paper.â She uncapped a bronze-colored pen, paused for a moment, then bent over the album and began to write in a long, looping script.
Baby watched her closely. â âParis, City of Light.â Beautiful. Now itâs the perfect album for preserving memories of Dawn and Buddyâs Paris trip.â Babyâs fingers touched the edge of Dawnâs sleeve; she was clearly proud of her daughter.
âDo you think I could do something similar using heart images?â asked Dawn. âFor an anniversary album?â
âI think hearts would be adorable,â said Carmela. âWe could even add some heart-shaped charms for a dimensional effect.â
âCould you attach charms to this?â asked Baby, indicating the album cover Carmela had just completed.
âOh, absolutely,â said Carmela. âTiny charms, stickers, gold tassels, a wax seal . . . the more layers you put on, the more depth you achieve.â
âHere are some rubber stamps with heart images,â said Gabby, passing a half-dozen rubber stamps to Dawn. âAnd this handmade mulberry paper has tiny rosebud petals imbedded in it.â
âWow,â said Dawn, clearly impressed.
âThat paper comes in cream, white, and pink,â said Carmela. âAnd I think we also have some pretty gold paper with poetry verses etched in the background. That would certainly go well with your romantic theme.â Carmela rose from her chair and headed for the front of the shop. âLet me take a look.â
As Carmela was searching through her stock of special papers, the phone rang. She grabbed the handset.
âHello,â she said, fully expecting to hear Tandy once again.
But it wasnât Tandy. It was Lt. Edgar Babcock of the New Orleans Police Department. Asking Carmela if she would kindly put together a list of customers whoâd attended her scrapbook crop this past Saturday night.
âSure I will, of course I will,â Carmela replied into the phone. God, am I babbling? Sure sounds like it. Why am I suddenly nervous?
âToday, if possible?â asked Lieutenant Babcock.
âShouldnât be a problem,â Carmela told him. She glanced toward the back of the shop. Everybody seemed involved in their own projects and she was pretty sure Gabby had kept that reservation list. Positive they had it, in fact.
Lieutenant Babcockâs request had also made Carmela suddenly hopeful.
If the police are looking at other people, surely that means theyâre not entirely focused on Billy Cobb. On the other hand, theyâre starting to look at my customers. . . .
âShall I e-mail you the list or . . .?â
âIâd like to stop by and pick it up if I could,â said Lieutenant Babcock.
âIâll have it ready,â Carmela promised him.
âProblems?â asked Gabby as Carmela hung up the phone.
Carmela pulled the gold paper from the front display and hurried back to her friends.
âNot a problem per se,â Carmela answered slowly. âThat was a police detective. Heâs asking for a list of Saturday nightâs customers.â
âDo they suspect someone?â asked Gabby, suddenly looking worried again.
âNo, I donât think thatâs it at all,â said Carmela. âI think this is more routine than anything.â
âOh,â said Gabby, not terribly convinced.
Uh-oh, thought Carmela. I hope Gabby doesnât get Stuart all upset about this.
âYou know,â said Baby, when there was a lull in the conversation, âthere is someone whoâs royally pissed at Barty Hayward.â
âWhoâs that?â asked Carmela. And why am I not surprised?
âDove Duval,â said Baby as she carefully traced out a heart-shaped photo frame for Dawn.
âDove was here Saturday night!â gasped Gabby.
âAnd, as I recall, she left rather early,â continued Baby, lifting an elegant hand and pushing a
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