Needle and Dread (8 page)

Tori silently counted the rings in her ear, her anxiety over Rose's state of mind ratcheting up a notch as the sixth ring came and went.

“No answer?” Milo lowered the stack of math papers to his lap. “We can drive over there and check on her if you—”

She waved away the rest of his sentence as Rose's voice filled her ear. “Hello? Who's calling?”

“It's me, Rose. Victoria.” Oh how she'd tried to convince the elderly woman to make the transition from a landline to a cell phone for safety reasons, but Rose wasn't having it. What was good enough for her ten years ago was good enough for her now.

“Don't you have a husband to be heading to bed with instead of checking in on me every night?”

Tori smiled at the woman's daily dose of grousing
while shaking off any lingering worry from Milo. “I do, but that doesn't mean our nightly calls stop.”

“I'm not going to drop dead just because the sun's gone down. And if I do, I'm quite sure my body will still be warm when you send out the search party.”

It was a sentiment she'd heard many times from her friend, but one that never quite made the leap into being funny. Not for Tori, anyway. “Would you please stop? I call you because I like to say good night.”

“You
call
, so you can check on me.” Rose's sigh served as the nightly transition from agitated to grateful. “You're a special young woman, Victoria Sinclair-Wentworth. Your great-grandmother is surely smiling down at you with love and pride.”

She switched the phone to her opposite ear and then swiveled her feet up onto the couch. “Thank you, Rose. So how are you this evening?”

“Don't you mean how am I after one of my customers was murdered in my shop?”

“No . . . but if you happen to want to answer that particular question, I'm certainly happy to listen.” She felt Milo studying her and flashed him a smile while she waited for Rose's sudden coughing fit to subside.

“I had a long talk with Miranda on the phone today. She made me feel better.”

“Oh?”

“Like you, she thinks this is something the shop can move beyond, provided we handle it right. In fact, she's going to meet with me at the shop tomorrow to start the brainstorming process—for free.”

She made a mental note to thank Miranda the next time they crossed paths. “Will Leona be at that meeting?”

“Leona is really leaving the day-to-day of SewTastic to me. If she wants to sit in on the meeting, that's fine. If not, we won't have to waste time waiting for her to stop primping or go through the ridiculousness of waiting to see if Paris has an opinion about everything.”

“
Paris
?”

“She's our silent partner, didn't you know that?” Rose asked, her voice tinged with sarcasm. “Anyway, enough of that. Have you heard anything about Opal Goodwin's death?”

She considered a slew of possible answers ranging from a simple no to some song and dance about the police surely working hard behind the scenes, but she opted to go with the truth, instead. Besides, Rose had a knack for knowing when she was holding back. “Nothing from anyone official, no. But Margaret Louise, Charles, and I went out to the inn where they're all staying.”

“Why?”

“Just to check things out.”

“Who drove?” Rose asked.

Unsure of where the woman's questions were leading, Tori sat up. “Margaret Louise. Why?”

“You're investigating, aren't you?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, biding her time until she could find just the right way to frame her answer. Before she was even finished exhaling though, Rose's voice was back in her ear. “I don't need a response, Victoria. The only reason that young man would knowingly get in a car driven by Margaret Louise is if he was getting to play Sherlock Holmes with the two of you.”

To argue would be futile. “We're trying to help, that's
all, Rose. The longer this whole thing drags on, the harder it will be for SewTastic to rebound.”

“We
do
have a police department, Victoria.”

“We do. They have a very nice building behind town hall, don't they? Oh, and let's not forget their spiffy uniforms.”

Rose's laugh, peppered by an occasional cough, caught Tori off guard and had her wishing for a way to record the sound. As much as she hated to acknowledge reality, Rose was aging. Fast. SewTastic needed to rebound in order to slow that process down.

“I see your point, Victoria. So, did you learn anything that could be of use in figuring out who strangled that nasty woman?”

“No. Not yet. We only really had a chance to talk to Lucinda, and there was only so much we could talk about in the brief window we had.”

“No Minnie?”

“Nope, didn't see Minnie. In fact, while we were there, Miranda came in looking for both Lucinda and Minnie. Apparently both of them had skipped breakfast this morning and she was worried about them.”

“Did she find Minnie?” Rose asked.

“I don't know. We left shortly thereafter. Why?”

A brief hesitation on Rose's end of the conversation gave way to a funny noise Tori couldn't quite identify. “Rose?”

“If I answer that, I'm afraid you're going to think I've gone crazy.”

“No I won't,” Tori insisted. “Tell me.”

“Last night, after we were done talking on the phone,
I tried to remember who went in and out of the project room while Opal was in there working. At first my mind was a jumbled mess and I was unable to recall anything. But, after a while, bits and pieces of that time frame came back to me, and I realized that I
did
remember something odd.”

“You did? What?”

“I'm not sure what made me look up when I did—maybe a funny observation from Margaret Louise or Leona's unrequited flirting with the bus driver, but whatever it was, I noticed Minnie heading down the hallway toward the project room. I assumed she was getting her holiday apron, of course. The next thing I knew, ten minutes or so had gone by and I realized she hadn't come back. I started to worry that maybe she'd fallen or something, but just as I'd made the decision to check on her, she showed up beside the dessert table looking unsettled.”

“What do you mean she was looking
unsettled
?”

“She was pale and shaky, as if something was bothering her,” Rose explained, her voice so hushed Tori had to strain to pick out every word. “At the time, I assumed she was in need of a little sugar and that's why she was over by the table. But now, looking back, I can't help but wonder if she looked like that for an entirely different reason.”

“And you're talking about
Minnie
? As in
Saint Minnie
?”

“Yes. I didn't approach her about it because I know, firsthand, how tiresome it is always being asked how you are—like everyone is just waiting for you to keel over at
any moment. And when her spirits seemed to perk after her treat, I simply assumed I'd been right about the sugar.”

Tori did everything to keep her disbelief in check, but it was hard. The notion was preposterous. “And there's no reason to think you weren't. I mean,
Minnie
? It's—it's . . . crazy.”

“I knew you'd say that,” Rose whispered.

“I don't mean
you're
crazy, Rose. Just this notion that Minnie up and strangled someone!”

“Strangled
Opal
,” Rose corrected. “A woman who seemed to take great pride in making Minnie look foolish at every turn, if you'll remember.”

“She took great pride in making
everyone
look foolish, Rose. Including me and you.”

“Well
someone
had to kill her.”

“Which is why Margaret Louise, Charles, and I sought Lucinda out this afternoon.” Tori pulled the closest throw pillow onto her lap and traced its simple design with her fingertip. “Unfortunately, it's hard to pump a virtual stranger for information without raising too many flags.”

Silence filled the space between them before Rose finally spoke. “I'm grateful you tried, Victoria. It means more than you can ever know.”

“I didn't say I was done, or that I'm giving up,” Tori said in an attempt to head off any backward slide in Rose's mood department. “I just said it's a little awkward to get information when you don't really know where to start. But that's why Milo's idea is perfect. Especially if we're all on our toes and listening to every word they say from the moment they arrive until the moment they leave.”

“What are you talking about, Victoria?”

“Well, since the tour group members have to stay in Sweet Briar longer than expected and they're all avid sewing enthusiasts, Milo thought that maybe, just this once, we'd open up our weekly sewing circle meeting to a few special guests. After all, we're always uncovering new things about one another while we're sewing, aren't we?”

Tori checked in the last book from the depository slot and added it to the closest of three stacks. “Well, those are done. And not a late fee among them.”

Nina Morgan grabbed the stack at her elbow and headed toward the aisle devoted to self-help. “I heard about what happened at Miss Rose's store over the weekend. She doing okay?”

“I won't lie. It's thrown her for quite a loop, as you can imagine.” Tori scooped up the second stack and followed her assistant, veering off at the last minute to shelve a book in the ever growing do-it-yourself section. “But I'm hoping that a swift resolution will lessen any negative impact on SewTastic.”

“Were you still there when it happened?” Nina put the top book in its spot and then looped around to the aisle devoted to large-print mysteries.

Tori glanced at the cover of the how-to manual on kitchen makeovers and did her best to blot out the image now claiming her mind's eye. “I tried to revive the victim but it was no use.”

“
You
found her?”

“No. Leona found her.” She squeezed her eyes closed until the image was gone. When it was, she squatted in line with the second-to-bottom shelf and slid the book into its waiting spot. “Now tell me about your weekend. Did you do anything fun?”

“Duwayne and I took Lyndon to a puppet show in Tom's Creek on Saturday. And then Duwayne's mom watched Lyndon that night so we could have a date.”

“Ooooh . . . a date. Very nice.” Tori sorted through the next two books in her stack and headed toward the mystery section as well. “What did you guys do? Where did you go?”

“We went for a walk around the Green and then stopped at Bud's Brew Shack for dinner.”

The last three books had her dividing her time between government and local interest while Nina finished her stack and returned to the information desk for the third and final one. “I'm glad. I know how much you and Duwayne treasure your time with Lyndon, but it's good to have a little couple time once in a while, too.”

Nina met Tori in the local interest aisle and popped the top book in her latest stack into place. “It is. But I have to tell you, we spent almost the entire evening talking about him.”

“Seriously?”

“Just you wait, Victoria, just you wait. You and Milo will be the exact same way once you two have a baby.”

Tori wandered over to the information desk and plopped onto the stool. “I think about that sometimes, you know? Especially since Milo will be such a great daddy.”

“And you, my friend, are going to be an amazing momma . . . with a pack of babysitters you'll have to fend off with a stick.”

“What are you talking about?” Tori asked as she settled her back against the counter and watched Nina slide the last two books into place.

“Miss Rose . . . Miss Margaret Louise . . . Milo's mom . . . Miss Dixie . . . Miss Leona. They're all going to want to babysit your child.”

Her answering laugh earned a raised brow from Nina. “You think I'm wrong?”

“About the Leona part? Most definitely. Leona despises anything that wears a diaper. She thinks they smell bad, cry too much, and mess up a person's clothes with spit-up and other sorts of mishaps.” Tori surveyed the bank of computers and various reading chairs in her line of vision, yet still lowered her voice despite the absence of any patrons. “But if or when we have a little
boy
, I'm going to trick her into changing her mind.”

Nina's dark eyes sparkled with intrigue. “How?”

A blast of sunlight stole her answer and sent her focus toward the library's main door and the trio of two-year-olds marching in front of their mother. “Good morning.” Tori slid off the stool and stepped out from behind the counter. “Miss Nina, look who we have for this morning's story time! We have Silas, Sam, and Suri. Hi, friends!”

A chorus of sweetness answered back with a hi, a few hand waves, and even a quick dance.

Nina checked the clock on the far wall and then held her hand out for whichever triplet wanted to latch on. “We have a few minutes before story time starts, but let's head into the children's room and get your carpet squares all ready, what do you say?”

Suri took Nina's hand and directed her mother and her brothers to follow, and the fivesome disappeared down the hallway and into the room Tori had transformed into a special place for kids. Even remaining where she was, she knew that Nina was already helping the little ones secure a carpet square from the pile while their mother wandered the aisles looking for new bedtime books for her children.

A buzz from the vicinity of the computer broke through Tori's mental field trip and she reached for her phone. “Hey there, Charles. I'm on the floor right now, so can I call you back when I take my lunch break?”

“Actually, sugar lips, when you're eating your lunch, I'm going to be sprawled out on a leather-wrapped table with cucumbers on my eyes and a revitalizing mask on my face.”

She volleyed her gaze between the hallway and the front door and then pulled the phone closer to her cheek. “You're what?”

“Leona is taking me to her day spa for a little pampering. You should ask Nina to cover you and come with us—wait, Leona is saying something, hold on.” A string of mutterings in the background gave way to Charles's voice once again. “She says if you went, you wouldn't be in with us anyway because we're doing the rejuvenation package.”

“And I couldn't do that one?”

Charles hemmed and hawed for a minute before Leona took the phone. “You'd be better suited to the complete overhaul package, dear. It's more expensive, of course, but considering everything they'd have to do to bring you up to speed, it would be a price worth paying.”

Tori rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, noting the presence of a previously unnoticed water stain in the area above the study corner in the process.

Great . . .

“Victoria, dear? Are you still there? Don't be frightened of the price factor. I'd be happy to cover the cost if you decide it's time to finally address the issues with your face.”

She considered a slew of possible responses but opted to hold her tongue. Besides, it wasn't like Leona would listen, anyway. “Moving on . . . Are you coming tonight?”

“I stopped at Calamity Books and picked up the latest issue of
Travel the World
just this morning, so yes, I'll be there.”

“And Charles?”

A funny sound in her ear morphed into Charles's voice. “Hey there, gorgeous. What's up?”

“I just wanted to make sure you're coming tonight.”

“
Tonight
? Whatever could be going on tonight?”

She covered her laughter with her palm and then pulled it away when she remembered the only occupants of the library so far were in a completely different room. “Hmmm . . . I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there's nothing going on. After all, it is a
Monday
night—in Sweet Briar, South Carolina.”

“I wouldn't miss it for the world, sugar lips.”

And then he was gone, the timer on her phone's
screen indicating the end to the call. Chuckling to herself, Tori slipped the device into the drawer beneath the computer and turned her face toward the morning's second blast of sunlight. “Good morning, welcome to Sweet Briar Public Library.”

“Good mornin' to you, too, Victoria.” Margaret Louise deposited her second-youngest grandchild on the floor beside the counter and gestured toward the hallway. “Nina doin' story time?”

“She is.” Tori squatted down beside Molly and tucked a strand of strawberry blonde hair behind the little girl's ear. “Hi, sweetie. I think you're really going to love the books Miss Nina has picked out to read to you today. There's puppies, and kitties, and sea lions, too!”

Molly's bright blue eyes ricocheted up to her grandmother. “Mee Maw! Mee Maw! Puppies!”

“Ain't that excitin', Molly Sue!” Margaret Louise scooped the little girl's hand into her own. “Let's get you settled in so you don't miss a single page.”

Three minutes later, Margaret Louise was back, her smile reaching clear to her eyes. “She didn't even notice me leavin' the room she was so excited 'bout Nina's books.”

“We aim to please around here,” Tori joked. “So how are you this morning, Margaret Louise?”

“I've been figurin' most of the mornin'.”

Tori snapped her fingers and then grabbed the plain notepad she left on the counter beside the main computer. “That's right, I need to balance the library's checkbook this afternoon before I head home. Thank you for that reminder.”

“I wasn't talkin' 'bout that kind of figurin', Victoria.”
Margaret Louise waited for Tori to finish making the addition to her day's to-do list and then continued. “I was talkin' 'bout our investigatin'. Too much time is a-passin' and it's got me worryin'.”

“Too much time? What are you talking about?”

Margaret Louise pointed at the stool behind the counter and, at Tori's nod, hoisted herself onto the cushioned seat and let out a sigh. “Woo-wee it feels good to be sittin' for a minute. Been goin' since my eyelids opened this mornin'.” Looking around the library, the woman shrugged. “Nobody lookin' at books this mornin'?”

“Not yet. But that'll change. It always does.” Tori looked again at the list and then set it off to the side so she could focus on her friend. “So what's with this ‘too much time' stuff?”

“It's already Monday mornin' and we haven't added a thing to our suspect notebook. Not one blessed thing. And now you're workin', and I'm helpin' Melissa with Molly Sue, and Charles is God knows where . . .”

“He's preparing to have cucumbers placed on his eyes.” Tori straightened the stack of paper squares she kept within reach of the patrons and then moved on to the cup of eraserless pencils.

Any hint of surprise born on her words disappeared as Margaret Louise shook her head. “I'm tellin' you, Victoria, I think we're losin' Charles to my sister and her ways.”

“He'll never be so far gone you can't entice him back with one of your dinners,” she quipped.

“From your mouth, Victoria . . . from your mouth.” Margaret Louise parted the opening of her shoulder-mounted tote bag with her hand, reached inside, and pulled
out their suspect notebook. “We've got a lot of people to be investigatin' b'fore Chief Dallas lets 'em leave.”

“I agree. So how's tonight sound?”

Margaret Louise's head snapped up. “How does tonight sound for what?”

“Investigating.”

“Aren't you forgettin' somethin', Victoria? You're s'posed to be hostin' our meetin' tonight. In fact, that's one of the things I was doin' first thing this mornin'—bakin' cookies and tryin' to figure out which project I need to start workin' on next. I'm thinkin' maybe I could do some sewin' on Sally's little scout vest while Melissa works on Jake Junior's.”

“Oh, I haven't forgotten.” She knew she was being intentionally evasive, but it was fun. “I'm going to start that skirt I've been planning to make for Milo's mom for Christmas. Rose brought in the exact shade of emerald green fabric that I was looking for, so I'm finally ready to go.”

“Do you
know
you're not makin' any sense right now, Victoria? Or is this that newlywed fog head I've been sayin' is a thing since Jake and Melissa got married?”

Tori laughed so hard she actually snorted. When she recovered enough to speak, she gave Margaret Louise just a little bit more. “I'm thinking we can investigate and sew all at the same time.”

“Investigate and . . .” Margaret Louise's words petered off as reality dawned on her round face. “Wait a minute. Are you sayin' what I think you're sayin'?”

“That depends. What do you think I'm saying?”

“You're thinkin' of invitin' the tour group to tonight's meetin'?”

“Nope. It's already been done,” Tori said, grinning. “Rose called over to the inn and spoke to Miranda about it first thing this morning.”

Margaret Louise leaned forward so far she actually grabbed hold of the counter to keep herself from falling off the stool. “And?”

“And they're coming. Travis is going to bring them over on the bus.”

Throwing her free hand into the air, Margaret Louise let out a library-friendly squeal. “Why Victoria, every time I think you're as smart as can be, you just get smarter.”

“Well . . .” In a near-perfect mimic of Leona, Tori pursed her lips, struck a pose, and then relaxed. “I'd love to take credit, but I can't. It was Milo's idea.”

Margaret Louise repositioned her weight more evenly across the stool. Then, with a flick of her hand, she ripped a piece of paper from the back of their notebook and began jotting a list of ingredients. “Looks like I just added another bakin' session to my day.”