Read Online The Dance by Barbara Steiner - Free Book Online Page B

and maybe we’re grasping at the proverbial straw, but we’re grasping.”
    â€œYou’d never feel right about a friend dying, Mel. But to think someone killed her, well, that’s pretty serious business.”
    â€œI realize that. Maybe I shouldn’t have burdened you with this, but I need help. I’m not asking you to get involved, but will you keep your eyes open tonight, Hank? Look around for anything, even the slightest thing, that looks out of place, suspicious, out of the ordinary.”
    â€œListen, Mel, the Madame herself is way out of the ordinary.”
    â€œHank—” Melanie put her hand on Hank’s arm. She realized Hank was really disturbed by all this. “Listen, forget I told you this. You’re right, Leona may be strange, but she’s not a killer. I’ve about decided that myself. I—”
    â€œMelanie, thanks for trusting me. You took a big chance doing that. You don’t know me. I think you’re absolutely off balance here, nutty as last year’s peanut brittle, but I’ll look around. I’m good at that. In fact, I’m a terrific snoop. What harm can it do? It might liven up tonight’s little shindig so much that I’ll enjoy it.”
    Melanie relaxed. “You’re special, Hank. Thanks. We’d better go before one of the witches comes after us.”
    â€œWe can always tell her someone cast a spell on her elevator.”
    Hank was going to take this in fun. Melanie was pretty sure of it. But that was all right. Four eyes and ears did double the work of two.
    They knocked on C–6. Anne opened the door with what seemed to Melanie a bit of reluctance. She was expecting them, wasn’t she? The smells of fine food and wood smoke from a fireplace pulled her and Hank inside. With no ceremony, just a quick “hello,” Anne took their coats. “Make yourselves at home.” She disappeared around a corner.
    Hank and Melanie walked down six carpeted steps with wrought-iron rails into what Melanie thought was the plushest apartment she’d ever seen. Where did these three young women get the kind of money to have this layout? Rich parents? Certainly, they didn’t earn this with teaching dance for Madame Leona.
    The living room was tiered into three levels. In the middle of the lowest was a stone-island fireplace with screens and glass doors on four sides. The brick chimney climbed high above it to a cathedral ceiling. Jean, Laurie, and Janell sat between Melanie and the fire and she couldn’t tell one from the other.
    Hank elbowed Melanie. “Did you scope out Anne’s outfit?”
    Melanie nodded and drew a dollar sign in the air with her forefinger. She knew she owned nothing like the expensive gray jacket Anne was wearing, with its cluster of gold-colored buttons fastened to one side. It had slightly padded shoulders. The jacket went perfectly, she thought, with Anne’s skirt, a light cream color. Anne’s choice of clothes made her look taller than she seemed at the theater. Also, Melanie decided, her dark brown hair, which swirled down and was swept over one shoulder, added to the effect. Naturally, Anne wore her medallion with its clear purple amethyst.
    Hank pulled Melanie closer to her. “Mel, do you suppose ‘strictly informal’ has two meanings, or are we in the wrong apartment?”
    â€œHey,” Melanie replied as she jabbed Hank in the ribs. “Think of us as modest and unassuming.”
    â€œIn other words, poor.”
    Nicol left the others by the fire and greeted them. “Melanie, we haven’t formally met. Hannah seems always to have you to herself at the studio.”
    â€œOh, I’m such a hog.” Hank mimed dismay and shock. “Melanie Clark, this is Nicol, Nicol, meet Melanie Clark. I love your outfit, Nicol. Is it yours?”
    Melanie cringed at Hank’s blatant remark. The black shoulder-to-shoulder wrap sweater and