Death Pays a Visit : Myrtle Clover #7

Chapter Fifteen

Even Myrtle had to admit that the New Year's Eve party was nicely staged. There were glittery stars hanging from the ceiling of a large activity room and there was a table of noisemakers and party hats. Another table held champagne cocktails for the countdown and there was a table with a variety of different foods, including black-eyed pea salsa (black-eyed peas being vitally important in the South for good luck in the New Year), mini quiches, cheese in crescent rolls, and artichoke dip.

Myrtle and Miles both paid a Greener Pastures attendant for admission and Miles appeared to be determined to get his money's worth as he loaded a plate full of food. The lights were slightly dimmed to provide atmosphere, but not enough to create hazards for the guests. A large screen television was playing a countdown program. And the staff had music playing—it sounded like a selection of hits from the forties, fifties, and sixties. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and there was a lot of loud laughter.

There was a tap at Myrtle's shoulder, and she turned to see Inez Wilson giving her an insincere smile. "Good to see you here, dear. And who are you wearing tonight? I'm doing a story for the paper."

Myrtle felt as though Inez was trying to rub it in her face that she was a reporter, too. It was very annoying to have Myrtle's position at a town newspaper compared to Inez's retirement home newsletter. Knowing she needed to have Inez cooperative, though, she forced a smile. "Whatever do you mean, Inez?" she asked. "Do you mean what am I wearing? In that case, I'm wearing a black button-down shirt dress with a belt and a festive red scarf." It seemed festive to her, anyway. Miles kept asking her on the car ride over if she were cold, so maybe he thought it was purely functional.

"No, I mean who are you wearing?" asked Inez with something of a superior look. "The designer."

Myrtle frowned at her. Did people wear designers at Greener Pastures? This was yet another sign that she didn't belong here. "I believe the designer is Mr. Wal-Mart, Inez. Maybe I shouldn't be included in your piece."

Inez smirked. "Not at all, Myrtle. I also wanted to profile visitors to Greener Pastures. Here, let me take your picture.

Myrtle bared her teeth for the cell phone camera that Inez whipped out of her stylish purse.

"There!" said Inez in a pleased voice. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

It was. But Myrtle wouldn't give her the satisfaction of saying so. She decided that she really didn't like Inez much. Her eyes combed the room, wanting to change the subject. "Have you seen Ruby tonight, Inez?" She was starting to feel as if Ruby might require a bodyguard.

Inez's voice was bored. "No, and I don't care if I do. I'm convinced that Ruby is a thief."

Myrtle knit her brows, remembering the stolen items from her pocketbook. And the one return. "Why do you say that?"

"I went on the Greener Pastures van to the grocery store and took the trouble of getting myself a bag of veggie chips. They're my favorite type of chip and they're not even that bad for you. Helps me keep my figure." Inez gestured with some pride to her thin physique clothed in a glittery black evening dress that nearly reached the floor. Myrtle decided that Inez was decidedly overdressed for the occasion.

"I put the chips in the cabinet in our hall's kitchenette. The very next day I went into the kitchen to make some lunch and my chips were gone." Inez's eyes were wide and her mouth trembled for a second. Myrtle was becoming very concerned that Inez might cry over the loss of the chips.

"What makes you think it was Ruby?" asked Myrtle briskly. "There are plenty of other people who live on your hall. Or Natalie Pelias could even have taken them if she needed a snack while she was clearing out her mother's room. Anybody could have taken them."