Party Crashers

scene!"
    She patted various parts of her body. "But the gunshots..."
    "They weren't gunshots , for God's sake—a few balloons broke free and hit the lights. Come out from under there."
    She closed her eyes briefly and allowed him to help her to her feet, then gave a tentative smile to those standing around. Their guest of honor had paused, but Michael signaled that he should resume, then put his hand on Jolie's elbow and shepherded her toward the stockroom.
    "What was that all about?" he asked when they were out of earshot.
    Jolie glanced behind her, looking for Gary or Roger LeMon, but saw neither. She looked back and lifted her hands. "I've been jumpy lately."
    "Does this have anything to do with your boyfriend?"
    "Indirectly," she murmured. "I'm sorry."
    He sighed. "Why don't you call it a day? I'll see you Monday."
    She nodded and went to gather her things from her locker. Michael must think she was a lunatic. Which wouldn't be surprising, considering she was starting to have her own doubts about her sanity.
    "Hey."
    She looked up and saw Carlotta standing at the door of the break room. "Hey."
    "I heard."
    Jolie inhaled and touched her forehead. "I thought I saw Gary, and I'm sure I saw Roger LeMon, and when the balloons burst—"
    "You saw your boyfriend? Are you sure?"
    "Not positively. But I did see Roger LeMon, and why would he be here?"
    Carlotta shrugged. "He's married, isn't he? Maybe he's here with his wife." She bit into her lip. "Look, Jolie, I don't like Roger LeMon any more than you do, but...."
    "But you think I'm being paranoid?"
    The woman touched Jolie's arm. "You're in a bad place. Your boyfriend is missing, a woman is dead. No one would want to believe that someone they care about is capable of something like that. And you've started a new job. Maybe the stress is just too much for you. Even if the two men knew each other, that doesn't mean that Roger LeMon had anything to do with what happened to your boyfriend, does it?"
    Jolie looked into Carlotta's clear eyes and wondered how far out a limb her own imagination had taken her. She had thought the man with the car trouble was stalking her, and just a few minutes ago she had thought she was being shot at. The only true threat was Gary. He was the one who'd stolen her car, who had lain in wait to threaten her. She needed to talk to Salyers, to tell her everything.
    Jolie exhaled. "You're so right."
    Carlotta looked relieved. "Go home and get some rest." She grinned. "You're going to need it for the party tonight."
    Jolie shook her head. "I don't think I should go."
    "Of course you should go. It won't be fun for me and Hannah to crash without you. Besides, I'm going shopping for us later in sleepwear."
    Jolie's eyes widened. "Carlotta, I don't want to do that again. It feels like stealing."
    Carlotta dismissed her concerns with a wave. "How often do you get a chance to wear fabulous loungewear?" She grinned. "Come on, let's have some fun tonight—at your ex-boss's expense."
    It would be nice to get one up on Sammy for once. Jolie mulled that thought. And she was dying to see the woman's home. "Do you have another wig?"
    Carlotta nodded emphatically. "Give me your address. Hannah and I will come to your place to get ready."
    Jolie gave in to a smile and supplied Carlotta with directions, then said goodbye and left by the back hallway that emptied into the men's department. She skirted the crowd, feeling better. She would let the police take care of everything where Gary was concerned, so she could concentrate on getting her brokerage company off the ground. Finding Beck Underwood a place to live would give her a tidy nest egg to draw from.
    The fact that he might live there only temporarily was his business.
    She left the store and walked to her rental car feeling closer to normal than she had in ages. She used her cell phone to call Detective Salyers.
    The woman answered on the first ring. "Salyers here."
    "Detective Salyers, this is Jolie Goodman."
    "Goodman...you're the girlfriend in the Hagan case."
    "Yes."
    "Nice of you to return my calls, Ms. Goodman. Finally."
    "Do you have any new information about Gary?"
    "Maybe. We traced the hang-up call to your apartment on Monday to a pay phone three blocks away from your apartment complex. Have you had any more hang-ups?"
    Jolie's pulse kicked higher and she spoke carefully. "No."
    "Has Mr. Hagan called you?"
    "No," she said, grateful she could answer truthfully. Crawling into the backseat of her