Rose and Helena Save Christmas: a novella (13 page)

The murderer is Detective Savoy and he’s got me trapped at the theater. Please hurry!

She hit Send again and then sent a text to Rose and Neely Kate.

Savoy is the killer! He’s got me trapped at coat check and Helena’s powers went south. Come distract Savoy so I can get away.

She hit Send and leaned back as far as she could in the chair, attempting to flatten them both against the wall, and prayed that the cavalry would arrive before it was too late.

Chapter Sixteen

Neely Kate fidgeted in her seat in the darkened theater. Rose put her hand on her knee and whispered, “Neely Kate, you have to settle down. You’re disturbin’ the woman next to you.”

An older woman shot Neely Kate an aggravated glare, but Neely Kate didn’t seem to notice.
 

“I’m too nervous to settle down,” she whispered back. “I fell asleep when you were in the strip club last week and missed everything. I don’t want that to happen.”

“It’s not likely this time. For one, the play’s excitin’ on its own, and two, the jewel smuggler’s already here. Something’s bound to happen. It’s just a matter of when.”

“We should be out there doin’ something.”

“No. We need to wait. Taylor said James checked his coat and Taylor’s watchin’ to see who picks it up. If the murderer sees us out there we might screw things up.”

The green girl on stage sang a song with an animal professor, but Rose had a hard time concentrating. Her phone vibrated and she hid the screen to read Taylor’s text.
 

Savoy is the killer! He’s got me trapped at coat check and Helena’s powers went south. Come distract Savoy so I can get away.

She sucked in a breath and Neely Kate shot her a glance. She didn’t seem to notice Rose hiding her cell phone by the side of her leg.
 

“What’s wrong?”

Rose tried to calm her racing heart. “Something I ate at dinner isn’t settling well. I need to run to the restroom.”

“We didn’t eat dinner.”

Oh, crappy doodles. “That must be what’s wrong—all the excitement and all.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No!” Rose said a little too forcefully and Neely Kate’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “It’s embarrassin’ enough. I don’t need you outside the stall handing me toilet paper.”

“Shhh!” the woman behind her hissed.
 

If they weren’t careful, they were gonna get kicked out before Rose could even get out to the coat check to help Taylor.
 

Her answer seemed to satisfy her friend, but barely. “Okay…” But she didn’t sound completely convinced. “But if you’re not back in five minutes, I’m coming lookin’ for you.”

Was there any chance this could be wrapped up in five minutes? Not likely, but she’d give it a shot. “Okay.”

Thankfully, Mason had gotten seats on the aisle, saying he’d purposely picked them in case Neely Kate needed to make a quick trip to the restroom. And while seats fifteen rows from the stage provided a great view, she was now a distraction running down the side aisle to the back door.
 

Rose had worn heels and a new black dress, and she realized she hadn’t thought it through. Running was next to impossible, but she didn’t want to kick the shoes off yet. She might still be able to blend in the crowd.
 

She realized her mistake when the coat check came into view. There was no crowd. Everyone else was inside watching the play. Taylor was on the other side of the room sitting in a chair behind a statue, the edge of a gray coat in view. Savoy stood at the counter, his face bright red as he pounded a fist on the counter. “I want my coat now!”

All Savoy had to do was turn around and he’d realize he’d been duped. Rose decided to take the direct approach. She wasn’t sure Taylor would approve, but she didn’t see any other plan besides pulling the fire alarm, and she wasn’t willing to go there. Yet.

Rose took a deep breath and strode over to him, telling herself that just last week, she’d handled a room full of hardened criminals like they were schoolboys. She could handle Detective Savoy. Even if he was a killer.

Her stomach dropped. She really shouldn’t have thought about that part. She looked at her phone and turned on the voice recording app. Taylor had the coat, but he could deny knowing about the money. She wanted foolproof evidence he was guilty.
 

“Well, Detective Savoy,” she drawled softly as she approached him. “You don’t strike me as the theater type.”

He turned to face her, his back now to Taylor. “Ms. Gardner. What a coincidence that you’re here.” He cocked an eyebrow, disgust in his eyes. “I happen to be missing my coat. Do you know anything about that?”

She willed herself to be strong and not let this man intimidate her. “I would think a snake like you is cold-blooded enough to not need one.”

He leaned closer. “I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with.”

She lifted her chin. “I know exactly who I’m dealin’ with. A bully. But the funny things about bullies is they’re really just scared little boys tryin’ to prove to the world that they’re big and bad.”

“I
am
big and bad. I don’t need to prove it.”

Rose believed it. His eyes had an evil gleam, and he looked as if he wouldn’t bat an eyelash to wrap a hand around her throat and strangle her on the spot. Nevertheless, she pushed on, hoping Taylor or Helena would be her backup if she needed it.
 

“Oh, I believe you’re big and bad. Bad enough to kill someone for diamonds.”

He froze, his face turning pale. “What did you say?”

“Gina’s missin’ one bag of diamonds. I know where it is.”

He grabbed her arm and dragged her to a column. “Your friend has them. I knew it.”

“No. Neely Kate doesn’t have them, but I know who does.”

He licked his lower lip, excitement covering his face. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I’m not stupid enough to think I can get away with this and come out unscathed. I think you want the diamonds enough to make a deal.”

“I’m listening.”
 

Rose stepped out of her heels and bent at the knees, picking them up with her free hand. “Sorry, my shoes are killin’ me.”

“That’s not the only thing that will kill you if you don’t start talking.”

She swallowed. “I want a cut and the promise that you’ll stop tryin’ to railroad Madame Serafine’s murder on Neely Kate or me.”

“I won’t give you a cut, but I’ll let you and your friend off.”
 

“Okay.”

He laughed. “You’re not going to try to get the PI off too?”

“You have to pin it on someone, right?” Rose asked, hoping the phone was recording everything. “Especially since you did it. You can’t arrest yourself, can you?”

His eyes narrowed.
 

“Why’d you kill her? She obviously didn’t know anything about it.”

“To take the heat off me. One of the bags was lost, and I had to blame it on someone. The buyer thinks I’ve done my part to find it.” He shrugged with a smirk. “All part of the game.”

“You’re the one who got Gina involved, right?”

He stiffened. “Why would you care…?” He glanced down at her hand and realization spread across his face.
 

Rose swung her shoes as hard as she could into his face. His hand reached up in time to block the heels from hitting his eye, but they jabbed his forehead enough to draw blood. He let out a yell, and his stunned response was enough to give her a half second head start. Rose turned and ran, noticing that Taylor was in pursuit, but Savoy’s intent was the phone and Rose couldn’t be sure that Taylor could reach her in time to keep Savoy from grabbing it and smashing it on the marble floor.

She had to lose the detective.
 

But Rose had run herself into a corner. Literally. Savoy was advancing and she saw only one escape. The door next to her that led into the theater. She swung the door open as he reached her, slamming it into his face. He shouted obscenities that drew the attention of patrons in the back rows. Low murmurings of disapproval rose and they turned around to see what was causing the racket.
 

Rose didn’t have time to worry as she bolted down the aisle. Taylor had reached Savoy—without the coat—and had grabbed his arm in an attempt to keep him from going after her. But he released a growl as he shook Taylor off and tore after Rose in a sprint.
 

Rose ran faster, throwing her shoes behind her in an attempt to slow him down.
 
People turned in their seats, staring at her in surprise and disapproval.
 

An usher hurried down a side aisle toward her. “Miss!” he whisper-shouted. “You can’t run in here!”
 

She ignored him and raced through the intersection of aisles, just missing him.

Savoy wasn’t so lucky. The usher jumped in the middle of the aisle prepared to intercept him, but Savoy pushed him to the side. “Police business! Get out of the way.”

Rose knew she was in real trouble—not just physical danger. If Savoy got hold of the phone, there was a good chance she’d get thrown in jail and never get out.
 

Taylor ran after Savoy, shouting “I’m with him” to the usher. The audience was now murmuring loudly, some of them standing, not that Rose blamed them. She knew three people sprinting and yelling had to be a sight.
 

The stage grew nearer, and Rose realized she was about to get cornered again. Ushers were pouring down every aisle toward her. The only escape she found was the stairs that led to the stage.
 

Neely Kate hunched down in the aisle where Rose had been seated. “Helena says to go onstage!” she whispered loudly. “We’ve got you covered!”

Rose wasn’t sure she should trust the ghost—especially since Taylor had texted that Helena failed her in the lobby—but the stairs were looking like her only choice. She glanced back behind her when she heard Savoy shouting again. Neely Kate was pitching her cans of Vienna sausages at the detective. He grabbed the side of his head and stopped, turning toward Neely Kate and hunching down as though he was about to go after her.

“Savoy!” Rose stood on the steps and waved her phone, making sure her screen shone in the semidarkness.

The detective’s face filled with rage and he tore after Rose, starting up the steps before she reached the top. His long legs spanned two steps at a time, and Rose stood onstage, taking a split second to figure out what to do next. The actors were performing the musical number “Dancing Through Life,” and Rose moved to the edge of the group. One of the male dancers grabbed Rose’s wrist and swung her toward him, his eyes huge with shock when he realized she wasn’t a dancer. Her back to his chest, he picked her up so she was several feet off the floor. He spun her around, then set her on her feet, then swung her out, then back.
 

Savoy stood on the stage, near the top of the stairs, as he watched Rose for several seconds before storming toward her.
 

Rose was mid-twirl when she saw a wheelchair on the opposite side of the stage tip forward. An actress had been sitting in it, but was now soaring through the air like a flying squirrel, her arms spread-eagle as she screamed. She landed on her stomach and slid, crashing into several dancers. They toppled over like bowling pins, taking Savoy down with him.
 

The remaining dancers tried to continue dancing while the main actor stood in the middle of the stage. Confusion and panic covered his face, but he kept singing to the actress next to him. Her eyes were wild and she looked around as if waiting for someone to tell her what to do.
 

Savoy climbed to his feet and growled as he headed toward Rose, but the wheelchair zoomed across the stage—entirely on its own. The chair slammed into the the
 
detective’s legs and he fell backward into the seat.
 

The song continued, and the dancers who had fallen were up on their feet, jumping back into the number while the wheelchair began to spin in place, faster and faster. It abruptly stopped and the chair flew to the center of the stage, then tipped forward and slammed Savoy into the statue dead-center of the action. He slid down as if in slow motion until he lay face-first on the wood floor.

The orchestra finally stopped, the dancers slowing, then coming to a standstill, confused about what to do next. A man in a white shirt and gray dress pants bolted up the stairs, carrying a pair of handcuffs.
 

Savoy had pushed up to a sitting position and shook his head as though trying to clear it. He saw Rose and his eyes narrowed with hate as he climbed to his feet. The performers scattered to the edges of the stage, watching to see what Savoy would do next.
 

Rose stumbled several feet backward to get away as the new detective advanced toward the still-dazed man.
 

“Savoy.” A wide grin spread across the detective’s face. “I’ve been waiting a long time to do this.” He grabbed one of Savoy’s wrists and slapped a cuff on it. “You’re under arrest for the murder of Serafine Saint Cerano.” He jerked the man around and cuffed his other hand behind his back.