because we were sitting side by side. Everything looked identical—except for the perfume.”
“And you didn’t see what happened to her gift bag?” he asked her again.
“I’ve already told you no. I have no idea where it went.” Was he accusing her of stealing Lilah’s swag bag? “Like I said yesterday, I dropped her bag when I brought it onstage and used the pen. As for the swag bag, I just assumed someone from the forensic crew eventually found it and tagged it as evidence.”
“I wish that was the case, but—” Vaughn tugged on his lower lip, as if pondering her answer. “Did you see anyone carry out two of those bags, or spot someone taking a bag they shouldn’t have?”
“If you’ll remember, things were a little panicked around here after Lilah died. People scattered, even though Mr. Jager told them to stay in place. Some of the models raced back here, collected their things, and took off. The others snacked on food, or just took a breather because they knew the police would be called.”
She raised her eyes and locked gazes with Rudy.
“Don’t you get it, Triple E? He’s tryin’ to clue you in. The peanut stuff was in that bag.”
As soon as she heard him, the words sunk in. Each bag had a booklet of Forever strips, with a scent chosen especially for the recipient. The perfume melted into the wearer’s skin, and its scent lasted for hours. Plenty of time for the peanut oil, or whatever it was, to sink in and do its dirty work.
“It was the perfume strip, wasn’t it?” she asked him. “That’s how Lilah came in contact with peanuts. Someone dipped her strips into peanut oil, or something like it. When she put the strip on, it—”
Detective Vaughn held up a hand. “Right now, that’s merely speculation. The ME is still running tests to find out what the compound is. We’ll know more by the end of the day.” He cleared his throat. “But I do have a two-part favor.”
“From me?” His request was a first, and she wanted to be sure she got it right.
He smiled, and she realized Newton Vaughn was a nice guy. “If you don’t mind. I need an exact duplicate of that bag, and you’ve told me that, except for the perfume strips, yours and the deceased’s were identical.” He cleared his throat. “I can’t go to Nola Morgan Design for a bag, because I don’t know if I can trust whoever would put it together.”
“Jeffery King would be the person to—”
He held up a hand. “Like I said, I don’t know who at Nola Morgan Design can be trusted, and since I believe you’re an innocent observer, and you know how we work, I’d like to examine yours.”
Ellie thought about her swag bag and what was left after Viv had gone through it. “I can pull some strings to get mine here, but it might take a while. I really think it would be faster if you asked Mr. King.”
“That’s the second part of the favor,” Vaughn said, lowering his voice. “I don’t want Jeffery King or anyone else to know we’re examining the bags. If you see him, don’t mention it. Just tell him I’m looking for him.”
Chapter 4
Ellie decided to phone Vivian. Her best friend worked on Wall Street, but her schedule was flexible and she could take time off during the day for a variety of reasons. If she had a free morning, she could laze in bed. If her afternoon luncheon appointment was over, she could shop. Some days she had a dozen meetings, other days not so many. As long as her projects were finished, she could do whatever she wanted.
Sitting on a chair next to the water cooler, Ellie snapped open her phone and made the call. “Hey, Viv, it’s me. Do you have a couple of minutes?”
“For you? Of course I do. What’s up?”
“Remember the swag bag we went through last night, the one with the Bottega Veneta handbag?”
“Yep, and thanks again for the goodies. What’s the favor?”
“I need the bag, including the stuff I gave you. Can you go to my apartment and collect it? It’s on
“And you didn’t see what happened to her gift bag?” he asked her again.
“I’ve already told you no. I have no idea where it went.” Was he accusing her of stealing Lilah’s swag bag? “Like I said yesterday, I dropped her bag when I brought it onstage and used the pen. As for the swag bag, I just assumed someone from the forensic crew eventually found it and tagged it as evidence.”
“I wish that was the case, but—” Vaughn tugged on his lower lip, as if pondering her answer. “Did you see anyone carry out two of those bags, or spot someone taking a bag they shouldn’t have?”
“If you’ll remember, things were a little panicked around here after Lilah died. People scattered, even though Mr. Jager told them to stay in place. Some of the models raced back here, collected their things, and took off. The others snacked on food, or just took a breather because they knew the police would be called.”
She raised her eyes and locked gazes with Rudy.
“Don’t you get it, Triple E? He’s tryin’ to clue you in. The peanut stuff was in that bag.”
As soon as she heard him, the words sunk in. Each bag had a booklet of Forever strips, with a scent chosen especially for the recipient. The perfume melted into the wearer’s skin, and its scent lasted for hours. Plenty of time for the peanut oil, or whatever it was, to sink in and do its dirty work.
“It was the perfume strip, wasn’t it?” she asked him. “That’s how Lilah came in contact with peanuts. Someone dipped her strips into peanut oil, or something like it. When she put the strip on, it—”
Detective Vaughn held up a hand. “Right now, that’s merely speculation. The ME is still running tests to find out what the compound is. We’ll know more by the end of the day.” He cleared his throat. “But I do have a two-part favor.”
“From me?” His request was a first, and she wanted to be sure she got it right.
He smiled, and she realized Newton Vaughn was a nice guy. “If you don’t mind. I need an exact duplicate of that bag, and you’ve told me that, except for the perfume strips, yours and the deceased’s were identical.” He cleared his throat. “I can’t go to Nola Morgan Design for a bag, because I don’t know if I can trust whoever would put it together.”
“Jeffery King would be the person to—”
He held up a hand. “Like I said, I don’t know who at Nola Morgan Design can be trusted, and since I believe you’re an innocent observer, and you know how we work, I’d like to examine yours.”
Ellie thought about her swag bag and what was left after Viv had gone through it. “I can pull some strings to get mine here, but it might take a while. I really think it would be faster if you asked Mr. King.”
“That’s the second part of the favor,” Vaughn said, lowering his voice. “I don’t want Jeffery King or anyone else to know we’re examining the bags. If you see him, don’t mention it. Just tell him I’m looking for him.”
Chapter 4
Ellie decided to phone Vivian. Her best friend worked on Wall Street, but her schedule was flexible and she could take time off during the day for a variety of reasons. If she had a free morning, she could laze in bed. If her afternoon luncheon appointment was over, she could shop. Some days she had a dozen meetings, other days not so many. As long as her projects were finished, she could do whatever she wanted.
Sitting on a chair next to the water cooler, Ellie snapped open her phone and made the call. “Hey, Viv, it’s me. Do you have a couple of minutes?”
“For you? Of course I do. What’s up?”
“Remember the swag bag we went through last night, the one with the Bottega Veneta handbag?”
“Yep, and thanks again for the goodies. What’s the favor?”
“I need the bag, including the stuff I gave you. Can you go to my apartment and collect it? It’s on
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