Crazy as a Quilt (A Harriet Turman/Loose Threads Mystery Book 8) (35 page)

Aiden stopped smiling.

“Actually, now that you mention it, they didn’t. They came to my cell early this morning and told me to pack my things—I was checking out. I didn’t think to ask why. I was busy taking what passes for a shower and changing into my own clothes. I had to be checked by the doctor who looked at my eye originally, too, so they could document that they’d given me proper care.

“I know I should care who killed Marine, and maybe next week, I will. For now, I just care that everyone knows it’s not me.”

Harriet was biting the inside of her cheek. Aiden’s optimism was painful to watch.

Jorge put his arm around Aiden’s shoulders and guided him into the big back room. He nodded to Harriet, indicating she shouldn’t follow.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” she heard him say as the door closed.

Aunt Beth and Mavis were waiting in her studio when she got home.

“Oh, honey,” Beth said. “Jorge called me and told me he was going to tell Aiden about his sister.” She put her arms around Harriet and pulled her into a bear hug. Tears filled Harriet’s eyes and slid down her face. Mavis handed her a tissue and patted her back.

“Let’s make you a nice cup of tea,” she said as Aunt Beth steered her to the kitchen.

“He’s going to be so hurt,” Harriet said when she’d cried as much as she could and pulled herself together again.

Mavis handed her the cup of tea.

“There’s nothing for it. His sister did something terrible, and he’s going to have to mourn the loss of the relationship that was probably always one-sided. When he gets that sorted, he’ll have to figure out how to move on.”

Scooter jumped into Harriet’s lap and started licking her face.

“I know, you’re trying to help,” she told him as she moved him away from her mouth.

Aunt Beth sipped her tea then set it down.

“He’s going to need some time today. It wouldn’t surprise me if he hid from the situation by sleeping.”

“He did say he wanted to go home and sleep. And that was before he knew about Michelle.”

Mavis handed Harriet a chocolate cookie from a bag she pulled from her purse.

“Chocolate might help.”

“Before Jorge called, Glynnis said the Small Stitches were having a meeting about the crazy quilt event and wanted to know if we wanted to come. She said they were going to do a show-and-tell for anyone who’s worked more on her block,” Aunt Beth told her. “Would you like to go? It might take your mind off things. We can take two cars so you can leave if Aiden calls.”

Harriet popped the rest of her cookie into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

“I guess I could do that,” she said finally. “I’m probably too distracted to stitch on my customer quilt, and I have plenty of time to finish it.”

“I’ll call Lauren and see if she and Jessica want to come. Can you check with Sharon?”

“Sharon’s available,” Sharon said. “I wasn’t eavesdropping, I promise. I was coming down the stairs and heard just the end of what you were saying.”

“Honey,” Mavis told her, “you’ve been a good guest. And with everything that’s been going on, Beth and I have appreciated the fact that Harriet hasn’t been alone these last few days.”

Harriet walked to the parking lot of the Methodist church with her aunt and Mavis.

“Wow, the Small Stitches are ready to do it all again. If I never go to a crazy quilt retreat again in my life it will be too soon.”

Mavis patted her on the back.

“Well, honey, I think once you separate the quilting from all the other stuff, you’ll appreciate all the techniques you’ve learned.”

“I’m not holding my breath on that one.”

Beth held her phone to her ear and spoke in a voice too quiet for Harriet to hear. She slipped the phone back into her purse and turned to her niece.

“That was Jorge. He said Aiden is going to stay with him for a few days. He can’t face going back to his house and seeing reminders of his sister. Julio is coming from Seattle for a few days, too.

“He said Aiden is pretty upset. They talked, and he was able to get him to go to sleep for a while. Aiden wanted him to tell Harriet he’d call her when he’s had some time to process all this.”

Harriet hung her head.

“Once again Michelle comes between us and I’m not the person he feels like he can talk to.”

Aunt Beth put an arm around her shoulders.

“Let’s not make this about you. If you had something like this happen, would you go to him? Or would you come to me?”

Harriet looked up. “Okay, point taken. I just feel so helpless.”

“It’s going to take him some time,” Mavis said. “He’ll come to you when he’s ready.”

“And he’s going to have to get to the point where he can acknowledge that what you were telling him about his sister all along was right,” Beth added.

“I just want this to be over,” Harriet said.

Lauren, Jessica and Sharon joined them by Harriet’s car.

“Hey, anyone want to go for one last coffee with our guests?” Lauren asked. “Sharon and Jessica are both leaving in the morning.”

“Why not,” Harriet said. “I don’t seem to be able to do anything productive today.”

They moved to their respective cars and headed to The Steaming Cup.

Chapter 32

Jessica sat down at the round table with her mocha and a cranberry orange scone.

“So, let me see if I have this right. Michelle collected saliva from Aiden over a month ago, saying it was for a DNA test at the genealogy website. She kept his saliva and substituted her own, knowing the report the company generated didn’t reference gender identity. Fast forward to now. She somehow got Marine to leave her rehab program, probably with a promise to get her a lead part in the local production of
Blythe Spirit
, and got her back on drugs again.”

“Sounds right so far,” Lauren told her.

“I’m guessing they crossed paths in a counseling program in Seattle. Michelle had to go to a program a few months ago. On the other hand, Marine had been close to Michelle’s mother, so she may have initiated the contact. If she’s been on drugs until recently, she might not have known Michelle’s mother died last spring,” Harriet suggested. “Or she was finally able to express her condolences. Who knows?”

“So, Michelle took Marine to Aiden’s, maybe telling her there were animal drugs there,” Jessica continued. “She overdoses Marine, drops saliva and hairs from Aiden’s brush or something, covers her with the electric blanket, drives by us saying Marine disappeared and she’s looking for her.”

Lauren sipped her cup of chai and set it back on the table.

“I think she bought a phone, used it first to call Aiden a few times, and then changed the registration to Marine and gave it to her. I also think she taped a phone to Aiden’s bumper and used a ‘find my phone’ app to see where he was when he was looking for the injured dog. She waited until he was fairly close, removed the blanket and left. Marine’s body would still be warm, causing the medical examiner to misjudge the time of death.”

“Wow, she really put some thought into this.” Jessica said.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Harriet told her. “Michelle has been trying to get the money Aiden inherited from his mom since the day Avanell died.” She shook her head. “She’s been mentally ill to some degree her whole adult life. Aiden just couldn’t see it.”

Lauren’s phone buzzed, and she stood up and walked away from the table before she answered it. The group sipped their drinks and watched her. She tapped on her phone then put it to her ear again briefly before she ended her call and came back to the table. She pulled a pad and mechanical pencil from her messenger bag and copied some information from the screen.

Harriet looked at her and raised her eyebrows.

Lauren folded the paper in half and held it out to Sharon.

“I have the information you wanted. I also have two pieces of advice for you. First, be sure you really want to go down this road. Once you start, there’s no going back. Second, if it were me, I’d hire a private detective to scout the situation for you before you act on the information.”

Sharon’s eyes widened. She took the paper and held it to her heart.

“I never thought this would really happen,” she said.

Harriet put her hand on Sharon’s arm.

“I’m happy for you. I think Lauren’s got a good idea, though. Have a PI check the family out. Have him or her get a sense for what sort of people the adoptive parents are and what sort of kid your child is. Of course, your child is your child, no matter what, but it’s good to be prepared.”

“I’m scared.” Sharon said.

“Honey, we’re all here for you, no matter what you decide to do,” Mavis assured her.

Lauren wrote another note on her pad and tore it off.

“Here are the names of a couple of private investigators I’ve done computer work for in the past. They’re both ethical and very discrete.”

“Take a deep breath and then finish your drink,” Aunt Beth told Sharon. “You don’t have to make a decision or take action today. You can take some time.”

“It seems like that’s what everyone needs,” Harriet said. “Time.”

Several days passed before Aiden called, and it was another two before he asked her to meet him for dinner. His Bronco was already in the parking lot of Hot Diggity Dog. Harriet was surprised he chose to return to the place he’d been arrested.

“I’m a bit surprised we’re eating here,” she said as she slid into the plastic booth seat.

“Jorge says I need to make new memories to replace the bad ones. I decided to start here. Besides, I really like their hot dogs.” He smiled, a hint of the old Aiden showing through.

“How are you?” she asked.

“Let’s enjoy our food before I drag us both down by talking about me.”

“Okay,” she said softly.

For his part, Aiden kept the conversation light with stories of his dog Randy and his friend Julio. Finally, after he’d eaten hot dogs, fries, a milkshake and an ice cream cone, there was nothing left to order.

“I get the feeling you’re stalling,” she told him.

He hung his head briefly then looked up and reached across the table, taking her hands in his.

“I need you to listen to what I’m going to say and not think it’s about you. I’ve talked to Jorge and Julio, and I talked to Dr. Johnson at the clinic. I’m not ready to go back there yet. I have a lot to think about, and I don’t think I can stay in the house where my sister lived, and my mom before her.”

“What are you saying?” Harriet asked. She could feel tears forming and fought to hold them off. Her heart raced.

“I called my old research team.” He paused. “Dan has to come home to be with his mother while she has knee replacement surgery. He’ll only be stateside for three months, but they said they’d love to have me come take his place for that time. Dr. Johnson said he’s willing to keep my place open until I get back.”

Harriet took a deep breath.

“When will you leave?” she whispered.

“I’m going back to Seattle with Julio tonight.”

Tears fell on the plastic table unchecked. Aiden slid out from his seat and moved in beside her, taking her in his arms and resting his chin on her head as she cried.

END

About the Author

ARLENE SACHITANO
was born at Camp Pendleton while her father was serving in the US Navy. Her family lived in Newport, Rhode Island, before settling in Oregon, where she still resides.