Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore

by Rose Pressey

  “I just did what I thought I had to do,” I said.

  Dylan waved and then walked out the door.

  “I’m glad you didn’t say no,” Charlotte said.

  “I was worried what you’d do to me.”

  She laughed. “Wise thinking.”

  “How did you do that?” I pointed at Sam’s head.

  “I just needed it to be in the possession of someone I care about.”

  I smiled. “That is so sweet. I’m glad you got it back.”

  “He looks handsome, doesn’t he?” Charlotte said.

  “Yes, he does.” I winked.

  Sam and Charlotte went back to the settee to talk.

  When I looked up, I spotted Heather coming my way. “I just passed Dylan on the street. He sure looks happy. What is that all about?”

  “We have a date for dinner tonight.” I tried to hide my smile.

  She smiled. “Good, I’m happy for you. What about Ken Harrison?”

  “I guess we’ll see what happens.” I pointed at the hat. “Sam got his hat back.”

  She looked around the room. “Is he still here?”

  “Yes, he’s sitting there with Charlotte. They’re talking.”

  “Is he staying?” she whispered.

  “I’m not sure. He hasn’t said. I guess I’ll have to ask him. I don’t think he’ll want to leave Charlotte.”

  “Maybe she’ll go too,” Heather said.

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

  I didn’t want to think about how sad that would make me.

  “I have some interesting news to share with you,” she said.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? What is it? I hope it’s good news.”

  Based on her expression, I wasn’t quite sure.

  “I was in Savannah buying some supplies this morning and I ran into another psychic who does readings. Her name is Fatima.”

  I stared at her. “And?”

  “I told her about your situation.” She looked over at the settee where Sam and Charlotte still sat talking. For once they weren’t paying attention to what we were saying.

  “What did she say?” I asked.

  “I told her about the cat and Fatima thought she knew her.”

  My eyes widened. “Wind Song? But the psychic is in Savannah and Wind Song is here. How could she know the cat?”

  “Fatima told me the cat was at her shop before,” Heather continued.

  “Does the cat belong to her?” I asked.

  My stomach sank at the thought of losing Wind Song.

  “No, she said the cat wasn’t hers.” The tone of Heather’s voice highlighted her increased trepidation.

  I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. I mean, if the owner came along I would want them to get their cat back, but I don’t want to lose her either.”

  “I understand,” Heather said. “Apparently the cat came around at her shop for a few days. It was there when she did a séance and after that the cat disappeared. She wondered what happened to it.”

  “How do we know it’s the same cat?”

  “I just think it would be a huge coincidence that the cat was at another shop and then found this one.”

  “But she didn’t come to your place, she came to mine,” I said.

  “That’s pretty close,” Heather said.

  “Yes, that’s true. Maybe I should find out more about the séance.”

  Heather adjusted the strap of her big burlap tote bag. “I think you should. Fatima thinks a spirit may have entered the cat.”

  My stomach flipped. When I glanced over at Wind Song she opened one eye and looked at me before closing it again.

  “Will you go with me to see the woman?”

  “Of course,” Heather said.

  It looked as if I was going on another trip to Savannah.

  A Haunted Vintage Fashion Tip

  An Excerpt from Cookie’s Blog

  Vintage Items That Every Woman

  Should Add to Her Wardrobe

  Some classic garments and accessories never go out of style. Adding these quality and stunning gems to your outfit selections will put dazzle and fun into your day.

  1. A blazer. Whether it’s Chanel, Ralph Lauren, or any other designer, this is one piece of clothing that will get lots of use. It looks great with anything, like jeans, skirts, or over a dress. Stick with basic colors like black, navy blue, or brown.

  2. The little black dress. There have been so many fabulous designs of the classic little black dress over the years that you will have no shortage of options in adding this vintage piece to your collection. When in doubt, go for the little black dress.

  3. A basic white blouse. This will go with everything. You can choose many styles depending on your taste, whether it’s a delicate 1950s style with Peter Pan collar or 1970s with long sleeves and a wide collar.

  4. Vintage scarfs are a great way to add pop to your wardrobe. Plus, it’s not a huge investment and a great way to start your vintage collection with minimum money spent.

  5. Jewelry is another great accessory and a fun way to add vintage to your wardrobe. A fun necklace or bracelet is always a good place to start. Brooches and bracelets are some of my favorite costume jewelry. Chunky plastic bangles and beaded brooches are just a couple of styles to look for.

  6. The classic trench coat never goes out of style. It can be worn with everything from suits to casual. The trench coat will look good with a dress or a pair of jeans and a sweater. Why not splurge on a designer vintage coat? Plus, there are different styles of the coat to pick from. Some coats hit just below the knee and some are all the way to the ankle. Pick the style that you like the best.

  7. Vintage designer handbags will never go out of style. Classic styles from Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, etc. are always a safe choice. The handbags can be carried for everyday use or a night out on the town with your honey.

  8. A simple black skirt is another sound investment. Whether you choose a pencil skirt, full skirt, or a style in between, you can’t go wrong.

  9. Cardigan sweater. I love a cardigan. It’s so versatile and can be dressed up or down. This never goes out of style. You can pick a plain cardigan or find one with embellished buttons and lace trim, among other details.

  10. A great pair of trousers can also be dressed up or down. They can be worn to work and then a simple change of top can take them into the night.

  How to Help a Psychic Cat

  Now that you’ve come to terms with the fact that your cat is psychic, there are ways you can help your fluffy friend better use those supernatural powers.

  1. As a cat lover, you know your beloved feline won’t use her psychic skills until she’s ready, so don’t pressure her to use her talent. Trust me, I asked, and Wind Song ignored my requests.

  2. Purchase the cat’s favorite tarot cards. She’ll be more likely to want to use them if she enjoys looking at them or the size is right. Give her several options to pick from. It helps if you have a friend who owns an occult shop.

  3. Make the tarot cards and Ouija board available to her when she’s ready. If she has to wait too long, she’ll probably lose interest.

  4. As with non-psychic cats, make sure she has her favorite cat food and treats. She’ll probably tell you how unhappy she is with you if you don’t.

  5. Don’t ignore the cat’s warnings. If she thinks you’re not listening, she may stop using her psychic powers.

  6. Knowing what questions you’d like to ask your cat ahead of time helps. If you take too long while she’s in front of the Ouija board, she will get impatient and go back to her favorite spot in the sunshine.

  So, in summary, do whatever the cat wants and provide her favorite cat food and treats. Sunshine by her favorite window and catnip don’t hurt either.

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to FinePrint Literary and my agent Laura Wood. Also thanks to my wonderful editor Michaela Hamilton. Thank you to my husband for the constant encouragement and his experti
se with preparing microwave dinners when I have a deadline. Without the love of my son, parents, and family nothing would be possible—thank you!

  Don’t miss the next delightful

  Haunted Vintage Mystery

  by Rose Pressey

  Haunted Is Always in Fashion

  Coming from Kensington in 2016!

  Keep reading to enjoy a preview excerpt . . .

  Chapter 1

  A police car zoomed by me with its sirens blaring and lights swirling. Not ten seconds later, another police car sped by my red 1948 Buick Convertible. Cotton-ball clouds drifted like sailboats across the blue sky. The sun popped in and out from behind the clouds, warming up the morning, but the air had shifted. Fall had arrived in Sugar Creek, Georgia. Not that it would bring a big change. Nonetheless, I loved this time of year.

  I had left my house bright and early so that I wouldn’t be late for my meeting with Juliana McDaniel. The author had contacted me last week for an interview. She was writing a book about vintage fashion and apparently she wanted my expertise. Of course I was flattered that she’d asked. My name is Cookie Chanel and I’m a vintage clothing connoisseur.

  Since Juliana had never been to Sugar Creek, I decided to meet her at the edge of town at a little café called Sweet Southern Charm. The food was decent, but nothing compared to my friend Dixie Bryant’s place Glorious Grits. I hoped Dixie didn’t find out about my trip or she’d think I was cheating on her diner.

  This morning I’d decided to wear a pair of 1950s classic white, yellow, and gray checkered plaid knee-length shorts and a white short-sleeved Oscar de la Renta sweater. I finished my outfit with a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo navy blue flats. I’d found the sweater at a yard sale for the out-of-this-world price of one dollar. That steal had put me on cloud nine for the rest of the day.

  The ghost sitting beside me in the passenger seat of my car had decided to wear Louis Vuitton black slacks and a pale yellow silk Carolina Herrera blouse for our meeting. Yes, I said ghost. Although she wasn’t into vintage clothing as much as me, she still had impeccable taste.

  Charlotte Meadows, the late socialite and businesswoman from Sugar Creek, was now one of my best friends. She was opinionated and stubborn, but she could be a real doll sometimes too. My best friend Heather Sweet didn’t share my opinion of Charlotte. They fought like cats and dogs most of the time. Heather owned the occult shop next door to my boutique. Heather was a non-psychic psychic. But more about that later.

  “What do you think is happening?” Charlotte leaned forward in the seat for a better view down the road.

  I glanced in the rear-view mirror and noticed more emergency vehicles. “Whatever it is, it must be serious. I hope everyone is okay.”

  A little farther down the road and I spotted that it was blocked off. No traffic was being allowed through. Police cars had surrounded a black vehicle stopped at the traffic sign. An ambulance whizzed past.

  “Oh, maybe it’s a fugitive on the run,” Charlotte said with a little too much excitement.

  “I certainly hope not.”

  “Isn’t that the detective’s car?” Charlotte pointed.

  Detective Dylan Valentine stood at the side of the road, talking with another officer. He’d recently come to the Sugar Creek Police Department from Atlanta. That was something that we had in common, since I’d lived there for a number of years before deciding to come home and open up the boutique.

  Charlotte described Dylan as the cat’s meow. She was pretty accurate about that. Dylan’s six foot stature had the perfect muscle proportion. His clothing always fit like he’d stepped off the page of a magazine. Dylan wore his thick dark hair short and cropped. He wore a white shirt that was rolled up to his elbows and tan trousers.

  Charlotte tapped on the car’s dashboard to grab my attention. The breeze caused by her motion made the fuzzy dice dangling from my rear-view mirror swing from side to side. “You should pull over and see what happened.”

  Did I mention that Charlotte was persistent and kind of bossy?

  Not because she told me to, but because I was a little curious, I decided to check it out. “I suppose I can’t get past anyway. Juliana will wonder what happened to me.”

  “She’ll learn that you’re always late anyway.”

  “I am not always late. Just a little rushed, that’s all.” I steered the car to the side of the road and shoved it into park.

  A few cars had lined up on the road, waiting to get through the intersection. I climbed out from behind the wheel and crossed the street. Dylan spotted me just as I made it to the other side. He frowned and immediately headed my way.

  “Cookie, what are you doing here?” Concern filled Dylan’s voice.

  “I was supposed to meet someone at the diner down the road.” I glanced at my watch. “Looks like I need to call her and let her know I’ll be late. Was there an accident?”

  “We’re not sure what happened yet.” His answer was cryptic.

  “I hope it’s not serious.” I craned my neck for a closer look at the black car. “Why are they covering the car with that . . .”

  Before I finished the sentence I realized what was going on. The person in the car was dead. When I looked at Dylan, he gave me a look of understanding.

  “The person’s a goner, can’t you tell,” Charlotte said with a cluck of her tongue.

  Leave it to Charlotte to get right to the point.

  “Do you know who it is?” I asked.

  Dylan ran his hand through his thick hair. “Not yet . . . a young female.”

  “That’s tragic,” I said, almost under my breath.

  We stared in silence at the scene for a moment. Law enforcement and other emergency workers moved around the scene like a colony of ants. A few other people looked on in curiosity like us. An officer waved at Dylan, grabbing our attention.

  Dylan’s blue eyes held a magnetism that I couldn’t quite put into words. “I’ll be back in a minute, wait for me, okay?”

  I wrapped my arms in front of my waist. “Sure. I’ll be here.”

  Where else was I going anyway?

  “He’s so handsome and sweet. You really got a good one with him,” Charlotte said dreamily.

  “I don’t know that I have him.” I looked down at my shoes so it wouldn’t look as if I was talking to myself. “We’ll see where things go.”

  Dylan and I had gone out a few times and I enjoyed his company. My grandmother Pearl always told me to be cautious though, never give my heart away too soon. She’d been full of great advice, like never leave home without your red lipstick, pearls, and mascara. Granny Pearl was a Southern woman who never left home without a full face of makeup, white gloves, and hat.

  Granny Pearl had been the one who gave me my nickname Cookie. My real name is Cassandra Chanel. Not only did Granny Pearl and I look alike with the same brown hair and eyes, but just like me, fashion was her passion. Her favorite designer was Coco Chanel. So with my love of cookies, the name Cookie seemed like a perfect fit with the last name Chanel. Now everyone called me Cookie.

  “She’s right, you know. The man is handsome. Are you dating?” the woman asked, breaking my thoughts.

  I looked to my left to see a young blond woman standing next to me in the spot where Dylan had just been. I hadn’t seen her approach. Upon further inspection, I noticed she was wearing a cute 1960s white vintage skirt with a little pink floral pattern. If my memory was correct, the designer was Pauline Trigere. Her top was a pretty pale pink, and although not vintage, it matched perfectly with the skirt. There was something strange about this woman though, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. She caught me staring at the skirt, so I had to say something.

  “Your skirt, it’s vintage.” I pointed.

  She reached down and touched the fabric. “Yes, I love vintage.”

  “Me too. What a coincidence. I own a vintage clothing store. It’s Vintage Y’all in Sugar Creek.” I motioned toward downtown Sugar Creek.

 
The blonde didn’t look at me. Instead she was fixated on the scene of the accident, studying every move everyone made.

  “I was supposed to meet you,” she said in a soft voice.

  “Oh, you’re Juliana. I’m glad that you made it past the traffic.” I stuck out my hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  That explained why she was wearing vintage.

  “I’m not sure what happened to me. It happened so fast.” She still didn’t take her eyes off the accident.

  I quirked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  “That’s my car.” She pointed at the black Toyota surrounded by police.

  A small gasp slipped from my lips. Oh no, not again.

  Chapter 2

  Charlotte sat in the front seat of my car because she refused to give up her seniority. She always called shotgun. Juliana was too shocked about the fact that she was dead to even care if she sat in the backseat. Charlotte had been in ghost form longer, and had come to grips with it. Juliana had not. Like everything Charlotte had done while living, she mastered the whole haunting thing. She knew all the details of navigating the spirit world. Charlotte would be able to show Juliana the ins and outs.

  Dylan had said he’d be in touch since he would be on the scene for a while longer. He had no idea I had the victim in the car with me. Obviously, my meeting plans had changed, so I’d decided to go back to my boutique. I was headed to downtown Sugar Creek with one more ghost than I’d left with.

  I peeked in the rearview mirror at Juliana. She stared straight ahead in shock. I was at a loss for words. Even though I was growing accustomed to being around ghosts by now, it was still awkward finding just the right words to say. If someone had told me six months ago that I would be communicating with the dead, I would’ve never believed it. Just walking past the cemetery had creeped me out. Now I was driving around with two ghosts as passengers in my car. It was like I was the shuttle service for the afterlife. Next stop, eternity.