Not One Clue_ A Mystery - Lois Greiman [60]
“Oh?”
“I do not think anyone is to know this.”
Just tell me, goddamnit, I thought, and made a crossing-my-heart motion.
“Last spring the whole of the cast got a raise in pay. Some say it is because of Elaine. That she asked for less so that each of us could receive the more.”
Oh, Laney, I thought. Have I taught you nothing? “And this you believe?”
“It is something she might do.”
“Where did you hear this rumor?”
He shrugged, snagged a nearby broccoli floret, and popped it into his mouth. “Even Ghazi is wild for her, and he is the Muslim.”
“Ghazi?”
“The master of props. It is said that he is a prince and has two wives already. But perhaps his God does not care if he adds a nice Christian girl to his collection.”
My ears pricked up. “He hopes to marry her?”
He smiled. “He would have to join me and … how do they say … the remainder of the club.”
I felt my heart crack a little but tried to be strong. The show’s viewership was off the charts. The fact that most men watched it with the volume off didn’t make Laney any less appealing.
“Everyone, they adore her,” he repeated.
“That can’t be true,” I argued, and he scowled.
“Why do you say this?” he asked, and suddenly he almost seemed menacing.
I resisted taking a step back. “No reason,” I said.
He stared at me a moment, then shook his head. “I apologize,” he said. “I have been somewhat worried for her of late.”
“For her? Why? She has got what each one of us wants. Oui?”
“That is how it would seem, is it not?”
“I am wrong?”
He shook his head. “You have not seen the man she is to marry?”
As a matter a fact, I had. There was a reason I cried myself to sleep every night. “Non.”
“The man … he looks like …” He shook his head, exasperated. “A chimpanzee with bad hair.”
Thank you! I was beginning to think I was the only one who saw the resemblance. “Perhaps he is very nice,” I said, and almost—almost—felt a niggle of defensiveness.
He took a drink from his flute. “There is none so nice as that,” he said.
“Is he here now?” I asked, keeping the conversation flowing.
“I do not believe Elaine is to come this night.”
“And what of Ghazi?” I asked, glancing about, but at that moment someone spoke from near my elbow.
“Sergio,” she said, and I jumped, already paling as I pivoted wide-eyed, to find Laney within spitting distance. She glanced at me, smiled vaguely, and turned back toward her man-slave. Ethan Engles was at her side, looking happy as a clam just to be in the same universe. “It’s great to see you.”
“My queen!” he said, and leaning in, kissed her on both cheeks. It was like watching birds of paradise mate, but she pulled away after a moment, only holding his hands, looking completely nonplussed. She was wearing blue jeans. She’d left her tawny hair loose to fall over her frayed T-shirt, immediately making every woman in the room feel underdressed. But none of that mattered, because my head was spinning. Was it possible she hadn’t recognized me?
“I did not think you planned to come this night,” Sergio said.
“I didn’t,” she admitted. “I’ve been crazy busy with wedding plans. But I wanted to pop in for a minute to wish everyone well.” She turned toward me then.
“That is an amazing dress.”
I gave her a sick look and tried to think of something to say, but she only smiled.
“And it looks great on you,” she added.
I shot my attention to Morab. His brows were somewhere in his hairline.
“Do you two know each other?” Ethan asked.
“I …” I began, and ran out of words. Laney just stood there, smiling benignly.
“Patricia Ruocco,” she said finally, and offered her hand.
“Fani,” I breathed, not daring to try the last name, and Ethan laughed. “You should have seen her with Pitt.”
I glanced at him, guessed his misconception, and ran with it.
“You are the Amazon Queen.” I managed inadvertently to sound breathless, but in that moment I saw wicked recognition gleam in Laney’s eyes. What the hell had I been thinking? Laney would probably still be able to