A Passion for Haunted Fashion Read online

  Praise for Rose Pressey and her delightful

  HAUNTED VINTAGE

  mysteries

  “Rose Pressey’s books are fun!”

  —New York Times best-selling

  author Janet Evanovich

  IF YOU’VE GOT IT, HAUNT IT

  “A delightful protagonist, intriguing twists,

  and a fashionista ghost combine

  in a hauntingly fun tale.

  Definitely haute couture.”

  —New York Times best-selling

  author Carolyn Hart

  “If you’re a fan of vintage clothing and

  quirky ghosts, Rose Pressey’s If You’ve Got It,

  Haunt It will ignite your passion for fashion

  and pique your otherworldly interest.

  Wind Song, the enigmatic cat, adds

  another charming layer to the mystery.”

  —New York Times best-selling

  author Denise Swanson

  “If You’ve Got It, Haunt It is a stylish mystery

  full of vintage fashions and modern flair,

  with a dash of Rose Pressey’s trademark

  paranormal wit for that final touch of

  panache. Chic and quirky heroine

  Cookie Chanel and a supporting cast of

  small-town Southern characters are sure to

  charm lovers of high fashion and

  murderous hi-jinks alike.”

  —New York Times and USA Today

  best-selling author Jennie Bentley

  “Absolutely delightful! Prolific author

  Rose Pressey has penned a delightful mystery

  full of Southern charm, vintage fashion tips,

  a ghostly presence, and a puzzler of a mystery.

  With snappy dialogue and well-drawn

  characters in a lovely small-town setting,

  this thoroughly engaging story has it all.”

  —New York Times best-selling

  author Jenn McKinlay

  “Fun, fast-paced, and fashionable,

  If You’ve Got It, Haunt It is the first in

  Rose Pressey’s appealing new mystery series

  featuring clever vintage-clothing expert

  Cookie Chanel. A charming Southern setting,

  an intriguing murder, a stylish ghost,

  a tarot-reading cat, and a truly delectable

  detective combine to make Ms. Pressey’s new

  Haunted Vintage series a sheer delight.”

  —New York Times best-selling

  author Kate Carlisle

  “Prolific mystery author Pressey launches a

  cozy alternative to Terri Garey’s ‘Nicki Styx’

  series with an appealing protagonist who is

  as sweet as a Southern accent. The designer

  name-dropping and shopping tips from

  Cookie add allure for shopaholics.”

  —Library Journal

  IF THE HAUNTING FITS, WEAR IT

  “Cookie Chanel must investigate the

  horse-racing community to find a killer. . . .

  After Haunted Is Always in Fashion, Pressey’s

  fifth amusing paranormal cozy is filled with

  quirky characters and fashion, along with a

  few ghosts. Fans of Juliet Blackwell’s

  ‘Witchcraft’ mysteries may enjoy the

  vintage clothing references. Suggest also

  for fans of Tonya Kappes.”

  —Library Journal

  “Haunted by three ghosts, a young woman

  searches for a jockey’s murderer at

  the Kentucky Derby.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  HAUNT COUTURE AND GHOSTS GALORE

  “It was a pleasure to read. I listened to this one,

  and I’m so glad I did. The novel is narrated by

  Tara Ochs. She does a fine job of narrating,

  keeping up the pace and differentiating voices

  well. The story moved right along. If you have a

  chance to listen, I recommend it with this one.”

  —Jaquo.com (on the audio edition)

  Also by Rose Pressey

  THE HAUNTED VINTAGE MYSTERY SERIES

  If You’ve Got It, Haunt It

  All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt

  Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore

  Haunted Is Always in Fashion

  If the Haunting Fits, Wear It

  Available from Kensington Publishing Corp.

  A Passion for Haunted Fashion

  A HAUNTED VINTAGE MYSTERY

  Rose Pressey

  KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

  www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Praise for Rose Pressey and her delightful

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter 1 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 2 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Chapter 3 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 4 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Chapter 5 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 6 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Chapter 7 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 8 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Chapter 9 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 10 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Chapter 11 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 12 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Chapter 13 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 14 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Clothing Shopping

  Chapter 15 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 16 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Chapter 17 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 18 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Chapter 19 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 20 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Clothing Shopping

  Chapter 21 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 22 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Clothing Shopping

  Chapter 23 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 24 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Clothing Shopping

  Chapter 25 - Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Chapter 26 - Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Clothing Shopping

  COOKIE CHANEL’S STRATEGY for VINTAGE SHOPPING ON A BUDGET

  GRANDMA PEARL’S ADVICE for CATS

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Teaser chapter

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2018 Rose Pressey

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  KENSINGTON BOOKS and the K logo are Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-1-4967-1464-0

  First electronic edition: J
une 2018

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4967-1465-7

  ISBN-10: 1-4967-1465-2

  To my son, the kindest, most wonderful person

  I’ve ever known.

  He motivates me every day.

  He’s the love of my life.

  Chapter 1

  Charlotte’s Tips for a Fabulous Afterlife

  Just because someone wants to talk with you

  doesn’t mean you have to speak with them.

  Ghosts are cool. Of course people want to

  communicate with a ghost.

  There were rumors that Sugar Creek Theater was haunted. I’d never given much thought to ghosts until they started talking to me. Most of the lights had stopped working in the basement of the building years ago. Fixing them wasn’t a top priority for management. Against my better judgment, I headed toward the costume room. It was located down in the dungeon. At least that was what I called the space. The floorboards creaked with every step I took. Every time I came down here I felt as if someone watched my every move. That was why I hadn’t come alone today.

  I’d brought a ghost with me. Charlotte Meadows wouldn’t miss out on tagging along. She was bossy and loved telling me what to do. Charlotte had been with me for a while now. Ever since I’d found her at an estate sale. She’d been attached to her clothing. We’d been through a lot together in a short amount of time. Now she refused to move on from this dimension.

  “Cookie, don’t forget to put Heather in bright colors. She’s always so blah.” The gold bangles clanged together as Charlotte talked with her hands.

  “I’m glad Heather can’t hear you say that.”

  Charlotte eased down the hallway beside me. She watched every step she took in her black four-inch Christian Louboutin heels, as if she thought she might take a wrong step on the old floor.

  “Charlotte, it’s okay if you fall . . . you’re already dead. What can it hurt?”

  “Why do you insist on reminding me of that every day?” Charlotte asked.

  “It’s just a fact,” I said.

  “Besides, it could hurt my ego,” she said.

  As usual, Charlotte’s chestnut-colored hair fell to her shoulders in perfect waves, as if she’d just stepped out of a salon. Her makeup was photograph ready and her white Chanel blouse and black Louis Vuitton skirt were the latest off the runway. Charlotte knew fashion, no matter if she was dead. She didn’t go for vintage like me though.

  We continued down the hallway. Footsteps sounded from behind me. A cold breeze drifted across my skin.

  “Charlotte, stop goofing around. I’ve noticed your shoes. There’s no reason to exaggerate your footsteps.”

  “That’s not me,” she whispered.

  I froze. If the sound hadn’t come from Charlotte’s feet, then who was making the noise? I eased around, completely expecting to see someone else behind us. No one was there.

  “This place really is haunted. I don’t like ghosts.” Charlotte rubbed her arms, as if fighting off the goose bumps.

  That was hilarious considering Charlotte was a specter. I refrained from reminding her of that once again.

  At the end of the hallway was the room reserved for all the costumes. Racks and racks of vintage clothing, handmade costumes, and various props filled the space. Immediately upon entering the area the sense that someone was watching fell over me again.

  “Why did they stick you down here in this creepy space? There are no windows. One of these nights they will forget you’re down here and lock you in.”

  “Thanks, Charlotte, as if I wasn’t scared enough already.”

  Soon the spookiness was forgotten as I sorted through the clothing. Vintage always made me feel better and eased my troubles. Clothing from bygone days was my thing. I owned a boutique in Sugar Creek, Georgia, called It’s Vintage Y’all. When I got my hands on a 1950s hoop skirt or a 1940s party dress, all my stress oozed away. A gorgeous Dior cocktail dress and all my troubles vanished. Anything Chanel made my heart go pitty-pat. Considering my name is Cookie Chanel, I suppose that was fitting. As a child when I ate an entire package of cookies, my grandma Pearl gave me the Cookie nickname. The moniker fit so well with Chanel that it stuck.

  Charlotte sat on an old trunk in the corner of the room. “What do you need for the costume? Let’s get this going so we can get out of here.”

  “You know, Charlotte, you didn’t have to come down here.” I pulled out a bright fuchsia and black floral print dress and examined it.

  With spaghetti straps, a full skirt, and fitted waist, the cut and fabric would be fabulous on my best friend Heather Sweet. The director had put me in charge of costumes for Sugar Creek Theater’s production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Heather had the role of Maggie.

  “I can’t leave you alone down here. What if a ghost gets you?” Charlotte studied her red polished fingernails.

  She didn’t seem all that concerned.

  “I suppose I’ll talk to the ghost just like I do with you,” I said.

  Charlotte pinned me with a frosty stare. “You just had to get in the fact that I’m dead, didn’t you?”

  I moved away from the rack and closer to Charlotte. “I’m just sayin’ . . .”

  She jumped up from the trunk. “Pick out a dress and let’s get a move on. How about that one?”

  “Which one?” I asked.

  Charlotte gestured with a flick of her wrist. “The one that looks like the dress you’re wearing.”

  I pulled the frock from the rack. The fabric was similar to the dress I’d worn today. The butterflies on the fabric were smaller than the ones on mine. The colors were the same hues of lilac and yellow. The V-neck bodice had a nipped waist, and the skirt was full in a tea length.

  I placed it back on the stand. “Heather already has a dress with these colors.”

  Charlotte massaged her temples, as if ghosts could really have headaches. “Just pick something already.”

  “What’s in that trunk?” I pointed.

  “How should I know?” Charlotte said.

  I reached down and examined the latch. “It’s not locked.”

  “That’s not an invitation to open it. There’s probably a mouse in there.”

  Just in case Charlotte was right about the vermin, I eased the lid open. So far no rodents. However, I’d found some seriously fabulous vintage clothing. Who left these wonderful pieces? A 1950s fitted black cocktail dress with a low back. A 1940s sleeveless sweater in a gorgeous cream color. Everything was from the 1950s with the exception of a few pieces from the 1940s.

  “Is that cashmere?” Charlotte leaned closer.

  Now Charlotte was interested.

  “Did you see this trunk yesterday?” I asked.

  Charlotte tapped her foot against the dinged-up floor. “With all this junk, how would I remember? Now let’s go.”

  “I think that dress is beautiful.” The female voice carried across the room.

  I jumped, tossing the dress in the air. When I spun around I saw the young woman standing over by the door. She was probably about five years younger than me, around twenty-five. She had brown hair cut into a bob with bouncy curls that framed her round face. Her mint-colored dress looked like it had been made in the 1950s. A large bow adorned the neckline, and the fitted waist flowed into a gathered full skirt. I was almost sure the dress had been handmade by a talented seamstress. Maybe my style was having an influence on people around town. Where had she come from? It was as if she’d appeared out of nowhere.

  “The trunk belongs to me,” she said. “I’ve been stuck in this building for years.”

  Oh no. Another ghost?

  Chapter 2

  Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping

  Don’t shop when you’re hungry, tired,

  or otherwise in a bad mood.

  Your purchase might be influenced by these emotions.

  Have a clear head for your purchases.

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  “My name is Peggy Page.
”

  “Why does every ghost from here to Saint Augustine and back insist on sparking up a conversation with you?” Charlotte sashayed over to the young girl.

  “I would think you would have an answer for that, Charlotte,” I said.

  “Why are you here?” Peggy asked.

  I could ask the same of her. She didn’t seem intimidated by Charlotte one bit. That was impressive.

  “I’m here to style costumes for the actors in the upcoming play.” I gestured across the room with a wave of my arm.

  Her eyes lit up. “Oh, what’s the play?”

  “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” I said.

  “Never heard of it,” she said.

  Charlotte and I exchanged a look.

  “If you don’t mind I have to ask, how long have you been here?”

  Charlotte and I stared intently, waiting for the answer.

  “What year is it?” Peggy asked.

  Charlotte pointed at the calendar on the wall by the sewing machine.

  Peggy’s eyes widened. “That long? Why haven’t I seen that calendar before? That’s a long time.”

  “How long is a long time?” I asked.

  She didn’t answer, but changed the subject. “I see fashion hasn’t changed all that much.” She eyed me up and down.

  Charlotte moved over beside me again. Her gaze traveled the length of my body, as if she was seeing me for the first time. She pursed her lips together and said, “Oh, it’s changed. Cookie just refuses to give up on the past.”