Silver Scream: A Bed-And-Breakfast Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page B

house and closeted herself with Bruno.
    Dirk Farrar and Ben Carmody were sharing Room Four. Judith wondered how—and why—they’d put up with such an arrangement. The same could be said for Angela La Belle and Ellie Linn, who would be stayingin Room Six. Of course it was only for two nights. Perhaps the proximity to Bruno was worth the sacrifice. Still, Judith wasn’t accustomed to such self-effacement among the Well-Heeled.
    Room Five had been assigned to The Gasman ’s director, Chips Madigan; the film’s screenwriter, Dade Costello, was set for Room Two, the smallest of the lodgings. Chart in hand, Judith went back upstairs to find Angela La Belle.
    “Room Six,” Judith said with a cheerful smile.
    Angela was sprawled on the settee in the hallway, leafing through one of the magazines Judith kept handy for guests. “Okay.” The actress didn’t look up.
    “Your key,” Judith said, reaching into the pocket of her best black flannel slacks. “I’ll give the other one to Ms. Linn.”
    “Fine.” Angela still didn’t look up.
    “Your baggage is right there,” Judith said, pointing to the piled-up suitcases and fold-overs the drivers had placed in front of Grandma and Grandpa Grover’s old oak book shelving. “Only Mr. Zepf’s has been put away because I wasn’t exactly sure who was staying where. Some of his belongings arrived earlier today via UPS.”
    Angela yawned. “Right.”
    Judith gave up and headed past Rooms Four, Five, and Six to the back stairs. She wanted to pop the appetizers into the oven before she joined her other guests. Halfway down, she realized she hadn’t given Angela the front door key along with the one to her room. Though her hips were growing weary, Judith hurried back to the second floor.
    The settee was empty, the magazine that Angela hadbeen perusing lay on the floor. Judith frowned. Could Angela have already collected her luggage and gone into Room Six so quickly?
    The stacks of baggage sat untouched. But the door to Room Three, Bruno’s room, was ajar.
    “Hunh,” Judith said to herself. When she picked up the copy of In the Mode magazine, she noticed that it was open to a spread on a recent Hollywood gala. The large color photo on the left-hand page showed Dirk Farrar and Angela La Belle with their arms around each other. The caption read, Super Hunk and the Ultimate Babe get cozy at the annual Stars for Scoliosis Ball. Are Dirk and Angela hearing La Wedding Belles?
    Judith wondered if Angela and Dirk had no intention of staying in different rooms.

THREE
    R ENIE AND A RLENE seemed to have everything under control. Arlene already claimed to have formed a fast friendship with Ellie Linn, and insisted that Ben Carmody would be the perfect husband for her unmarried daughter, Cathy.
    “They’re not snooty,” Arlene declared, putting another batch of puff pastries into the oven. “You just have to go about it the right way when it comes to asking questions. For example, when I spoke to Dirk Farrar about the paternity suit that was in the news a year ago, I mentioned how wonderful it was to be a parent. Then I asked how he liked being called Daddy. So simple.”
    “What did he say?” Judith inquired.
    “Oh, it was very cute,” Arlene replied breezily. “He sort of hung his head and mumbled something about ‘mother’ and ‘Tucker.’ I think he said ‘Tucker.’ That must be the little fellow’s name.”
    The cousins exchanged bemused glances before Judith carried a tray of French pâté and English crackers into the living room. Dirk Farrar, with a cell phone affixed to his ear, lazed on one of the matching sofas by the fireplace while Ellie Linn andWinifred Best sat opposite him. Winifred was also using a cell phone. Ben Carmody was examining the built-in bookcases next to the bay window. A big shambling man in khaki cargo pants, plaid shirt, and suede vest had his back turned and was staring out through the French doors. There was no sign of Bruno Zepf.
    Judith