with police security for the parade.â
It was difficult to hear him with the music blaring, so Nancy leaned closer. âMmm, nice cologne,â she commented.
âThanks. Youâre getting a preview,â Neil explained, grinning at her. âItâs Forever Male, Mitchellâs exclusive cologne. It goes on the market next month, along with the womenâs perfume. Iâm one of the few people to be wearing it already.â
âThatâs right. Jules mentioned a cologne when he gave us a tour of the cosmetics lab yesterday,â Nancy said. âOhâbefore I forget . . .â She reached into her bag and pulled out Neilâs Mitchellâs ID card. âYou left this at Kim and Karenâs Grill today.â
Neil looked surprised as he took the card from her. âI was wondering where this went,â he told her. âThanks.â
âHow did you get along without it?â Nancy asked. âDonât you need it to get around the store?â
âI got a replacement,â he replied, his gaze sweeping over the dance floor below. Nancy noticed him frown as he focused on something.
Looking down, she saw that Bess was talking to Greg Willow. He had an uncomfortable expression on his face, and he kept glancing nervously around the club.
âI really donât think our grand marshal should be involved with Bess,â Neil said.
Nancy felt herself bristle. âIf youâre talking about the sabotage, Bess is not guilty,â she insisted. âCanât you see that someone is setting her upââ
Her voice trailed off as she glanced down at the dance floor again. Greg was gesturing angrily at Bess nowâit was obvious that he was yelling at her. For a moment Bess just stared at him, red-faced. Then she abruptly turned away and hurried toward the clubâs exit.
âOh, no!â Nancy didnât even bother to say goodbye to the others. She grabbed her purse and raced down the stairs after Bess. She caught up with her at the coat check.
âBess! What happened?â Nancy asked.
Tears were streaming down Bessâs face. âGreg t-told me that he canât see m-me anymore because no one thinks the grand marshal of the parade should be seen with the lead sabotage suspect!â
âThatâs awful!â Nancy said. She grabbed their coats as they were handed over, tipped the woman, then hurried from the club with Bess. Within moments, they had hailed a cab, and Nancy gave the driver her auntâs address.
Nancy put her arm around Bessâs shoulders. âI know it must be hard to have Greg treat you so terribly,â Nancy said. âFirst thing tomorrow Iâmgoing to call Jules and find out if the formula we found in Louis Clarkâs office really is for Forever. If it is, thatâs a good start to proving to everyone that youâre innocent.â
Bess nodded, but she still didnât look very hopeful. For the rest of the ride back to Eloiseâs apartment, she remained silent. Once Nancy let them in the front door with her key, Bess headed straight for the bedroom.
âYou girls are home early,â Eloise said, stepping out of her bedroom in her nightgown and robe. âBess, Greg just called.â
Bessâs mouth dropped open in amazement. âHe did?â
Eloise nodded. âHe said he wants to meet you, alone, at the parade studio, so you can talk things over and clear everything up.â
âThe parade studio?â Nancy echoed, frowning. âBut he was just at Inverted. Thatâs nowhere near Brooklyn.â
âIâm sure he said the parade studio,â Eloise insisted. âIt does seem rather strange, though.â
Bess was already hurrying back toward the door. âMaybe itâs not so strange,â she said. âMaybe he thought of something that might lead to the real culprit,â she said excitedly. âYes, that must be it. Iâve got to
Legs McNeil, Jennifer Osborne, Peter Pavia