Knit Your Own Murder
Page 23
“Harry thought she deliberately outmaneuvered him to deny him his grandparents’ land, but I can’t find any evidence of that. Still, she was probably pleased when he accused her of it.
“Then, when she outbid him on the Water Street property, he totally lost his temper, went up there, and smashed the windows of her cabin. Chaz remembers Harry asking her about repairing some broken windows. He knew of no broken windows in her rental property and was surprised at her furious reaction. Harry was letting her know he was responsible for the damage to the cabin. So she went to his Wayzata home and began breaking things.”
“How did she get in?”
“Talk to Chaz; he’ll tell you about how she taught him to bypass locks a tenant would put on without permission.”
“Why would he need to do that?” asked Emily, diverted.
Bershada said, “Chaz told me that sometimes people move out without leaving the keys. Sometimes they don’t want their landlords to investigate because they’re doing something illegal in their unit.”
Betsy said, “My problem is tenants making copies of their keys and handing them out to unauthorized people.
“But the point is, Maddy knew how to bypass locks.” Betsy made a sad face. “I’ve seen Harry’s place; it’s gorgeous and very expensively decorated. She could have done—she may have done thousands of dollars of damage very easily.
“But Harry walked in on her while she was there. And a very short fight ensued. Maddy wasn’t injured. She probably had something in her hands she was using to break things and she struck him on the head with it. I don’t know if she meant to kill him; it’s possible she hit him in self-defense. But whatever, she left him dead on his kitchen floor.”
Jill said, “And you know she’s the one who did this—how?”
“She came in here the Friday before the auction with more knitted toys, remember?”
They all nodded.
“And she had a Band-Aid on her finger.”
Godwin said, “Yes! I remember because the Band-Aid was red, white, and blue, and I’d set the door to play ‘Hail to the Chief.’”
Betsy said, “And whoever murdered Harry cut her finger on a projecting screw on a doorknob. A DNA test proved the blood left on the screw belonged to Maddy. That test proved she was in his house and there is no way on earth he would invite her to come for a visit. So why was she in there?”
Betsy sighed. “But Harry had already poisoned her yarn with nicotine he stole from the University’s hazardous waste disposal facility when he went there to repair their fire-extinguishing system.”
“Mmmm-mmmm-mmmm,” said Bershada. “Nasty. Serious anger problems in both of them.”
Phil said, “But at least the anger was limited in its direction: strictly at each other.”
“The really hot anger was,” said Betsy, “but both of them were well-known for shouting at other people, some of whom didn’t deserve it. All three of Harry’s sons, for example, moved out of state to get away from him. And poor Chaz put up with an awful lot from Maddy, some of whose tenants would move out when they heard she’d bought their apartment building. Harry and Maddy were both accomplished, talented people, but they were by no means governed by sweetness and light.”
“Awwww,” said Cherie, “I was kind of hoping we’d hear from you that there were going to be people arrested and sent to jail. Instead, we get . . . nothing.”
“We got plenty!” disagreed Phil. “We got a neat little package of two mean people destroying each other and no innocent bystanders killed in the process. Well . . .” he conceded, “Joe Mickels is still standing.”
“He’s going to get his Mickels Building at last,” said Emily. “Good for him. Now maybe he won’t be sad anymore.”
* * *
“Let’s begin again,” said Doris to Godwin and Rafael. They were in the pair’s condo and had just finished a light supper of poached salmon and vegetable soup, served with wine. “How much do you want to spend on this wedding?”
“I don’t think we ought to start with a budget,” said Godwin. “I think we should decide what we want and find a way to pay for it.”
“Well, I think we should have a budget,” interjected Rafael. “Some weddings cost tens of thousands of dollars, which I think is ridiculous. Is the object of this ceremony to see how ostentatious—is that the correct word?—we can be? Or is it to celebrate the legal joining of our lives while our friends celebrate, too?”
“The legal joining of our lives,” sighed Godwin. “What a sweet way you put it, Rafael.”
“So of course we will do it in the presence of God and the company we invite, and so it should be beautiful. There should be flowers and perhaps balloons, and bright colors, and good food. And we will wear something appropriate—yes? Or festive. Which do you prefer, mi gorrión?”
“If it is to be formal, we should wear tuxedos. If you want to go festive, we could wear bullfighter costumes—”
“Not bullfighter costumes, because we are not bullfighters. No costumes. We are not making believe; we are Rafael and Godwin, two real men doing a real thing.”
Doris hastily drew a line through something she had written. “I think tuxedos are nice, unless you want to go full formal and wear tails.”
“Tails?” said Rafael.
“It’s very formal menswear,” said Doris. “White shirt and tie, white vest, black trousers, and a coat that has a back that is very long and split in half at the bottom. Orchestra conductors wear them. The outfit probably has some other name, but I’ve always heard it called tails. Of course, if you want to go that far, then you have to get married in the evening, as it is incorrect to wear tails during the day.”
Godwin stared at her admiringly. “How clever of you to know that!”
“I’ve been studying up on weddings. Miss Manners has been very useful.”
“I think we want an afternoon wedding,” said Rafael. “So tuxedos, all right?”
“All right,” said Godwin. “But maybe with rainbow cummerbunds?” He made a gesture indicating the size and location of a cummerbund.
Doris laughed. “That sounds like fun.”
“And my tuxedo black, Raff’s white?”
Rafael nodded. “But then I want my . . . my cummerbund to be lavender.”
“Yes!” cheered Godwin. “And matching bow ties, lavender for you and rainbow for me!”
Doris made some more notes. “Now,” she said, “about location. The wedding’s a little more than a year away, so it’s possible not all the good places are taken.”
“We want it indoors—remember?” said Godwin.
“I remember. Did you know you could use the Minneapolis Institute of Art?”
“Wow, that would be fabulous.” He turned to Rafael. “Just imagine a photo of the two of us at the top of those stairs leading up to the old entrance. Do a video, starting long-distance, from the bottom and gradually coming up and up, closer and closer . . .” His eyes closed, and he smiled.
“In the rain,” Rafael said.
“Oh. Well, we could shoot that on another day, when it’s not raining, unless it’s not raining on our day. Still . . .” He looked at Doris. “Where else?”
“Well, there’s Loews Minneapolis Hotel downtown. Their Stone Arch Ballroom has seventeen-foot-high ceilings and can seat four hundred, and they have other, smaller rooms. And an on-site catering service that can do plain or fancy. I didn’t ask for a quote, but they sound pricey. But for real extravagance, there’s the Saint Paul Hotel. Beautiful location, however.”
Doris named several other places, from an arboretum to a retired railroad station. Then she said, “Look, I’m not a professional. I don’t want to plan your wedding for you, just help you make important decisions, tell you what your options might be. What I think you should do is contact a professional wedding planner. Sunrise Styling look
s great, judging from their web site, and they specialize in gay and lesbian weddings. Ariane Criger is another. They have venues, catering, photographers, everything at their fingertips. I want to stay involved, help you make decisions—keep you, Goddy, from sitting up the night before dyeing white doves lavender; and you, Rafael, from holding the reception at McDonald’s. Does that sound good?”
“No lavender doves?” sniffed Godwin, pretending to be heartbroken.
“No Quarter Pounders?” mourned Rafael—then he laughed. “All right, Dorita, you are to accompany us to our planning sessions and wear a big hat with a long pin in it, so you can prick us in our backsides when we start failing to do this properly.”
Doris’s eyes shone. “You two are so wonderful!” she said.
* * *
Joe Mickels sat up late in his modest Excelsior office. He was calculating the value of assets he could draw money from, considering the disposition of other assets, moving money into accessible accounts. Those people running Maddy’s estate would have no wish to involve themselves in the complex and time-consuming building project over on Water Street, so they would—probably fairly quickly—put the option to buy on the market. And he was not going to be caught short again.
He could see it in his mind’s eye, rising above the surrounding buildings. Maybe copper clad—or was that too ostentatious for little old Excelsior? But not plain glass; he wanted something ornate. And over the main entrance a massive granite lintel with letters cut deep: THE MICKELS BUILDING.
He was no longer feeling his age. He felt young and vigorous and energetic. Maybe he should invite Betsy Devonshire to the grand opening.
* * *
It was close to bedtime. Connor was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. Betsy was in bed but reading—rereading, actually—Jerome K. Jerome’s famous comic novel, Three Men in a Boat. A best seller over a hundred years ago, it was still very funny. Betsy was making the bed jiggle with her chuckles when Connor crawled in beside her.
“Machree,” he said, “I have something to ask you. Something important.”
Betsy immediately put the book down. “What is it?”
“All this talk of marriage has reminded me that I haven’t asked you to marry me for several months. So I ask again: Will you marry me?”
“Oh, Connor . . .”
“Is it because you don’t love me enough?”
“I love you with all my heart, you know that.”
“Then what’s holding you back?”
“I’ve tried marrying, twice. And failed at it both times.”
“You haven’t tried it with me.”
“You’ve tried it before. And it didn’t work.”
“I think my marriage failed because I was so often and for so long at sea. But I’m home from the sea now.”
“I think my marriages failed because I’m lousy at picking men to marry.”
Connor looked so stricken that she said at once, “Don’t you see? That’s why I haven’t married you! I love you, I love who you are, where you came from, what you can do, everything about you! I love having you in my life; you are very good to me and for me. But I’m scared. I don’t trust my own judgment. I’d be devastated if you left me. And for some stupid reason, I’m scared witless that if we marry, you’ll leave me. And I couldn’t bear that, I couldn’t!” She felt herself beginning to weep and started to turn away.
But he gathered her into his arms. “Oh, my dearest darling, my own heart, how could I leave you? You are everything to me.” He began to kiss her gently, stroking her face, her hair, her back, then more ardently, insistently . . .
Later, all tension gone, she purred, “You are such a comfort to me.”
“And you to me. So let’s make a bargain. If I am still here a year from now, and you are still with me, then we will reopen the question. Until then, I will not ask you again. All right?”
“All right.” A year. In a year, surely she would know.
“Sophie” Knitted Amigurumi Cat Pattern
Designed by Diane Davis
“Sophie” is a fluffy little avalanche of white with a patchwork of gray and tan on her ear, back, and tail. She’ll be great company while you’re reading one of the Needlecraft Mysteries by Monica Ferris!
FINISHED SIZE:
Approx. 7" long by 3" wide
MATERIALS REQUIRED:
Worsted weight yarn—approx. 65 yards in Main Color (MC), 10-15 yards in Gray (A) and Tan or Gold (B)
Satin ribbon for collar (approx 9”)
Embroidery floss or yarn for embroidering face (Optional: Small plastic cat eyes and nose)
Stuffing material
Size 3 double pointed needles
Plastic needlepoint or darning needle
ABBREVIATIONS:
CO: Cast on
K: Knit
P: Purl
M1: Make 1 stitch
M1K1: Make 1, Knit 1
skpo: Slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 1 stitch, pass the slipped stitch over
K2 tog: Knit 2 stitches together
w&t: Wrap and turn
PU: Pick up
dpn: Double pointed needle
SPECIAL STITCHES USED:
M1—Used to increase stitches. Make 1 stitch, lift right leg of the stitch in the row below the next stitch to be worked and place it on the left needle, then work it as a normal knit stitch.
W&T—Used in short rows to avoid “holes” in your work. When knitting, knit required stitches, pass yarn to the front, slip next stitch to the right needle, pass yarn to the back, slip stitch back to left needle and turn your work. When purling, pass yarn to the back, slip next stitch to the right needle, pass yarn to the front, slip stitch back to the left needle and turn your work.
Double Knitting—In this pattern, we’ll use double knitting to combine all of the stitches onto one dpn before binding off. However, instead of using separate strands of yarn for front and back layers, we’re going to use just one strand of MC, switching to B when we reach the left ear. Purl one stitch from the rear needle, knit one from the front, continuing in the same pattern across the needles. When you reach the B stitches, let MC trail out between the MC and B stitches (you’ll need it again when you’re ready to bind off). Continue in B for remainder of row until all stitches are on one dpn.
HINTS FOR COLOR WORK (INTARSIA) KNITTING:
When switching from one color to another, wrap the two strands around each other to minimize holes or gaps between color patches.
When knitting intarsia in the round, there are many times when your working yarn will end up at the wrong end of the patch you’re knitting. When this happens, knit up to the color change, slip stitches to be knitted from one needle to the other and turn your work. (These spots are noted in the pattern instructions.) Pick up the working yarn and purl back across the stitches, then turn your work again and slip the purled stitches back to the right needle. Carry your MC behind the stitches and continue with your next color.
BODY
CO 26 st in MC, divide between 3 dpns (10 st on dpn1, 8 st each on dpn2 and dpn3). Connect in the round, making sure your stitches are not twisted.
Rounds 1–2: K all
Round 3: Dpn1—K3, M1 K4, M1, K3 (12 st); Dpn2 & Dpn3—K2, M1, K4, M1, K2 (10 st on each)
Round 4: Dpn1—K4 in MC, attach color A and K3, attach color B and K2, MC K3; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 5: Dpn1—K3 in MC, slip next 6 st, turn, P3 in B, P3 in A, turn and slip those 6 st back to working needle, K3 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 6: Dpn1—K4 in MC, K2 in A, K2 in MC, K3 in B, K1 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 7: Dpn1—K4 in MC, slip next 7 st, turn, P5 in B, P2 in A, turn and slip those 7 st back to working needle, K1 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 8: Dpn1—K2 in MC, K5 in B, K3 in A, K2 i
n MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 9: Dpn1—K3 in MC, slip next 7 st, turn, P5 in B, P2 in A, turn and slip those 7 st back to working needle, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 10: Dpn1—K3 in MC, K3 in A, K4 in B, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 11: Dpn1—K3 in MC, slip next 7 st, turn, P5 in B, P2 in A, turn and slip those 7 st back to working needle, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 12: Dpn1—K3 in MC, K3 in B, K4 in A, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 13: Dpn1—K3 in MC, slip next 7 st, turn, P5 in B, P2 in A, turn and slip those 7 st back to working needle, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 14–16: Dpn1—K all in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 17: Dpn1—K5 in MC, K2 in B, K5 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 18: Dpn1—K4 in MC, K4 in B, K4 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 19: Dpn1—K4 in MC, K5 in B, K3 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 20: Dpn1—K4 in MC, K5 in A, K3 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 21: Dpn1—K4 in MC, slip next 5 st, turn, P5 in A, turn and slip those 5 st back to working needle, K3 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 22: Dpn1—K5 in MC, K3 in A, K4 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC
Round 23: K all in MC
**NOTE: Knit rounds 24–28 in MC**
Round 24: K3, skpo, *K6, skpo* 3 times, K3 (28 st)
Round 25: K3, skpo, *K5, skpo* 3 times, K2 (24 st)
Round 26: K3, skpo, *K4, skpo* 3 times, K1 (20 st)
Round 27: K3, skpo, *K3, skpo* 3 times (16 st)
Round 28: K3, skpo, K2, skpo, K2, skpo, K2, slip last stitch, pass over 1st stitch in the round (12 st)
Round 29: In Color A: K2, skpo, K1, skpo, K1, skpo, K1, slip last stitch, pass over 1st stitch in the round (8 st)
TAIL
Continue with the 8 stitches on the dpns
Round 1: K all in A
Round 2–16: All 3 colors should be trailing out the hole where the tail will be. For the remaining rows, hold together two of the strands for one round, and change combinations for each round.