Murder Packs a Suitcase by Cynthia Baxter Page A

Polynesian Princess Hotel.” Courtney introduced him with the same drama one would expect for the presentation of the Queen of England.
    The writers mumbled a greeting. All except Phil.
    â€œI believe you already know Phil Diamond,” Courtney said.
    The two men glowered at each other.
    â€œThis is Annabelle Gatch,” Courtney said quickly. “She writes for
Travel on a Shoestring.
”
    â€œIs that Miss or Mrs. Gatch?” Desmond asked.
    â€œMiz-z-z-z,” Annabelle hissed.
    â€œMs. Gatch, then,” Desmond said graciously, shaking her hand. “I think you’ll find the Polynesian Princess offers its guests excellent value.”
    â€œHmph,” Annabelle replied. “The complimentary shampoo is microscopic. And there’s no sewing kit, no shoe shine kit, no nail care kit—”
    â€œI’ll look into all of it,” the hotel manager said diplomatically. Turning to Frieda, he asked, “And you are…?”
    â€œFrieda Stein,
Go Seniors!
magazine.”
    She stuck out her hand, as if to shake. Instead, Desmond grasped her fingers and brought them to his lips.
    â€œEnchanté,”
he murmured.
    Frieda giggled. “My goodness! What a charmer you are, Mr. Farnaby!”
    â€œThank you, my dear. And I hope you’re equally charmed by our lovely hotel.”
    â€œThis is Mallory Marlowe,” Courtney said, stepping behind her chair and placing her hands on her shoulders. “Mallory writes for
The Good Life.”
    â€œAh. A fine magazine. It’s a real pleasure to have you as our guest, Ms. Marlowe.”
    When Desmond shook her hand instead of kissing it, Mallory didn’t know whether or not to be insulted. In the end, she decided it was better to be treated like a professional than a femme fatale.
    â€œAnd last but certainly not least, this is Wade McKay, the publisher of
Living Well.
It’s a Canadian magazine that’s based in Toronto.”
    â€œWade.”
    â€œDesmond.”
    The two men shook hands. Phil looked on, scowling.
    â€œI hope you all make yourselves at home,” Desmond said, spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture. “If there’s anything I can do to make your stay more enjoyable, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
    â€œHow about that nail care kit?” Annabelle muttered.
    â€œThank you, Mr. Farnaby.” Beaming, Courtney added, “We’ll be seeing more of Mr. Farnaby later on, at the reception this evening. If you have any questions about the hotel, he’ll be happy to answer them then.
    â€œAs for the other aspects of your visit,” she continued, focusing on the group once Desmond had left, “I want you to feel you can come to me for anything you want. You’re our guests. So I encourage you to think of me as much more than just your tour guide and point of contact here in Orlando. Think of me as your family. Your sister or your daughter—”
    â€œToo bad incest has such a bad name,” Phil wise-cracked. “I can’t remember the last time I was on a press trip with such a hottie.”
    Courtney froze. Mallory winced as she watched the young woman’s face turn as red as the anthuriums that decorated the table.
    â€œHey, part of your job is to make sure all of us have a good time, right?” Phil went on, smirking. “I’ve already got a few ideas. And the fact that we’re in a hotel makes them a lot easier to put into practice, if you catch my drift.”
    Mallory glanced around the table. All the writers had the same stricken looks on their faces.
    â€œThe people who read my website are always looking for new and unusual things to do,” he continued. “So I hope you’re open to trying new things. It just so happens I packed a copy of the Kama Sutra in my suitcase.”
    â€œI—I wasn’t going to admit this,” the young tour guide stammered, “but this is the first time I’ve run a