Delta Bayou and the Miss Dixieland Pageant (Delta Bayou Adult Mystery #1)

Chapter Nine: The Pageant

Delta had arrived at the theater at exactly 11:00 AM, as instructed in her Miss Dixieland itinerary. All of the contestants had been treated to a brunch of croissants, eggs, berries, coffee, and tea. Many of the girls only picked at the food, too nervous to eat now that the day they had been waiting for had finally arrived. Delta had eaten four croissants and piled her plate high with the eggs and berries. She didn't want to risk being hungry later as her time to solve the case was ticking away. Chief Payne had given her until the end of the show to find out who the supplier and the distributors were and she didn't intend to fail. She stared out at the room of contestants as she ate, watching them closely.

After breakfast, they were shepherded through another rehearsal. Phil stood nervously nearby, fretting like a mother hen as lights and banners were hung. He walked across the stage several times to fiddle with the placement of the microphones, to line up the risers just so. He smiled in greeting at Delta but didn't have much time to talk as lines of event staff rotated around him with questions.

The rest of the judges were not expected to show up until later, but Delta would have been too busy to have followed them anyways. She was needed for mic checks, for photos, and for standing around the stage in her prescribed spot so that Phil could assure for one last time that the girls were arranged perfectly by height.

At 5 PM they were released from the main stage area to the back. They were expected to be backstage, dressed and ready by 6:50. Delta looked around her as the girls split in various locations, some heading for the showers, some sitting in front of the mirrors to begin working on their hair and makeup. Delta chose a spot and began her own primping. She had looked around but had not seen where Sasha had gone after they had been released from the stage. Her other friendly acquaintances had headed to the showers so she sat alone, getting ready.

Over an hour and a half had passed before she saw Sasha again. She had been talking to two of the other contestants, Brittany and Jenna, about the murder just to affirm that they didn't know anything. They had suddenly fallen silent, and Delta had turned to see Sasha, gorgeous in the scarlet cocktail dress she would be wearing for the opening portion of the pageant.

"Can we talk?" 

Delta followed her away from the dressing room area, down a carpeted hallway that led towards the auditorium. There was no one around. The artificially yellow light of the hallway lamps bounced against the vinyl of the gold and ivory wallpaper. The light cocooned Sasha like a halo. She reached out for Delta's hand and caressed it in her own. The motion wafted over the scent of her perfume, something candy-sweet, but with an herbal, almost medicinal, undertone. "I wanted to apologize for the way I've been acting. I know I blew you off the other night after the photoshoot." She didn't add how she had abandoned Delta after the donor's party for Cassandra, or how she had been distant in her texts and had not returned Delta's few calls.

Delta waited, letting Sasha toy with her fingers, brushing them with her own rose-soft fingertips. Sasha looked at her for reassurance, and continued, "I've been spending a lot of time with Sandy... Cassandra. Things always get weird with me when I'm around her. It's hard to explain. She makes me feel like doing things I shouldn't do." She squeezed Delta's hand lightly.

Delta returned the squeeze, intoxicated by Sasha's nearness, and wrapped her long fingers around Sasha's shorter ones. "I know the feeling." It was so hard to focus on the investigation when Sasha was around.

Sasha graced her with a smile. "I should have told you this already, but we used to date."

"I know. Tabitha and Bree told me."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Delta shrugged. "I guess you didn't owe me that information. I mean... Did either one of us ever expect this to be more than just a little fun?" Do I consider what's between us more than fun? She realized the answer was yes although she didn't know how it had turned out that way.