Murder at the Bellamy Mansion (18 page)

“
I think it’s time Scarlett flew down here and planned her own wedding,” I said.

“
That is surely an option. I couldn’t agree more,” Melanie said. “But I’ve got to be relieved of this, somehow. I’ve been beating the bushes trying to scare up some listings. I am calling every person I’ve ever sold a house to in the past twelve years. I’ve got a house to find for Scarlett and Ray. And then there’s Candi and Han. If I can find land for them where they can build her dream antebellum-style mansion, I’ll do it. Or find an existing house near the water that they can tear down and replace with a big white mansion. But that is the extent of my involvement with them. That is, if they don’t get thrown into some international prison for elephant poaching.”

And to my amazement, she whipped off her sunglasses again, threw them down, then buried her head in her hands and began to wail, “Oh, the bottom has fallen out of my business.”

Melanie does not cry. Melanie never cries. A tiny little suspicious corner of my brain couldn’t help but wonder if this was put on. An act to make her seem so pitiful, I’d say yes to the wedding planning job.

But she lifted her face and dabbed at her eyes with a paper napkin. Those were real tears.

“
Melanie, darling, are you all right?” Aunt Ruby asked. We had been so engrossed in our conversation that we had not seen our aunt approach our table.

Aunt Ruby put her arm around Melanie’s shoulders. “Melanie, sweetheart, whatever is wrong, we’ll fix it. Just dry those pretty eyes and let me see my girl smile.

“
Hello, Ashley dear,” she said to me.

I pulled out a chair for her and she sat down.

Aunt Ruby always looks immaculate. I have never seen her rumpled or poorly dressed. She had on brown slacks with knife-sharp pleats, a camel-colored sweater set, and a leopard print silk scarf around her neck. Her makeup was applied precisely but with a light touch. And there was not a sign of gray in her light brown hair.

“
I’m afraid this is one problem you can’t solve, Aunt Ruby,” Melanie said but had stopped crying.

I looked at Aunt Ruby and explained, “The dismal real estate market.”

“
Oh, I’ve seen worse. It’ll come back,” Aunt Ruby said, slipping on her readers and studying the menu.

“
Aunt Ruby,” Melanie began, “would you ask Scarlett to come down here and complete these wedding plans herself. I simply cannot do it any longer. And Ashley’s busy with the belvedere restorations.”

Aunt Ruby peered at us over the top of her readers. “Now, girls, that is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. Scarlett called me this morning with wonderful news. She has landed a big role on Broadway! Now, isn’t that the best news possible?”

“
That’s great,” I said. Actually, the best news possible would be that she was coming to arrange her wedding, then landing a big Broadway role.

“
Of course we’re pleased for her,” Melanie said, “but this is her wedding. She needs to take charge herself.”

“
What’s the part?” I asked.

“
They’re reviving Guys and Dolls and Scarlett is reprising the role of Adelaide that Vivian Blaine made famous in the original production. But naturally you’d know nothing about that. Before your time. I am so proud of her.”

She gave us a bright smile. “I’m so proud of all my girls. And wouldn’t your dear mother be pleased? If only she had lived to see this.”

We were all silent for a moment.

“
I miss Mama so much,” I said. “Daddy too.”

“
Of course, you do, child.”

I looked out over the river, fighting back tears. Melanie had stopped dabbing hers. What a sight we must be.

Aunt Ruby continued, “We’ll all fly up there to New York for the opening, sure enough.”

“
When does it open?” I asked.

“
May first. So you can see why she cannot fly here, even for a few days. They are rehearsing seven days a week. Besides, what’s wrong with the wedding planner you hired? Isn’t she working out?”

And Melanie told Aunt Ruby the story of Vanessa Holder’s scam to skim money for herself by having the vendors prepare padded bills for us.

“
Why, I declare! Who ever heard of such a thing? I will be sure to tell my church group and my garden club. No one will ever use her services again.”

She signaled the waiter and asked for sweet iced tea.

“
Over billing us? Why, I know right well Scarlett and Ray do not have any money problems, but still, to overcharge us! I say let’s boot her out, quick as a bunny.”

“
Aunt Ruby, you are the best,” I said.

“
OK, y’all, she’s coming,” Melanie cried in a warning voice.

Vanessa Holder approached our table, pulled out the remaining chair, and joined us with a broad, forced smile. She was dressed in one of her big-shouldered suits, so unbecoming and dated. I had to admit her pure white hair was attractive, but she had drawn on dark red lips and they aged her face.

“
Melissa, dear, so nice to see you again.” Vanessa was all syrup. “Aren’t you a dear to invite me to lunch. I don’t get much chance to enjoy myself this way. I’m always so busy making my brides’ dreams come true.

“
And Mrs. Higgins, how are you, dear?”

“
Never better, Miss Holder.”

The waiter came up to our table. “Do you need a little more time or are you ladies ready to order?”

“
Give us a moment, young man,” Aunt Ruby said. “I’ll let you know when your services are required.”

My mouth had fallen open. Aunt Ruby!

Vanessa turned to the waiter, about to ask for something. Tea, I supposed.

“
You won’t have time for that,” Aunt Ruby told Vanessa.

Vanessa looked unnerved.

“
Vanessa,” Melanie said. “We are dispensing with your services, as of right now. You can mail me a bill for what you’ve done so far. Oh, and don’t bother to include the vendors’ bills. I’ll be handling those directly myself.” Melanie could be all syrup too when she had to be.

“
But . . . but,” Vanessa sputtered. “You can’t do that! I’ve made the arrangements with the Bellamy staff. I’ve found all of your vendors for you. You . . . you just can’t take over in the middle of my job.”

“
Oh yes, we can. And we will,” Melanie said. “You’ll be paid for what you have done so far.”

“
But . . . but, who is going to manage the preparations? Have you gone and hired another wedding planner behind my back? Have you?”

Aunt Ruby said pointedly, “Now dear, we’ve hired no one. I’m simply taking over, is all. My husband is going to help me. Humor an old lady, will you? I have time on my hands these days.

“
We are about to order our lunches. So if you will excuse us.”

Aunt Ruby arched one eyebrow over her readers. So that is where Melanie had acquired that look. It was a warning signal that one should not go any further.

Vanessa looked at each of us in turn, stunned. “Why, I don’t know what to say. I am the Bellamy Mansion’s preferred wedding planner. You will be lost without me.”

“
We know that is not true, Vanessa,” Melanie said. “Let’s not make this unpleasant. Have a nice afternoon.”

Vanessa sat up taller and screwed up her heavily made up face. “You are going to regret this action. I’ll see to it. You will be very, very sorry you’ve insulted me this way. Just mark my words, you will live to regret what you’ve done.”

With that, Vanessa pushed back her chair with a scrape.

“
Oh, and for your information,” Melanie said sweetly, “my name is Melanie, not Melissa.”

Vanessa glared at her. “No. You’re name is dead meat!” Then she rose and stormed off the restaurant’s deck in a huff. Fire almost leapt from her nostrils.

When I looked back at Aunt Ruby and Melanie, they were laughing.

“
Oh my, oh my,” Aunt Ruby was saying, one hand over her heart. “I don’t know when I’ve had so much fun.”

Melanie coolly raised a hand and signaled to the waiter. “You may take our orders now.”

“
You know, Melanie, something has just occurred to me,” I said. “If Vanessa has been scamming us, do you think she was doing the same to Candi Cheng?”

23

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. I could even say peacefully. There were no more frightening incidents; no one fell or tripped or was fired upon. There were no more scary guys lurking around darkened hallways. We spent our days at the shop behind Willie’s house, working to rehab the window frames. First we numbered each section, then dismantled each frame. The same for the window panes.

We sanded and repainted, repaired and pieced. Originally, the arched frames had been constructed so exactly, the sections fit together perfectly.

Willie, although recovering nicely, was still too ill to help with the work, but he came out to the shop to watch. And to supervise! He had no problem offering his opinion. And Esther kept us well fed.

Their son, Mason, turned out to be an expert glazier, refitting the glass neatly into the frames. In fact, the shop was his, used for his glazing profession. But he still hoped to get taken on by the new international port when it was built.

A trip to the salvage yard had turned up old glass, not as old as the Bellamy Mansion, but we had to make do. The window panes that been shot out were replaced after Mason cut them to fit.

Aunt Ruby and Binkie seemed to be enjoying finalizing the wedding plans with the vendors and the Bellamy Mansion staff. Everyone loved Aunt Ruby. And Binkie was well known. Kimberly offered to help every chance she could.

“
That Kimberly is a darling girl,” Aunt Ruby told me over the phone on Friday evening as she summarized the week’s progress. “She is such a hard worker. So eager to please. But I’ve made it clear to her that her job search comes first.”

“
How is that going?” I asked.

“
She hinted that she had a good opportunity but didn’t want to say more for fear of jinxing her chances,” Aunt Ruby replied.

“
Well, I wish her all the best,” I said.

By Saturday evening, I was ready to party, and was standing at the door when Melanie and Cam drove up. Cam and Jon had been out on a putting green all afternoon, Cam not yet fit enough to do more with a golf club than putt. Melanie and I had spent the afternoon at the hair stylist. Then back home, I had a bubble bath in my old-fashioned claw-footed bathtub. And had even painted my toenails. My “construction wear chic” outfits were in the laundry hamper!

Cam was forced to park on Market Street east of the Bellamy but that was not a problem. True to our sub-tropical weather zone, the evening was mild and almost warm.

The Bellamy Mansion was ablaze with lights, from basement to attic. What a glorious sight. The electrified gasoliers were all lit up, brilliant light flowing from the tall, floor-to-ceiling windows. One of the windows had been raised so that guests could pass through from the piazza to the formal parlor. It did my heart good to see the old house so lively, with people having such a good time. There had been a sad period in its past when it had stood empty and abandoned, a derelict house, until rescued by the heirs and some concerned citizens.

We stopped at the tent that had been erected in the rear yard. Here, Elaine had set up the wine bar – white wine only for fear of spills of red wine - and a table with trays of chipped ice upon which sat platters of plumb shrimp with cocktail sauce. They were a big hit.

On other tables, the buffet was spread out: grilled boneless chicken breasts, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, a green salad with a selection of salad dressings, caviar topped roasted new potatoes, and slices of Celeste’s famous coconut cake and chocolate cake. There was iced tea and water, and on a huge silver tray, a beautiful presentation of chocolate covered strawberries.

At the wine bar, a server offered us a choice of pinot grigio or chardonnay. With our wineglasses in hand, we began to circulate, not quite ready to eat.

Round tables had been set up on the piazza and inside the formal rooms. We made our way slowly, stopping to chat with friends. I spotted Jackie Hudson among a group of guests. She was dressed in a lovely suit in her favorite color, sapphire blue. Most of the women wore suits. Melanie had on one of cream colored light wool. I had on a black cocktail dress with a pink pashmina shawl to cover my arms.

Suddenly, Brian Hudson was at Cam’s elbow. I was surprised to see him here. “Melanie, can I steal Cam away for a moment? I have a client with a project we think Cam will be interested in.”

“
Of course, Brian,” Melanie said graciously.

Brian steered Cam over to the balustrade. As soon as they were out of ear shot, Melanie said, “Poor Cam. We can’t go anywhere without this happening. Everyone has a project for Cam.”

Jon laughed. “That’s what comes of marrying a celebrity, Melanie. Now Ashley, she doesn’t have to endure that, being married to a nobody like me.”

I took a swat at his arm. “You are not a nobody.” I stepped up closer to him and murmured in a sultry voice. “You are a somebody - my man. And you look mighty handsome in that dark blue suit. Mighty handsome.”