Chapter 21
Sunday morning, Rarity checked her bag twice before leaving the house, making sure the envelope with Pike’s first film was in the tote. If she didn’t run into Jane Carey today, she’d mail it to Pike’s lawyers on Monday. It felt like unfinished business and maybe a bit of bad luck to hold on to it.
Sam knocked on the door at eight forty-five. “We can park in the hotel lot for free today, so let’s get going before the rest of town heads that way. A lot of people want that book donation prize.”
“It would be fun if a family got it.” Rarity checked the house and locked the back door before hurrying to join Sam. “Be good, Killer.”
As they got into the still running car, Sam checked her eye makeup in the mirror.
“I look like I didn’t get any sleep at all.
I was all tucked in by eleven. Jonathon walked me to my door, waited for me to unlock it and go in, then stood on the step until he heard the lock engage. I watched him through the sidelight.”
“He takes his walking assignments seriously.” Rarity smiled as she remembered all the times he’d walked her home in Archer’s place. “It’s kind of nice.”
“Yeah, in a paternal way. I wonder if he and Edith have always been this way with their kids’ friends. Treating them like family, I mean.” Sam pulled out of the driveway and headed into town.
“Archer said once his grandmother died and his dad had his issues, the Andersons were like a second family. He was always over there since his mom was dealing with family things and working.” She turned the music down.
“You and I were that way. We were together so much the people in town called us the sisters.”
“Jake hated you,” Sam admitted.
“What? I liked him.” Rarity turned to look at her. It was true she had liked Jake. Of all of Sam’s high school loves, he was the most stable. He had plans for college and beyond and wasn’t just out for a good night.
“He said you were always around. We didn’t get time alone. In fact, I think that’s why we broke up. He wanted me to commit to Northwestern in Chicago and get an apartment the first year. We were looking at University of Arizona.”
“I didn’t know that,” Rarity admitted. “But Arizona was a lot warmer than Chicago. And I had a scholarship there. You didn’t have to come along.”
“And miss doing the college years together?” Sam flashed her a huge smile. “I wasn’t ready then to settle down. I wanted to go with you and have adventures. Like the time we crashed the frat house party and were the only nonsorority chicks there?”
“Why would I join a sorority when I already had a best friend?” Rarity remembered the party. She’d been invited to pledge but Sam hadn’t, so she’d turned them down. And never regretted it. “I’m too much of an introvert to live in a sorority house.”
Sam pulled into the parking lot. She turned the engine off, not looking at Rarity when she said, “I knew you were invited to pledge. Stephanie Elliot told me you turned them down. You didn’t have to say no just because I didn’t get an invite.”
Rarity didn’t say anything until she got out of the car. Then she gave Sam a quick hug. “What fun would it have been without you?”
“None, of course.” Sam’s smile returned. “But did you regret it?”
“Not once.” She hitched her tote onto her shoulder. “Let’s get inside before we can’t get a seat.”
They walked into the grand hotel entrance and headed straight to the large ballroom where the breakfast was being held.
She saw both Jane and Talia standing across the room.
They seemed to be in an intense discussion.
“I think Jane’s a glutton for punishment.
Go claim us a spot and I’ll drop off this film case before I forget again. ”
“Okay, but give me your sweater so I can run to the buffet after claiming our seats.” Sam was eyeing the food items on the table. “I hoped they’d have chocolate croissants. We come here on Sunday when Drew’s folks are in town. Edith loves their Scotch eggs.”
As Rarity made her way over to Jane, Miranda, the producer with the romance film, stopped her.
“Hi, it’s Rarity, isn’t it? I just wanted to thank you for the help with the book drive.
I hear Gretchen’s assistant failed to even notify you.
I’m so sorry but I wanted you to know how much this is going to help those libraries.
My sister is still in high school and her library is completely gone, along with the main administration building.
The fire left the classrooms and the gym untouched.
Wildfires are so fickle. You never know what’s going to stay standing.
Of course, it helped that the two buildings that stayed were made of concrete blocks. ”
“Miranda, you’re more than welcome. And if the festival wants to do another drive next year, just let me know. I’ll keep in touch with Gretchen.” Rarity took a business card out of her purse. “Here’s my information, in case you hear something and want to give me a heads-up.”
“Smart. If there are several people watching out for you, maybe one of us airheads will follow through. And I include myself in that description. I guess we’re getting started.
My movie didn’t place, but it’s been a fun festival anyway.
” Miranda headed to her chair as Gretchen walked up to the podium.
Rarity glanced over to where Jane and Talia had been talking, and both women were gone. She went back to fill her plate and sat next to Sam.
“Mission accomplished?” Sam asked.
Rarity sipped her coffee that had been filled in her absence. “No. I got sidetracked and by the time that was over, Jane had disappeared. It’s like this darn thing wants to stay with me.”
“Maybe it’s holding the ghost of Mason and he’s trying to help you solve the murder,” Sam said with a giggle. “It could happen, you know.”
“It’s Sedona. Anything could happen here. We’re the home of the vortex, right?”
* * *
Back at the house, Rarity fell into the couch, wondering if this was the one case that would never be solved.
Darby’s stalking incident had been easier to solve, mostly due to the mistaken identity factor.
Bret Black had been stalking someone, just not Darby.
And in his defense, he didn’t see it as stalking, just trying to figure out what was happening in his on-again, off-again relationship with Talia.
Talia—she was involved in all of this. She and Jane seemed to always be at odds with each other.
Had the ex-girlfriend been jealous of the control Jane had over Mason’s life?
If so, she’d seemed to move on quickly. From Bret, back to Mason, and now, back to Bret.
He must feel like a yo-yo. She knew feeling sorry for his attachment to Talia was futile.
You loved who you loved. But she seemed so opportunistic.
Making up the Netflix contract, for one.
And maybe she’d been using Mason too. Especially this new, rekindled relationship, which seemed like only she and Mason were privy to.
Had Talia been messing with his head and not planning on moving back in?
And why would Jane hold that against her?
Or were they fighting over something else?
It occurred to Rarity that she’d never checked out the rest of Jane’s social media posts.
Grabbing her laptop, she opened it. At least she’d have something to report to the sleuthing club on Tuesday.
When she found the right Jane Carey, Rarity sat straighter and kept scrolling.
The page was a memorial to her old boss.
Picture after picture, candid shots, not posed, pictures were plastered all over her Facebook feed.
Including one with her and Mason’s arm around her.
Had Jane been in love with Mason?
She texted Drew and asked if there were any fingerprints on the syringe she’d found in the back room.
One word came back. Yes.
Then her phone rang. “Hey, Drew.”
“What do you think you know?” he asked, not wasting time with a greeting.
“I think Talia killed him, but I can’t figure out why. Money? Who’s the person behind the charitable donations to the festival and the Sedona scholarship? Do you know yet?”
“That I know. His lawyer had a certain allowance to make donations around the moviemaking industry. He thought it might go a long way in keeping Mason’s name out of the mud here.
He said he reached out to the stepbrother listed in the will, and he died last year.
Two guesses on who the other heir is, and first guess doesn’t count. ”
“It’s Talia, right? Did Jane get anything? I know she’s just an employee, but they were together for years. And she was in love with him.”
“Why do you say that?” Drew’s reaction to the statement was quick.
“Check out her Facebook page. She’s got pictures of him all over. I didn’t know you could attach that many pictures to one post.” Rarity realized she was getting off track. “So whose fingerprint is it?”
“Unknown. We’ve asked for a release through a judge, but so far, they’re stonewalling. I’ll let you know if we make an arrest.”
“Oh gee, thanks, Dad.” Rarity tried to pull everything together that Drew had told her into a question.
One he couldn’t avoid answering. Or at least his lack of an answer would mean she was on the right path.
“Oh, one question. This stuff was for his performance issues, right? Could he have delivered the shot himself? Especially if he thought he was getting lucky with Darby?”