Fashion Undertow

Chapter 4: Postcard

June's Mansion. Saturday, September 9, 2006.

Diana hadn't initially thought she'd be able to attend the Arkham Round Table session on Saturday. Her schedule cleared when late on Friday afternoon, she and Jones arrested the ringleader of the counterfeit purse scam.

The disgruntled employee was unhappy with her treatment at the factory. To exact revenge on the designer, she'd agreed to partner with a branch of the Sicilian Mafia to replace the bags with knockoffs while selling the original bags through the black market. That evening, Diana and Jones supervised the confiscation of stolen handbags in a Queens warehouse. The file could now be marked with the stamp of Case Closed. By rights, the prosecutor should send her and Jones thank-you gifts for all the evidence they'd provided.

Her private celebration with her girlfriend would come this evening. Since Christie was scheduled to work at the hospital in the morning, Diana was free to attend the writing group's meeting.

These days the group only met once a month. Now that June was also serving as beta reader to Mozzie, the two of them probably met much more frequently. Henry still liked to attend the sessions. Diana suspected it was mainly to toss in suggestions for his and Eric's characters. She hoped to eventually work Christie into the tales, but the new character she'd created for herself would first need to be developed.

Diana had told June she'd arrive early to help set out the refreshments. She also hoped to sneak a look at the remodel designs. June's driveway and the parking spaces in front of the house were filled with pickups, construction trailers, and a dumpster. The workmen were using the back entrance so there was little physical evidence of the project in the front rooms except for the loud thuds, screeches, and roar of power equipment.

"Welcome to Bedlam Manor," June said when she greeted her. "We'll have to make do with the floorplans. A tour won't be possible."

"How are Neal and Sara managing?" Diana asked as they entered the dining room. The blueprints were already spread out on the table.

"So far it hasn't been an issue. By the time they get home, the workmen are generally done for the day, and the loft will be the last space to be remodeled. Today they wisely decided to go shopping."

"For hardware?" In Diana's admitted limited experience with remodeling, she'd discovered the most challenging aspect was picking out the small items.

June smiled. "No, they're looking at baby clothes."

Diana's mouth dropped. "No! Already?"

June chuckled, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Yes, they're shopping for baby clothes but not for themselves. Myra Stockman, Neal's art mentor, had her baby on Wednesday—a beautiful girl she and her wife named Karli."

"Wedding plans, baby clothes." Diana exhaled. "Neal and Sara's new world." She stifled the small envious voice inside her that wished it was her world too.

"And with a challenge to start it off!" June said, luckily oblivious to Diana's mixed emotions. "Sara told me you'd helped with the falcon clue."

"Do you have any others you'd like me to plant?"

"If you wouldn't mind." June handed her a postcard.

Diana stared at the photograph. "I thought I had the puzzle figured out, but I can't see where you're going with this one."

"That's because you didn't see the clue Sara planted for Henry to find. I won't give away the surprise. That way when Henry wheedles you for a hint, you can honestly deny you know the answer."

Diana promised not to reveal the subject of the photograph. As June pointed out features of the floor plan, her mind drifted. Who wouldn't be envious of their penthouse? Would she and Christie ever embark on a similar project? Diana's salary wouldn't go very far ... yet. But in time it might. And Christie's salary could make a dream residence a reality. But would Diana ever wear a wedding gown? Legally? Myra and Britta couldn't even get married in Sweden.