Silk Stalkings Read Online Free PDF Page B

to win. Limiting the expense of the dress won’t make that much of a difference. People can easily rent, borrow, or claim hand-me-downs. Two years ago we had a scandal when one contestant wore her dress and returned it to the store when the competition was over.”
    â€œYou should know that construction isn’t my strong suit. I can design, but I’ve always had a staff of sewers at my disposal to turn my designs into wearable garments. What if each girl got an allotment of fabric and I consulted with them on color and design? I can sketch out each concept and someone else can make the dress for them.”
    â€œThey are young ladies, not girls,” she said as if it was a trained response. She tipped her head and looked just past me, apparently at nothing in particular, while she thought. “I see a unique learning opportunity here. You tell me what kind of workers you need to make this happen, and I’ll talk to the board about funding.”
    â€œThe board? I thought Mr. Halliwell was in charge of the pageant.”
    She laughed. “Poly, that man hasn’t been in his right mind for years. We don’t need him to make decisions. We don’t even need him to be present. If we could convince him to give us power of attorney, we wouldn’t even need him to sign the checks.”
    â€œIs that a possibility? That he’d give your board the power to write checks in his name?”
    â€œOfficially? Not that he’d ever agree to, but unofficially? I have a stack of signed checks in my desk and I’ve been using them for years. And trust me, if those ever ran out, I know his signature well enough that I could fake it in my sleep.”

Four
    Having only worked for a cheapskate like Giovanni, who ran To the Nines, I couldn’t imagine working for a millionaire who trusted me with a stack of signed blank checks. Giovanni locked the drawer of his desk that held the loose change.
    â€œNow, I better get moving if I want to lock in a third judge,” Nolene said.
    I had an idea. “Have you considered another local business owner? Maybe one of the ladies who runs the antiques shop next door?”
    â€œThat would be a cruel joke, Poly. No, I won’t be asking either of them.”
    â€œWhat about Maria Lopez?”
    â€œThe cleaning lady?”
    â€œShe started her own business and employs over fifteen people now. She’s a real inspiration to the women of San Ladrón.”
    â€œYou might just have something there. Think her husband would mind?”
    â€œYou already said you can’t have three male judges.”
    â€œSettled. I’ll go see her right now.”
    I sank into the chair by the desk and glanced at the clock. Nolene Kelly had accomplished more in a twenty-minute conversation on a Sunday morning than most people accomplished in a week.
    I walked Nolene to the front door. When we reached the sidewalk, the door to Flowers in the Attic opened and Violet Garden, one of the two sisters who ran the antiques shop, came out. She gave Nolene a nasty look, then went inside the fabric store. Nolene made a face at her back.
    â€œI don’t envy you being her neighbor. Nothing’s ever good enough for her.”
    â€œViolet’s been nothing but nice since I arrived.” Mostly.
    â€œI’m sure it’s an act and it can’t last forever.”
    Nolene left. When I went back inside, I found Violet carefully studying a bolt of marked-down tweed.
    â€œViolet, how are you?” I asked.
    The woman stood up and ran her hand over her long ash-blond ponytail. “Poly,” she said, “I’d stay away from that pageant if I were you.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œFor starters, Nolene’s a bit sexist in her choice of judges for the pageant. I understand why she’d go to Vaughn McMichael, but Duke? That’s a stretch. I was hoping she’d tapped you to keep things balanced.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong