The 12 Quilts of Christmas

by Arlene Sachitano

  “Have you told the police?” Harriet asked.

  “No. I wasn’t sure if they’d take me seriously. Besides, I don’t really know anything useful. He didn’t show me the note or say who it was from or even what sort of thing they were blackmailing him over.”

  Harriet handed him the completed form and her debit card.

  “You definitely need to tell the police. If you want, I can text Detective Morse and ask her to stop by here to talk to you.”

  Anthony looked relieved.

  “Would you?”

  Harriet pulled her phone out and sent the text while he completed her transaction. An answering text came almost immediately.

  “She’ll be here in a few minutes.”

  “Thank you,” he said. “And thank you for your business, and I’ll call you when the ring is in.”

  “Well, that was interesting,” Harriet said to Mavis as they headed for the quilt store. “We think someone is blackmailing Sunny, and now possibly Valery, who appears to be dead.”

  Mavis held the shop door open for her.

  “And Daniel was killed, plus several of the shops are suddenly not doing as well as they should be. Makes you wonder if they’re being blackmailed, too.”

  Beth and Connie were waiting for them. Marjorie was counting the change in the cash register.

  “I just heated the kettle if you ladies would like some tea. No one is in either of the classrooms.”

  Beth smiled at her.

  “Thank you, that sounds real nice.”

  Harriet filled her aunt and Connie in on what they’d learned at the jewelry store.

  “That’s interesting, but connecting everything is pure speculation,” Beth cautioned.

  “I might be able to answer the question about whether the shops doing poorly is connected to the deaths,” Harriet offered.

  Mavis sipped her tea and set her mug down.

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “I’m going to go by Jade’s shop and ask her.”

  “Do you think she’ll tell you?” Beth asked.

  Harriet thought for a moment.

  “I think she will. I’m helping her keep her horse, so hopefully, she’ll offer something up as a reason why she can’t afford to do it herself. I’m going to flat-out ask her how things went so bad so quick.”

  “When are you going to do it?” Connie asked.

  Harriet took another sip of tea.

  “Are you all coming to our Threads session tomorrow?”

  Connie, Mavis, and Beth all nodded.

  “I’ll stop by on my way to quilting, then,” Harriet told them.

  “Do we have time for me to stop at the yarn store before we go home?” Beth asked, changing the subject.

  Mavis led the way across the street to the Wool Merchant. They all stopped to admire her quilt in the front window. She had done a wool appliqué quilt featuring a flock of sheep, a shepherd, and the Star of Bethlehem. Millie White, the store owner, had arranged yarn in complementary tones under the quilt, accenting its colors.

  “This looks real nice,” Beth said, and the others agreed. She opened the shop door, and they immediately heard loud voices arguing.

  “If I’m not here, the problem goes away,” a male voice said.

  “I will not negotiate with terrorists,” Millie shot back.

  “It’s not negotiating. It’s removing the incentive,” the male voice replied, quieter as the bell on the door signaled the arrival of customers.

  Mavis hurried across the shop and stepped up to the counter, where Millie and her male employee, an older man with graying hair and a days growth of beard, were standing.

  “Is everything all right?”

  The man gave Millie a dark look before spinning on his heel and disappearing into the storeroom. Millie stared at his back before turning to Mavis.

  “We’re fine. We’re having a little difference of opinion about how to handle a problem.”

  Harriet had caught up to Mavis.

  “Are you being blackmailed?” she asked Millie without preamble.

  The color drained from the shopkeeper’s face, and Harriet thought she wasn’t going to answer.

  “No, nothing like that. Why would you even think that?”

  “No reason, really. I just heard something that made me think Foggy Point might have a blackmailer, and I thought…never mind.”

  Millie looked past Harriet to Beth.

  “Can I help you find something?”

  “I’m hoping to find some red worsted,” Beth replied, and Millie came around the counter to lead her to a display of red wools by various vendors.

  Mavis gave Harriet a we’ll talk later look and went to the other side of the shop to check out the baby yarn.

  Harriet and her friends waited until they were back across the street before saying anything.

  “Does anyone else feel like they’ve been dropped into the middle of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers?” Harriet asked. “You know, the one where everyone in town is replaced with a duplicate that looks just like them but doesn’t act like them at all.”

  “I don’t know what you’ve been watching on TV,” Beth said. “But it does feel like something is going on below the surface in our town that we know nothing about.”

  Mavis folded the top of her bag of baby yarn and tucked it into her tote.

  “It’s a good thing Detective Morse is on the case and we don’t have to worry about it.”

  Harriet smiled at her.

  “Are you trying to tell me you aren’t the least bit curious about that drama we just witnessed?”

  Mavis sighed.

  “Of course I’m curious. But that isn’t a reason for us to stick our noses into police business.”

  A familiar black Bronco drove by on the cross street, and Harriet watched it until it was out of sight.

  “You’re right, we’ve got enough drama without borrowing someone else’s.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Harriet was stitching on a customer quilt when Luke came home from school. He’d entered through the garage, which was his habit as that entrance got him into the kitchen more quickly. She smiled as she heard the dogs yipping with excitement at his arrival. He came into the studio a moment later, an apple in one hand and a chocolate chip cookie in the other. Both dogs followed him closely, hoping he would drop a crumb of food.

  “How was school?” she asked.

  “It was okay,” he replied, and took a bite of apple.

  “Who are you and what did you do with Luke?”

  He grinned. “I think I might be getting used to it.”

  Harriet clipped her thread and turned her machine off.

  “Good.”

  He watched her put her tools away, eating as he did so. She looked up at him.

  “Something on your mind?”

  “I was just wondering…well, if it’s not too much trouble…” he stammered.

  “Luke. Just spit it out. The answer is probably yes.”

  “Well, Emily texted and wanted to know if I could come to the stable this afternoon and start my orientation for the therapy horse program.”

  “I think that will be fine. It’ll give me a chance to check in on Becky.” She watched as the smile left his face. “Don’t worry, I’ll check on her and then leave. Just call me when you’re done.”

  The smile returned, and his cheeks pinked.

  “You’re the best. I’ll be ready in a flash.”

  Harriet pulled her phone from her pocket and touched Lauren’s name on her favorites list.

  “Hey,” she said when her friend answered. “You want to meet at Annie’s for a warm drink?”

  “Is there a reason for us to meet? I mean, we are going to see each other at Threads tomorrow morning, right?”

  “We are,” Harriet replied. “Luke wants to go to the stable and start his therapy horse training. Surprisingly, he doesn’t want me hanging around while he works with his new friend Emily. It makes no sense fo
r me to drive home and then back again, so I thought I’d stay in town.”

  “Imagine that. Sure, I’m done with anything useful for work. When will you be there?”

  “I need to check on Becky, so how about thirty minutes?”

  “It’s a date,” Lauren said and rang off.

  Harriet watched Luke until he reached the entrance to the large riding arena, where Emily was waiting for him.

  “Don’t worry, we won’t let anything happen to him,” Marcia Hamilton said.

  Harriet turned to face the assistant stable manager.

  “I’m not worried. Luke has been taking care of himself for most of his life.”

  “Hopefully, he’ll benefit from working with the horses.”

  “Speaking of horses, I wanted to check and see how Becky is doing.”

  “Come see for yourself,” Marcia said and led the way to the barn.

  Becky was wearing a blue blanket, but what Harriet could see of her coat was shiny and healthy-looking, and her feet had been trimmed and reshod.

  “She looks good,” Harriet said.

  “She is, other than lacking exercise. I haven’t had a chance to take her out. Jade had asked me if I could take her out now and then when she wasn’t able to. I agreed, but then we had a change of ownership of another horse, and the new owner asked if we could exercise his, so it’s getting hard to keep up.”

  “Does that happen often? Horses switching ownership but continuing to live here?”

  “Not very often. There seems to be an epidemic among Foggy Point business people lately, though.”

  “Who besides Jade?”

  “Valery Melnyk, for one. You know, the guy who owns the art gallery downtown. He had a Thoroughbred and a Warmblood until he sold them. The Thoroughbred’s new owner doesn’t live here, hence the request for exercising.”

  “I didn’t know Valery kept horses.”

  “His daughter took riding lessons here for years, and when she was skilled enough to move from a pony to a horse, he bought the two horses. She wasn’t very interested, but he kept hoping that would change.

  “Did his daughter move away or something?”

  “In a manner of speaking. She died about a year and a half ago.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I didn’t know. Of course, I’ve only been back in town about that long.”

  “He was devastated. He lost all interest in the horses, and from what I hear, pretty much everything else. He told me he couldn’t afford them anymore, so I’m guessing he lost interest in his business, too.”

  “That’s so sad,” Harriet said. “At least he found someone to buy them.”

  “I’ve never met the guy who bought the Thoroughbred, but Valery said it was a family friend who lived back east. He said the guy was traveling overseas and would make arrangements to have him moved when he returned.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “He’s a nice horse and never any trouble, but I’ve got a waiting list, so the stall will be filled within a week of his departure.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Do you want to come watch Luke?” Marcia asked.

  Harriet smiled.

  “I think Luke would be very disappointed if I hung around while he’s trying to get to know Emily.”

  “Emily did seem to have a little extra spring in her step when Luke said he could come out today. Tell you what, I’ll observe from the judge’s booth above the arena floor. I need to make sure she’s teaching him what he needs to know, but I won’t interfere unless I need to.”

  “Sounds good. I’m going to have coffee with a friend. How soon should I be back?”

  Marcia glanced at her watch.

  “I think an hour and a half should be about right. That will give them time to groom and feed the horse when they’re finished. Part of the program is learning to care for their assigned horse.”

  Harriet turned to leave.

  “I’ll be back in an hour and half, then.”

  Lauren was waiting in Annie’s when Harriet arrived, two steaming mugs of hot cocoa in front of her.

  “I took the liberty of ordering for you,” she said, sliding one of the mugs to the opposite side of the table.

  Harriet shrugged out of her jacket and hung it on the back of her chair with her purse. She sat down and cupped her hands around the warm mug.

  “Thanks for this.” She closed her eyes and took a sip, savoring the warm liquid.

  “How is Becky?” Lauren asked when Harriet opened her eyes again. “That is, if you’re done doing whatever it is you’re doing with your chocolate and can speak.”

  Harriet set her cup down and grinned.

  “Sorry, it’s really cold at the stable. Becky seems to be fine. She’d had her feet done, and they’ve upgraded her food.”

  “Well, good for Becky. Have you heard anything from Jade?”

  “Still nothing. I called her this afternoon, but no answer. I’ll go by there on the way to Threads tomorrow. I did learn something interesting at the stable, though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Did you know Valery Melnyk had a daughter? And they kept horses at the stable?”

  “I remember reading something about him having a daughter who died a couple of years ago. A kayaking accident or something like that.”

  “Apparently, he and his daughter were regulars at the stable. He hasn’t been back since and, in fact, recently sold the horses.”

  “That’s interesting. Isn’t selling off your precious belongings a sign of impending suicide?”

  Harriet sipped her cocoa.

  “I think I’ve read that somewhere. Do you think he committed suicide?”

  “If he did, he wouldn’t be the first distraught parent who couldn’t go on after the death of a beloved child.”

  “That’s sad.”

  “It is. And, if I remember the local gossip right, his wife left him some years ago to go back to the old country. Something about a sick relative. Only, she never came back, and we’re talking maybe eight or ten years ago. She just left him with his kids.”

  “Wow, that’s rough.”

  “On a happier note, are you looking forward to Christmas dinner with Aiden?”

  Harriet put her head in her hands.

  “I don’t want to think about it. I’ve decided I’m going to have a heart-to-heart with James and see if he thinks we should expose Luke to what is sure to be family drama.”

  Lauren stretched her legs out and leaned back in her chair.

  “When you were first dating Aiden, when things were good, did you have any idea he had this obsessive side?”

  Harriet thought for a minute.

  “No. Well, maybe a little, I guess.”

  “From what I’ve heard, his family thought the sun rose and set over his head.”

  Harriet sipped her cocoa.

  “Aiden was young when his dad died, and according to Aunt Beth, his mother bent over backward to make up for him not having a dad. Losing her, too, was really hard on him. And I suppose with everything else that’s happened in the last year or so, our breakup was one too many losses for him to handle.”

  “So, what? He’s had a rough time, so he gets a pass on his behavior? I think not.”

  “That’s the tough part. I do understand why he’s acting the way he is. I just can’t be in a relationship that’s all about him. Months at a time with no communication is not a relationship.”

  Lauren wiped her mouth on her napkin.

  “You’d think a smart guy like him would be able to figure out that the silent treatment wasn’t going to be good. Especially when you hadn’t done anything wrong.”

  “If you can figure out why people do what they do in relationships, you can write a book and get rich.”

  Lauren sat up and drained the rest of her cocoa.

  “We’ve still got an hour before you have to go get Luke. Why don’t we walk up to Blood Moon and check in on Jade?”

  “F
or one reason, it’s freezing out there.”

  “Oh, come on. The walk will warm us up.”

  Harriet finished her drink and stood up.

  “Fine.”

  Lauren took their cups back to the counter, and they bundled up and headed out the door.

  “It’s possible Jade is trying to avoid me because she isn’t making enough money this month to take care of Becky,” Harriet said as she and Lauren walked up the block. “But with two store owners dead, both of them within two doors of Blood Moon, I’m really worried.”

  “It’s hard to see a connection between Valery and Daniel, and even harder to see a connection between them and Jade,” Lauren countered.

  “There is the obvious fact that they all three own business in Foggy Point and in close proximity of each other. Have you heard anything about anyone wanting to develop that part of downtown?”

  “No, and besides, that scenario would make more sense if they were all on the same side of the same block. They’re on three sides of an intersection. I’m not sure how a developer could work with that.”

  “Unless they’re planning on taking over the whole downtown,” Harriet argued.

  “Hard to imagine a developer who would think killing the current store owners was the best way to obtain the property.”

  Harriet rubbed her gloved hands together as they stood on the street corner in front of the sandwich shop.

  “It is hard for me to believe the deaths, the downturn in business, and the possible blackmail notes are all connected to some wild takeover of downtown.”

  Lauren stepped into the crosswalk ahead of her.

  “It is hard for me to believe that much is going on in Foggy Point and it’s not connected. I’m not so sure about the developer idea.”

  “I suppose. There was that case in Eastern Oregon almost forty years ago where that religious cult tried to take over a whole town. There was a documentary on it a few months ago. The group went around town poisoning salad bars and water systems or something like that.”.

  Lauren shook her head.