Stiff Competition (Miss America): A Tracy Gayle Mystery

By Trish Hubschman

America’s favorite rock band, Tidalwave, is playing the Miss America pageant. Band leader Danny Tide is emceeing the event. All is going according to schedule. The judges have picked the 10 semi–finalists. Suddenly, everything comes to a halt. Miss New Jersey is missing. Nobody knows what happened to her or where she is. Danny calls his longtime PI friend, Tracy Gayle, and asks her to come down to Atlantic City to help figure things out. In need of her best friend for personal support and eager to get to another case, Tracy agrees. There’s an all–out search of the hotels on the boardwalk. They find Miss New Jersey, but it’s not good. Her kidnapping leads to another assault and murder. The big star and the lady PI work together on this one, so that the Miss America pageant can continue as usual.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trish Hubschman
• Release date: Oct 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463824283

Book preview

Dedication

To my wonderful husband, Kevin. He proofreads all my stories and tells me I’m a good writer.

To my mom, who also reads all my stories and enjoys them. She’s been behind me every step of the way in my life.

Prologue

Danny Tide

Tidalwave was playing the Miss America Pageant that year. Tidalwave’s my rock band, my creation, my baby. I was asked to be Master of Ceremonies for the big event. I accepted, of course. It’s an honor.

The band had performed at the pageant a couple of times before. That was, let’s see, 1987 and ’93. Dave Mattson, our first keyboard player, was on the band those two times. Dave and I didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, so he left the band. Dave’s deceased now. Les Carson, who replaced Dave, never got a chance to play the pageant. Les is deceased, too. His son, Mike, is our present keyboardist.

Mike’s a fantastic keyboard player and singer. He’s great with the audience, too, and I’m happy to have him with us. I miss Mike’s dad. Les was a great guy, but he trained his son well in the music business.

That year’s Miss America pageant was going to be a big splash, particularly for Tidalwave. I could feel it. Hey, we weren’t getting any younger here! We still had a lot of life left in us, though, even after thirty–plus years out there on the circuit. I’m happy to say we were still recording, making hits, touring, and bringing in the screaming crowds.

On the sad side, my beautiful wife, Laura, wasn’t with me in Atlantic City for this. We were separated, by her choice. I was hoping it was only temporary. She had walked out on me seven weeks and four days earlier.

I admit her departure hadn’t come as a major shock to me, but it was depressing and the timing lousy. It was downright aggravating! I didn’t believe her, or want to believe her, when she said she needed a break from me and the band. I thought she was just being childish, and her insecurities were acting up again. She knew who I was, what my life was like; nothing had changed there. Laura and I had taken plenty of time to get to know each other as friends before we became a couple and then got married. She had been the band’s nurse on tour for a few years before she became my girlfriend, and then wife, so who Danny Tide and Tidalwave were was not unknown to her.

I think the break she needed was more from me than from the group scene. She loved me and I loved her, but she had trouble dealing with the two sides of Danny Tide, the devoted husband and the public figure—though I was still a devoted husband even when I was in rock star mode. Heck, I was a rock star! That was my career and my life, and I was good at it.

So be it! As I said, I hoped she’d come to terms with this and return. Maybe she’d be at the house in California when the guys and I broke after the pageant was done. That would be nice. As it was, I hadn’t heard from her, not a phone call, text, or email, since she’d left.

I knew she was in Fort Worth. That’s where she’s from, born and raised, where she was married to her first husband, Dr. Benjamin Wells, a renowned psychiatrist. She was divorced from him before she and I met. I was a patient in the hospital where she worked. She was my floor nurse. I met Wells a few times while I was there. He’s deceased now, too.

Fort Worth’s where we picked up our second keyboard player, Les Carson. This may sound hard to believe, but Les had a working ranch in Fort Worth. Now his widow, Brit, is the head of Carson Ranch again. She grew up on it. It was hers first. Frankly, she was better at running the place then Les was. Hey, what else is new? Les was too busy with Tidalwave to be a good rancher. That was okay with us, but I don’t think it sat too well with his wife.

What I found out was that Laura was staying with her sisters–in–law from her first marriage. There were two of them, Alice and Marie. I’ve met them. Both are lovely ladies. Alice is the older and matronly. Marie is the younger, and she’s cool. That’s the only way I can think of to describe them. They adore Laura.

I wasn’t worried about Laura being down there. I was just annoyed at the reason for her being there in the first place.

Alice had called me and told me Laura was there. She knew I was worried about my wife. Until I heard from Alice, I didn’t know where Laura was hanging out. Alice wanted to put my mind at ease. I appreciated that very much.

I would have liked to talk to Laura when I was on the phone with Alice, but I didn’t push it. At some point, Laura and I would have to touch base. Right then, I had a pageant to oversee, and I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t enjoying it.

Well, that was until some unexpected, unexplained things happened. At that point, after all that had transpired over the previous few years, I should have been used to such things occurring, but does anyone ever get used to it?

What’s going on? Tracy asked from her end of the phone line.

Miss New Jersey is missing, I replied.

Run that by me again, will you? my Long Island PI friend, Tracy Gayle, asked me. She began reeling off questions. Are the police involved? What are they saying? Could this girl have just upped and left the pageant, gone home, run off with her boyfriend?

I could see Tracy’s mind working, spinning out ideas as they popped into her head. I really admired Tracy Gayle. I liked her.

We had become very good friends over the past few years. She had been hired to find the jerk who had set my band’s tour bus on fire, and I hired her as the band’s security chief, too. She was good.

I think my closeness with Tracy bothered Laura. Tracy was a dear friend of Laura’s, too, but the fact that Tracy was attractive, successful, and a close friend of mine unsettled my wife. I understood from Tracy that Laura even went as far as to accuse her of having an affair with me. I was furious at Laura for saying that. Tracy took it in stride, which I’m thankful for.

Laura’s jealousy seemed to blow over, though, or so I thought. Tracy had come with us on our summer tour the previous year. Everything was fine. For some reason, though, Tracy didn’t come with us on tour this year. Why was that?

That’s what the police are saying, I told Tracy in response to her question. That she went home to Mom and Dad or raced off with her beau. I think my tone was cynical. That’s the way I felt.

But, Tracy prodded, you don’t think either is the case. Is that what you’re telling me?

I shook my head, though she couldn’t see it. For one thing, the girls aren’t allowed to bring boyfriends with them to the pageant. It’s against the rules. All I see running around here are bunches of pretty girls.

We both laughed.

As for her family, her folks live close, maybe an hour north of here. In Fairview, I think. The point is, we would know if she was there, and she isn’t, I rushed on. This was an even bigger point. She made it to the semi–finals in the pageant, fifty girls down to ten. She had a good chance of being crowned Miss America. It wouldn’t make sense for her to dart off.

Agreed, Tracy said. I guess my next question is why is Danny Tide calling me with regards to what will eventually be a missing person’s case for the police to handle?

I couldn’t help but smile. Okay, I admit it. I’ve got an ulterior motive in calling you. Two of them, in fact.

I’m listening.

I know you’re going to tell me it’s procedure, but the police seem to be stalling on this, and for many reasons, that’s not such a good idea.

Again, I agree with you, she chimed in quickly. Go on.

My response was just as quick. Come down here and ask some questions, Trace. You’re the best private eye I know.

Frankly, she was the only one I knew, but that was beside the point.

I heard a smile in her voice. What’s your other ulterior motive for getting me down there, Tide? You did say you had two of them.

I sighed. I’m lonely and need my best buddy.

Tracy’s laughter sounded nice. Abruptly, she grew serious. What about Laura? Wouldn’t my being there put a damper on her time with you, among other things? The words came out slowly and were obviously carefully chosen.

Laura’s not here, I blurted out, and told her the whole story. She was the first person I’d done that with. I’m sure the guys in the band and crew had already pretty much figured it out. I just hadn’t pulled any of them aside and given details about it.

Tracy sucked in her breath. I’m sorry, Danny, she said softly. If Laura’s leaving you has anything to do with me, and I’m sure it does, I’m doubly sorry.

Hey, girl, I cut in quickly, my tone brighter, this is something Laura has to deal with herself. I waited a beat, and then went on. So, are you coming down to Atlantic City? I’ll get you a room here at Caesar’s with the rest of the gang.

I was hopeful.

She was hesitant.

Do I have to beg?

Tracy laughed. Let me see if I can square things away here, she said. Although I can’t really say much is going on professionally or personally on my turf at the moment. Her tone was cynical.

I wondered what that was all about. It sounded like she needed a friend, too, and I was more than happy to be there for her.

It’s settled, then! I’ll see you down here soon? I prodded.

You’re pushy, Tide. Anyone ever tell you that?

Yep, I replied and disconnected the call.

Chapter 1

Tracy Gayle

I called my secretary into my office. I’m going down to Atlantic City for a few days, I told her. Okay, I couldn’t say for sure what the time frame would be, but it’s in everyone’s best interest for cases to be wrapped up quickly and efficiently.

Lois’s face brightened.

I held up a hand. I knew what she was thinking. This is business, not pleasure.

Let’s face it, though. Business often meant pleasure, especially since the Miss America Pageant was in progress down there, and the person who had invited me to look into this missing Miss New Jersey matter was one of my closest friends, the great rock and roller Danny Tide. I hadn’t seen him in a long time and, what I hadn’t fully realized until about five minutes before, I missed him terribly. I didn’t know how much of that Lois knew, and I didn’t want to get her started on the celebrity thing. That was her favorite topic.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Oh, didn’t I hear that Danny Tide was performing at the pageant this year?

So much for my assumption that she didn’t know everything. I gave her a flippant smile and attempted to keep my tone casual. Yes, I believe Tidalwave will be at the pageant, and Danny’s the Master of Ceremonies. But that’s not why I’m going down there, I rushed to add.

It wasn’t. This was official business, though I hadn’t actually been hired to snoop into things. I was just helping out.

Miss New Jersey seems to have vanished. She’s among the ten semi–finalists. Everything’s been put on hold until a determination about her disappearance is made.

Lois showed no reaction for a several seconds.

I held my breath for some reason.

Finally, she nodded, and that was it.

I released a sigh, though I admit I was suspicious.

What do you need me to do on the home front while you’re gone, boss? she asked, her tone totally professional.

That I hadn’t expected. My shoulders relaxed, my smile softened. I jumped into it. I need contact information for Miss New Jersey’s family. Her name’s Donna Foster.

Danny had told me that much, and I was happy he had. I didn’t tell my secretary where the information had come from, though. I rushed on. I didn’t want Lois to ask how I knew that fact. If I looked up a common name like Foster in the White Pages, I gestured toward my desktop computer, I’m sure I’d find hundreds of them listed. I didn’t have time to search through hundreds of possible matches to find the one I was looking for.

Lois chuckled. Got it, boss. She didn’t write it down or budge from the visitor’s chair she sat in that faced my desk.

For some reason, her hesitation made me uncomfortable. I shifted in my seat. I hoped she hadn’t noticed me do that.

Oh, I went on, can you also see if you can find out who is handling this case at Atlantic City PD? It’s not considered an official missing persons case as yet, but it will be soon if the girl’s whereabouts aren’t found out shortly.

I pushed back my desk chair and began rising to my feet.

Lois still didn’t move from her chair.

I