Read Online Dolled Up to Die by Lorena McCourtney - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lorena McCourtney
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reached for Cate’s hand.
With an unexpected spark of life she said, “I knew you wouldn’t let me down!”
“We read the piece in the newspaper about Eddie,” Donna said. She motioned Cate to a seat on the white sofa.
“And I finally got it through my head what’s going on. Eddie didn’t commit suicide. He was murdered right there in my house, and they think I did it.” Jo-Jo touched her chest, as if she couldn’t believe it. “ Me . They think I shot Eddie.”
“What makes you say that?”
“What the newspaper says. The questions they asked me. Realizing that if I were them, I’d probably be suspicious of me too. Discarded wife, bitter about being dumped, gettingrevenge.” She held up her hand and cocked one finger like a gun. “Bang.”
“They may think it, but they apparently don’t have strong evidence yet, or you’d be under arrest,” Cate said. “Have you talked to a lawyer?”
“Right now, I’d rather have you,” Jo-Jo said.
A nice vote of confidence. Jo-Jo might have less confidence if she’d seen Cate’s undignified exit from the Mystic Mirage.
“I can’t pay all your fee right away, but I will pay you eventually,” Jo-Jo said. “You can check my credit rating.”
Cate doubted Jo-Jo knew how expensive private investigation could be, but all she said was, “We’ll work out something. Actually, I did some preliminary investigation earlier today. I drove by the house in town—”
“Eddie’s Ice Cube?” Jo-Jo’s voice was stronger now, her eyes focused and alert. Her tone turned scornful. “A million-six. Can you imagine paying that for a house? I told Eddie he was out of his mind, but he just had to have the place.”
“I also went over to the Mystic Mirage,” Cate said.
Jo-Jo blinked, as if that information dismayed her. For a moment Cate felt like a traitor, fraternizing with the enemy, but finally Donna said, “That was a very good idea, checking it out. Was Kim there?”
“No. An older woman was behind the counter. I’m assuming it was her mother.”
“The famed Dr. Celeste Chandler.” The disdain Donna put into “Doctor” made it more of a slur than an honor.
“I’ve never been in the Mystic Mirage. Although I’ve been curious,” Jo-Jo admitted.
Donna prudently remained silent on that point.
“I saw something that surprised me,” Cate said. “It was a doll that looked like one of yours.”
Jo-Jo straightened in the chair. Her eyes flashed sparks. “Celeste put Kimmy in there?”
“She’s one of yours?”
“Of course she’s one of mine. She’s how Kim met Eddie. The nerve of Celeste! Putting Kimmy in that creepy place.”
“I think I need to know more about this.”
Jo-Jo said that Kim’s mother had admired the doll Jo-Jo had made for their mutual friend Krystal Lorister. “This was back when I was living in the Ice Cube, of course, with a workroom I’d set up in the garage. Celeste contacted me. She said she wanted to commission me to make a doll for her that looked like her daughter as a little girl, and I did.”
“It was a gift for the daughter?”
“No. She said she was writing a children’s book, about a doll that turns into a real little girl with mystical powers. She wanted the doll to put on the cover, I think.”
“So why did she put the doll in the store?” Cate asked. “She and Kim surely aren’t into giving you free promotion and advertising.”
“I never heard anything about her publishing a children’s book.” Donna gave an unladylike snort. “Maybe she wanted to upgrade the creepy atmosphere of the Mystic Mirage.”
“So what did the doll have to do with Kim and your husband getting together?” Cate asked Jo-Jo.
“Celeste came to pick up Kimmy when I had her done, and Kim came with her. Eddie happened to be home at the time. He had about as much interest in my dolls as he had in flying figs, but all of a sudden he’s following them to my workshop and blathering on and on about how creative and
With an unexpected spark of life she said, “I knew you wouldn’t let me down!”
“We read the piece in the newspaper about Eddie,” Donna said. She motioned Cate to a seat on the white sofa.
“And I finally got it through my head what’s going on. Eddie didn’t commit suicide. He was murdered right there in my house, and they think I did it.” Jo-Jo touched her chest, as if she couldn’t believe it. “ Me . They think I shot Eddie.”
“What makes you say that?”
“What the newspaper says. The questions they asked me. Realizing that if I were them, I’d probably be suspicious of me too. Discarded wife, bitter about being dumped, gettingrevenge.” She held up her hand and cocked one finger like a gun. “Bang.”
“They may think it, but they apparently don’t have strong evidence yet, or you’d be under arrest,” Cate said. “Have you talked to a lawyer?”
“Right now, I’d rather have you,” Jo-Jo said.
A nice vote of confidence. Jo-Jo might have less confidence if she’d seen Cate’s undignified exit from the Mystic Mirage.
“I can’t pay all your fee right away, but I will pay you eventually,” Jo-Jo said. “You can check my credit rating.”
Cate doubted Jo-Jo knew how expensive private investigation could be, but all she said was, “We’ll work out something. Actually, I did some preliminary investigation earlier today. I drove by the house in town—”
“Eddie’s Ice Cube?” Jo-Jo’s voice was stronger now, her eyes focused and alert. Her tone turned scornful. “A million-six. Can you imagine paying that for a house? I told Eddie he was out of his mind, but he just had to have the place.”
“I also went over to the Mystic Mirage,” Cate said.
Jo-Jo blinked, as if that information dismayed her. For a moment Cate felt like a traitor, fraternizing with the enemy, but finally Donna said, “That was a very good idea, checking it out. Was Kim there?”
“No. An older woman was behind the counter. I’m assuming it was her mother.”
“The famed Dr. Celeste Chandler.” The disdain Donna put into “Doctor” made it more of a slur than an honor.
“I’ve never been in the Mystic Mirage. Although I’ve been curious,” Jo-Jo admitted.
Donna prudently remained silent on that point.
“I saw something that surprised me,” Cate said. “It was a doll that looked like one of yours.”
Jo-Jo straightened in the chair. Her eyes flashed sparks. “Celeste put Kimmy in there?”
“She’s one of yours?”
“Of course she’s one of mine. She’s how Kim met Eddie. The nerve of Celeste! Putting Kimmy in that creepy place.”
“I think I need to know more about this.”
Jo-Jo said that Kim’s mother had admired the doll Jo-Jo had made for their mutual friend Krystal Lorister. “This was back when I was living in the Ice Cube, of course, with a workroom I’d set up in the garage. Celeste contacted me. She said she wanted to commission me to make a doll for her that looked like her daughter as a little girl, and I did.”
“It was a gift for the daughter?”
“No. She said she was writing a children’s book, about a doll that turns into a real little girl with mystical powers. She wanted the doll to put on the cover, I think.”
“So why did she put the doll in the store?” Cate asked. “She and Kim surely aren’t into giving you free promotion and advertising.”
“I never heard anything about her publishing a children’s book.” Donna gave an unladylike snort. “Maybe she wanted to upgrade the creepy atmosphere of the Mystic Mirage.”
“So what did the doll have to do with Kim and your husband getting together?” Cate asked Jo-Jo.
“Celeste came to pick up Kimmy when I had her done, and Kim came with her. Eddie happened to be home at the time. He had about as much interest in my dolls as he had in flying figs, but all of a sudden he’s following them to my workshop and blathering on and on about how creative and
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