The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star

“Why, didn’t she tell you her real name?” Miss Dare asked sweetly. “It’s Mabel. Mabel Hopkins.”


Lizzy wondered if Mabel herself had chosen her exotic new name, and what it revealed about her personality. She also remembered what Miss Dare had said about Angel being an exhibitionist. Stood to reason—you’d have to want to show off if you were going to do what Angel did for a living.

“Miss Dare?” Buddy asked in an awed tone. “Miss Dare?” He snatched off his goggles and helmet, pulled himself up to his full height, and introduced himself. His eyes, Lizzy noticed, were fixed on Miss Dare’s clinging red blouse. “I sure am glad to see you, Miss Dare,” he blurted. “On behalf of the Sheriff’s Department, let me welcome you to Darling. We are just plumb delighted to have you here. Plumb delighted.”

“Thank you, Deputy Norris.” Miss Dare gave him an enticing smile. “It’s very sweet of you to say so.”

Angel narrowed her eyes. “Come on, Deputy Norris. I’m hungry.”

But Buddy acted like he didn’t hear her. “Oh, but it’s true,” he said, clutching his helmet in his hands. “Why, the fastest woman in the world, faster than Amelia Earhart, and she’s right here in Darling!”

Lizzy had to smile. If there was anything on this earth that Buddy loved more than speed, she didn’t know what it was. He drove his motorcycle, as Grady put it admiringly, like a bat out of hell. No wonder he was dazzled by the Texas Star.

“Tell you what, Deputy Norris.” Miss Dare reached into her pocket and pulled out a little white card. She wrote something on it and handed it to Buddy. “That’s a ticket for an airplane ride. Just give it to the ticket-taker and you’ll be the next guy to go up.” Her smile was dazzling. “The ride’s on me.”

“Holy cow,” Buddy breathed. He looked up and his eyes met hers. “Golly, thanks! I mean . . . well, just holy cow!”

Angel Flame poked Buddy again. This time, it wasn’t a comradely poke. “Deputy, I am going to get some lunch. I swear, I am hungry enough to eat a pig.” She opened the diner door to go in.

“Oh, sure thing,” Buddy said, although he looked as if he was having a hard time tearing himself away from the divine Miss Dare. Reluctantly, still looking back over his shoulder, he turned to follow the girl.

“Oh, Mabel,” Miss Dare called. “You be sure to tell them you want the grilled cheese sandwich and fried tomatoes.” She gave a teasing laugh. “Don’t let them talk you into ordering anything else. You hear?”

That laugh, Lizzy thought with some surprise, held a malicious barb. Watching Lily Dare’s flirtatious little drama, she could understand what Angel Flame might have against the Texas Star, who had just upstaged her with Buddy Norris.

But what did the Star have against the Flame?





TWELVE




The Trouble with Passion



When they left the diner, Charlie drove Miss Dare and Lizzy to the Kilgores’ house. He made arrangements to take Miss Dare to supper and then to the special showing of Hell’s Angels and went back to the newspaper office. Miss Dare announced that since she was going out for the evening, she would take a bath and a long nap and would appreciate not being disturbed. She disappeared into her room—the yellow room at the top of the stairs. Lizzy and Mildred sat down in the kitchen over a cup of tea.

Looking at Mildred, Lizzy thought that she had not slept for several nights. Her eyes were like dark holes in white paper. “Are you all right?” Lizzy asked, concerned.

Mildred looked away. “She’s even more beautiful than her pictures, Liz,” she said bitterly, “and much more sexy. If I had known about her and Roger, I wouldn’t have planned the party. And I would never have invited her to stay under my roof!”

Lizzy opened her mouth to say something, but Mildred was going on. She clenched her hand into a fist. “I could scarcely keep myself from telling her off, right there in front of Mr. Dickens! I don’t know how in the world I can stand it, having to be polite to her until she leaves. Just looking at her makes me want to throw up.”

“You can do it, Mildred,” Lizzy said comfortingly. She reached across the table and patted her friend’s hand. “I know you can. Anyway, if you told her off, what would you say?”