Murder Wears a Little Black Dress

by Debra Sennefelder

  “I went to see Mark Lambert about Dorothy Mueller’s lawsuit. And, before you tell me it wasn’t a good idea, he did agree to explore other options with Mrs. Mueller to settle the case.” Kelly approached an intersection not too far from the boutique.

  “Hopefully it will work out for you. I can’t imagine the lawsuit going very far.”

  “Have you seen your mom today?”

  “No, why?”

  “Just wondering. Thanks for updating me. Bye.” She waited until she came to a stoplight to drop her phone back into her tote bag. She really wanted to see Gabe’s face when he got a look at his mom’s new look. Now, that would be priceless.

  Kelly arrived back at the boutique with some of the Christmas decorations and a plan to go back to the storage unit later in the week with new boxes and bring back the remaining decorations. Even though she wouldn’t be decorating for Christmas yet—Halloween was just a few days away—she didn’t want to be scrambling at the last minute if the boutique was still in business by then.

  She locked the SUV and walked from the rear parking lot to the front of the boutique to take another look at the decorations Earl set out earlier in the day now that she was feeling a little better. She glanced at the shop’s sign. Pepper was right, it’d been the Lucky Cove Consignment Shop since Granny opened her business. Could she really change the name now? On the other hand, she needed to revamp the business, and the name needed to reflect the change.

  Then it hit her. When her granny opened the business, she was making a huge change in her life from wife and mother to widow and mother. Now, over twenty years later, Kelly was making a huge change in her life. The question was—who was she changing into?

  A chorus of chatter drew her attention from the sign to a group of women approaching her direction, and she noticed one of the women pointing to her boutique. Customers? She bustled inside to prepare to greet them.

  The rest of the afternoon was steady with customers. Maybe having some decorations outside the shop drew people’s attention and led them inside to browse and eventually buy, but when Kelly prepared the day’s deposit, it still wasn’t anywhere near what she needed it to be. As she climbed the staircase to her apartment, she tried to look on the bright side, just like Ariel would do, and reminded herself only a couple of days ago she barely made a deposit. Regardless of how great she believed her ideas for the boutique were, she wasn’t going to be an overnight success.

  At the top of the stairs, she was greeted by an empty hall with drab paint. Granny had converted the second floor from four bedrooms to a one-bedroom apartment on a shoestring budget and hadn’t refreshed the space since then. The carpet was equally drab and worn. While a new carpet wasn’t in her budget, maybe she could buy a couple gallons of paint to liven up the space and maybe add a plant or two and hang some artwork. She unlocked the apartment door and tossed her key onto the small, round table beside the door.

  “Howard, here kitty, kitty.” She tossed her tote bag on the sofa and slipped out of her shoes then made her way to her bedroom and found her roommate curled up in a tight ball on the bed. “There you are. Not much of a greeter, huh?” She approached him, and his head slightly lifted.

  His cool eyes appraised her, and then he yawned.

  “Exhausting day?” She scratched his head, and he gently purred. The small sound was comforting, and she realized she’d been looking forward to seeing the cat all day long. She was getting used to the little jerk, and she liked his company. Go figure.

  Howard lifted his body and stretched. Guess he’d had enough petting.

  “No problem.” She walked over to the chest of drawers and pulled out her favorite pair of ripped skinny jeans and a chunky ivory turtleneck sweater. She changed and slipped barefoot into her beloved suede boots cuffed with a thick cable knit. Her toes wiggled in the lushness of the boot’s plush lining. She padded to the kitchen, and Howard followed.

  She needed to make something for dinner, though she didn’t feel up to cooking, and luckily she had the leftovers from last night’s Chinese dinner. Before she could pull out the containers, her phone buzzed, and she retrieved it from her bag.

  The caller ID told her Mrs. Franklin, the owner of her granny’s rental cottage, was on the line.

  “Hello, Mrs. Franklin.” Kelly went back to the kitchen.

  “Kelly, dear, I’m sorry to do this to you. I’ve unexpectedly rented the cottage. I need for you to move out your grandmother’s belongings.”

  Kelly sank to the chair at the kitchen table. She’d been told she didn’t have to rush to move out her grandmother’s stuff, and now, listening to Mrs. Franklin continue to explain the sudden change of events, she had less than two days. She ended the call with a promise to take what belonged to Granny out of the cottage and return the key.

  Howard had strolled into the kitchen and sat staring at Kelly. “Dinner’s going to be a little late. I have to go out.” She stood and grabbed a jacket from the hall closet and her tote bag then headed out to the cottage.

  Chapter 19

  “Do you still think your uncle is behind all this vision, haunting stuff?” Liv asked as she followed Kelly into the cottage.

  Kelly pocketed the house key. “I’m not yet ready to rule him out. I mean, what other explanation could there be for the uptick in all things paranormal all of a sudden?” She walked through the living room to the fireplace mantel. In her hand, she carried an LL Bean canvas tote bag filled with tissue paper to wrap Granny’s framed photographs. She set the tote bag down and pulled out the thick sheath of tissue and began wrapping the photographs. “There isn’t much to take out. The cottage came rented with furniture. I just have to take out this stuff, her clothes, and her toiletries.”

  “Why don’t I get started with the closet?” Liv spun around and dashed out of the foyer before Kelly could respond.

  “Good idea.” With all of the photographs placed into the bag, she carried it to the foyer. Beside the door were three hooks, and on one of them hung Granny’s blue rain jacket. Kelly grabbed the jacket off the hook and laid it on top of the bag.

  “What do you want to do with the toiletries?” Liv called out from the bedroom.

  Since the phone call from Pepper informing Kelly about her granny’s death, she’d been making decisions. She expected by now she’d be used to it, but she wasn’t. There was a time in her life in the not so distant past she could go a whole hour without having to make a decision.

  “I guess we can toss them. I’ll get a garbage bag from the kitchen.” She looked in the direction of the kitchen. A chill shimmied through her body.

  “Want me to go with you?”

  Kelly glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the bedroom. “No. It’s not like the would-be intruder is in there waiting for me. I’m a big girl. I can handle going into the kitchen alone.” She pushed off into the direction of the kitchen, but halfway there, a knock at the door had her trekking back to the foyer. There was another knock, louder. “We have company.” She doubted the burglar had returned and decided to be polite.

  “Maybe it’s Gabe. I texted him we’d be here. Just in case.” Liv came out of the bedroom with an armful of dresses. “Your granny sure squeezed a lot into that small closet.”

  “That’s why she was my idol.” Kelly opened the door.

  Bernadette stood on the front step.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Bernadette hurried in and shoved Kelly’s hand off the doorknob and slammed the door shut. “We need to talk.”

  “No, we don’t. The last time we were together, you pushed me. I got a concussion,” Kelly said.

  “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Bernadette reached out and grabbed Kelly’s wrists. “You have to believe me.”

  “What we have to do is call the police.” Liv marched toward Kelly and dropped the dresses on top of the canvas
bag. “There’s a warrant out for your arrest.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Why?” Kelly and Liv asked in unison.

  “I didn’t do anything.” Bernadette looked confused and tired. Her face was drawn, with bags under her eyes, and her hair was unkempt. She wore the same dress as the day before. “I’m being framed.”

  “By who?” Kelly released herself from Bernadette’s hold. She wasn’t afraid of the woman. She actually felt sorry for her. And that was how she got tangled up in this whole mess.

  “I don’t know. All of this started when I tried on the dress at your shop. Do you still have it?” Bernadette asked.

  “Yes. Do you want to see it again?”

  “I do. I want to see if I’ll have another vision.”

  “Are you insane?” Liv whispered in Kelly’s ear. “She’s wanted for murder.”

  Kelly looked at her friend. “True.” Her gaze traveled back to Bernadette. “You are wanted for murder. Taking you back to the boutique wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do.”

  Liv nodded in agreement as a small, triumphant smile touched her lips.

  “You’ll need to sneak over there,” Kelly said to Bernadette as Liv’s smile disappeared. “The dress is in the office. Go around to the back of the boutique.” Kelly grabbed Liv’s wrist and led her to the front door.

  “I’ll meet you over there.” Bernadette turned and opened the front door.

  “This isn’t a good idea.” Liv’s sneakers dragged on the polished wood floor.

  “We don’t have much of a choice.” Kelly dug out her car key from her jeans pocket.

  “I have a bad feeling about this.” Liv followed Kelly out of the cottage.

  “We don’t have a choice. We’ll come back for Granny’s stuff later.” Kelly pulled the door closed and, with Liv, she walked back to the boutique.

  * * * *

  Kelly opened the back door of the boutique to let Bernadette inside. She craned her neck farther out to take a look around in the night to make sure no one had followed Bernadette, namely the police, and didn’t see anyone. She closed and locked the door and led the psychic into the office.

  “This isn’t a good idea, Kell.” Liv paced the length of the staff room. Her laced suede walking shoes were getting a workout.

  Kelly ignored her friend’s warning—again—and headed for the file cabinet. She pulled open the bottom drawer and retrieved the black lace dress.

  “Do you need to try it on or can you just…touch it?” Kelly wasn’t familiar with the process for a psychic to have a vision.

  “Let me try holding it.” Bernadette held out both hands and took the dress and then folded it close to her chest.

  “This isn’t a good idea, Kell,” Liv whispered as she passed by Kelly.

  “Would you stop pacing?” Kelly grabbed hold of Liv’s arm to stop her friend.

  “Would you stop harboring a fugitive?” Liv retorted.

  “We’ll be done in a few minutes. Now, stay still.” Kelly returned her attention back to Bernadette, whose eyes were closed.

  Her frazzledness from earlier had disappeared and, in its place, a tranquility seemed to have overtaken her body. Her facial expressions changed rapidly, from calm to tense to horror as her eyelids opened and stared out to nowhere in particular. Kelly followed Bernadette’s gaze to the wall.

  “What’s she doing?” Liv asked.

  “She must be having a vision.” Kelly began to second-guess her decision to let Bernadette have the dress. “Hopefully she won’t pass out like she did last time.”

  “This isn’t a good idea, Kell.”

  “I heard you the four other times.” Kelly glanced over at her friend, who was chewing on her lower lip and wringing her hands together.

  She was nervous, and Kelly couldn’t blame her. As much as Kelly was curious and determined to get to the truth of the dress and the murders, her insides were all twisted up. Maybe she’d made a bad decision.

  “He was murdered…a car…no, pickup truck… She got the news…but…but…” Bernadette’s eyes fluttered closed and then finally opened, and she looked at Kelly. “A man was definitely murdered, and the person responsible was wearing this dress.”

  “Did you see who the man was?”

  Bernadette shook her head. “Not yet. Visions sometimes come in pieces, fragments.” She handed the dress back to Kelly. “I’m sorry. I thought I’d see more.”

  “You didn’t see the face of the woman wearing the dress?” Liv stopped chewing on her lip and walked to the table and sat.

  “No. Just her body in the dress. She was talking.” Bernadette joined Liv at the table. “But no one was with her.”

  “She was talking on the phone?” Kelly returned the dress to the file drawer. “She had a partner?” Kelly surmised Irene’s partner was the person she was talking to in secret and placating on the phone earlier.

  “Possibly. I didn’t hear another voice.” Bernadette leaned forward on the table. “Seeing visions can be frustrating. I’m sorry. But now I’ve held the dress, there’s a chance I may see more.”

  A loud banging on the back door sent all three women jumping. Startled, their heads swung around to the mud room.

  “Police! Open up!”

  Liv shot up from her chair. “I told you this was a bad idea!”

  “Nobody likes a know-it-all!” Kelly raced to the back door before the police knocked it down. She didn’t need another repair bill to pay. After she unlocked the door, two uniformed police officers, one of which was Gabe, entered the staff room followed by Detective Wolman.

  “Miss Rydell, we’ve been looking for you.” Wolman walked to her suspect and whipped out a pair of handcuffs. “We have a warrant for your arrest.”

  Bernadette looked at the detective, and she was on the verge of tears. “I didn’t kill anyone. I’m being framed. You must believe me.”

  “You can tell it to a jury. Stand up, please. Please turn around, Miss Rydell.” Wolman cuffed Bernadette and told her what her rights were. “Do you understand your rights?”

  “Detective, you’re making a mistake.” Kelly went to step forward, but Gabe grabbed her by the arm and gave her a warning nod.

  “Cuff her too, Officer Donovan,” Wolman instructed. “Officer Byrd, cuff Miss Moretti.”

  “What? Why?” Kelly and Liv wailed in unison.

  “Interfering with an official investigation and harboring a fugitive.” Wolman escorted Bernadette out of the staff room.

  “She can’t be serious.” Kelly looked to Gabe for reassurance she was right. None was forthcoming. Rather, he pulled out his handcuffs from his utility belt, as did the other officer.

  “She’s serious. Sorry, Kell.” With a deep frown, Gabe handcuffed Kelly.

  “We weren’t interfering!” Liv was prompted by the other officer to stand. He placed the handcuffs on her wrists. “Handcuffing is just grandstanding. We’re not criminals.”

  “Just come along quietly, and I’m sure we can work something out once we arrive at PD.” Gabe led Kelly out of the staff room, and the other officer followed with Liv.

  “I’m sorry, Liv.” Kelly stepped out into the cold night and walked with Gabe to his waiting patrol car, while her friend was led off to another car. Her insides twisted tighter. There’d been a chance she’d be arrested because of her presence at both murder scenes, but she never thought in a million years Liv would get arrested too. The cold air pricked at her—she hadn’t had a chance to grab a coat—as tears welled up in her eyes. She’d have to find some way to make this whole mess right. At the patrol car, Gabe guided her into the back seat. As the door closed, she wondered if Liv would ever forgive her.

  * * * *

  “When my nona hears about tonight, she’s going to freak out. She’ll be yelling in Italian, blaming my mom for not sending me to
parochial school, and dragging me to confession.” Liv rubbed her wrists as she passed through the open door with Gabe behind her. “I can’t believe Wolman had us handcuffed and hauled down here just to let us go.”

  “You’re both lucky Wolman’s letting you go. She could make a case easily against you two. What were you thinking taking Bernadette to the shop? You should’ve called us right away when she showed up at the cottage.” Gabe walked around Liv and Kelly and in the direction of the dispatcher.

  Kelly followed Liv out to the lobby of the police department, where they’d been detained, separately, and asked questions about Bernadette. When Kelly told Detective Wolman Bernadette had come to the shop to see the black lace dress again and had a vision, a smirk appeared on the detective’s face. Clearly she didn’t believe in psychics or their visions. “I wonder who convinced her not to charge us.”

  “That would be me!” Ralph’s voice boomed in the lobby.

  “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Kelly muttered as she came to a fast halt. Did she owe her freedom to her uncle? It was official. Her life couldn’t possibly get any worse.

  “Olivia Therese Moretti!” a high-pitched, anxious voice called out from the waiting area.

  “Oh boy. All three names. This isn’t good.” Liv passed Kelly and approached her mother. After a quick scolding in Italian, which was loud enough for the entire building to hear, Geovanna Moretti enveloped her daughter in a loving embrace.

  Kelly looked at her uncle. There’d be no loving embrace from him. “Thanks for springing us.” She walked past him, heading for the exit to walk home.

  “That’s all you have to say, young lady?” Ralph’s tone was sharp and irritated.

  Kelly halted and glanced over her shoulder. “Good night?”

  “You’ve never considered the consequences of your actions. Not when you were fifteen and not now.” He crossed his chubby arms over his chest and was about to say something when Mrs. Moretti swooped in and got into Kelly’s face.

  “I can’t believe my daughter ended up here tonight because of you.” Mrs. Moretti wagged a finger at Kelly. “Kelly Marie Quinn, you’re a bad influence on my Olivia.”