And Then You Dye

by Monica Ferris

  Ruth Ladwig had said it was impossible to see into the hearts of other people.

  Betsy could feel herself starting to fall asleep. She wanted to solve this puzzle before she did.

  She remembered the touching letter from Marge’s daughter, Louise. Marge, Louise had written, was “married” to Green Gaia, and loved it more than even her daughter and granddaughter.

  There it was, thought Betsy, as her limbs grew heavy and her eyes closed. The real reason for the murder was not to protect Pierce from a charge of infidelity, but to enrich Green Gaia. If it became known that Marge had cheated Hailey by refusing to share credit for the mutant marigold, her patent application might be turned down. Marge needed that money to keep Green Gaia up and growing. Her reputation shattered, she might never be able to patent another flower.

  Pierce loved Marge, but he was not going to abandon his wife for her. Betsy could see Pierce’s face, the way he looked that day in her shop, loving his wife.

  A man whose love could not be destroyed by so terrible a fate visited on his wife would not connive at the murder of another person.

  And Marge Schultz, clever and efficient, would do anything necessary to protect her occupation. She had broken into Pierce’s car, had stolen the GPS device, the attaché case, and the gun. She had gotten rid of the cashier’s check by stuffing it into the pocket of a coat later shoplifted. Foolish move; she should have burned it. The GPS device was probably dropped into a donation bin outside a Salvation Army building.

  Satisfied at last by the conclusions she’d drawn, Betsy’s finger stopped tickling her cat’s ear, and she and Sophie fell asleep.

  * * *

  Click here for more books by this author.

  Mary Monica’s Argyle Clock Towers

  A Dusty Rose Original Pattern

  Designed by Alixandra Jordan of Dusty Rose Designs

  Design size: 83w x 57h

  Sample was stitched on white Aida 18 count using 3 strands of DMC cotton thread.

  Note: Each section should be stitched one at a time, left to right and top to bottom.

  Symbol

  Number

  Description

  X

  168

  Pewter—very light

  S

  3844

  Bright Turquoise—dark

  0

  3846

  Bright Turquoise—light

 

  310

  Black

  Berkley Prime Crime titles by Monica Ferris

  CREWEL WORLD

  FRAMED IN LACE

  A STITCH IN TIME

  UNRAVELED SLEEVE

  A MURDEROUS YARN

  HANGING BY A THREAD

  CUTWORK

  CREWEL YULE

  EMBROIDERED TRUTHS

  SINS AND NEEDLES

  KNITTING BONES

  THAI DIE

  BLACKWORK

  BUTTONS AND BONES

  THREADBARE

  AND THEN YOU DYE

  Anthologies

  PATTERNS OF MURDER

  SEW FAR, SO GOOD