Oddly, the second item was a class photo, my class photo. Well, mine and Lacy’s and Savilla’s. There were the three of us, arranged by height with our kindergarten peers. Miss Gladiola’s class. I remembered loving the teacher from the first moment Momma told me her name. My eyes scanned other classmates, most of whom I recognized. Then, my eyes fell on two figures that were, of course, familiar, but didn’t fit in this context. Aunt DeeDee stood at one edge of the photo and Savilla’s nanny at the other.
I handed it to Lacy. “What do you make of this?”
“Aw, picture day is my favorite. All those fresh faces and little suits and dresses. They look like tiny grown-ups,” Summer crooned. “You two were so cute.”
“We really were.” Lacy studied the image for a few seconds. “And there’s Aunt DeeDee. She was one of our room mothersthat year, remember? You were terrified of starting school, so DeeDee volunteered to help.”
I gave my oldest friend a curious look. “I don’t remember that.”
“I do. You cried every day for a month when your mom dropped you off, and then one day Aunt DeeDee appeared at snack time to read us a story, and you were fine after that.”
I only remembered Momma leaving after a warm hug, me longing for her to stay, and Aunt DeeDee picking me up, commenting on how much dirt I’d smeared all over my clothes and how messy my hands looked with Play-Doh crammed in my nail beds. Even then, I hadn’t understood her obsession with cleanliness.
But had Aunt DeeDee volunteered at school? Had she been watching over me? Could it be that I didn’t remember a piece of my childhood with my aunt? If the answer to any of these was yes, as I was coming to believe, then what else did I not know about my aunt?
THURSDAY
THE ROSE PALACE PAGEANT SCHEDULE: DAY 2
JEMMA’S BROADWAY BUTT-BUSTING WORKOUT: 7 to 8 a.m. Join contestant Jemma Jenkins as she sings and dances her booty to beauty in the main garden. All body types and personages—even those not competing—are welcome.
MORNING TEA: 9 to 11 a.m. Contestants will be scheduled to meet in the solarium with each judge for a formal tea that will act as a preliminary interview. Conversation and comportmentare key as you interact with your fellow contestants and the judges. Please follow precise etiquette and be prepared to answer hard-hitting questions. This event traditionally elevates certain young women to a special tier of the competition.
TEAM PREP TIME: Noon to 3 p.m. Contestants should arrive promptly at their assigned tent to prepare for Saturday’s showcase, “Through the Decades Centennial Show.” This much-anticipated centennial treat will walk attendees through the past hundred years and demonstrate how the pageant has grown and changed. A light lunch will be provided.
HAPPY HOUR AND DINNER: 6 to 8 p.m. Contestants are invited to pick up dinner from the Main Ballroom and eat on the grounds.
SUNDOWN YOGA: 9 to 10 p.m. Contestants are invited to a peaceful and toning yoga session on the front lawn before heading to bed.
Dakota’s To-Do List (in order of priority):
Uncover the person framing Aunt DeeDee.
Find Mr. Finch—dead or alive?
Who is Miss 2001?
Win pageant.
Possible Suspects:
