Free Bats and Bling by Laina Turner

motioning to me.
    “Let me know if you need any different sizes and I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes.”
    “What is it,” I asked Katy when I reached her. “Is something wrong?”
    “Tilly’s here and Angela said that’s the friend who was with Veronica at the jewelry store.”
    My eyebrows shot up. “I like to shop just as much as the next gal but if you had just been murdered I wouldn’t be seeking out the latest sales.”
    “No kidding.  Anyways I thought you might want to try and talk to Tilly.”
    “I do but what should I say?”
    “She’s here, and shopping, so I wouldn’t think she’s too sensitive or fragile so just come on out and ask her whatever you wanted to ask her. What did you want to ask her by the way?”
    “I don’t know specifically. I guess I just want to know what she knows about Veronica’s murder or the stolen, but yet not stolen, merchandise.”
    “Then just ask. What have you got to lose?”
    “A customer?”
    “Your curiosity being satisfied is more important than a customer. I know that much about you,” Katy teased.
    “Fine. Wish me luck.”
    I walked over to where Tilly was looking at some dresses.
    “Hi Tilly.”
    “Hi Presley. Thank you for inviting me to your sale. I’ve had my eye on this chiffon dress since the dress fitting and I’d hoped it was part of the sale,” she said, holding out a beautiful red chiffon evening gown.
    “It’s twenty percent off today.”
    “Wonderful. I’m a size two. Please put one up at the desk for me.
    Size two my left leg, I thought but I wasn’t about to comment. It was her problem on how she was going to fit into that dress.
    “Not a problem, Tilly. By the way, I’m so sorry about Veronica. You must be devastated,” I said, even though she certainly didn’t look devastated.
    “I know what you must be thinking. How could I be out shopping when my friend’s just been murdered.”
    “No, no not at all,” I protested even though that’s exactly what I’d been thinking.
    “I just needed to get out of the house and forget all this negativity for a while.”
    “I understand. I’m sure that’s why Belle came.”
    Tilly stared at me with either shock or surprise, I couldn’t tell.
    “Belle’s here?”
    I nodded. Not sure what she was thinking but she was definitely thinking something.
    “In fact, will you excuse me for a moment so I can go check on her? She’s in the fitting room,” I explained.
    “Of course.”
    “Ok, I’ll be right back.”
    I walked up to Belle’s fitting room door to check on her and, could hear her talking. I assumed it was on her phone since I didn’t hear two voices. I hesitated before knocking on the door. I didn’t want to interrupt.
    “I can’t talk now. I’ll call you later,” I heard her whisper not knowing if she heard me or just didn’t want to talk.
    I cleared my throat and knocked on the door. “Belle how is everything fitting? Can I get you anything?”
    She opened the door and handed me a handful of dresses and it was all I could do not to cringe at the fact that there were several hundred dollars worth of evening gowns all crumpled up in a wad. As she stood there in her bra and underwear clearly not at all shy about who could see her, though looking at her she had no reason too, I caught a glimpse of her cell phone sitting on the little chair in the corner of the room and saw it light up. Someone had sent her a text.
    “What about that dress?” I said pointing to one on the floor and stepping into the room. I wanted to see who had sent her a text. Maybe it was the person who she’d been talking to. Though it could be anyone. I was probably reading too much into a simple phone call and text. My suspicious mind was working overtime.
    “That’s a no,,” she said as I reached down and grabbed it looking to my left at the chair and seeing the display on her phone said Craig Knapp. Why was Veronica’s husband texting Belle? It made me feel even more