Assault and Beadery

by Mollie Cox Bryan

  Brodsky moaned and stretched. “That would be great.”

  “How about you?” Cora asked Harris, just off the phone.

  “No, thanks, I’m good.”

  Jane and Cora hurried into the kitchen.

  “Do you think Jo could have killed Stan?” Jane asked once they were alone.

  “I’ve no idea. She seemed upset. She said she preferred to be at home with her kids,” Cora said.

  “It could have been a ruse,” Jane said, pouring the coffee.

  “Maybe,” Cora said. “She seemed so quiet and sweet. Hard to imagine her committing murder.”

  “Maybe she faked that, too,” Jane said. “Maybe she was acting the whole weekend.”

  Cora’s head tilted in interest. “Interesting theory. I wish I could believe that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because then I could shake the feeling that there is a killer at this retreat,” Cora said.

  “How are you?” Jane said. “Feeling okay?”

  “For right now,” she said. “I’ve had a few scares, but so far no full-blown panic attacks.”

  Cora was managing this so well. Had she finally figured out ways to overcome her panic disorder? Could she finally be on the road to recovery? Jane shook off the memory of her friend in the hospital for days on end because of anxiety. Their move from Pittsburgh to Indigo Gap gave them a clean slate. Cora’s strength and fortitude seemed nurtured by their move into the mountains surrounding this quaint town. It was almost as if the hills offered her some soothing mountain magic.

  They’d chosen the right house, the right town, after many months of searching. Kildare House was perfect with its attic apartment for Cora and the carriage house for Jane and London. Straight out of a crafty fairy tale.

  Jane studied her. Even with all that was happening around them, Cora Chevalier was the happiest Jane had ever seen her.

  Chapter 33

  “What the hell is going on?” Ruby said as she stormed into the kitchen.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Lisa came back into the room and told us all that Jo is missing,” Ruby said.

  “Yes, we just figured it out, Ruby. We didn’t mean to leave you out,” Cora said.

  “I’ll take this coffee to Brodsky,” Jane said.

  “Well, she must have killed Stan,” Ruby said. “Why else would she leave?”

  “She had said she missed her kids and was thinking of leaving to go home early.”

  Ruby’s blue eyes lit up. “You know, I heard her say something about that, too.”

  “Maybe she just left at the worst possible moment. Then again, as Jane said, it could all be a ruse.”

  “To throw us off her track,” Ruby said, slanting her eyes. “Clever. And to think my money was on Lena.”

  Cora straightened. “Are you ladies taking bets?”

  “Just a few of us,” Ruby said, shifting her weight.

  “Why did you think it was Lena?”

  “I get weird vibes from her.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I just think there’s something off about her. I don’t know how to explain it. She just doesn’t act like an international beading artist.”

  “What does one act like?”

  “Why are you hammering at me?” Ruby said. “It’s just a feeling I had.” She reached into the cupboard for a cup and then poured herself coffee.

  “I’m just curious,” Cora said.

  “Curiosity killed the cat, you know,” Ruby said as she walked out of the room.

  “So they say,” Cora said after her.

  Lisa walked into the kitchen. “I just need some water.”

  “Are you okay?” Cora asked.

  “I think so. It was just a bit unnerving being questioned by a cop,” she said, reaching for a glass, then walking over to the refrigerator. “Even if you’re not guilty, it makes you feel strange.”

  “Oh yes, I hear you,” Jane said.

  Lisa drank from her glass. “So Jo left, huh?”

  Cora nodded.

  “I can’t believe she killed anybody,” Lisa said.

  “Just because she left doesn’t mean she’s guilty,” Cora said. “Innocent until proven guilty and all of that.”

  “She missed her kids,” Jane said. “She mentioned she might leave early. Maybe that’s all she was doing.”

  Lisa frowned. “I miss mine, too. In any case, I think it’s good for us to be separated now and then. They need to know and accept that you are a separate person. You know?”

  “Yes, but it’s hard, isn’t it?” Jane said. “I hate when I’m away from London, but at the same time, it’s kind of nice not to have to be the mommy for a few days.”

  “Jo said something that I’ve been thinking about,” Cora said. “She said she knows it’s not fashionable to want to be with your kids at home, but that’s what she prefers.”

  “I get that,” Lisa said after a few minutes. “When you stay at home with your kids, you lose a lot of friends and respect. It’s the whole thing of ‘what do you do all day long?’” she said, and rolled her eyes. “Working moms resent those of us who stay at home. And we sometimes resent them for being able to work and juggle everything.” She smiled. “You just can’t win.”

  “If Jo felt like that, if that’s who she is, I’m certain she’s not the killer,” Cora said. “She just wanted to go home.”

  “When did she leave? Was she at the raku class?” Jane asked as she came back into the kitchen.

  “At least she was at the beginning,” Cora said. “I remember that she sat in the far corner. I looked up once or twice and saw her.”

  “She was just so quiet!” Lisa said. “She could have slipped out the door then, and we were all concentrating on our beads, not noticing.”

  “I’m not sure what to hope for,” Cora said. “If she’s the killer, we’re onto her, and she will be found. If she’s not . . .”

  “It means the killer is still at-large,” Jane said.

  “Not just at-large.” Lisa lowered her voice. “But here, right here in the house. That’s freaking me out just a bit. I keep looking at people wondering who the killer is. It’s a terrible way to feel.”

  “Let’s try not to go down that path,” Cora said with a gentle note in her voice. “I know it’s stressful. The police have said this was a personal attack. Whoever did it had it in for Stan. I don’t think they are a professional killer or even someone who is predisposed. You know?”

  “Stan had a lot of enemies,” Jane chimed in. “Someone wanted him dead.”

  “Even if it was personal and the killer isn’t going to hurt one of us, they still have to be disturbed and immoral,” Lisa said after a minute. “The impulse to kill ... the audacity to take someone’s life ... for whatever reason.”

  Pulses of dread zoomed through Cora. She needed to do something to lighten the mood. Knotting class was knotting class. These crafters needed color and texture. Something to get their minds off murder and suspects and the fact that the police were set up and questioning people in the paper arts room. Usually Cora liked to plan for plenty of downtime. This afternoon was set up for a few hours of catching up on all their projects and chilling out. Unfortunately, time was one thing these ladies didn’t need.

  “I planned on my fabric bead class a little later in the day. Maybe we should move it up,” she said to Jane.

  “Good idea,” Jane said, and looked at her phone. “The knotting class should be just about over. I’ll help you set up.”

  “Fabric beads?” Lisa said, brightening. “I can’t wait.”

  Just what Cora wanted to hear.

  Chapter 34

  “I have to admit, it feels a bit weird to be teaching a fabric beading class when the police are here questioning the guests,” Cora said.

  “I know. You’re doing the right thing. We need to keep them busy. Keep their minds on something else. We don’t want them to panic, thinking there may be a killer here,” Jane said. “
Remember the beach retreat.”

  Cora had been thinking of it as soon as she found the bloody scarf. The last retreat she and Jane had taught at, there were two murders, one of which had happened at the retreat itself. She shivered at the memory. But Mathilda Mayhue, the person in charge of the retreat, handled everything as well as could possibly be expected.

  The room started filling with crafters.

  Small tubs of scrap fabric sat on the crafting table, along with spools of memory wire, crimps, crimp covers, pliers, fabric glue, and knitting needles and bamboo skewers.

  “This is a fun class,” Jane said.

  “I can’t wait,” Lena said. “You know, I’ve seen some gorgeous fabric beads. I’ve never tried making them, so this is a first for me.”

  “It’s similar to paper bead–making,” Cora replied.

  Annie entered the room and touched Vera on the shoulder. Vera was next for questioning.

  “Darn,” Vera said, rising from the table.

  “The idea behind much of my crafting is repurposing. I encourage people to examine things they have lying around in their attics and garages and challenge themselves to find a way to repurpose. It’s so much better than filling up those landfills,” Cora said. “Fabric seems to be one of those things. You know, it gets handed down. Or we buy too much for the project we’re working on, and we have these bits and pieces of it left over.”

  “I have too much of it,” Lisa said. “Quilter here! Fabric is expensive, and I hate pitching it. This is perfect for me.”

  “I hear you,” Roni said. “I have some vintage fabric I’ve hesitated to do anything with, but I might try this.”

  “You can see that there are knitting needles and skewers,” Cora went on. “Some people use straws. You can use anything like that to roll your fabric. Different shapes of fabric will create different-shaped beads. We’ve cut some fabric in triangle shapes. There’s also rectangle-shaped.”

  Ruby lifted the tub labeled RECTANGLE.

  “Oh, I love this color,” Vicki said. “Cherry red.” She pulled out some fabric from the bin.

  “So, if you choose the triangle scraps, you’ll start to roll around your skewer or needle from the broad base of the triangle. Squeeze the glue along the length of it first. Continue until the bead is finished.”

  “I can’t believe how easy this is,” Annie said. “I’d never have thought to do this. It’s fabulous.”

  “When you slip off your bead, be careful, and set it aside to allow it to dry,” Jane said.

  “This would be a fun craft for kids,” Vicki said. “Might not be too messy.”

  “That’s true,” Cora said. “Now, let’s make about fifteen to twenty beads.”

  “That’s not enough for a necklace, is it?” Annie said.

  “No, we’ll be making bracelets, like this,” Cora said, holding up a bracelet.

  “Lovely!” Lena said.

  As the women worked and chatted, Cora tried to gauge their moods. These women were moms who were getting away for a weekend, and now they were all under suspicion of murder. She hoped that it didn’t drag them down too much, but it didn’t seem to. She watched Lena roll her beads. She arrived on the day of Stan’s murder. As did Roni, who still sweat profusely. But she was a bit older than the others. Maybe she was having a hot flash.

  “You’ll want to seal the fabric beads with the Mod Podge,” Jane said to Annie.

  Vera walked into the room. “Lena is next,” she announced.

  Lena stood and took a deep breath. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I certainly didn’t kill anybody. I guess it’s just the idea of being questioned by the police.”

  “It will be all right,” Vera said. “They’re polite, unlike some of the police I know in Cumberland Creek.”

  “Good to know,” Lena said, and exited the room.

  “Let’s see. What did I miss?” Vera said.

  “I’ll show you,” Annie replied.

  The space next to Roni was now empty. By Cora’s count, Roni would be next, and she’d be the last one.

  Annie showed Vera how to make the fabric beads. And the others were deep into their crafting.

  “It looks like they’re having fun,” Jane said in a low voice to Cora.

  Cora nodded. “I feel horrible about all of this.”

  “I know. Me too,” Jane said. “But don’t do anything foolish.”

  “What? What do you mean?”

  “I mean don’t let your feelings take over, and you give them back their money or something. We need it. We’re barely breaking even on this retreat. Lena was expensive,” Jane said.

  “I hadn’t thought about it,” Cora said. “I know our financial situation. Don’t worry.”

  “I know you,” Jane said. “I know your heart.”

  So far, there wasn’t a real problem. The craft retreat continued even though the police were here. “I can see no reason to refund money, at this point,” Cora said.

  “Good,” Jane said.

  A few minutes later, Detective Brodsky entered the craft room and pulled Cora aside. “We’ve apprehended your runaway crafter. I have one more to question here. Then I’ll have to leave.”

  “Have you gotten anywhere?”

  “No. Most of them didn’t get into town until too late, and they can prove it. Almost every minute of their time at home is scheduled. Jam-packed.”

  “Will you be questioning Jo?”

  He nodded. “That’s why I’ll be leaving, but we will still have officers at the doors.”

  “Okay, who’s next?”

  “I believe it’s that one.” He nodded in the direction of Roni.

  “Roni?” Cora called out, “You’re next.”

  Roni stood, just as Lena was entering the room.

  She walked toward the door, still sweating and pale. The closer she got to the door, the smaller she seemed to get, and suddenly she fell, landing on the floor with a thud.

  Chapter 35

  “Roni!” Cora said as she ran to her.

  “What on earth?” Ruby exclaimed.

  The crowds of crafters gasped and swarmed around as Cora tried to rouse Roni.

  “What’s happening?” Brodsky asked.

  “She’s fainted,” Jane replied.

  “Okay,” he said. “Everybody stand back and give the woman some air.”

  The women backed off, and some went back to their seat.

  “She was next,” Cora said, looking up at Brodsky. She gently patted her face. “Roni. Roni.”

  Roni’s eyelids fluttered.

  “Roni!” Cora said again.

  Brodsky stood next to them, crouched over, and said, “Maybe someone should get her some water. When she comes to, she’ll need it.”

  Ruby walked over to Roni’s seat and fetched her glass, which was still full of water. “Land sakes,” she said. “Maybe she’s dehydrated. She hasn’t drunk much of her water at all.”

  “She was next for questioning,” Annie said. “She was very nervous. I’ve been watching her.”

  Cora’s eyes met Annie’s. She wanted to ask if Annie had any money on her. She thought it best not to blurt it out in front of Brodsky. They were betting on who killed Stan, and it rubbed Cora the wrong way.

  “Roni!” Cora said.

  Roni lifted her eyelids. “Cora? What happened?”

  “You passed out, dear,” Cora said.

  She struggled to stand. Cora held her there. “Don’t move yet. Give yourself some time to get your bearings.”

  “I’m sorry,” she sobbed.

  “Sorry for what? You passed out,” Ruby said.

  The woman was crying, suddenly, a big, ugly cry, and gulping for air.

  “Can someone bring some tissues?” Cora asked, helping Roni to sit up on the floor.

  “Now, now,” Cora said. “It’s fine; you just passed out. No worries. You’ll be fine.”

  Ruby shoved a box of tissues into Roni’s hands. Roni took a tissue and blew her nose.

>   “You don’t understand,” she said. “None of you do.”

  “Did she hit her head when she fainted?” Jane said, edging her way toward them, crouching down. “Your eyes are dilated. You must have conked your head.”

  Roni examined her head. “Yes,” she said. “It hurts. I have a couple of bumps. Silly me.”

  “Maybe we should take her to the hospital to have her looked at,” Brodsky said.

  She jumped at the sound of his voice. Her face went white, mouth flung open.

  “I did it,” she said.

  “What’s that?” Cora said.

  “I did it,” she said with her voice trembling.

  “What did you do?” Ruby said.

  “I killed Stan!” she yelled. “I killed him.”

  The room silenced.

  “Now, Roni,” Lena said, moving in to be closer to her. “That hit on your head must have scrambled your brains.”

  “I’m serious,” she said, gasping for air. “I killed Stan.”

  Cora hushed her. “Don’t say another word.”

  “Why not? He was a bastard,” she said, standing up. “I didn’t mean to hurt him. How was I to know that one good push could kill a man?”

  “What? Hold on,” Brodsky said.

  “Take me away! I deserve it,” she said. “I deserve to rot in prison. I killed a man!” She sobbed, her face scrunching up.

  “I don’t understand!” Lena said. “What happened?”

  Cora’s arm circled Roni.

  “He hurt my daughter,” she said. “She was twelve!” The words came tumbling out of her. The women gasped. “When I saw him, standing in the alley, I just couldn’t help myself! I let him have it! He came at me, said she was messed up! I gave him one good shove and his head cracked on the cobblestones. And the blood ... all the blood.”

  Cora rubbed her shoulder. The poor woman, killing someone by accident. But that wasn’t murder. It was manslaughter, wasn’t it? In any case, Roni was going to need help and plenty of it. How did she get the body to the theater and when did she shove the blade into him? Cora surmised she’d answer those questions at the station.

  “Roni, is it?” Brodsky said.

  She nodded weakly.

  “I’m going to need you to come down to the station with me,” he said with a gentle tone.