Read Online A Crime of Fashion by Carina Axelsson - Free Book Online

ventured.
    â€œAh, ma chérie , that is the question!”
    â€œBut surely there must be some theories about why she’s disappeared? Yesterday her brother Claude suggested that her disappearance is due to too much stress.”
    â€œ Humf! ” he snorted, but he didn’t elaborate. In the mirror, I watched Victor. I couldn’t tell whether he was studiously ignoring me or just concentrating really hard on my hair.
    â€œMaybe the stress of the business got to be too much for her and she decided she needed a break? Maybe she’s taken off to Mexico or Bali or something?” I persisted.
    â€œ Ma petite Axelle, you are very curious, non ?”
    â€œYes – but it’s odd. Why would she disappear now, during Fashion Week? If she really disappeared for personal reasons then this is the worst time to do it. Any designer would instantly draw massive amounts of attention to themselves by disappearing at a time like this. So I can’t help but think that it isn’t just stress…despite what the family claims…”
    As my probing didn’t seem to be getting me anywhere, I decided to change track with my questioning. “What wa— is she like?”
    â€œBeautiful, talented, charming. And, like I said earlier, loyal and sweet. Everything you read about her is true.” Victor was now bending over me with a comb in hand. I watched as he carefully used the back of the comb to scrape off some of the goop on my hair. “Hmm…another two minutes and your hair will be more shiny and soft than since it first grew out of your head.”
    â€œWhat about the rest of the family?” I asked, bringing him back to Belle.
    Victor shrugged his shoulders. “The others I only know a little. Her mother, Fiona, is très chic and formal. Her oldest brother Claude is smooth and sophisticated – he does the company PR. And Rose, she’s a year or two younger than Claude, is in charge of the company’s accounting. Honestly, I don’t know her at all. Rose has always been the shy, awkward one in the family. Darius is number three – the sandwich child; very nice, also shy, and the family intellectual. He writes about fashion history. And then, of course, there’s Fiona’s favourite, Dom. He’s a photographer. Handsome – and he knows it.”
    Dom’s green eyes came to mind. “Why is he his mother’s favourite? What about Belle?”
    â€œDom is Fiona’s favourite because he’s good-looking and charming – and the youngest. As for Belle, she’s always been her father’s favourite. Patrick La Lune has always believed she’s the most talented of his children. I’m sure if he wasn’t so ill – he doesn’t go out in public any more, he can hardly breathe let alone leave his bed – this never would have happened. He used to watch over her like a hawk. Anyway, despite their many differences, the family is very close – in any case, that’s the impression they’ve always given.”
    â€œImpression? So you don’t think they really are close?”
    Again Victor shrugged his shoulders. “They all live together in a large mansion.”
    â€œCouldn’t living together make them less close rather than more close – I mean, them being so different and all…?”
    Victor was ignoring me again. Why? As if in answer to my unspoken question, he said, “ Ma chérie, you are too curious.”
    â€œBut I’d like to find her.”
    That comment caught Victor off guard. He stopped moving his hands and looked into the mirror, catching my eye. He had an eyebrow lifted quizzically.
    â€œI’m serious,” I said.
    â€œWell, then, ma chérie , I must wish you courage .”
    â€œCourage?”
    â€œYes, ma chérie , courage – and lots of it – because in order to solve this mystery, you’ll have to go up against