“But I . . .”
“Shut it,” Emma said. She glanced at Lindsey and said, “Explain.”
“Evelyn has been buying up all of the islands, but the first three that she bought originally belonged to the Alston family,” Lindsey said. “A scandal, revealed by Mrs. Rosen, cost the Alston family their fortune. I take it Allison Evelyn Alston was your grandmother?”
“Lies, all lies! Besides, you can’t prove anything,” Evelyn said.
“Not yet, but I really don’t think it is going to be that hard to prove that you are an Alston,” Lindsey said. “DNA swabs being what they are nowadays and all.”
Stewart spoke up. “You don’t need to do that. Allison Alston knew her husband had squandered the family fortune, and she knew he was having an affair with a child. She tried to blackmail my mother, saying that she was well aware that Betty carried my father’s child and she was going to go public if my mother didn’t give her a large sum of money. You don’t threaten my mother.” Stewart smiled rather grimly. “She went right to the authorities and told them about Alston’s thirteen-year-old lover. I have the entire account in her diary . . . somewhere.” He looked at Evelyn with contempt. “And you look just like her.”
Evelyn paled.
“Is anyone else getting a headache?” Emma snapped.
“Sit down. You’ll feel better,” Trimble said.
“I’m not sitting down,” she argued. “Stewart, lower your weapon or I’ll shoot you myself.”
Stewart turned to look at her, and his face was one of utter despair. “Maybe that would be for the best.”
“No, please, no,” Steven cried. He looked beseechingly at his uncle. “All of this is my fault. Mine. Peter told me that he was responsible for his father’s death, that he could have saved him when he fell overboard but he chose not to. I thought he had robbed me of my grandfather. I was so angry. I told Calvin, thinking we could use it as leverage to force him to give us items out of the house, but then Calvin came to town and met Evelyn, and she . . .”
“Convinced you to use his guilt against him, to drive him to suicide, leaving only Stewart, who would also die from, what, a horrible accident? Then the property would be yours,” Emma said. She looked at Steven as if he were a worm that crawled out of her apple.
“No, I never meant for him to kill himself. I never meant for any of this to happen,” Steven protested. “I just wanted to finally belong somewhere, to have a piece of what was supposed to be my life.”
“It’s true,” Calvin said. “Driving Peter to commit suicide was her idea.” He jerked a thumb in Evelyn’s direction. “She badgered him and berated him until he was a sobbing mess, and then she put the gun in his hand. I didn’t know until after he killed himself that that had been her plan all along, and by then, it was too late.” He gestured to the gun Sully had handed to Trimble. “That’s the gun he used to end his life. She had me take the gun so it would look like Stewart murdered his brother. She thought that would be a nice way to get rid of the two of them. One dead and one in jail.”
“It should have been two dead.” Stewart lifted the shotgun and pointed it at his own head.
“No, Stewart, don’t!” Milton yelled.
“Why not?” Stewart asked. “What do I have to live for?”
“You have a nephew,” Milton said. “And he needs you. If you do this, you’ll destroy the one thing Peter left behind for you.”
Stewart glanced at Steven, at the face so like his brother’s. He studied the younger man as if looking for a sign. Steven rubbed the tip of one of his ears just the way Lindsey had seen Stewart do when he was stressed.
Lindsey held her breath, hoping Stewart saw it, too, and recognized something in the gesture that reminded him of himself or Peter.
Stewart nodded and slowly lowered the shotgun. Lindsey let out a pent-up breath as Emma hobbled forward and gently took the gun from his hands. Sully’s hand was at her back, and Lindsey sagged against him as she realized all of the danger had passed.
“I think it’s time to move this over to the station,” Trimble said. “Clearly, there is still much to be sorted. Kirkland. Trousdale.”
The two officers came into the room from outside. They cuffed both Evelyn and Calvin and led them from the room. Emma and Trimble gently led Steven and Stewart in their wake.
At the door, Emma turned around and looked at Milton, Sully and Lindsey.
“Go get yourselves something to eat and then report to the station. We have a lot to discuss.”
They watched as she turned away, and Milton said, “Is it just me or did she not seem that mad? Maybe we’re not in that much trouble.”
“Oh yes, you are!” Emma shouted over her shoulder right before the door slammed shut after her.
It was Beth’s turn to bring the food for their Thursday crafternoon. Since she had been a bit scatterbrained lately, Lindsey had her phone and was ready to call in a couple of pizzas for express delivery. She needn’t have worried.
When she arrived at the room, it was to find Beth not wearing her usual story time outfit but rather a pretty blue cardigan over a matching shell with a gray flannel pencil skirt and knee-high black leather boots. Lindsey gave her an impressed look, and Beth grinned.
“Dinner date after work,” she explained.
“Is it officially getting serious?” Violet asked.
“You mean have we popped out the big L word yet?” Beth asked. All of the ladies gave her their undivided attention. “No.”
“Whew,” Nancy said. “I am delighted that you have found a nice man, but there is no need to rush things.”
“Agreed, you want to enjoy the salad days as long as you can,” Charlene said.
Lindsey listened to the women advise her friend while she went to check out Beth’s spread. The huge loaf of soda bread with raisins and caraway seeds drew her to it with a power that was almost magnetic. Several wedges of cheese, some rolled meats, a selection of fruit, vegetables and dip rounded out the offering.
“I just have to ask, who chose Anna Karenina for our book this week?” Beth asked. “I mean, are you trying to scare me off of relationships?”
“I thought a romance would be a nice change up since we did a mystery last time,” Violet said. “Besides, it is such a romantic story when Anna chooses Count Vronsky.”
“But the ending,” Beth protested.
Mary joined Lindsey at the table. “So, how are you since the hullabaloo last week?”
“I’m fine,” Lindsey said.
She had been so busy giving statements and such after everything had been revealed at the historical society the previous Wednesday that she hadn’t had much time to catch up with her friends. Still, she remembered that evening at the Anchor and how attentive Ian had been to Mary.
“I think the question is how are you?” She met Mary’s gaze and noticed that her friend looked away quickly before looking back at her.
“You know, don’t you?” Mary asked. She glanced at the others to make sure they weren’t listening.
“I suspect there are glad tidings coming from you and Ian whenever you choose to share them,” she said.
Mary smiled. “Does Sully suspect?”
“He thinks you’re up to something, but I don’t think he has a clue what it is, yet,” Lindsey said.
“We’re just waiting for the twelve-week mark,” Mary said. Her eyes twinkled. “Just a few more weeks to go. You don’t mind keeping it quiet, do you?”
“Keeping what quiet?” Lindsey asked with a wink. Then she grinned and gave her friend a tight squeeze. “I’m thrilled for you.”
“Thanks,” Mary said.
“Hey, you two, what’s going on over there?” Nancy asked. “Were you planning on joining us?”
“Sorry, I was just wrestling the butter away from Mary,” Lindsey said.
“Well, do tell us what your thoughts on Anna Karenina are while you’re at it,” Violet said.
“Love is a train wreck,” Lindsey s
aid.
The ladies all laughed, and she was relieved not to have given away Mary’s wonderful news. A baby! How amazing. Now she could go out and buy all of her favorite children’s books, and maybe she’d even try her hand at knitting again and make a baby blanket.
“Do we have enough brown paper for our craft project?” Charlene asked.
“Yes, I brought a roll of it, donated from the hardware store,” Nancy said. “When Shelley heard we were making a blind date display out of the books, she was more than happy to help.”
Since the paper flowers had proven so popular in the library, Lindsey had strong-armed the crafternooners for another library project. This time they were wrapping books in brown paper and writing short descriptions on them, with a drawing if they felt so inclined, and then they were going to put them on display in the library in a “have a blind date with a book” display. Beth had come up with the idea, and Lindsey thought it was charming and the perfect antidote to the end of February winter blahs.
“So, did I tell you who I saw in town at the post office in daylight?” Violet asked. She waited barely a second before forging ahead. “Stewart Rosen, with his grandnephew, Steven.”
“They’ve been in to the library quite a bit as well,” Lindsey said. “I think they are enjoying getting to know each other, and Kevin Perkins has stayed on to help them sort the house.”
“I’m so glad he had nothing to do with the whole sordid mess,” Violet said. “I like him.”
“What’s going to happen to Evelyn and Calvin?” Beth asked.
“Emma says they are facing multiple charges of trespassing, harassment, assault and attempted murder. It was Evelyn who shot at Steven,” Nancy said. “I don’t think this is going to end well for her. The town council is already trying to see if they can force her to sell her islands.”
“Can they do that?” Charlene asked.
“I don’t know, but they’re sure going to try,” Mary said.
The conversation moved from the recent events that had captivated the town, back to Anna Karenina, over to whether it was supposed to snow, and on to Beth gushing about Aidan and the plans they had for their shared story times.
After the meeting, Lindsey wheeled their cart of brown paper–covered books out to the display area she had cleared off for them in the high-traffic area by the front doors.
She was happily arranging them, admiring the work the crafternooners had done in writing their intriguing descriptions to entice readers to choose the books, when she saw someone approach out of the corner of her eye. She turned with her what-can-I-do-for-you smile firmly in place when she recognized the red blond hair and twinkling green eyes.
“Robbie,” she cried. “You’re back!”
“I am,” he said. He opened his arms and hugged her close.
“How was the trip? Do you want some tea?” she asked. Just the sight of him made her realize she had missed him more than she thought, and she was genuinely pleased to see her friend. She squeezed his arm and asked, “How are you?”
“Funny you should ask,” he said. He tilted his head to the side and gave her an almost shy smile. “I’m divorced.”
The Briar Creek Library Guide to Crafternoons
Sharing a book, a craft and some delicious food with good friends is the basic recipe for a successful crafternoon. Lindsey and the girls like to mix it up by reading all sorts of different books, from classic to contemporary, from literary tomes to bestselling genre fiction. They also enjoy trying out new crafts and new recipes. Attached are some suggestions to kick-start your own crafternoon, but remember, the most important part is to have fun!
Readers Guide for The Daughter of Time
by Josephine Tey
The title The Daughter of Time comes from a quote taken from Sir Francis Bacon that reads, “Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority.” What did he mean? Do you agree with this idea? Why or why not?
Tey’s premise in the book is that historical facts, such as Richard III murdering his brother’s children the Princes in the Tower, often become warped over time and by political agenda. Do you agree or disagree? Can you think of any historic events that later proved to be false?
The hero Alan Grant, a Scotland Yard detective, is known for his skill at physiognomy, the ability to read a person’s character by their appearance. To relieve his boredom during a hospital stay, he is taken with a portrait of Richard III and decides that the man in the portrait was kindly and not capable of the murders he was rumored to have committed. Do you believe that a person’s character can be ascertained by their facial features? Give examples for why or why not.
It is clear that through the detection done by her protagonist Alan Grant, Tey set out to make the reader rethink what has always been accepted as fact, that Richard III was evil. As an avid reader, is it possible for a work of fiction to change the way you think? Give an example.
Lastly, having read Tey’s book, do you believe Richard III guilty of murdering his nephews, or do you think it was a malicious rumor spread by the Tudors to discredit the last Plantagenet?
Craft: Paper Flowers Created from Scrap Paper
Scissors
Scrap paper, preferably with words on it
Colored markers
Hot glue gun
Florist wire
Buttons
Cut the scrap paper into the petal shape of your choice. They can be round, oval, teardrop shaped, anything you choose. Cut a variety of sizes, four large, four medium, three small. Using any colored marker, color the outer edge of the petals. Once the glue gun is primed, glue the large petals together at their bases, leaving a small opening for the florist wire to be fed through. Next repeat the process with the medium- and small-sized petals. Once you have all three done, take a button and feed one end of a length of florist wire through it. Now use it as the center of your flower and string first the small, then the medium, and lastly the large petals onto the wire. Use the glue gun to make the petals secure. When the glue is dry, shape the flower by folding the outer edge of the petals back to make it look like the flower is wide open.
Recipes
BETH’S IRISH SODA BREAD
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon baking powder
½ stick unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups buttermilk, shaken well
1 large egg
1 cup raisins
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon melted butter
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a large baking sheet. Whisk together first six ingredients.
Mix buttermilk and egg in separate bowl then add to flour mixture until dough is moistened but still lumpy. Add the raisins and caraway seeds to the dough and knead on well-floured surface about 8 times to form a soft and less sticky dough. Pat into 6-inch round dome on baking sheet.
Cut a ½-inch-deep X on top of the loaf with a sharp knife, then brush the loaf with melted butter. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer loaf to rack to cool completely.
SERVES 8.
CHARLENE’S SHEPHERD’S PIE
Easy Shepherd’s Pie (Cottage Pie in the U.K.)
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen mixed veggies (corn, carrots and peas)
6 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Brown ground beef. Drain grease if necessary. Simmer beef and season with Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. While simmering, add frozen vegetables. When vegetables are warmed through, pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes on top (should be about an inch thick). Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake at 350°F until cheese is browned on top, about 30 to 35 minutes.
SERVES 4.
&nbs
p; Turn the page for the never-before-published bonus short story . . .
AN UNLIKELY MEETING
“Lindsey, we’ve started crafternoon without you,” Beth Stanley said. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you were still in interviews.”
“We would be if our candidate were here, but as it is you’re not interrupting anything,” Lindsey said.
Lindsey Norris, director of the Briar Creek Public Library, glanced at the three people in the room with her and then at the clock. It was fifteen minutes past the start time of the final interview for the day. She glanced at Herb Gunderson and asked, “Should we call it?”
He frowned. Herb was a very cross-the-t’s-and-dot-the-i’s sort of guy, and Lindsey knew he was wondering what timeline the human resources department would give for abandoning the interview of a no-show. Was there a designated limit? Fifteen minutes? Twenty? A half hour?
“Let me make a quick call,” he said. “Maybe you should check your messages and see if the person”—he glanced at the papers in front of him—“this Paula Turner, called. Maybe she’s withdrawing her application or something came up and she has to reschedule.”
Lindsey nodded. That seemed reasonable. “I’ll be right back.”
She followed Beth into the hallway, noticing for the first time that Beth was not in her usual story time outfit. The interviews had run later than she’d expected, and their weekly crafternoon, a lunchtime book club where they did a craft while they discussed the book, was well under way.
“Going well?” Beth asked. “Any stellar candidates?”
“It’s a misery. I had no idea how hard it was going to be to replace Ann Marie on the circulation desk with Ms. Cole. It has to be someone who can handle her and who works well in a library environment,” Lindsey said. “The candidate pool has been underwhelming, and I was really holding out hope for this last one.”
A Likely Story Page 24