Page 43 of When Fashion Turns Deadly

Lars pointed at the red smudge on the serviette covering Cole’s tux. “Right back at you.”

Marit shook her head, worry evident in her beautiful eyes. “Seriously, guys, I know you were hungry, but coming to a pizza place in these clothes probably wasn’t the smartest idea.”

“Since we’re not allowed in your flat, it was this or our tiny hotel room,” Cole said. “We needed somewhere to debrief that was far enough from the Conciergerie that we wouldn’t run the risk of being overheard by someone who was there.”

Isabelle looked around. The only other customers were four casually dressed teenagers and an older man wearing the uniform of a Metro official. “I think you’re safe.”

“Good,” Cole said. “What did you learn besides the fact that Marit deserves a medal for working with these people?”

Marit managed a small smile. “They’re not all as difficult to work with as Bianchi or Wade.”

“That’s true,” Isabelle said. “Lars and I talked to a handful who were really quite pleasant.”

“What about the ones who might have an axe to grind?” Cole asked.

Lars exchanged a look with Isabelle. “Do you want to tell him, or shall I?”

“Tell me what?” Cole asked.

Isabelle sighed. “Henri LaRue had nothing good to say about Ralph. He recognized me from rehearsals and was quite put out that I’d chosen to wear a Molenaar gown rather than a LaRue gown. He threatened to pull me from his show because of my poor judgment.”

“Are you serious?” Marit asked, her eyes wide. “That’s terrible.”

“It was a bit awkward,” Lars said. “But Isabelle took it all in stride. She didn’t even seem concerned.”

Isabelle laughed. “Oh, I was concerned. I didn’t want to be pulled from that show. It’s the one right before Molenaar’s. But when you’ve calmed irate businessmen who’ve come to the bank to blame a cashier for a perceived error as many times as I have, you learn to roll with the misplaced anger.”

“She was pretty amazing,” Lars said. “By the time we moved on, not only had she placated him, but he’d told her all about his worry that Molenaar’s line was taking more than its fair share of the media’s attention.”

“Nice work.” Cole leaned over to brush a soft kiss on Isabelle’s cheek. “One designer conquered and a possible motive unearthed.”

“What about Li Du?” Marit asked. “Did you talk to him too?”

“We did.” Lars put his arm around Marit and pulled her closer. As much as he’d appreciated working with Isabelle at the party, he’d missed being with Marit. “His English is sketchy, and my Chinese is nonexistent, so it wasn’t a very productive conversation, but when we brought up the names of his competitors, he nodded and said, ‘Very good work’ to every single one of them.”

“He’s probably one of the humblest big-name designers,” Marit said.

“Okay,” Cole said thoughtfully. “It sounds like LaRue bears watching, along with Allard, Adams, Bianchi, and Wade.”

“What did you find with that group?” Isabelle asked.

Cole reviewed his and Marit’s experience with the designers they’d spoken with. His account of Bianchi’s distasteful comments made Lars fume.

“I’m sorry you had to put up with that,” he said softly.

“It was over before it really began,” she said. “I know to keep my distance from Bianchi.” She turned her head to smile at him. “Thanks for caring.”

“Always.” Lars pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, a familiar thrill of attraction quickening his pulse. It was probably a good thing he hadn’t been there. He’d have taken a swing at the disrespectful idiot. And it wouldn’t have mattered what Bianchi was wearing; it would have ended up drenched in whatever he’d been drinking.

“It sounds like it would be worth looking more carefully at Bianchi,” Isabelle said.

“I agree.” Cole pulled out his phone and began entering something. “But the others aren’t off the hook yet either.”

Chapter 15

Cole waited until Marit andIsabelle walked into the building where they would rehearse for the Peter Wade show for the next several hours. His heart went out to both of them. That man really was obnoxious with a capitalO.

Cole glanced at Lars, who stood beside him. “You ready?”

---