Free Designs in Crime by Carolyn Keene Page B

to Budget.
    â€œHere’s our shipping department,” Katrina explained as the girls stepped into the cavernous room with rolling doors open to the street. Trucks were parked in some of the loading bays,and workers bustled around, moving boxes and rolling racks of finished clothes.
    Their next stop was the cutting room on the first floor, where the pace was fast. The pace on the second floor was even more rushed, though. There, dozens of sewing machines were lined up, operated by an army of workers who assembled the pieces. On the third floor, huge steam presses hissed as workers pressed the garments for shipping.
    As she followed Katrina, Nancy waited for an excuse to slip away, but the woman watched the girls like a mother hen.
    Their tour ended back at the showroom where it had begun. When Katrina was called away for a moment the girls wandered back to the evening gown display. Nancy leaned close to Bess and whispered, “Ask her about the blue dress.”
    â€œShe’d never let on who sold them the design,” Bess said under her breath.
    â€œShe might tell you, ” Nancy pointed out.
    Bess frowned but quickly snapped back to her cheerful mode when Katrina returned.
    â€œWhat else can I show you?” the woman asked.
    â€œWell,” Bess said, combing through some of the dresses on the rack. “As you know, I’ve been studying different designers’ work. If I guess whose designs some of these dresses are based on, would you tell me if I’m right?”
    Katrina looked around the showroom, whichwas quiet at the moment. “All right,” she agreed. “I’ll do it for you—and Mitchell’s.”
    Bess turned to the wedding gown on the mannequin and smiled. “This design must have been inspired by Dona Vaquez.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Katrina said, nodding. “What about this?” she asked, holding up a black sequined gown with a velvet bolero.
    â€œJacques Loire?” Bess asked.
    â€œNo, dear,” Katrina said, wagging a finger at Bess. “It’s Anton Strauss.”
    Nancy decided it was time to jump in. “What about this dress?” she asked, holding up the blue polyester skirt of the knockoff from Beau’s collection.
    â€œThat looks like a Beau Winston gown,” Bess said, ready to gauge Katrina’s reaction.
    The saleswoman shook her head. “You wouldn’t be able to guess that one. We bought that design from a free-lance designer, a new talent you’ve probably never heard of. His name is Angel Ortiz.”

Chapter

Ten
    A NGEL ?” Bess responded, blinking in surprise.
    â€œAh, you’ve heard of him,” Katrina said as if pleased.
    â€œI—I,” Bess stuttered. “I was just thinking that—that it’s a great name for a designer.”
    Nancy barely registered the conversation. Her mind was backtracking, going over the clues that should have pointed to Angel. Suddenly she couldn’t wait to get back to the studio and warn Beau.
    â€œWhat about this one?” Katrina’s eyebrows wiggled as she held up another gown.
    But Nancy had lost interest in the game. The sooner she and Bess could get out of there, the better. Pretending to have another appointment, Nancy cut the conversation short and thankedKatrina. Within minutes, the girls were in a cab on their way to Beau’s studio.
    â€œAngel!” Bess repeated. “A big part of the mystery is solved. But he’s the last person I suspected. He seems so quiet and sweet.”
    â€œBut he is an aspiring designer,” Nancy said, telling Bess about the argument she’d watched between Angel and Beau. “Angel thinks Beau is holding him back. He may be selling off Beau’s designs for revenge.”
    â€œOr maybe he’s using the designs to get ahead,” Bess pointed out. “The people at Budget think Angel designed that blue gown. If his name is heard often enough, he could