Page 26 of The Body in the Backyard

“He means your boobs look amazing,” Nick said.

Griffin pointed at Nick. “And you’re too…imposing.”

“He means you’re tall,” Riley filled in for Nick. “He doesn’t want us overshadowing him and taking attention away from him. Which means we look good. So thanks for the compliments, Griffin.”

“Wedolook good, and I hope someone tries to murder you just for ruining my birthday. We’ll be by the shrimp fountain or whatever the hell they feed you people,” Nick said, towing Riley in the direction of the food.

The ballroom was a cavernous space with a grand staircase perfect for posing on and a candlelit upper-level balcony that, judging by the number of couples on the stairs, was the perfect spot for canoodling. A string quartet played classical versions of pop songs on a skirted riser in front of the dance floor.

“Wow. Is that an actual vat of caviar?” she asked when she spotted the food tables.

“You got me,” Nick said, realigning the eye holes of his matte black mask and surveying the room. “Does it feel weird to be hobnobbing with all the Richie Riches you used to hang with when you were married?”

“We weren’t married long enough for me to hobnob. I doubt anyone remembers me, and even if they do, I’m wearing a mask. I can pretend to be anyone I want.”

“A mask and one hell of a dress.”

“See? Ursula isn’t so bad,” Riley teased.

Nick shuddered.

“Why didn’t Bella come tonight?” she asked as they approached the first food table. Appetizers were staged on tiered acrylic displays above artfully rumpled gold table linens.

Nick picked up a tiny glass plate and frowned at it. “Short and Orangey said something about weather girl continuing education, which I’m pretty sure is code for Bella is boning someone on the side.”

“Suspicious,” Riley said. “Always look at the spouse…or the weather girl in this case.” After recently losing her powers and not knowing when or if they’d return, she’d decided it was important to bone up on her nonpsychic investigative studies.

“Yeah, when an actual crime has been committed.”

“You still don’t believe someone’s threatening him?” she asked, crossing her arms as Nick loaded the surface area of his little plate with food.

“Like I said, the twerp is looking for some attention. And even if someone is out to get him, I’m having trouble getting worked up over the idea that one of the hundreds of people he’s screwed over decided to get some revenge.”

“You do realize we only get the rest of the money after we solve the case, right?” she pointed out.

“Technically, we get paid for performing a service, not for solving the case. I figure we spend a week pretending to care, and then I’ll skip off to the bank with a big fat check like I’m a pack of schoolgirls on the playground.”

“They have mobile deposit now. But I still would like to see the skipping.”

Nick scowled down at the tiny plate in his hand. “How are you supposed to fit any food on this? Here,” he said, thrusting the plate at her and getting a second one.

Riley turned away from the food to scan the crowd. There were a lot of beautiful masked people circulating everywhere. She rolled her eyes behind her mask when she spotted Griffin in the center of a circle of fawning middle-aged women.

She took a breath and mentally lifted her psychic garage doors. Other people’s thoughts glided into her consciousness like parade floats.

“Why the hell can’t these events serve real food? I don’t want raw squid compote. I want a fucking cheeseburger.”

“I can’t believe Nancy is here showing her face after that humiliating loss in the last election. I think I’ll go remind her she lost.”

“Look at that hideous Dexter with his new facelift and his twenty-two-year-old wife. Does she have to tuck him in before she goes out with her friends for the night?”

“Did Griffin Gentry get taller?”

“It’s my fucking birthday, and I have to spend it with Booster Seat. But damn is it worth it just to see Riley in that dress. I wonder if I can talk her into taking a naked tour of a janitorial closet?”

“Here. I brought you some shrimp and whatever this stuff is. Maybe some kind of seafood dip? There was a crab leg sticking out of it,” Nick said as he pushed a second appetizer plate at her.

“No,” Riley said.