Pleating for Mercy

by Melissa Bourbon

  I giggled. I hadn’t combined “might” and “could” in a sentence since before I’d lived in New York, but it felt good, like coming home. Like skinny-dipping in the lake. Or standing on top of a water tower, arms spread wide, yelling, “Yeehaw!”

  Madelyn grinned. “What’s so funny?”

  I gave a final gleeful hoot. “I was just thinking that it’s good to be home.”

  Her smile waned. “I bet.”

  “Do you miss the UK?”

  “Sometimes,” she said. “I miss my mum and dad. My sister had a baby. I haven’t met him yet.”

  With sudden clarity, I realized that her clothes reflected her loneliness. Maybe she filled her time with so many different things so she wouldn’t think about being homesick. She needed color. Something a little more fun that would add a touch of sparkle to her life here. “Do you think you’ll ever move back?”

  She cupped one hand behind her head, scratching her scalp. “It’s hard to say. Bill’s quite happy at the college. It’s not easy finding a position. One day at a time, we always say.”

  “Well, maybe your family will come here for a visit.”

  She waved away the idea. “It’s so bloody expensive, overseas travel. Not likely to happen anytime soon.”

  A few minutes later, we were back to the original subject. I filled her in on the theories I’d formulated so far. “So it could have been Josie, or Nate. They both have possible motives. And then there’s the possibility that the murder weapon was taken from my shop, but so far I haven’t seen anything that could leave those strange marks on Nell’s neck.”

  “You’re assuming her murder is directly related to whatever relationship she may have had with Nate, past or present, but what if it’s not? What if that was long over and is now serving as a distraction—a sort of organic red herring?”

  “Then who would have wanted to kill her?”

  Madelyn shifted uneasily. “And why?”

  It was clear we had our investigative work cut out for us.

  Chapter 28

  That night, sleep completely escaped me. Mama and Gracie had both stopped by in the afternoon. I’d worked for hours on the bridal gown while they worked on the linings for all the dresses. Long after they left, I kept going. By one in the morning, my fingers felt numb and swollen, incapable of holding a tiny needle anymore.

  In bed, I mulled over the list of people who’d been in Buttons & Bows the day Nell died. Anything to point the finger at someone other than Nate or Josie.

  Josie and her bridesmaids had been there, of course. And Mrs. Zinnia James and her friends. Josie’s mother had stopped by with Josie’s aunt. And Lori Kincaid had come in with Nate. Had Miriam been there, or not?

  Questions floated in and out of my mind, but the one that kept surfacing circled in my brain like a hawk. Who had hated Nell enough to want her dead?

  By ten o’clock the next morning, I’d shaken off my grogginess and had found my groove with Josie’s dress. Mama waltzed in just as the clock struck twelve—she always had impeccable timing like that. The smoky scent of barbecue wafted over to me. I dropped the pincushion, turned my back on the dress form, and walked like a zombie to the kitchen. Another of Mama’s gifts was knowing just what I needed, though this was magic that most mothers seemed to possess.

  “Bet they don’t make barbecue like this in New York,” she said as she set down the picnic basket she’d filled to the brim.

  “No, ma’am, they don’t.” Not even remotely close.

  “Brisket, slow-cooked all night long,” she said as she unpacked the earthenware container she’d brought it in. Next came a metal bowl with a snap-on lid. “My secret sauce. Bet you missed this, didn’t you, Harlow Jane?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” I could almost taste it, the memories were so strong. Once a month the Cassidy women, and my poor outnumbered brother, would have barbecue right here at Loretta Mae’s house. If the weather was nice, we’d sit out on her back porch. If a thunderstorm hit, we’d huddle under the eaves until it passed. If a real storm brewed, we’d sit around the kitchen table.

  “Corn on the cob,” Mama said, the crinkle of tinfoil snapping me out of the past. “Macaroni salad.” She put another bowl on the table. “Now, it’s too early in the season for watermelon, so I made a dump cake. Blackberry.”

  I stared at the spread on the table. “There’s enough food here to feed all Nana’s goats, Mama, and then some.”

  “Leftovers. I expect you’ll be needing them. Lord knows you won’t be cutting any corners with the detail you put into them dresses,” she said. “You best keep your strength up, and not spend your time cooking.”

  I just grinned at her. No matter how old I got, it was always sweet to be mothered. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Now, let’s get started before it all turns cold.”

  The diamond on the ring of her right hand flashed and sparkled as she scooped brisket onto a roll, ladled barbecue sauce over it, and handed me the plate. I forced myself to keep quiet. She’d tell me when she was ready.

  We talked about the dresses, moving on to Nell as we finished eating. “What else do you know about Nell Gellen?” There was no need to be subtle with her. Other than hiding our gifts, we Cassidy women were a whatyou-see-is-what-you-get family. The roundabout way of the South was lost on us, just as it was lost on Zinnia James.

  “Why?” Mama asked, though from the way she snapped her head and peered at me, I got the feeling she knew exactly why I was asking.

  I met her gaze. “I just want to know more about the woman who died on my property. It’s a little unnerving to think there’s a murderer waltzing around town like nobody’s business.”

  She lowered her chin slightly, peering up at me. “You don’t think your gift is being a detective, do you?”

  “No, I don’t fancy myself a detective, Mama, and I definitely don’t think that’s my gift.” Although I had solved the mystery behind the haunting of Buttons & Bows. Ever since then, I was more and more confident that my Cassidy charm was communicating with spirits. After all, I was the only one who had sensed Meemaw’s presence.

  “Good, because you have dresses to make. You don’t have time to get distracted by amateur sleuthing.”

  She had a point there, but I said, “I’m just curious. You knew her from the bead shop, right? Was she nice? Did she have a boyfriend? Was she happy?”

  “Most of the time. On and off. No,” she answered as she pushed her chair back from the table, carried her plate to the sink, and rinsed it off.

  I started packing up the leftovers, stooping to close the lid of the flip-top picnic basket. Inside there were stacks of Tupperware containers holding duplicates of everything we’d just eaten. So this was her first stop—and I knew precisely where stop number two would be.

  Curiosity nearly oozed out of me. I bit my tongue as I tucked container after container of my leftovers into Meemaw’s relatively new, yet retro-style refrigerator. Freezer on top, fridge on the bottom. The refrigerator, the stove, and the dishwasher were some of the upgrades Meemaw had done. She’d always known exactly what she’d wanted: to preserve the historic look of the house. All three appliances had stamped metal bodies and were vintage buttercup yellow.

  And I loved them.

  They were complete functionality under subtle style, just like the clothes I designed. Just like the way I lived my life. But apparently not how Mama was living hers. Hoss McClaine might be as comfortable as a tattered old quilt, but as long as he hid his relationship with my mother, in my opinion he was seriously lacking in style, comfort, and functionality.

  But I knew she didn’t want to talk about it, so I pushed the thoughts aside and tried to stay focused on Nell. “Why don’t you think she was happy?”

  Mama turned and leaned against the farmhouse sink. “Because she said as much.”

  “Mama, how could you not tell me that before? What do you mean?”

  “When did you take over the investigation?” she asked.
/>   I lowered my chin, giving her a look. “Oh, just after you got that there ring,” I said.

  She slapped her left hand on top of her right hand. Her cheeks turned a blotchy red. “She didn’t say it to me, in particular. She was talking to the whole bead class.”

  I felt like stomping my foot, which had the domino effect of sending me spiraling back to childhood and my exasperation with not having a gift. Mama hadn’t been able to explain it. No one had, and it had driven me to the edge a few times. Which is right where I found myself now. “Mama,” I said. “Come on. I know you’ve thought about it. Why do you think she wasn’t happy?”

  She folded her arms over her plaid shirt, the fabric gapping slightly between the snap closures. I’d have to fix that for her one of these days. “All I know for sure is that it usually had to do with a man.”

  The way she said it made me think that something had changed and Nell’s most recent bout of unhappiness wasn’t because of a man. “You’re holding out on me,” I said, wagging my finger at her like I was scolding a child.

  Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second and I knew she caught my double meaning, but they narrowed again just as quickly. She pushed away from the counter and scooped her arm through the picnic basket’s handle. “I’d gotten the impression things were looking up for her, like she had herself a man again. She had a tendency to get a little hyped up sometimes, I guess is the best way to put it. When she simmered down, though, I could always catch glimpses of that broken girl scrounging around for scraps. But you listen here—whatever made Nell happy or unhappy was her business, not mine. Some things are just private.”

  The line of what we were talking about turned blurry, but I stayed firmly on the Nell side. “Not if she was killed over it.”

  “I’ve already told the deputies everything I know about Nell Gellen. The rest is up to them. What happened to her is tragic. She was a lost woman, but you can’t lay your happiness on the shoulders of the people around you. I don’t think she ever learned that. You’ve got to make your own happiness.” She pointed at me. “You, missy, need to understand that.” She came over and kissed me on the cheek. “Don’t you worry about me, Harlow Jane. I’m just fine.”

  As she left, carrying the picnic she’d packed for the sheriff, I wondered when Mama had crossed over to Hoss McClaine’s side of the blurry line.

  Chapter 29

  Nell might have lost her struggle for happiness, but I wasn’t going to let her memory slip away without trying to win her some justice. I was struggling with concerns that Josie might somehow be involved, but it was easy to push that aside for the time being and stay focused on Nell. She’d been found dead on my property. As a result, the responsibility I felt toward her grew with every passing day.

  Luckily I could practically sew in my sleep, and I nearly did, once again working into the wee hours of the morning, this time on Ruthann’s bridesmaid dress. I thought the finished product was absolutely stunning.

  I hoped she would think so, too.

  At ten o’clock, she showed up for her final fitting. She was wearing her golden hair in a bun. She had the welldefined cheekbones to pull off such a severe look. “I thought you were finishing Josie’s gown first,” she said as she glided in.

  “That was the plan, but I needed a break.” I’d realized over the years that people told you what they wanted you to know, which was rarely all of the story. I was no exception. I did want a break from the yards and yards of ivory silk and the endless hand pleating of Josie’s bodice, but I also wanted an excuse to talk to Ruthann alone.

  Within minutes, Ruthann was behind the screen, shimmying into her body shaper, a style that hit just below her breasts. The result would be the illusion that there was a bit more in the bust than there actually was. Ruthann was gazelle-like, all limbs and very graceful, but she didn’t have any extra padding. Anywhere.

  The dress I’d designed was a perfect match for her. The full skirt would hint at curves. The vertically pleated tube bodice with the fitted sash just under the breasts would substitute for cleavage. I helped her slip into the dress, checking the fit and the length, then finally marking the back closure so I’d know exactly where to place the zipper.

  When I released her, she glided over to the full-length mirror, did a one-eighty, and froze as if she’d looked into Medusa’s eyes.

  Oh, God, she hated it. I’d stayed up most of the night and had felt my energy flow right into the fabric as I’d sewed. I didn’t know Ruthann, but I’d been sure this dress would make her feel more feminine and powerful than she’d ever felt before.

  “Ruthann?” I moved closer until I stood behind her, slightly to one side. I looked like I’d stayed up all night. My hair, pulled into my usual two low ponytails, looked dull and lackluster. Even the blond streak had lost its shimmer. The bags under my eyes were smoky gray and my skin looked sallow.

  Ruthann, on the other hand, looked like she’d been lit up from the inside by a firefly. The strong olive green chiffon made her skin sparkle with life. Effervescent. There was no other way to describe how she appeared.

  “How?”

  This was my first made-to-order dress. It was almost completed. A simple bridesmaid’s dress and I’d botched it. “How what? You don’t like it?” I hurried on, hoping to convince her this was better than what we’d originally discussed. “I know we talked about a sheath. And you wanted that wraparound dress, but Ruthann, this . . . this is you.”

  I held my breath, waiting for her to say something. Anything. Then the corners of her mouth lifted and her lips parted. She plucked the fabric on either side, holding it out like she was ready to curtsy. And her face lit up further. “How did you do this? It’s . . . it’s . . .” She trailed off, and spun around, gazing over her shoulder at the unfinished back of the dress. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

  My skin pricked with excitement and my knees buckled with relief. I stepped back, letting her absorb her reflection. I didn’t cry easily, but when I saw how thrilled she was, my eyes blurred and I came awful close to tears.

  After a moment, I turned a critical eye to my construction and design. I jotted a few notes in my sketchbook, reminders to check the measurement from waist to hem all the way around the full chiffon skirt and the silk skirt underneath. They needed to be exactly the same so that one wasn’t longer or shorter than the other.

  “How did you do it?” she asked again.

  “I’ve had a lot of training,” I said after I was satisfied that I knew exactly how I would finish Ruthann’s dress. “I worked with Maximilian for a long time. Graduated with a degree in fashion design—”

  “No.”

  I glanced up from my sketchbook.

  “That’s not what I mean,” she said, brushing a tear from her cheek. “Do they train you to make a person feel different?”

  “What do you mean?”

  A few strands of her hair had slipped from her bun, softening the hard lines of her face. She shook her head, glanced up at the ceiling. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like you always see yourself one way. The tall girl sitting home alone instead of going to prom. I never even had a homecoming mum.” She spun around again and for a second I thought she was picturing the oversized Texas version of a corsage. Then I saw her face and realized she was gazing at her reflection as if it was the first time she was seeing herself.

  To say I was flabbergasted would be an understatement. Shocked. How could someone as stunning as Ruthann have grown up thinking she was an ugly duckling?

  If I reached out, I felt sure I’d be able to touch the emotion pouring out of her. I suddenly realized why I hadn’t liked the wraparound dress design for her. The idea of crisscrossing two pieces of fabric over her body felt like I’d be constricting her. All the feelings she was experiencing at this very moment had been bottled up inside her forever. A wraparound dress would have kept them sewn up tight. But this dress freed them instead.

  “But now?” she said, looking at me
in the mirror. “Who cares about a silly mum? All those people who thought I was stuck up won’t believe it. It’s like you knew just what I needed.”

  I knew it now, but it had been pure instinct—and the fabric had led me. “I guess it’s like women’s intuition,” I said with a smile. To make people feel the way Ruthann felt at this very moment. This was what Meemaw had taught me and this was why I’d wanted to design clothes.

  “I wish Nell could have felt this way,” Ruthann said, her voice simmering with regret.

  “You don’t think she did?”

  Another strand of hair fell from her bun. “I know she didn’t. If she just could have . . . maybe it would have been different for her.” She turned her back to the mirror. “What kind of dress would you have made her?” she asked.

  She’d died before I’d had a single idea that seemed to fit. “I honestly don’t know. I couldn’t get an image of her. It’s almost like I—” I broke off, a cold chill sweeping over me. It was almost like I’d known she wouldn’t be alive long enough to wear a dress I designed.

  “She was such a wild child, you know. So much fun. She liked things that were colorful and vibrant.” Ruthann’s voice drifted into remembrance. “She always wore things that made people do a double take, but she wasn’t really like that on the inside.”

  I knew people often projected one thing while inside they were something entirely different. I’d only seen Nell in her cutoffs and knotted plaid shirt, but she was a businesswoman. She had to have been smart, committed, and savvy to make her shop stay afloat. There had definitely been more to her than met the eye. “How long did she own the shop?”

  “She only bought it about six months ago. She was really frugal. Always saving, you know? She rented, and the landlord finally made a deal with her.” She shook her head. “It’s so unfair. Just when everything was starting to go really well . . .”

  I unpinned the back of her dress and she slipped out of it with a fond glance at the garment.