Choreographed Crime (Miss Demeanor 3) by Jackie Marilla Read Free Book Online

that?”
    Patricia turned the card over in her hands. “The night custodian brought it to me this morning. He found it in the men’s locker room and thought someone might come to claim it.” Patricia chuckled. “I’m also the lost and found.”
    “The men’s locker room? You’re sure?”
    “That’s what he told me.”
    “I think it may be a piece of evidence. Do you mind if I borrow it for an hour or so?”
    “Go ahead. No one else claimed it anyway.”
    Maile jogged back to her Jeep and drove to Floriano’s apartment building. She banged on the building manager’s door.
    He answered the door, a scowl on his face. “What d’ya want now, lady?”
    She held up the keycard. “Does this look familiar?”
    “Yeah. Looks like one of ours.”
    “May I try it in the back entrance?”
    “Be my guest.” He shut the door.
    Maile walked around to the back of the building and slipped the keycard into the code reader. The sound of the click filled her with relief.
    She forced her logical brain to take over. This was the first piece of concrete evidence that pointed away from Lama.
    Maile rushed back to the Seattle Ballet and questioned Patricia again.
    “Who uses the locker room?”
    “All of the males. It’s not locked.”
    “Do you know who might have used it yesterday?”
    “Not exactly. Any male in the building could have gone in there.”
    “Is the custodian still here? I’d like to talk to him.”
    Patricia shook her head. “I could call him and ask if he’s willing to talk to you, though.”
    Maile nodded.
    The custodian confirmed he found a blue keycard on the floor of the men’s locker room.
    “Would you describe where you found it? Where in the locker room?”
    “In front of the lockers near the showers.”
    Maile hung up and asked Patricia to show her the locker room. Patricia asked one of the males to clear the room before they stepped inside. Patricia pointed to the bank of six metal lockers at the far end of the room.
    Maile stood in front of the lockers and noted the names—both Edward and Charles had their names on a locker. She smiled for the first time that day and continued her probe.
    She questioned Patricia about how often the custodians cleaned the building and Patricia said seven nights a week. “Can anyone enter from another door?”
    “No. The back exit door locks automatically. No one has keys for that door.”
    “Who locked up the building the night Floriano died?”
    “I did. I waited for Edward and we left at the same time.” Patricia scoffed. “I wait for him every night.”
    “Who has keys?”
    “Edward, myself, and the night custodians.”
    “Is there a night watchman?”
    “No. We’ve never seen the need for one.”
    “Have you noticed anyone out of the ordinary in the building?”
    “I haven’t.”
    Maile pulled out her phone and brought up the photo she’d taken of Lama with the beef stew. “Do you recognize this man?”
    “No. I’ve never seen him before.”
    “Thank you.”
    Maile sat on a bench in the lobby and reviewed what she knew. It was highly likely that the killer was a male from the ballet. Whoever possessed the keycard probably used it to gain access to Floriano’s building. There had not been a struggle, so it seemed Floriano expected whoever came that night. If she could figure out who had access to digitalis, she’d have her murderer.
    Chapter Twelve
    Maile walked across the tiled lobby and stood in front of practice room three. Charles and Clarissa moved as one on the floor—their bodies in perfect sync until it came to the lift. When Charles lost his step while holding Clarissa, she stiffened and stepped away from him. She faced the men with a smirk on her face and seemed to enjoy the obvious reprimand Charles received from Edward.
    Edward gestured to Clarissa and she draped her pink sweater over her shoulders and walked into the lobby.
    Maile had an idea.
    “Clarissa?” Maile approached her with the keycard grasped in her