I'm sure building an ice sculpture is a great way to solidify relationships. Really wish I could be with you, but I'll help WAVE some other time. And Alvin will too.” I ignored the look I got from him. “I know he was keen to take part in the ice sculpture contest. And as I said before, we would love to be with you, enjoying the outdoors, instead of cooped up here without a bite to eat.”
Both Merv and Mrs. Parnell listened with amusement. I didn't appreciate the smirks. Elaine was the most single-minded, stubborn person I knew. Even worse than my sisters. Let them try to deal with her sometime, I thought.
“In fact,” I added, “if you are looking for volunteers, next time, don't forget to ask Merv and Mrs. Parnell. They're both extremely good-humoured. Don't thank me. Stay in touch.”
Merv's phone rang so quickly I thought it was Elaine again. P. J.'s voice was a relief.
“Well, well, Clark Kent. Great to hear from you. At last.”
“I'm short on time, Tiger. Whatcha got?”
“Interesting stuff but first, tell me, what the hell is going on? We heard Rina Benning has been murdered. How could Benning get her?”
“Don't have official confirmation yet on that, but it looks like she went out to meet him. Christ, can you believe that?” I could picture P. J. running his fingers through his wiry red curls.
“Not even possible. I can't believe they'd let her go,” I said.
“You and me both, but apparently she distracted the guard and drove off to meet him. So what's the scoop?”
“It can't be true.”
“It is. They found a message from him on her answering machine. He asked her to meet him in the usual place. Told her he loved her and he wouldn't hurt her and he had to see her before he died.”
“Oh my God. And she actually went? Do they know where he is?”
“They have no goddam idea. So what do you have for me?
Where's Lindsay Grace hiding out?”
“What? I can hardly hear you. The batteries must be running low on this thing.”
“You mentioned you had some information. Hey, come on, Tiger.”
“P. J.? Are you there? Hello? Hello? Damn it, Merv. It's time you bought a decent cellphone.”
I hung up.
* * *
We had spent a long and jumpy evening irritating each other and listening to stomachs growl, when the doorbell sent us all skyward at nine forty-five. A couple of Alvin's earrings scratched the ceiling.
“Lights out,” Mrs. Parnell yelled. “Hit the floor belly first and keep moving till you are in the trench.”
I reached the front door before Merv and grabbed an umbrella for protection. I pressed the button on the airphone. Elaine Ekstein's cheerful voice came as a surprise.
“Elaine?”
“Holy moly, open up, the pizza's getting cold.”
Elaine stood like Nanook of the North with a pile of boxes. Over her shoulder Officer James loomed, carrying a cardboard box. Behind him the cruiser idled, with the female officer in view.
Elaine kicked off her furry boots. They careened across the marble entrance floor. The heel from the left one left a jaunty little scuffmark on the fresh taupe paint on the wall. “I decided to take the high road. The WAVE sculpture team seems to have everything under control. I decided you need me more than they do. Justice is well served. So I put my money where my mouth is and headed to the Colonnade.”
“And not a moment too soon,” I said.
“Pizza?” Merv took his eyes off Lindsay in the heat of the moment. The moment didn't last long. Merv resumed the lovesick schtick before you could say pepperoni and anchovies.
“That's the best.” Alvin stood and flicked his ponytail in approval. It's always hard to tell when Alvin's excited, but the parrots on his shirt seemed to be engaged in some hula activity.
Merv pressed his advantage and gave Lindsay a soothing stroke on the shoulder.
“Elaine, you are now my favourite person,” I said, “because you have four boxes of pizza. Is one of them mushroom and bacon?”
“For sure. I know your taste. If you can call it taste.”
I decided she'd better be careful, or I'd have to mention she looked four feet wide in her lime-green quilted parka. But at least she wasn't wearing the faux leopard outfit.
The officer followed Elaine into the condo.
“Gotta take care of our boys and girls in blue.” Elaine headed for the kitchen. “Come on down gang. First, Lindsay, I'd like you to meet Constable James. He and his partner are watching the front of the building. Another officer's stationed in back. You're in good hands.”
Lindsay's face said it all. She wanted to be in good hands. She wanted to believe three officers outside and five people inside would be enough to ward off Benning. But she couldn't quite believe it.
I didn't believe it either. Rina Benning had been in good hands too, until she had voluntarily gone to meet her death. Now we had nothing to do but wait and hope the cops wouldn't screw up again. So for the moment, pizza was exactly what we needed to take our minds off Benning.
The cardboard box held two thermoses of coffee. “That should do you.” Elaine flipped open the first top. “It's still hot, despite the ridiculous amount of time you kept me waiting outside.”
“You can't be too careful in a pindown situation,” Mrs. Parnell said.
“I hope that's not the bacon and mushroom you're sticking your hands in, Elaine,” I said.
“How about Hawaiian?” Alvin positioned himself.
“Your favourite.” Elaine flung open the second box, to reveal the lethal combination of ham and pineapple. Alvin's earrings twinkled.
Would this little feast leave us in a more vulnerable position than before? But how could it? Still, the primitive part of my brain kept repeating, eat first, think later. I ate mine with my hands.
Mrs. Parnell pronounced that the combination was splendid. Merv swooped in close enough to cut a delicate piece, which he placed on a plate. He added a knife and fork to the plate, folded one of the napkins into a crisp edged triangle and headed back to Lindsay on the sofa. You can count on too much pizza to help you get a grip on a tough situation.
Five minutes later, Elaine took off her lime green coat. I slugged back a large mug of coffee and tried not to sulk when she snatched the entire thermos from me and handed it to Constable James.
“Stop bitching, Camilla,” she said, opening the second thermos. “There's plenty to go around.” Constable James headed back to the cruisers with a couple of slices from each pizza for his colleagues. I caught his sneer.
We
