Silence of the Lamb's Wool (A Yarn Retreat Mystery) (24 page)

“I did it for you,” Jane said, looking lovingly at Will. “So we could be together. Nicole was going to ruin everything for you. You even said she was causing a problem.”

Will looked horrified. “Jane, I was just letting off steam to you. You were a friendly ear. Someone to talk to. I didn’t mean for you to do anything.”

Lieutenant Borgnine wasn’t happy to see me or hear that he’d been wrong, though by now Jane had changed her story and was saying I’d come after her with the wool comb. I pointed out the green plug under the bench. “I’m sure you’ll find residue of the poisoned-laced latte and even if you don’t find Jane’s fingerprints on it, it begs the question what something from the Vista Del Mar café was doing stuck in a drink from Maggie’s place.”

“I know what to look for,” the bulldog-shaped cop said in a terse tone. He glared at Jane. “And I’ll be checking if her fingerprints match the ones we found at the Coffee Shop.”

As Lieutenant Borgnine and the uniforms who’d come with him started to take Jane away, Dane hung back.

“Pretty clever how you got me here,” he said, back to his teasing flirty ways. I shrugged with a smile. I’d just used my ex-boss Frank’s perennial advice—flirt with a cop. I knew he was referring to the text message I’d sent him. It had said that I’d reconsidered what I’d said about being the other woman and it sounded exciting. I’d suggested we meet ASAP to discuss and told him where.

“You didn’t mean it, did you?” he said.

“Nope,” I answered, punctuating it with a shake of my head.

Lunch was ending as I walked off the end of the boardwalk back into the heart of the Vista Del Mar grounds. The officers and Lieutenant Borgnine had taken Jane away without going through the hotel and conference center. I was sure none of the people filtering toward the Lodge had any idea what had just gone on. I found Lucinda and filled her in.

“I’m so sorry,” she said when she realized she’d tipped Jane off.

“It all turned out,” I said and she brightened.

“I can’t wait to tell Tag that he had the crucial bit of information.”

We went up the stairs to the deck outside the Lodge and joined my retreat group, who were milling around. I found the three early birds and pulled them aside. They’d been there when Nicole died and deserved to know the outcome.

Bree’s blond fluff of curls bobbed with animation as she heard the news. The young mother reminded everyone that she’d been the one to find Nicole. Olivia was relieved it was settled and that she’d never been a suspect. Scott was impressed by my sleuthing skills.

“But did you have a good time at the retreat?” I said, hopeful. Before they had a chance to answer, the woman I’d called the Ginger came by and hugged Bree.

“I don’t know what I would have done without you,” she said, almost tearful. “The first time being away from my kids and no cell phone or Internet . . . You got me through it.” The woman turned to me. “The retreat turned out a little different than I’d expected, but it was a great experience.”

One of the guests who hadn’t been part of the retreat put her hand on Olivia’s arm. “I just wanted to give you this.” The woman handed Olivia a finished square. “Thank you for letting me sneak into your knitting circle.” The woman looked at me and seemed to understand I was the retreat director. “I didn’t know there were yarn retreats here.” She slipped me a business card. “Please let me know when you have the next one.”

Scott was actually knitting as he was standing there. He looked over at a small group of people with their suitcases, standing near the door. A man with thick black hair nodded in Scott’s direction as he saluted him with a pair of big red plastic knitting needles.

“That’s two guys I turned on to knitting,” my retreater said with a satisfied smile. He told the group the other man was the one from the business group that had left on Friday.

“Have you started planning the next retreat yet?” Olivia asked.

I didn’t want to tell them I’d been on the fence about going forward with my aunt’s business. I didn’t want to bring up everything that had gone wrong. But now that I was being asked directly, I rethought the whole thing. Quickly.

I had made a lot of mistakes, but I was learning from them. One major one was the idea that I could handle it alone.

“I’d like to offer you four a proposition,” I said. I asked Lucinda if she would act as host at the meals. She was saying yes before I got the last word out. Bree seemed to have a knack with first-time retreaters having a hard time. Would she act as a buddy for anyone who seemed a little lost?

I got a hearty yes in response.

I asked Olivia if she would host square-making activities that outside guests would be welcome to participate in. Like the other two, she accepted with enthusiasm.

“I know what you’re going to ask me to do,” Scott said as I turned in his direction. “Of course, I’d be happy to teach any guy who wants to learn how to knit. Or any kid, or woman, too.”

“I just need to check something,” I said. I saw Cora Delacorte come into the cavernous room. There was no Burton hanging all over her or his daughter running up to call her “Mother.” I suspected the pair had left the area. Madeleine trailed behind her. As usual, they were overdressed, carrying their handbags Queen Elizabeth style.

I excused myself from my group and made my way to the two women. Instead of waiting for their response, I decided to be proactive.

“I’m so sorry,” I said to Cora.

“You should be,” she said. “You ruined my good time and the inevitable happened sooner than I wanted,” she added. “Casey, I had a prenuptial agreement all drawn up. I was just waiting to give it to him. Once he realized I wasn’t going to hand him the keys to the castle, I was pretty sure that would be the end of it. But I was so enjoying being romanced.”

Madeleine rolled her eyes.

“I wanted to tell you some ideas I have for the retreat business,” I said. I launched into them quickly, afraid that Cora was going to say they’d rethought the whole thing and I was out. I deliberately didn’t bring up anything about Nicole, figuring any connection with a dead body wasn’t going to help my case.

“I was thinking it would be nice if some of the other guests could take part in some of our activities.” I gave the example of the square-making project. “I’m going to have helpers and they could teach the basics of knitting.” I mentioned that Madeleine had expressed an interest in working with yarn and said she would be welcome to join in.

While Cora seemed to be mulling it over, Madeleine stepped in. “I say it’s a go,” she said forcefully. I’m not sure who was more surprised at Madeleine’s gutsy move.

I went back to my group with a look of relief and said I’d be doing a mailing soon to announce the next retreat. The retreaters began to disperse. Some pulled their suitcases toward cars and others stayed with the early birds, waiting for the airport transport. Lucinda and I stood with them until the Vista Del Mar van pulled in front of the Lodge.

There were a lot of hugs and good-byes before the doors to the van closed and it pulled away, leaving Lucinda and me waving.

“Tag expects me to help with dinner at the Blue Door,” she said with a wistful sigh. “I better go.” It was hardly a good-bye for a long time, but we hugged anyway before she went toward her car.

I stood there for a moment letting it all sink in. I was surprised to see Wanda coming toward me. “I came back to pick up my stuff.” She was pulling the bin from the meeting room. She opened it and pointed out the salad spinners. I promised to pay her for them and then asked how was it that she’d bought them in advance.

“I was going to get them to Will. I knew that he’d be handling all the water and thought he could add them to the supplies. I was going to have him tell Nicole about them, figuring she’d take it better from him.” She looked up at me. “I don’t think you understand. I was really on your side all along. I wanted the retreat to work out. But there was only so much I could do.”

She closed the top of the bin and seemed ready to go, but she stopped and reached out for me. “I’m not really one of those huggy people.” Her embrace was awkward, but seemed genuine. And then she moved on.

Life was certainly full of surprises. Who would have ever thought Wanda and I might end up as friends? I finally made my way across the street. I expected some kind of greeting from Julius when I went inside, but he wasn’t in the kitchen. I checked the rest of the house and couldn’t find him anywhere. I went back outside and walked around the perimeter of the house and there was no cat.

He was always in one of those places, and I suddenly got worried. I went out to the street and started walking down it, looking for him. I saw a woman up ahead with electric blue hair and a tight-fitting gray tracksuit with something written across the butt.

I recognized Dane’s sister, Chloe, even though the last time I’d seen her hanging around her brother’s house, her hair was cherry red. I caught up with her and asked if she’d seen a black cat.

“No,” she said, looking at the ground around her and then shrugging. I turned back to continue my search, but she came after me.

“Hey,” she said, trying to get my attention. “I got a question. What is it—you don’t like men or something?”

“Huh?” I answered, confused.

“What’s with you and my brother—or really, what’s
not
with you and my brother?”

I just wanted to shrug it off and not explain, but she wouldn’t let it go.

“I know he likes you. So what gives?” She looked at me and I realized I was going to have to lay it out for her.

“I don’t do the ‘other woman’ thing,” I said. “Whether he likes me or not is immaterial. He’s got somebody living with him. You’re probably here to meet her,” I said.

Chloe’s red-lipsticked mouth fell open and she seemed confused, then a look of understanding came over her face.

“He didn’t tell you?” she said. “It figures. He’s always trying to protect her. The woman is our mother. Dane likes to describe her problem as substance abuse, but she’s a drunk. And has been since we were kids.

“He put on a pretty good act hanging out with a bunch of bikers and thug types, but at home he took care of everything. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have your brother take you to buy your first bra?” She didn’t wait for me to even acknowledge her comment. I don’t know what I would have said anyway; my mind was reeling as she continued on.

“He won’t give up on Dolores. He gets her in rehab and then some sober-living place. She messes up, gets tossed out and he takes her in until he finds another place for her and it starts all over again.”

Chloe looked at me and her expression was clearly unhappy. “You’re right though. I am here to see her. He wanted us to have a family dinner before she goes to her new setup.”

I heard a meow and Julius came crawling out of the bushes and rubbed against my leg.

I thought of everything I’d said to Dane and realized I had egg on my face again.

I was still processing the whole story with Dane when Sammy showed up at my front door holding a bottle of red wine, a cheese plate and a couple of plastic glasses.

“The thank-you drink,” he prompted when I seemed totally surprised at his arrival. “You offered it when I appeared as your stand-in sheep. It was going to be a toast to both of our successes at the end of the retreat.”

It came back to me and I invited him in. “Case, the magic was a huge success. I’m going to be a regular. An every-weekend regular.” He was still standing in the doorway. “I thought the beach was a more appropriate place.” He held up his offering. I grabbed a jacket and joined him outside.

He eyed the guesthouse as we walked to the street. “Have you thought about renting it?”

My eyes going skyward were my answer, knowing who he had in mind as a tenant.

Unfortunately, the sunset happened off camera behind a wall of white. It was chilly, we got sand in the cheese, and the wine turned out to be from a very bad year, but we had fun anyway. Sammy wanted to prolong the evening, but it was business as usual for me, or baking as usual, and he reluctantly left.

I packed up the Mini Cooper with my muffin supplies and something more. There was no reason to keep the box of moldy fabric with the extras mixed in. I would leave it where I found it at The Bank. It was the last loose end to tie up. Tag had called with an update. He’d heard that Jane was going to be charged with first-degree murder of Nicole and maybe an attempted murder charge for Maggie, since it looked like she was going to pull through. I was relieved to hear about Maggie and hoped she’d be back dispensing coffee soon. I couldn’t help but feel sad for Jane even though she’d threatened me.

I parked the Mini Cooper in front of The Bank. I’d planned to put the box back where I’d found it and get going. As I walked through the shop I thought of all the times I’d been there in the last few days and all that had gone on.

It was never pursued who had taken the hair jewelry pieces, even though I was sure it was Burton Fiore. Oddly enough, someone had found them in a paper sack left on the end table in the Lodge. I was pretty sure Will was going to donate them to the historical society along with an old quilt Nicole had found locally and refurbished.

As the cops were leading Jane away, Will had broken down and told me that he had shredded the ledger sheets. Nicole had never told him everything she knew, just that she’d figured out something that could make her some money. He knew the ledger sheets were connected and just wanted to make the whole thing go away.

I got to the cubicle back by the vault and went to set the box down. I looked at the open metal door and a thought kept going through my mind. What Nicole had said about locks being like a red flag that there was something valuable inside. I rummaged through the smelly fabric until I found the key. The number was clearly marked on it. I was probably wrong, but I had to check anyway.

The interior of the vault felt claustrophobic and I looked around at the metal wall made of the safety-deposit boxes. They all had holes where the locks had once been. I had to use the meditation table as a step stool to reach the box. I pulled it out and stepped down. The top of the box was closed tight.

I could feel my pulse rate go up as I took the box into the cubicle that had been built for this purpose. I set it on the built-in shelf and took a deep breath before grabbing the latch and pulling it back. I waited a beat and looked down.

The box wasn’t empty. There were some photographs, a few envelopes and a folded sheet of paper. I recognized the baby from the other picture, but this time she was holding a knitted teddy bear. I looked at the envelopes. One was marked
Edmund’s Hair
. The other one was old and appeared to have been sealed. The ink that said
Edmund
appeared faded, but the ink that said
Mother’s DNA
on the flap appeared quite fresh. I unfolded the sheet last, already pretty sure what it was. This ledger sheet was complete. I saw Edmund’s name and then a few lines down, a repeat of the box number. The
M
was for Mary and the last name was Jones. Everything together was enough to find the Delacorte heir and prove the relationship.

It would shake up the town and I wondered what I should do. Should I destroy it or follow through?