A Model Crime by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Chapter

Nine

NANCY QUICKLY PUT the note in her pocket and scrambled to her feet. T had to be a woman, she surmised. Only a woman would sign a note to a man “with love.” But who was she? And to what “new president” did the note refer? Nancy was certain the reference was not to politics.

A voice at the door broke her concentration. “What is it this time?” Bettina Vasquez was walking into the room with a look of extreme irritation on her face.

“You’re not going to like this,” Thom said, handing her the shredded dress.

“Oh, dear,” the Elan executive said as she fingered the material. “Well, Natasha, I can get you another dress to wear tonight, but I’m afraid you won’t be in any of the shots.”

“No!” Natasha protested. “But it wasn’t my fault!”

“Sorry,” Bettina said, without a lot of feeling. “These gowns are each one of a kind. We simply can’t include one that’s not a Smash original.”

Natasha’s lip trembled and her chin quivered, but she said nothing.

“I can’t think who’d do this. It’s rotten,” Bettina said a little more softly. “But those are the breaks.”

Nancy scowled. Personally, she could think of a few people who might have done it—Bettina Vasquez among them. How else could Bettina’s cool indifference be explained?

“Now, girls”—Bettina turned to the others—“not a word about this to anyone. If the press got hold of this story, it would be the end of the Face of the Year contest. Understand?”

Nancy couldn’t tell whether the contestants understood or not, but one thing was clear. All of them were terribly upset by the suspicious events surrounding their contest.

• • •

Over the next hour and a half they all tried hard to forget Natasha’s dress as they concentrated on getting ready for the banquet. The sounds of unhappy murmuring were gradually replaced by giggling as the girls dashed from room to room borrowing hair clips and perfume or sharing makeup tips. Bess and Nancy’s room had turned into a hub of activity.

Natasha was there, wearing a simple mint-green dress she’d been given. Nancy couldn’t help thinking that even though she looked lovely in it, the new dress was no match for the color of the designer original.

“Remember, Natasha,” Maggie Adams said as she helped Bess step into her filmy blue creation, “being out of just one shoot isn’t going to ruin your chances of winning the contest. That’s what Bettina told me when I couldn’t be in the ‘Welcome to Chicago’ shot.”

“And I never made it into the sportswear shoot,” Bess added.

“I missed the group shot of the makeover,” Alison Williams said.

“Oh, I hope you’re right,” Natasha said with a sigh.

“Girls! Girls!” Bettina called from the corridor. “I’m going downstairs to help set up, but I want you all to be in the lobby with Jackie by seven forty-five—sharp!”

“It’s almost time to go!” Bess squealed as Maggie zipped up her gown. “How do I look, Nan?”

“Great!” Nancy said, reaching for her camera. “Can I get a quick shot of

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