Chapter 17 #2
Rarity just wondered what else she had lied about and to whom? Now that she’d found the notebook from Mason, she knew that he and Talia had been planning on getting back together. So why would Talia lie about that now? Wouldn’t it give her sympathy points in the press?
Nothing about this Hollywood crowd seemed real. Including the plastic spider the killer had left on Mason’s chest. But had the killer left it there? Or had Mason tried to leave them a clue?
Did this have something to do with Oscar?
Rarity was glad when the movie started and she could stop participating in the small talk.
The darkened room gave her time to think about what she’d just discovered.
Or thought she’d discovered. She took a small notebook and pen out of her purse and wrote down the idea.
She didn’t want to forget this. And maybe the sleuthing club could help her flesh it out.
Because there was something there. She just couldn’t see it right now.
Once the films were over, Terrance tried to get them to ride with him. He would drop Shirley off, then Sam, and finally Rarity.
“We can be home before you even drop off Shirley.” Rarity shook her head. “I rode the bus to school for too many years. I know how this works. I’ll walk Sam to where we can see her house, then I’ll head home. I’ll be fine.”
“But I’d rather…” Terrance started, but Shirley put a finger to his lips.
“Hush, the girls will be all right.” She took his arm and tugged him toward the parking lot.
“Thank goodness for Shirley. Terrance wasn’t going to give in.
What is it about men that they all want to protect us, even when there is nothing to protect us from?
” Sam asked, then went into a discussion about the second film they’d seen and the way the director had kept making jump cuts from one subject to another.
Finally, she asked, “What movie was your favorite?”
“You’re going to laugh, but it was the documentary about the prisoners making quilts for the foster kids. All those old men looked like they could be someone’s grandfather, yet they’re in a maximum-security prison for murder. And they were lovely.”
“Why would I laugh? I loved that one too. I was sad when the one guy got kicked out for not following the rules. But I guess that’s what happens when you go into one of those places.
You have to follow the rules to the letter.
” Sam was quiet for a moment. “When my brother was going through all that, the police, they’d show up at his house and just trash it, looking for evidence.
Sometimes, even when you’re innocent, you can look guilty. ”
They walked in silence after that, then ran into Drew and Archer. “Hey, what are you two doing?”
“We came to find you since you’re not sitting at home, pining for our company,” Archer said as he kissed her. “Just kidding, how were the movies?”
“Interesting,” Rarity said as they started walking again. “Come over to the house and we can sit with our feet in the pool. I want to run something by you.”
“And by ‘you,’ you mean Drew?”
“No, I think we all could have input. Maybe I’m just overthinking it,” Rarity said as she took her keys out of her purse.
Archer took them and then said, “I think overthinking is your specialty. That’s why you see things other people miss.”
“Like me. I’m not ashamed to admit that the sleuthing club has pointed me in the right direction many times.
I just don’t tell my captain that. If he asks, I was the one to figure out the killer’s evil plan.
All on my own,” Drew said as he and Sam followed Archer and Rarity into the house.
He picked up Killer and rubbed his neck.
“Hey buddy. You know I’m brilliant. Right? ”
“And modest,” Sam added as she took off her shoes and headed out to the backyard. “Rarity, do you have any Truly’s?”
“And some beer?” Drew asked.
“She has both. I did the grocery shopping this week while she was at the bookstore. That’s the good thing about being a hiking tour guide, I have time to get things done during business hours.” He glanced at Rarity. “Do you want me to break out the chips and salsa?”
“Only if you guys do. We had some for dinner. Malia’s treat.” Rarity slipped her bare feet into the pool, pulling up her dress so it didn’t get soaked.
After everyone got settled, Rarity went over what had happened at the theater. How Talia must have planted false news or had someone plant it to get attention tonight. “I’m wondering if she did the same thing with Mason. Maybe told him what he wanted to hear?”
“Maybe. The only ones who can answer that are Talia and Mason. The notebook, though, gave me an opportunity to question her again. The problem is she was at a prefestival dinner with Bret Black at the time our boy had spider venom shot into his system.” Drew sipped from the can Archer had given him.
“Mason was supposed to be at the dinner, but he begged off when he and Shirley set up the signing and movie event at the bookstore. Talia has an alibi. As does Bret. Too many people have verified that they were there—from the beginning when Bret gave an award out to one of his friends, to the end when Talia accepted Mason’s award since he was working. ”
“Maybe the dinner got out before the movie started.” Rarity still thought Talia was her best suspect.
Bret, maybe not, but Talia? She had lied about her relationship with Mason.
Lied either to Rarity or to Mason himself.
It looked like she was the gold digger that she’d been accused of being for so many years.
“Sorry, Talia was at the dinner. She didn’t leave until after Mason had been taken out of your shop.
Most of the potential suspects from the film industry community were at that same dinner.
If he was killed by one of the people he worked with, it wasn’t in production.
Maybe administration or someone from the actual studios.
I don’t know, that feels like a stretch without a motivation. ”
“Let’s put the shop talk away and talk about going somewhere in the fall. I’d love to chase leaves in New England.” Sam leaned back, staring at the stars. “Maybe find a dark park so we can look for galaxies.”
Rarity smiled at her friend. That was why she adored Sam. She always was looking for the next star.