The Celebutantes by Antonio Pagliarulo

snapped.
    â€œThis is horrible!” Madison wailed. “I’m covered in blood! Ugh! This will
never
come out! Blood is worse than soy sauce!”
    â€œCalm down,” Park urged her. “We’re surrounded.”
    â€œI don’t care,” Madison carried on. “Lex, open the magic purse! Do you have any club soda? Oh! I can’t even stand here and look at myself!”
    Instead of reaching into the magic purse, Lex laced her fingers around Madison’s shoulders and gave her a good, steady shake. “Stop it!” she barked. “First of all, there happens to be a dead body behind us. Second of all, people are starting to stare at you. And
third
of all, that dress is made from the finest silk, and club soda would be too abrasive to use on it. Now take a deep breath and maintain.”
    Madison swallowed hard. She nodded and wiped a line of sweat from her forehead. “You’re right,” she said breathlessly. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Club soda is a dumb idea.”
    â€œDamn right it is,” Lex said sharply.
    â€œEverybody, please stay
away
from the body!” Park called out, cupping her hands over her mouth. “Remain at the curb and do
not
come forward until the police get here!” She made clear gestures with her arms, instructing the men who had run out of their cars to take several steps back. “For those of you who may be feeling faint, please lean forward and breathe deeply. Do not be afraid to sit down on the street. I will pay for your dry cleaning bills personally. Please note that this ugly scene is an obvious tragedy and has nothing to do with any
live
person here.”
    â€œAnd Hamilton Holdings is an equal opportunity employer,” Lex said to the gathering crowd, noting the strict professionalism of Park’s tone.
    â€œWhat the hell happened?” Madison asked. There were tears in her eyes. “Did…did Elijah jump? Commit suicide? Oh, God—it’s just so horrible!”
    â€œI don’t know if he jumped or what,” Lex answered. “But I guess we have to check.”
    â€œCheck?” Madison’s voice rose. “Do we have to? I totally don’t feel like scoping out a corpse today!”
    â€œWe have to move in and inspect the scene,” Lex shot back. “What if…what if by some strange twist of fate he’s still
slightly
alive?”
    â€œLook at him!” Madison pointed to the body. “He may as well be a mannequin in a Macy’s storefront window. He’s practically headless! There’s blood everywhere!”
    â€œRight now,” Park said evenly, “we’re going to handle this calmly and have a look-see. And because I know a Krispy Kreme shop opened yesterday on Third Avenue, it’ll take at least three more minutes for the cops to get here. Besides, we’re good when it comes to homicides.”
    â€œHomicide?” Madison blinked furiously.
    Park nodded.
    â€œWhat…how do you know it’s a…” Madison closed her eyes, shook her head, and took a deep breath. “Maybe he fell…or jumped on purpose! We don’t know that it’s a homicide!”
    â€œI think I saw something on Elijah’s body I don’t like,” Park said. “And I’m pretty sure we’re looking at a homicide.”
    â€œOh,
great,
” Lex whispered. “I guess I’m not going to get any work done tonight.”
    â€œIgnore the crowds and follow me,” Park instructed them. She led the way to the body. She mentally blocked out the people who had gathered all over the avenue and sidestepped three separate pools of blood. From this vantage point, she could see the blue-tinged pallor of Elijah Traymore’s neck, as well as the way the back of his head had literally flattened against the concrete. “Well, it’s obvious that he changed clothes after meeting us and leaving the luncheon,” she