Blurb
When an over-the-top collection of vintage Hollywood costumes comes to
Samantha Kidd’s hometown, it brings a hat box full of hype. Close friend Eddie
is in charge of the exhibit but when hype turns to homicide, he turns to
Samantha for help. Brimming with good intentions, she loops in the cops, but
after one too many cloche calls, she’s soon in over her head. If she can tear
the lid off the investigation, it might mean a feather in her fedora. And if
she can’t? She might get capped.
Excerpt
"How’s
the job search going?” he asked.
“How
much do you think I could get for a dozen satin cargo pants from the mid
nineties?”
“That
well, huh?” Eddie flopped down on a pile of Bubble Wrap. A burst of popping
sounds shot from under his tush while he rearranged his legs in front of him.
He let out an exaggerated sigh.
“The
main problem is my recent work history. I was a buyer at Bentley’s for ten
years, which was great, but it feels like another lifetime ago. After that I
moved here and worked at Tradava for a week. Six months later I worked at Heist
for something like that too. So basically my resume makes me look like a
flake.”
“I
might have a lead for you. That’s why I wanted your help. I can’t pay you, but
I thought I could be a reference. Give you something to fill in the gap in your
employment until you find a job.” He kicked his feet out in front of him. “But
it doesn’t really matter, I guess. This whole project has been trouble from the
start. You showing up looking like an extra in a hip-hop video is just the
icing on the cake.”
I
ignored his dig. “Why would my outfit have anything to do with your project?”
“Because
my project could very easily become your project.”
“I’m
not following.”
“Your
major was the history of fashion, right? This exhibit encompasses that. We’re
getting loans from some of the best private collections of clothing in the
tri-state area, along with a couple of local hat stores and one designer from
Hollywood.”
I
leaned forward. “The museum’s putting on an exhibit on the history of fashion?
Here, in Ribbon? You’re in charge of it? The whole thing? I would love
to be involved with something like this, but my experience is in retail buying,
not visual.”
“That’s
where the opportunity comes in. I’m in charge of the installation. I’m giving
you a foot back inside the door.”
“So
why’s my outfit a problem?”
“I
need you to be my liaison with the sponsor.”
“Who’s
the sponsor?”
“Tradava.”
Tradava.
The local department store that had promised me a job but delivered a homicide
investigation—and then sent me a very polite letter that said they were
dismantling the very department I’d been hired to work in.
As
soon as I heard the name of the store, I tensed. I turned away from Eddie and
pushed my fingers into my long brown hair, boosting the roots, while delivering
a mental pep talk at the same time. Tradava would be lucky to get me back.
“You’re
the curator?”
“Guest
curator. More like exhibit merchandiser. Last year the museum sponsored a
visual competition between a few different retailers. Tradava won. The prize
was the chance to guest curate an exhibit. It took a while for the board of
directors to agree on the exhibit concept and for the director to obtain loans
from collectors, but once they green-lighted it, I’ve been on an almost
impossible deadline. If you’re looking for something to tear you away from your
job search, I could use your help coordinating the exhibit.”
“Maybe
I should forget about Tradava. Maybe what happened is a sign that I shouldn’t
work for them.”
“Sign-schmign.
You need a job. They’re hiring. Sounds like a match to me.”
“You
don’t believe in signs?”
“I
believe in stop signs and sale signs. Everything else is woo-woo.”
Buy the Book!
About the Author:
Diane Vallere is living
proof that you can redesign your life with a little know how and a lot of
determination! After close to two decades working for a top luxury retailer,
she traded fashion accessories for accessories to murder, now juggling
three different mystery series: Style & Error, featuring former fashion
buyer Samantha Kidd; Mad for Mod, featuring Doris Day-loving interior decorator
Madison Night; and the upcoming Material Witness series, featuring Polyester
Monroe and the fabric shop she inherited. Diane started her own detective
agency at age ten and has maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes
ever since. Find her at http://www.dianevallere.com/.
Connect with Diane!
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Newsletter
