Murder of a Royal Pain

Once she showed Simon out, Skye went into the parlor. Kurt had been looking at the objets d’art in the étagère, and when Skye entered, he tapped the glass and said, “I really like this vase.”

“You have good taste. It’s one of a series made by Frank Klepper, a Dallas-based artist who worked in ceramics during the early 1930s. It’s called Curtain of the Dawn.”

“I thought it was from the thirties. I tend to collect more from the twenties, but occasionally something a little more recent catches my eye.” His gaze roved lazily from her head to her feet; then he grinned.

“Glad you approve,” she said dryly. It was hard to feel sexy when she might upchuck at any moment. “You said you had something to discuss with me?” She felt herself sway.

“Hey, are you all right?” Kurt’s expression became serious, and he helped her to the settee.

“I think I’m getting a bug.” Skye rested her head on the seat back and closed her eyes. She’d be fine if only the room would stop spinning.

“Guess that means no kisses,” Kurt teased. “Don’t want to get your germs.”

“Look. I feel lousy, so if you have something important to say, say it. Otherwise, I need to lie down.”

“Sure. Sorry.” Kurt sat next to Skye and put his hand on her forehead. “It doesn’t feel like you have a fever, but you are pale.”

She was touched by his concern. “Maybe it’s something I ate.”

“Can I get you something? Alka-Seltzer? Pepto-Bismol? I could run to the pharmacy.”

“No, thank you.” He was much more attractive when he wasn’t playing the fool, and despite feeling rotten, Skye found herself extremely conscious of his appeal.

“So, did you find out anything?” Kurt asked.

“Not much.” Skye quickly told him about the scene Trixie had witnessed at the grocery store between Dr. Paine and his younger daughter’s teacher, and then about Evie’s refusal to talk to her. She didn’t tell him about Hope’s fear of Quirk or what Simon had told her, since both had sworn her to secrecy.

“Interesting. I’d heard Paine was a womanizer, but didn’t know he was that slimy.” Kurt raised an eyebrow. “I wonder what Evie’s hiding.”

“I wish I knew.” Skye twitched her shoulders. “Maybe she’ll talk to you.”

“I’ll give it a try, but don’t hold your breath.”

Skye made a face, then asked, “What have you found out?”

“Annette’s only interest was her social standing. She didn’t owe anyone money, and people thought she was bossy and annoying, but no one seemed to hate her enough to kill her.”

“Except maybe her husband.” When Kurt nodded, she asked, “How about Nina Miles?”

“If she was supposed to be the victim, it was self-defense. Nina was probably boring the murderer to death.”

“Oh?” Skye felt the corner of her lips turn up. “Not your most entertaining interview, I take it?”

“She seems to have no life of her own. All she could talk about was her three daughters. Her oldest daughter, Farrah, seems to be a bit of a disappointment. But her middle one, Bree, is the most popular girl in high school, and her youngest, Shawna, is going to be a Broadway star. It seems without her, the dance school in town couldn’t even put on a recital, since she helps all the other girls with their performances.”

“Yeah, and if she doesn’t get the leading role she scalps the competition.” Skye told Kurt how Shawna had cut the hair of a fellow third grader in order to dance the lead in Rapunzel.

“Why am I not shocked?” Kurt’s dimples appeared. “Though Nina’s main obsession right now is getting Bree voted prom queen.” Kurt scratched his head. “The prom isn’t until May, right? Seven months away?”

“Right, but the moms have turned it into a yearlong competition.”

“Maybe those women are killing each other.”

Skye had wondered that herself when Frannie mentioned how intense the prom queen and king competition had become, but now that she had thought about it more, she said, “They wouldn’t do that.”

“Why not? Nina sounded pretty ruthless. I doubt she’d let a little thing like murder stand in her way. After all, she admitted to blackmail. Do you know these moms have parties for the kids who are in the running for king and queen, and take pictures of any behavior that they can use against them?”

Skye shook her head. She hadn’t known, though she wasn’t surprised. “But murdering one of the other candidates’ mothers wouldn’t help get her daughter elected, because the victim’s daughter would get the sympathy vote.” Skye struggled to her feet. “Now if one of the girls ended up dead, that would be a different story.”

Kurt raised his eyebrows. “And I thought the people I covered in my last job were twisted.”

“Who were they?” Skye guided Kurt toward the front door and opened it.

“Politicians.”

After Kurt left, Skye checked her messages and found one from Wally. He hadn’t been able to arrange for his father’s nurse to start early. Since he wouldn’t be home until late Friday night, he had spoken to the new sheriff, who had agreed to keep an off-the-record eye on Quirk until Wally got back to town.