Page 60 of The Girl in the River

“This place may be in the mountains but it’s designed for fashionistas.” Ellie wrinkled her nose. She couldn’t reconcile these designs with the down-to-earth gardener she knew as Mia.

A twenty-something young woman with a pink streak in her black shoulder-length hair and a row of earrings sparkling along her ears looked up and smiled. “Welcome to Moonbeams.”

After they crossed the room, Ellie introduced them. “We’d like to talk to you about Jesse Habersham.” The girl’s nametag read Missy. “Did you know her?”

Missy began folding a stack of scarves. “No, she ran out on her husband a few years ago. Don’t know why. Kevin Moon was a catch.”

“So you know the Moons?”

She laughed. “Everyone on Foggy Mountain knows the Moons. They own the boutique and most of the businesses around here.”

“Were you living here when Jesse disappeared?”

The girl’s eyes remained focused on the scarves. “Yeah, but I was in community college and didn’t have the money to shop in this store.”

“We know Jesse designed her own line of clothing. Did she design the merchandise you carry now?”

“We still have a few pieces,” Missy said. “But most of it is stuff I chose. I’m the buyer now and styles change, you know.”

“Yes, I know,” Ellie said, although she wasn’t into fashion herself. Jeans and flannel shirts suited her better.

“So what do you think happened to her?” Ellie asked.

The girl shrugged. “Lots of gossip went around. First off, people thought she was kidnapped. Then they found that other girl in the river and people thought she stole money from the boutique and ran off with another man.”

Ellie leaned against the counter. “Did people speculate about anyone in particular? Another friend of Jesse’s?”

“Not really. It was just gossip. I mean, why else leave Kevin?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Ellie replied.

“Any talk that Kevin cheated on Jesse?” Derrick interjected.

“God, no,” Missy said.

“Would he possibly have hurt her?” Ellie asked.

“No way. He worshipped her. Even found a company to produce her designs so she could expand. She should have been grateful.”

Maybe, Ellie thought. But there had to be more to the story.

“Sounds like you think a lot of the Moons,” Derrick said. “Are they hands on with the running of the boutique?”

“Kevin takes care of the books, but he pretty much lets me do the buying and we’ve started carrying my own designs. Has them made for a bargain to increase profit.” No wonder she was singing his praises.

Missy’s cell phone buzzed, and she glanced at it then gestured for them to wait. Turning her back to them, she answered the call, then spoke in a low whisper.

“I am, don’t worry,” Missy said. “I’m handling it. I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you back.”

A second later, she stuffed the phone back in her pocket and sighed. “Listen, I got some new merchandise I need to put out for the holiday. We done here? ’Cause if you want me to badmouth the Moons, it’s not going to happen. I owe them.”

Knowing she had all she’d get from the young woman, Ellie laid her card on the counter. “If you think of anything that might help us find out what happened to Jesse, please call me.”

Missy eyed the card but didn’t pick it up.

“That was interesting,” said Ellie, once they were outside.

“Yep. She’s not going to badmouth the family who’s buttering her bread.”

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