A/N: Thank you guest reviewers and those who login. And yes, Frank looks fantastic in a Ralph Lauren shirt. I bet he looks good out of it, too. ;)
Let's have a little fluff this chapter. :) Don't worry, the mystery is never forgotten ...
Chapter 14
Nancy and Bess hustled back and forth between the bathroom and bedroom getting ready for the luau. Clothes, make-up, and hair appliances were spread willy-nilly here and there over every available surface. Each woman had staked their claim to a mirror. Nancy got the one in the bathroom. Bess got the one in the bedroom.
As Nancy applied another coat of mascara, her excitement grew. The luau was a welcome reprieve from the case. All work and no play made Johnny a dull boy. Wasn't that the old saying? Well, in this case Nancy didn't have to worry about things being dull, not with the murder of Diana Collins coming to light and the possibility it was connected to Gwen's murder.
Tonight, however, Nancy pushed thoughts of murder out of her mind and concentrated on her appearance. This was a special night and she hoped there would be time for her and Frank to slip away, to find a place where they could be alone. After the luau of course.
Nancy stood in front of the bathroom mirror and adjusted her aquamarine wrap dress. The color complemented her strawberry blonde tresses and rosy cheeks. A small faux clip at the waist held the overlapping sides of the dress together. The dress's hem curved up in a graceful slit on the left side revealing a bit of shapely thigh.
"Not bad," Nancy mused, turning from side to side.
Bess came up beside her and smiled. "Not bad at all. All you need are the flowers I brought. Let me get the … the pua."
Pua was the Hawaiian word for flowers. An hour earlier, Bess had breezed into the room carrying two small boxes of flowers. In keeping with Hawaiian tradition, each lady at the luau would receive flowers for their hair. Since Bess had been assigned 'flower duty' she'd been able to personally select the type of flower and color she and Nancy would receive.
Bess stepped into the bathroom holding two bright white flowers hooked together on a clip. "What do you think of these?"
"They're beautiful." Nancy took the flower clip from Bess and held it her nose. "I love the scent. It's heavenly."
"They're Hibiscus flowers, the state flower of Hawaii. Melinda told me the Hawaiian name is ah-low-ah-low." Bess pronounced the name slowly and carefully. "Melinda says there a tradition regarding the flowers. If you wear the flowers above your left ear, it means you're either married, engaged, or with someone. If you wear the flowers on your right ear, it means you're free."
Bess waited to see which ear Nancy chose.
Nancy combed her hair to the side and swept it up to expose an ear. She slid the flower clip in place just above her left ear. She turned and gave her friend a radiant smile.
Bess returned the smile. "I wonder if Frank knows about Hawaiian flower placements?"
"You can tell him if he doesn't," Nancy suggested and blushed fiercely. Was she assuming too much about her relationship with Frank? She sincerely hoped not. They made a good team. They worked well together. And she felt the sparks, jolts of electricity when they were together. But she wanted more, she wanted to be a committed couple. In her heart, she felt Frank wanted the same.
She stepped back and took one last look in the mirror. "Elegant, but not overly elegant."
"You're stunning," Bess said. "That dress compliments your skin and hair coloring perfectly."
Nancy hugged her friend and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Thanks, Bess. That's exactly what I needed to hear. What would I do without you?"
"I'm sure you would manage. You're very capable." Bess laughed with a knowing smile. "Here, help me put my flower clip on. Since I'm single it goes on the right ear."
Nancy hesitated. "You'll be with Joe tonight. Doesn't he count as someone?"
"Oh, I love him to pieces. As a friend, mind you. Nothing more. We're not a committed couple."
Bess pushed her short, wavy, blonde hair behind her right ear and Nancy affixed the hot pink plumeria flowers in place. The flowers matched the vibrant pinks in Bess' splashy, tropical print sundress.
"What's the Hawaiian name for your flowers?" Nancy asked.
"Melia. It means quiet ocean in Hawaiian."
Nancy tested the word on her tongue, "May-lee-ah. I love the Hawaiian language. It's so musical and soothing."
"It is. Oh, Nancy, tonight's going to be so much fun. Melinda has planned quite a show. I can't wait to see the Hula dancers." Bess' eyes grew round when she glanced at her watch. "Oh dear, I need to get going. I promised Melinda I'd get to the luau early and help her pass out flowers and leis to the guests as they arrived."
"I can lend a hand," Nancy said. "I'm completely ready.
"In that case, let's go. I'm sure Melinda will appreciate the extra help."
# # # #
Frank finished buttoning his newly purchased shirt. The background was a deep royal blue. A good choice for his dark coloring. A bold, white flower imprint traveled up the right side of the shirt and paired well with his white Docker shorts.
"Joe, you ready?" Frank called in the direction of the bathroom.
Joe stepped out of the bathroom and held out his arms. "So, what do you think?"
Frank stared in mute astonishment at Joe's bright orange Hawaiian shirt. Jumping swordfish and palm trees cut across the center of the shirt.
Frank searched his rather large vocabulary for the best word to describe the shirt. He found himself coming up empty. "Ummm, it's .. it's bright. Orange is definitely your color."
"You think so?" Joe turned and admired himself in the room's mirror.
"Definitely. We need to get a move on, it's almost five-thirty."
Frank shoved his feet into a pair of flip-flops. "Joe, you have your PI badge?"
Joe patted a pocket of his shorts. "Right here. Never leave home without it."
"Just double checking."
The men exited the room. Frank took the lead, walking fast. Joe lagged behind.
"What's the hurry, bro?" Joe asked.
Frank spun round. "Nothing. I .. I just want to get to the luau, don't you? There'll be food there. Aren't you hungry?"
Joe shrugged. For once, his appetite was not an issue. "The food and the luau's not going anywhere. We don't have to rush."
Easy for Joe to say, Frank thought. Joe didn't know about the aquamarine dress or Frank's intense desire to see Nancy in it.
"I prefer to be on time," Frank said. "You know how I hate to be late."
"Yeah, Mr. Punctual. That's you." Joe came up beside his brother and smiled. "You wouldn't be in a hurry to see someone, would you? A certain strawberry blonde with deep blue eyes?"
Frank jabbed the down button on the elevator. "I could be."
Joe laid an arm around Frank's neck. "Glad to hear you admit it."
Strangely, for Frank, it felt good admitting it. It felt honest. He had taken a new step. He was being honest about his feelings for Nancy.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Frank smiled as he and Joe stepped inside.
# # # #
The luau was set up on the beach far enough away from the hotel to provide privacy for party goers. The scene would have made a picture, perfect postcard. Tall stately palm trees curved gracefully, their long trunks and leafy fronds forming a frame for the low hung sun and glistening ocean. Dots of light danced on the gray water.
Frank and Joe spotted Bess and Nancy gathered round a small table. The girls were helping Melinda sort boxes of flowers. Melinda wore a red and white sheath dress that fit her like a glove. A sizzling red lei was draped over her shoulders. Her long, black hair was swept up on the right side and a clip of fiery, red flowers curved over her ear.
The women's laughter drifted on the evening breeze. Frank and Joe took a moment to survey the luau. Three long tables were arranged in a U-shape. They were topped with white tablecloths. Crystal glasses, shiny silverware, and name cards marked each guest's place. Candles, filled with beach pebbles, water, and floating flowers, acted as centerpieces. A wooden platform, beneath the tables, provided a level surface. Blazing Tiki torches defined the outer border of the wooden platform. Bartenders and a bar were off to one side.
A beaming Bess came up to the brothers. She wore a pink lei and a big smile. "Aloha, and welcome to the luau. I have a lei for each of you. I have your basic white." She held up a lei made of all white flowers and wagged her eyebrows at Frank. "Or, for the more daring, I have purple." She cocked her head toward Joe.
"White for me," Frank said and reached for the white lei.
"No, no, no," Bess scolded. "I have to put it on you."
"Okay." Frank leaned forward.
Bess draped the lei over his broad shoulders and positioned it so it hung down in the front and the back. "There, that's the proper way to wear a lei."
Frank touched the artificial flowers. He was slightly disappointed they were not real. "I didn't know there was a proper way to wear a lei."
"There is," Bess said, authority ringing in her voice. She turned to Joe and draped the purple lei over his shoulders. "I'm learning a lot about Hawaiian customs and traditions, thanks to Melinda. She wanted the luau to be as authentic as possible."
"I think that's great," Joe said.
"I do, too," Bess said. She turned her attention back to Frank and a coy grin lit up her face. "There's meaning behind everything … even the flowers in a girl's hair."
Frank frowned at her. "Are you trying to tell me something, Bess?"
Joe glanced at the other guests milling around. He noticed that every woman had flowers in her hair. "What's with the flowers in the hair? Some women have them on the right side, some have them on the left side."
Bess laid a hand on her chest and batted her eyelashes at Joe. "My, my, you are observant, Joe Hardy."
Frank had noticed the same thing and sensed there was something Bess wasn't telling him, something he should know. "So, what's it mean?" he asked.
Bess shrugged nonchalantly. She was delighted she'd aroused Frank's curiosity. That had been her goal. "You'll have to ask Nancy. Sorry, I have to scoot. I have more guests to greet and more leis to hand out. Aloha." She waved and hurried back to the flower/lei table.
# # # #
He took his wife's arm in his as they greeted the other two married couples. Their friends. The wives were part of the Wives' Club. Their own private little club. The three couples were as giddy as high school seniors at a prom. None of them could remember a more enjoyable fashion show or a more romantic location. Lance Airedale had outdone himself this year. The couples laughed and joked as they stumbled through the sand. The wives removed their sandals to make walking easier.
Nancy, Melinda, and Bess waved the group over to their table.
"We have leis for all of you," Bess called out.
Nancy held up a flower clip and greeted the group, "Aloha."
Kate Mansville gushed, "Why Nancy! It's nice to see you again."
"And you, too. We have flowers for your hair?" Nancy held up a flower clip for all three wives to see. "It's a Hawaiian tradition. Married women wear the flowers above their left ear."
"They're beautiful," Kate cooed.
"Do we pick the one we want?" Paula James was pawing through the clips on the table.
Nancy gasped. She wanted Paula's paws off the clips before she destroyed the flowers. "Here, let me help you select the perfect color for your outfit."
"Oh, that'd be nice." Paula backed away from the table and Nancy made the selection.
A few minutes later, Nancy had each wife adorned with flowers and leis. Bess had taken care of the husbands. Cheerful alohas were exchanged and the three married couples headed to the bar.
# # # #
He sipped his drink and watched Nancy Drew. She was still greeting guests and handing out flowers and leis. He silently thanked Kate Mansville for running her big mouth. While the wives' were getting their flower clips, Kate had gone on and on about Nancy. Nancy was a private investigator hired by Lance Airedale to find Gwen's killer. Of course, all the wives knew Nancy. She'd interviewed all three of them today.
And now, he knew her, too.
His wife took him by the arm and lightly kissed his cheek. "I'm so sorry about being angry earlier." She sounded truly sorry. "You do forgive me, don't you?"
"Of course, darling." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "It's all my fault. I should've told you earlier about my plans for a romantic dinner. Then you wouldn't have had any reason to worry."
"Yes, but I've spoiled your wonderful surprise with my petty suspicions."
He saw the sadness in her eyes and favored her with his most enchanting smile. "Let's put it all behind us and enjoy the evening."
She clung to him. "I don't deserve you. You're wonderful."
"Hardly," he said, patting her arm. "Let's find our table and sit down."
They walked slowly, reading the name cards. Finally, they found theirs. He drew in a sharp breath.
"Are you all right?" his wife asked.
"Fine. Sorry, just stubbed my toe on something." It was a lie and in actuality, he was quite happy. Nancy Drew was seated at his table.
Fate was a funny thing, he thought as he pulled out his wife's chair. Tonight, he was the perfect gentleman. The fawning husband. Once his wife was comfortably seated, he eased into the chair beside her. A bartender came by and he ordered another drink. His first drink was gone, finished. He needed another. The evening was just getting started.
# # # #
Frank and Joe were making their second pass around the appetizer table. They had to do something while they waited for Nancy and Bess to finish their hosting duties.
Joe frowned as he loaded his small plate with treats he hadn't sampled the first time around. "Why do they give you such teeny, tiny plates? You can hardly fit anything on these."
"They're appetizers, not a meal," Frank said. "They're only supposed to whet your appetite."
"Well, they've succeeded." Joe popped a spinach wrap in his mouth. After a few chews he swallowed. "When's the main course?"
"Six-thirty, right after the hula dancers."
The brothers munched on appetizers and discussed the case.
Joe explained his theory of the locked room. "I always figured a maid must've lent her pass key to a guest – the killer – that's how he got in the room. Rosita is the only maid who's gotten a replacement pass key in the last two months. Lau checked the hotel logs. Rosita got a replacement key on Sunday an hour before the murder was committed. She returned the key when she clocked out that day. The way I see it, she didn't get the replacement key right away. She waited awhile thinking the guest would come back with her pass key."
"But he didn't," Frank said, "and she was forced to get a replacement."
"Exactly, but he must have returned it eventually. Otherwise she wouldn't have been able to return the replacement key."
"And now she's missing and you can't question her."
The deep furrowing of Joe's brow gave him a haunted look. "I'm worried something's happened to her. What if she confronted the killer?"
"I think that's highly unlikely." Frank was concerned about Rosita, too. "It's more likely the killer confronted her. I'll feel a whole lot better when we know where she is."
Joe nodded slowly. He was thinking the same thing. "Lau and Kim are still searching. And Butch. He promised to call me if he finds Rosita."
"Butch?" Frank's good humor instantly turned sour. "You're on a first name basis with the guard? The guy who hates me. The guy who owes me two hundred bucks!"
Joe leaned away from his brother. "He's not that bad."
"What? Not that bad. Don't you remember how he treated us? Like we're children, like we're just playing at being detectives."
Frank's voice had risen. Joe looked at the other guests and then back at his brother. "Calm down, Frank. We don't need to make a scene."
Frank flinched, suddenly, aware of his surroundings. Joe was right, he needed to control his temper. He ran his tongue over his lips, a nervous gesture born of frustration. "You're right. Sorry about that. What did you and Butch talk about?"
Joe licked his fingers and Frank winced. "Don't you have any manners?" He handed Joe a napkin. "Here. So, what did you and Butch talk about?"
"The case. I was looking for the maids who work the tenth floor. Butch happened to be on the tenth floor. I ran into him. Literally. Boom." Joe smacked a fist into an open palm. "Bounced right off him. Anyway, he hadn't seen Rosita. Just between you and me, I think he has a thing for Rosita."
"Joe?"
"Yes."
"Did you ask him about the money?"
"I was kinda busy trying to find Rosita or any other maid that works the tenth floor."
"Yeah, I get that. So, you never mentioned the bet or the money?"
"Nope, never mentioned it." Joe strolled to a trash bin and tossed his empty plate in. "You made the bet, Frank. You can ask him for your money."
"Oh, trust me, I will."
# # # #
Nancy greeted the last guests, draped them with leis, said aloha, and hurried to meet up with Frank.
Bess had already made her escape with Joe. They were off getting drinks.
"It's about time," Frank said taking Nancy's arm and guiding her to their table. "By the way, you look fantastic."
"Thanks, so do you. New shirt?" She laid a hand on his chest and caressed the smooth fabric. A shiver charged down his spine.
"Yeah, bought it today," his voice was low and rough. His gaze dropped from her face to her body. "When you said you were buying a dress . . I ..well, I.."
His gaze found her face again. Her smile mesmerized him and he lost his train of thought. She looked great, not that she didn't always look great, but tonight was different. Maybe it was the dress, the way it showed off her waist and hips. Maybe it was the extra rosy glow in her cheeks. Or maybe, it was the flowers in her hair. They gave her an exotic look.
Flowers in her hair.
That sparked a memory.
He nodded at her head. "What's the story behind the flowers in your hair?"
The heat rushed to Nancy's cheeks. "Bess." She was only mildly annoyed with her friend. Hadn't she said Bess could tell Frank if he didn't know?
"She said I had to ask you," Frank said with complete innocence.
Nancy crooked a finger and Frank leaned over. She whispered in his ear.
His face was flush when he straightened up. Her warm breath against his ear had set every nerve ending on fire. "So, that's what it means."
"That's what it means."