Not sure who the “smug bastards” were, but Kelly guessed he meant the top dogs, the real estate elite. Burt sat in the chair beside him and leaned forward. “But you had a deal with Big Box, didn’t you?” he ventured in a friendly tone. “That was worth something. I’ll bet it made those smug bastards take notice, right?”
Gretsky’s hands dropped from his face, and he stared at the floor. “Yeah, it did. They even let me into the club for a few days. But they were scheming behind my back to steal my client. I could tell. Thought they were better able to handle the deal,” he sneered.
“But you showed them, didn’t you? You found the perfect piece of land,” Burt offered.
“Oh, yeah,” Gretsky said, staring at the bookshelves now. “And just when I was about to lose the client.” He nodded, obviously remembering. “This letter comes from the adoption researcher I’d hired the year before. And would you believe my very own mother lived in the same town? And even better, she sat on one of the choicest commercial parcels around.”
“Wow, that was lucky,” Burt said admiringly. Kelly watched his approach in fascination. Big, likeable, kind-faced Burt was a relentless interviewer. “So you got the landlord on this one to sell first, right?”
“Yeah, I needed that as the anchor. Once I got his commitment, I knew Big Box was in the bag.” His face darkened. “But she refused to cooperate. After all those weeks of visits and phone calls and presents, she refused to sell. Even when I told her that I’d gone into debt to finance this deal with the developer. She still refused. I couldn’t believe it. How could a mother refuse her only son?”
Kelly stared at Gretsky in growing disgust. It was obvious that he’d been so self-absorbed for so long he couldn’t fathom any response other than his own.
“What’d you do then?” Burt prodded.
“I was desperate. I tried one last time. I came over late one night and told her she was ruining my career and my family’s life. I mean, without that deal, I was going down the drain. The recession had wiped all my savings. I had nothing left and was in debt up to my ears trying to make this deal go through.”
He stared at the windows for a long moment, saying nothing. Burt prodded once more. “Then what happened?”
Gretsky took a deep breath. “I’ll never forget . . . she was sitting in that chair she liked, knitting. And she announces real calmlike that she was going to the lawyer and changing her will so the property would become gardens for the city if her niece didn’t want it. She’d never sell it to me. Then, she pointed to an envelope on the desk and said there was twenty thousand dollars. That I should take it and leave. She never wanted to see me again. Claimed I didn’t want a mother, just a meal ticket.”
He closed his eyes, and his voice began to tremble. “Something inside snapped. Her rejection was one too many. My own mother . . .” His breath caught. “The next thing I knew, my hands were on her throat, choking her. I can’t remember how long. I don’t even remember her stabbing me. Just saw the blood on my hand . . .” His voice trailed off.
Kelly stared, appalled at the confession but feeling a huge weight lift off her shoulders in that same moment.
Burt leaned closer and whispered, “What about Martha, Helen’s cousin in Landport? What happened there?”
Gretsky lifted his head slowly, as if it weighed a lot more than usual. “I was afraid Helen had talked to her about me. I couldn’t take that chance . . .”
“How’d you find out about her? She kept to herself.”
“I overheard them talking . . . I came to tell her about my clients.” He pointed to Kelly.
Kelly’s heart sank, as all those carefully hidden accusations and fears came creeping from the bushes where they’d been lying in wait. Ready to pounce. She knew it. She was responsible for Martha’s death.
“And this big woman,” Gretsky’s hands jerked out in an attempt to gesture. “Was talking at the top of her voice. Hell, I didn’t even have to eavesdrop. I could hear her all the way to the door . . . talking about Helen’s cousin.”
Kelly’s breath caught. Hilda. It was Hilda talking that day in the shop. Gretsky’d overheard and was waiting in his car for Kelly that afternoon when she left. He talked about his clients’ offer. Then he waited and followed her. Bastard.
“How’d you find her?” Burt probed softly.
He shrugged, shoulders drooping despite the expensive tailoring. “I kept an eye on her.” Pointing to Kelly again, “Figured she’d pay a visit sometime.”
“Smart.”
“Yeah, I thought so.” Then his toned, tanned face started to sag just like his shoulders, as if the realization of what he’d done was working its way through his body. He closed his eyes and whispered, “God help me . . .”
Burt slipped his arm under Gretsky’s once again and helped him to his feet this time. “Let’s get you downtown, Mr. Gretsky. You’ll want to call your lawyer. A squad car is outside now.”
Gretsky looked up, perplexed. “So soon?”
“Yes sir. Don’t worry, I’ll go with you,” Burt promised and led him to the foyer and out the door.
Kelly stood watching, amazed at what they’d witnessed. Lisa and Megan and Jennifer gathered around. “That was unbelievable, wasn’t it?” Kelly said.
“Thank God, it’s over,” breathed Megan. Jennifer and Lisa nodded, not saying a word.
Kelly stared out the windows. The morning sunlight shimmered on the dew-glistened greens. “I . . . I need some time to think. Let all of this sink in.” Glancing toward the sunlight slicing through the skylights, she suddenly pictured Helen sitting on the patio, knitting. Sunshine. She wanted sunshine. Now. “I’m going to sit out on the patio for a while.”
“We understand, Kelly,” Lisa said and squeezed Kelly’s arm. “We’ll be inside.”
Kelly turned to her friends. “Actually, I’d love to have you join me, if you want to.”
“You bet we will,” Jennifer said. “Let me go tell Pete.”
“Don’t forget Mimi,” Kelly added with a grin. “She’s still in her office waiting for the all-clear.”
With that, Kelly headed outside into the Colorado sunshine, her friends following after.
Kelly’s First Scarf
Use two skeins or balls of colorful chunky wool yarn (like Rowan Biggy Print, for example), which gives 5½ stitches to 10 cm/4 inches with US size 35 or 36 needles (19-20mm).
Cast on 10 stitches and knit entire scarf in garter stitch using both balls of yarn. Bind off and tuck ends.
Lambspun’s Whodunnit Shell
Very Easy Knit with Bulky Yarn
GAUGE: 2 sts/in
MATERIALS: US size 15 needles (or size to obtain gauge), 14-inch straight
Very bulky yarn with gauge of 2 sts per inch
INSTRUCTIONS:
BACK: With yarn required for gauge, CO 40, 44, 46, 50, 52 sts. Work in garter stitch, (knit every row) or if you like an edge that rolls, work in stockinette (knit one row, purl one row) throughout garment. Continue in garter or stockinette until piece measures 8, 8.5, 9, 9, 9 inches or desired length to armhole At armhole edges BO 3 sts once, 2 sts once, 1st once. Work on remaining 28, 32, 34, 38, 40 sts until piece measures 14.5, 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5 inches.
NECK SHAPING: Work 11, 12, 12, 14, 15 sts. Join second ball of yarn and bind off center 6, 8, 10, 10, 10 sts. Work remaining sts, turn. Working both sides at once, bind off 1 sts from the neck edge 3 times. Continue working on reaming sts until piece measures 17, 18, 18.5, 19, 19.5 inches. Place remaining 8, 9, 9, 11, 12 sts on holders.
FRONT: CO 39, 43, 45, 49, 51 sts. Work in garter stitch, (knit every row) or if you like an edge that rolls, work in stockinette (knit one row, purl one row) throughout garment. Continue in garter or stockinette until piece measures 8, 8.5, 9, 9, 9 inches or desired length to armhole. At armhole edges BO 3 sts once, 2 sts once, 1st once. Work on remainin
g 28, 32, 34, 38, 40 sts until piece measures 14.5, 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5 inches.
NECK SHAPING: Same as for back.
FINISHING: Join shoulders with three-needle bind off. Single crochet around every edge. Hand seam sides together.
Pattern courtesy of Lambspun of Colorado, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Maggie’s Cinnamon Rolls
DOUGH: 3½-4 cups of all-purpose flour 1 package active dry yeast 1 cup whole milk 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten
FILLING: 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup walnuts, pecans, or raisins
Stir together the yeast and 1½ cups of flour in large mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine milk, butter, and sugar. Add salt and beat till warm and butter is melted. Slowly add to flour mixture with beaten egg, stirring until well blended. Beat batter for 2 minutes, then stir in as much remaining flour as possible. Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (5 minutes). Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once. Then cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1½ hours).
Make frosting. Combine softened cream cheese and butter. Stir until light and fluffy. Add lemon juice. Beat in confectioners’ sugar gradually until well blended and smooth. If needed, add half-and-half until desired consistency. Set aside.
After dough has doubled, punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Grease a cookie sheet or large baking pan(s) and set aside. Roll dough into a 10 x 18 inch rectangle. Spread with melted butter. Stir together dark brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over dough. Add nuts or raisins if desired. Tightly roll up dough from the long side. Pinch and seal ends. Cut dough into 1-inch sections and place on prepared baking sheet or pan. Cover and let rise until doubled (40-60 minutes). Brush rolls with melted butter. Bake in 350° oven for 25 to 30 minutes* until golden brown. Remove rolls to wire rack and frost while still warm. Makes approximately 12 rolls.
*Baking tip: For best results, please adjust baking time and temperature accordingly.
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Knit One, Kill Two Page 27