I couldn’t help laughing. “Then you’ll be like all the rest of us. Everyone has relatives who aren’t perfect.”
“Oh no, she’s like my mom,” she moaned. “Wait! She doesn’t share genes with my mother. That’s a relief. But I had hoped Charlene might be like me. Why can’t I have any normal relatives?”
I had no idea what to say. “Natasha, everyone is different. She might not match up to the standards you impose on yourself.”
“Obviously not,” she snorted angrily. “If she did, she would be here searching for her place card at the table. Well, I guess we’ll go on without her. I don’t see the point in waiting any longer.”
“Now can I give you a hand?”
“Don’t be silly. I don’t require your services.”
When I returned to the table, I realized that Mars might not have been the only person playing Move-the-Place-Card. Everyone else had been seated, which left me with no choice but to sit opposite Benton.
Natasha proudly served her appetizer of crisped pancetta and figs. I had to give her credit. They were actually tasty, if tiny.
“I must apologize to you all,” said Natasha primly. “Our guest of honor isn’t answering her phone and seems to have disappeared. I hope you will enjoy your dinner in spite of her absence.”
“I’m sorry that we won’t meet her,” said Nina. “If I were you, I would be dying to see what she looks like!”
“I admit that I am quite curious.” Natasha sighed. “But I suppose it won’t happen this evening.”
Natasha’s backyard was fenced. Next to the alley that ran behind the house were a detached garage and a workshop for her crafts with a tiny apartment over top of them. In the darkness, I thought I saw something move near the workshop, but as I watched, nothing more happened. It was probably a neighborhood cat.
The next course of cold pea soup arrived in demitasse cups, prompting Larry to whisper to me, “Will she serve anything that’s more than a bite or a sip of food?”
I thought he might have regretted that thought after taking a bite of scallop that she had seared beautifully but topped with a peanut sauce that left my tongue numb. I rushed to the kitchen for a pitcher of water and refilled glasses of water and wine before Natasha began to serve the main course.
Benton whispered, “Has anyone else lost feeling in their tongue?”
Happily, the main course turned out to be a crusted prime rib roast with duchesse potatoes.
After one bite, Helbert gasped and drank an entire glass of ice water. “Is it supposed to taste like campfire ashes?” he murmured.
I kicked him under the table and pointed to my plate. “That’s the charcoal. Very trendy. Cut off the outer edges,” I hissed. The interior was perfect. It was a pity that she insisted on lacing it with charcoal.
It dawned on me as we ate that we were dining with the top two suspects in the murder at Abby’s house. Benton and Mars drew that dubious distinction. Nevertheless, both were in good spirits and proved to be delightful company. I was even warming up to Benton.
Just past his right elbow, I could see the spot in Natasha’s yard where I thought something had moved. I couldn’t make out anything now that it was completely dark.
Benton leaned toward me. “It’s probably terrible form to ask out a woman when her ex-husband is in the room.”
Oh, dear heaven. I hadn’t seen this coming. He was definitely attractive and had been interesting all evening, funny and well mannered. Would it be a bad thing to date a spy?
“Maybe we could have coffee tomorrow?” he asked with a hint of a smile.
Coffee. I could do that. Maybe he was actually as nice as he seemed. “I’d like that.” The words slipped out of my mouth far too easily, before I could entertain second thoughts.
When Natasha collected plates, my gaze drifted back to the spot behind Benton. “Excuse me. I feel like there’s something in the grass. Maybe a kitten or a lost pup.”
Benton accompanied me out on the lawn.
“I thought it was right about here—” We both screamed when an arm flailed in the air.
Chapter 14
Dear Natasha,
I have a brother-in-law who always arrives late to dinner parties. I have to include him because the oaf is married to my sister. She’s wise to him and drives herself now. When he arrives, do I have to wait on him and bring him each course?
Miffed in Cranberry, Pennsylvania
Dear Miffed,
He’s lucky if you offer him food at all! What audacious manners. The correct thing to do is to serve him what the others are eating at that time. If they are on dessert, there is no need to serve him any of the previous courses. If he leaves hungry, perhaps he will learn.
Natasha
In spite of our shock, Benton and I edged closer.
I could hear footsteps pounding on the ground as others ran toward us. A flashlight suddenly lighted the grass and found the person’s bruised face. Dried blood was caked in her hair and near her nose.
She was probably in her late thirties with a delicate appearance. She had almond-shaped eyes, high cheekbones, a pointy chin, and jet-black hair. I knew who she was immediately. There was no doubting the resemblance to Natasha.
“Charlene?” I asked gently.
She moaned, and her eyes closed.
“No! Don’t leave us,” I cried, fearful that she would die.
Natasha pushed past me and screamed. She clasped a hand over her mouth and fell to her knees. “Charlene! It’s your sister, Natasha. Charlene!”
“I called 911,” Mars announced. “They should be here any second. I told them to use the alley.”
Natasha wept. She picked up Charlene’s closest hand and clutched it in her own. Natasha’s tears fell on their hands.
“Charlene, can you hear us?” I asked.
There was no response. I reached across her for her other hand and felt for a pulse.
“Is she . . .” choked Natasha.
“I feel a faint pulse. She’s still with us.”
The wail of sirens pierced the night. We heard the ambulance turn into the alley. Its headlights set the alley aglow beyond the fence.
“I’ll show them the way,” said Mars.
In minutes, emergency medical technicians were checking on Charlene. One of them had to drag Natasha away from her. He asked questions about Charlene, but none of us knew the answers. Her age? Did she have any allergies? What had happened to her? We knew nothing. I wished I had bothered to get up from my dinner earlier and check on the odd movement that had caught my eye.
In fifteen minutes, she was whisked away in the ambulance. All we knew was that she was unconscious but still breathing. For that matter, we weren’t even certain that she was Charlene Smith. We had all made that assumption based on her appearance.
I seized Natasha’s arm. “Go with her. I’ll take care of everything here.” I walked to the house with her.
“Do you mean it?”
“Of course!”
“I knew there was a reason that you’re my dearest friend. Chocolate curry cake with stout beer frosting is on the kitchen island. Please serve it on the blue Wedgewood Hibiscus dessert plates. I’ve already prepared the hot pepper coffee. All you have to do is turn on the machine.”