Shear Trouble (17 page)

*   *   *

The rescheduled date for the quilt show seemed to work out well this time. Not only did all the quilters show up, but the response from the community was such that they’d had to quickly allow the overflow of people into an adjoining basement room and Beatrice helped Wyatt and Meadow to move the refreshments into that room to help disperse the number of people.

Shy June Bug was present, wearing a turquoise top with black pants . . . and an anxious expression. She kept darting out to the kitchen to bring more food out. Beatrice finally put a firm but gentle hand on her arm. “June Bug, the refreshment table is just fine. Why not relax for a few minutes and walk around to see all the wonderful quilts?”

June Bug flushed a little. “They
are
wonderful. I just don’t know what
mine
is doing here. When I see all those beautiful quilts, it makes me feel like I have no business at all being here.”

Meadow joined them in time to hear that last bit. She gaped at June Bug. “No business
being
here? Are you kidding? We were all staring in silent wonder at your scrappy quilt a few minutes ago. It’s innovative, unique. We’re all agog. Come on over—you really need to see
how everyone’s reacting to it.” And she dragged a wide-eyed June Bug off.

“Did Meadow kidnap June Bug?” asked Piper, grinning.

“She sure did,” said Beatrice with a sigh. “That poor woman. But at least Meadow has a distraction—she’s been so focused on you and Ash lately.”

Piper flushed a little and laughed. “True. Although I’m glad that she cared so much. And glad that she ended up intervening like she did.”

Martha was at the quilt show, still looking tired, but glowing at John’s attention. “In times of stress, I tend to do a lot of quilting,” she said to Beatrice as they stood in front of Martha’s quilt with its grandmother’s flower garden pattern. “A couple of nights I found I couldn’t really sleep at all and working on this quilt was such a solace to me.” She smiled at John, beside her. “As John has been in many ways.”

Beatrice heard Wyatt’s voice, swelling to be heard over the throng of people. “Thanks so much for coming out tonight. Our judges have made a decision.” He squinted at the paper that an older woman handed to him, and then put on his reading glasses. “Best of Show goes to . . . June Bug Frost!”

Meadow whooped and Beatrice and the rest of the quilters cheered and applauded. June Bug’s eyes danced and she blushed as she took her ribbon.

Best Traditional quilt went to Martha and there was
again thunderous applause from the group . . . as well as a proud hug from John.

Piper met up with Beatrice a little later at the refreshments table. Beatrice was happy to see Piper once again looking happy and relaxed. They moved to a corner to get out of the way of the crowd approaching the food. “I’m so glad everything is better between you and Ash,” said Beatrice.

Piper said, “Me, too. When he and I weren’t together, I realized how much Ash has come to mean to me.”

“Did y’all get a chance to have a long talk? To work everything out?” asked Beatrice.

Piper nodded. “He started out apologizing for everything . . . said he was sorry that he’d been pushy and hadn’t moved slowly enough. I had to cut him off so that
I
could apologize—and explain that it’s just really tough for me to suddenly adjust to big changes . . . but that I was working on it. That I didn’t mean that I didn’t see a future for us together.”

Beatrice gave her a hug. “I’m so glad you had a chance to talk it out.”

Piper gave a rueful laugh. “And then he immediately asked me if I wanted to go tour the college where he just got accepted and help him find a house to rent! He was just kidding, but to both of our surprises, I immediately said yes. So maybe I’m getting over that hurdle.”

“Well, thank goodness Meadow barged in and
contrived a way to get you both together,” said Beatrice. “Although I never thought I’d be saying something like that.”

“You or me, either!” said Piper. “I’m not sure whether to hug her or to strangle her.”

“Maybe, under the circumstances, a hug would be better,” said Beatrice with a chuckle.

*   *   *

Several mornings later, Beatrice poured herself a coffee and looked at the food processor, now sitting back up in its usual position on the counter. She was never going to use it. It had actually already more than served its purpose, helping defend her against Phyllis. She didn’t see herself cooking that many meals for Wyatt—maybe some omelets. Maybe they could enjoy some tomato soups with grilled cheese sandwiches. Did it matter?

She put it in a cloth tote bag. Piper, on the other hand, had always been interested in cooking and would probably love a nice food processor. She really
would
cook Ash some nice meals. She got a warm feeling thinking of the two of them together. It was wonderful that they were on the road to working everything out.

There was a light tap on her front door and Beatrice sighed. It had to be Meadow. No one else ever visited Beatrice this early. She called, “I’m coming. Be right
there!” and put on more coffee to perk. Might as well, if she had visitors.

It was indeed Meadow at the door, but she’d also brought Georgia along with her. Georgia put a hand over her mouth when she saw Beatrice. “You just woke up. I’m sorry—we shouldn’t have come this early.”

Meadow waved her hand dismissively. “Pooh! It’s not early. Beatrice simply doesn’t get dressed until later. We frequently have morning coffees together, don’t we, Beatrice?”

“We certainly do,” said Beatrice, a bit dryly. “Come on in, y’all.”

They were helping themselves to coffee in the kitchen when Georgia couldn’t contain herself anymore. “Beatrice,” she said, bubbling with excitement, “I can’t thank you enough for persuading Savannah to take in Smoke!”

“Smoke?”

“That’s what we named her—Smoke. Your little gray kitten,” said Georgia.

“You mean
your
little gray kitten. If you and Savannah both like her, she’s all yours,” said Beatrice with a grin. “And Noo-noo will be vastly relieved.”

“I
do
like her . . . we both do. In fact, I think Savannah has fallen in love with her. Smoke is all she talks about! I don’t know how you did it—I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Beatrice said, “Oh, it wasn’t me. It was Smoke. He really showed off for Savannah when she came by to visit. You should have seen how absolutely adorable he was.”

Georgia smiled and took a sip of her coffee. “You know, I’ve always felt a little . . . smothered, by Savannah. In the nicest way, of course. But now, not only do we have the pet I’ve wanted for years, but Savannah’s attention has been diverted to Smoke and away from me. It’s wonderful. I’m back home but have a little space. It’s been terrific the last few days—really nice.”

Beatrice and Meadow smiled at Georgia.

Meadow snapped her fingers. “I almost forgot to tell y’all. Remember how I sent off those pictures of June Bug’s amazing scrappy quilts? Guess what.
Quilting Today
magazine is going to interview June Bug for their next issue! Isn’t that wonderful? I thought June Bug was going to faint dead away when I told her. But she deserves it . . . those scrap quilts of hers are pure genius.”

Beatrice said, “Good. Maybe that will help her develop some confidence in her work.”

“It’s hard to imagine how she’s so insecure about her quilting,” said Georgia. “Everything she makes is gorgeous.”

“It
did
seem to help her develop confidence,” said Meadow, beaming. “Because when I asked her for the umpteenth millionth time to enter one of her quilts in the show, she finally agreed to!”

“Good work, Meadow!” said Beatrice, lifting her coffee cup in a toast.

Later that morning, after Meadow and Georgia had left, Beatrice was opening her front door with the plan of heading to the store when she stopped short at seeing Wyatt there. Not only was it a surprise to see him there, but he was holding a large picnic basket. He smiled warmly at Beatrice, eyes crinkling at the edges. “It’s such a beautiful day. Can you believe it’s nearly seventy degrees? I thought I might be able to persuade you to have a picnic lunch with me.”

A picnic—just the two of them. Away from the bustling church activities and the pull of the parishioners. On a gloriously beautiful day. Looking at Wyatt’s kind face, feeling the warmth of the day, spotting what looked like some delicious egg salad sandwiches in the basket . . . Beatrice smiled and said, “I’d love to.”

To keep blocks from slipping when you’re sewing them together, spray starch on them.

Running your needle and thread through a folded dryer sheet before hand-piecing helps prevent knots.

Sharpen your rotary cutters by cutting through a folded piece of aluminum foil several times.

To keep from accidentally cutting through fabric when you’re snipping threads, use blunt-tipped children’s scissors.

Scrubbing fabric with an old pair of nylon hose will help remove chalk markings.

Here are some favorite Southern dishes in Meadow’s recipe box. She’s convinced that Beatrice could easily cook them, if she just set her mind to it.

Boris, epicurean that he is, has also sampled these recipes. Meadow can’t get mad at him for grabbing food off the counter. His hankering for shrimp pasta and skill in acquiring it simply demonstrates his good taste and advanced thinking skills, after all.

Easy, Corny Corn Bread

1 c. cornmeal

2 beaten eggs

1 c. milk

1 large can cream-style corn

¹
/
₄
c. vegetable oil

1 finely chopped medium onion

8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish. Combine all the ingredients except the cheese. Pour half the batter into the greased dish and then sprinkle cheese on the top of the batter. Add the remaining batter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Simple Shrimp Pasta

8 oz. angel-hair pasta

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 c. green peas (thawed if frozen)

5 oz. garlic and herbs cream cheese spread

2 tsp. butter

2.5 oz. can sliced mushrooms

2 Tbsp. milk

³
/
₄
tsp. dried dill weed or 2 tsp. fresh

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Cook the peeled shrimp and mushrooms in butter. Sprinkle dill weed on top of the shrimp. When the shrimp are halfway cooked, add the garlic and herbs cream cheese
spread and milk and heat this until it’s melted, stirring constantly. Stir in the peas to the shrimp mixture and cook it until it’s heated through. Spoon the shrimp mixture on top of the cooked pasta to serve.

Garlic Cheese Grits

4 c. water

1
¹
/
₄
tsp. salt

1 c. uncooked quick-cooking grits

1
¹
/
₂
c. (6 oz.) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (divided)

1 Tbsp. butter

³
/
₄
c. milk

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Tabasco sauce

2 large eggs

Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil water and salt. Gradually add the grits while stirring (They will spit at you when they get hot, so look out!). Cover and simmer the grits until they thicken—about 8 minutes. Take the pot off the heat. Add one cup of the cheese and the butter, stirring to melt the cheese. Combine milk, garlic powder, Tabasco sauce, and eggs and whisk. Stir the milk mixture into the grits mixture. Cover an 8-inch baking dish with spray. Then pour the grits in. Bake
this uncovered for 45 minutes. Then put the rest of the cheese on top and cook 15 minutes more. Let the grits stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Crescent Rolls

6 oz. cooked, chopped chicken

4 oz. light cream cheese, softened

¹
/
₂
c. chopped mushroom

2 Tbsp. diced green onion

1 package crescent rolls (can of 8)

1 Tbsp. melted butter

³
/
₄
c. seasoned croutons, crushed

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the chopped chicken, chopped mushroom, green onion, and softened cream cheese in a bowl. Unfold the crescent rolls into rectangles. Separate them until there are two rectangles (perforations pinched together) to form a larger rectangle (there will be four rectangles, total). Add a
¹
/
₂
cup dollop of the chicken mixture to the center of each of the four rectangles.

Pull the dough up over the mixture and pinch the dough closed. Drizzle this with melted butter and sprinkle it with crushed croutons. Bake this on a cookie sheet for 12 to 15 minutes at 375 degrees, covering it loosely with aluminum foil until the last five
minutes.

Turn the page for a sneak peek at the next
Southern Quilting mystery by Elizabeth Craig,
coming from Obsidian in June 2015.

“Isn’t it wonderful to have a wedding to plan? I don’t know
when
I’ve been so thrilled.” Meadow Downey gave a most un-Meadowlike squeal to emphasize the point.

Her friend Beatrice Coleman gave her a repressive look. But she couldn’t hold back a grin. “Especially when it’s not one’s own.”

“Well, but for you it’s practically a family wedding,” continued Meadow. “Wyatt’s sister is finally tying the knot after fifty years. It’s all very exciting.”

Meadow and Beatrice were following up on Meadow’s resolution to work in more exercise by walking their dogs through their neighborhood in the tiny mountain town of Dappled Hills, North Carolina, where they lived. Now that it was April, the air had warmed enough that a morning walk required only a light sweater. The dogwoods were blooming, daffodils were waving in the breeze, and the women could feast
on the view of the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains returning to vibrant life after the starkness of winter.

Meadow was wrestling with her gigantic beast, Boris, while Beatrice was taking an easy stroll with her corgi, Noo-noo. With Meadow always a couple of yards ahead of Beatrice because Boris pulled her along at great speed, Beatrice wasn’t sure if the walk could be considered a success. Or if it really could be termed a walk at all.

“It really is,” said Beatrice. “Although I would hardly call it a family wedding, Meadow. I haven’t even properly met Harper. And Wyatt and I are only just starting to date. It’s not as if we’re married.”

Meadow completely ignored this detail, continuing on with her line of thought and yanking back on Boris’s halter as he tried to race off after a terrified squirrel. “Can you imagine? Marrying at fifty. She’d have to be very set in her ways, don’t you think? It sure would be tough trying to train a man at that point in your life. Actually,” she said in a ruminating voice, “I can’t imagine trying to train a man at
any
point in life. You can see what a disaster my training of Ramsay was.”

Ramsay was Meadow’s long-suffering husband and
the police chief of Dappled Hills, North Carolina. He seemed very housebroken to Beatrice. Yes, he had a fondness for losing his reading glasses, writing poetry, and quoting
Walden
a bit much. But he was kind and hardworking. And even seemed to pick up after himself.

“Harper was just waiting for the perfect match, that’s all. Wyatt is so happy for her. He felt terrible that she and I haven’t met each other, so he invited Harper and her fiancé, Daniel, to have supper with us tonight at his house,” said Beatrice.

“What are you bringing to the dinner party?” asked Meadow a little breathlessly. Beatrice wasn’t sure if the breathlessness was due to the fact that she was always trying to persuade Beatrice to win Wyatt’s heart through food—or the fact that Boris was pulling her along as if she were waterskiing.

Beatrice’s already brisk walk turned into more of a jog. Noo-noo gave her a despairing look as if her short corgi legs couldn’t possibly keep pace. “I’m not cooking anything,” said Beatrice, slowly. “I’m just bringing a bottle of wine.”

“But it’s the perfect opportunity for you to impress Wyatt with your culinary skills,” said Meadow, disappointed. “A bottle of wine just shows you know how to shop.” She neatly sidestepped a puddle left by a brief spring shower from earlier that morning. Meadow finally reined in Boris as he skidded to a stop to inspect
a mailbox that apparently smelled fascinating. Beatrice gave a grateful sigh as she slowed to a walk and completely caught up with Meadow again. Noo-noo, tongue hanging out and panting, seemed relieved as well.

“I think we’re keeping it really low-key, actually.” Beatrice shrugged. “And my culinary skills are nothing to brag about, as you know.”

“A low-key dinner party?” asked Meadow. She sounded a bit scandalized.

“It’s not even a
dinner party
. It’s really just supper. That way I can meet Harper and her fiancé and we can have a nice evening together.”

“I think it’s a little odd that you haven’t been introduced to Harper before now. After all, she does go to church quite a bit,” said Meadow.

“I’m still pretty new to town, you know. Besides, I don’t know everyone who goes to church and there was no real reason for Wyatt to have introduced me to his sister before we started dating. Harper doesn’t live in town, anyway.”

“She doesn’t, but she doesn’t live far from Dappled Hills, either. Just let me know how it goes,” said Meadow. “I’m curious about Daniel. I know he grew up here, but he was gone for so long. It’s been ages since I’ve last seen him. I remember him as a serious kid. He’s younger than I am, but is the same age as my youngest sister. He was very smart and kind of quiet. The kind
of kid who always had good manners when speaking with adults. He’s a lawyer, isn’t he? Not that we don’t have enough of those around town.” Meadow rolled her eyes.

“He is, but I think he works pro bono half the time. Daniel sounds like a good guy.”

“Well, be sure to give me the scoop. I’m interested in his best man, too—I’ve been hearing some gossip lately about Trevor Garber.” Meadow waggled her eyebrows in what was supposed to be a telling manner.

“Considering this is Dappled Hills, I can’t say I’m surprised. Everyone seems to know everything around here. What are you hearing about Daniel’s best man?”

“I hear he’s behaving sort of out of character. And rumors”—here Meadow dropped her voice into her usual loud whisper, as if someone could hear them out on the quiet road—“that he might be having an affair.” Then she jerked forward abruptly as Boris took off at a full gallop again.

“I doubt I’ll hear much about that at supper tonight,” said Beatrice, jogging ahead again. But you never knew. Not in Dappled Hills.

Meadow gave a gasping laugh as Boris dragged her forward. “Do you think I’m really getting exercise doing this? It feels like I’m just being pulled along. If I put roller skates on, I bet I’d end up across town in minutes.”

“Whatever you’re doing, it’s exertion, all right.” Beatrice smiled ruefully as Meadow went flying forward again. Beatrice decided she and Noo-noo were done with running to catch up and instead ambled toward their friends.

Eventually Meadow was able to tighten her grip on the leash and slow Boris down to a more leisurely pace. When Beatrice caught up with them, she gave Beatrice a curious look. “Have you been able to see much of Wyatt these last few weeks? It seems like he’s been in charge of tons of activities at the church lately.”

Beatrice cleared her throat. “We’ve seen each other, yes. Maybe not as much as I’d like to, but I understand about how busy he’s been. And, when you’re a minister, you’re never really off. There are always people to visit—folks in hospitals, things like that. It’s sort of the point of the job.”

“I’m guessing,” said Meadow archly, giving Beatrice a sideways glance, “that the best way for you to spend more time with him is probably by spending more time at the church. Right? Volunteering there, helping set up events, attending events. That sort of thing. After all, you’re the one who’s retired. So, technically, you have more free time.”

Beatrice admired a row of azalea bushes as they walked past. She’d have to take a more scenic walk with Noo-noo tomorrow. This one was flying by.
“Technically I
do
have more free time,” said Beatrice. She was amazed lately how the days seemed to just disappear with a puff. Retirement was growing on her. But Meadow had a point, and it was one that Beatrice had been considering, too. The only thing that was really holding her back was the thought that a lot of extra socializing was going to be in order if she really started spending time at the church. Beatrice didn’t mind a little socializing, but always quickly felt as though she wanted to retreat. She thought longingly of her hammock and her book.

“It’s something to think about, anyway,” said Meadow. She was fond of planting ideas in people’s heads. “Although I’ll miss seeing you if you spend more time with Wyatt. The sacrifices I make! Well, I’m sure tonight there’ll be lots of talk of wedding planning. I hope it will be a beautiful wedding. Although the other night on TV, I saw this really horrifying show. It was sort of like watching a train wreck—I couldn’t seem to pull myself away from it. It was called
Worst Wedding Day Disasters Ever!
and there was everything from a typhoon to the groom not showing up to a deer running into the ceremony and charging around the sanctuary. Scary stuff!”

“Well, none of that is going to happen during Harper and Daniel’s wedding next month. When was the last time you saw a typhoon here in North Carolina? Daniel
sounds too responsible to skip out on his own wedding. And I’ll personally ensure that the door to the sanctuary remains closed throughout the ceremony. I defy any deer to run through. It’s going to be a lovely service.”

Why did Beatrice feel as though she should have been knocking on
wood?