Inherit the Wool

by Betty Hechtman

  He’d broken the ice and Lauren and Courtney grabbed some needles, apparently for different reasons. Lauren was interested in teaching her shelter people, but Courtney seemed to be just going through the motions to be polite.

  “Why don’t you try something, too,” I said to Elizabeth, who was hanging back. She seemed doubtful.

  “It’s not the image I’m going for. All I’d need is a shawl and a rocking chair for the perfect image of a spinster. I want to do things that make me look sexy and exciting.” Lauren nudged her and pointed out Zak.

  “I think he has it figured out,” Lauren said. Zak certainly had managed to give a sexy and exciting touch to knitting, and I tried to pinpoint how he’d done it. His attitude was certainly part of it. He had a sense of adventure, and he honestly seemed to be trying to succeed at working with yarn.

  “It’s not fair,” Elizabeth complained. “It’s just because he’s a guy.” Zak laughed and Elizabeth continued to look unhappy.

  “It helps that he’s not scowling like you,” Lauren said, which only made Elizabeth more upset. I noticed that Courtney had ditched the needles she’d picked out and had drifted off to a side room. She had her computer open, and by the way she was talking I figured she was having a video conference.

  Crystal tried to take back the floor. “These days yarn craft appeals to people of all ages for different reasons. Stress reduction is a big benefit now.”

  “It’s too bad that Vanessa didn’t learn how to knit a while ago. Maybe it would have helped,” Zak said. The smile and twinkle in his eye had been replaced by a soulful caring expression that seemed a little studied.

  “It’s just so sad,” Lauren said.

  I noticed that Elizabeth didn’t nod or give an indication that she agreed. Finally, she pulled farther away and dropped her voice. “After what she did, it seems like maybe she got what she deserved.” She seemed to realize what she’d just said and apologized. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. It is really sad about Vanessa. She was a good friend to all of us.”

  As I listened, I thought of what Courtney had said about how Vanessa had helped her out of a jam. Did that qualify as being a good friend since Vanessa had demanded her own kind of interest payment? It made me wonder if she’d had an ulterior motive when she was so insistent on me arranging the retreat.

  Lauren was standing next to me. “Poor Elizabeth. She tries so hard to be perfect, and when things don’t work out, she crumbles. I can’t believe she’s still standing after finding out that Vanessa had married her old boyfriend. Vanessa could really be a skunk. You know she turned Elizabeth down when she tried to sell her an ad in a program book. The nonprofit she works for was putting on a fund-raiser. Elizabeth was depending on Vanessa to come through with a full-page ad. You know, to make her look good to her bosses.” Lauren seemed annoyed. “Vanessa gave her a b.s. answer about if it was her money, she’d buy the ad, but it was the dealership’s money and the return on the ad wouldn’t justify it.”

  “Then you’ve stayed pretty close to Elizabeth,” I said. It took a minute for what I said to compute and then Lauren shook her head. “Not really. She told me about the program book when we were waiting for the shuttle. Who has time these days? With all those kids, a husband and a job—” She stopped herself. “I’m not complaining,” she said in a resolute tone. “The only person I sort of stayed in touch with was Vanessa. I had a client I was helping to get a job and I went to Vanessa. These dealerships have all kinds of frills in their service departments like coffee drinks and snacks. Vanessa came through and helped her get a job doing cleanup around the service department café.”

  “It was great she did that,” I said. It seemed that Lauren was going to leave it at that, but she then let her breath out and turned toward me.

  “It was nice that she came through, but she recently wanted something from me. Some people aren’t happy about some plan she had for the dealership to expand and they were planning a protest. She wanted me to talk them out of it. I don’t know why she thought I could do something like that. Just because I did my share of protesting in college and I’m a social worker doesn’t mean I can control protests everywhere.”

  “So why didn’t you just tell her that?” I asked.

  Lauren let out a sigh and looked at the floor. “I did try to tell her that, but she brought something up.” Lauren’s face had clouded. “We all do things we don’t want anybody to know about and they can come back and haunt us.”

  “And Vanessa threatened to disclose what you did?” I asked.

  She nodded solemnly. “So I had to go out there and lie through my teeth to shut it down. It’s horrible to say this, but as much as I’m sorry that she died, there’s part of me that’s relieved she’s gone and I won’t be put in a position like that again.”

  By the end of the time at Cadbury Yarn, they had all settled down and actually gotten caught up in knitting. Even Courtney finally put away her computer. They all found yarn, needles and a pattern for their next project. Crystal promised to help each of them get started during the weekend and give them help by email after they went home. Always wanting to be part of the group, Madeleine had found some yarn for a tea cozy. She was shuffling through her bag looking for her credit card when Crystal’s son, Cory, came in the door of the shop. He had the same curly black hair as his mother and a tall lanky build. He slipped behind the wooden counter and gave his grandmother a quick hug as a greeting.

  He smiled at the lineup of customers, knowing the shop was keeping his family afloat. His eye fell on Madeleine and he smiled hesitantly.

  “Ms. Delacorte,” he said, bowing his head in deference. “Cory Smith. You might not remember me, but I used to work part-time at Vista Del Mar.” He appeared to feel a little awkward but continued anyway. “I really love the place and I’m hoping to work there over the summer.”

  Gwen seemed concerned, which was no surprise. It was Cory’s love of the place that had made her consider going public with the fact that she was Madeleine’s brother’s daughter—she refused to use the term love child.

  I watched Madeleine’s response with interest. She looked long and hard at Cory and muttered something about him seeming familiar. I had the feeling it might be that the teen reminded her of her brother. Cory jumped in and reminded her that he’d helped her with her golf cart when it had gotten stuck. “That must be it. Cora and I have never been involved with the hiring, but don’t worry, I’ll tell Kevin St. John to find a spot for you.” She looked at Gwen and Crystal. “You come from a good family.”

  I thought Gwen’s eyes would pop out of her head.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Don’t do it, Feldstein,” Frank said. “You think you have good intentions, but I’m telling you that you will be sorry.” When we came back from the trip to town, I’d gone home for a few minutes, and one thing led to another and I’d called Frank. I suppose I knew what he was going to say when I told him about Cory talking to Madeleine. That was probably why I called him. I knew he’d stop me before I did something I’d regret.

  “You’ve already done too much. If it was me, I never would have told the love child who she was. There’s nothing in it for you but trouble. Speaking of trouble, what’s going on with your friends? Any closer to who offed the rich one?”

  I was going to react to him referring to Gwen Selwyn as Edmund Delacorte’s love child. There was nothing of Gwen that seemed to go with that title. Not only was she in her fifties and long past being considered a child, but she had a very utilitarian vibe. She dressed for comfort, her hair was short in a neat style that required little attention, and other than a little lipstick, she wasn’t much into makeup. In other words, she was nothing like her colorful daughter with her mismatched socks and earrings. She’d taken her daughter and her kids in without a second thought and worked hard to keep them all going. Love child sounded like someone in a gauze dress and sandals who never seemed to age.

  “No one can accuse you of soft-pe
daling,” I said. “I don’t know who did it, but not letting on that it’s murder is certainly making it easier to get them to talk. I’m sure Vanessa wouldn’t look at it that way, but it seems she wasn’t above blackmail to get her way.” I mentioned the “interest” I was pretty sure Courtney had paid for the tuition loan. “It certainly wouldn’t help her get ahead in the law firm if it came out she had helped someone cheat in college. And Vanessa seemed to have some kind of information on Lauren. Elizabeth just seems beyond anger at Vanessa for stealing her boyfriend. Though it was years later.” I brought up Michael and reminded Frank that spouses were always first in line in the suspect department.

  “I knew that, Feldstein, in fact, I think I’m the one who told you about spouses being the usual killer.”

  “Maybe you did,” I said. I could hear noise coming from his end. It was rare that Frank wasn’t doing something else while he was talking to me. I asked him what was going on.

  “It’s the new client. She’s sure her husband is cheating on her. She wanted me to tail him since she’s sure their trysts are when he’s working.” I heard Frank take a gulp of something. “The guy drives a truck that delivers and picks up portable toilets. Talk about your glamour jobs,” he said with a laugh. “Got to go, Feldstein. I need both hands to take photos. Some woman just showed up. Oh, no, tell me they’re not going into one of the deluxe portable toilets.” There was a click as he hung up.

  Frank got the weirdest surveillance jobs.

  He hadn’t really been much help other than to talk me out of spilling the beans to Madeleine. Of course he was right. I would be putting myself right into the middle of a mess. I had to leave it up to Gwen and Crystal to decide if they wanted to let Madeleine know who they were.

  It was only after I talked to Frank that I realized how much information I’d racked up in a short time. Something stuck in my mind. Lauren and Vanessa were at opposite ends of the spectrum and yet it sounded as if they’d maintained a relationship. I wondered what glue kept them together.

  Julius jumped up on the table and started rubbing against my shoulder, and I gave him a few pats. I was still learning how to be a cat’s human and had begun to pick up on when he was after stink fish and when it was affection he wanted. This was a love time and I stroked his back all the way to the top of his tail and he began to purr loudly. The black cat finished by giving me a feline version of a kiss. He ran his sandpaper tongue on my check and then walked away.

  When I went back across the street to Vista Del Mar, I barely noticed the change in scenery. I was too busy thinking about having a whole group of suspects. It was still disconcerting to think that one of them might have killed Vanessa. I really hoped that the thing about the spouse being the killer was true this time. I didn’t like Michael. It wasn’t so much that he’d dumped Elizabeth. That was really ancient history anyway.

  It was the arrangement, as he called it, with Vanessa. He could call it an arrangement, but really he’d been bought by Vanessa. I thought back to how she’d never even referred to him by name but called him Number Two, and she’d made him sound like he was the little man, staying home and taking care of things. It all felt so cold and calculated on both their parts. I remembered that Vanessa had alluded to a Number Three, so maybe Michael had really been leased instead of bought. It wasn’t a stretch to think he might react if he’d figured out his days with her were numbered.

  I had no memory of walking there, but suddenly I was facing the door to the Lodge. I pulled it open and went inside expecting to find at least some of my people. I surveyed the large open room, which was relatively quiet. No one was in the sitting area and the game tables were quiet. A few people were gathered at a small table playing cards, but that was it.

  This was the time of day when people were out doing things. Vista Del Mar was a good jumping-off point for whale watching excursions, trips to a redwood forest, artichoke and garlic tasting tours, and trips to local wineries. I took the opportunity to book the room for Blair. I had given away her original room to Lucinda and I couldn’t take it back, so this room was on me. I’d gone from barely making anything to this weekend costing me.

  I checked the Sand and Sea building next to see if any of them were in the lobby, but it was empty. I looked in on our meeting room and it was deserted as well. I was walking back to the area around the Lodge when a car came down the driveway and stopped. Lucinda got out, waved to me and then leaned in the driver’s window to give Tag a goodbye kiss.

  She was all smiles when she joined me. “Sorry for not coming back with the group, but Tag was having a problem with the menu for tonight. The supplier got the order wrong and left chicken breasts instead of pork cutlets.” She continued on about Tag’s meltdown and how it was just a simple adjustment to the dish they were offering. Much as she liked getting a change, she liked how much he needed her.

  “There you two are,” Elizabeth said, coming down the path. “We’re all meeting in Hummingbird.”

  “For what? I didn’t schedule anything,” I said, suddenly concerned.

  “I signed us up to be on the talent show, and when you weren’t here, I went ahead and got us a time to practice. Blair will be here for the show.” She turned to Lucinda. “We still need you to take Vanessa’s place.” After she’d said it, she must have realized how cold it sounded, all things considered. “I’m sorry, for a moment I forgot why we needed someone to take Vanessa’s place.” Her voice softened, but only for the one comment. “We have to hurry. They only gave us a half an hour.” She was gone before I could comment.

  I waited while Lucinda changed into her Keds. I hadn’t said anything, but she knew that I wasn’t happy with what Elizabeth had done.

  “She’s a force of nature when it comes to that ball routine,” Lucinda said, trying to smooth things over as we approached Hummingbird Hall a few minutes later.

  “She sure is,” I said.

  “I get it,” Lucinda said, picking up on my tone. “She’s overstepping.”

  “I shouldn’t care, but I do. I’m supposed to be the leader. Of all the stupid things. To have the group in the talent show.” I could hear the thwack of the balls as we approached the dark wood building. The inside seemed almost barnlike with the high ceiling and open construction. For now the center was empty and Elizabeth and the others were already warming up bouncing the balls. I was surprised to see Zak.

  “I got tagged to be one of the Balladeers,” he said, waving at me.

  “It’s Baller-rinas,” Elizabeth corrected. “We needed someone to stand in for Blair.”

  Lucinda and I took our place and Elizabeth played director. Between the limited time we had and the fact that no one but Elizabeth was enthused about doing the ball routine, we barely managed to go through it twice. Zak really vamped at the part where we walked in and at least made it fun. I just focused on looking for Courtney’s long red nails when we got to the part when the Sharks and Jets rumbled, since she was who I threw to. The trouble was not everyone else threw to the right person and balls went flying every which way. Elizabeth gave a lecture that no one but her was taking the routine seriously.

  “It’ll be better when Blair’s here,” Elizabeth said when we were packing up the balls. A family of jugglers came in to take our place and I reminded my group about our late afternoon workshop.

  Lauren caught up with me as we were walking down the path toward the center of Vista Del Mar. “I tried to talk Elizabeth out of doing our routine for the talent show. Even if we get the steps and bounces right, does anybody really want to watch it?

  “You haven’t seen one of the talent shows here,” I said with a laugh. “It’s more about fun than anyone being great or even good, for that matter.” I looked back at Elizabeth, who was carrying the cloth bag of balls. Her lips were pursed and she seemed in some kind of reverie. Lauren followed my gaze.

  “What else has she got up her sleeve?”

  • • •

  The cookie bars were a big hit at the
workshop and the group surprised me with their sudden enthusiasm for their scarves. Apparently, the trip to the yarn shop had inspired them. They all worked diligently and even continued on when Crystal packed up and went home. Madeleine was a no-show again. Lieutenant Borgnine gave Elizabeth one of his “meditation” lessons. She was still talking when he brought her back and he looked worn out. She plopped back in her seat and said she’d been a perfect student. We were all still working on the scarves when the dinner bell rang. After a moment of showing off to each other how much we’d done, everyone packed up their work.

  We walked together to the dining hall and snagged the usual table. “Did Blair say when she’d be here?” Elizabeth asked as she got up to get her food. I mentioned that Courtney was the one who’d spoken to her and all eyes went to her.

  “Some time late tonight,” Courtney said. “She went online when I was talking to her and found a flight to San Jose and said she could get transportation from there.”

  “Should someone wait around the Lodge for her?” Elizabeth said, looking at me.

  I panicked at the thought since my plan was to do a little social knitting with them after dinner, make sure they all went to the Friday night movie in Hummingbird Hall, and then slip away to do my baking. “She probably won’t arrive until after midnight. I’m sure she can get herself checked in.”

  “Casey’s right. Blair runs a town. She can certainly find her room,” Courtney said. I promised to leave a tote bag for her with a schedule at the front desk.

  “I’ll put in some cookie bars,” I added and they all smiled.

  Because of everything that had happened the night before, I’d moved our social knitting to the lobby of the Sand and Sea building and I’d gotten Crystal to stop by. It was the perfect setting with the wing chairs and a nice fire glowing in the fireplace. At least they were more enthusiastic now.