“Sounds like you need help. What can I do?”
Jayleen’s sun-lined face broke into a big grin. “Thanks, Kelly. I was about to ask you. In fact, that’s why I’m here. I plan to corral as many folks into helping that I can find. Are any of the other gals here?” She craned her neck, peering around the café. “I don’t see Jennifer.”
“Afternoons Jen works real estate, remember? And she’s actually in her office writing a purchase offer for me.” Kelly held up her mug so the waitress could fill it. “Thanks, Julie.”
“Whoa, girl,” Jayleen exclaimed. “Don’t tell me you found another mountain place. Where is it?”
“Right up the road from you,” Kelly said. “Geri Norbert’s place went back on the market. It seems the real estate developer changed his mind about building his mini mansion. So we’re making another offer. Keep your fingers crossed, Jayleen. Maybe I’ll snag it this time.” She leaned out of the way so the waitress could pour coffee for them both.
Jayleen’s surprise was evident. “When did this happen? I hadn’t heard a thing.”
“It only came on the market this week, according to Jen. Of course, it’s listed a lot higher this time, but I’ve checked with Curt, and he says I’ll have enough to make an offer.”
“Kelly, that’s great. I know how much you wanted that place. Hell, it’ll be much better having you build a home up there rather than Mr. Big Shot. I asked Bobby what the guy was like, and he said a typical CEO type. Barking orders and a short temper.”
“Who’s Bobby?” Kelly asked.
“Oh, he’s the part-time guy the bank hired to take care of Geri’s livestock. He comes out twice a day. Apparently the big shot hadn’t decided if he was going to keep the animals or not, so he kept Bobby on. Now that he’s selling the ranch, you may be able to expand your herd. Providing you get it this time.”
“That’s an idea,” Kelly mused out loud.
“Geri had some good females, too.”
“Wow, I wonder if I could afford them.”
Jayleen’s smile turned sly. “Well, they’ll be more expensive now that the real estate guy is selling.”
Kelly took a long drink of coffee. Her pulse had speeded up so much she couldn’t tell if it was excitement or the caffeine. She was getting way ahead of herself. She didn’t know if she’d even get the property. There would be plenty of time to check out Geri’s alpacas. Then she’d talk to Curt. Again.
“I was visiting with Mimi when I first came in, and I spotted Burt walking by. Is he all right? He was frowning about something. Didn’t even hear me say hello.”
“He’s fine, Jayleen. Burt had just heard the same bad news we all did. One of our spinning teachers was dating that guy who was killed in the canyon the other day. Apparently she was really serious about him, too. He was an alpaca rancher, so you probably knew him. Derek Cooper.”
This time, Jayleen’s eyes popped wide. “Lord a’mighty! I read about it this morning. It made my blood run cold, thinking there was a killer running around the canyon.” She shivered. “Who would have done such a thing? And which one of Mimi’s gals was going with him?”
“Lucy. The dark-haired, quiet one who helps Burt. She’s taking it pretty hard.”
“I know Lucy. She’s helped me out with the spinning since fall. Lucy’s a real sweetheart.”
“Did you know Derek Cooper at all?”
“Didn’t know him real well. Saw him at several breeders’ association dinners, talked to him at a few meetings, that’s all. He seemed like a nice enough young man. In fact, that’s where Lucy met him. I had an extra ticket for a banquet one time and invited her to come along. Next thing I know, Derek had her sitting next to him.” She shook her head, still only a trace of gray running through her blonde curls. “That’s a damn shame. I didn’t even know she was seeing him.”
“She’s kind of shy. I think she only told Ellen she was dating him.” Glancing at the doorway, Kelly spotted Ellen walking by. “Hey, Ellen,” she called, “skipping class? Come over here and meet someone.”
“I’m looking for a yarn I saw yesterday,” Ellen said as she approached.
“I want you to meet another Lambspun regular—Jayleen Swinson. She has a ranch up in Bellevue Canyon, too. Jayleen, Ellen Hunter. She’s another spinner in Lucy’s class.”
“Nice to meet you, Ellen,” Jayleen said. “I sure was sorry to hear about Derek Cooper getting killed up in the canyon. That’s awful. And I’m sorry poor Lucy was involved with him.”
Ellen nodded solemnly. “So am I. It’s been awful.”
Jayleen peered at Ellen for a minute, then smiled. “You know, you look real familiar to me. Have we met before? Are you a rancher, too?”
Ellen smiled as she shook her head. “Not me. I’m not much for taking care of livestock. You probably have me mixed up with someone else.”
“I don’t know, I’ve got a pretty good memory for faces.” Jayleen checked her watch, then fairly leaped from the chair. “Whoa, I’ve gotta get going. I’m still trying to figure out where I’ll put all those kids. Hell, I’m barely settled in myself, and the ranch house is still filled with unpacked boxes. I don’t know when I’ll have time to get ready. Catch you later, Kelly. Tell the others about the charity event for me, okay?” She gave a quick wave as she hurried off.
“Gotta get back to class,” Ellen said, drawing away.
Dropping some bills on the table, Kelly checked her own mental daytimer as she walked toward the knitting shop again. If she returned to her cottage-office now, she could start another client account before meeting Steve for quick tennis practice and a quicker dinner.
Edging close to the classroom, Kelly spotted Burt quietly monitoring the spinners. She leaned around the corner and motioned Burt closer.
“Hi, Kelly. Want to learn to spin?” Burt asked, a twinkle in his eyes.
“I wouldn’t do that to Mimi’s spinning wheels. No, I was wondering if you could do something for me, Burt. You read about that rancher in the canyon, right?”
Burt nodded. “Did you know him, Kelly? I figure you’re about to ask me to look into it for you, am I right?”
“Burt, you are reading my mind far too easily nowadays. You’re right. I was curious as to how Derek Cooper was killed. The paper said it was a homicide.”
“Why are you interested, Kelly? For Lucy’s sake?”
She shrugged. “Yes, and Jennifer knew him, too. So, I’m curious.”
Burt observed her with a wry smile. “That curiosity of yours never sleeps, does it?”
“Nope, I guess I can’t help myself,” Kelly said, wondering herself.
Four
“Did he say anything when you gave him the offer last night?” Kelly asked, extending her mug so Jennifer could fill it.
Midmorning coffee break. Only Eduardo’s black gold could enable her to face the shoebox full of receipts her new client had brought yesterday. Talk about disorganized. She was going to have to have a long talk with this rancher.
“No. He’d already left, so I gave it to his assistant, Rodney. Rod’s a good guy. He indicated that we were ‘in the ballpark.’”
“Good. Maybe we have a chance this time.”
“Let’s hope.” Jennifer replaced the pot and called over her shoulder to the café owner. “Pete, I’m going to take a break now, okay? Be back in a few minutes.”
“Take your time, Jen. It’s quiet,” Pete said as he arranged salads in a glass case.
Jennifer snatched her knitting bag from behind the counter and followed Kelly into the shop. “Listen, I’ve been asking around to find out why that guy changed his plans for the property. And, you know, all I’m getting is vague answers. I asked the diva in our office what she knew. She’s been around since forever—”
“Diva?” Kelly laughed as she settled at the empty library table.
Jennifer sat beside her. “Oh, yeah, every office has an old-timer who’s been selling real estate since dirt. They know everything and everybody
. Who’s doing what to whom, you know.” She pulled out the blue and white patterned sweater and began to knit.
Kelly noticed that one sweater sleeve was completely finished. A long sleeve, too. Sleeves. She needed to learn to knit long sleeves. It was winter, for Pete’s sake. She could use a pretty sweater like that one, she thought, returning to Eugene Tolliver’s alpaca scarf. Unfortunately she couldn’t stop looking at the intricate pattern Jennifer was deftly knitting, blue yarn working a design with the white. Kelly wondered if she could manage both challenges: long sleeves and a design. After a minute of self-reflection, she sighed. Nah. She’d wind up botching both the design and the sleeves. Better try one at a time. First, sleeves. Definitely sleeves. If she started after Christmas, maybe she could finish a simple one-color sweater before spring. Maybe.
“Anyway, all Maya said was she’d heard he lost interest in the mountain place after one of his commercial properties was vandalized.”
“Really? What happened?”
“I remember hearing something about a fire,” Jennifer said. “Maya confirmed that his new apartment complex out near the interstate was torched. Luckily, some drivers on the interstate noticed and called 911. Firemen were able to get there before it was completely destroyed. That’s good, but it’ll still be costly to rebuild.”
Kelly reflected on that scary scenario, wondering if Steve had ever experienced any vandalism at his building sites. “Maybe that’s why he changed his plans. He can’t afford to build the mountain home now.”
Jennifer sent her a wry smile. “Mr. Deep Pockets? No, Kelly. Something else changed his mind; I can tell. I asked Rod why the change of plans, and Rod turned away and started shuffling papers on his desk. My instinct says there’s more here than meets the eye.”
“You’re starting to sound like me when I’m searching for clues,” Kelly joked.
Jennifer stared across the table, her smile disappearing. “You know, I spoke with my friend Diane yesterday. She’s a wreck. Crying and almost hysterical when I finally reached her. She kept saying, ‘I can’t believe he’s dead,’ over and over, and ‘I should have stayed, I should have stayed.’ That worried me, so I asked what she meant, and she couldn’t even answer at first. Then she blurted out she had gone over to Derek’s place that night.”
Kelly’s needles stopped their rhythmic movements. “You mean the night Derek was killed?”
Jennifer nodded, staring at the blue and white yarn in her lap, needles moving slower now. “Yeah. I asked her why, and she told me Derek had called and begged her to come out. Said he wanted to make up after their last fight. So she drove up to his ranch. But when she got there, they started fighting again so she left.”
“I thought he was going with Lucy. What’s he doing, keeping two girls at the same time?”
“I told you. That’s Derek’s style. I’m sorry Lucy got involved with him, but I’m sorrier for Diane. Derek was up to his old tricks with her. Fighting with her, then begging Diane to come back to him, then he walks all over her again.” Jennifer’s tone had grown increasingly bitter.
“Derek sounds like a real bastard.”
“Ohhhh, he was a piece of work, for sure.”
Kelly chose her next words carefully. “Sounds like he and Diane had a love-hate relationship.”
“That’s pretty accurate. And I can tell what you’re thinking, Kelly, and there’s no way Diane could have killed Derek. She’s hotheaded, sure, but she’s not violent. Not really.”
“Do the police know Diane went up there that night?”
Jennifer’s shoulders drooped. “No, but they will. I’m sure they’re interviewing everybody at the bar. They’ll be eager to tell the cops about Diane and Derek.”
“Where did Diane go after she left Derek? Did she tell you?”
Jennifer shook her head. “I didn’t ask her, but I should have.” Jennifer stared across the table once more, then stuffed her knitting into the bag. “I should call her. In fact, I’d better go over there right now before she goes into a dive.”
“A dive?”
Jennifer rose from her chair. “Yeah, whenever she and Derek would have a blowout, Diane would go out on a binge, drinking. Then she’d sink even lower when she sobered up. Maybe I can reach her beforehand. The last thing she needs is for the police to knock on her door with questions, and she’s passed out, drunk. I’ll talk to you later, Kelly.” With that, she hurried from the room.
Kelly let Jennifer’s words filter through her mind. They certainly didn’t paint a very flattering picture of Diane. Binge-drinking, passing out drunk. Jennifer made it sound like this had been happening for quite a while. Not good. Particularly if the police come calling. Diane would definitely need a clear head for their questions.
She took a long sip of her coffee and wondered if Lucy knew anything about Derek’s other lovers. Some women were drawn to the “bad boys,” and would forgive them anything. Kelly remembered some of the various and sundry bad boys who had flitted through her life. Most had never stayed around long, no doubt sensing that she would be less than tolerant of their transgressions.
All except one. Jeff the Slime. Smooth, and very, very clever at concealing his sneaky side. Old memories darted from the bushes, aiming their barbs at her like before. But their sting was weaker now, Kelly noticed. Barely skin-deep.
“Kelly, have you seen my knitting bag? I misplaced it,” Megan’s voice interrupted as she raced into the room.
Kelly glanced about the familiar clutter in the middle of the knitting table. “Nope. Afraid not.”
Megan scurried around the table, sapphire blue knit scarf wrapped tightly around her neck as if she’d rushed in from the winter cold that very minute. She anxiously checked under chairs and behind yarn bins. “Darn, I’m running late already. Now, where is it?” she fussed, dropping to the floor to peer under the table. “Ah-ha! There it is,” she crowed triumphantly as she reached beneath a chair and retrieved the missing bag.
“What’s the big hurry?” Kelly asked, observing that Megan looked uncharacteristically scattered. “Have you got an important appointment or something?”
Megan rounded the table quickly, clearly ready to race from the shop. Pausing beside Kelly’s chair, she hesitated before answering. “I’m trying to get all my work done by the afternoon, so I can go with Lisa and Greg to the movies tonight.”
“That sounds like fun,” Kelly said, noticing that Megan hadn’t made eye contact with her yet. Something was up. Megan was unusually flustered. Going to the movies with Lisa and Greg wouldn’t elicit this reaction. Unless…
Instantly, Kelly knew what was bothering Megan. Lisa and Greg were fixing her up with a guy. It had to be.
“Yeah, we’re going for pizza in Old Town first.” Megan stared at her car keys as she turned them over in her hand. “And…and they’re bringing some guy they want me to meet. He’s a colleague of Greg’s at the university. I think he cycles with him, too.”
Kelly shined her most encouraging smile, hoping to penetrate the barrier that Megan was hiding behind. “That’s great, Megan! I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun. Sounds like the guy is athletic, like you. I bet you two will hit it off. I’m sure that’s why Steve and I get along so well. We’re both jocks.”
Megan exhaled a big sigh and finally met Kelly’s gaze, her fair skin making her blue eyes look huge. “I don’t ‘hit it off ’ with guys, Kelly. You know that. That’s why I hate blind dates. Whenever I meet a guy on a date, I freeze up. I stammer like I can’t talk, and I turn red as a beet.” She shrugged. “I’m only going tonight because Lisa begged me.”
Kelly searched for something encouraging to say, something that would help Megan conquer her shyness. She could see Megan retreating into her shell already. “Megan, you only freeze up when you know it’s a date or the guy is coming on to you; I’ve watched it. But you have no problem at all talking with guys who are friends. Steve, Greg, all the guys on the team. Your tennis buddies. Why don’t you tell yourself
this guy is not a date. He’s only a friend, only a friend. See if that helps.”
Finally a smile peeked out as Megan repeated the mantra. “He’s only a friend. He’s only a friend. He’s not a date. Not a date.” Her smile spread, much to Kelly’s relief. Smiles were a start. “Self-hypnosis, huh? Okay, I’ll give it a try. Wish me luck,” she said as she walked away. “Oh, and tell Steve that Sam and I will practice doubles with you two tomorrow night. You’ve got your first match the following night.”
“Don’t remind me. We’re still barely competent,” Kelly called over her shoulder.
“Kelly, you mustn’t be so hard on yourself. You’re doing very well indeed,” a deep, throaty woman’s voice sounded behind her.
“Yes, dear. Your sweater-in-the-round turned out quite nicely,” a birdlike chirp floated past.
Kelly recognized the voices before the two elderly women approached the table. Hilda and Lizzie von Steuben. Spinster sisters, retired schoolteachers, and knitters of the highest level. Others knitted yarns. Hilda and Lizzie could knit cobwebs.
“Hello, ladies, how’re you doing?” Kelly greeted as the two women pulled out nearby chairs. Hilda, tall and rawboned, and rosy-cheeked, plump-as-a-dumpling Lizzie. They barely resembled each other except in talent and kindness as well as genuine concern for the knitting shop family.
Almost as if she read Kelly’s mind, Lizzie spoke up while she lifted a white, gauzy creation from her bag. “We’re doing well, dear. But I’m concerned about that dear child, Lucy. Mimi told us what happened, and we were both shocked. Simply shocked.”
“Murder most foul,” Hilda intoned from her end of the table, fingers nimbly turning green and white yarns into a sweater. “Who could do such a thing, especially in a tranquil setting like Bellevue Canyon?”
A Killer Stitch Page 4