“Well, we just have to say he’s a dog. No one seems to have any idea what kind of dog he is. But I can vouch for the fact that he is the sweetest dog I’ve ever met and definitely the smartest. He’s only been with me for a couple of weeks, but he’s moved right into my home and my heart. I brought him tonight so everyone could meet him.”
The class took turns scratching his ears and petting him. Barney went from one to another, enjoying the attention. He stopped at Frank and never went any farther. Frank slipped out of his chair and sat on the floor with him. They became fast friends.
As soon as the meeting resumed, Frank returned to his seat, and Barney curled up at his feet. Frank looked at Sarah and smiled. So did Barney.
Others in the group began pulling out their quilts or hand work. Frank sat quietly and when it was his turn, he said, rather embarrassed, that he had only made one quilt, a small one for his grandmother’s table, but that he wanted to make another one. Everyone encouraged him and even suggested that he make a quilt for his bed. “It would be just like what you made in class, Frank,” Ruth said. “You just make it bigger.” Frank seemed very excited about the idea. “You can come in here when you have time and use the machine in the classroom.”
“My grandma has a sewing machine, and she said I can use it.”
“Okay. In fact, would you like to make one like Amanda’s Irish chain?” Ruth asked. “I can help you make a nine patch. You can go home and make a bunch of them and then bring them here some Friday night, and we’ll all help you put it together.” Frank was so keyed up he couldn’t stay in his chair.
“I’m going to start looking at colors, okay?” he asked.
“Of course,” Ruth responded with a big smile. She loved seeing a new quilter’s excitement.
“May I come with you to look?” Amanda asked Frank.
“Sure,” he responded. He headed for the front of the store and Amanda joined him. Barney followed right behind with his pink tongue hanging out. Sarah recognized Barney’s look of happiness.
Addressing Frank once they got into the front of the shop, “I’m Amanda, and this is my first time here.” She lowered her voice and added privately, “I’m a little nervous.”
“Oh, you don’t need to be. These are very nice people. Come on and I’ll show you around. Oh,” he added, “I’m Frank.”
He took her around to the fabrics, and they talked about what colors would make a nice Irish chain. She went back to the classroom and got her quilt for him to examine more closely. Later, he also took her to the snack table and told her she could get something any time she wanted. She asked about his table runner and he said, “I’ll bring it next time to show you. Are you coming next week?”
“I sure am,” Amanda replied enthusiastically. This was going to take longer than she had hoped. If she could only see him once a week, it was going to be hard to develop a trusting relationship with him. “Do you think you could meet me here sometime before Friday and help me decide what quilt to make next?” she asked on a whim.
“Gosh,” he said, lowering his head. “I don’t know much about it.”
“Yes, but you have a good eye for color. I’ll pick a pattern, and you could help me pick out fabrics. I really would like that,” she added.
Frank looked pleased that she seemed to respect his opinion, and they sat down at the snack table and talked. They divided a donut three ways and shared a piece with Barney. Frank told Amanda about his job and asked if she worked. She hated to lie to him but told him she worked in a bookstore, which had been her cover in a previous sting operation. She was even able to get him to talk about his grandmother and how sad she had been since his grandfather died.
“One more visit with Frank,” Amanda told Gabriel the next day, “and I think I’ll have him talking about the murder. He’s very trusting and open. I feel bad about deceiving him.”
“It’s for the greater good, Amanda. We might catch a killer with his information. In the meantime, you aren’t hurting him any. He probably needs to talk about it, but he’s afraid to,” Gabriel said.
Frank had given Amanda his cell phone number, and she called him on Tuesday to see if he could meet her after work. He said he could, and she suggested they meet at the café across the street from Stitches. She said she would like to buy him dinner in exchange for helping her. He said he had just gotten paid and would buy his own and that he was happy to be helping her. “You’re my new friend,” he added proudly. She felt another pang of guilt.
* * * * *
As Mark Shields walked back to his motel room, he mulled over his current situation. He had been at Barney’s every night for the past week, and it was starting to get old. He definitely needed a diversion. He thought about the pretty girl who came into the bar a few nights before. Amber? Anna? He wondered. No. Amanda. He remembered it was an old-fashioned name like his grandmother’s name. He would keep going to Barney’s and hope to run into her again.
And where else was there to go anyway? he asked himself. He had chosen a motel near Barney’s so he wouldn’t have to use his car. He figured he would be charged if he was picked up drinking. That’s all I need with the department on my tail.
I’ll go to their meeting, he thought, and I just might take my union rep. He mulled the idea over. But then that tells them that I think they’ve got something on me. Maybe I’ll go alone. I’ll look more confident that way. Yes. I’ll go alone, look them in the eye, and dare them to come down on me.
He knew the union rep would tell him he was not obligated to incriminate himself and that he should talk as little as possible. He figured that all the gripes were internal. He would probably have heard from Internal Affairs if there had been citizens’ complaints. This can’t be very serious. I’ve had commendations. They know what I’m worth to them. He swallowed the last drop in his flask as he arrived at the motel door.
It’s probably the drinking. He entered his shabby motel room, splashed water on his face, and looked into the scratched mirror. He tried to focus. They don’t have any idea the pressure I’m under with that nagging woman and her interfering family. But that’s almost over. He would miss the money. As a couple, they had unlimited funds, but the funds flowed from her trust funds and were totally under the control of Margaret and her family. It was emasculating, he told himself, further justifying his drinking.
If it’s about the drinking, I’ll offer to get help. That should cut them off at the pass. I’ve seen it work with other guys. But then he remembered the white car. If it’s about missing that car ... well ... people make mistakes. He opened a bottle of scotch and tore the wrapper off a fresh paper cup.
The letter said to report to the chief’s office at 8:00 in the morning. It was 2:00 in the morning already. Six hours, he told himself looking down at his watch. Plenty of time. He dialed for a wake-up call and filled the cup again. But I’ll take it easy on this stuff tonight. He was unaware that it was much too late to take it easy.
He walked into police headquarters at 11:30 the next morning.
Chapter 32
The phone was ringing when Sarah came in from the backyard. It was Martha. Sarah again congratulated herself for getting the new telephone and caller ID service. “Hi, Martha,” she answered proudly.
“Hi, Mom. I haven’t talked to you for weeks. How are you?”
“I’m doing just great,” she responded cheerfully. “I think I told you about the quilt class I was taking, didn’t I?”
“Yes, Mom, you did. How was it?” Martha asked without the enthusiasm Sarah would like to hear from her daughter.
“It was fantastic. I made a table runner in the first class and am working on a throw for my couch. I’m having a great time with it.”
“I’m glad, Mom. I was calling to see if you’d like to have dinner with me this Saturday night. I’ve invited several of the women from work, and I thought it would be a nice evening for you. I could pick you up in the afternoon, and you could help me get ready.”
“Oh, Martha, I’m so sorry, but I’m busy Saturday.” Sarah was pleased that Martha would suggest this, and she regretted that she had to refuse. “A friend of mine and I have tickets for a play in the city on Saturday. But that would have been fun. I’m truly sorry I won’t be able to come.”
“A friend?” Martha asked curiously. “Who is this friend?”
“His name is Charles Parker. He’s a retired policeman, and we’ve been spending time together lately. He’s a very nice man. You’ll like him.”
“I will like him? How serious is this anyway?” Sarah knew that tone. Martha didn’t approve already. “What do you know about this man? Are you sure you should be going into the city with him?”
“Martha, I’ve spent lots of time with him already. And what do I know about him? I know that he is a very special friend, and I enjoy his company,” Sarah replied firmly. “That’s enough for me, and if it’s not enough for you, I’m sorry.”
In the silence that followed, Sarah reflected on how often she and Martha had had these power struggles. When Martha was a child, they struggled daily. Martha never wanted to be told what to do. Once Martha went away to school and Sarah to work, they became more tolerant of each other; however, as Sarah aged, Martha attempted to reverse the roles and control her mother’s life.
Martha finally spoke, “Okay, Mother. If that’s what you want.”
Sarah resisted getting into an argument with her and simply said, “Thank you for inviting me, Martha. I’m sure it would have been fun. I hope we can do it another time.”
“Do you plan to introduce me and Jason to this man?”
“Of course,” Sarah responded enthusiastically. “I would love for you to meet all of my friends here in the community. In fact, we’re planning a community picnic in a couple of weeks. That would be a great chance for you to meet Charles and Sophie and some of the others.”
“I’ll have to get back to you,” Martha responded in a flat tone. Sarah knew that was not what Martha had in mind. She was not asking to meet Sarah’s friends. She was asking how serious her mother was about Charles. But since it was none of Martha’s concern, Sarah chose to ignore the unspoken question. Besides, she had no idea how serious it might become.
“That’s fine,” Sarah responded. “I’ll let you know when the date has been finalized. And if you want to come, I’d love to have you.” After they hung up, Sarah was rather glad this whole issue had come up. It had been worrying her because she knew she needed to introduce Charles to Martha and Jason at some point but wasn’t looking forward to it. She hadn’t dated in all the years since Jonathan died. At first, she had no desire to get involved again, and later, as she fell into the routine of her new life, she just didn’t think about it anymore. She had learned to be happy on her own. And even though she knew it made no sense, a piece of her was remaining loyal to Jonathan.
But meeting Charles changed all that. There seemed to be an instant bond between them. Of course, they shared a bit of history. They each had suffered the loss of a spouse, and they each had been alone for many years. But there was something more that she just couldn’t define. She enjoyed every minute she spent with him, even though she had only known him a few weeks. They enjoyed the same things: quiet meals together, walking in the park, and now, making plans to go into the city on a real date. He had asked her while they were having coffee at the center’s coffee shop the previous week. She had been a bit flustered, but he had politely ignored it.
After hanging up with Martha, Sarah turned to Barney and said, “Wanna go for a walk?” Barney jumped up from his spot in the corner of the kitchen, ran in big circles, and finally grabbed his leash from the hook and dropped it at her feet. “You’re getting so good with your new tricks,” she praised, and reached into his cookie jar. Barney made one more circle, which entangled them both in his leash. Sarah straightened it out, grabbed her jean jacket, and they headed into town. She wanted to make a quick stop at Stitches.
The shop was almost a mile from the Village, but there was a park in between that made it a very pleasant walk. Halfway through the park, they met Charles going the other way. “Hey gal,” he greeted her with a broad grin. “Where are you two going in such a hurry?” He kissed her cheek and scratched Barney’s ear.
“We’re going to Stitches for some thread. At least that’s our excuse. We’re actually out here to enjoy this beautiful autumn day.”
“Do you mind if I walk along?”
“Well, we would love to have you walk along, but isn’t that exactly the direction you came from?”
“I was really just enjoying the day as well. I decided to treat myself to breakfast at the café and a nice walk in the park.” They walked the rest of the way, hand in hand, with Barney leading the way. All three were smiling.
After leaving Stitches, Sarah and Charles crossed the street to the café. They had left Barney in the quilt shop with Ruth while they went for a cup of coffee. As they entered the café, the waitress smiled at Charles and exclaimed, “You’re back.”
“Yes. I realized I needed one more cup of coffee to reach my target heart rate,” he kidded.
“Well, you were only gone a few minutes, so we’ll make that a refill,” she said as she led them to a table. “And you, ma’am?” Sarah ordered coffee as well and, glancing across the street, saw Barney in the window looking right back at her. She thought she could see his tail wagging.
The two friends chatted for awhile, and then Sarah broached the subject of Andy. “Things are just not progressing, Charles. I wonder if we’ll ever know what happened to him. You never got a chance to meet him, but you would have liked him. Andy was a kind, down-to-earth guy. He was always finding ways to help people. Did I tell you that he dug my garden?”
“You miss him, don’t you?”
“I do, Charles. It just doesn’t seem right for him to be gone and without closure. We all need to know what happened. Andy deserves that, too.”
Charles nodded sympathetically. “I know. Maybe Gabriel’s assistant will come up with something after she talks to Frank. Did she come to the class Friday night?”
“Yes, she came and she really seemed to make headway with Frank. They spent most of the evening together. He was laughing and talking with her and playing with Barney.”
“Barney? Barney was there?” he seemed surprised.
“Yes. That was my brainstorm,” she bragged. “I realized Barney could put anyone at ease, and it sure worked.”
“Great,” Charles responded. “She just might make some headway. She’s young, but I sensed that she’ll become a good cop in time. She listens. Lots of cops don’t know how to do that, or maybe just don’t remember.” Mark Shields crossed his mind. He wondered when things changed for Mark. He had talked to a buddy who was in Shields’s old unit in Boston. He said Shields had been one of their best.
“Where did you go?” Sarah asked.
“Oh, I was just thinking about cops. The job takes a lot out of some people and makes others stronger. It’s a strange job.”
“You miss it?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said regretfully. “Yeah, I do. But that was another time,” he added smiling. “And today is now.” He reached across the table and touched her hand. This time she was sure she blushed.
“Okay, enough of this seriousness,” she said. “I want to talk to you about a project I have in mind.” She hesitated, but he raised an eyebrow and looked interested, so she continued. “I’m thinking about finding a kid who knows how to use a hammer and nails. I want shelves for my fabric in my guest room. In fact, I want to convert that room to a sewing room,” she said enthusiastically. “I’m tired of seeing my kitchen table covered with fabric and rulers and cutting mats.”
“We don’t need a kid,” he responded. “I can do that.”
“No. I could never ask you to do the work, but I was hoping you could help me with the design.”
“Okay, we’ll talk about the design now, and later we’ll tal
k about my doing it. But what a great excuse,” he added with a devious smile, “to spend more time with you.”
Ignoring his flirtation, she grabbed a napkin and said, “Okay, this is what I’m thinking. First I need to find some wire baskets to keep the fabric in. We can measure the baskets and make the shelves that wide.” She sketched out some shelves about five feet long and drew a tall rectangle at one end of the shelves.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“That’s a cabinet. I have an oak cabinet that I’m storing in my daughter’s basement. It would be great for all the small things that I don’t want to keep out but need to get to easily, like my scissors, rotary cutters, rulers, and various sewing supplies. I’ll also use it for my fabric.”
“Okay,” he said reaching for the drawing. “Now, how about this?” He extended one of the shelves outward at the opposite end and drew legs on it. “A sewing table for your machine at this end,” he suggested.
“Ingenious,” she declared excitedly. “Perfect. You do know what you’re doing, don’t you?” she teased.
“Let’s go home and get one of our cars,” he suggested. “We’ll drive into town and take a look at wire baskets and get some measurements. Also, I need to take a look at the room, okay?”
Sarah was beside herself with excitement. She loved new projects, and she loved the idea of working on this with Charles. “I have a futon at Martha’s house as well. I think I’ll have someone pick that up for me and get rid of the bed in that room. That will give me more space.”
“Good idea,” Charles responded. “Paul, over at the Security Office, has a truck and does odd jobs for people in his off hours. Let’s talk to him about picking the stuff up. He probably has a buddy who could help him. He might even know someone who might want the bed.”
Sarah suddenly realized this would involve Martha, and she really wasn’t ready. “Let’s hold off on that part until we get all our plans made,” Sarah suggested.
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