Unraveled
Authors: Maggie Sefton
Tags: #Knitters (Persons), #Murder, #City and Town Life - Colorado, #Mystery & Detective, #Murder - Investigation, #General, #Investigation, #Mystery Fiction, #Fiction, #Flynn; Kelly (Fictitious Character)
Table of Contents
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Maggie Sefton
KNIT ONE, KILL TWO
NEEDLED TO DEATH
A DEADLY YARN
A KILLER STITCH
DYER CONSEQUENCES
FLEECE NAVIDAD
DROPPED DEAD STITCH
SKEIN OF THE CRIME
UNRAVELED
Anthologies
DOUBLE KNIT MURDERS
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
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This book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
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Copyright © 2011 by Margaret Conlan Aunon.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sefton, Maggie.
p. cm.
eISBN : 978-1-101-51596-9
1. Flynn, Kelly (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Knitters (Persons)—Fiction. 3. Murder—Investigation—Fiction. 4. City and town life—Colorado—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3619.E37U67 2011
813’.6—dc22 2010047532
Acknowledgments
First, I want to thank Kristin Aamodt of Bellingham, Washington, for the novel’s title,
Unraveled
. I had a “Name a Kelly Flynn Mystery” contest on my website last year and received many wonderful title suggestions, but Kristin’s was a particularly apt description of what had happened in Kelly and Steve’s relationship. Thank you again, Kristin.
Second, I want to thank my oldest daughter, Christine, for helping me describe in words what actually happens on the volleyball court. Christine was a star volleyball player in high school and in college years ago, playing in the SEC Division I. As a proud parent, I spent many a year on the bleachers watching the game as a spectator. Those skills come in handy when you’re a novelist, and particularly when I wrote the “amateur” volleyball game scene that takes place in
Unraveled
. However, I did want to make sure I had the correct terminology when I tried to describe the action. Christine has coached secondary-school volleyball for years (in addition to a full-time business career
and
a mother of four) and is presently the Head Volleyball Coach for Fairfax High School in Fairfax, Virginia. If there are any mistakes in the description of the scene, please chalk it up to my notetaking.
Next, I want to thank Liesbeth Gren of Northern Colorado who sent me the recipe for the Yummy Chocolate Cake. I met Liesbeth briefly at a Bridal Show in Loveland, Colorado, two years ago when I was writing
Skein of the Crime
. That’s the book where Kelly and her friends accompany Megan on a tour of several bridal shops in the search for the “perfect” wedding gown. Liesbeth told me about her yummy recipe then.
And last, I’d like to mention the exhibition that I attended in Chantilly, Virginia, in April 2010. I wanted to research particular scenes and found all the information I would need. The exhibition was organized and run by C & E Gun Shows and Showmasters of Blacksburg, Virginia.
Cast of Characters
Kelly Flynn—
financial accountant and part-time sleuth, refugee from East Coast corporate CPA firm
Steve Townsend—
architect and builder in Fort Connor, Colorado, and Kelly’s ex-boyfriend
KELLY’S FRIENDS:
Jennifer Stroud—
real estate agent, part-time waitress
Lisa Gerrard—
physical therapist
Megan Smith—
IT consultant, another corporate refugee
Marty Harrington—
lawyer, Megan’s fiancé
Greg Carruthers—
university instructor, Lisa’s boyfriend
Pete Wainwright—
owner of Pete’s café in the back of Kelly’s favorite knitting shop, House of Lambspun
LAMBSPUN FAMILY AND REGULARS:
Mimi Shafer—
Lambspun shop owner and knitting expert, known to Kelly and her friends as “Mother Mimi”
Burt Parker—
retired Fort Connor police detective, Lambspun spinner-in-residence
Hilda and Lizzie von Steuben—
spinster sisters, retired schoolteachers, and exquisite knitters
Curt Stackhouse—
Colorado rancher, Kelly’s mentor and advisor
Jayleen Swinson—
Alpaca rancher and Colorado Cowgirl
Connie and Rosa—
Lambspun shop personnel
One
Kelly
Flynn stepped out onto the wooden deck of Jayleen Swinson’s rustic mountain log home. Clutching her ceramic mug of coffee against the cold, Kelly stood by the railing and gazed out at the snow-covered mountains in the distance. From this high up in Bellevue Canyon, north of Fort Connor, she could glimpse peaks of the Colorado Rockies behind the canyon ridges. A chilled early March breeze set the tall ponderosa pines to swaying and caused Kelly to shiver. Winter wasn’t over yet, despite the sound of her friends’ laughter coming from inside. They all knew their End of Winter, Welcome Spring Barbeque was premature. March was usually Colorado’s snowiest month. But the gang never needed much excuse to gather for a party, especially when food was involved.
Jennifer Stroud stepped out onto the deck. “Hey, what’re you doing here in the cold? Come on in. Megan’s going to slice that chocolate cake she made. I’ve gained three pounds just looking at it.”
“I came out for some fresh air and a glimpse of the mountains. You know, a mountain fix.” Kelly smiled at her friend.
Jennifer wrapped her shamrock green knitted wool shawl around herself and joined Kelly by the railing. “I know you love looking at these views, but aren’t you glad you’re not living up here in the canyons in the winter? Especially since you’re having to work in Denver so often. Driving on these icy roads would get old pretty fast.”
Kelly sipped her rapidly cooling coffee and snuggled into the bright blue sweater Megan had knitted her for Christmas. “You’re right. My fascination with canyon properties extends to spring, summer, and fall. Sliding down those icy roads once was enough to change my mind.”
Jennifer visibly shuddered. “Bad memories. Let’s change the subject. Guess what? I’ve finally got a real estate client.”
“Whoa, that’s fantastic news, Jen,” Kelly said, then leaned forward and gave her friend a hug. “I’m so happy for you. I know it’s been hard these last months.”
“Hard doesn’t cover it. I was about to throw in the towel until this recession was over, but my broker came to the rescue. He gave me a new client. A real estate investor here in Fort Connor who’s selling one of his mountain properties. It’s up in Poudre Canyon.”
“Boy, that was good of your broker to give you his client.”
Jennifer gave her a crooked smile. “Well, it’s not all kindheartedness. This guy, Fred Turner, has a reputation for being really disagreeable. My broker can’t stand working with him. So he practically begged me to take Turner off his hands. Of course, I knew about the bad rep, but hey . . . beggars can’t be choosers, as they say.”
Concerned about Jennifer’s financial situation, Kelly added, “Remember, you promised you’d let me know if you needed money, okay?”
“I remember. Don’t worry. Pete’s catering jobs have picked up since February. Apparently some local businesses are weathering the downturn better than others.”
The front door opened again, and sounds of laughter and conversation poured out. Lisa stood on the threshold and beckoned. “What’re you guys doing out here in the cold?” she demanded in her familiar bossy tone. “Come on in so we can cut the cake. Marty and Greg are about to run out the back door with it.”
