today, itâs three times as bad the day of a show. You need to get on that list.â
âIâll think of something,â Nancy vowed. âIn the meantime, Iâd like to spend the rest of the day here, checking out your security system, your help, your routine.â
âFeel free,â Beau offered.
âI think I need to know a little more about your key employees,â Nancy said, hedging a little.
âLet me guess,â Beau said. âYou want to know why I put up with Mrs. Chongâs attitude.â
Bess rolled her eyes. âThe womanâs about as subtle as a bulldozerâand she scares me.â
Beau smiled. âAh, but thereâs a heart of gold inside that bulldozer. Mrs. Chong hasnât had it easy. She fled China years ago and came here with just the clothes on her back and her incredible sewing ability.â
âAnd what about Angel?â Nancy asked.
âHis family moved to New York from Puerto Rico when he was a kid,â Beau explained. âWe met when I gave a speech at a design institute where he was a student. Heâs bright and talented.â
âDoes he ever design for you?â Bess asked.
âHeâs always sketching,â Beau said, âbut none of his designs have worked for me yet. I know heâll break through one of these days.
âAnything on Joannaâs gown?â Beau asked. âI know itâs early.â
âNot yet,â Nancy told him. âWe spent the evening with her family and fiancé last night, but I still donât have any clues about her gown.â
âWhat a mess,â Beau said. âWeâre working against the clock, trying to finish designs for nextweekâs show. Meanwhile, Mrs. Chong is tied up, altering the substitute gown that Joanna is less than thrilled with.â Frustrated, he raked his fingers through his long hair. âThis studio has seen better times.â
âFor now you need to focus on getting your collection ready for next week,â Nancy said. âIâll do my best to find your leakâ and Joannaâs gown.â
âIn the meantime Iâll be putting you to work,â Beau said, turning to Bess. âAngel and I have picked out some gowns weâd like to alter for the Petite Elite line. If you try them on, one of my assistants will pin the hems and mark the other alterations.â
âLetâs go!â Bess said, jumping to her feet.
While Beau and Bess went off to work on Petite Elites, Nancy got to work on the case.
Nancy thought through what she knew, which wasnât much. She did know that Budget Fashions was producing the knockoffs of Beauâs designs. She decided that maybe she could find the thief through his or her connection to Budget.
Pulling a phone book down from Beauâs bookcase, she found a listing for Budget and called the number. The woman who answered told her the showroom was open only to retail buyers.
Another obstacle, Nancy thought as she hung up the phone. If Jill were in town, she could use Mitchellâs clout to get Nancy in, but Jill was inTokyo. Somehow Nancy had to find a way to do some investigating at Budget Fashions.
She called Jillâs assistant at Mitchellâs and explained the problem. The woman said sheâd mention it to Jill when she called in. Nancy thanked her, then hung up.
In the meantime she could work the case from this end. Beau was sure that someone on his staff had to be the thief. Still, Nancy had to wonder how hard it would be for someone elseâsuch as Mimi Piazza or Michael Rockwellâto break into the studio.
She started by checking the main entrance on the first floor. Unlike Mimiâs building, no guard was stationed in the lobby.
Nancy pulled open one of the glass doors at the main entrance and inspected the lock. âA cinch!â she said, testing the way the bolt fit against the striker plate. A burglar could slip a thin piece of