Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore (14 page)

After seeing Sam and Charlotte's long expressions, I said, “Okay, after dinner and a little relaxing we can go talk to the designer.”

“I knew you would say that,” Charlotte said.

“It's probably the next thing that you should do,” Sam said from the backseat.

“You all always get your way,” I said.

Chapter 19

 

 

The next morning, I maneuvered the Buick out of the drive and headed out on the highway toward Savannah. I'd planned on going last night, but I'd had a little problem finding the correct address for Shandra. Once I'd gotten the right one this morning, the ghosts were ready to go. I'd barely had time to grab a piece of toast on my way out the door.

Maybe I was crazy for going, but I'd done a lot of crazy things lately. What was one more, right? Much to Charlotte's and Sam's chagrin, I'd attempted to go through my morning routine and dressed in a pink polka-dot dress with pink shoes. They had preferred that I get up before the sun and head to Savannah. I'd finally convinced them that Shandra wouldn't be working that early anyway. After that the night had been kind of relaxing or as relaxing as it could be with all things considered. I'd also managed to write on my blog. No other strange messages had appeared . . . yet. I was definitely on the lookout though.

It was a pleasant stretch of driving, even if Charlotte talked too much. I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel in rhythm to the forties big-band music that streamed from the car's speakers. I tried to relax, but I was still worried about talking with Shandra.

“It's such a beautiful day for a ride, don't you think, Charlotte?” Sam leaned forward in the backseat.

She fidgeted. I still had to find out why she was being so quiet around Sam. Sam deflated back into his seat and didn't ask any other questions. I felt sorry for him.

“Is everything okay, Charlotte?” I prodded.

“You'd better watch the road.” Charlotte pointed at the nearly empty highway.

I knew she was trying to change the topic and I guess I'd have to accept that for now.

The address that I'd found for Shandra was on the outer edge of the historic district. On my right was another old cemetery and on the left the old brick buildings trimmed the street. I just hoped that I'd found the right address. I hoped that I didn't get lost in the labyrinth of streets looking for it. Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia, its historic district a maze of live oaks. I counted down the numbers on the buildings until I came to the right one. I pulled into the parking lot and into the first available parking space.

Parking my car had never been an easy task, but I somehow squeezed in between a Mustang and a Toyota. I cut the engine, grabbed my purse, and headed toward the building. I had made really good time, so I wasn't sure if Shandra would be there yet. I didn't think I'd make the drive so quickly. Since I was already there, though, I had to go ahead and check. If she wasn't there I would just have to wait until she showed up.

The address was located in an old redbrick building. It looked as if at one time it might have been used as a small factory. We walked up to the building and I opened the glass entrance door. I looked over and spotted the elevator that would take me up to the fourth floor, but based on the look of the thing, I figured I'd be better off taking the stairs.

“Why can't everything be on the first floor?” I said as I climbed yet another flight.

“Oh, suck it up, buttercup, that's what you do the yoga every morning for,” Charlotte said.

Easy for her to say since she could just float up to the top. I still had to take the hard way up.

“Hurry up down there,” Charlotte yelled from the top step.

“I'm coming,” I said as I tried to sound as if I wasn't winded.

Once I reached the door marked with Shandra's name, I pushed it open and stepped inside. A desk was right in front of the door, and more chairs on the right side of the room. Everything was piled high with fabric and papers. There was no place to actually sit down. So far I hadn't seen anyone in the room.

“It looks like no one is here,” I whispered.

I moved closer to the glass desk, and called out, “Is anyone here?”

A rustling sounded and I hoped it wasn't a rat. I leaned closer and saw a blond woman in a navy wrap dress on the floor surrounded by fabric and papers. It was just then that she noticed me. She tossed the papers in the air.

“You startled me.” She clutched her chest. “May I help you?” She eyed me up and down.

“Oh, I didn't think anyone was actually in the room. I'm sorry,” I said.

“Tell her you have an appointment,” Sam urged.

“I have an appointment to see Shandra.” I looked at the door just behind her desk.

She quirked an eyebrow. “I don't think so. I'm her assistant, I know all of her appointments and I know she didn't have one scheduled for now.” She glanced at her watch.

“I don't know what to tell you, but I have an appointment with her.” This was her assistant? What happened to Rita Riggs? I thought she was Shandra's assistant. If not, then who was she?

She marched over to her desk and picked up an appointment book.

Charlotte focused her attention on a vase that sat on the edge of the desk. I knew what she was trying to do. I wasn't sure if it would work. This woman looked like she wouldn't be scared of anything. Charlotte wouldn't let that stop her though. Charlotte reached out and pushed toward the vase. At first nothing happened, but then with another thrust of her hand the vase tumbled to the ground. Glass shattered and was now all over the floor.

“Oh no, how did that happen?” She raced over to the mess.

Charlotte motioned for me to go into the office. I watched the woman for a moment longer.

“Good thinking with the distraction, Charlotte,” Sam said.

Charlotte avoided looking at him. “Thank you.”

The woman was so distracted I didn't think she would notice anything I did. Now that the assistant was busy cleaning up the mess and not watching me, I opened the door and eased inside. It felt wrong to be in there, but I did it anyway. This was a mission that I had to see through. This was my chance to go inside the office and have a little look around.

“Well, thanks anyway,” I said.

She didn't even look up. She was too occupied with the broken glass to even answer me. I don't know how Charlotte had known, but somehow she did. I guess we made a good team after all. I watched the woman as I made my way to the door. With my hand on the knob, I glanced back one more time to see if she was watching me. I took the chance, opened the door, and hurried inside.

The decor reeked of glamour and high fashion. An even larger and more majestic glass desk stood in front of the double windows hung with sheer white curtains. Plush white rugs decorated the top of the hardwood floors. The tables and desks were full of papers and fabric though. She had bulletin boards on the walls with sketches of clothing and swatches of fabric.

“Where should I start?” I asked.

“It'll be like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” Charlotte said.

I guess I had to get started somewhere. This stuff wasn't going to look through itself. I walked over to the desk and leafed through the first pile of papers I saw. How did this woman keep track of anything? She really needed an organizer.

I sifted through the next set of papers on her desk. I had no idea what I was looking for.

“What am I looking for?” I asked.

“Anything that would put her at the scene of the crime,” Sam said.

“But I already know she was there at the fashion show. What else would have put her any closer to the scene of the crime? Maybe something that she took from Melanie?”

“Or something that said they had a meeting,” Charlotte said.

“I doubt I'll find anything, but I'll give it a try.” I moved over to a small table beside the desk. I lifted stacks of papers. It was all either bills or orders. Nothing that stood out to be of any importance to me. I couldn't stop yet, though, until I'd at least skimmed through the rest of them. I picked up a paper and read the first few lines.

“Hmm. This is interesting,” I said.

“What did you find?” Sam stood behind me.

“It's a legal document. It looks as if Shandra was suing Melanie for stealing her designs.”

“Wow. So she did mean business.” Charlotte looked over my shoulder.

In spite of what I'd found, it was looking more and more like there was no way I would get Hannah out of jail. I took out my phone and pulled the camera function up on the screen. I snapped a couple pictures of the paper in case I needed another look at it later. After taking the pictures, I shoved the phone back into my bag.

“You know how much trouble I could get in for this,” I whispered.

“It's not like you took anything,” Charlotte said.

“Just tell them you got lost,” Sam said. “Act innocent. That's what I always did.”

“Act innocent. Tell them I got lost. Got it,” I said.

“Don't worry, you won't get caught,” Charlotte said. “The assistant said she wouldn't be back for at least an hour.”

“That was true, but what if she came back early?”

“Life is full of what-ifs, we can't worry about them though,” Charlotte said.

As I placed the document back on the stack and turned to leave, something on the floor caught my attention. The silver sparkled. I reached down and picked it up. I turned it around in my hands.

“What is it?” Sam asked.

“It's a charm from the bracelet that I sold to Melanie.”

“The same one you found at the concert?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes, it's the same one. It has to be. It's from the 1920s. There can't be another one like it around here,” I said.

“The question is, was Melanie wearing the bracelet on the night of her murder?” Charlotte said.

I tried to think back, but I couldn't remember if she'd been wearing it. That day had been chaotic. I was surprised I had remembered anything from that day. I tried to think back to her outfit, but it wouldn't come to me. And I thought I always remembered what people were wearing. What was happening to me? Was I losing my touch?

I shoved the silver and black heart charm in my pocket. I knew that this had to be the one from Melanie's bracelet. There was only one way Shandra could have gotten it. She had to have taken it from Melanie. But did that mean she had been at the concert that night? And if so, why had she been there? Was she with Meaghan and Rita? Why hadn't I seen her? I should confront her about the bracelet when I see her. If she was involved in the murder she would just deny it though. I had to ask around and see if anyone had seen her wearing it. Someone had to have noticed her with it on. I would have to ask everyone who was behind the scenes of the show that day. How long would that take? And how would I locate everyone?

The door opened and Shandra stopped in her tracks. Her face turned a bright shade of red and she glared at me. Her fists were clenched at her sides. The assistant ran up behind her.

“I had no idea she was in here, Shandra. I told her she couldn't come in here. She must have got past me somehow,” she said.

Shandra raised her hand. “That's okay, Christy. I can handle it from here.” Shandra sounded pretty confident about that too.

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at me.

“She means business now,” Sam said.

I didn't need that fact pointed out to me, I could already tell.

“I'm sorry if I am disturbing you,” I said.

“You're in my private office, yes, I'd say you are disturbing me.”

“I can call the police,” Christy said.

“This Christy woman needs to mind her own business.” Charlotte stared at Christy.

“That won't be necessary,” Shandra said. “I'm sure she was just leaving. Weren't you?” Shandra didn't take her eyes off me.

“I don't think that's a suggestion,” Sam said.

Very observant of him.

“I came to see you,” I said.

She scowled and looked me up and down. “What do you want?”

Charlotte moved closer to Shandra. “You'd better think of something quick. She looks like she is ready to snap you in half.”

“I don't have a meeting with you. What do you want?” she demanded.

“I came to talk to you about Melanie,” I stammered.

“I have nothing to discuss about her,” she said.

“I also wanted to talk to you about your designs,” I said.

“What designs?” she asked.

“The designs that Melanie took from you.” I gave her a satisfied smile. I bet she hadn't planned on me knowing that bit of information.