A Masquerade of Saints (Saints Mystery Series Book 3) Read online

  A blonde woman, introduced as Mrs. Saltzman, took the piano next. She played another slow piece that settled well as background music. By that time I had made my way to the back wall and stood next to a wingback chair, going unnoticed by the other guests. Marlene caught my eye and made her way back to me, sitting in one of the wingback chairs that faced the piano.

  “It was just terrible, wasn’t it?” she said loud enough for only me to hear.

  “Not at all,” I said.

  She took my hand in both of hers and said, “Your playing was such a joy. I would hate to compare myself to you, but in my day I was quite something, too. Not like you, Fanchon, but something all the same. You inherited the Bowman talent for music from my family. Truth be told, your talent surpasses my own. You must have received your gift by divine means.”

  I thanked her, and we turned our attention back the piano. I couldn’t help but think about what my life would have been like if I had grown up with the Baxters. If I had the opportunity of learning from the best piano teachers in the south would I play like Elaine? I wondered if my need to escape my family drove my skill to higher levels. If I had lived in a house where it was a task forced on me maybe I would play piano like a person who took it for granted like Elaine.

  After Mrs. Saltzman’s set, waiters came into the room carrying plates of tiny food, which seemed silly as we had just eaten several courses. The most ridiculous item before me was a shot glass with a single shrimp in it.

  I stayed near Marlene and watched her eat one of the tiny shrimp cups before I asked her where she studied piano. She did not get a chance to answer because a waiter came between us and handed us each a glass of champagne. I took mine then looked at Marlene’s and noticed it had a jewel around the stem of it. My own glass did not have a jewel. I looked around the room and noticed that all of the other glasses had jewels around them. I held my glass up to my nose and sniffed it. It did not smell strange, but I was not going to take any chances. I sat the glass on a table near Marlene.

  “Do you not drink?” she asked.

  “I would rather not,” I said.

  Elaine made her way to us and sat her drink on the table next to mine.

  “I think daddy is going to make a toast,” she said to Marlene.

  The two of them started a conversation that I felt left out of. I stayed in the little space I had carved out for myself near Marlene and noticed whenever somebody got near me they made sure not to make eye contact and moved away. For a moment it looked as if George was going to talk to me, but a young woman stepped in front of him and kept him in conversation for a long time.

  Mr. Baxter had started to move people away from the fireplace, and I watched as servers unfolded chairs around it. Shortly afterwards a group of young men entered through the far door carrying violin cases.

  The men took their seats, unpacked their instruments and sat their music on stands. After they looked settled and relaxed with their instruments, Edward stood and tapped his glass to address the room. Elaine walked up behind me and cleared her throat. When I turned I noticed she was holding a champagne flute with a blue and silver bead out to me and had the other un-jeweled drink in the hand she kept close to her.

  “No thank you,” I said, and held my hand up to wave the drink away. She rolled her eyes and sat the drink back on the table.

  I couldn’t hear the words of the toast. I was too focused on Elaine about to drink from the glass that was meant for me. I started to panic wondering if somebody had poisoned that glass. If anybody was going to poison me I thought it would be Elaine, but she looked oblivious to the missing jewels on the glass. I stared at her wondering what to say. I tried to think of how to get the glass out of her hand, when she suddenly held it to her lips. Without thinking I slapped it away from her face and the glass flew across the room shattering at Mr. Baxter’s feet.

  The entire room drew a sharp gasp, and Elaine looked at me stunned. It took only a moment for her cheeks to turn bright red. I stood with my mouth open unable to say anything, and when I finally did speak all I could say was, “Spider.”

  Elaine looked wild with anger and shouted, “What in the…”

  She was cut off when Marlene said, “I saw it too dear. I was just too slow to act. Thank goodness Fanchon has such quick reflexes.”

  Elaine took a deep breath, and I watched her jaw clench a few times before the red slid away from her cheeks. She looked to the room and said, “There was a spider in my drink.”

  Everybody politely chuckled and the attention in the room turned back to Mr. Baxter.

  He did not continue his speech. He merely said, “A toast to family.” I could have imagined it, but I could swear he said the word family through gritted teeth.

  Everybody in the room, except me, raised their glasses to him. Elaine raised her own jeweled glass and emptied the contents.

  Following the toast Mr. Baxter announced the string quartet that had filled in behind him. Then a man in a tuxedo with tails stepped forward and addressed the room. “These talented young men behind me are from the Tulane….”

  While everybody watched the young men I decided to leave. I hadn’t felt welcome from the moment dinner started. I was an outsider, underdressed and unknown. I couldn’t figure out why Marlene thought it would be a good idea for me to meet my family for the first time with a room full of strangers.

  I quietly walked out to the hallway. When I was sure I was out of earshot I called Beau to come get me.

  I walked back to the kitchen, towards the door I had come in. When I opened the door, the women who had been hunched over the counter preparing tiny platters of food looked up at me and promptly looked back down.

  “Hi,” I said.

  One woman mumbled hi and the rest ignored me. I walked past them and out the back door. Then I took the path back to the driveway and went past the line of luxury cars and back up to the gate by the street.

  I tucked my dress between my legs and sat on the curb. The street was quiet and empty, but I could hear the distant sounds of the parade kicking into gear on the main road.

  It was the commotion of police whistles, music, and people talking and dancing. It was the sound of Mardi Gras. I could hear those watching the parade laughing in unison and wondered what funny float might be passing them by. I knew Beau would want to go downtown with me so we could catch our first beads of the season.

  Catching beads was something Josephine and I looked forward to every year. One year we rode with the other actors from the plantation in the Bacchus Parade on a float with the local Civil War re-enactors association. I smiled at a memory of Josephine kissing “Stonewall Jackson.”

  I looked up and down the road and still saw no sign of Beau. I thought he might have gotten stuck on the other side of the parade. I started to get up to walk towards the parade, planning to call Beau when I got there when I heard heeled steps behind me and turned to see Marlene. She looked pained.

  “Why are you leaving dear?” she asked. “Were you not having fun?”

  I shook my head at her and said, “It was lovely, Marlene. It was just a little overwhelming. I would like to see you again, but not like this.”

  “I know it was a bit much, but I know you belong here, Helene. You belong with us.”

  I shook my head. “I embarrassed myself. I may belong with you and even George, but I don’t think anybody else would miss me.”

  She sat beside me and smiled. I could see the wrinkles around her mouth and eyes, lines from a lifetime of smiles. She said, “If you mean Elaine, I know that she is a bit slow to warm up, but if you give her a chance she will come around. She was horribly rude to you tonight. I don’t blame you for slapping her.”

  “I didn’t mean to slap her,” I said.

  “Then why did you?” she asked.

  I did not want to tell her about the psychic and changed the subject, “Can we meet again for lunch, just me and you?”

  “Sure,” she said and grabbed at her side holdi
ng it and wincing.

  "Are you okay?" I asked. "Do you need me to walk you back in?'

  "I will be all right, dear. I just need a moment."

  "Marlene, are you dying?"

  "If I don't get a kidney soon, I will die," she said.

  "Have Elaine or George offered to donate one to you?"

  "They are incompatible dear. Only my uncle is alive from my family, and he is in as bad a shape as me, or worse."

  "I can give you one of mine," I told her.

  She started to cry. "I barely know you. I can't believe you would make such a gesture."

  "I have no other family, Marlene. I would gladly do it."

  The lights of a car shined on her face, showing her tears. The car braked in front of us too abruptly, and I knew it was Beau.

  I stood and turned to help Marlene up. She swiped her fingers under her eyes and stood. She hurried to give me a hug before I stepped towards the car. I was surprised when Beau got out and walked around to the passenger side. When he saw me reaching for the handle he hit my hand away and opened the door for me. I noticed that Marlene was taking in his holey jeans and paint stained Budweiser T-shirt. I was worried that she thought poorly of him when she looked to me and said, “Introduce me to your handsome friend.”

  I relaxed and noticed Beau straighten his posture and puff out his chest. On closer inspection of Beau I supposed his unkempt hair, strong arms and boyish smile did add up to something close to handsome, maybe cute.

  “This is Beau,” I told her. “He is the cousin of my friend Josephine. He and his family looked after me.”

  Marlene held out her hand to him and said, “We owe you and your family a debt of gratitude for taking care of our little girl.”

  “Ain’t no thang,” Beau said. I rolled my eyes at him, wondering why he didn’t just say thank you like a normal person, but he redeemed himself when he said, “You don’t owe us for watching Fanchon. She is family to us and always will be.”

  He didn’t say like family. He said family and it made me feel warm inside. I stepped into the car under Beau’s arm, and he closed the door for me. I rolled down my window and waved to Marlene as we pulled away.

  A time to run

  It took us twice as long as it should have to get back to my house. When we walked in the door Wyatt and Grant ignored me but shouted, “Hey, Beau.”

  It appeared they had become friends in the few hours I was gone. I let the three of them bond talking about women, beer and work while I got ready to go downtown.

  I slid out of my black dress and hung it in the closet, and then tugged on my favorite pair of tight jeans. I picked out one of my dressy Mardi Gras shirts, a sequined purple, gold and green corset top. I pulled it on and zipped it halfway up my back but couldn’t get it the rest of the way. I left it partly down while I pumped up my make-up, throwing on a thick layer of eyeliner and running a wand of mascara over my lashes. I dusted my eyelids with purple shadow and glitter then bent over, taking a can of Aquanet to my roots. I scrunched my hair as I went, turning my waves into fluffy curls. When I tipped my head back up my hair was as big as a Texas beauty queen's.

  I walked out to the living room and found Beau sitting on the futon alone.

  “Where did Grant and Wyatt go?” I asked.

  “Grant’s got a girl. They went downtown to find her. But they said they will catch up with us at Claudia’s cousin’s house.”

  I walked over to him and turned around showing him the half down zipper. “Can you zip this up?”

  “Well, howdy, miss,” he said, jumping up. He positioned himself closer to me than he needed to for the job at hand. He started to pull the zipper down slowly and said, “What you got on under this?”

  I turned around and slapped his hand. “Watch yourself!”

  He laughed and started to zip it back up. I could feel his breath on my bare shoulder. I closed my eyes and almost leaned my head into the crease of his neck, when I felt his hand reach under my arm and tickle my side.

  I screamed and jumped away from him. “You’re such a jackass sometimes, Beau.”

  I heard my phone ring from my bedroom and ran for it. I noticed it was Banyan and hit the answer button before I caught my breath.

  “Hey,” I said. “I thought you were away.”

  “What happened with your family?” he asked.

  “What, no hello?”

  “Hello, Fanchon. What happened with your family?” His tone was serious.

  I walked across the room to my closet and grabbed a pair of purple and brown sandals with a zippered back. I sat on my bed and said, “It did not go great. My mom was really nice. But my dad, well, not my dad...it’s a long story, gave me a DNA test as soon as I walked through the door. Isn’t that crazy?”

  He didn’t answer. “Then what happened?”

  I pulled on my sandal and zipped up the back.

  “Well, then we had dinner, I met my brother who was super nice and my sister who was a total bitch. We had this...”

  He cut me off, “Fanchon, tell me in detail what happened.”

  “What the hell, Banyan? Why are you being a jerk? Why are you calling?”

  “The police are on their way. I want to know what happened from you before they get there,” he said.

  Beau walked into the room and slapped his hand on the doorjamb. His way of telling me he was coming into the room.

  “The police, why?” I asked.

  Beau hurried over to me and mouthed the word, “What?”

  “Fanchon, your brother and sister were poisoned. They are in the hospital. Your sister is okay, but your brother is in critical condition. The police think you did it. Everybody at the party said you kept leaving the room and walking back to the kitchen. Then they said you slapped a drink out of your sister’s hand. The waiter said he thought you traded drinks with her just before you slapped her.”

  My heart was beating fast, and I was sure the color had drained from my face. Beau was mouthing the words, “What happened?” But I waved him away.

  “I wasn’t going to the kitchen. I was washing my hands.” I said.

  “Why?” he asked.

  I let out a sigh. “Because Madame Du’Ponde told me when I met my family to wash my hands.”

  “Why?” he asked again.

  “I don’t know. You know how vague her predictions are. She just told me to wash my hands a lot when I met them.”

  “Make sure you tell the police about that and I hope for your sake the Madame backs you up. There is other evidence that I hope will clear you. In the kitchen they found an opened can of slug repellant. It’s not a brand that's legal anymore so it's hard to find. One of the cooks said it belonged to the gardener. You didn’t touch it did you?”

  “No,” I said matter of fact.

  “Good.”

  My heart sank when I started to think about it. “Wait. Was that poison one of Curly’s by any chance?”

  “Yes, how do you know that?” he shouted.

  I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths.

  Beau was still standing by me and no longer willing to wait for answers he said, “What’s going on? What about Curly? Did they find him?”

  “Is that Beau? What do you guys know about Curly?”

  “When are the police coming?” I asked.

  “They are on their way, Fanchon. What’s going on?”

  “I can’t talk. I gotta go.” I said.

  I ran to my closet and pulled out a backpack. “What are you doing Fanchon? Don’t run, whatever you do…”

  I hung up the phone and threw it on the bed. I threw handfuls of clothes into my bag without looking at them.

  “Grab my masks off of the wall,” I said to Beau.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, pulling the masks down.

  “I gotta run, Beau. Somebody poisoned my brother and sister at dinner tonight and framed me for it.”

  “So, you didn’t do it,” he said. “Just tell the cops that.”

/>   “The poison was Curly’s.”

  “So what? That don’t mean nothin’.”

  “I broke into Curly’s, Beau. My prints are all over his garage. I have no idea if I touched that poison or not. I was even up in the damn rafters. I don’t know what was up there. His sister is going to tell the cops I was there. That book we took. Jesus, what did I do with that? It’s around here somewhere.”

  “You are freakin’ about nothing,’ Fanchon. I’ll back you up. I know you didn’t take no poison outta there.”

  “Beau, I didn’t even tell you the rest. At dinner I kept washing my hands. Du’Ponde made me think they might poison me. I knocked a drink out of my sister’s hand. I will look guilty as hell. I have to find out why Du’Ponde told me to wash my hands.”

  I heard a loud knock on the front door and grabbed a pair of sneakers off the floor. I opened my purse and dumped the contents of it into a backpack. Then I saw the calendar Beau and I had stolen from the gardener’s house and threw it in as well.

  “You can’t run, Fanchon. It’s going to look worse.”

  I started for the back door, and Beau kept in step with me. I turned to grab the masks out of his hands, kissed him on the cheek and said, “Adieu.”

  I ran out the back door and could see the white police cruiser parked in my driveway. I turned towards the road by the baseball fields and saw another cruiser parked there. I turned back towards the house and bumped into Beau.

  “Stay here,” I whispered.

  He shook his head and said, “I’m wit you, cher.”

  I heard the police walking down the front steps and knew I didn’t have time to argue. I ran into my neighbor’s darkened back yard with Beau in step behind me.