Diana Racine 02 - Goddess of the Moon

“You know that’s not possible. He’s targeted me. I’m Diana, Goddess of the Moon, for God’s sake. I don’t have to go there; I can call. He must know I don’t remember anything. That was the whole point of the drug. It’d be natural for me to question the reading, don’t you think?”
    * * * * *
    J ust as Diana mentally prepped to make the call , one eye on a questioning Lucier, the phone rang. She mouthed Silas Compton with a waggle of her brows.
    “Miss Racine. I hope I haven’t reached you at a bad time.”
    “Not at all. How are you, Mr. Compton?”
    “Well, thank you. My wife and I are having a few friends over for dinner this evening and would like to invite you and Lieutenant Lucier to join us. My friends heard about my reading yesterday and how on target you were. They’re anxious to meet you. Why , you might even contract to read some of them. I know it’s short notice, but I hope you can find time in your busy schedule.”
    “The Lieutenant is here. Let me check if he’s free.” She covered the mouthpiece and relayed the invitation to Lucier. “It’s perfect. Say yes.”
    “It’s too soon,” he said. “You’re not up to it.”
    She knew he was right. “Really, I feel fine. Not perfect, I admit, but good enough. I’ll take another of Dr. Haley’s magic pills before we leave. I might not eat a lot, though.”
    “ I don’t like it, but it would be a good opportunity to get inside his house. Besides, what can he do in front of his invited guests?”
    “ Exactly .” She uncovered the mouthpiece. “Thank you, Mr. Compton, we’d love to come.”
    “Nothing formal. About seven, for drinks.”
    “We’ll see you then.”
    “If you wish, I’ll send my car for you.”
    Diana glared at the phone . As if! “No, thanks. We’ll drive. See you at seven.” She placed the receiver on the cradle. “ He asked if we wanted him to send a car for us. No way. I’d walk to his house before getting in his limo. He spiked my drink, the bastard.”
    “ Beecher will know where we are. As far as I’m concerned, this is police business.”
    “You don’t think he’d try anything, do you?”
    “ H onest ly ? I have no idea, but I don’t trust the man, with good reason .”
    She took an extra long time to get ready to show Compton that whatever he gave her hadn’t put her under. “How do I look?”
    Lucier nuzzled his face into her neck. “Good enough to forget about dinner at the Comptons . Sure you want to go?”
    “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
    In order to conform to Diana ’s well-known costume color code― black, white, with an occasional touch of red ― she wore a black above-the-knee skirt with high-heel slingbacks , white silk blouse, and a red pashmina shawl embroidered in black over her shoulders. Around her neck hung a mother of pearl quarter moo n pendant on a black silk cord.
    He fingered the pendant. “Tempting the gods, are you?”
    “I don’t want to disappoint. Besides, it’s much more apropos than pearls.”
    “Well, at least you’re not wearing a satanic symbol around your neck.”
    “Now would I do that?”
    He smiled. “You know damn well you would if you owned one.”
    She sighed but didn’t answer, because he was right.
    When they arrived at Compton’s residence, the guards waved them through the gate without stopping them for identification.
    “ Guess we ’re on the A-list now ,” Diana said.
    The burly weigh t lifter greeted them at the door, offering to take Diana’s shawl. She opted to keep it to provide a dramatic flourish , and the red added color to her more - than - usual paleness.
    She ’d noticed the magnificent Lalique cactus table in the foyer on her first visit. The one she’d seen in Paris some years before cost close to $100,000. Fitting it should grace the home of one of the world’s richest men. This time she stopped to admire its graceful lines.
    “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
    Diana was stunned by the speaker’s staggering beauty―smooth, translucent skin, clear blue eyes, ebony hair pulled straight back off a face that could have been painted by da Vinci, and the body of a porn star.
    “Yes, I saw a Lalique at an exposition in Paris a few years ago .”
    “So good to see you again, Diana.” The woman turned to Lucier and offered her hand. “I’m Selene Crane Compton, and you must be Lieutenant Lucier.”
    Diana barely heard their exchange ―Lucier saying to call him Ernie, Selene Compton extending the same