Model Menace 2 by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page B

disappeared for awhile—though she says she was meditating.”
    George snorted. “Meditating, schmeditating. I got up to get some water from the cooler in front about fifteen minutes ago, and she was out there on her cell phone. Unless she meditates with a partner, over the phone, I think she was lying.”
    I sighed. “Great,” I replied. “Is anyone not a suspect?”
    Bess shrugged. “Well, Deb,” she replied. “And Ellie. Though she did go out to the car to get her purse at one point…I guess she could have done it then.”
    I sighed, rubbing my temples.
    George pulled her lips into a tight line. “Another thing,” she began, clearly about to impart bad news. “We don’t know if there’s a back entrance to this place.”
    I looked up at her. Of course! With all my sleuthing experience, how could I have forgotten back entrances?
    “Excuse me,” I said, gently tugging on the sleeve of the sales clerk, who was still holding the ruined dress as the rest of the bridal party chattered nearby. “Is there a rear entrance to this store?”
    The girl nodded. “Sure. But it’s not a public entrance.”
    I glanced back at Bess and George. “But was it locked this morning?”
    The girl looked uncomfortable, gently stroking the ruined dress with one hand. “No,” she said finally, quietly. “Many of our seamstresses enter that way. And it seems someone did forget to lock the door behind them.”
    I nodded, trying to communicate with my eyes that I wasn’t upset with her. “Thanks for telling me that.” I stepped away, turning back to Bess and George.
    “Great,” said Bess with a sigh. “The field gets even wider.”
    “So basically anyone’s a suspect,” George agreed. “Everyone except the three of us and Syd.”
    Bess glanced at me with a playful look. “Well, I don’t know,” she murmured. “Nancy did go to use the restroom that one time.”
    I shook my head at her. “You came with me!”
    “Okay.” Bess laughed. “I guess, yes, we can rule out the three of us and Syd.”
    “And we did narrow down the suspects from the photo,” I reminded them. “So really, the only potential wedding saboteur who might have snuck in through the back door is Dragon.”
    Bess and George suddenly got very focused looks on their faces, looking directly behind me, and I knew someone from the wedding party was coming.
    “Well, girls,” said Sydney, reaching out to touch my shoulder, “I guess we’re done here. You can go home.”
    I looked up. Behind Syd, the camera crew seemed to have shut down, and was packing up to leave the shop. I looked at our lovely bride-to-be, whose eyes were rimmed with bright, angry red. “I’m so sorry, Syd.”
    Syd just shrugged sadly, looking away. “I’ve gotten used to a lot of surprises going ahead with this wedding,” she said quietly. “I really loved that dress”—here her voice broke a little—“but the important thing is that I’m marrying Vic. Whoever this wedding saboteur is, he or she can’t change that.”
    “That’s a good attitude,” Bess enthused, reaching out to squeeze Syd’s shoulder.
    “I’m sure we’ll find another dress,” Syd said, but her tone sounded as though she didn’t quite believe it. “Anyway, we need to get everyone back to the hotel. Can anyone fit Akinyi, Deb, and Pandora in her car?”
    I didn’t wait for anyone else to volunteer. “I can!” I cried, a little too loudly. Thank goodness, Bess and George had come in George’s car. And the drive back to the hotel would give me plenty of time to get some details on what the rest of the bridal party was doing.
     
     
    “This is all just so upsetting ,” Pandora said with a sigh, furiously rubbing a pink crystal that she’d pulled out of her purse. “I just can’t get over the negative emotions I have associated with this wedding. I have this horrible feeling it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
    Deb, who was sitting right behind Pandora, giggled nervously.