All Dressed in White (Under Suspicion #2)(25)

Jerry effortlessly reached for a binder on the table and then flipped it open to a tabbed section. His organizational abilities were one of the many reasons he was such a key contributor to the success of the show. “The photographer’s name is Ray Walker. He was questioned by the police—everyone who had anything to do with the wedding was.” Jerry’s eyes skimmed the report, but Laurie could tell that he already knew the contents. “He was indeed at the property Thursday afternoon to take candid pictures of the wedding party enjoying themselves, but says he left at five o’clock because he had a separate booking for another wedding that night.”

His gaze returned to the image of the man who appeared to be following Amanda on the computer screen. “This video was taken at five-thirty-two P.M., so according to Walker, he would have been gone by then.”

Laurie looked at the frozen image on the screen. His height was hard to estimate, but he seemed neither tall nor short. He was a bit chubby, not overweight so much as soft.

“Do we have a picture of Walker?”

“No, but according to this report, he was fifty years old five years ago.”

Something about the man on the screen seemed younger, but the image was too blurred to be certain. Laurie glanced at the clock and realized she needed to leave for her meeting with Amanda’s sister, Charlotte.

“I’ve got to go. Let’s make a note to follow up with Walker,” she said to Jerry, “just in case. It’s probably just a tourist who’s into photography.

“On the other hand,” she paused, “Amanda was a strikingly beautiful woman. It’s very possible that she might have attracted the attention of someone who began following her.”

“You mean a stalker?” Grace asked.

“That’s exactly what I mean.”





25





The Ladyform waiting room was fit for a couture company, complete with wine-colored velvet furniture and black-and-white fashion photos lining the wall. Sandra wasn’t exaggerating when she said the family business had shifted its “branding” in recent years. When Laurie was a child, her grandmother had bought Ladyform “foundation wear.” Laurie was too young to understand all the snaps and buckles, or why her grandmother would spend so much time squeezing herself into those heavy-duty contraptions, but she remembered being scared by the entire process. Now Ladyform was synonymous with women feeling happy and comfortable inside healthy, natural bodies.

A woman about her age opened one of the double doors leading to the lobby and greeted her with a smile. She was tall, probably close to five-ten, and slightly heavyset. She had shoulder-length light brown hair and appeared to wear no makeup. Laurie recognized her from their research as Charlotte Pierce, current executive vice president of design at Ladyform and, more important for Laurie’s current purposes, the older sister of Amanda Pierce.

“What can I do for you, Ms. Moran?” Charlotte asked once they were settled into her office. “Have you decided to take my sister’s case?”

Laurie had scheduled an appointment through Charlotte’s assistant, but hadn’t yet spoken to Charlotte directly. “I should make clear that we don’t take a case, like a lawyer or private investigator would, since your family wouldn’t actually be our client. But we are looking closely at featuring your sister’s disappearance in our next special.”

“That’s great. As I told my mother, I’m happy to participate if you need me.”


“Terrific. She told me that, but we always double-check. I have the paperwork for your review.” She retrieved the production contract from her briefcase and slid it across the desk. She could have emailed it to Charlotte, but she had another reason for being here. As Charlotte reviewed the agreement, Laurie pretended to make small talk. “So I’m told you were a bridesmaid.”

“Hmm?” she said, her attention focused on reading. “Oh sure, that’s right. I suppose the bride kind of has to ask the big sister.”

“But you and Amanda were close, weren’t you? Not only sisters, but co-workers.”

“She probably would have said too close at times. It’s not always easy to work professionally with family members.”

Laurie nodded. It was Austin Pratt and Nick Young who’d mentioned a sense of sibling rivalry between the Pierce sisters, more on Charlotte’s part than Amanda’s. According to them, Charlotte showed no real interest in her sister’s wedding. She had been supposed to offer the toast at the Friday brunch but had asked Nick to do it. Amanda never appeared for brunch, so the moment of the toast never arrived. Thinking about that, Laurie wondered if somehow Charlotte already knew that Amanda wouldn’t be there.

“Your mother tells me that Amanda was the one to suggest this New York office. Things seem to be going very well for the company.”

Charlotte’s grimace was unmistakable. “Yes, it was Amanda’s idea. I’ve managed to steer it in the right direction in her absence, but who knows where we might be if she were still here.” She barely tried to hide the sarcasm.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest that you didn’t deserve the credit,” Laurie said, even though that wasn’t quite true.

“It’s fine.” She handed back the signed document. “So is that all?”