Uneasy Tides: A Tracy Gayle Mystery

By Trish Hubschman

Blair wants Danny to get her an interview with his first wife’s present husband, Robert Taylor. He’s the CEO of a major computer software company. Danny reluctantly says he’ll see what he can do. He and Tracy go to the Taylor residence for a Christmas party. He hasn’t seen his first wife, Deb, in over 30 years. She sucks up to him.

At the party, Deb is drunk and disappears with her husband’s business partner. Her son from her second marriage, Darren, isn’t present. Her daughter Lily is flirting with a young man. Becca, her daughter with her third husband, a musician, is sincerely excited about Danny’s presence.

Danny and Tracy feel out of sorts and by midnight are ready to leave, but they have to find Deb to say good night. It’s then that mayhem breaks out. Becca summons them down to the pool area. Her mother is passed out on the cement, bruises on her face and arms. Two men are pulling Robert Taylor’s body out of the pool.

Deb is the most likely suspect, but she insists she didn’t do it. Danny’s older brother, Derek, a prominent attorney, takes her case. If Deb didn’t kill her husband, who did? There were so many possible suspects at the party.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trish Hubschman
• Release date: Aug 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9780463503348

Book preview

Prologue

Lois

Tracy stayed here in New York when Tidalwave resumed touring in November. She’d only be around for two weeks, though. When the guys played here, Tracy would be taking off with Danny. In the fourteen days she was home, Tracy wanted to tidy things up with the agency.

We’d found a bigger office to rent. We’d be moving into the lower level of a converted two–story house. The second floor was occupied by a law firm. The two attorneys were rarely there, so there shouldn’t be much conflict with parking.

My sister, Olivia, was coming back as our receptionist. My mom asked if we’d give her another chance. I ran it by Tracy. She said it was up to me. If Olivia and I could hold off on the warfare, it was fine with her. I wasn’t so sure, but what the heck? If Olivia showed signs of another nervous breakdown, this time, I’d be the one who booted her out. I was the boss, now, or at least the office manager.

We were in the process of packing up our old office to make the move to the new one. It seemed I was doing most of the packing. Tracy sat at her desk, engrossed in whatever she’d been doing on her computer the past few days.

You okay? I asked again.

I was bent over a cardboard box, packing up odds and ends from the office. We really didn’t have many small items to transport the few blocks to our new agency location. We didn’t keep too many case files in the office, only the ones currently being worked on, and those were mostly locked in Tracy’s bottom desk drawer. Finished cases and those that hadn’t been closed were packed away in boxes in the basement of Tracy’s house. With her leaving with Danny in another week or so, I wasn’t sure what I was to do if I needed access to those retired cases. I’d asked her about it but hadn’t gotten an answer.

I didn’t get an answer now, either.

Tracy, I said, where are you? Did you hear me? I asked if you were all right.

She glanced up. Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?

No, she wasn’t fine. That’s why I asked. I didn’t say that. Instead, I tried a different tack. You know, with technology as it is, being apart from one another can still mean being able to do things together.

Tracy mumbled, True, but her attention was focused on her computer screen.

That annoyed me, maybe because I didn’t know what she was so intent on doing on her computer or because I felt I’d just been brushed off. I tried something else. I’ll be taking the PI licensing test in a few weeks. If I pass, which I’m sure I will because I had a great teacher, I’m going to ask Danny for a raise.

That got a chuckle from Tracy. I finally had her attention. She looked up at me, rolled her chair away from her desk, and said, Okay, Lois, I apologize. I haven’t meant to be in outer space, lately. You’re doing a great job with everything here. She swept her hand around the office. I knew she didn’t just mean what was physically around us. These days, my head’s a tangled mess, she said. I guess I’m hopeless.

Hopelessly in love, I’d say.

Tracy raised her eyes to the ceiling. I’ve always been a steady person, she said. But I’m about to take off with a musician on tour, who I’m madly in love with. Am I crazy?

You’re not crazy. You’re just scared, I think.

She didn’t like that. I’m a totally in–control person, and I always was, she protested.

Reaching down, she pulled open her lower desk drawer and brought out a file folder. The discussion was at an end. Shall we go over some of the cases we have left to work on? she asked. I don’t see a major problem with any of them. She was all professional again.

That was Tracy Gayle, private eye.

What came to be called Tracy’s birthday concert was a huge success.

It was a complete surprise to her. Since Danny had gone back on the road in early November, he’d handed the reins to Blair to get everyone that he wanted invited rounded up. The guest list included Blair Nelson, of course; her boss/fiancé, Scott Rogers; Blair and Danny’s daughter, Liz; Blair’s personal assistant, Missy Grant, and her mother; Blair’s former housekeeper, Melody Grant; detective Johnson and his girlfriend, Tiffany Jones; his daughter, Kim, and her boyfriend, Devin Colby; Kim’s mother, Linda, and her friend, Janet. Also, Jake and me and Tracy’s parents and sister, Donna. And to my total surprise—and, I have to say, delight—I caught sight of Danny’s last wife, Laura, and her third husband, Dr. George Montana. They didn’t sit among the others in the first and second row in the audience. They were a bit farther back.

My sister, Olivia, was there, too. She was part of Gayle Investigations, so her presence was reasonable, plus we had some extra tickets.

What a turnout for the birthday girl’s concert! What a turnout for Tidalwave! From what I could see, it looked like every seat in the house was taken.

Looks good, doesn’t it? I said to Kim. Her seat was on the right side of the vacant one assigned to Tracy. My seat was on my boss’s other side. Where is Tracy now, anyway? I asked.

Kim said, Danny’s keeping her backstage till just before the band’s supposed to go on. She glanced at her watch. We’d better sit down.

The band’s publicist, Jack Bean, escorted Tracy out into the audience and to her seat. As she drew closer and saw the two rows of people gathered there for her, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. What’s Danny up to? she said to no one in particular.

Happy birthday, boss! I shouted. I jumped up and threw my arms around her.

Danny loves you. He got all these people together for your birthday concert, Kim said.

I suspected that Tracy was about to cry. Kim had dolled her up and done her makeup. Her brown hair had streaks of gold in it, and she wore a rather slinky, form–fitting black dress. Kim had really decked Tracy out for tonight. She’d had no idea why she was being puffed up and made so beautiful.

Kim pulled Tracy down into her seat. Both of us held Tracy’s hand on either side. I think it was more to make sure she didn’t jump up and run away.

The lights dimmed, and Danny and the other band members took the stage. The crowd went wild.

Halfway through the show, Danny told the audience that this was a special show and dedicated to his lady love and future wife. He announced that it was Tracy’s fortieth birthday and called her up to the stage.

Instead of rising from her seat, Tracy was sinking lower in it. She was shaking her head. Danny couldn’t see her doing this. He just knew she wasn’t coming forward, so he moved to her and held out his hand. Tracy resisted, but Kim and I pushed her out of the seat and into Danny’s arms.

He pulled her back to the stage and into the spotlight. In front of hundreds of fans, he told her he loved her and kissed her deeply and hungrily. The crowd went wild.

For some reason, I glanced over my shoulder. I didn’t see Laura anymore. Those two seats were now empty.

Chapter 1

Tracy Gayle

I thanked everyone who came backstage after the show, even those who weren’t on the birthday guest list. Everyone wished me a happy birthday and acted like we were old friends.

I saw Laura in the audience, Lois announced.

I was talking to Blair. I thanked her for setting all this up for me. Her response was that Danny was the one who’d come up with the birthday concert idea. He made the plans, supplied the tickets to the show, etc. Blair had just made some phone calls on his behalf to make sure everyone was here.

Yes, Blair replied to Lois, in answer to her remark about seeing Danny’s third wife. I’m so thrilled that she accepted the invitation. She told me she and George would be up here now. He had a conference or something at New York Hospital. Blair glanced around the crowded room and then frowned. But I don’t see her anywhere. She wouldn’t have left just like that.

I hadn’t seen Laura in the audience, nor had I known she’d been invited. Why would she have left without saying hello or goodbye? I asked.

Lois answered. I noticed her empty seat in the third row when Danny had you onstage and was kissing you wildly.

I cringed. If Danny knew Laura was going to be here, he should have been less enthusiastic.

Blair frowned. Nonsense! Laura moved on with her life, and so did Danny. As I see it, darling, there should be no hard feelings.

She was right in theory, but in this case, it might not be that easy.

I didn’t have a chance to ponder it, though. Danny and the guys came out of the dressing room to join the backstage gathering. When Danny saw me, really saw me this time, in that tight black dress and four–inch heels, his eyes sparkled. My heart began pounding.

I excused myself from Lois and Blair and slowly approached the gorgeous man. Danny pulled me into his arms, tight against him. I