Cast On, Kill Off (A Knitting Mystery)

by Sefton, Maggie

  “Strapless, huh?” Steve said, his gaze sweeping over Kelly. “That’s coming off.”

  Kelly snickered, watching Steve’s comical leer and her friends nearly fall off their chairs laughing. Burt spilled his wine; so did Mimi, Pete, and Jennifer. Lisa dribbled beer down the front of her blouse, while Greg spewed Fat Tire halfway across the table. Jayleen hooted loudly, and Curt nearly did fall off his chair, he laughed so hard.

  “Maybe we should wait till after the wedding,” Kelly suggested with a sly smile.

  “No promises.” Steve grinned at her, then pushed away from the table. “I’m making a run for Megan’s steak. Greg, you distract Marty.”

  “You got it,” Greg said as he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and stood up.

  Kelly sipped her wine and watched Steve and Greg stalk Megan’s steak. Greg distracted Marty, as promised, and Kelly watched Steve slice off a hunk of Megan’s unattended steak, holding his prize aloft for a moment to several cheers. Greg was about to repeat the stealth maneuver, Kelly noticed, until Marty—true to form—realized what was happening. The fiery redhead leaped from his chair, steak knife held high, and proclaimed ownership over all beef at his end of the table.

  Kelly joined her friends’ laughter, watching both sets of relatives join in the fun. Wedding festivities had turned medieval. She wondered if the English Wars of the Roses had started off like this.

  “Hey, Kelly-girl.” Jayleen grinned at her from amid the noisy hoopla. “My ranch house door will be open during tomorrow’s wedding reception. Just in case you and Steve want to slip away for a while.”

  Kelly returned Cowgirl Jayleen’s grin. “I’ll keep that in mind, Jayleen.”

  Twenty

  “Man, I could use a cup of coffee right about now,” Kelly said as she stretched her jeans-clad legs in front of her.

  “I’ll make some.” Jennifer sprang from Lisa’s maple rocking chair near the fireplace in the great room and walked into the kitchen.

  It wasn’t cold enough for a fire yet, but it would be soon, Kelly thought as she scooped up a handful of cashews from one of the plates on the coffee table. The other three plates were empty. Cheese ball, pizza rolls, hummus dip with veggies, all gone.

  The four friends sprawled across the furniture in Lisa and Greg’s great room. Kelly gathered her empty Fat Tire bottle and an empty wineglass and followed Jennifer. “I think we can safely say your parents and sister had a great time at the rehearsal dinner, Megan. I’m not surprised they left here early. They looked really tired.” She dumped the ale bottle into the recycle bin and started loading used wineglasses into the open dishwasher.

  “Yeah, your dad’s eyelids were drooping,” Lisa teased from her favorite armchair.

  “Well, don’t you guys fall asleep on me,” Megan declared from her perch on the sofa. “I’m not a bit sleepy.”

  “You are so wired,” Jennifer said from the kitchen as she started the coffeemaker.

  “I cannot believe you’re still standing after all that champagne,” Kelly said, collecting the remaining empty glasses from the coffee table.

  “It’s adrenaline,” Lisa decreed with a sage smile. “By this time tomorrow after the wedding, she’ll crash. Marty, too.”

  “Then we’ll crash together.” Megan giggled and gobbled down some cashews. “Wow, I wish we had more of those appetizers left. I must have inhaled a dozen of each.”

  “That’s because you didn’t have your steak,” Kelly teased, loading more glasses into the dishwasher. Spying a half-empty glass across the room, she went to retrieve it. However, Megan beat her to it.

  “Boy, those cashews made me thirsty,” Megan said before tossing down the rest of the greenish mixture.

  “Megan! That was your sister’s margarita,” Kelly scolded.

  “Oh, Lord,” Jennifer said from the kitchen. “Tequila doesn’t mix with champagne, wine, and beer. At least it didn’t when I tried back in my bar-hopping days.”

  “Give her a glass of water,” Lisa decreed from her chair. “Dilute all that liquor she’s been drinking.”

  “I have not!” protested Megan as she handed Kelly the empty glass. “I’ve been drinking champagne and wine.” She gave a sniff.

  Kelly filled the empty glass with cold water and handed it to Megan. “That coffee smells ready. Whatever you do, Megan, don’t drink any. The last thing you need is caffeine.”

  “Amen,” Jennifer said as she poured a cup for Kelly. “Why don’t you take a hot shower, Megan. It’ll relax you, and you can fall asleep.”

  “But I don’t want to go to sleep,” Megan protested. “I told you, I’m wide awake.”

  “Well, I’m getting sleepy,” Lisa teased from her comfy armchair.

  “Don’t you dare,” Megan playfully threatened.

  Kelly took a big drink of coffee. Clearly, it was going to be a long night. “Megan has been going nonstop all day and all evening,” she whispered to Jennifer. “She’s bound to crash sometime, isn’t she?” Kelly took another deep drink, inhaling the caffeine.

  “One would hope,” Jennifer said with a wry smile. “It would be better if it’s tonight rather than tomorrow, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

  Kelly watched Megan and Lisa tease and joke with each other, then she checked her watch. Again. It was already after eleven o’clock. She and Steve had plans of their own for tonight. She took another drink of coffee, pondering. Megan was still going strong. Running on adrenaline. Meanwhile, what was left of tonight was slipping away.

  Just then she heard a beep from her cell phone, signaling a text message. Kelly pulled the phone from her jeans pocket, thinking Steve might have texted her. Instead, the message was from Burt. Short, succinct, and satisfying.

  Zoe’s blood found on Vera’s jacket sleeve. We’ve got her.

  Kelly read the message again and smiled. Vera had tripped up herself. She never noticed the tiny blood drops. Easy to miss on a dark jacket. Kelly shoved the phone back into her pocket, glanced over at her friends, then made a decision. She drained her cup and set it firmly on the counter.

  “Megan, you’re a sweetheart, and I love you to death. But you’ll have to excuse me. Steve and I made some plans of our own for tonight, so I’ve gotta go. See you guys tomorrow at Megan’s house before we leave for the canyon.” She gave her friends a big smile and headed for Lisa’s foyer, where she’d left her cowboy boots.

  “Going to get your man, huh?” Jennifer teased with a big grin.

  “But he’s at the bachelor party with the guys!” Lisa called after her.

  “What?” Megan bounced up from the sofa. “You’re going to the Sunset Saloon?”

  Kelly pulled on her boots. “I sure am. Don’t worry, Megan. We’ll set the alarm for tomorrow.” She gave her friends a wicked grin. “We’ll be sure to wake up in time for the wedding.” With that, Kelly was out the door.

  * * *

  “Who’s that blond girl talking to Steve at the bar?” Pete asked, looking across the crowded cowboy saloon.

  “Who knows?” Greg said, tipping back his Fat Tire. “Steve’s a chick magnet.”

  “Good thing Kelly isn’t here,” Pete said with a crooked smile.

  Marty laughed. “You got that right. Man, am I glad they got it together before the wedding. No more walking on eggshells around them.” He shook his curly red head, then took another drink of his dark stout.

  “And no more sad country songs,” Greg said louder as Steve returned to their table. “You can dump those off your playlist, right? Even Kelly won’t want to ride with you.”

  “Hey, some of them are good songs,” Steve joked as he set his beer on the table and reclaimed his chair. He glanced around. Tables were full, and so was the dance floor. Couples of all ages were doing the Texas two-step, some better than others. He took a long drink of his Fat Tire. “Man, this place is packed.”

  “Friday night busy,” Pete said as he looked over his shoulder. “Hey, here comes Curt.” He waved over his h
ead.

  Steve jumped out of his chair and offered it to Curt when he walked up. “Hey, Curt, have a seat. What can I get you?”

  Curt settled into the chair, removed his Stetson, and placed it on his knee. “Thank you, son. I’ll take a shot of whiskey. I just moseyed on down here to see how you boys were doing,” he said with a sly smile as Steve headed for the bar. “Checking to see if my nephew was sober enough to take his vows tomorrow.”

  Marty grinned. “I can still remember my name, so that’s a good sign.”

  Curt looked around the saloon. “I thought Bill and Jeff and Randy would be here.”

  “They were here for a while, danced with a couple of girls, then left to check out some more bars,” Marty said with a smile.

  “Ah, the single life,” Greg teased. “Enjoy tonight. Because tomorrow you’ll be a married man.”

  Curt snorted. “How long have you and Lisa been together?”

  “Uhhhh, let me think . . . seven years.”

  “That sounds married to me. As good as,” Curt retorted.

  “Whoa . . . I don’t believe it,” Pete said, turning around in his chair. “Look who’s coming.”

  Marty, Greg, and Curt all turned toward the saloon’s entrance as Kelly walked through the barroom crowd, heading toward the bar.

  “Hey, it’s Kelly!” Marty grinned, waving at her over his head. Kelly waved back, trying to make her way past two cowboys who were obviously trying to get her attention.

  “I’ll be damned.” Greg rocked his chair up and waved at Kelly, then pointed toward the bar, where Steve was waiting for the bartender.

  “Well, well, that takes a lot of guts.” Curt chuckled. “I’m not surprised. Those two have a lot of catching up to do.”

  * * *

  Steve dropped a bill on the bar top as he watched the bartender pour the aged whiskey into a glass. Suddenly he heard an oh-so-familiar voice beside him.

  “Buy you a drink, Cowboy?”

  Kelly. He felt his pulse speed up as he turned and saw her smiling at him. All right. “You sure can, Cowgirl,” he said with a grin.

  “You shootin’ whiskey? Damn, I wanted you sober tonight.”

  She leaned on the bar like he was, only a few inches away. Laughter in her eyes, and that light he’d missed for so long. He was afraid he’d never see it again.

  “This is for Curt. I’m wide awake.”

  “Aren’t you tired of playing with these cowboys? Why don’t we go home and play?”

  Just then, another voice sounded close by. A higher-pitched female voice. Steve looked over Kelly’s shoulder. Aw, crap!

  * * *

  “Uh-oh . . .” Pete said, rising out of his chair. “Blonde approaching on Kelly’s starboard bow.” He set his beer aside and dug out his smartphone.

  “What? You’ve gotta be kidding!” Greg sprang from his chair. “That’s the chick who was at the bar talking to him. Crap!”

  “Oh, no . . .” Marty set his beer on the table and stood. “Kelly just got here. Jeeeez!”

  “Blondie is about to make a big mistake,” Curt opined sagely, staring at the bar.

  A tall guy wearing a denim shirt, jeans, and a Stetson paused beside Pete, then pointed at the four of them staring at the bar. “What’re you guys looking at? The blonde or the brunette? I’ve had my eye on that tall one ever since she walked in the door.”

  “The tall brunette is making up with her boyfriend at the bar, but that blonde could throw a wrench into the whole thing,” Pete said, holding up his smartphone while he filmed the drama about to begin. “Uh-oh . . . did she just touch Kelly?”

  “Damn!”

  “Why? Are they gonna fight?” Tall Cowboy asked, eyes alight. “Good. Then maybe I can make my move. Hey, Charlie!” he yelled at another table. “Check it out!” He pointed toward the bar.

  Kelly turned and noticed the blond girl. Blondie stood, hands on hips, talking to Kelly.

  “Uh-oh . . . Kelly’s giving her the ‘look,’” Greg said, shaking his head.

  “Oh, man . . .” Marty said. “This is not good.”

  Tall Cowboy’s eyes lit up. “What’ll the brunette do?”

  “If Kelly gets really pissed, there’s no telling.”

  “Hey, Charlie.” Tall Cowboy waved at his table of friends. “We’re gonna have a little action here. I’ve got twenty on the brunette.” He dug out his wallet from his back pocket as his friends laughed and turned their attention toward the bar.

  Blondie was still talking at Kelly, while Kelly watched her with a mixture of semi-annoyance. Steve was leaning on the bar, shaking his head.

  Charlie walked over, took off his Stetson, and both he and Tall Cowboy dropped twenty-dollar bills inside. “I’m betting on the blonde. I’ve seen her here before, and she’s feisty.” Then he held the hat out to Greg, Marty, and Curt.

  Greg sneered. “Fiesty, huh? Kelly eats feisty for breakfast.” He dug out his wallet and dropped a twenty into the hat. “Twenty on the brunette.”

  “Hey, anybody else wanna bet on the blonde?” Charlie called out, his friends gathering around. Several of them pulled out their wallets as they laughed and dropped money into the hat.

  “Aw, hell,” Marty said. “I can’t pass on a sure thing. Twenty on the brunette. Blondie is outgunned.” He pulled out his wallet.

  “Outgunned, huh? I like it,” Tall Cowboy said, eyes dancing.

  Curt chuckled. “Blondie is sailing into some pretty dangerous waters in a little sloop. She doesn’t know what she’s up against.”

  “Okay, I was in the Navy,” Tall Cowboy said. “If the blonde’s a sloop, what’s the brunette?”

  “A destroyer,” Marty and Greg chimed together as everyone laughed.

  “Fast and lethal. She’s battle-tested, too,” Curt added with a grin. He pulled out his wallet and dropped two twenties into the hat. “I’m bettin’ on the warship.”

  “Hey, I did a stint in the Navy,” a skinny cowboy said, checking out the conversation at the bar. “I’ll take the blonde. I like the cut of her jib.” He dropped some bills into the hat and smiled.

  “What the hell is a jib?” Greg asked Marty, who shrugged and shook his head.

  Curt cackled. “Don’t worry about it, boys.”

  Pete simply laughed and continued to film the soap opera in progress.

  * * *

  “Look, I was already talking to this guy, so why don’t you move your little act down the bar,” Blondie declared with a shake of her curls.

  Steve leaned his head in his hand. He couldn’t believe it. He and Kelly were about to head out to the dance floor, when some half-drunk bimbo decides to make a play for him. Damn! Everything was coming together, and now . . .

  Kelly stood up, then glanced over at Steve. She had her “I’m getting pissed” look. Steve met her gaze. “Don’t hurt her, Kelly.”

  Kelly gave him a sly smile, then turned toward the blonde again. Steve sat on the edge of the bar stool . . . ready for god-knows-what.

  “Hey, honey, I’m talkin’ to you!” Blondie said, shaking her curls again. She came up to Kelly’s nose.

  Blondie’s voice had gotten louder, and Steve glanced around. Everybody in this part of the Sunset Saloon was watching the confrontation with obvious interest. He spotted Marty and Greg standing with a group of guys, talking and pointing, like they were . . . no . . . they couldn’t be . . . hell, they were! They were taking bets! Crap!

  “I said to move on down the bar!” Blondie demanded. “I’m with this guy!”

  Kelly put her hands on her hips, matching Blondie’s pose, and stepped closer. Toe-to-toe. “Back off, Blondie,” Kelly said, loud enough to be heard in the betting gallery.

  Loud male cheers and hoots of laughter sounded. Kelly leveled her gaze on the woman in front of her.

  Blondie blinked, clearly not sober enough to evaluate the consequences of her actions. “Hey! Don’t you threaten me!” She reached out and pushed Kelly. Kelly barely moved.

  The sal
oon erupted then in roars of male laughter as more people inched closer to the two women. Steve noticed Marty and Greg’s new friends passing the hat around again. Crap.

  Shouts of “You gonna take that?” and “Don’t give up, Blondie!” and “She’s gettin’ madder!”

  “She’s drunk, Kelly,” Steve told her with a crooked smile.

  “I know,” Kelly replied, smiling at Steve over her shoulder. Then she turned back to Blondie. In one swift movement, Kelly grabbed Blondie’s left hand, spun her around, and squeezed Blondie’s palm . . . in just the right place.

  Blondie squealed like a stuck pig, while the saloon erupted in hoots of laughter and applause.

  “Sober up, Blondie,” Kelly said, handing off the squealing woman to a nearby cowboy, who willingly put his arm around the protesting blonde.

  “You hurt me!” Blondie whined, rubbing her palm.

  Steve smiled, relieved that Kelly had disposed of Blondie with good humor intact. His gut unclenched. Damn. He tossed down Curt’s whiskey and signaled the bartender.

  “Hey, I was about to drink that,” Kelly teased, pointing to the glass. “I deserve it. Patience under fire, or whatever.”

  “I’m ordering more.” Steve held up two fingers to the bartender.

  Suddenly Tall Cowboy strode up to Kelly and dropped to one knee in front of her, doffed his Stetson, and held it over his heart. “Don’t waste any more of your time with him, darlin’. He’s been out flirtin’ with Blondie and leavin’ you alone.” Tall Cowboy looked up at Kelly with an engaging smile. “Now if you were mine, I’d never leave you alone on a Friday night. No way!”

  “What the hell?” Steve cried, staring at Tall Cowboy. Where’d this guy come from?

  Laughter erupted again and bounced around the bar. Kelly glanced around, then fixed Tall Cowboy with a winning smile. “I’ll bet you wouldn’t, Cowboy,” she teased.

  Tall Cowboy dropped his hat and placed both hands over his heart. “Darlin’, you had me at ‘Back off!’” Loud whoops rose around the saloon.