally blew her away on both, plus I’ve got a full scholarship to Wake Forest, and I think she’s going to study Nail Polishing 101 at Parkland Community College.”
“If you’ve got a full scholarship, why bother with the pageant?”
“Well, to spite Juliet, mostly. She thinks she’s got it sewn up, but I’m going to blow her silky lace panties off.”
An interesting visual. “If the pageant is cancelled, who benefits?”
“Nobody. Well, maybe Mr. Stacy and his friends could gloat a little.”
“Do you really think Juliet is responsible for these incidents?”
“I wouldn’t put it past her. But she’s not running me off. I’ll come put this scenery back together myself if I have to.”
“What did you do after rehearsal last night?”
“Evan suggested everyone go home and practice their talent.”
“And that’s what you did?”
“Yes. Juliet thinks her singing is so wonderful, but everyone says my character ballet is the best they’ve ever seen.”
Donna didn’t look like a ballerina, but that never stops the character ballets. “How about this afternoon when you came in? Who was here?”
“Juliet, Randi, and I had to be here by one o’clock for our interviews.”
“What about the other contestants?”
“Six had interviews yesterday. The remaining three come later this afternoon.”
Randi Peterson was also shocked by the sight of dead Venice. After commenting sadly on the Venetian disaster, she gave me a determined stare. “There’s no way anyone’s scaring me away with these silly pranks. I’m here to compete and to keep Juliet from winning. She doesn’t deserve the crown or the good name of Miss Celosia.”
“Why not?”
Randi had brown curls and hazel eyes under high, perfectly plucked brows. The brows went up even further. “Because she’s a bitch. Can’t you tell?”
“There’s at least one in every pageant.”
“Whoever wins Miss Celosia is supposed to represent our town. She ought to be someone good, don’t you think?”
“Good like sweet and kind?”
“Well, yes. Isn’t that the whole idea? Who wants a Miss Celosia who’s bragging about her special designer gown with the one-of-a-kind sequins and looking down her nose at everyone and chasing after every good-looking man in town?”
“Is that what Juliet’s doing?”
Up went those brows. “You’ve met her. What do you think?”
I thought Juliet Lovelace looked capable of anything, but that didn’t mean she’d actually do anything. “It’s possible.”
She gave an unqueenly snort of laughter. “You got that right.”
“What’s your talent, Randi?”
“I’ve written an original poem I plan to recite.”
“Were you practicing your poem at home last night?”
“Yes, I had my whole family pretend to be the audience so I could practice in front of a crowd. Would you like to hear it?”
Lord, how many of these awful recitations had I heard? “I’d love to, Randi, but I need to speak to the judges.”
“That’s okay. You’ll hear it Saturday night.”
After she’d gone, I sat down for a moment in the front row. Randi and Donna had been genuinely shocked by the ruined set, but I couldn’t read Juliet’s reaction. Maybe she was so confident
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