Copy Cap Murder: A Hat Shop Mystery Part 18

"You're a remarkable woman," he said.

We exchanged a glance of understanding that while the moment with Win had been horrible, I was strong and fine and no damage had been done.

"This is all very nice, but we're not here for a social call, Ginger," Harrison snapped.

"I'm sorry, aren't we closed?" Viv's voice came from the back, getting louder as she walked into the room. "Whatever is the racket?"

"Harrison is throwing a wobbler," I yelled back.

Tyler looked like he was going to laugh but he stopped himself at Harrison's frown.

"Oh, dear, whatever for?" Viv asked. "Your British slang is coming along nicely, dear."

"Thank you," I said.

We both turned to look at Harrison, waiting for his explanation.

"Did you or did you not ask Tuesday for a list of guests to the bonfire party?" he asked.

"Oh, we did," Viv said.

I had not planned to jump into the truthful end of the pool so fast, but Viv is the more impulsive of the two of us. I just hoped we could swim our way out of this one.

"Whatever for?" Harrison asked. "You know the police are investigating any leads on the case and they already have the list. Surely you don't think you can track down every single person at the party and interrogate them better than the inspectors, do you?"

Okay, now I was mad. He was being arrogant, overbearing and insufferable. Yes, it was unfortunate that he was in the hot seat as far as the investigation went but that didn't give him leave to bring his boss into our place of business and dress us down like we were errant grade-schoolers.

"For your information," I said, "we have very valid reasons for requesting the list of names of all of the guests."

"Yeah?" he asked. "Give me one."

I noticed Tyler was looking distinctly uncomfortable during our exchange and I felt bad about that, I did, but it couldn't be helped. Neither could the absolute blank that my brain had become. I, the queen of the fibbers, had nothing.

I glanced at Viv, hoping she might have thought of something, but no, she looked at me with wide eyes. We were doomed.

"Really, Harrison, is it necessary to have such a go at them right now? We do have one of Dashavoy's clients to meet in fifteen minutes as you know," Tyler said. "Besides it's quite obvious why she asked Tuesday for the list of party guests."

"It is?" Viv and I asked together.

Tyler smiled at us. It was the sort of smile that opened doors, garnered free drinks, and in some cases, like Tuesday's I suspected, lifted skirts. Tyler had charm and panache by the bucketful and I doubted there was a person who met him who was immune.

"It's just good business," he said. "A guest list like that is exactly the kind of clientele you cater to so why not add their names to your own database? It's just the smart thing to do. I'd have done the same."

"You would?" Harrison, Viv and I all said together.

"Of course." He shrugged.

"Thank you so much for understanding, we weren't sure how to tell you and didn't want you to think badly of us," Viv said. She tossed her blond curls and stepped forward and put her arm through Tyler's. "You really are a savvy businessman. I feel so much better knowing that you approve."

Harrison stiffened and I knew Viv's words had found their mark. He looked as if he'd protest, but Viv turned Tyler away and they walked toward the other side of the shop. Tyler said something and Viv threw her head back and laughed. It appeared they had a mutual admiration thing going, so I turned my gaze back to Harrison.

"What are you thinking, barging in here and ordering us about? Just because you own the controlling interest in the shop doesn't mean you get to be a bully," I said.

It occurred to me that the last time I had seen him we'd been in a lip-lock of smoking hot proportions, but right now the only thing that was hot was my temper.

"I told you to stay away from this and then what do I discover-" he started but I interrupted.

"Discover? Don't you mean your ex-girlfriend went running to you to tattle on me the moment she hung up the phone?" I asked.

"Actually, I found her logging into Tyler's a.s.sistant's computer, where she was e-mailing the guest list to-surprise!-you," he said.

"So what?" I asked. I glanced over at Viv and Tyler where she was modeling a hat for him. He seemed charmed. I leaned closer to Harrison and hissed, "What do you care if we want the guest list for business?"

"Pah ha ha!" He barked a laugh completely devoid of humor.

Both Viv and Tyler turned to look at us, so Harrison and I bared our teeth. I did not think there was any way our grimaces could be construed as smiles but maybe they were far enough away that they couldn't see clearly, because they both smiled and turned back to the collection of hats Viv was showing him.

"Do not cling to that flimsy excuse Tyler gave you as the reason you asked for the list," Harrison said. "Neither of you is business savvy enough to have thought of it, and in the aftermath of what happened at the party, it would have been grotesquely bad form."

"I'm American," I said. "We have different social mores than you."

"Do not even try to hide behind that," he said. "You are working the case and we both know it."

"So what if I am?" I asked. "Listen, Inspector Franks was here today and he said straight up that you're the primary suspect because of the scuffle at the party. Even my vouching for you is being taken apart because I don't wear a watch and can't pin down our time apart exactly. Harry, I'm scared for you, really scared."

Maybe it was because my voice cracked or perhaps I looked as stressed as I felt, but the hard lines of Harry's face softened and he cupped my cheek.

"Oh, Ginger, don't be scared," he said. His voice was still low but it wasn't hissing anymore; rather it was a gentle whisper as if he couldn't bear to cause me any more anguish.

"Harrison, we really have to go," Tyler called from the door, where he and Viv stood waiting.

"One moment." Harrison stepped forward and kissed my forehead. "Don't worry. Tyler believes in me and that's saying something. He's even helping me consult with Win's clients as a show of faith. It's going to be okay."

I wished I had his confidence, but I couldn't help thinking that if we didn't find someone else to take his place as the primary suspect, and soon, Harrison was going to be put behind bars for a crime he didn't commit. Because no matter how you looked at it, even I could see he had both means and motive and how could you fight that?

Chapter 21.

As expected, Inspectors Franks and Simms just happened to be in the neighborhood during Viv and Fee's segment with Elise Stanford.

While the cameraman and his crew person packed up their equipment after the shoot, Elise and her producer, Sam, chatted with Viv and Fee.

I paced in front of the doors since it was my job to keep out any customers who wanted to come in during the filming. Viv and Fee had spent the morning staging the shop so that when Elise and crew arrived, they managed to get the interview done in about twenty minutes. I had to give it to Elise, she asked insightful questions about the hat business, Viv and Fee's creative process, and what they projected the future of hats to be.

About halfway through the interview, I spotted Franks and Simms, standing across the street. They looked as if they were debating whether to come over or not. I considered sticking my head out the door and inviting them in, anything if it would get Elise in the perp chair and Harrison out, but I resisted. The interview was to air tomorrow and interrupting it would be detrimental to the shop, no matter how much I wanted to see Elise hauled away in handcuffs.

It was nothing personal, I just wanted to save my future boyfriend, yes, I had decided Harry would be my boyfriend just as soon as my ban on men was lifted. And I did not want my first boyfriend in forever to be one I only got to visit in the prison yard for an hour every other Sat.u.r.day.

The hats in the front window didn't need rearranging but I fussed with them anyway as it gave me something to do. Since I wasn't a designer and couldn't talk intelligently about hats, I had not been invited to partic.i.p.ate in the interview. This was fine with me. If I never had a camera pointed at my face again in this life, well, I would consider it a blessing.

Franks and Simms both had cardboard cups of coffee. I watched as they stood next to each other, talking as the steam rose out of their cups. I wondered if they were reviewing suspects. I squinted and tried to read their lips but Simms was a mumbler and I couldn't see Franks's mouth through his mustache.

It would have really made my day if one of them had mouthed the words "She's our killer," but no, as far as I could tell, they were either debating the weather or comparing football scores.

I fluffed the enormous purple plume on a matching velvet mushroom hat. This was one of my favorites. Like the cloche, the brim went down but this one also went out like a mushroom cap, hence the name, and I had yet to meet a woman who did not look good in the style.

When I glanced back up to where the inspectors had been standing, they had moved and were crossing the street in our direction. I wondered if they had been waiting on some crucial bit of evidence before moving forward. I closed my eyes and fervently hoped that Elise was arrested, yes, because I am an awful person.

I hurried over to the door and unlocked it. The camera crew thought it was for them and they thanked me on their way out.

"See you at the station," the main guy called to Elise as they left.

"Editing room at three," she called back. She waved with a genuine smile.

As the last of the crew departed, Franks and Sims made their way inside.

Viv called out, "So sorry, we're closed. Scarlett, you're supposed to-"

"Good afternoon, Vivian, Scarlett and Fiona, isn't it? How are you?" Inspector Franks said.

There was a moment of surprise, well, not so much for me and Viv, but for everyone else, yeah, it was awkward.

"Oh, no, you're here to arrest me, aren't you?" Elise cried out. She put her fist to her lips as if to keep herself from saying any more. Then she fainted.

"Elise!" Sam Kerry, her producer, caught her right before she would have cracked her head on one of our tables.

He struggled under her dead weight and Inspector Simms darted forward to help him get her into a nearby chair.

"I'll get her some cold water," Fee said and she hurried to the back room.

Inspector Franks strode forward, considering the newscaster carefully. He looked at Sam Kerry, who was rubbing her hands, and asked, "Does she faint often?"

"It's the first time that I know of," Sam answered.

He was a burly man with a thick neck and hairy knuckles, but I liked him. I had the feeling that he was the sort of guy you wanted to have at your back in a fight. And I liked how he cared for Elise with such gentle concern. Regardless of the rest of us in the room with them, he seemed only aware of her.

It was clear to me that on his part, there was a lot more going on than a producer to talent relations.h.i.+p. I wondered if Elise had any idea or if she was one of those women who is so accustomed to being treated well because she is pretty that she had no idea that the amount of care and concern he was giving her was above and beyond.

"Why does she think we're here to arrest her?" Franks asked.

I saw the back of Sam's neck turn deep red. And when he swung around, I saw his face was just as flushed. He glared at Franks. "You're not going to, not if I have anything to say about it."

"Well, you don't have anything to say about it, do you?" Franks snapped.

It was clear he was losing his patience. I glanced at Viv and she looked as wide eyed as I felt. Simms cleared his throat and Franks visibly pulled himself together.

Fee came das.h.i.+ng back into the room with a gla.s.s of water and a cool cloth. Sam put the cool cloth on the back of Elise's neck and she slowly roused out of her faint. She looked startled to find herself draped in a chair with six people staring down at her.

She clutched Sam's hand and asked, "What happened?"

I glanced at Franks. His eyes were narrowed and I wondered if he was trying to decide how good of an actress Elise was. If she was faking this, I had to give her two thumbs up. She looked genuinely distraught and I felt bad that I had engineered the entire meeting, but if it saved Harrison, I would learn to live with it.

"You fainted, love," Sam said. His voice was gentle and kind. "You've been under a lot of stress and I think it best if we get you to a doctor."

"No!" Elise shook her enviable mane of thick brown hair. "The inspectors are here for a reason; I'd hear it now and be done with it."

Sam shook his head, but Elise sat up and took the cloth off the back of her neck. Fee held out the water to her and Elise smiled her thanks and drank it down. The color came back to her cheeks and she turned her gaze on Inspector Franks.

"I apologize for my behavior. It's been a trying few days," she said. She gestured for him to take the seat across from her.

Inspector Franks took the seat and braced his elbows on his knees. He was still giving her the squinty eye, but I could see her apology had smoothed his ruffled feathers a bit.

"I imagine it has been," Franks said not unkindly.

Sam stood beside Elise's chair and I noticed that Simms mirrored his position. If I didn't know better, I would think I was watching a live chess match. So far, it seemed Franks had checked her at every move but now it was my turn.

"You know, don't you?" Elise asked me.

I felt the hair on the back of my neck p.r.i.c.kle. Sweat dampened my palms as I took a steadying breath.

"About the true nature of your relations.h.i.+p with Mr. Dashavoy?" I asked. I felt Franks turn to look at me in surprise. I'd had a few days to think about Elise and Win and I didn't like what I'd determined. "Yes, I do."

Elise gasped and shot me a hurt look. Yes, my conscience spasmed, but I ignored it. She glanced down at her lap. Her hands were clasped so tightly that her knuckles were white.

"At the party when Win was . . ." I paused. What had he been doing, making a pa.s.s? No. His actions had been aggressive and mean; that wasn't a pa.s.s which was open to refusal. It was unwelcome attention that had been forced upon my person, which in my book was a.s.sault.

I cleared my throat before I continued, "When Win was a.s.saulting me . . ." I had to pause again for the collective gasping. Yes, I imagined speaking so plainly was a bit jarring. I really didn't care. I wasn't going to pretend what had happened was okay. It wasn't. "He was drunk and he spoke about not letting her get away with it. That he was tired of being told how to act and how to behave and to smile pretty for the camera. I didn't know who he was talking about until I heard that the two of you were involved."

"So naturally you decided to mention it in front of the inspectors," Elise said.

I shrugged. "My friend is being accused of murder and I know he didn't do it."

"Neither did I," Elise protested. She glanced at Viv, Fee and then me. "You don't believe me."

"If you'd prefer, we can continue this conversation elsewhere," Franks said.

"No," Elise said. "I imagine it will all become public in a matter of hours anyway."

"Your relations.h.i.+p with Winthrop Dashavoy was-" he began but she interrupted.

"False," she said. "The entire thing was a fabrication created by my agent to boost my profile with the press."