Murder by Design Trilogy

by Mary Jane Forbes

  Gilly stooped to pick up a tiny conch shell. Caressing it with her finger she thought about the little person growing inside of her. With her friend next to her, she felt a stirring of warmth for the first time since she had confirmed she was pregnant. Without looking up she announced, “Maria, I’m going to have a baby.”

  Maria stopped walking, closed her eyes. She knew Gilly was holding something back but having a baby was not what she expected. Opening her eyes wide, she reached for Gilly’s arm. “Gilly, are you kidding me?”

  “It’s true.” How wonderful it felt to be with her best friend. They had been through a lot together since that fateful day they met sitting side-by-side in the Fashion Academy auditorium—their first day of school. Looking into Maria’s big brown eyes shining back at her—how much she loved her.

  “Well, where is this man? Is it the Frenchman you mentioned on the phone?”

  Confused for a moment—snapping back to reality, Gilly looked to the sky, the clouds scuttling across the sound. “Yes. But … he’s dead.”

  “Dead?” The air suddenly sucked out of her hearing the fatal word, Maria’s demeanor instantly changed from gaiety to dread.

  “Yes. He worked for the government. He was killed. No family.”

  “That’s awful. How can you be so composed?”

  “I’ve accepted it. He never knew about the baby. He died shortly after I conceived. I haven’t seen a doctor yet, but I figure it will be born sometime in late March … early April.”

  “Oh, my God. What are you going to do?” Maria could only imagine what Gilly must be going through. But she was looking at a woman who was calm, almost serene. One whose world you would never guess was in turmoil.

  “Do? I’m going to move forward. Build a life for us.”

  “Does Skip know?” Maria whispered. Heads down, the girls continued to walk along the beach like robots, much slower now caught in their own thoughts about the situation, pulling them closer, leaning on each other, giving, receiving support.

  Gilly was startled by the question.

  “Skip? Heavens, no. And if for some reason you see him, please don’t say anything. It will be obvious soon. I told my family yesterday, and I certainly understand you’ll share my condition with Hawk. As for anyone else, well, I’ll deal with the questions as they come up. Skip? Maria, there’s no room in my life for a man. Not now. Never again.”

  “Oh, Gilly, don’t say that. Skip cares for you. The last time I saw him he looked terrible. I guess he stopped to see you but you were out of the city.”

  Gilly’s chest tightened. She couldn’t think about those days in Milan. No. Stop! Say something. Anything.

  “Maria, I called a realtor this morning about an apartment in downtown Seattle. Checking on rents. It’s much too expensive right now.”

  Maria gaped at her friend. “You didn’t just change the subject, you turned it upside down, and now you’re telling me you called a realtor. Whatever for?”

  “Why?” She squeezed Maria’s hand, turned to her with a grin, her green eyes regaining some of their sparkle. “To start my business, silly. I plan to launch my label with a five-piece collection—The Career Woman, Fashions by Gillianne Wilder. Will you help me? Not in Seattle. Not yet anyway. Here in the guesthouse … then Seattle after the baby is born.”

  Maria’s breath escaped her lips. “Whew, tell me more.” She spotted two logs, the tips touching at the top spreading out at the base. “Let’s sit over there. You’ve rendered my legs to putty.”

  They sat on the logs facing each other, Gilly’s excitement erupting as she spoke non-stop of her thoughts, schemes and dreams. It felt so good to jump on the merry-go-round, reach for the brass ring, conquering the world with Maria beside her.

  “First off—money. I have fifteen thousand left after winning the competition. I didn’t dip into that little nest egg while in Paris. In fact I added to it with modeling jobs. Which means I still don’t have near enough money to set up a studio in Seattle, not yet anyway. Plus, I’ll pay you as I ramp up.”

  Maria shook her head. “You don’t—

  “Of course, I’ll pay you, not much to start—let’s think of a couple of days a week for the first month, then we re-evaluate. Anyway, that means we start the design studio in the guesthouse. Mom and dad are back home in Port Gamble. He landed a construction project which gives you and me the second bedroom in the main house. What have you been doing while I was away—commuting from Seattle to the reservation?”

  “Yes, I was contemplating renting a room on the reservation, but I felt it would be too close to Hawk and the casino. Might complicate things more than help. I didn’t want to upset the tribal elders. So far Hawk’s people have accepted me. I called your grandfather a few times—slept in the bunk beds.”

  “Oh, the bunks. They’ll have to go back in storage so we have more room. Enough on the logistics, let’s get to the good stuff. Honestly, Maria, once I landed at Sea-Tac Airport it was if working in Paris was a million years ago. Almost.” Gilly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, as she slid her hand over her tummy.

  “Anytime you want to talk about the baby, I’ll be here for you,” Maria said, leaning forward, laying her hand on Gilly’s.

  “I know you will.” Gilly slipped off her shoes digging her heels into a spot of sand. “The adrenalin’s really been pumping the last twenty-four hours. Being home, seeing you and my family, and now talking about starting a business … it’s thrilling. Scary, but thrilling.

  “I’ve done some research on how other designers began their businesses. Most started with a concept and a few looks telling the story of that concept. The Working Girl shop in Seattle started me down the path of my concept. I didn’t realize it at the time what a major impact it made on me. I’ll change the words around to The Career Woman. What do you think?”

  “Keep talking.” Maria grinned back.

  “Five looks have been swirling in my head—I’ll get them on paper and then draw them on my electronic tablet. I learned some tricks from the design staff at one of the fashion houses about using the tablets. It’s fabulous the way I can make changes with a stylus, save the file, print the file, whatever.”

  “Don’t forget the copyright notice Hawk gave you.”

  “Oh, you bet I won’t forget that critical piece of information … from my lawyer.” The girl’s giggled remembering how serious Hawk was about Gilly protecting her designs.

  “Any little packages from Edward Churchill?”

  “Once. In Paris. Another box with a steel spike through a red heart. It had a Seattle postmark.” Gilly looked out at a pleasure boat plowing through the water. “So … I’ll have five looks. Start simple and targeted. All suits. The Suit-Dress—a jacket and dress ensemble. A pant, and then a jacket and skirt. Combinations of these will make up two more looks—mix and match with tops, scarves. Given the timing, this first collection of five looks will be for fall—a year from now—but ready for the shows this spring when buyers make their selections for their fall offerings to the public.” Gilly drew the number three in the sand, plus sign, and the number two equaling the number five.

  “The Gillianne Wilder label will be synonymous with fine tailoring, quality workmanship with quality fabrics. The woman who buys our clothes will know immediately by the fit that they are experiencing perfection in style and cut. Quality. Quality. Quality. When she looks in her closet, she will naturally gravitate to our clothes because they feel good, sophisticated, sharp, powerful, but always feminine—their go-to look.”

  “You give me goose bumps. When do I start?”

  “You just did. As soon as I have the looks saved in my tablet, you and I will drape muslin on the mannequins, then create patterns, then sew samples. At the same time, we have to make calls and interview potential cutting and sewing factories for our first orders. We’ll show these initial samples to a Nordstrom’s buyer, and I know The Working Girl shop, Stacy Sinclair, will probably put a set on display say in four or
five weeks. It’s the beginning of winter so jackets will be on the minds of our career women. Accept orders if they come.”

  “My God, Gilly, this could happen fast. You’re going to have to factor in a few weeks for the birth of your baby, and I’ll need a couple of weeks to get married.”

  “You think?” Gilly laughed.

  They leaned back, feet outstretched. Still sitting on the log, Gilly looked down. “Maria, look. I’m starting to get a baby bump.” Their eyes riveted on Gilly’s tummy and then, wide-eyed, looked at each other.

  “All I can say is, we’d better get started,” Maria said.

  Laughing, and not able to sit still, they began walking back to the rickety stairs and the little guesthouse studio.

  Chapter 24

  ───

  Port Gamble

  HELEN CHURCHILL, SEVENTY-FOUR years young, trim, spine straight as an arrow, settled herself on the little chair in the Port Gamble Tea Room. She was excited about showing Anne Wilder the pictures from last April’s wedding of her friend’s granddaughter in New York City. Gilly had designed and created the dress Helen wore to the event. The wedding was nice, a bit stuffy Helen thought, but she had made quite a stir in her beaded gown.

  “Hello, Helen. Spot of tea?” Anne asked holding a china teapot with painted pink roses. “Today’s special—strawberry with a touch of lemon.”

  “Of course, and when you get a minute I have something to show you.”

  “Now is good. What do you have there?” Anne poured the hot tea into a china cup and set it down in front of her favorite customer.

  Helen opened a cream colored, leather-bound book to the page marked with a blue ribbon. “Here. What do you think of this picture?”

  Anne slid into the chair beside Helen as the fashionable silver-gray haired lady, her eyes twinkling, turned the book in front of her.

  “Oh, Helen, you look so pretty and the gown …” Anne looked up at Helen’s beaming face. “The gown is elegant.”

  The little brass bell hanging from atop the front door jingled as Gilly swept into the cozy tearoom, a smile spreading from ear to ear. Seeing her mother with Helen Churchill, she scooted to the table and slid into the third chair after giving Helen a warm hug of hello.

  “You’re just in time, honey,” Anne said. “Look at this. Helen brought over pictures of the wedding, what? Over a year ago?”

  “Yes, I pestered my friend often enough that she finally sent a complete wedding photo album to me. Or, make that loaned it to me.”

  Helen turned the book again so Gilly could see.

  “It’s a wonderful picture and, Helen, you look beautiful.”

  “My gown looks beautiful, my dear.”

  Anne looked quickly to Gilly. “Was everything okay at the doctor’s?”

  Concern drew across Helen’s face. “Gilly, I hope you’re not ill?”

  “No, no, Helen. I’m going to have a baby.” Gilly’s face quickly turned pensive. She was sure Helen was going to ask her about the father. Why did she have to say anything … she should have waited until she was alone with her mother. But she was so relieved after seeing the doctor that the words just spilled out of her mouth.

  Helen glanced at Gilly’s hand. “Dear, you’re not wearing a ring. You just returned from Paris. Whatever happened to you?”

  Gilly quickly told her story and that the father of her baby had been killed. She added that she was beginning to come to grips with his death, but stopped before trying to conjure up a tear. She had no tears for Maxime and certainly wasn’t going to pretend now.

  “Oh my. How tragic. So, you’ve come home to live with your family. That’s wonderful. Nothing like the support of your mother. Anne, such a horrible story, but you’re going to have a grandchild, a baby in the family. That’s nice. And, Gilly, when is the little one due to arrive?”

  “The doctor thinks the last week in March or first of April. And, Mom, he said I’m on track to have a healthy baby and at my next visit he might be able to determine the sex.”

  Anne reached over and gave her daughter a hug. “I’m glad everything’s okay,” she said with a little sigh of relief.

  “My, my, how exciting,” Helen giggled. “So you must be, what, two months along?”

  “Almost three. Nothing fits right … getting a little tight.”

  “Living at home I’m sure the little one will thrive, but I’m sorry to hear you’re giving up designing.”

  “Oh, Helen, I’ll never give up designing. In fact, I’m working on a five-piece collection. Hope to introduce the samples in a couple of months for buyers to consider in their lineup next fall.”

  ───

  HELEN WAS CONCERNED WHEN she heard of Gillianne’s plans. Thought they were a bit ambitious, but if anyone could pull it off, Gillianne Wilder could. Settling in her favorite lounger, her husband served their afternoon glass of wine. She told him about her conversation with the Wilder’s and added the thought that she wished their grandson Edward had the ambition and drive that Gilly had.

  The phone rang. Her husband answered, listened for a minute, and then handed it to her.

  “Speak of the devil, it’s Edward,” he said frowning.

  “Hello, Edward, we were just talking about you.”

  “Something nice I hope, Grandmother.”

  “You remember Gillianne Wilder … oh dear, of course you do. You had that run in with her and her grandfather. Well she’s going to have a baby. I’m not sure I totally understand her story. She returned from Paris without the father. Said he was killed. Sad story really, but she’s going ahead with her plans to sometime or other sell her own designs. No thought of putting the baby up for adoption.”

  Chapter 25

  ───

  THE STARS, MOON, AND sun were in perfect alignment. Gilly felt wonderful. The fields, trees, and farmhouses, beautiful and bright, whizzed by the car windows on the short drive from Port Gamble to Gramp’s house. She had pulled off the road twice jotting down notes, adding to her to-do list, drawing lines to reposition the order of the list: see Maria; call Nicole and Sheridan with the good news that she had seen the doctor and she and the baby are fine; ask Nicole to check on three light-weight wools she had seen at a textile factory in Paris.

  Gilly dug out her phone and called Maria to see if she could spare thirty minutes if Gilly met her at the spa. Maria said she’d see her in the casino’s Longhorn café—call when she arrived. Adding a few more items to her list, Gilly put the car in drive, turned away from Hansville and sped down the road leading to Bainbridge.

  Pulling into the parking garage she found a spot close to the elevator, stuffed her notes into her tote, and hustled to the Longhorn Restaurant. “Maria, I’m here. Table to your right.”

  “Great. I’m on way down.”

  The girls were hunched over a table in the corner when Hawk walked over to them, kissed his fiancé and planted a quick peck on Gilly’s cheek. “Looks like you two are hatching something big I’ll leave you alone. Just wanted to say, hi.” Hawk left—chitchat was not on their list. They glanced up with a quick smile and then back to their notes.

  “I’m running into Seattle,” Gilly said, her pen poised over the yellow notepad. “I think I can just catch the two o’clock ferry. I have to pick up a bolt of muslin so we can start the initial samples. Maria, what do you think about a website?”

  “We’re on the same wave length. I just finished Hawk’s. It’s not up yet … waiting to see what his timing is for opening an office in Seattle. I can do the same for you. As soon as we finish sewing a couple of pieces I’ll put together your marketing tool—a lookbook with photographs of your collection to show potential buyers when you meet with them. We really need to hire a professional photographer. I’ll check who the casino hired for their website, postcards, etcetera—their marketing pieces. Did you call your friend in Paris about the wool?” Maria asked

  “Not yet. I’ll call her from the ferry on my way back from the fabric
warehouse. As I mentioned, the fabrics must be a very good quality—some stretch for our career gals, but not outrageously expensive.”

  Maria added a note to her list, looked up shaking her pen between her fingers releasing pent-up energy. “I made a list of some of the words you used when we talked on the beach. I want to incorporate them into the descriptions of the looks. And, I definitely want to feature the jackets. Who knows they may become your signature item—fabulous linings that tease the eye and surprise colleagues when our gal casually sheds the jacket to a chair revealing the gorgeous lining.”

  “Maria, what does Hawk think about all this … and my baby?”

  “Sad. Surprised. Delighted. Sees a new client when you form your corporation?” Maria laughed. “I think in sound bites now.”

  “Love it. I’d better get going or I’ll miss the ferry.” Gilly started to leave, stopped and finished the last drop of milk in her glass. “Do you think you could call the Design Academy to get some leads on cutting and sewing factories in Seattle?” Gilly asked smiling.

  “What are you smiling about?” Maria asked.

  “Just thinking about our instructor, old Miss Crotchet. I wonder what she’d say if she knew that we teamed up, and what we are planning.”

  “When we make our first sale, or debut in the newspaper, I’ll send her a signed clipping.”

  “Be sure to add COO after your name,” Gilly said.

  “COO?”

  “Chief Operating Officer.”

  “Wow. You mean it?” Maria asked.

  “You bet. A high-paid COO.”

  “How about just a paid COO.”

  The girls giggled clasping hands around each other and then Gilly dashed off to catch the ferry leaving Maria adding to her to-do list: cutting and sewing factories.

  Chapter 26

  ───

  Hansville

  CALLS BOUNCED BETWEEN GILLY’S and Maria’s cell phones. Items crossed off one to-do list landed on another. New items added to both. Tasks accomplished were removed altogether with a trail of notes detailing what was done, how, and when.