Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Dan sipped his champagne. “This is better than the last time I was here.”
“Why?” Gary looked edible in a tux. Dan couldn’t keep his eyes off him.
He rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding? I stayed here and ended up on the front page of every newspaper in Boston.”
Gary chuckled. “You mean like earlier this month?” When the news broke about Senator Cain and Gianni DiFanetti, for one whole week a day didn’t go by without some journalist or other calling them, asking for an interview.
Dan gazed at the Fairmont Copley Plaza’s Grand Ballroom, with its mirrored doors that reminded him of the palace of Versailles.
Above each door were gold-covered moldings, and graceful arches led the eye to the ornate ceiling.
White-cloth-covered round tables filled the space on three sides, with a dance floor in the center.
Candles flickered, and the flower arrangements’ sweet fragrance filled the air.
At the far end of the room was a long table, groaning with items brought for the raffle at the end of the night.
“What did you bring for the raffle?” he asked Gary. “I know Sean asked you to bring something.” When Gary flushed, Dan gazed at him with interest. “Now you have to tell me.”
Gary coughed. “Floppy disks.”
Dan laughed. “Seriously?”
“Well, Sean’s email said bring something from their college years, so I took a look around Brad’s room last time we had lunch there. I found a box in his drawer.” He took a drink from his glass. “I was never much of a fan of champagne, but this tastes great.”
Dan chuckled. “That’s because it’s the good stuff. I took a look at the bottle when the servers were refilling the glasses.”
“It should be the good stuff, knowing how much the tickets cost.”
Dan took another sip. “It’s for charity.
” He sighed. “It was sweet of Pete Raskin to come see us today.” Peter had visited the precinct to thank them, and to tell them he’d had a letter from Bruno DiFanetti.
He and Senator Cain wanted to create a gallery dedicated to Cheryl, to showcase the work of new artists.
Dan saw the gesture for what it was—both men trying to make amends.
“I guess Bruno will be happy once Gianni gets to trial. He must want his life back,” Gary commented.
“Only if he can live without forever looking over his shoulder.”
For that to happen, Gianni needed to go away for a long time.
Music poured from the speakers, and many of the guests took to the dance floor, the beat pulsing through the floorboards, the lights winking on and off, reflecting in the mirrors around the room.
“Want to dance?”
Dan smiled. “I’m not really much of a dancer.
” He let his gaze drift slowly around the ballroom.
They’d met a lot of people that evening, so many that Dan had difficulty recalling individual names and faces.
Brad’s former classmates came from all walks of life, some successful, others less so, but all happy to meet Brad’s little brother, even if he wasn’t so little anymore.
Everyone appeared friendly, and the one thing Dan could say for certain was that they held Brad in high regard.
Gary shifted his chair closer. “Well?”
Dan knew what he was asking.
“Well, apart from getting to know Sean a whole lot better and meeting some really nice people, I think this is a bust.”
“You didn’t pick up on anything?”
Dan shook his head. “Maybe Sean’s right. Maybe Brad’s murderer wasn’t one of his classmates.” He hadn’t met anyone who’d set off his radar. All he’d felt was warmth, affection, and pleasure to be amongst friends once more.
“We knew it was a long shot,” Gary murmured.
Dan squeezed his arm. “Maybe, but I wanted to give you something to work with.”
The music died, and Sean’s voice filled the air. “If I can interrupt your dancing and chatting for a moment? Please take your seats.”
It wasn’t long before the dance floor was empty, and Sean stood in front of the raffle table, a wireless mic in one hand.
He grinned. “And now the moment you know you’ve all been waiting for.
It’s raffle time, so have your tickets handy.
” He narrowed his gaze. “And if you haven’t bought any yet, shame on you.
This is for charity.” That grin was back.
“So I’ll wait while you let the moths out of your wallets and buy a strip of tickets. ”
Laughter echoed around the ballroom.
Dan removed his tickets from his pocket and placed them on the table. “If I win those floppy disks, you’re going home in a taxi, and I’m sleeping in that beautiful room upstairs.”
Gary chuckled. “After the way you looked at that big tub in the bathroom? I think that would be cutting your nose off to spite your face.”
“Never mind the tub—that bed looked wonderful.”
There was something about hotel rooms that always made Dan horny.
Sean tapped his wineglass, and silence fell.
“Thank you to everyone who contributed a prize. We asked you to bring something that reminded you of our fun-filled years in college, and boy, you delivered.” He peered at the sheet in his hand.
“Although I have to ask…. Whoever brought the box of floppy disks?”
More laughter ensued, and Dan gave Gary a dig in the ribs with his elbow.
Sean consulted his list again. “There’s also a Walkman, a compact CD player, VHS tapes…
.” He peered at his audience. “Really, people?” Chuckles and snorts erupted.
Then he gave them a mock glare. “And who brought Pogs?” A wave of laughter rippled around the room.
Sean narrowed his gaze. “Now I understand why some of you were behaving so furtively when you left your prizes.” Then he smiled.
“But what this collection really shows is that our greatest pleasure was… going to the movies.” He gestured to the table.
“Most of you brought DVDs of movies we all went to see back then.” He grabbed one and held it up.
“Thelma and Louise, anyone?” He replaced it on the table and held another aloft. “Four Weddings and a Funeral?”
“How are we doing this?” a voice called out.
“I’ll get a volunteer to draw the first ticket,” Sean told him, “And if your number is called, go to the prize table and pick something.” He grinned. “I’m betting at the end of the night, the Pogs will still be there.” He scanned the tables. “So, can I have a volunteer to draw the tickets?”
A woman yelled, “Me!” Everyone laughed.
Sean beamed. “Bev, I knew you’d be the first.”
Bev turned out to be a short woman with bright red hair and an infectious smile. She came up to the mic, and Sean pointed to the large bowl behind him. Bev drew a ticket from it, handed it to Sean, who called out the number.
Dan peered at his strip of ten tickets. “Listen out for anything between one hundred and one hundred and nine.”
Gary chuckled. “Got your eye on anything?”
He smiled. “I think I’ll play safe and grab a DVD.”
Fifteen minutes later the numbers were still being called out, and Dan was starting to think his luck wasn’t in. He loved the laughter that accompanied each winner’s visit to the prize table.
Bev handed Sean the next ticket. “Number one hundred and seven,” he announced.
Dan grinned and held up his ticket. “That’s me!” He glanced at Gary. “And you’re coming with me. You can help me choose.”
They walked over to the table, and Dan scanned the remaining items. There were plenty of prizes left to choose from. He chuckled. “Decisions, decisions.”
And then he froze.
Gary moved closer. “What’s wrong?”
“I think this one has my name written all over it, don’t you?” Dan pointed to a DVD of Cape Fear.
“I think you’re right.” Gary rubbed his arms and shivered. “And now I’ve got goose bumps.”
Beside Dan, one of the female guests shuddered. “That movie gave me the creeps. Mind you, the book was just as creepy.”
Dan paused, his hand outstretched toward it. “Cape Fear’s based on a book?”
She nodded. “It was written by one of my favorite authors, John D. MacDonald. Different title, of course.”
Ice crawled over his skin. “What was the title?” He stared at Gary, silently willingly the next words from her lips not to be the ones he was dreading.
“The Executioners.” She nodded toward the DVD. “But hey, if you want it, you take it.” She grabbed the DVD of Thelma and Louise. “Now this one is more my kinda movie.” She walked away from the table.
Gary’s eyes were huge. “Don’t touch it.”
Dan took a deep breath, dismayed to realize his hand was trembling. “You know I have to.” He picked it up and staggered, falling against the table. “Oh God,” he whispered. He couldn’t stop shaking.
“What is it?” Gary supported him. “What do you sense?”
Dan straightened, making an effort to get his emotions under control. “He’s got guts, I’ll say that for him.” He shivered. He scanned the room, first in one direction, then in another. “He’s here. He’s one of them.”
“He? Who?”
“Brad’s killer. And I don’t have a clue who he is.”
Then a thought occurred to him.
“If he knows who I am, and he still left that DVD there….” Dan looked Gary in the eye. “So it’s to be a game, is it?”
“What are you talking about? What kind of game?”
Dan took a deep breath. “Cat and mouse.”
THE END