Peril in Paperback: A Bibliophile Mystery

him.
    Gabriel scanned the room. “How’s everybody doing tonight? Hey, looking good, Suzie.”
    “Back at you, pal,” Suzie said, grinning. “Way to make an entrance.”
    “Whoa, Vinnie.” Gabriel made a point of blinking, then narrowing his eyes to focus on her. “Nice shoes.”
    Vinnie beamed. “You are the sight for sore eyes, Gabriel.”
    “Not bad yourself,” he said, then glanced down at his own attire. “Sorry. Must’ve missed the dress-code memo.”
    “There’s broken glass on the floor,” Merrilee said. “I’ll ring for someone to clean it up.”
    “Thank you, dear,” Grace murmured, as Merrilee dashed out the door.
    “Something’s wrong with Bella,” Marko said sharply.
    I whirled around and saw Bella slumped in her chair with her head thrown back, her gorgeous red hair backlit in the dim light. Her eyes were open but glazed over.
    No.
I tried to say it aloud, but the word stuck in my throat.
    Marko gave her cheeks a few light taps, then shouted, “Something’s really wrong here!”
    My stomach lurched. This wasn’t happening. Not again. It was impossible. Wasn’t it? I stared at Gabriel, whose eyes narrowed in suspicion. Not at me, I assured myself, but even I was growing wary of people dying around me.
    “What’s wrong with her?” Sybil demanded. “Is she asleep?”
    “She’s drunk. What else?” Madge mumbled, and slurped her own drink.
    “Shut up, you dumb bitch,” Marko snapped.
    Madge turned up her nose at him, but didn’t speak again. No one did. Marko’s threatening tone made everyone nervous.
    He spun around and gave Bella’s cheeks another smack or two. There was still no response, so he gripped her shoulders gently to help her sit up. “Come on, Bella. Wake up, baby.” Marko’s face was pale and his eyes were wide as he bent and pressed his ear against her chest. Lifting his head, he said, “She’s passed out. I—I don’t think she’s breathing. Somebody help me.”
    Gabriel wound his way through the chairs and reached Marko just as the man was about to give Bella mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Gabriel pulled him away brusquely. “Don’t do that.”
    “I’ve got to! She’s not breathing.”
    Gabriel moved closer and sniffed the air just above Bella’s lips, then muttered, “Almonds.”
    “What’re you talking about?” Marko grabbed the back of Gabriel’s leather jacket and tried to push him out of the way. Gabriel didn’t budge, but instead quietly nudged Marko back. Then Gabriel leaned in close to Bella and sniffed again.
    Marko shook his hands and swallowed compulsively as Gabriel attended to Bella.
    “She’s been poisoned,” Gabriel said, and pressed two fingers to Bella’s neck. A few seconds later, he looked directly at me, his expression grim. Glancing at Grace, he said, “Someone needs to call the police.”
    Then he turned to Marko. “I’m sorry, man. She’s dead.”
    No one protested when Gabriel took immediate charge of the situation. He suggested that we all gather in oneroom, and Grace led the way back to the Gold Salon—where the bar was, naturally. The buffet table had been restocked with hot chafing dishes while the séance was going on, and now the confused guests hovered nearby, unsure whether to eat anything.
    Gabriel pulled Suzie and me aside and gave us our assignments. Suzie was to stay with the guests in the Gold Salon and make sure nobody left. She was to listen in on conversations, watch for nervous gestures, and keep mental notes for Gabriel.
    “You got it,” she said with barely concealed excitement.
    “Merrilee has called the police,” Grace said.
    “Thanks,” he said, and gave her a hug. “You stay here and take care of your guests. Brooklyn and I will see to Bella.”
    “Thank you, dear,” she whispered. “I’m…oh, God. I can’t believe it. Please, Gabriel. Find out what happened.”
    “I will.”
    Grace walked away just as Merrilee rushed up with a broom and dustpan. “I’ll clean up the glass.”
    “No,” Gabriel said, easing the broom from her hand. “It’s too dangerous. I’ll take care of it.”
    “Oh.” She blinked, unsure of herself. “Is there anything else I can do?”
    Gabriel asked for some plastic Ziploc bags and Merrilee raced off to get them. Then he turned and took my arm. “Do you have your phone with you?”
    “Yes,” I said, holding up the small shoulder bag I’d carried with me all evening.
    “Good. Let’s go.”
    We walked out of the room, but Nathan