A Flair for Flip-Flops Read online

  A Flair for

  Flip-Flops

  A Sadie Kramer Flair Mystery

  Deborah Garner

  Cranberry Cove Press

  A Flair for Flip-Flops

  by Deborah Garner

  Copyright © 2019 Deborah Garner

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  First Printing – August 2019

  ISBN: 978-0-9969961-3-6

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  EXCEPT FOR BRIEF TEXT QUOTED AND APPROPRIATELY CITED IN OTHER WORKS, NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM, BY PHOTOCOPYING OR BY ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL MEANS, INCLUDING INFORMATION STORAGE OR RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS, WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE COPYRIGHT OWNER/AUTHOR.

  Printed in the U.S.A.

  Books by Deborah Garner

  Above the Bridge

  The Moonglow Café

  Three Silver Doves

  Hutchins Creek Cache

  Crazy Fox Ranch

  Cranberry Bluff

  A Flair for Chardonnay

  A Flair for Drama

  A Flair for Beignets

  A Flair for Truffles

  A Flair for Flip-Flops

  Mistletoe at Moonglow

  Silver Bells at Moonglow

  Gingerbread at Moonglow

  Nutcracker Sweets at Moonglow

  Snowfall at Moonglow

  For all those who love mystery, flip-flops, and fun in the sun –

  or any combination of the above.

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Surf ‘N Strawberry Sorbet

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  Sadie kicked both feet out in front of her beach chair and admired her new pedicure. It just wouldn’t have been right to go on a seaside vacation without a few stylish touches. She’d asked the lovely young girl at her favorite day spa to apply a light sky blue for the base color. With a tiny seashell design added on one of her big toes and a bright yellow sun on the other, it was perfect.

  Nabbing the last available room at luxurious Casa Playa, a popular hideaway along the Southern California coast, had been a fortunate score. The boutique hotel’s pet-friendly private beach right outside her room’s sliding glass doors made it an ideal escape for Sadie and her favorite sidekick.

  “What do you think, Coco?” Sadie looked down at the petite Yorkie, who was soaking up the warm sun. “I just love your beach towel. It’s so great we found one just your size!” Okay, so it was a kitchen towel they’d found at a souvenir shop along the boardwalk, Sadie reminded herself. The nautical design fit the theme of their surroundings, and the towel itself helped keep sand out of Coco’s fur.

  Sadie tugged at the skirt on her one-piece bathing suit. She’d gotten over modesty a good decade ago, accepting her plump figure along with the inevitable slide from being middle-aged toward the golden years. But she still liked to be presentable. Besides, the exotic floral print picked up the recent highlights in her hair: red streaks mixed into her natural gray. She could hardly wait to drape her favorite red Peruvian beads over a new black tunic she’d picked up for that evening’s event. It would be a stunning look for her new hair coloring.

  Leaning back to soak up the sun, she smiled at the timing of her visit. She’d been unaware of the private celebrity events when she’d made the hotel reservation, not to mention her surprise when the hotel clerk handed her invitations with her hotel key. Common sense told her it was a mistake. She hardly ran with a Hollywood crowd, and it was unlikely the hotel was including all guests in the festivities. But she’d never been one to pass up an adventure, whether planned or not. The thought of a celebrity dinner followed by a cast party a few days later was simply too enticing to turn down. She’d politely taken the check-in packet with a smile.

  Sadie never followed the tabloids, but she certainly knew who Garrison Quinlan was. How could she not? His face beamed from the cover of nearly every magazine, whether People, Rolling Stone, or Time. To say he’d graced the cover of GQ multiple times went without saying, considering his initials. Had the magazine not been founded long before he was born, the general public might have considered it named after him. Some of his younger fans likely did anyway.

  Garrison Quinlan’s type had never appealed to Sadie. True, he was a looker, handsome to a fault. She couldn’t deny that; there was nothing wrong with her eyesight. But he was also flashy, fake-tanned, and full of himself. His signature move of starting every personal appearance with the shout “Do you love me?” seemed a tad over the top. Of course, screams and proclamations of adoration followed every time. He’d then reward his fans with a gleaming smile of perfectly aligned pearly whites, which only turned up the volume.

  “It’s not the same thing,” Sadie said aloud, thinking back to her early years. She looked down at Coco, who opened one sleepy eye questioningly. “The Beatles never asked us to scream. It was simply a basic reflex. Not the same thing at all.”

  In spite of her own personal lack of GQ fan fever, the occasions promised to be entertaining. No doubt the people-watching aspect would be intriguing as well.

  “That’s enough sun for today.” Sadie stood, tossed her towel over her shoulder, and folded her beach chair into a compact bundle of cloth and metal.

  Coco, seeing Sadie stand, hopped up and gathered the kitchen towel in her teeth, ready to follow her favorite human wherever she headed.

  “I’ll carry that for you, Coco. I don’t want you to trip.” Coco, always on the lookout for a game of tug-of-war, held on briefly to the edge of the terrycloth material before surrendering and letting go. “Thank you,” Sadie said. She tossed Coco’s towel over her own and patted the Yorkie on the head.

  The hotel room was cool as Sadie stepped inside and closed the sliding glass doors, certainly refreshing after being outside in the sun. The seaside décor added to the soothing feeling. Pale blue walls, light wood furniture, and soft watercolor prints of beach scenes blended together to create a calming environment. If not for the event that evening, Sadie would have been tempted to throw on capris and a T-shirt and read until she fell asleep. Instead, she splashed cold water on her face and made a phone call.

  “Flair! Good afternoon!” Amber’s voice was full of pep, as always. Sadie smiled, grateful for the energetic young lady on the other end of the line. Her San Francisco fashion boutique, Flair, always ran well under Amber’s management. Sadie knew she was fortunate to have Amber in charge of the shop. Many businesses had problems when owners were away.

  “How’s everything going?” Sadie leaned back in a blue-and-white-striped armchair, pleased to feel the soft cushioning against her back.

  “It’s been fairly quiet,” Amber said. “We’ve had a few customers, but mostly downtime. I’ve been restocking the summer racks, making sure we have all sizes out. I have a list going
of things we might want to order, like more sparkly sunglasses.”

  “Oh, good idea,” Sadie said, remembering she’d brought a pair with her. She and Amber had found the glittery sunglasses at a recent trade show and ordered them in every color. The one currently in her suitcase was purple, which reminded her she needed something to wear it with. A shopping excursion on the beach boardwalk was in order.

  “How’s everything going with your vacation so far?” Amber asked. “Nice room? Good scenery?”

  “Wonderful room and excellent scenery,” Sadie said. “I have an ocean view, and the sand comes right up to a private patio area outside the back doors. There’s a small kitchenette too. I could hide away in here for the whole week if I wanted to.”

  “You should,” Amber said. “Curl up with some good mystery books and call room service when you need something. That beach patio sounds like heaven. You can just relax and enjoy the privacy. Aside from the shopping excursions you’ll undoubtedly take, that is.”

  Sadie laughed. Amber knew her well. She wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to browse the local beach shops. “That’s my basic plan except for an event tonight that came up unexpectedly, as well as one later in the week.”

  “What kind of events?” Amber asked. “Now you have my curiosity up. You do seem to stumble into unusual gatherings. Maybe another winery festival? Or a theater production?” Amber rattled off a few other guesses.

  “None of the above,” Sadie said. “But both should be interesting, and it seems I’ve sort of been invited to them.”

  “How can you sort of be invited to something?” Amber’s tone held a hint of laughter.

  “Apparently, easily,” Sadie said. “There were invitations in my check-in packet, right between my room key and a hotel property map. I suspect it might have been a mistake, but…” Her voice trailed off. Why turn down opportunities for good meals and entertainment?

  “Those must be guest receptions,” Amber said. Sadie could hear her clicking hangers on racks. “Some upscale hotels do that. You know, wine and cheese, managers saying hello, that type of thing.”

  “This is a bit more than that,” Sadie said. “These are celebrity functions for…” She lowered her voice even though it seemed ridiculous. No one could hear her except Coco. “For Garrison Quinlan.”

  “What?” Amber shrieked, almost causing Sadie to drop her phone. “For GQ? I love him!”

  Sadie sighed. Of course Amber loved him. Everyone loved him.

  “Take me with you!” Amber squealed.

  “That might be difficult,” Sadie pointed out. “The first one is in four hours, and you’re a solid eight hours away.” She lifted Coco into her lap and scratched the spot between her ears. Coco exhaled a sigh of contentment.

  “Minor details,” Amber muttered, then sighed. “I’ll just have to live vicariously through you.”

  “I’ll make sure to enjoy it for you,” Sadie offered.

  “And when he asks if you love him, you have to say yes,” Amber said.

  Sadie laughed. “How about if I just say ‘Amber loves you.’” She could hear Amber clapping her hands in approval.

  “Even better,” Amber said.

  “Speaking of love,” Sadie prompted, “should I also say Dylan loves him?” Amber had been dating Dylan for several months, a detail she seemed to have forgotten during the conversation.

  “Er… maybe not,” Amber said, laughing. “He thinks GQ is shallow.”

  “I knew I trusted Dylan’s judgment,” Sadie said.

  A chime on the other end of the phone call signaled a customer entering the shop. Saying a quick goodbye, she let Amber go attend to business. She set Coco down in the portable travel “palace” they always took on trips but left the door open so the petite canine could wander in and out. Considering the silk and velvet interior of the custom-built kennel, it came as no surprise when Coco curled up, placed her head on her paws, and closed her eyes.

  “That’s right, Coco,” Sadie said. “Get some beauty sleep. I suspect we have an interesting evening ahead of us.”

  Yes. It should be quite an evening indeed.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Sadie looked at the directory elegantly encased in glass on the lobby wall. Three event rooms were listed: Gran Sala del Mar, Gran Sala del Cielo, and Gran Sala de las Estrellas. Living in California, Spanish names weren’t unfamiliar, and her language abilities were enough to recognize the three grand rooms named after the sea, the sky, and the stars, respectively. It seemed fitting that the event for Garrison Quinlan would be held in the Gran Sala de las Estrellas. After all, he was a star of superstardom stature.

  Having had no idea she’d be attending the event, Sadie was pleased to see the spacious room boasted a theme of black, white, and red. She couldn’t have planned a better outfit if she tried. The white linen tablecloths on the round banquet tables would look formal against her black tunic, not to mention their resemblance to her silver hair. Folded black napkins in the shape of swans looked elegant, albeit a touch foreboding in a Swan Lake sort of way. And the bold centerpieces of red carnations and roses picked up the streaked highlights in her hair as well as her red Peruvian beads. All in all, she blended in nicely with the décor. She found this comforting—especially since she didn’t expect to know a single person there. At least she looked like she belonged.

  Seeing only a few people, Sadie wondered if she’d committed an etiquette faux pas. “Apparently, we missed the memo about being fashionably late,” she whispered to her tote bag, which was casually slung over her arm. A soft yip came from inside, where Coco curled up on a velvet pillow, as she always did when Sadie was on the go. The basic tote hardly matched Sadie’s outfit, but it wouldn’t matter once she placed it on the floor next to her chair. Which reminded her… where was she supposed to sit?

  A casual stroll through the room quickly told her she would not be sitting at any of the front tables. Name cards in swirling calligraphy dotted each place setting of the first… and second… and third… all in all, four rows of tables. The fifth and sixth rows didn’t have specific names at each place, but folded cardboard tents with the word Reserved stood propped up on each seat. By the time she reached the seventh row of tables, she had already resigned herself to sitting in the back. She continued to the eighth and last row and took a place near a side door. The only way she could possibly be farther away would be to step outside altogether. That was fine, as far as she was concerned. She wasn’t there as a participant but just as an observer—and for the free food, of course.

  Sadie settled into the banquet chair and found a spot on the floor for her tote bag. She whispered a few cautionary words about proper manners at such an event, letting them drift downward. Although she’d had the foresight to add a tiny black-and-red bow to a topknot of fur on Coco’s head, she knew it would be best if they both kept in control. That meant Sadie in her seat and Coco in the tote.

  More guests arrived and then a few more until the room began to buzz with the excitement of a crowd dressed to impress and chattering for acceptance. A waiter stopped by Sadie’s table to offer her one of a dozen flutes of champagne, all sparkling from their balanced positions on his tray. She accepted, took a sip, and set the glass down on the linen tablecloth with what she hoped was a Hollywood-worthy flourish. A trio of musicians launched into a medley of show tunes aimed to cover a wide gamut of musical tastes. Sadie tapped her foot to the music, her head tilting side to side along with each beat.

  “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

  Sadie turned toward the voice, finding a middle-aged woman wearing a plum evening gown with chiffon sleeves that gathered loosely at her wrists. Her earrings—rhinestones, not diamonds, Sadie was certain—sparkled under the overhead lights. Her skin bore more wrinkles than expected for her apparent age, a sign of too many days soaking up the sun’s rays, but her smile was warm and friendly. “Please,” Sadie said, gesturing with one hand. “Be my guest.”

  “Thank you.”
The woman slid into the seat and set a silver clutch purse on the table. She extended a hand toward Sadie. “My name’s Myrtle,” she said.

  Sadie responded with her own name as the waiter with the champagne passed by again, offering Myrtle a drink. A second waiter stopped by with a tray of miniature smoked salmon puff pastries. Myrtle and Sadie each took one, and a heavyset man approaching the table grabbed two before abruptly pulling out a chair and taking a seat across from them. He snapped his fingers to call the waiter with the champagne back to the table. Sadie and Myrtle exchanged looks as if the sudden intrusion bonded the two women as longtime friends. Whether the man intended to introduce himself or not, they wouldn’t know since he was quickly joined by two others.

  “Buddy, it’s great to see you!” A stout, red-faced guy slapped the first man on the back and plopped into a chair beside him.

  “Jack Davis!” Buddy exclaimed. “My, they let anyone in here don’t they?”

  “Always the joker, Buddy,” Jack said. “You remember Marvin, don’t you? From the last premiere?” He nodded toward a third man, a wiry fellow with a mop of hair that struck Sadie as a toupee. At least she hoped for the poor man’s sake that it was.

  “Of course.” Buddy stuffed the second puff pastry in his mouth, brushed his hands against each other, and extended his arm to greet Marvin. “Buddy Barker. Good to see you again. I didn’t realize you knew Jack,” he said.

  “Oh, Marvin and I go way back,” Jack said. “Worked a lot together.” He drummed his palms on the table. Sadie watched the champagne in her glass sway back and forth, and Myrtle steadied a spoon that was beginning to slide.

  “It’ll be great to see Garrison again,” Buddy said. He unfolded a black linen swan and brushed a speck of puff pastry off his mouth.