Unholy Matrimony by Peg Cochran Page A

sapphire chandelier earrings swung from her ears.
    “We’re looking for Taylor Grabowski,” Lucille said as soon as she found her voice. Who was this woman and where on earth was she going dressed like that?
    “He’s not here.” The woman held out her hand and admired the rings that winked from every finger.
    “Is Alex Grabowski in?”
    Lucille tried to peer past her into the hall. A bunch of clothes were tossed on a yellow silk bench in the hallway, dirty plates and glasses were piled on the foyer table and she could see several pairs of shoes discarded here and there. The place looked to be a mess. Donna was going to be furious when she got home, Lucille thought, before remembering that Donna wasn’t never going home again.
    The woman scowled. “I don’t know where Alex is, but I would like to know. He owes me money.”
    “Who are you?” Flo said, putting one foot on the step to the foyer.
    “Natalie.”
    Flo continued to stare at her. Lucille couldn’t tell if she was trying to be intimidating or if she was just admiring the woman’s earrings. No matter. It worked.
    “Natalie Romescu,” the woman finally answered.
    “Are you a relative?”
    Her pout deepened. “I am maid.”
    Lucille’s jaw dropped. How on earth was she going to get any work done dressed like that? Every time she bent over to scrub a toilet, those necklaces were going to slap her in the face.
    “Are you sure Taylor isn’t here?” Lucille glanced up at the house’s façade. “This here’s a big place.”
    Natalie pouted again. “I am very sure.” She fingered one of the pearl and diamond necklaces.
    “Do you know when he’s coming back?”
    She put out her hands, palms up. “He comes and goes when he wants. I am not babysitter, you know.”
    “And Alex?”
    Natalie’s pout turned to a scowl. “I have not seen him for many days.”
    “Was he here on Saturday?” Lucille asked as casually as possible.
    Natalie pursed lips that were painted cherry red. “Yes, he is here in the morning, then he go to pick up dinner jacket from cleaner and poof!” She spread her fingers wide and blew into the air. “He is gone, just like that. Never come back.”
    “He was supposed to be at his son’s wedding,” Lucille said.
    “I know nothing about that.” Natalie lifted her shoulders and let them drop.
    “Did he take a bag with him? You know, like a small suitcase or a duffel bag or something?”
    “I do not know. Maybe. I think he have briefcase.”
    “Why would he take his briefcase with him to pick up his tux at the cleaner’s?” Flo asked Lucille, her eyebrows raised.
    Lucille shrugged.
    They could hear a telephone ringing somewhere inside the house.
    Natalie began to close the door. “I have to go now.”
    Lucille opened her mouth to say something but found herself staring at the polished brass knocker on Donna’s front door.
    “There was something very odd about that,” Lucille said as they walked toward her car.
    “There certainly was!” Flo agreed. “I guess the mouse is playing while the cat’s away.”
    Lucille stopped with her hand on the car door handle. “What do you mean?”
    “Well, it’s obvious that Natalie has raided Donna’s closet and jewelry box. Where else would she have gotten all that jewelry and those fancy silk pajamas?”
    “Yeah,” Lucille said and slipped behind the wheel. “Which means she knows Alex isn’t going to come back anytime soon.”

Chapter 10
     
     
    “You know what I’d like to know?” Lucille said as she pulled away from the Grabowski’s house. “I’d like to know where Alex Grabowski is staying if he isn’t coming home. I mean, he’s got to be somewheres, right?” She looked at Flo out of the corner of her eye.
    Flo grunted.
    “I’m thinking that maybe he’s been staying at his office. That’s what Frankie did when—well, you remember. He put up one of them lightweight cot things and spent the night.”
    “You know, you could be right.” Flo pulled a