Chapter 18

"Come on, that's totally Jemma!" Isobel gestured forcefully at the incriminating photo on the kitchen counter. "Who else has a birthmark like that? And those boobs? And that hair?"

Delphi snatched up the photo and waved it at Isobel. "You stole this from Sarah's office?"

"I made a photocopy. And this picture ran in the paper. Anyone can pull it from the archives. Just because I found it inside a confidential legal file doesn't make it any less publicly available," Isobel insisted.

Delphi raised a skeptical eyebrow. "If you say so."

"And she was there the night he was killed," Isobel concluded triumphantly.

"I have to admit, that's a pretty freaky coincidence," Delphi conceded.

"I knew she was lying about something." Isobel undid her ponytail and let her hair fall around her shoulders. "Does this look better?"

Delphi tossed the photo back on the counter. "Definitely. You know the stain still shows on your blouse, though."

"I'm in denial. It's my favorite shirt." She looked down and sighed. "Peter lied about the fake blood coming out."

"Yeah, he's another winner in the truth department, isn't he?" Delphi pointed to Isobel's chest. "You really can't wear that."

"It'll be dark in the club. I'll wear a sweater." Isobel set her hairbrush down emphatically. "Jemma knew Harrison. She knew when you were going to fire the gun. She was not in the room when it happened. Guess what? Jemma just got a callback for the role of prime suspect."

"And she killed him because...what, she'd rather have seen a Broadway show? What's her motive?"

Isobel threw her hands up. "Who knows? Maybe he never paid her. Maybe he gave her HPV. Maybe he beat her up."

"Maybe none of those things is a very strong motive for murder and you should think of something better. Come on. We're going to be late."

They continued brainstorming plausible motives for Jemma as they headed downtown to The Purple Cow, where they were meeting Percival to hear Hugh play. By the time they arrived, they hadn't come up with anything better than Jemma's jealousy of Harrison's wife and actual mistress. Even Isobel had to admit it was about as convincing as Murder à la Carte.

Hugh had reserved them a table near the front, and they ordered wine and a plate of mozzarella sticks to share. Delphi and Isobel had moved on to speculation about the identity of Harrison's mistress, when they heard Percival's greeting.

"Hey, bro..." Isobel's voice died in her throat.

"Holy shit - no way!" exclaimed the skinny girl at Percival's side. "Isobel is your sister?"

"You know each other?" Percival asked, flummoxed.

Under ordinary circumstances, Isobel might have enjoyed seeing her unflappable brother at a loss, but her mind was racing, trying to reconcile impossibility with statistical likelihood.

The girl with Percival was a Barnard student named Lily Rubin whom Isobel had met once before. It was the evening of her first date with Hugh. They'd been on their way to dinner when they'd run into James on the street. Then Lily had shown up, and although James joked that she had been stalking him at the gym, Isobel knew there was more to it than he was letting on. The pointed questions Lily asked had exposed undercurrents of jealousy in every direction, resulting a uniquely uncomfortable exchange for all of them. After Isobel and James had grown apart, Isobel had, on occasion, wondered whether Lily and James had gotten together. But as much as Isobel had hoped the answer was no, she didn't want to think it was because Lily had thrown herself at Percival instead.

Delphi cocked her head expectantly at Isobel. "How do you know each other?"

"We don't," Isobel said coolly. "We met once on the street. Lily is a friend of James's."

"Not really," said Lily. "I just know him from the gym. Isobel knows James much better than I do."

Isobel shot her a look. "And you two - "

"Are in the same philosophy class," Percival finished.

"You can cross-register between Barnard and Columbia, you know," Lily chirped.

"Yeah, I know," Isobel said.

"Well, pull up some chairs and order yourselves a couple of sodas," said Delphi, taking over. "I think the set is about to start."

The lights dimmed, and the band came onstage.

"You've been holding out on me," Delphi whispered. "What's the drama?"

"Later," Isobel hissed.

"Hey, that's what's-his-name," Lily said. "The guy who was with you on the street that night."

"Hugh," offered Percival. "That's why we're here. To support him."

But Isobel wasn't looking at Hugh. She nudged Delphi. "Does the drummer look familiar to you?"

Delphi leaned forward and squinted. "I think I need glasses," she mumbled. "Nope, not at all."

Isobel snapped her fingers. "I know! It's the drummer from The Hostelry. And I think that's Jack, the sax player. Andrew's friend."

"Are you sure? Or are you just hoping?"

"Remember when the drummer did that rim shot on one of Peter's dumb lines? I looked right at him, and he winked at me. That's definitely him."

The band played well, and Hugh fit in seamlessly. Isobel had never heard him play jazz piano before, and his fingers skittered across the keys with idiomatic ease and authority. As they listened, she alternated between watching Hugh and trying to read the body language between Percival and Lily. Percival would occasionally lean over to whisper something, and she would giggle. Isobel wondered whether Lily knew how young Percival was. She felt torn between wanting to reveal his comparative youth and trying to encourage her brother's romantic prospects.

The set ended, and the band took a bow. After a few moments, Hugh appeared at Isobel's side, cheeks flushed, eyes shining. He gave her a kiss and pulled up a chair.

"Well?"

"Is the sax player's name Jack?" she asked.

"Why? Do you think he's cute?"

"I need to talk to him. Can you bring him over?"

Hugh's face fell. "Sure, I guess..."

"You guys were great," Lily enthused, picking up the cue Isobel had missed. "I loved your solo on 'My Funny Valentine.'"

Hugh blinked. "Oh, er, thanks. We've met, haven't we?"

"Once, on the street. I was with Isobel's friend James, and you guys were going to Sylvia's for dinner."

Isobel noted the flash of recognition in Hugh's eyes and knew he remembered vividly.

"Sorry, don't recall," he said.

Percival narrowed his eyes at Isobel. "Since my sister has obviously left her manners at home, I'll just introduce myself. I'm Percival. And this is Lily."

"Ah, Percival. Lovely to meet you at last."

"Honey?" Isobel wheedled.

Hugh smiled bravely and stood up. "I'll see if I can grab Jack."

"Well, I think that went swimmingly, don't you?" Delphi said snidely.

Isobel gestured helplessly. "What?"

"He was dying to hear you tell him how well he played. Didn't you see how crushed he was?"

"He knows I think he's wonderful," Isobel said distractedly.

Delphi and Percival exchanged a glance.

"Wouldn't hurt to remind him from time to time," Percival said.

"Isobel, this is Jack." Hugh introduced the sax player, who had straight, dark-blond hair and ruddy cheeks. "Isobel was so taken with your playing, she wouldn't stop bugging me until I promised to bring you over."

"Hey, I know you - both of you. From the other night." Jack took Hugh's chair and gestured to Isobel. "Only you were covered in fake blood, and you..." He turned to Delphi. "...were under arrest."

"Briefly," said Delphi with a shiver.

Isobel smiled triumphantly. "I thought that was you."

"You mean the night of your murder mystery gig?" Hugh asked.

Isobel nodded. "Jack was in the band."

"Did they tell you about that?" Jack asked Hugh. "It was crazy."

"Did you see anything?" Isobel asked Jack.

He shook his head. "We were on break. I wasn't even in the room when it happened."

"How come you didn't respond to my email?"

Jack frowned. "What email?"

"I wrote to you about - " Isobel started at the sudden memory of Sarah interrupting her. "Wait, I drafted it but I don't think I actually sent it."

He leaned forward with interest. "What did it say?"

"I was hoping you knew where Andrew was. He ran off that night."

"He did?" Jack glanced around the table, his eyes resting for a moment on Delphi. "I have no idea. Haven't been in touch with him. Why?"

"I have his check. Peter forgot to pay us, and I collected them all when I got mine. You'd think Andrew would want to get paid."

"You'd think." Jack took a sip of Harpoon. "Sorry, I don't know any more than you do. But if you want to give me the check, I can try and get it to him."

Although that had been Isobel's plan, she found herself hesitating. "That would be great, but I don't have it on me."

"No problem. You have my email. Just shoot me a note and we can meet up."

"Or you could send me Andrew's address, and I can mail it."

Jack shrugged. "Whatever you want. Up to you."

There was an awkward silence, broken finally by Lily. "You guys really have a good sound." She smiled shyly at Jack. "Though I have to admit, tenor sax is my favorite. Do you play tenor?"

Jack shook his head. "I mean, I can, but I pretty much only play alto. A lot of jazz players specialize in one horn. You know we call them horns."

"I thought it was your axe," Lily said.

Isobel rolled her eyes at Delphi. The only thing worse than Lily showing up with her brother was watching her flirt with someone else right in front of him. But when Isobel glanced at Percival, he seemed more amused than anything.

"That too," Jack said, laughing. He slapped Hugh on the back. "My man Hugh is the real deal, isn't he? To Hugh!"

He raised his beer, and they all clinked and drank.

"Ow!" Isobel shook her leg, which both Delphi and Percival had kicked under the table from different angles. She gave Hugh's arm a squeeze. "You really were wonderful. Though I'm not surprised. I think you can play anything."

Hugh beamed at her. Lily smirked.

Jack set down his empty bottle. "Time for another set, eh, man?"

"Let's do it."

"So are you going to tell me about this murder mystery you're all talking about?" Lily asked after Hugh and Jack had returned to the tiny makeshift stage.

Before Isobel could respond, Percival said pointedly, "Delphi and Isobel were hired to do a murder mystery dinner show that Jack played for. That's all."

Lily cast a doubtful look around the table. "Why don't I believe you?" She pouted and stood up. "Bathroom. Anyone want to make up the pair?"

When neither Delphi nor Isobel responded, she retreated in a huff. Isobel wheeled on her brother.

"Really?"

"We're just friends. And what the hell happened between you two? What was this meeting on the street?"

"It doesn't matter. She's an annoying little gadfly."

Percival pushed his glasses up his nose, his habit when agitated. "You don't know her. She's had a rough time. She needs friends."

"She has James," Isobel snapped. "You're poaching his girlfriend."

"She's not James's girlfriend, as far as I know. And she's not mine either."

"Will you two cut it out?" Delphi said. "Here I thought you two were the loviest, best-adjusted siblings since Full House. But whaddaya know? You're just like the rest of us. Although this doesn't even come close to the shit-slinging that goes on with my sisters."

That stung. Isobel prided herself on an exceptionally close relationship with her brother, despite their almost eight-year age difference. Percival caught her eye, and she knew he was feeling the same. Lily had driven a wedge between her and James, and Isobel wasn't about to let that upstart ragamuffin do the same with her brother. She glanced toward the bathroom and saw Lily tapping her foot impatiently, waiting her turn. Isobel decided it was safe to change the subject.

"Perce, remember I told you that Judge Harrison was cheating and that's what prompted the divorce?"

Percival nodded, grateful for the olive branch, and Isobel told him about the photo in Candy's file.

"So Jemma knew the judge, she knew the cue for the gunshot, and she could easily have snuck back into the Jewel Room to kill him," she finished.

"Definitely possible. Motive?" Percival asked.

"Aye, there's the rub," Delphi said.

Isobel sighed. "To be determined. Same goes for Andrew. But maybe I can get something out of Jack."

"There's still the weirdness of Peter covering for Andrew, not to mention Peter himself," Delphi said. "And don't forget Tony."

The band launched into "A Night in Tunisia." Isobel shouted over the music. "What do we have on Tony?"

"I don't know, you tell me," Delphi hollered back. "But considering we've got something on every other member of our merry band, don't you think there must be something on him, too?"