Yarn Over Murder

by Maggie Sefton

  Fried eggs popped on the griddle beside round pancakes, which were browning perfectly. And sizzling away on the farther side of the grill was the most tempting item of all. Kelly’s favorite. Bacon. She inhaled the wonderfully delicious scent and closed her eyes. Ahh. Yummy.

  That settled it, she decided. Her light breakfast of fruit and yogurt wasn’t strong enough to fight off a full-frontal assault of bacon and eggs and pancakes. She had to have some. But maybe a smaller portion this time.

  “Look out, Eduardo,” Jennifer warned as she approached the counter. “Kelly’s got that lean and hungry look.”

  Eduardo grinned, revealing his gold front tooth. “I’ve seen that look before. It doesn’t scare me.”

  “What can we get you, Kelly?” Jennifer asked as she loaded two full platters of tempting breakfast food onto her tray.

  “How about one slice of bacon and one small pancake and just a little scrambled eggs. I thought I’d practice portion control.”

  “Good for you,” Jennifer said. “Join the rest of us. Right, Eduardo?”

  “Awwww, you two girls are always talking about your weight. You look fine the way you are,” he said, flipping the pancakes over.

  “I bet you’d say that even if we had to waddle away from the table, Eduardo,” Kelly teased.

  Eduardo laughed. “Crazy Kelly.” His regular admonition.

  “Hand me your mug and I’ll fill it. Meanwhile, you can have a seat over there in the alcove. There’s that smaller table in the corner.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Kelly said obediently, handing over her mug. “Did you guys see the wildfire update this morning?”

  “Yeah, it’s gotten to be a morning ritual for all of us, I’m afraid,” Jennifer said, pouring a black stream of coffee into Kelly’s mug.

  “It looks like a bunch more firefighters have arrived from all over. That’s good.” Kelly plopped her bag onto a chair at the smaller table. “And lots more Hot Shots. Bless those guys and gals. They really jumped on that Soldier Canyon fire so it wouldn’t spread. But the fire is spreading north now, close to Colorado 14.”

  “I know. It’s only 10 percent contained. They’re trying to establish fire lines to the south, so the fire won’t spread to the other side of Poudre Canyon,” Jennifer said, returning Kelly’s mug. “But watching the news this morning and seeing all those firefighters streaming into town made Pete and me feel a whole lot better. Surely we can get ahead of this fire with all those extra hands at work.”

  “If only that blasted wind would die down.” Kelly took a drink of Eduardo’s black nectar. Ahh. Caffeine. She’d need it.

  Neither she nor Steve had had a restful night’s sleep, even though the house was air-conditioned and they weren’t subjected to the draining heat. The whole wildfire situation had everybody on edge, it seemed to Kelly. The entire city was on alert. People had one eye on their jobs and one eye on the mountains.

  She settled at the table and checked her watch. She had an hour and a half before she needed to gather Cassie and drive to the softball fields at Rolland Moore Park on the west side of the city. It would be smokier there, hopefully not too much.

  “Today’s my softball clinic. Is Cassie around? I figured we could head over there about nine thirty.”

  “She’s in the workroom helping Mimi organize yarns and stuff. I have to admit, the shelves are looking a lot neater now that Cassie’s started to help Mimi.”

  “Well, Mimi and Rosa and Connie have so much to do already with customers, there’s not much time left over for shelf organization. By the way, have you seen Connie? Did she show up for work today?”

  “Yeah. Mimi told me Connie came in early today. But I haven’t had time to go over and see her. We’ve been super busy this morning. Thank goodness Julie is back.” Jennifer picked up her coffeepot. “Gotta check the customers.”

  “See you later,” Kelly said as Jennifer scurried off. Noticing movement out of the corner of her eye, Kelly saw Burt enter the café.

  He burst into a smile. “Hey, Kelly, good to see you. This is getting to be a regular morning occurrence.”

  “Hi, Burt. Pull up a chair and catch me up on what’s going on in wildfire central, Landport.”

  Burt settled in across from her “Traffic is still a nightmare going through town, for one thing. No surprise with one main road. All the extra firefighters and Hot Shots have set up a tent city at the Armory on West LaPorte Avenue. The big supply store is letting them park some of their vehicles in the back parking lot. But all those big trucks and firefighting equipment really tie up the road. Can’t avoid it, though.” He took a sip from the takeout cup he had with him, which had a familiar logo.

  “What about the disaster shelter there? And the one at the Ranch out on the interstate? Do they have enough room?”

  “Well, the shelter at Cache La Poudre middle school is full already.” He caught Kelly’s eye. “Apparently only twenty homes were lost in Poudre Canyon so far, thanks entirely to those brave firefighters who faced down the flames in Poudre Park.”

  “What have you heard about Bellevue Canyon?”

  “Everyone up Whale Rock Road had to evacuate. Word is the fire’s swept through that whole area. No telling if any homes survived. We’ll have to wait and see.”

  “Oh, no!” Kelly pictured the great views from that more remote location high atop a ridge in Bellevue Canyon. “All those people may have lost their homes? How awful!”

  Burt nodded. “Yes, it is. Many of them had friends or relatives in the area they could go to, but a lot of folks didn’t. They’ll have to go to the shelter at the Ranch.”

  “Are you going to help with running supplies like yesterday? Do they have enough people to serve meals and take care of things in the shelter?”

  “I hope to, if they need me. They’re going to need a lot more supplies, the way I figure. There are going to be more folks affected. The Poudre Canyon residents in Poudre Park were evacuated late Saturday night, as you know, and they’ve ordered evacuations in Livermore and the Glacier View subdivision north of Colorado 14. Also Pingree Park, west of Poudre Canyon. People have scattered all over town. Some to friends and some to the shelters. Plus some churches have taken in people, too.”

  “Sounds like they need all the help they can get. Let me know if we can do anything, Burt, okay?”

  He smiled. “Don’t worry, I will.” He sipped from his cup. “So far it looks like they have enough hands on deck. I even saw Jim Carson serving meals at the shelter. At least I think it was him. He had a scruffy beard growing, but it looked like him.”

  That surprised her. Kelly recalled Jayleen saying that Dennis Holt had found Andrea lying all alone in the backyard. The house was empty. No sign of Jim Carson. “Did you speak to him? Did he say anything about Andrea?”

  “Naw, I was too busy at the time. If I see him again, I’ll speak to him. If it really is Jim. As I said, this guy had a scruffy beard growing.”

  Kelly pondered that. “I wonder why he wasn’t there with Andrea. The two of them were acting like a couple on Saturday. Funny, that he’d leave.”

  Burt shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe something called him back to town and he had to leave.”

  “Yeah, probably. Well, if it is Jim Carson, he must have heard about Andrea. Maybe this is his way of handling it. You know, helping other people.” She shrugged. “Maybe.”

  Burt smiled. “You could be right. I’ll make it a point to check the shelter this afternoon at that same time and see if he’s there. Hopefully he may know something about how the accident happened. I mean, I assume it was an accident. It sounds like it was.”

  “What will happen now? Will the medical examiner take a look? Police are swamped right now, so they won’t have any manpower to spare.”

  “You’re right about that. But I imagine the medical examiner will have a chance to examine her a
nd rule on cause of death. It will all take longer than usual, though.” Burt frowned. “That reminds me. I forgot to ask Jayleen about her alpacas up at Andrea’s ranch. I’m hoping there are some residents who live higher up the canyon who could come down and feed the livestock for her. Did she say anything when you talked to her yesterday?”

  Kelly nodded, glad she could answer truthfully. “Yes, she indicated there was a resident up there who was taking care of them for her.”

  “Well, that’s good.” Burt checked his watch. “I’d better get in that line of traffic going into Landport and see how I can help.” He rose and started toward the café front door. “Oh, by the way. Connie came in this morning. Make sure you go in and say hi. Mimi talked to her this morning and told her about Andrea. Connie hadn’t heard a thing, naturally. The wildfire has dominated the news. Connie looked dazed and didn’t say a word, just stared out the window. She was acting real subdued when she first came in this morning and didn’t talk much. Now, she’s barely saying a word at all. Just to the customers.”

  “She’s probably still trying to adjust to everything that’s happened. Saturday was beyond traumatic. Yelling and accusations. You’re lucky you didn’t have to witness it like we did. And the wildfire on top of everything. Chaos in the midst of chaos.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll go over now and give her a hug. That’s all I could do on Saturday. Hug her and tell Connie that she had friends there. Meanwhile, keep us updated on wildfire news. You’re closer to the front lines than any of us.”

  “Will do,” Burt said, walking away just as Jennifer brought Kelly her breakfast.

  • • •

  Kelly headed for the hallway leading into the knitting shop, hoping to find a quiet moment with Connie. She turned the corner into what Kelly called the Loom Room because it was dominated by a large loom. Weavers called it the Mother Loom. There they created beautiful scarves, table runners, and all manner of finely woven fiber wonders. Kelly often marveled at the beauty of the woven stitches.

  Connie was on the other side of the room replacing several cones of fine fibers and threads that filled the shelves lining two walls. She glanced toward Kelly then looked away, mumbling, “Hi, Kelly.”

  Kelly walked over and placed an arm around Connie’s shoulders, giving her a hug. “How’re you doing, Connie?” she asked softly. Connie gave a little shrug in reply, without words. “We’re here for you, Connie. You know that.”

  Connie’s lower lip curled and her face started to flush, then she nodded. Kelly didn’t want to make Connie cry, so she gave her another hug then walked into the adjoining central yarn room. She spotted Mimi in the main room, pattern folders spread on the table around her.

  “Hey, there,” Kelly said in a lower voice. “I just saw Connie and gave her a hug. Told her we were here for her, you know. She looked like she was about to tear up so I just gave her another hug and left her alone.” Kelly pulled out a chair across the table from Mimi.

  “That’s all we can do, Kelly,” Mimi said with a sigh. “She was acting so subdued and not talking to anyone when she came in, I assumed she’d already heard about Andrea.” Mimi glanced over her shoulder, then said in a lower voice, “But when I mentioned what a shock it was to hear about Andrea’s death, Connie just stared at me wide-eyed. Like she was dazed or something. All she said was ‘How?’ I told her Andrea must have fallen down the outside steps because she was found lying on the ground. That’s all I knew. I swear Connie turned white as a sheet. She just sat at the winding table and stared out the windows for a long time.” Mimi shook her head, her face revealing her concern. “I left her alone with her thoughts. Thank goodness some customers came in and she started to answer their questions. I was beginning to worry.”

  “Sounds like Connie is kind of suffering from the shock of everything that happened this weekend. All the trauma. Yelling and stuff. Believe me, Mimi, you and Burt were lucky you weren’t around to see it. It would have upset you too much.”

  Mimi closed her eyes. “You’re right. It sounded awful just hearing you tell me about it on the phone.”

  Cassie rounded the corner from the workroom with several plastic-encased patterns in her hands. “I found the patterns you were looking for, Mimi. Hey, Kelly.”

  “Hey, Cassie. Are you going to softball today? I’ll be leaving in about an hour.” Kelly checked her watch.

  “Sure thing. I’ve got my stuff in my backpack in the workroom.”

  “Good deal.” She pushed back her chair. “Maybe I’ll bring my laptop in here and work for a while. That way you can help me keep track of the time. In case I get lost in the numbers.”

  “Only accountants get lost in numbers and seem to enjoy it,” Mimi said as Kelly headed toward the café again.

  The alcove was empty now, Kelly noticed. That quiet time in the café between breakfast and lunch. Grabbing her shoulder bag and coffee mug, she walked down the hallway and through the workroom. More pattern books were opened on the work table.

  “Are you reorganizing the pattern books or something?” she asked, admiring a pattern for a sleeveless sweater that lay on the table. “That’s pretty. I need a new knitting project. Maybe I’ll make that one. Is it hard, Mimi?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Wait a minute. Why am I asking you?” Kelly said as she withdrew her laptop from her bag and settled into a chair. “Everything’s easy for you.”

  Cassie giggled. “She’s right, Mimi. Every time someone asks about a pattern, you always say, ‘It’s easy.’”

  Kelly gestured to her accomplice. “See? It’s not my imagination. Cassie says it, too. I’ve got backup.”

  Mimi gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “Well, it is easy. And you would enjoy making it, Kelly. But it might be more helpful if you tried one of the easier sweater patterns. A lot of us are starting to knit sweaters for the wildfire evacuees who’ve lost their homes and possessions. They could really use anything we can make for them.”

  “But it’s so hot!” Cassie exclaimed, eyes wide. “They wouldn’t wear a woolen sweater in the summer!”

  “You took the words right out of my mouth, Cassie,” Kelly said, taking a deep drink of coffee.

  “Well, they wouldn’t be using them now, but in a few months they will be needing those sweaters. And those poor folks are not going to be able to buy all new clothes. That’s expensive. So anything we can knit for them will be appreciated, I promise you.”

  “I heartily agree with you, Mimi,” a deep contralto voice sounded from the central yarn room behind Kelly.

  A voice she hadn’t heard in a long time. That of Hilda von Steuben. One half of the pair of spinster sisters and knitters extraordinaire. Kelly turned in her chair and saw Hilda and sister, Lizzie, standing in the archway between both rooms, smiling. Tall and big-boned Hilda, and shorter, dainty, round-as-a-dumpling Lizzie.

  “Hilda! Lizzie!” Kelly cried in delight and leaped from her chair, giving first Hilda then Lizzie a hug. “How wonderful to see you both! It’s been a few weeks since you’ve been in.”

  “Kelly, my girl, it’s so good to see you,” Hilda said, as Kelly kissed her on the cheek.

  “Oh, my, yes! You look wonderful, dear!” Lizzie said, her bright smile revealing her dimples.

  Mimi was right behind Kelly. “Oh, you two, how marvelous to see you both!” She gave them each a hug as well.

  “Oh, such a fuss,” Hilda protested mildly, holding on to Mimi’s arm with one hand. Her other hand rested on her cane.

  “We’d have come in sooner, but we both had a terrible stomach flu bug. We’d recovered from that by last week, but then this heat has been so bad, and then the smoke,” Lizzie explained as she flounced to the end of the table, pink and white ruffles in full bloom. “We have to run two filters to clear the air in our home. We’re in the middle of town, you know.” She pulled out a chair. “Here, Hilda, this will be easier fo
r you at the end.”

  “Come in and sit down,” Mimi said, taking Hilda’s arm as she slowly walked the elderly woman to the chair Lizzie had indicated.

  Kelly quickly pulled out the chair at the other end of the table. “Here, Lizzie, why don’t you take this one. That way we’ll have von Steuben sisters anchoring both ends of our knitting table. It’ll be like old times.”

  “Old times, eh?” Hilda said. “Well, Lizzie and I are experts on all things old, aren’t we, Lizzie?”

  “Oh, my, yes,” Lizzie said, settling into the chair Kelly held out. Rearranging her ruffles, Lizzie gave her silver hair a pat in its tidy twist at the back of her head.

  An old familiar gesture Kelly hadn’t seen in a while.

  Feeling a pang of nostalgia, she said, “I have really missed you two. It seems every time you made it over here, I was down in Denver with one of my clients.”

  “As well you should be,” Hilda intoned, setting her tapestry knitting bag upon the table. “We’ve kept track of your career progression, my dear. Thanks to Mimi and Burt, of course. I take it Burt is out on one of your many errands, Mimi. I’m sorry to miss him.”

  “Well, I’m going to call him and tell him to make sure he stops by to say hello. He’s over in Landport now, volunteering to drive supplies back and forth to the various shelters and such.”

  “Oh, my, that awful, awful fire!” Lizzie’s hand fluttered up in a trademark wave that Kelly loved. “That is simply dreadful, isn’t it? I’m so glad Burt is helping.” She opened her multicolored embroidered knitting bag.

  “He’s a good man,” Hilda said, withdrawing the light blue silky yarn from her knitting bag. It looked to Kelly like a half-finished baby sweater.

  Glancing to the side, Kelly noticed Cassie standing back, watching the two elderly ladies at the table. As if she read her mind, Mimi quickly walked over to Cassie’s side and placed her arm around Cassie’s shoulders.