Eggs Benedict Arnold (37 page)

‘
The guy that
’
s running against you . . .
”
said Suzanne.
“
Your opponent?
”

Mobley nodded vigorously.
“
Yeah, yeah. You mean
Charlie Peebler?
”

“
I think I
’
m going to vote for him.
”

“
Suzanne!
”
Missy threw her arms into the air and came running to greet her. Suzanne returned Missy
’
s ebullient
hug, even as she gazed about the brand-spanking-new bou
tique. And let out a low whistle of approval.

Alchemy was, to put it mildly, utterly breathtaking.

The walls were a rich plum hue, plush silver gray carpet
ing spread out underfoot like velvet fog, and an enormous
crystal chandelier dangled overhead, casting a
jewel like
glow on everything.

And the clothes and handbags and jewelry! Oh my!

There were denim jackets trimmed with velvet and jew
eled buttons.

J Brand jeans and Love Quotes scarves. Black-lac
quered mannequins modeled long, filmy skirts paired with
black leather motorcycle jackets as well as black cocktail dresses
—some with only one shoulder. And there were cheetah-print T-shirts, colorful Lucite bangles, leather slacks, silk blouses, multicolored graphic hoo
di
e
s, strands
of pearls, giant statement rings, reptile handbags, and cash
m
ere
scarves.

Everything was arranged impeccably on circular racks
and pedestals, or tucked enticingly in glass towers and shiny white cubes that hung on a side wall.

“
You like?
”
asked Missy. She looked exhausted, but
pleased.

“
This place is like fantasyland for fashionistas,
”
exclaimed Suzanne, who was already eyeing a burnished green leather belt. She also decided this beautifully edited
boutique was a far cry from Hawley
’
s Dry Goods down the
street, where you could buy serviceable checkered blouses
and generic blue jeans.
“
We
’
re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,
”
she added with a chuckle.

“
I
’
m so glad you
’
re here,
”
said Missy, pulling her toward the back of the shop.
“
We
’
ve already picked out a
couple of outfits for you to model. So, obviously, I
’
m dying
to see how they work.
”

Suzanne let herself be pulled along by Missy, past two
stylishly dressed women who were artfully arranging more
clothing and accessories.
“
Your assistants?
”
she asked.

“
I wish,
”
said Missy, rolling her eyes.
“
No, they work for a couple of the vendors Carmen buys from. Here to make sure everything
’
s styled properly. That I don
’
t screw it up,
”
she added in a low whisper.

“
If you
’
re responsible for even half the displays,
”
Suzanne told her,
“
then you
’
re amazingly talented.
”

“
I
’
ve done my share all right,
”
said Missy, shepherding Suzanne into an all-white dressing room ablaze with lights.
“
I just wish Carmen would acknowledge some of my accomplishments.
”

“
Don
’
t wait for Carmen
’
s approval,
”
warned Suzanne,
“
because it will probably never come. But if. . . when . . .
you draw an appreciative crowd tomorrow afternoon, you
’
ll
know in your heart that all your hard work was worth it.
”

“
Thank you,
”
said Missy.
“
I needed to hear that. Now...
”
She smiled expectantly.
“
Let me show you the outfits.
”
She
grabbed at a rack and held up clothing in both hands.
“
We pulled two outfits. A skirt with
m
at
ching tunic... and jeans
paired with a leather bomber jacket.
”

“
Wow,
”
said Suzanne, gazing at the clothing. It was a
lot more sophisticated than her normal slacks and T-shirts.
“
Carmen put these together?
”

Missy nodded.
“
Great stuff, huh?
”

Suzanne fingered the filmy skirt.
“
It
’
s awfully see-through.
”

“
That
’
s the look,
”
said Missy.

‘
The look,
”
repeated Suzanne.
“
Yes, I do believe I
’
d get
looks if I wore this.
”

“
Okay,
”
said Missy,
“
then how about the jeans and leather jacket?
”

“
Awfully small sizes,
”
said Suzanne.

“
Carmen assured me the sizes are correct,
”
Missy told her.
“
It
’
s called the shrunken look.
”

“
Last time I wore the shrunken look, it stemmed from a mistake,
”
said Suzanne.
“
I threw my crop pants into the dryer with a load of towels and twenty minutes later they came out as Bermudas.
”

‘
This is a slightly different concept,
”
said Missy.

“
I realize that,
”
said Suzanne.
“
Still...
”
But when Missy
suddenly looked defeated, she said,
“
Tell you what, why don
’
t I slip into these things and see how they work?
”

‘
Thank you!
”
breathed
Missy.

Alone in the dressing room, Suzanne slipped out of her
khaki slacks and pulled on the jeans. Or at least tried to pull
them on. Turns out, they weren
’
t just shrunken, they were
skintight.
How can eating a one-pound box of chocolate
truffles add up to an extra five pounds around my hips?
she
wondered.
It isn
’
t
m
at
he
m
at
ically possible. Or maybe it all has to do with quantum physics or some sort of black hole
theory. I mean, the calories have to go somewhere!

“
How are we doing in there?
”
called Missy.

“
We
’
re having a little trouble with our thighs,
”
Suzanne
called back.
“
And our hips.
”

“
Keep tugging,
”
said Missy.
“
I told you they were tight.
”

Suzanne wiggled and squirmed and wormed the jeans up. Then she slipped into the leather jacket. It was black leather, smooth and buttery soft. Lambskin, with a shiny brass diagonal zipper.

“
Oh wow!
”
said Missy, when Suzanne stepped out of
the
dressing room.

“
Sexy!
”
called one of the stylists.

“
I don
’
t know ...
”
hedged Suzanne.

“
I do,
”
said Missy.
“
It
’
s perfect.
”
She spun Suzanne
around and aimed her at the three-way mirror.

“
A little tough-looking, don
’
t you think?
”
asked Su
zanne. She decided she looked like a motorcycle thug from
The Wild Bunch.
Or maybe ... the Fonz?

“
The outfit
’
s edgy,
”
said Missy, touching both shoulders.
“
Just like you.
”

“
In my dreams,
”
said Suzanne.

“
Oh, did I tell you?
”
cooed Missy.
“
Brett and Greg from
Root 66 will be here tomorrow doing hair and makeup.
”

“
Oh dear.
”
One of Suzanne
’
s hands flew up to her hair.
She was slightly overdue for a cut and touch-up on her roots.

“
Not to worry,
”
chuckled Missy.
“
They
’
re not going to
get radical or anything. No purple extensions or wacked-
out Amy Winehouse streaky eye makeup.
”

“
Thank goodness,
”
said Suzanne, wondering which one
Amy Winehouse was. The singer with the smeared lipstick
and ripped fishnets? Or was that Courtney Love?

“
But all the models will definitely be made up,
”
said
Missy.
“
Carmen was very specific about that.
”
She reached
forward and pulled up the collar of Suzanne
’
s jacket.
‘
There. Even better.
”

“
Missy,
”
said Suzanne.

Missy smiled.
“
Hmm?
”

“
Has Sheriff Doogie been asking you about Earl?
”

Missy took a step backward.
“
What are you talking about?
”

Suzanne tried to phrase her next words delicately.
“
I get
the feeling Doogie still considers Earl a suspect.
”

Missy shook her head.
“
From the way Doogie treats me,
I think
I
’
m
still his number one suspect.
”
Her eyes clouded
over slightly.
“
You don
’
t think I had anything to do with Ozzie
’
s death, do you, Suzanne?
”

Suzanne shook her head.
“
No, I don
’
t.
”
At least I hope not.