Knitting Mystery 03 - A Deadly Yarn Page 2

  “They almost look like they were carved in another century or something,” Kelly said, observing the strand of bone-colored beads, their shapes decorated with curving lines and jagged angles.

  “Wow, I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Megan remarked.

  “Neither have I, but I’ve already got an idea how I can use them in a design,” Allison said, her eyes alight.

  “Look out New York, here she comes,” Megan said with a laugh.

  “Do you have a place to stay in New York?” Kelly asked.

  “I’ll be sharing an apartment until spring,” Allison replied. “Sophia has a cousin who’s studying at one of the city universities, and her roommate moved out, so she needs someone. It works perfectly, because I can’t afford New York City rents right now. I’ll be earning apprentice-like wages for quite a while.”

  “Well, maybe you’ll be able to keep on sharing,” Kelly suggested.

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  “Boy, this Sophia sounds like a fairy godmother,”

  Megan said. “Kind of like she’s taken you under her wing.”

  “I’ll say,” Kelly agreed.

  Allison glanced at the table. “I’ve thought the same thing, guys,” she admitted. “She’s making all of my dreams come true. I still can’t be—”

  “Believe it,” Kelly finished with a laugh. “I swear, Allison, I’m going to make a cardboard sign saying ‘Believe it!’

  for you to wear around your neck all the way to New York.”

  “Okay, okay,” Allison said, joining the shared laughter.

  “I’m working on the self-confidence.”

  “We’ll work on you all the way back to Fort Connor tomorrow,” Megan teased, gesturing for the waiter to bring their check. “And speaking of tomorrow, we’d better head back and get to sleep. Gotta leave early tomorrow if we want to stop by some of those yarn stores in Denver.”

  Allison closed her eyes and groaned. “Ohhhh, just the thought of all that cleaning and packing I have to do when I get back. Brother! My apartment is a mess.”

  “Don’t worry,” Megan reassured her as the waiter approached with dessert and coffee. “I can come over Monday morning and help all day if you need me. My work is caught up until Wednesday.”

  Kelly wished she could say that. She’d stolen time away from her corporate accounts to take this road trip to New Mexico and into another world. In Santa Fe, with its vibrant art scene and distinctive architecture everywhere she looked, Kelly felt as if she’d briefly stepped into a whole new world. Unfortunately, the old world of corporate accounts and bulging email inboxes was awaiting her return.

  “Thanks for dropping me off, Kelly,” Megan said as she leaned on the car window, backpack over her shoulder.

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  “No problem,” Kelly said. “See you in the shop later tomorrow. I’ll have to catch up with the office work first.”

  “I may not get in at all. Depends on how much cleaning there is to do at Allison’s.” Megan turned toward her town-house gate. “Say ‘hi’ to the others for me.” She walked through the gate, lugging backpack and knitting bags.

  “Will do,” Kelly called as she drove off into the evening twilight.

  The return trip to Fort Connor had gone smoothly and super easy with three drivers taking turns. She wasn’t even tired. Of course, the brief stops at three different yarn shops were also great energy breaks. Almost as good as coffee.

  All three of them had been unable to resist buying more yarn. Even Allison had succumbed, and she was packing for a move.

  Now, all Kelly had to do was find the time to make all those new scarves. Her yarn purchases were starting to pile up at the little cottage left to her by her aunt. It was her home now, and it was filled with bags of future projects.

  After years of seeing Aunt Helen’s bags of yarns waiting to be used, she understood why all knitters talked about their

  “stash bags.” Gorgeous yarns they’d purchased but had yet to find time to knit.

  Another memory intruded. Allison, subdued and red-eyed, after a phone call to a friend while Kelly and Megan were buying fast food in Denver. She’d waved away their concern and said she was simply tense and upset about all she had to do before leaving.

  Kelly had exchanged a quick glance with Megan, then changed the mood entirely by announcing she’d decided to buy the beautiful velvet shawl after all. She promised to call Kristin’s shop first thing in the morning. Thank goodness for plastic, they all agreed, and broke out into laughter.

  Two

  “How was the road trip?” Lisa asked as Kelly dropped her knitting bag on the library table.

  “Fantastic,” Kelly said, sinking into a chair. “I had no idea how beautiful Santa Fe would be. And, of course, there’s the food.” She took a deep drink from her coffee-filled mug and watched her friend work her usual needle magic on a fluffy pile of yarn in her lap.

  “Ah, yes, the food,” Lisa said with a grin, brushing a wisp of blonde hair from her forehead. “What’d you eat? I love New Mexican cuisine, so I’ll live vicariously through your descriptions.”

  “What didn’t we eat?” Kelly corrected with a laugh. “I ran double distance this morning to get a head start on the fat.”

  Kelly pulled out a circlet of rose-colored silk and cotton yarn from her knitting bag. Her half-finished sweater-in-the-round. The neglected circlet lay there, forlorn, its circular needles dangling like puppydog tails. She stared at the strange-looking needles. It had been months since she’d even pulled out this piece. Good thing that knitting-in-the-12

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  round only called for the knit stitch. Were those cobwebs on the yarn, she wondered?

  She examined the vibrant rose yarn she’d chosen months ago, surprised she’d been so easily lured away from this lovely piece by the seductive summer temptations of the flirty eyelash yarns that filled the shop’s bins.

  Spilling from crates, scattered across antique tables, stacked in squeezable bundles on shelves, the little balls of soft yarn were everywhere. Bold, spiky, lollipop colors and silky fringed palettes of aged cognac and vintage cabernet.

  Kelly had been unable to resist and succumbed to what Lambspun’s knitting regulars called “fiber fever.” Meanwhile, the rosy silk and cotton circlet was shoved into the bottom of the project pile—forgotten once more.

  Kelly let her mind drift from fiber memories back to food.

  “Let’s see, we had chiles stuffed with this yummy cheese, and there were these wonderful fruits everywhere, and desserts.”

  “Oh, good, I came at the right time,” Jennifer announced as she plopped her knitting bag on the table and sat down.

  “Keep talking. I’ll just sit here and gain weight while you describe the desserts. Flan, right?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Kelly nodded. “And some other delicate white confections I can’t remember.”

  “Probably meringues,” Lisa spoke up. “What about the chiles? Did Megan introduce you to some of her favorites?”

  “One or two, but I was too chicken to try them all,” Kelly admitted with a laugh.

  Jennifer made a noise as she pulled out a pumpkin-orange yarn. “Don’t remind me. She tempted me with one of her favorites, and I swear I couldn’t feel my lips for a week.”

  “That’ll teach you to eat first and ask questions later,”

  Lisa teased. A lacy bluish-gray creation was forming on her needles.

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  “What are you making?” Kelly pointed toward the soft pile of yarn on Lisa’s lap.

  “One of those shawls I saw in a knitting magazine. It’s the same one Mimi has hanging in the yarn room.”

  Kelly turned and surveyed the renovated farmhouse’s former dining room, now filled floor-to-ceiling with colorful yarns and fibers of every description. She spotted the lacy shawl draped along the wall, six inches of fringe edging the entire length. It was even prettier finished. Kelly recognized the siren song of temptation again and glanced at the rosy silk and cotton circlet in her lap. It stared back accusingly.

  “Kelly, you’re back!” Mimi said in a delighted voice as she hurried into the room, notebook in hand. “How was the trip?”

  “Wonderful, of course,” Jennifer piped up. “She was telling us about the food, and we were gaining weight listening. Except for the skinny Scandanavian, of course.”

  Jennifer wrinkled her nose at Lisa, who was shoving her knitting into its bag as she pushed back her chair.

  “Gotta run,” Lisa said, skirting the table. “Clients at five o’clock. Don’t forget we have ball practice at seven tonight, Kelly.”

  Kelly smacked her forehead. “Ooooo, thanks for the reminder. Forgot to check my daytimer. I’ve been glued to the computer all day.”

  “I’ll bet Carl was happy to see you,” Mimi said as she straightened a yarn bin.

  Remembering her dog’s excited barks and welcoming howl, Kelly had to laugh. “Oh, yeah. I got lots of Rottweiler kisses. Big, wet, and slurpy. Was he good while I was gone?”

  Mimi gave a dismissing wave. “He was fine. A perfect gentleman.”

  That didn’t sound like Carl. “You didn’t go to another 14

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  cottage by mistake, did you, Mimi? We’re talking about Carl, remember?”

  “Yes, we’re talking about Carl. He was waiting patiently for me in the kitchen when I came each morning,” Mimi said before she headed into an adjoining room.

  “Well, I’m impressed. I’ll have to give him an extra doggie treat for being a good boy,” Kelly said, picking up the neglected circlet of yarn. Okay, where did she leave off? she thought, as she examined the s
titches.

  Jennifer began to cast loopy pumpkin-colored stitches onto a large needle. “What does Steve get? He’s being a really good boy, too.”

  Kelly stopped in the midst of counting between stitch markers. What? She must have missed something in Jennifer’s last comment. “Steve? What does he have to do with doggie treats?”

  “You mentioned Carl would get an extra doggie treat because he’s been a good boy while you were gone,” Jennifer commented as she scrutinized the orange yarn. “So, I wondered what Steve would get. He’s been a very good boy for a very long time. Months, actually.”

  Watching Jennifer’s intense concentration on the yarn, Kelly had to hand it to her. Jennifer was smooth. But Kelly was way ahead of her. She knew where this conversation was headed, and Kelly wasn’t about to go there.

  “I agree. Steve’s a really good guy,” she said nonchalantly.

  “Great guy, actually,” Jennifer added.

  “Yes, a great guy.”

  “Good-looking, smart, great personality, runs his own business, good sense of humor, great athlete just like you.”

  Jennifer rattled off the litany in time with her stitches.

  Kelly tried to hide her smile. “All true.”

  “And talk about being a perfect gentleman,” Jennifer continued. “Steve has Carl beat. I mean, he may not be A DEADLY YARN

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  waiting in your kitchen every morning, but he might as well be. All you have to do is crook your finger, and Steve’s right there. Waiting patiently, I might add.”

  “A slight exaggeration, don’t you think?”

  “No? ” Jennifer turned to her with an astonished gaze.

  Kelly didn’t think Jennifer could look that innocent. “Steve handled the golfers when Carl chased golf balls, then he went with you to question Curt Stackhouse when you were poking around after your aunt’s death, then he came up to Wyoming with you to help with all that cattle and ranch stuff. Every time you need someone to help, Steve’s there.

  Heck, when you went charging off to Stackhouse’s ranch all by yourself last spring, it was Steve who rushed to the rescue.”

  “Hey, I didn’t need rescuing,” Kelly retorted. “I didn’t ask him to come out. You guys did.”

  Jennifer turned back to her stitches. “You’re missing my point.”

  “Which is?” Kelly was feeling decidedly prickly now.

  “Steve is sending some very strong signals that he’s seriously interested in you, and you just ignore him.”

  “I don’t ignore him. Steve’s one of my friends just like you guys. He knows that.”

  “I can’t believe you’re missing this, Kelly. It’s obvious to all of us that Steve would like to be more than ‘just another friend.’ How come you can’t see it?” Jennifer asked as she methodically added another pumpkin orange row.

  Kelly bit her tongue to keep from blurting her first response. Of course, she’d noticed Steve’s attention. And his interest. But she’d be darned if she admitted it now.

  “I mean, the least you could do is go out for pizza with the guy once in a while. Heck, you could always take Carl along, so Steve wouldn’t get any ideas.”

  Kelly had to laugh at that. “I’ll think about it,” she replied, deliberately not admitting that she and Steve had 16

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  already had several pizza dates as well as three really enjoy-able evenings at a favorite jazz cafe in Old Town. No way would she admit to that. Not yet, anyway. So far, no one knew she and Steve had ever gone out. Except Carl, of course. Carl could keep a secret.

  She wasn’t exactly sure why she didn’t want to tell her friends. Kelly had an idea, but she didn’t want to examine that too closely, either. So, all of those bedeviling thoughts and ideas went into the I’ll-think-about-it-tomorrow drawer in her mind. Kelly had too much on her plate every day to spend time on distracting thoughts like that.

  “I suggest you do more than think. A guy like Steve won’t be waiting around forever,” Jennifer tweaked again.

  “You can stop now.”

  “Okay, okay,” Jennifer acquiesced with a sigh. “I’ll change subjects. What are you hearing from your boss lately? Is he still making noises about your working away from the office so long?”

  Kelly exhaled a long breath. “Unfortunately, yes. I talked to him last week and tried to explain why Aunt Helen’s estate settlement is taking so long, but I got the distinct feeling he thought I was exaggerating. That’s what I sensed, anyway. He gets this tone in his voice when he wants to show his displeasure.” She made a face.

  “Sounds like a really fun guy to work for.”

  “Ohhhhh, yeah.”

  “Did you tell him Helen’s estate is not just your simple everyday settlement? I mean, your cousin Martha’s property in Wyoming is mixed in with all of Helen’s property as well. Heck, it confuses me just to hear you talk about it.”

  Kelly nodded. “I did my best, but it’s kind of hard to explain all that over the phone. I may have to take another trip out there. Talk to him in person.”

  “Sounds like a good idea. And while you’re there, why don’t you tell him you quit,” Jennifer advised.

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  “I can’t, Jen,” Kelly said, fingers getting their rhythm back with the circular knitting. “I need that salary every month. I wouldn’t have a prayer of paying that whopping mortgage Helen put on the cottage before she died.”

  “Haven’t you done some consulting, though? I thought you were helping Debbie Claymore back in July.”

  Other memories flooded back. It was hard to believe so much had happened since she’d come here last April. “Yes, I did and was paid handsomely for it by the estate lawyer, too.”

  “Well, there you go.”

  “But consulting is off-and-on, Jen. I can’t depend on it to pay my bills. I need regular income. You know what I’m talking about.”

  Jennifer sent her an ironic smile. “Actually, I don’t.

  There’s no such thing as ‘regular’ income in real estate.

  Sometimes it’s feast, other times it’s famine. Thank goodness I work here at Pete’s. That’s about as regular as I get.”

  She gestured to the cafe at the rear of the knitting shop.

  “I rest my case.”

  Jennifer checked her watch. “Speaking of working, I’d better run over to the real estate office and check some list-ings for tomorrow.”

  “Hi, there,” Megan called out as she rushed into the room and collapsed into a chair beside Jennifer. “Boy, I’m beat. Allison and I have been working like maniacs all day.

  She wasn’t kidding when she said her apartment was a mess.” She wrinkled her nose.

  “Bad, huh?” Kelly said.

  “Well, not bad dirty, just bad cluttered, if you know what I mean.”

  “Careful. You’re describing my place,” Jennifer said as she rose from her chair and headed for the door. “Hey, Megan, when you’re at practice tonight, make sure you work with Kelly, okay? She’s really dropping the ball.” She 18

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  shot a wicked grin Kelly’s way, which Kelly studiously ignored.

  “Huh?” Megan stared blankly after their departing friend. “What was that about?”

  “Ignore her. She’s being annoying. We’ve got practice at seven. Will you make it, or are you going back to Allison’s?”

  “I’ll be there.” Megan leaned back. “We were able to clean the entire apartment and pack up almost everything.

  Allison said she’ll handle the rest later tonight. She has to go to a university awards dinner for the Fine Arts program.

  So I guess it’ll be another long night for her.”

  “I’ll bet she’s excited,” Kelly said.

  “That’s an understatement,” Megan replied with a laugh.

  “I had to restrict her coffee and sugar intake this afternoon, she was getting so hyper. We’d run out of boxes, and Allison just panicked. I grabbed several bags from the trunk of my car and loaded them up, then I put them all back in my car.”

  “Are you going to store them for her?”