What a sn.o.b, Helen thought. In a few years, she'll be begging Miguel Angel for a new look.

Helen gave Ms. Pink and Ms. Blue the good news. "Is Angel his last name?" Ms. Pink asked.

"No, it's part of his first name," Helen said. "Cubans are partial to double names, especially the men. They prefer combos like Marco Antonio, Juan Carlos and Miguel Angel."

"Sort of like my Southern cousins," Ms. Blue said. "I have a Billy Bob and a Larry Joe."

"Yes," Helen said. "Let's go back and meet him before his next appointment."

Helen took off across the salon with her long, loping stride. The two women struggled to keep up. "Stop! I mean, slower, please," Ms. Pink said. "Our legs aren't as long as yours."

Helen slowed. Ms. Pink and Ms. Blue stopped when they saw Miguel Angel brushing Kim's long mane.

"Look at her hair," Ms. Pink said in an awed voice. "It's like a silk curtain."

"You do such beautiful work," Ms. Blue said, handing Miguel Angel an old-fashioned autograph book. "Would you sign this?"

"I'd be delighted." When Helen had first started working at the shop last month, she'd expected Miguel Angel to sneer like Kim, but he was surprisingly kind.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you look like a young Elvis?" Ms. Pink said, handing him a sheet of hotel stationary.

"Thank you," he said as he signed it.

Ana Luisa, the salon receptionist, came back. "Excuse me, Miguel Angel. Honey is here for her final appointment before the wedding."

"We'd better leave," Ms. Blue said.

"Thank you," the two women chorused, then toddled toward the door, trailing girlish giggles.

"Be careful what you say around Honey," Miguel Angel whispered to Helen.

"Why?" Helen asked.

"Because her fiance is Kingman 'King' Oden. He writes the Stardust gossip blog and hosts the TV show Stardust at Night."

"Yuck. He's King Odious, right?" Helen asked.

"That's his nickname, but we never use it in this salon."

"But he is nasty," she said. "The man makes fun of older celebrities who've put on weight and young ones who are too skinny. He enjoys revealing who is in rehab. Didn't he out a couple of actresses as lesbians?"

"That's him," Miguel Angel said."King is mean. Lots of people hate him. But even more read his blog and watch his show. Two weeks ago, someone gave King a photo of Bianca Phillips without her makeup, and he posted it on his blog. Poor Bianca looked about a hundred years old. She nearly lost a movie deal because of King."

"Isn't Bianca back in rehab?"

"Shhh. That's supposed to be a secret," Miguel Angel said.

"Did Honey take the Bianca photo here?"

"I don't know," Miguel Angel said. "But if there's a rumor that King got that photo at my salon, it could ruin my business. Go help her."

Helen approached Honey, then handed her Miguel Angel's signature black silk robe embroidered with his name. Honey took the robe and a hanger into the changing room. She was a honey blonde, like her name, with a pale oval face and small, delicate features. The heels on her shoes were high and skinny, and her long legs were encased in designer denim.

Honey carried a large, flat white box. She presented it to Miguel Angel as if it held the crown jewels. "That's my bridal veil. It's silk illusion. That's very soft tulle."

Miguel had done enough weddings to recognize illusion of all types. He opened the box and gently lifted out the veil. "It's long," he said.

"It's a ninety-inch circle veil with silk-edged st.i.tching." Honey handed him a smaller white box. "This is my tiara. It's crystal stars, in King's honor-for Stardust, you know. We're also getting Swarovski crystal stars for the dinner guests' place settings. We got a good deal on them-only seventy dollars a star."

"How many guests?" Helen asked.

"Two hundred," Honey said.

Helen did the math. Honey was spending fourteen thousand dollars on wedding favors alone. She'd already spent nearly every cent of her savings to be one of Miguel's Angels. He'd transformed her from a practical nurse with thick-soled shoes into the spike-heeled consort of King Oden.

"We'd better get started," Miguel said. "The wedding is Sat.u.r.day, and we still haven't decided on a hairstyle."

"I'd like to try my hair up this time, in a French twist," Honey said. "Sort of Grace Kellyish. King will like that. Very cla.s.sy."

"Phoebe, wash Honey's hair," Miguel Angel commanded his a.s.sistant.

"But I washed it this morning," Honey said.

"It will look better after my treatment," he said.

Many customers thought they'd save time or money by washing their own hair. But they usually didn't get out all the soap, and their hair looked flat and lifeless when it was styled.

"I use something special that will brighten the color," Miguel said. "You don't need your roots done yet."

Phoebe tucked a towel around Honey's neckline and washed her hair. The two women chatted like old friends. Phoebe usually didn't get along well with the women customers, but she knew how to flatter and flirt with the older men.

The hair washing, from soaping to a mini scalp ma.s.sage, took almost ten minutes. When a wet-haired Honey was installed in Miguel Angel's chair, Helen asked, "May I bring you a drink? How about a magazine?"

"Just water," Honey said.

Helen went back to the prep room and poured ice and cold water into a crystal gla.s.s, added a thin lemon slice, then wrapped the gla.s.s with a paper napkin so the bride's delicate fingers wouldn't be chilled.

When she returned, Miguel Angel was blow-drying Honey's hair. In half an hour, he had it up on her head in a golden twist.

"Now the veil," he said. "Stand up."

Honey stood. Miguel carefully draped the veil over her hair, pinned it in place, then added the tiara. The crystals caught the light and gave Honey an angelic halo.

"Beautiful," he said.

"This is how I want to look," Honey said. "Now will you brush out my hair? I want King to be surprised on Sat.u.r.day."

Miguel Angel unpinned the veil, and Helen carefully folded it and packed it away. The tiara went back in its small box. When Miguel finished brushing out Honey's shoulder-length hair, the bride-to-be gave Ana Luisa her credit card, wrote a check to Miguel Angel for his tip, handed Helen five bucks and gave Phoebe a thick wad of money.

But she still didn't leave. "I'm worried about Sat.u.r.day," Honey said. "All of King's celebrity friends will be there. What if something goes wrong?"

"What can go wrong?" Miguel Angel said. "We're supposed to have beautiful weather, and you're a beautiful bride."

"What if I trip and fall going down the aisle?"

"King will only love you more," Miguel Angel said. "Do you love him?"

"Of course," Honey said. "His first marriage was a mistake. He'd knocked up Posie and they had to hurry up and get married by a judge at city hall. Posie was so desperate, she signed the worst prenup agreement ever. But we're doing this marriage right. King wants a traditional white wedding with all his friends there and a real honeymoon. He loves me. He tells me so all the time. And I love him to death. I mean, till death parts us."

"You're just having a case of bridal nerves," Miguel Angel said. "What could go wrong?"

"I guess we'll find out on Sat.u.r.day," the bride said, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Also by Elaine Viets.

Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper Series.

Dying in Style.

High Heels Are Murder.

Accessory to Murder.

Dead-End Job Mystery Series.

Shop Till You Drop.

Murder Between the Covers.

Dying to Call You.

Just Murdered.

Murder Unleashed.

Murder with Reservations.

Clubbed to Death.