Read Online Strawberry Tartlets and a Dead Starlet by A. Gardner - Free Book Online

personal assistant and makeup guy. I guess she wanted to keep things low-key."
    "Anything else?"
    "Ummm…" Presley pauses again, but comes up short. "I don't know? Nothing comes to mind."
    "It could be anything or anybody," I add. "Was Lacy seeing someone in secret maybe?"
    Presley's eyes shift away from me.
    A waitress attends to our table, placing a bread basket and plate of assorted cheeses in the middle.
    "Here we have a variety of…" The waitress's voice trails off. Presley's jaw hangs open.
    " Frankie? " I stare at her. "What are you doing here?"
    "Oh, I…uh…" Frankie hesitates to say anything else.
    "Do you work here?" I ask bluntly.
    "Sort of?" She bites the side of her lip.
    "For how long?" I can't help myself. I have to know.
    "Ugh." Frankie exhales loudly, erasing the light-hearted smile from her face. "Please, don't tell Cherie. Poppy, you have to swear. She'll fire me, and I need the money."
    "So this is why you're always running off unexpectedly?" I fold my arms, pleased with my discovery. "This is why you're always late?"
    "Something like that," she answers. I glance at the scrapes on her wrist.
    "And those," I add. "That was no bike accident, was it?"
    "I fell in the marina," she confesses. "Look, I'd offer you free drinks for your silence, but everything's included in your ticket. Maybe I shouldn't have said that."
    "Hey, your secret is safe with me," Presley responds.
    "Poppy?" Frankie raises her eyebrows, waiting for my approval.
    "Sure." I give in. After all, telling Cherie her secret won't do either of us any good. "I'm not the tattling type."
    "Good." The smile returns to Frankie's face. "Now I don't have to ask to change tables. That would've been awkward."
    "There is something you can do for us though," I add.
    "Anything." Frankie stands up straighter, back to her usual, sprightly self.
    "You could tell us a few things about your old friend…Lacy Leigh Nichols."
    Frankie's smile fades again.
    "What kind of things?" she asks, lowering her voice as though a reporter could be listening from the next table. In all fairness, one very well could be.
    "Was she being stalked?" Presley says a little too loudly.
    "Keep your voice down," Frankie scolds him. "Anyone could be listening right now."
    "Well?" Presley waits impatiently for her answer.
    "Why would I know a thing like that?" Frankie shrugs.
    "Because the two of you were friends," I respond. "Good friends according to the word on the street. Do you know why she was in town?"
    "First of all," she snidely remarks, "don't believe everything you hear. And second, what Lacy was up to is none of your business."
    "So you do know why she was here?" Presley chimes in.
    "If you two will excuse me, I have tables to wait on."
     
    *   *   *
     
    A hearty meal and a slice of cheesecake later, I find myself on the top deck dancing under the stars. Presley chuckles as he leads me to the edge of the boat where waves are rolling under the moonlight. Our dinner was pleasant, except for the fact that Frankie refused to make eye contact as she served us our food.
    I lean against the railing and stare off into the night. My nerves are settled, and for the first time in a couple of days I feel relaxed. I did nothing wrong, and sooner or later, Detective Sugars is going to see that. Presley joins me—his arm brushing against mine.
    "For a minute there I almost forgot about the investigation," I comment.
    "Yeah, me too." His gaze wanders to the moonlight reflecting off of the ocean water. "I never thought anything like this would happen to me. It feels…"
    "There aren't really words to describe it," I finish.
    "Exactly." He grins as he looks at me. "It's your turn, by the way. I've talked about myself all night and the possible clues that could be buried in my head. Now it's your turn. Tell me about pastry school. What happened to ballet?"
    "My back happened," I admit. "I got injured and had to take a break. It's the best thing that ever happened to me." I smile,