Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore (15 page)

She narrowed her eyes. “What about them?”

“She took the designs from you. I guess you were really upset about that.”

“You need to get out of my office right now.” She pointed toward the door.

“Uh-oh, I think it's time for you to leave.” Charlotte began inching toward the exit.

When I didn't think I could come up with another excuse, I ran toward her office door. If she caught me she'd probably push me out the fourth-floor window. I just hoped that she didn't reach out and grab me as I ran past. I raced out the door and down the stairs. I prayed that I wouldn't tumble headfirst down them.

“Is she back there?” I panted.

There was no way I was slowing down enough to look back.

“She isn't back there yet,” Charlotte said.

Could I get away without her coming after me? Could I really get that lucky? I finally made it to the bottom and rushed out into the parking lot.

When I glanced back I didn't see her. “Whew. That was a close one.”

“And you didn't even have to use the excuse I gave you,” Sam said.

“Lucky me,” I said as I climbed behind the wheel. “It's time for us to get out of here.” Thank goodness the Buick started on the first crank of the engine.

Chapter 20

 

 

I opened the shop and was recovering, but when I looked up and saw Brooke walking through the door I knew that was about to change. Her stare was focused on me like a laser. She wore black trousers and a black silk blouse.

“I can tell you where to throw the punches if she comes after you,” Sam said.

I certainly hoped that wouldn't be necessary. I wasn't going to fight Brooke. She closed the distance between us quickly. Now she was standing right in front of the counter, glaring at me.

“Give her a dirty look right back,” Charlotte said.

Charlotte wasn't helping. I would be nice to Brooke and maybe that would defuse the situation.

“Why did you tell the police to come to my salon?” Her face was a bright shade of red.

“You don't have to tell her anything,” Charlotte said.

It was a good thing Brooke couldn't hear Charlotte's comments. The two of them would be in a hair-pulling fight within a matter of seconds.

Brooke tapped her foot while impatiently waiting for my answer. I knew I had to say something.

“I only told them what I thought they needed to know,” I said.

“You are a busybody and you should mind your own business,” Brooke said.

I couldn't believe she had come here to confront me.

“You tell her that we know she is lying.” Charlotte pointed her finger at Brooke.

Charlotte walked a circle around Brooke. Brooke frowned as if she felt Charlotte's presence. Maybe she sensed the cool air that followed Charlotte wherever she went.

Charlotte inched closer to Brooke. “We know that shoe was put there by her. She can just quit the act.”

“Be careful, Cookie,” Sam said. “If she's the killer, then she wouldn't think twice about hurting you . . . or worse.”

That was a way to ease my fears. The ghosts weren't helping.

“I don't mean to intrude or seem like a busybody,” I said, trying to calm Brooke down.

“It didn't work, you know. The police never found the shoe.” Brooke smirked.

“Why is she proud of that? A potentially innocent woman is in jail and she should want to help if she can,” Sam said.

Charlotte stalked around Brooke again like a tiger ready to bounce on its prey. “Tell her to leave your shop immediately.”

“Well, maybe not before she asks a few questions.” Sam glanced at Charlotte.

I couldn't think straight for all the ghostly chatter.

“What did you do with the shoe?” I asked. I didn't figure she would answer my question, but I had to ask nonetheless. “And why did you hide it from the police?”

“I think you know the answer to that,” Charlotte said.

Yes, I figured I did know, but maybe confronting Brooke with the questions would help solve this mystery in some way.

“I figured there was no need for it, so I threw it away.” She smiled as if extremely satisfied with her feat.

“She threw it away? That is a criminal offense.” Sam rubbed his temples.

“Why did you throw it away?” I asked.

She scoffed. “You don't think I wanted them to find something that would potentially name me as a murder suspect,” she said.

She did have a point there.

“She's acting as if she is innocent,” Charlotte said.

Brooke pushed the hair out of her eyes. “Look, I didn't put the shoe there, so why should I take the blame for it?”

I guess I would have to give her the benefit of the doubt. After all, I was doing the same for Hannah and she was the one who had been found standing over the body. I'd seen her with my own eyes.

“Someone left it in my shop. I never saw it before in my life,” she said.

“Does she expect us to believe that?” Charlotte asked.

“You don't know who left it?” I asked.

Brooke looked down at the black flats on her feet and shook her head.

“Who would bring a shoe and leave it somewhere?” Charlotte asked.

That was a good question? “Why would someone do that?” I asked.

Brooke shrugged. “I don't know and I would love nothing more than to find out. I think the police are watching me now, though, thanks to you.”

“That is most unfortunate,” Charlotte said. “But if you do the crime, then you have to pay the price.”

“Have you seen the police watching you?” I asked.

“I spotted that detective you're dating across from my shop.”

“We're not necessarily dating. . . .” I felt my face grow warm.

She frowned.

“But that's neither here nor there,” I said, sensing her irritation. “Just because he was across from your place doesn't mean he's spying on you.”

“No, it doesn't, but I know that he is,” she said.

“Ask her more questions,” Sam urged.

“How do you know someone left it in your shop?” I asked.

She looked at me as if I had just asked the dumbest question ever. “How am I supposed to know? The fact that I didn't have it leads me to only one other option, someone else left it there.”

Charlotte leaned against the counter but didn't take her eyes off Brooke. “She does have a point, I guess.”

“Who do you think left it there?” I asked.

Brooke folded her arms in front of her waist. “I wish I knew. Who would do something like this to me?” she asked.

We stood in silence for a moment while we contemplated the thought.

“We have to think of who would have had access to the shoe and then been in your shop.”

Her face dropped. “Meaghan had access to the shoes and she has been at my shop.”

“Are you friends with her?” I asked.

“I guess you could call us friends. I only met her recently. You know after Melanie asked me to work on the show.”

“Can you ask her about the shoe?” It was a long shot, but I thought I'd give it a try.

“I don't know. . . .” Brooke gestured toward the door. “I'd better go. Just keep me out of this thing? Okay? . . . Or else.”

“That sounds like a threat to me,” Sam said.

“She can't get away with that,” Charlotte said.

I'd just let the threat go for now. What else could I do? If Brooke was involved with the murder, then I didn't want to anger her even more.

“I have one more question if you don't mind,” I said.

She looked at me for a moment, then said, “What is it?”

“There's this bracelet that I found and I wonder if you saw someone with it?”

“Why would I know if someone had a bracelet?” she asked.

“I'm just asking everyone who was at the show. It belonged to Melanie.”

She stared for a moment, then said, “What does the bracelet look like?” Her frustration was evident on her face.

I held up my finger. “Hold on and I'll show you.” I pulled the bracelet out of my bag and showed it to her. She looked down at my outstretched hand. The silver bracelet with the charms sparkled under the overhead light.

“I saw Meaghan wearing that bracelet. I remember because I commented on how pretty it was,” she said.

“That isn't a good sign,” Sam said.

“Interesting development,” Charlotte said.

She could say that again. Brooke's answer didn't explain how the bracelet's charm had ended up on Shandra's floor though. Meaghan must have lost the bracelet at the concert. It did point me in a direction. I had a lot more questions to find the answers to.

“Does the bracelet have something to do with the murder?” Brooke asked.

“I'm not sure,” I said. “But I plan on finding out.”

“I'm sorry for everything that happened. I just did what I thought was best,” I said.

She shrugged. “Fine. But just keep the police away from me.”

“See I knew she had a past. Why else would she be so concerned with the police? I can't believe you apologized to her,” Charlotte said.

Charlotte knew that it was the polite thing to do. She was just being stubborn.

Brooke marched out the door. That hadn't gone as well as I'd hoped, but it could have been worse. At least I had some clarification on the bracelet.

Chapter 21

 

 

It was probably a crazy idea to go back to see Shandra. But how else would I ask her about the bracelet? I still wanted to find out who Rita Riggs was too. Charlotte and Sam didn't help either. They knew it was a risky move, yet they encouraged me to go anyway. At least I had no problem finding her place this time. Getting past the gatekeeper was an entirely different thing though. I was probably way off to think that a little Southern charm would get the assistant to let me see Shandra. It was all I had though. Charlotte was better at that kind of thing though.

Unfortunately, the woman wouldn't be able to hear Charlotte when Charlotte spoke to her. I parked the car and then entered the building. My anxiety increased as I made it to Shandra's door. I opened it and eased into the space. It was just as messy as the last time I was here. Not that I had expected anything to be different. The assistant was nowhere in sight again. This time, though, Christy popped up from behind the desk right away. Her face scrunched up and she narrowed her eyes.

“You!” she yelled. “No way are you coming in here.”

This was not starting off well.

“I am calling the police.” She picked up the phone.

“No, please. I just need to speak with Shandra.”

“She doesn't want to speak with you.” She placed the phone to her ear.

“I don't think you're going to be able to talk her out of calling the police,” Charlotte said.

“Maybe you should leave before the police arrive,” Sam said.

“If you don't want to get handcuffed and stuffed into the back of a police car, I would suggest that,” Charlotte added. “It doesn't look as if she is backing down.”

“Okay. I am leaving. Can you just tell Shandra that I need to talk with her? Have her call me. My name is Cookie Chanel.”

“She knows your name and so will the police,” she yelled as I rushed out the door.

As I proceeded down the hallway and toward the stairs, Charlotte asked, “What are you going to do now?”

“That's a good question.” I made it down the first flight of stairs.

“I think we should wait for her,” Sam said.

“Where . . . in her office? I don't think that will happen with the bodyguard standing in front of the door.”

“No, downstairs in the parking lot. When you see her coming you can talk to her.”

“So you want me to stalk her?” I asked when I made it to the next set of stairs.

“Well, it's not stalking per se,” Sam said.

“I don't know any other term for it,” I said.

“Call it seizing the moment,” Charlotte said.

“I think the police will be looking for me.”

Sam tugged on his overcoat. “I've seen that trick a million times. She didn't call the police. As soon as you left she put the phone down.”

“You think?” I asked.

He crooked an eyebrow. “I'm certain of it.”

“Well, I guess I don't have any other options,” I said as I walked toward the Buick. “We'll wait in the car until we see her.”

I got in the car and closed the door behind me.

“Aw, just like the good old days when I used to stake out.” Sam sat in the middle of the backseat.

“Help me be on the lookout, okay?” I peered in the side-view mirror.

“I hope we don't have to wait too long,” Charlotte said. “Of course, it's not like I have anything else to do.”

Thirty minutes had passed and I already was tired of this gig. Sam had been right though. The police hadn't shown up. That might change though if I confronted Shandra. Especially if her assistant saw me.

Another couple of minutes went by, then Sam said, “There she is getting out of her car.”

I looked in my rearview mirror and spotted Shandra getting out of a silver Lexus. My heart rate sped up.

“Okay, let's do this.” I opened the door and rushed across the parking lot.

Shandra was headed toward the building, but so far she hadn't seen me. When I was just a few steps away, she finally spotted me.

Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed together. “Get away from me. Are you crazy?”

“Ms. Johnson, I just need to ask you a quick question.” I hurried my steps.

Now I would have to explain that I had taken the charm from her office. If she hadn't called the police to have me arrested before, I knew she would now. What would Dylan say? Would Ken help get me out and the charges dropped? I had to get ahold of myself. I was acting as if I was already headed for prison.

“I need to ask about this bracelet.” I pulled it from my pocket and shoved it toward her.

She kept walking but did look over at it. “What about it?” she asked.

“Have you seen this before? Did you happen to see Meaghan wearing it?”

She took a quick glance at the bracelet again and then met my stare. I hoped that she would answer.

She sighed. “As a matter of fact, yes, I saw her with it on. Why do you ask?”

Maybe I wouldn't have to tell her I had found the bracelet charm in her office after all. What if she had been the one wearing it and I had just given her an out? I would hear it from Charlotte and Sam for making that mistake.

“This bracelet belonged to Melanie.”

Her eyes widened.

“I just wanted to make sure that Meaghan had been seen wearing it.”

Her full lips trembled. “I really don't want to get involved.”

“Have you talked with Meaghan? Are you friends with her?” I probed.

“We aren't friends. She came to me to discuss the fact that Melanie had stolen her designs too.”

“She was mad about that?” I asked.

“Of course, she was livid. But what could she do? I had already decided that I was going to get what was coming to me after what Melanie did.” Shandra's face turned red just saying Melanie's name.

She said she didn't want to be involved, but it looked as if she was already in it deep.

“Now, if that is all you have to ask, I have to go to work.” She stared at me.

“Yes, that's all.” I didn't dare ask anything else after the glare she'd given me. “Thanks,” I said.

“Don't thank her for being rude,” Charlotte retorted.

“Ask her about the lawsuit,” Sam pushed. “What else can she do? Give you another dirty look?”

He did have a point. I suppose she could call the police like I had originally feared. But one more quick question wouldn't hurt. Well, it might hurt if Shandra punched me, but I digress.

Shandra had just turned to walk in the door when I called out. “Just one more thing, Ms. Johnson. About your designs. Melanie had taken your designs too. You said you were going to take care of that? What were you going to do?” I asked.

She whipped around to face me. “I don't think that's any of your business.”

No, it probably wasn't any of my business, but that hadn't stopped me from asking.

“I am just trying to figure out what Meaghan had planned. Did she tell you? Were you going to do something together?”

“The more you talk the worse it gets,” Charlotte said.

“You're putting your foot in your mouth, Cookie,” Sam said.

“She's dug such a big hole it'll take a crane to get her out,” Charlotte added.

Shandra glared at me. “What is that supposed to mean? You think Meaghan and I teamed up to kill Melanie?”

My eyes widened. “No, I didn't mean any such thing.”

“I think I have answered all the questions I need to. Why don't you go talk with Meaghan?” she asked.

“Oh, she intends to,” Sam said.

I did? I didn't know about that. I had already gotten in enough trouble.

Shandra gave me one last glare and then turned and walked through the door.

“Well, that went well,” Charlotte said. “That woman has an ugly disposition. She may be pretty on the outside, but inside she is all kinds of messed up. You know what they say, beauty is only skin deep, ugly goes all the way to the bone.”

“At least I did confirm that Meaghan had been wearing the bracelet,” I said.

“So she claims. Can you trust what she or Brooke say?” Sam said.

I turned and headed for my car.

“You do really need to speak with Meaghan about that bracelet,” he said.

“Yes, I suppose I do. That doesn't mean I want to.”

“Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do,” Charlotte said.

That seemed like a lot of the time lately. “It wasn't like she would admit that she had taken Melanie's bracelet.”

“Probably not, but you have to try anyway,” Charlotte said.

I glanced back to see if Shandra was watching me. She was nowhere in sight. I halfway expected to see her assistant coming after me once she found out I had confronted Shandra in the parking lot. The best thing I could do right now was to go back to the shop and forget about this for a while. That would be the last thing Charlotte and Sam wanted to do though. I wouldn't tell them where we were going. They'd figure it out soon enough.

I climbed back into my car and turned the ignition.

“Where are we going now?” Charlotte asked.

That hadn't taken long. I glanced in the rearview mirror. Sam was watching me expectantly.

I pulled out onto the street. “I figured we'd go back to Sugar Creek and think about things for a while.”

“That's her way of saying we're not doing anything,” Charlotte said.

She had me there. That was my way of putting it to them gently.

“Okay, but we should strike while the iron is hot,” Sam said.

“The iron isn't hot at all. In fact, it's very cold,” I said.