Read Online Murder Unmentionable by Meg London - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Meg London
Ads: Link
“Why don’t you…and your assistant,” she hissed the word through narrowed lips, “come in and tell me what you’re doing here and why you pretended to be Guy Richard.”
Emma couldn’t tell if Nikki was mocking her for the lie she’d told the receptionist or if she really didn’t recognize Emma despite their having worked together on several occasions. Emma sighed. It was probably the latter. People like her were invisible to people like Nikki.
Nikki’s suite was cavernous, and Emma wondered if all the rooms were this big. The walls were the same soothing sage green as the lobby, and the sofa and chairs in the main area were sleek and cream colored. An irregularly shaped coffee table with a thick glass top stood between them. Cream-colored drapes were pulled against what looked to be a wall of windows. In front of them was a freestanding spa tub big enough for several people. Emma could see into the bedroom beyond, where a huge platform bed dominated the room. The sheets were rumpled, and Emma wondered if they had woken Nikki.
“Well?” Nikki rounded on Emma. “Are you going to tell me what this is about?”
“It’s bad news, actually.” Emma decided to opt for boldness. “Guy is dead. He’s been murdered.”
Nikki’s professionally plucked eyebrows rose as one. “What?”
“It’s true.” Brian followed her into the room. “I’m very sorry to say that Guy Richard is dead.”
“Why should I believe you?” Nikki stalked over to the corner and grabbed a pack of Marlboro Lights off the teak end table. She shook out a cigarette, oblivious to the no smoking sign plastered on the door to the room. She pulled a pack of matches from the pocket of her white silk robe, struck one and held it to the cigarette at her lips.
“Well?” She inhaled deeply and blew out a stream of smoke. “What makes you think Guy is dead?” She got so close to Brian their noses were almost touching. Brian stuttered and took a step backward. Nikki took another step forward, as if they were locked in a bizarre tango. “Well?”
Emma grabbed the telephone receiver and waved it at Nikki. “Call the police. They’ll tell you. Ask for Chuck Reilly.” She shuddered thinking about how obnoxious Chuck would be if he had the opportunity to talk to Nikki. She could imagine his eyes undressing her from head to toe. Of course her modeling assignments didn’t leave much to anyone’s imagination, even Chuck’s overactive one.
Nikki stuck out her lower lip in a pout and heaved her thin shoulders. “All right. So I believe you. Guy is dead.” She stabbed her cigarette at the ornamental glass bowl she was using as an ashtray.
Nikki glared at Emma and turned toward Brian. She tossed her hair back and let her robe slip open a little farther. “So. What happened?” She shook another cigarette from the pack, handed the matches to Brian and leaned in close as he held the flame to her cigarette.
Emma began a slow burn. Was Guy nothing more to Nikki than her latest conquest? Had she ever cared for him at all, or was it just a game to her to see whose boyfriend she could steal next? Emma started to open her mouth, but bit her lip and stopped herself. It wouldn’t do any good to antagonize Nikki.
“No one really knows what happened.” Emma watched Nikki carefully. “Do you know where he went after leaving L’Etoile last night?”
Nikki perched on the arm of the sofa and pulled her hair over her shoulder. She began raking her fingers through the long, honey-colored strands. “I have no idea. We had a fight.” Her lower lip trembled slightly. “I tried to get him to stay, but he refused. He wanted to go after you.” She threw the words at Emma as if they were poisoned darts.
“You don’t know where he went?” Brian said.
Nikki shook her head.
“How about you? What did you do after leaving L’Etoile?”
“Me?” Nikki looked startled. “Nothing. I came back here.” She glanced around the room. “I
Emma couldn’t tell if Nikki was mocking her for the lie she’d told the receptionist or if she really didn’t recognize Emma despite their having worked together on several occasions. Emma sighed. It was probably the latter. People like her were invisible to people like Nikki.
Nikki’s suite was cavernous, and Emma wondered if all the rooms were this big. The walls were the same soothing sage green as the lobby, and the sofa and chairs in the main area were sleek and cream colored. An irregularly shaped coffee table with a thick glass top stood between them. Cream-colored drapes were pulled against what looked to be a wall of windows. In front of them was a freestanding spa tub big enough for several people. Emma could see into the bedroom beyond, where a huge platform bed dominated the room. The sheets were rumpled, and Emma wondered if they had woken Nikki.
“Well?” Nikki rounded on Emma. “Are you going to tell me what this is about?”
“It’s bad news, actually.” Emma decided to opt for boldness. “Guy is dead. He’s been murdered.”
Nikki’s professionally plucked eyebrows rose as one. “What?”
“It’s true.” Brian followed her into the room. “I’m very sorry to say that Guy Richard is dead.”
“Why should I believe you?” Nikki stalked over to the corner and grabbed a pack of Marlboro Lights off the teak end table. She shook out a cigarette, oblivious to the no smoking sign plastered on the door to the room. She pulled a pack of matches from the pocket of her white silk robe, struck one and held it to the cigarette at her lips.
“Well?” She inhaled deeply and blew out a stream of smoke. “What makes you think Guy is dead?” She got so close to Brian their noses were almost touching. Brian stuttered and took a step backward. Nikki took another step forward, as if they were locked in a bizarre tango. “Well?”
Emma grabbed the telephone receiver and waved it at Nikki. “Call the police. They’ll tell you. Ask for Chuck Reilly.” She shuddered thinking about how obnoxious Chuck would be if he had the opportunity to talk to Nikki. She could imagine his eyes undressing her from head to toe. Of course her modeling assignments didn’t leave much to anyone’s imagination, even Chuck’s overactive one.
Nikki stuck out her lower lip in a pout and heaved her thin shoulders. “All right. So I believe you. Guy is dead.” She stabbed her cigarette at the ornamental glass bowl she was using as an ashtray.
Nikki glared at Emma and turned toward Brian. She tossed her hair back and let her robe slip open a little farther. “So. What happened?” She shook another cigarette from the pack, handed the matches to Brian and leaned in close as he held the flame to her cigarette.
Emma began a slow burn. Was Guy nothing more to Nikki than her latest conquest? Had she ever cared for him at all, or was it just a game to her to see whose boyfriend she could steal next? Emma started to open her mouth, but bit her lip and stopped herself. It wouldn’t do any good to antagonize Nikki.
“No one really knows what happened.” Emma watched Nikki carefully. “Do you know where he went after leaving L’Etoile last night?”
Nikki perched on the arm of the sofa and pulled her hair over her shoulder. She began raking her fingers through the long, honey-colored strands. “I have no idea. We had a fight.” Her lower lip trembled slightly. “I tried to get him to stay, but he refused. He wanted to go after you.” She threw the words at Emma as if they were poisoned darts.
“You don’t know where he went?” Brian said.
Nikki shook her head.
“How about you? What did you do after leaving L’Etoile?”
“Me?” Nikki looked startled. “Nothing. I came back here.” She glanced around the room. “I
Similar Books
