Death Wears a Beauty Mask and Other Stories Read Free Page A

relaxing for a few days. But I don’t believe that anymore.”
    â€œWhat do you believe?” Mike asked.
    Grant Wilson turned the paperweight on his desk. “I don’t know. I simply don’t know.”
    â€œHow did you know she’s missing?” Mike persisted.
    â€œShe was supposed to be at my office on Tuesday morning with the director of the commercials and the photographer to go over the footage but she never showed up,” Grant replied.
    Janice tried to keep her voice steady. “I understand you’ve left many urgent messages for my sister to phone you. Why?”
    Grant’s expression became grim. “Because the client has not approved the commercial we did in Venice. Because the great probability is that we’ll have to redo it. Alexandra looked fabulous in the three other commercials, but she doesn’t look that good in the final one. All the others are a buildup to it. That’s why she can’t look tired and drawn in it, when it’s the climax of the Beauty Mask effect. We’ve got to reshoot immediately. Fortunately, we have enough Venice background that we can redo it in New York. The campaign is due to break in the August issue of Vogue and that will be published in a few weeks. We can’t use anyone except Alexandra because she’s in all the print ads and in the other three commercials. But the client insists that they okay the Venice one before they pay the final invoices. The progression of the publicity campaign has her photographed in New York, Paris, Rome and finally Venice.”
    â€œWhat will happen if you don’t locate Alexandra in time to reshoot?” Mike asked.
    Grant stood up. Unconsciously he was gripping the edges of his desk. “The client is threatening to scrap the entire campaign, to introduce its product for Christmas with a new agency and a new model . . . and in that case would refuse to pay us one cent more.”
    Mike stood up too. With one hand under her elbow, he drew Janice to her feet. “I think it’s time we called the police,” he said.
    â€œYou can’t do that!” Grant said violently. “Do you realize what a scandal would do to this campaign? Can you see what Suzy or Rona Barrett would do in their columns with a juicy item like Alexandra Saunders being listed on a missing persons bulletin? As I told you, she has been known to disappear for a few days when she needed a break.”
    â€œIf that is the case,” Mike said slowly, “I would say that Alexandra will be showing up very soon. There’s no doubt that she wanted to see Janice and was planning to be here to meet us.”
    â€œThat remains the single shred of hope,” Grant agreed.
    â€œThen, against my better judgment, we’ll wait another twenty-four hours before we call the police,” Mike said, “but no more.”
    Janice thrust her hand out. “Good-bye, Mr. Wilson,” she said, turning toward the door as she spoke. She desperately wanted to get out of this office. She wanted to be alone with Mike, to have a chance to think.
    â€œMy friends call me Grant.” He attempted a smile. “I am very much in love with Alexandra and have been pressing her for some time to accept an engagement ring from me. She and I are right for each other. She has always said that she wasn’t ready to marry. Frankly, I think your marriage might have started her thinking. I asked her again in London and in Venice. But that’s another reason why I didn’t worry too much when she bolted. I knew she’d want a little time to herself . . . to test her feelings. I honestly think this time she might be ready to say yes.”
    Mike said, “I see why you’ve hesitated to take action. Let’s leaveit at this. We’re in Alexandra’s apartment. Call us there if you learn anything or hear from her . . . and of course we’ll do the