Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore Page 4

  Sam tapped his fingers against the car seat. “Do we know what the police believe is Hannah’s motive for murder?”

  I steered around a curve. “I haven’t heard. Maybe that’s something we can discover when we talk to her.”

  “Good, that will help,” he said.

  “What do you think would be her motive, Cookie?” Charlotte asked.

  I rolled the question around in my mind while I drove. Finally, I said, “Well, she did seem a bit hostile about something. Maybe there’s something going on that we don’t know about.”

  “That’s kind of obvious,” Charlotte replied.

  “It won’t be easy to get information. The police won’t tell me anything because they won’t want to jeopardize the case. Hannah wouldn’t want to incriminate herself.”

  “What about any other suspects? Did Melanie have any enemies?” Sam asked.

  I turned onto the street where the county jail was located. “I guess that’s something we will have to figure out. More importantly, right now I have to plan what I will ask Hannah.” I pulled into the parking lot and found a space.

  “Just follow our lead,” Charlotte said.

  “Nice try.” I turned off the ignition. “You all will only get me into trouble.”

  Sam and Charlotte followed me through the glass doors and into the lobby. A woman wearing the navy blue Sugar Creek Police Department uniform was behind the desk.

  The dark-haired woman greeted me with a smile. “May I help you?”

  “I’m here to see someone. Her name is Hannah.”

  The officer stared for a moment. “Are you her lawyer?”

  “Say yes,” Charlotte urged.

  I looked down at my watch so that the woman wouldn’t see me answer Charlotte. “I can’t do that. They’ll put me in jail when they find out I lied.”

  Charlotte stepped around and stood beside the officer. “They won’t find out. I bet they won’t let you see her if you aren’t her lawyer.”

  Charlotte was probably right about that.

  “Ken Harrison? Sure?” I said with a bright smile.

  “That is the strangest answer I’ve ever heard,” Charlotte drawled.

  I looked down at my shoes. “At least I didn’t technically lie to her.”

  The woman pushed to her feet. “Give me just a moment.”

  That was the good thing about small towns, things were a lot more informal than the big city. As we stood there waiting to be led back to see Hannah, I spotted Dylan. He hadn’t seen me yet and I wished that I could keep it that way. I knew he would want to know what I was doing there. It was too late though. He looked out from the back and his eyes widened. He handed the file he’d been holding to another officer and then headed my way.

  “Uh-oh,” Charlotte mumbled.

  I looked down at my shoes again. “Yeah, uh-oh is right. I told y’all this is a bad idea.”

  Chapter 7

  Cookie’s Savvy Vintage-Clothing Shopping Tip

  Check out online auctions for great vintage finds.

  But make sure to look at the photos

  thoroughly and the description.

  “Cookie, are you here to see me?” Dylan asked when he approached.

  Even worse, now I had to tell him that I had come to visit Hannah.

  “Actually, I’m here to see Hannah.”

  He frowned. “I didn’t realize you two were friends.”

  “Tell him you are dear friends who go way back,” Charlotte interjected.

  “It will keep him from being suspicious,” Sam added.

  I knew this was a bad idea, but I did it anyway.

  “Hannah and I know each other from the fashion show.” I rushed my words.

  See how I’d navigated that? I hadn’t actually lied to him. Hannah and I had been involved in fashion together for that brief amount of time.

  He nodded as if what I’d said made complete sense.

  “Is it possible for me to speak with her?” I asked.

  He stared for a moment as if trying to figure out if I was being honest. “Give me just a second and I’ll have the officer bring you back to see her.”

  “Having connections is so good,” Sam said as Dylan walked away.

  “I don’t like lying to him,” I whispered.

  “You didn’t deceive him. You just stretched the truth a little.” Charlotte pinched her index finger and thumb together.

  Yeah, that didn’t make me feel any better.

  After a couple of minutes, the female officer emerged and motioned for me to follow her. “You can come back now.”

  The officer led us back to a room. There were a few chairs with a glass partition and more chairs on the other side. I sat on the chair in the middle. Charlotte paced the floor behind me and Sam took the chair next to me. He tapped his foot against the floor. I drummed my fingers against the table. I hoped this didn’t take much longer. The overhead light blinked in a steady rhythm. Soon it would cause a full-fledged panic attack.

  The door opened and the officer led Hannah in to see me. Hannah wore a bright orange jumpsuit. A far cry from the couture she’d donned just a short time ago. Her hair was disheveled as if she’d been in a fight.

  “Heavens to Betsy, what happened to her?” Charlotte asked in true Southern Belle style. “She looks like a dog dragged her through the woods and gnawed on her like a bone.”

  After sitting across from me, Hannah scowled and looked confused as she picked up the receiver. “What are you doing here? I gave your clothing back if that’s what you want.”

  “You tell her this is no time to be a sassy mouth,” Charlotte warned with a wave of her finger.

  “No, it’s nothing like that,” I said. “I came to talk to you about Melanie’s death.”

  Hannah narrowed her eyes. “I had nothing to do with it.”

  “Tell her you want to help,” Sam said.

  I shifted in my chair. I wasn’t sure I was prepared to go that far. After all, I didn’t know if she was innocent. I needed more time to think about what I wanted to do before committing.

  Charlotte attempted to poke me in the side. I swiped at her. Hannah furrowed her brow.

  I chuckled. “I thought I saw a fly,” I said, trying to cover for my strange behavior. “Anyway, I just came to tell you that I am here to help if you need me.”

  She leaned forward a little closer to the glass. “Why would you do that?”

  I couldn’t tell her it was because I had two pesky ghosts making me. So I went with, “I know everyone needs a friend sometimes.”

  She stared at me. “I don’t know what happened to Melanie.”

  Sam pushed to his feet. “Well, that is what we are going to find out.”

  “Can you tell me what you saw?” I asked.

  Hannah avoided my stare as if she didn’t want to look me in the eyes. “She was just like that when I got out there,” she whispered.

  “Did you notice anything other than the obvious?” I asked.

  She picked at the chipped red polish on her fingernail. “No, nothing.”

  The officer appeared at the door. “I’m sorry, but I have to get back to work. Time’s up.”

  “If you think of anything, please get in touch with me,” I said.

  “Tell her we will be back,” Sam said.

  I couldn’t tell her that because I wasn’t sure that I would be back. I didn’t know if Hannah wanted to discuss this with me anymore. It didn’t appear that she was interested in talking about it anymore. Hannah looked back one last time as she was escorted out of the tiny room.

  As I left the area, I expected to see Dylan waiting for me, but he wasn’t there.

  “Looking for someone?” Charlotte asked in a singsong voice.

  “No, I’m not looking for Dylan if that’s what you’re asking. He’s probably busy on a call or in a meeting.” I put my hands on my hips.

  “Too bad he’s not around, because it would be good to speak with him about the case,” Sam said as
he walked along behind me.

  “That’s okay, there will be other opportunities to speak with him,” Charlotte said. “He’ll be back around the shop soon. He can’t stay away from Cookie.”

  I needed to get these two out of there. They talked too much.

  I’d almost reached the exit doors when they opened and in came Ken Harrison.

  “Well, look who it is. The handsome Ken Harrison. That’s the lawyer.” Charlotte pointed at Ken.

  Ken wore a black suit with a blue shirt and a black and beige tie. His blond hair was streaked by the sun. His eyes lit up when he saw me.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” he said.

  “I was here visiting someone.”

  Now he would think I meant Dylan. Not that it mattered. Ken knew Dylan and I were friends.

  Ken gave me the once-over.

  “I came to see Hannah. She’s accused of murdering Melanie,” I revealed.

  “She’s my client now.”

  I returned his gaze. “Yes, I heard.”

  “Oh, this is going to be interesting,” Charlotte lamented.

  “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you here to see her?” he asked.

  No way was I going to tell him the truth. “I needed to discuss some business that had been left undone when Melanie died.”

  “Way to cover your tracks,” Sam said.

  “Well, I guess I’d better get back there. I’d love to talk over coffee.” Ken touched my arm.

  “You can’t get out of this one,” Charlotte said.

  I smiled. “That would be nice.”

  Ken stepped around me and headed for the reception desk. “Great. I’ll stop by and see you.”

  I was just walking away from Ken when I felt eyes on me. When I glanced over, I spotted Dylan. When Ken stepped into the back room, Dylan approached.

  Sam leaned close to me. “Make sure to mention that I need the hat.”

  There wasn’t time to answer because Dylan had his gaze focused on me.

  “Did you have a nice conversation?” Dylan asked.

  “Ken said he’s Hannah’s lawyer.” I gestured toward the back area.

  “Well, yes, he is, but I was referring to your conversation with Hannah. Besides, I heard you were part of the defense team as well.”

  I blushed. “I think that was a miscommunication.”

  “Right. I figured that was what happened.” The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile.

  “Anyway, I suppose I took care of everything I needed with her. As you know, Melanie had used some of my clothing for the show, so I had to discuss that with Hannah.”

  He didn’t look as if he believed me one bit.

  “You need to work on your lying skills,” Charlotte said from over my shoulder.

  An officer peeked around the corner. “Detective Valentine, you have a phone call. They said it’s urgent.”

  He held up his finger.

  “I’d better let you take that call,” I offered.

  He ran his hand through his hair and released a breath. “I’ll stop by and see you soon.”

  “That would be nice,” I said. “By the way, there was a hat I lost. I think Melanie had it and perhaps it’s evidence now. It’s a fedora and very important. Is there a way to get it back?”

  Dylan grinned. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thank you, Cookie,” Sam said.

  “I hope he doesn’t come the same time as Ken. That would be awkward.” Charlotte enunciated the last word for emphasis.

  After one final glance in Dylan’s direction, I headed out the door.

  “It’s good that she has both of these men calling on her. That way she can make the right decision,” Charlotte said as we made it to the Buick.

  Now the ghosts were discussing my dating life as if I wasn’t even there.

  “Thanks, you two, but I think I can handle it.” I slid behind the wheel of the car and pointed it in the direction of It’s Vintage, Y’all.

  “Where are we going now?” Charlotte asked.

  “I have to go to work.”

  She sighed. “I suppose you do.” She looked at Sam, who was sitting in the backseat. “We’ll just have to plan our next move while she is working.”

  I smiled to myself at their plotting. I knew that they would have some other plans for me as soon as work was over. But I had news for them, I had other things on my agenda. I was behind with my blog and I needed to look for more estate sales. There would be no time to play amateur sleuth tonight. I’d wait until later to tell them though. A tiny bit of disappointment fell over me. Investigating the murder gave me a rush and I enjoyed helping people in an all-new way. This revelation shocked me a little.

  I pulled up in front of the shop and cut the engine.

  Sam trailed along beside me as I headed for the front door. “Here’s an idea. Do you have a way to speak with the models who participated in the event?”

  “You know, that’s not a bad idea. Melanie did give me a list of names of the models with their contact info. I had to get in touch to get measurements for everyone.”

  Charlotte leaned against the building, waiting for me to open the door. “I think you’re on to something now.”

  Chapter 8

  Sam’s Surefire Sleuthing Pointer

  If caught, shut up. Don’t talk.

  A shabby-chic WELCOME sign hung on my front door, greeting customers. The IT’S VINTAGE, Y’LL sign dangled above the door and was something I was most proud of. I smiled every time I saw it. My shop was located in the ideal location in the main artery of historic downtown. Magnolia trees lined the sidewalks, and old buildings took up space all along the streets. A parade of orange and yellow chrysanthemums in spectacular bloom decorated the sidewalks along with black iron benches for people who wanted to rest before strolling into the next little boutique. Sugar Creek had everything from antique stores, a diner, coffee shops, to beauty parlors.

  The town wasn’t without a little spookiness either. Just a few blocks from my place was an old cemetery. Spanish moss–covered oak trees concealed its entrance. The place had always caused me to have a case of the heebie-jeebies. As kids we dared each other to walk by. I always chickened out even if the bet meant candy.

  It’s Vintage, Y’all was in a cottage-style building. The façade was painted a soft lavender with white trim on the windows and door. The front windows stretched all the way to the floor, allowing maximum space for displaying the clothing for sale inside. For the dog days of summer, my windows featured a back-to-school theme, but I’d change that soon to reflect the coming fall season. I’d gotten an old desk from a flea market and placed an apple on top. The mannequins had been dressed in plaids with colors like navy blue, red, and white.

  I usually featured a mixture of clothing in the windows, like dresses, skirts, pants, sweaters, blouses, and suits. In the summer months, I even included swimsuits. I loved vintage swimwear. It was fun to look at how much it had changed over the years.

  “Okay, so let me get settled and I’ll find the list of names.” I released Wind Song from her carrier and she strolled over to her favorite spot in the sunshine.

  “Fair enough,” Sam said.

  Charlotte lounged on the velvet settee as if she were a queen. “Sounds fine.”

  I went through my normal routine of tagging new items, sorting through clothing to be moved to the markdown rack, and packaging up online orders for delivery. Now it was time for an outfit change for the mannequins in the shop’s windows. Since it was nearing fall, I thought I would find some of my favorite sweaters for the display. I pulled out the darker colors for the coming season like golds, emeralds, and reds.

  I’d decided to decorate the windows with leaves and white and orange pumpkins. On one of the mannequins I added a pair of black wool and cashmere straight-legged, fully lined pants. Pants were one of the most popular items I sold in the shop. After all, a stylish pair of pants is a key part of every woman’s wardrobe. Well-made
pants were one of the best investments made.

  On another mannequin, I placed a rich maroon Christin Dior pencil skirt with a lovely white peplum blouse that featured a small, flat collar and lovely filigree buttons down the front. The style was flattering to the figure and went well with the formfitting skirt. The shirt didn’t have a label and I suspected it had been handmade, but that didn’t make it any less gorgeous.

  In the other window I had an emerald green Bonnie Cashin wool plaid pleated skirt. The classic skirt featured a wrap waist with two double-tab closures in the back. The rich green had gold, blue, and black colors threaded through to make the plaid pattern. I paired the skirt with an adorable seventies sweater by the same designer. The petite collar had a scalloped trim and the antique white fabric featured three decorative buttons along the neckline. My favorite part of the sweater was the ribbed waistband. I thought it was a flattering touch to the overall look.

  Once all the clothing had been positioned in the windows, I stepped back to study my work. The bell on the door jingled and caught my attention. Heather bounced through the door this time. She wore dark blue jeans and a white cable knit sweater. Her hair was braided in the back.

  “Oh, I love your black boots.” I pointed to her newest fashion purchase.

  Heather thrust her long leg forward and modeled the tall boots. “Aren’t they great? I got them last night on sale. I told you that you should have come shopping with me.”

  I moved away from the window toward the counter in the middle of the room. “I wish I could have come. I’m sure it would have been better than what I did,” I said.

  Heather glanced back at Wind Song. “Have you asked her yet?” she whispered.

  “Have I asked her about the murder?” I cleared off space on the counter. “No.”

  Of course, I still felt a little ridiculous about asking the cat questions. Soon after she had appeared in my life, she had shown her psychic abilities. The cat jumped from her favorite spot by the window. She’d grown accustomed to using the Ouija board and tarot cards, and I actually think she enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure which one was her favorite. She seemed to like them equally.