by Lyndsey Cole
“It makes sense if you can pull it off,” Scarlet said casually. “It’s just that I know Trisha and her crew and she does not want you to walk down that aisle.”
Annie straightened. “But she must have the gown now, so I’m not a threat anymore.”
Scarlet’s brow arched and she peered at Annie over the rim of her coffee mug. “You, and especially Leona, will always be a threat. As long as there’s someone to reveal her secret, she won’t be able to rest. Sure, she might have the gown now, but what’s stopping Leona from exposing her?”
“Exposing who?” Leona’s sleepy voice asked from halfway down the stairs.
“Trisha,” Scarlet repeated. “You are a threat to Trisha.” She turned in her chair to look at Leona. “Do you know why she wanted that space across from your café for her dress shop?”
Leona shook her head.
“To keep an eye on you. Intimidate you.” It was Scarlet’s turn to chuckle. “She underestimated what she was up against. Either that or Steve didn’t finish what he started.”
Leona pulled out a chair and sat next to Scarlet, her elbows on the table and her eyes focused intently on Scarlet. “What are you talking about?”
“I’ve been doing some thinking, and I had an idea about Steve’s role in all this mess. He’s a charmer, right?”
Leona nodded in agreement.
“You used to have a thing for him, right?”
Another nod from Leona.
“He must have assumed he’d be able to flirt a little, charm a little, and get you to agree to forget forever that you ever had anything to do with Trisha’s designs. Even try to get it in writing. They already had all the sketches but there was one important piece missing.”
Leona slapped the side of her head. “The wedding gown. Of course. He did ask me about it but I was so busy yelling at him for what happened years ago, his words went in one ear and out the other. Do you think he came here that stormy night to get the gown?”
“Your guess is as good as mine at this point. But what I do know about Steve Fitch is that he could con a bone from a starving hound dog if necessary. The only thing that would stop him—”
“Is if he was dead,” Leona interrupted. “But if he was after the gown for Trisha, why would she kill him?”
Scarlet sighed deeply. “Too bad he’s not here to answer that question for himself. Maybe he didn’t want it for Trisha. Maybe he wanted it for himself. And Trisha found out. Either Trisha or someone close to her had to stop him. They were afraid you would give him whatever he wanted.” Scarlet wrapped up her theory with a nice tight ribbon.
Leona slapped the table and stood up. She poured herself some coffee. “Well, they underestimated me, didn’t they? But now they have the gown anyway. How are we going to get it back?”
“This is the best part, Leona,” Annie said with her hand extended toward Scarlet. “We have a genius in our midst. I’ll explain once Mom is up. She’ll want to be part of this.”
Leona moved to the kitchen and dumped out her mug. “I’ll make some fresh coffee. Who made that last pot? It was terrible.”
“Sorry,” Annie said. “Jason usually makes it. I can never seem to get the proportions right in his fancy maker.”
Leona pushed Annie out of the kitchen. “That poor guy has to do everything around here, doesn’t he?”
Mia shuffled down the stairs. “What are Leona and Annie bickering about already this early in the day? Is there any coffee left?”
“Yes, Mom. Leona made a new pot. Hurry up and get some. We have to see what Scarlet’s been up to all night in the apartment.”
The three women, armed with fresh cups of coffee, followed Scarlet across the driveway and up the stairs.
Annie made Mia and Leona stop outside the door and close their eyes before she guided them into the apartment. She positioned them a few feet in front of the gown that was hanging, covered in plastic, from a door.
“Okay. Open your eyes.” Scarlet removed the plastic covering, revealing the new gown for the first time.
Sun streamed through the window, bathing the gown with bright light. They stood in the middle of the cozy apartment, speechless, with their mouths hanging open.
“When?” Mia asked.
“How?” Leona sputtered.
“Amazing!” Annie shrieked. “I can’t believe what you’ve done, Scarlet. You copied the photos exactly. What do you think, Leona?”
Leona set her coffee mug down and approached the gown as if it was a fragile piece of artwork about to disappear if she even blew on it. “I can’t believe this isn’t the original. Trisha needs a brain transplant to let you get away.”
Scarlet beamed from their reactions. “This was the hardest task I’ve ever tackled. And, really, the first big sewing project that wasn’t my own creation. It’s an elegant design, Leona. You should be proud of it.”
Annie noticed that Leona quickly wiped something from her cheek. A tear for the acknowledgement of her talent? Something stolen from her in her youth that was finally given back? Annie and Mia stood on either side of Leona with their arms around her waist. They stared at the gown.
Leona gently touched the elaborate embroidered flowers. “I can’t believe you did this all in one night.” Her voice was filled with admiration.
Scarlet shrugged. “The sewing machines have improved a million fold since Trisha made the original.”
Leona carefully took the gown off the hanger. “Try it on, Annie.”
With help from her mother, Annie let the silky fabric slide over her body. It fit like a glove. “Beautiful. Jason is one lucky guy,” Mia said.
“Except for the fact that Annie can’t even make a decent cup of coffee,” Leona added.
Annie managed to reach out and smack Leona’s arm. “Jason doesn’t mind one bit. Besides, I’m good at other things.”
Leona’s eyes had a bright glint. She wiggled her eyebrows. “I bet you are.”
“And you,” Annie pointed at Leona, “and you,” she pointed at her mother, “are not tagging along on our honeymoon.”
With her hands on her hips, Leona teased, “But the deal was that you had to wear my gown. Technically, this isn’t mine. A copy, even one as perfect as this one, doesn’t count.”
“Mom, you need to control your sister,” Annie whined. “This is crazy talk and you both know it.”
Mia put her hands up. “Stop your bickering. We have a wedding today and this gown still needs to be hemmed. I’m going back to the house to make some breakfast for everyone, and you,” she crooked her finger at Leona, “are coming with me. Scarlet and Annie need some peace and quiet to focus on the only thing that’s important today.”
“Thanks, Mom. There is one potential problem, though.”
All eyes focused on Annie.
“Scarlet is convinced that Trisha will show up at the wedding.”
“Didn’t Milly tell us to take them off the list?” Mia asked. She looked at Scarlet. “You think Trisha is planning something?”
Scarlet nodded. “She’s got something up her sleeve. She always does.”
“Well,” Mia said with a steely resolve in her voice, “she’s not the only one who knows how to play that game. Right Leona?”
Leona’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. She hooked her arm through Mia’s. “Let’s get on it. Breakfast and a strategy. Food will fuel the plan.”
Chapter 18
By the time Annie and Scarlet finished all the adjustments on Annie’s wedding gown and opened the door to Cobblestone Cottage, the air was filled with mouthwatering aromas. Their eyes were treated to a beautiful display of a savory breakfast feast—hash browns, omelets, and sausage with the sweet scent of cinnamon coffeecake filling the air.
Scarlet leaned close to Annie’s ear. “Do you always eat like this?”
Annie laughed and patted her stomach. “No way or I wouldn’t fit into that sleek wedding gown you spent all night slaving over.”
Jason lifted his head from
behind the newspaper. “What’s this I hear about slaving all night?”
Annie flicked the comment away. “Nothing for you to worry about. Just get prepared to be dazzled when you see the most beautiful girl in the world walking toward you later today.” She spun around and flung her head back.
“Oh. Who’s coming to the wedding that I haven’t heard about yet?” Jason asked with as straight a face as he could manage; the corners of his mouth had the slightest twitch to betray his teasing.
Annie faked a scowl. “You didn’t hear? The new Mrs. Hunter is arriving at precisely four fifteen. She needs to be fashionably late, don’t you think? Just to give everyone a bit of a worry.”
Jason dropped his paper and walked to Annie. “You, my dear, are the most beautiful,” he nibbled her neck, “and delicious girl in the world.”
“Ewwww,” Leona shouted. “Wait for some privacy, please!”
Jason stared at Leona. “You’re welcome to leave whenever you would like.” He picked Annie up and twirled her around. She screeched and hung on tighter. “That’s what I like.”
“Food’s ready. You can save all your moves for your honeymoon.” Leona took the cinnamon coffeecake out of the oven and set it on the counter next to the other delicious items. “Don’t expect me to cook for you like this every day. This day is special, so eat up. There’s a lot we need to get done today.”
“Huh?” Jason’s puzzled look traveled to each pair of eyes in the room. “Have you plotted something again?”
Leona pointed to the food and the table. “Get some food and you’ll hear all about it. Mia and I have been doing more than cooking your breakfast this morning.”
“Right. We’ve cooked up a good plan to take care of Trisha, once and for all,” Mia added.
Jason shook his head as he filled his plate. “I’m not sure I like where this is going. When you two put your heads together—”
Leona interrupted, “Stop right there, Mr. Jason Hunter. This is all for a good cause.” Leona had her hands on her hips. “I’m serious. This whole Steve Fitch murder and wedding gown theft has the potential to throw your wedding day down the drain if we don’t stop Trisha and her cohorts from whatever it is she has up her sleeve.”
Jason set his plate down and glared at Leona with his head tilted to one side. “Do you think you could be exaggerating a little, Leona?”
Annie pulled out the chair next to Jason. “Let’s enjoy this delicious food and then hear what Leona and Mia have cooked up. No pun intended,” she added, trying to lighten the tense cloud that settled in the room. “We have to be prepared for a problem whether it happens or not. Right?”
Jason mumbled something Annie couldn’t hear before adding, “Maybe I’ve been too busy and haven’t paid enough attention to all the details.” He squeezed Annie’s thigh. “Of course we should be prepared. With one person murdered, who knows what the murderer could be planning next.”
Annie saw Leona’s shoulders relax and the sparkle come back into her eyes. Fight between Jason and Leona averted, she told herself. Thank goodness. Those two needed to be on the same page and not at loggerheads. Especially today.
Mia filled everyone’s coffee mugs and finally sat down in front of her loaded plate. She raised her mug. “To the almost newlyweds. Today will go without a hitch. Well, except for the good kind of hitch.” She winked at her daughter.
Scarlet tapped the edge of her plate with her fork until Jason leaned over and kissed Annie. “Thought you two might need a little warm up,” Scarlet said as she smiled warmly. “Thank you for including me in your preparations. I feel honored.”
Easy conversation flowed, silverware clattered, and forks scraped up every last tasty morsel. Annie sighed and leaned back in her chair. “That was exactly what I needed. Now I’m ready to tackle the rest of the day.”
“Good,” Leona said as she set her fork down. “We need to get the details set in place so this day goes without any unintended problems.”
Mia gathered all the plates and busied herself rinsing them and loading the dishwasher. Scarlet excused herself to finish the last minute hand sewing on Annie’s wedding gown. Jason and Annie settled on the couch and Leona sat opposite.
“Okay,” Leona began, “this is what we think. Trisha has the wedding gown and must be feeling pretty full of herself at the moment. But,” Leona held her index finger up, “she’ll also be dying of curiosity as to what Annie will do about it. What she’ll wear as a backup.”
Mia turned on the dishwasher and joined the others. “Someone needs to leak what Annie will be wearing.”
“Why not just let Trisha wait and see for herself? Wouldn’t that be the biggest surprise? No advance warning?” Annie asked.
Leona laid out the scenario. “We did think of that, but if she’s aware of another gown, she might try to get a sneak peek at it and we can set a trap for her. And the other problem is that there’s no guarantee she’ll show at the wedding.”
Annie nodded and looked at Jason. “What do you think?”
Without any hesitation, he said confidently, “Leak the information. It will be easier to lead her into a trap than hope and wait for her to react. But how does this tie in with Steve Fitch’s murder?”
Leona smiled. “According to Milly, Steve was planning to start some sort of separate design business. And Scarlet thinks he wanted her designs and Leona’s original wedding gown for himself. Camilla saw boxes packed with Trish Designs dresses that were being shipped to his new business. We think that Trisha only just found out.”
“And she killed him? Have you run this by Tyler?” Jason asked.
Annie snorted. “You saw how he reacted when I told him my gown was stolen. I doubt he’s going to put any weight on the theory that Steve Fitch was murdered over a wedding gown, and we can’t prove that Steve was stealing Trisha’s dresses for his own purpose. At least not yet.”
“I suppose you’re right about Tyler. He’s letting his emotions over our wedding cloud his judgement. Maybe in some warped way he thinks if you don’t have a wedding gown you won’t get married.”
“Well, he’s in for one great big disappointment, isn’t he?” Annie said with more attitude than she meant. “It’s definitely high time he moves beyond our past.”
“So, back to the leak,” Leona said, tapping her nails on the table to get everyone’s attention.
“Right. Don’t you have a hair appointment later this morning, Annie?” Mia asked.
“Uh huh.” She nodded.
Mia grinned. “What a coincidence.” She grinned. “Leona and I do, too, so we’ll go with you. Won’t those ladies at Curl Up and Dye be thrilled to get an earful about your wedding?”
Leona high-fived Mia. “We’re a great team. I think that deserves another toast.”
They all raised their coffee mugs and Leona said, “To great minds.” They clinked and finished the coffee. “Let’s get to work so the next toast will be with something other than this boring lukewarm coffee.”
Jason left to help deliver flower arrangements to the Heron Inn and to make sure there weren’t any last minute glitches. Annie took Roxy out for a quick walk before she ran up the apartment stairs to check on Scarlet.
She found Scarlet sitting on the couch, her feet resting on the windowsill and Smokey curled up in her lap. “I could get lost in this view,” she said without turning her head. “I know you said this is your apartment, but after the wedding, well, you won’t need it anymore, right? Is anyone going to be moving in?”
Annie sat next to Scarlet. “This is perfection. I haven’t even thought about it. Why? Are you interested?”
“Heck yeah,” Scarlet announced, dropping her feet to the floor and twisting to look at Annie. “That’s a dumb question.”
“You’d have a roommate.”
“Oh.” The disappointment was obvious in Scarlet’s voice.
“Smokey.” Annie picked up her cat and cuddled him against her cheek.
“I can handle this gu
y.” She stroked his soft fur. “I’ll have to thank Trisha for all the problems she caused me.”
Annie wrinkled her brows and looked at Scarlet. “Thank her for what?”
“You know, if she didn’t try to steal my designs, and if I didn’t quit my job, I wouldn’t have bumped into you, and I wouldn’t be sitting here looking at this gorgeous view. I need to thank her for that.”
Annie laughed. “Speaking of Trisha, we have a game plan.” She filled Scarlet in on the details.
“What a coincidence. I was just on my way to get a trim.” Scarlet’s lips twitched as she tried to keep a serious look on her face. “I guess we’ll all have a bit of a pre-wedding party together. Sounds like a lot of fun.”
“For everyone but Trisha Fitch,” Annie said with one brow arched to match her lopsided grin.
Chapter 19
The four women—Annie, Leona, Mia, and Scarlet—drove to Curl Up and Dye with Mia at the wheel. She was focused like a laser on what needed to get accomplished in addition to hair makeovers.
Annie twisted around in the front seat to hear Leona and Scarlet’s chatter. They giggled and teased Annie like silly teenagers.
“Scarlet,” Mia said loudly, ending the laughter, “are you with us completely?”
Scarlet rested her hands on the back of the front seat and leaned as far forward as possible. “Of course I am.” She looked at Annie from the corner of her eyes before asking Mia, “Why?”
Mia ignored the question and drummed her thumbs on the steering wheel. “What would be the best way to get information to Trisha? Through Thorne? Could you make him think you have discovered some secret tidbit about Annie’s wedding gown that he’ll pass on to Trisha that will fuel their curiosity?”
“I’m not sure about that. I didn’t leave Dazzle Design with much of a relationship with anyone.” She flopped back against the seat. “Harold would be the best avenue, I think. He’s so outgoing he’ll listen to anyone, especially when the topic is his special little princess.” Scarlet grimaced. “How old does someone have to be before they aren’t someone’s little princess anymore?”
