Cynthia Hamilton - Madeline Dawkins 02 - A High Price to Pay Read Free

mentioned—and the stage, but you said that would be finished by tomorrow.”
    “It damn well better be. I guess that’s what’s got me the most stressed out. What about the swag bags?”
    “Alice confirmed they were dropped off at the house yesterday at 5:30.”
    “And the ID bracelets from Tiffany’s?”
    “They were delivered an hour ago. I’ve got the bags right here,” Lauren said, lifting up two oversize turquoise bags as proof.
    “Are you sure they got the order right?”
    “Yep. They’re all here. I checked each name against the guest list. Want me to run them over to Cherie’s?” Lauren asked hopefully.
    “No, I have to go over there anyway. She’s in one of her moods. Apparently, she’s having second thoughts about her wardrobe. She and her third stylist have been on Hot Couture all morning.”
    Lauren smirked sympathetically. “Tell her I’ll gladly take the rejects off her hands,” she joked, getting half a smile out of her boss.
    “Okay, so that gives me a bunch of stuff to check on,” Madeline said, hoisting herself out of the chair.
    “Don’t let that woman drive you crazy,” Lauren said.
    “Easier said than done. She’s not happy unless everyone around her is in a panic.”
    “Well, we just got our first case,” Mike said, clasping his hands together as he sauntered back into the event planning side of the office.
    “How’d that happen?” Madeline asked, clearly stunned by the news.
    “What is it?” Lauren asked, face lit up with anticipation.
    “It’s just a service of process,” Mike said, watching Madeline’s expression carefully.
    “Did he find us online?” Lauren asked.
    “Yep. Landlord with a delinquent tenant. Not the sexiest assignment in the world, but it might turn into a skip trace, which wouldn’t be so bad.” Madeline slid past him and went into her office. For reasons she couldn’t explain, his gloating was grating on her nerves. She blocked out the details as she collected her things.
    “Hey, where are you going?” Mike asked, miffed at his partner’s lack of enthusiasm.
    “To little Hollywood, where else?” Madeline replied as she slipped on her sunglasses and picked up the Tiffany bags.
    “Want to go out and celebrate tonight?” Mike whispered to Madeline.
    “We have class tonight,” she reminded him. It was not the answer Mike was looking for.
    “We could skip it this once.” Madeline shot that down with a shake of her head.
    “I need it. I’ve got a lot of pent-up frustrations to take out on somebody,” she said, moving toward the door.
    “Wait!” Lauren called out. “Might as well take the place cards with you,” she said, handing Madeline a cardboard box that had been delivered by the engravers.
    “Oh, thanks,” she said, shifting her load so she could peer at the contents. “Twenty-four karat gold leaf,” she said for Mike’s benefit as he leaned over to have a look. He shook his head disdainfully.
    “Someone is in for a big letdown,” he said as Madeline exited the office. It troubled him that he didn’t know which woman was going to take it the hardest: the birthday girl or Madeline. Something told him they were both in for an emotional hangover.

TWO
    Madeline waved to the guard and waited as the massive iron gates slowly parted, then eased her Audi SUV down the stately driveway. Not for the first time, she felt a pang of regret for the way she had collaborated in the Disney-fying of this once impeccably elegant property. Just beyond the tall Italian cypress trees that lined the drive, the transformation became apparent. What Cherie Alexander had fashioned, with the help of two landscape designers and an army of laborers, was her own shortcut-version of Lotusland.
    Madeline winced at the comparison of Madame Ganna Walska’s botanic wonderland to what lay before her now. What Cherie had done to the six flat acres of prime Montecito real estate was a taste-impaired imitation in miniature. Madeline supposed that if