"I'd gotten the impression she just spotted them together, maybe more than once. She didn't ... offer any judgment on their behavior." Her expression softened. "Maybe it's not what you think, Eloise. Maybe Sam had a perfectly legitimate reason to meet Jolene."

"At the Holiday Inn?" Eloise scoffed. "Look, ladies, I'd appreciate it if you kept our conversation confidential. You're right, Marla. I may just be imagining things. On the other hand..." Her voice trailed off as her gaze wandered the room. "You're here with that detective, aren't you, Marla?"

"Actually, Dalton is my date," Hortense boasted. "We're doubling with Marla and Arnie, her fiance."

"What?" Eloise's eyes widened. "Marla, you've been holding back on me! Congratulations."

Marla groaned inwardly. Now Eloise would spread the news that Hortense apparently hadn't broadcast yet. "Thanks," she muttered ungratefully.

Both men stood as the ladies approached. Eloise veered off toward her husband's table; Hank was nowhere in sight. Marla wondered what Vail had been discussing with Arnie, because his quicksilver eyes alighted on her in a bemused fashion.

"What did Eloise say?" Vail prompted.

Marla sniffed, disliking how Hortense slid into the booth beside him while jiggling her bosom. "She just confirmed what Cookie said about Sam meeting Jolene."

"That doesn't prove anything," Arnie contributed, his dark gaze fixed on Hortense.

Their wine had been poured, and a spinach dip appetizer was on the table. Marla helped herself. "Hank Goodfellow was here earlier," she mentioned, biting into a crunchy corn chip. "Maybe the pharmacist spoke to Sam while Eloise was in the ladies' room. Did you guys notice anything?"

"No, we were too busy talking about you," Arnie blurted.

"Is that so? Did I miss anything important?"

Vail gulped a sip of wine, then grinned broadly. "Arnie was telling me the plans for your wedding. Sounds like a grand affair. I hope I'll be invited."

Rising to the bait, Marla raised an eyebrow. "Oh yes, along with your lovely daughter. What time should I pick her up for dance cla.s.s next week?"

"Does the young lady need a ride?" Hortense cut in. "I'd be happy to oblige. Surely you have more important things to do." She emphasized her last sentence as though to say, you belong to Arnie, so what are you doing with Vail's daughter?

"I promised to take Brianna. It's no trouble," Marla said sweetly. "By the way, when do you start your new job at Stockhart Industries?" Across from her, Vail straightened his shoulders.

"I report in on Monday, but I'm not sure what hours I'll be working yet," Hortense replied.

"If you, uh, hear any gossip about Jolene, will you pa.s.s it on to me?"

"Sure will, sugar. Why is everyone so hung up on that woman's death? It was an accident, wasn't it?"

Marla and Dalton exchanged a quick glance. "Maybe, maybe not," Dalton said. "We're investigating the possibilities."

She gave him an appraising look. "Such as?"

"Jolene ingested a sedative before she went into the whirlpool."

"So? She must have been stressed out. That's probably why she went to the club in the first place."

Vail shook his head. "It wasn't the type of sedative you can buy over the counter."

"You didn't tell me that!" Marla exclaimed.

"Oh, I didn't? It must have slipped my mind."

Like h.e.l.l it did. He was revealing that little tidbit now on purpose. Why? Their entrees arrived, and Marla put aside further questions while they made small talk.

"Tell me, I've always been curious about police officers," Hortense said between bites of grilled salmon. "Do you carry a gun when you're off duty?"

"Depends," Vail answered in a noncommittal tone.

"How did you get into this line of work?"

"I've always liked puzzles, so being a detective seemed a natural direction for me to take."

Arnie, who'd been watching Hortense with a lovesick expression, finally found his voice. "I used to admire firefighters, but I'm afraid of heights. Putting on a fire in the oven is more my speed. I make the best bagels in town."

"Of course you do," Hortense said patronizingly.

"Where did you work before you moved back to Palm Haven?" Marla asked, wondering if it was coincidence that Hortense had showed up right when problems with Jolene developed. Come to think of it, Hortense had jumped into their conversation as though she already knew what was going on. Could be she'd just heard the gossip. Or maybe she was more involved than she let on.

Hortense's glance flickered toward the entrance. "Up north. Wait here, and I'll get something from my car to show you."

While she was gone, Arnie excused himself to attend the men's room. Marla was grateful for the interval alone with Dalton.

"You don't have to be so nice to Hortense," she gritted. "I thought you were going to pay attention to me."

"What's the matter, Marla? Is your little scheme backfiring? It doesn't always work out when you attempt to manipulate people." His frank gaze made her flush with guilt.

"We're supposed to be doing Arnie a favor, but the way things are working out, Hortense barely notices him."

The corners of his mouth quirked upward. "Do I detect a hint of the green-eyed monster?"

"The h.e.l.l you do. Arnie wants to score with Hortense, so please keep your hands off."

Raising his palms in supplication, he leaned across the table. "Where would you like me to place them instead? On your shoulders, perhaps?" His gaze intensified. "Or elsewhere. I'd be happy to provide ... satisfaction."

Marla's breath hitched. "I-I don't know what I want," she stammered.

"You'd better make up your mind. I'm a patient man, but I can't wait forever."

Arnie returned, frowning when he saw the empty seat beside Vail. "What's taking Hortense so long?" he said, glancing at the door. The waitress had cleared the table, and while they sat in awkward silence, she brought over a dessert menu.

"Maybe I should see if anything is wrong," Marla began, but just then Hortense breezed through the entrance.

Her face looked flushed as she swung into the seat beside Vail. "This is what I've been doing parttime," the buxom blonde said, withdrawing a sheaf of papers from a portfolio. Spreading them out on the table, she pointed at two large black-and-white photographs. "My head shots, see? This is my resume, and this is the last script I worked on. In my spare time I'm an actress."

"Hortense, that's wonderful!" Arnie gushed, fascinated by the s.e.xy pose in one of the photos.

She smiled at him. "You think so? I figured, why let this beautiful body go to waste? I worked hard enough to look this way."

"You're absolutely right," Marla said firmly. She held up one of the dessert menus. "Sweets, anyone?"

"You heard her," Marla said to Arnie later in the parking lot on the way to his car. "She's an actress. Maybe Hortense returned to town at this particular time for a reason she isn't sharing with us. She could be cozying up to Dalton to sound him out."

"On what subject?" Arnie's shoulders slumped, and his stride lacked its usual spring.

"She seemed almost to know about Jolene. From the things she said to Eloise, I got the feeling Hortense was interested in the case."

"She might have known Jolene. Most of us went to the same high school." He gave a long sigh. "Maybe that's the problem. Now that Hortense has seen me, I've disappointed her."

Guests no longer waited outside the restaurant. The shadows of trees fell across the road, strange shapes that crowded the dim streetlights. An eerie orange glow from downtown pierced the darkness to the east. Marla's pumps clacked on the asphalt as they proceeded through the parking lot. Her recent experience outside Perfect Fit Sports Club came back to haunt her, and the hair on her neck p.r.i.c.kled. Was that same person lurking here?

Glancing back for rea.s.surance, she caught the low murmur of voices. Hortense and Dalton hovered beside his car, making jealousy rear inside her.

"Don't feel bad," she said to Arnie. "Dalton is only paying attention to her to get back at me."

Giving her a forlorn look, he said, "I wouldn't count on that if I were you. Her bazongas are enough to make a man drool."

"Yeah, and she paid enough for them! Arnie, looks are only skin deep. If she doesn't like you just because you're not so young anymore, she isn't worth your energy." As a stylist, Marla strove to make her clients look their best, because creating an image of beauty was important for a person's self-esteem. But when it came to making character judgments, she relied on intuition and not just appearances alone.

Anger brought spirit back into his expression. "What do you mean, I'm not so young anymore? I don't vegetate in front of the TV like a lot of other schmucks my age. I work out at home and watch my diet." Patting his lengthening forehead, he glared at her. "I can't help my hair, but least I've still got some!"

Marla stopped in her tracks. "Arnie, I love you, and any girl who doesn't has blinders in front of her. You're a sweet man, and I've always found you attractive."

"You have?"

She chuckled. "Don't look at me that way. We're good friends, and let's leave it there."

"At least you're honest. So if you like Vail, why don't you go after him?"

Glancing in Dalton's direction, she was glad to note Hortense heading for her own car. "I'm not ready," she confessed, wrapping her arms around herself. It was cool out, and she'd forgotten to bring a sweater. Darkness surrounded them, encouraging confidences. "He might try to control me, like Stan did."

"Come on, Marla, you don't believe that. Vail is used to taking charge, but he strikes me as a decent guy. Stan was a putz who needed to dominate you."

She shivered. "I know, but I'm scared to get that deeply involved again."

"You're not getting any younger either, babe. You're still a looker, but do you really want to be alone the rest of your life?"

"I'm happy being alone," she retorted, stung by his words.

"No, you're not. You keep yourself so busy that you don't have time to think about it. What Jewish girl isn't raised with home and family ingrained in her mind?"

She resumed a quick stride to his car. "A family is the last thing I want."

"A husband, then. You won't have to run around solving murders if you have someone at home waiting for you."

"Dammit, Arnie, don't tell me what I need."

"Shayna madel, I just want you to be happy." He kept pace beside her, dark eyes gleaming in the faint moonlight. "You're a rare find, a woman who is beautiful and sincere. You care about others, but you don't let anyone care for you."

I don't need anyone! an inner voice shouted. "There's my mother," she offered. "Ma is always telling me what to do."

"Anita is a sweetheart." Arnie paused before opening the pa.s.senger door for her. "If you like Vail, don't let him get sidetracked by a pretty skirt."

"Oh, so now you're not bowled over by Hortense? Your eyes bulged out when you first caught sight of her at my salon."

"Maybe I was too hasty. I should get to know her better. She could be all frosting and no cake."

He reached over to unlock her door when a loud concussion ripped the air.

The ground under her feet shook, and a wave of heat blasted the left side of her face. Stumbling, Marla felt Arnie's arm steady her around the waist.

"What the h.e.l.l was that?" he cried, the keys in his hand forgotten.

Together, they peered in the direction of the explosion, where several vehicles had ignited in a fiery conflagration. Vail, apparently knocked off his feet, stirred on the pavement.

"It wasn't his car, thank G.o.d," Arnie rasped, as they hastened toward him. Patrons, responding to the disaster, flew out the doors of the restaurant to see what had happened. Cries of horror mingled with the crackle of flames.

Vail stood and brushed himself off, his face paler than she'd ever seen it. His mouth set in a grim line, he yanked a cell phone from his belt.

"Where's Hortense?" Marla said, suddenly noticing the girl's absence. "I hope she wasn't ... oh, Lord save me. No, it can't be." She trembled violently.

"Detective, what happened?" Arnie asked urgently. "Where's Hortense?"

Vail's eyes were hard as nails. "She went toward her car. I couldn't quite see..." His mouth tightened. "No one could have survived that blast. You can't even get near; it's too hot."

"It's not your fault," Marla said hastily.

"I should've gone with her. Maybe I would have noticed something."

She didn't understand what he meant. Stunned, she stared at the blazing vehicles. "How do you know for certain it was her car that blew up?"

"You don't see her anywhere, do you? All right, everyone, out of the way." His training took over. Creating an imaginary line, he kept onlookers at a distance until rescue personnel arrived.

"I don't believe it," Arnie repeated several times, shaking his head.

They watched firefighters attack the smoldering ruins while Vail directed his backup team. There would be witnesses to interview, detailed reports to file. He could be stuck here for hours. Questions plagued her, but she wouldn't bother Vail with them now. Foremost in her mind were the ones regarding Jolene's death. And now this. What, if anything, connected the two events?

Chapter Ten.

Her face reflecting the glow from the emergency lights, Marla clutched Arnie's arm. "Look, over there!"

A familiar figure staggered into view from the edge of the spectacle. A bedraggled and dazed Hortense stumbled toward them.