Knitting With the Dead

by Nancy McGovern

  “If you win,” Nora pointed out.

  “If we win,” Natalie agreed. She sighed. “They’re both butting heads over it, basically.”

  “So put it to a vote,” Nora said.

  “Yeah, we did. Problem is, there’s only four of us.” Natalie grinned. “I sided with Maybelle, Jess and Brooke voted against. So, there you have it. Nobody will budge. It’s a deadlock.”

  “Well, you could just change your vote,” Nora pointed out.

  Natalie shifted uneasily and took a long sip of her coffee. “I would but…well, you know how Maybelle is.”

  “Actually, I don’t.” Nora grinned. “I mean, I know of her, but we’ve never really spoken beyond the most brief conversations.”

  “Well, May’s a fantastic best friend - she’s loyal and funny and all that. But she’s got a temper, and she’ll feel like I betrayed her.” Natalie rolled her eyes. “I know, super dramatic, but that’s how she is. She’s really big on loyalty. But now this has just boiled down into an ego battle now. May vs. Jess.”

  “Well…Jessica never struck me as someone with an ego. In fact, she’s always been really sweet. I remember last year, when I had a bad flare up of my arthritis, she knitted me some mittens,” Nora said. “Maybe you can talk her into changing her mind? You could always do her idea next year?”

  “Ah…yes.” Natalie nodded. “But the thing is…I think Jess has a grudge against May. She’s refusing to back down.”

  “Oh?” Nora raised an eyebrow. That didn’t sound much like the Jess she knew.

  “Yeah. You know I was thinking - everyone around town knows you. Maybe you could talk to them?” Natalie asked. “I mean, you’re Milburn’s resident-detective, diner-owner and diplomat, right?” She grinned.

  Nora laughed. “That last one’s new to me.”

  “Maybe I’m exaggerating a little. But I was thinking maybe if you can just figure out what grudge Jess has against May, it’d help a lot.”

  Nora laughed. “Sure. Why not?”

  “Oh, thanks a bunch!” Natalie grinned, looking relieved. “Right now, May’s being all passive-aggressive with Jessie and Brooke and those two are being cold to May and, well, I just really can’t stand it! I thought we grew out of all this in middle school, but apparently not!”

  Nora laughed. “You guys have known each other forever, right?”

  “Me and May? Pretty much,” Natalie confirmed. “May and I have been best friends since second grade. Jess moved to town when we were teens and we got to know her because we were all on the swim team together. Brooke and her husband, Peter, moved into town when we were all in our late twenties and she became a part of the group. In fact, the knitting group was her idea, originally.”

  “How long have you guys been knitting together?”

  “Five years now,” Natalie said. “We used to have other members, but nobody was as regular as the four of us. Still, if someone wants to join in for a session or two, they’re always welcome.”

  “Well,” Nora looked down at her hands, “I haven’t really had a bad arthritic flare up for a while now. I’m not sure if I can knit, though.”

  “That’s a pity. It’s so relaxing, you know? You’d love it. We chatter away, eat some goodies, drink some coffee, and our hands stay busy throughout. Well, it was relaxing. Before now.” Natalie looked glum.

  “Hey, don’t worry. Friends fight all the time. Usually, the argument ends just as fast as it began,” Nora said.

  “Not in this case,” Natalie retorted. “I think I’ll drown my sorrows with some more coffee, if you don’t mind.” She shook her cup at Nora, who refilled it. Eyeing the pie displayed on the counter, Natalie put a finger to her chin. “Maybe I should add some pie, too, if that’s possible.”

  Nora laughed. “I’d recommend it. Tina baked it earlier today.”

  Natalie took a closer look at the pie, which was vibrant green in color with a golden crust, and wrinkled her nose. “I’m not so sure. What is that, some new-age, healthy, spinach-y pie? I was in the mood for something sweet and decadent.”

  “This is pretty sweet and decadent,” Nora said. “Tina just took a trip to Japan and she’s come up with a Matcha and coconut pie.”

  “What’s Matcha?” Natalie asked.

  “It’s a powder formed from specially-grown green tea leaves,” Nora explained. “I love it, personally.”

  “And I love you!” Tina, Nora’s best friend and business partner, came bursting from the kitchen, a tray of food in hand. She blew a kiss at Nora, scurried away to serve the food, then hurried back to the counter.

  “What’s the gossip?” Tina asked, leaning back against the counter. “I haven’t seen Nat look so glum since her team lost the playoffs last season.”

  “We’re just trying to decide whether she wants a slice of that pie or not,” Nora said.

  “Yeah, I’m an out-of-the-box thinker at work but, when it comes to food, I like to keep it simple,” Natalie said. “Apple pie…sure. Blackberry pie…lovely. Pecan pie…eh, I’ll eat it if it’s in front of me. But a…what was it? Matcha Coconut? What were you thinking?!”

  “That’s the problem with people like you.” Tina swept her finger dramatically at Natalie. “Food shouldn’t just be about familiarity. There’s nothing wrong with stepping out of your comfort zone and letting your palate grow a bit!”

  Nora laughed. “Oh, please. You literally just made this so you could tell everyone who eats it about your time in Japan.”

  “Well…” Tina flushed. “Nothing wrong with that, either. I’ve traveled halfway across the globe. I deserve to talk about it for a little while.”

  “Alright, alright,” Natalie said, gesturing toward the pie. “Bring it on. I’ll eat the pie, I’ll hear your tale and, in return, Nora, you’re going to help me figure out the mystery of Jessie’s grudge.”

  “A new mystery?” Tina raised an eyebrow. “What’s this about? Did we have another murder in town? How come I haven’t heard about it?”

  “It’s nothing like that.” Nora laughed. “It’s just a spat between friends that I’m trying to peacefully resolve.”

  “Yeah, Tina. Don’t be so morbid,” Natalie said. “Murder?! Honestly, do you think we go about stabbing at each other with our knitting needles?”

  “Oh, is this the Stitchin’ Witches you’re talking about?” Tina asked. “Funny. I just served Jessie and Brooke earlier today.”

  “Jessie and Brooke were here?” Natalie looked surprised.

  “Sure. This morning. And they didn’t look too happy,” Tina said. “Didn’t sound too happy, either.”

  “What were they talking about?” Natalie asked eagerly.

  “Now now, young lady.” Tina waved her finger at Natalie once again. “You don’t think I go about eavesdropping on our wonderful, paying customers, do you?”

  “I don’t think anything.” Natalie winked. “I know you do. You’re notorious, Tina.”

  Tina looked genuinely mortified. “I am?”

  “I-” Natalie’s phone began buzzing. She looked at the screen and rolled her eyes. “This is a client. Would you excuse me? Actually, I think I’ll skip the pie and just pay for the coffee.” She dug in her pocket, drew out a dollar and nodded at Nora as she left.

  “Huh?” Tina frowned as Natalie left.

  “What?” Nora asked.

  Through the window they saw Natalie walk to her car, phone pressed against one ear. Her eyebrows were drawn together and she was scowling as she reversed her car out of the parking lot and sped away, with the phone still between her shoulder and ear.

  “Just seems funny that she lied to us,” Tina said.

  “Lied?” Nora looked at Tina sharply.

  “That wasn’t a client who called her,” Tina said. “I glanced at the phone as she picked up. The contact was saved as 'Babe'. Now who do you suppose that is?”

  “Natalie’s not married, is she?” Nora asked.

  “Nope. She was dating some guy named Charlie from Ja
ckson Hole for a while,” Tina said. “I know her friends absolutely hated him. Apparently he kept mooching off Natalie and never held down a job. Total bum. So, finally, she dumped him awhile ago. She’s been single for a few months now. Think she’s got a new mystery boyfriend?”

  “Maybe,” Nora considered. “He can’t stay a mystery for too long. Not here in Milburn.”

  “That’s true.” Tina laughed. “Speaking of which, I did eavesdrop on Brooke and Jessie earlier today.”

  “Of course, you did. Anything interesting?” Nora asked.

  “Ohhhh, yes,” Tina said, excited about spreading the gossip. “Jess was saying, 'I think a mutiny’s in order, don’t you?' and Brooke was nodding along. They both kept quiet after that till I was far away. I guess my reputation as a snoop really has gotten around.”

  “A mutiny?” Nora tapped her chin with a finger. “Funny choice of word, don’t you think?”

  Tina shrugged, “Well, as long as they aren’t planning to take over the diner in a military coup, I don’t care what the mutiny’s about!”

  Laughing, she and Nora carried on with their tasks, forgetting their conversation with Natalie as the diner got busier. That is, until later, when the conversation came back to haunt them both.

  *****

  Chapter 3

  Ripples In The Water

  Instead of heading back home that afternoon, Nora went to her gym. In a fit of determination, she’d joined about seven months earlier, and then promptly forgotten to ever go. It was only when she got a bill nudging her to pay next year’s fees that she’d woken up and decided to actually use the facilities she’d paid for. In the locker room, she quickly changed into a dark swimsuit and tucked her hair into a cap. The gym had a beautiful, heated pool that was nearly always deserted this time of day.

  Nora ducked underwater, swam a few laps and then floated onto her back, enjoying the water’s gentle embrace. Her youngest daughter, Hazel, had phoned her earlier and Nora’s mind was filled with a to-do list for Hazel’s upcoming birthday party.

  “Remember, Mom, nothing fancy. Ok? Just the four of us and a few friends over for dinner,” Hazel had warned her. “I mean, I’m turning twenty-seven. It’s time to get mature and all that.”

  “Mature doesn’t mean boring,” Nora had countered. “Twenty-seven’s a special age.”

  “Save all that energy for Kaylee’s birthday party. She’s still a kid, I’m not,” Hazel had said, laughing.

  But to Nora, she was and she always would be. As she floated in the water, Nora planned the birthday cake in her head. Hazel loved coconut cream cakes. Or maybe she could just make macaroons instead. Hazel loved those, too. Or both! Then there were the classics, like the Victorian sponge cake with jam that Hazel so loved. So many choices… Nora took a deep breath and righted herself.

  She saw that another woman was in the pool, practicing her strokes at the far end. As Nora began to swim towards the shallow side, the woman quickly swam up to her.

  “Hey, Mrs. Nathaniel.” Brooke Welsh smiled up at her.

  “Brooke!” Nora smiled back. Brooke and Peter were friends of Harvey’s. Peter was a dynamic, young lawyer, specializing in environmental issues, and there were rumors around town that he was planning to run for mayor soon. As for Brooke, when she wasn’t knitting with the Stitchin’ Witches or looking after her two young children, she was on the school board, helping sort out Milburn’s educational system.

  “I had an hour in between picking the boys up from school,” Brooke said. “It’s nice to just play around in the water like a ten-year-old sometimes. Do you come here often?”

  “Hopefully, I’ll soon be a regular.” Nora smiled. “I’ve been trying to create an exercise routine for a while. But I've just been too lazy.”

  “Oh, believe me, I know the feeling.” Brooke agreed. “It’s so hard to find time to work out.”

  Somehow, Nora didn’t believe her. Brooke was one of those people who looked like they spent hours on the treadmill each day. She was wiry-thin, with the glowing skin of someone who regularly works up a sweat. As a matter of fact, Brooke was the last person Nora would have pictured as a knitter. A rock-climber or a marathon runner, maybe. But the kind of calm, gentle person who loved to knit? No. It just showed - you couldn’t judge a book by the cover. After all, according to Natalie, Brooke had been the one to start the club.

  Remembering her promise to Natalie, Nora prodded Brooke gently. “No knitting meetup today?”

  “Oh, that. We rescheduled for next week. Jess had some chores and Natalie was busy with a client, apparently.” Brooke shrugged.

  “Is that the only reason?” Nora asked. “I heard some disagreements have cropped up between you four.”

  Brooke immediately grew defensive. “Who told you that? Maybelle? She’s so full of drama sometimes.”

  “Errr…no. Just something I overheard.” Nora shifted a bit. “About her and Jess having different ideas on what to knit this year.”

  Brooke rolled her eyes. “I love Maybelle, she’s creative and fun. But she’s a little stubborn sometimes. If she thinks something’s right, then it’s her way or the highway. Jess has a great idea, but Maybelle can’t stand ideas that aren’t her own. We’re sort of at a standstill, but I’m sure she’ll come around eventually. She has to.”

  “Or else a mutiny is in order?” Nora dropped the words carefully, paying particular attention to Brooke’s face.

  Brooke looked shocked for a second but quickly composed herself. “Did Tina overhear me and Jess? We suspected she did, you know.”

  Nora shrugged, giving nothing away.

  “Ah, I might as well tell you. You might talk some sense into May.” Brooke said. “She’s always insisted on leading our club, you know, although all four of us should be equals. Most of the time, we just let her have her way because she’s so passionate and she’s genuinely creative. But this time, I think she’s being ridiculous. She won’t even entertain Jessie’s idea. She threatened to leave our club. Can you believe it?”

  “Why not just back down, then?” Nora asked.

  Brooke shook her head. “If raising toddlers has taught me one thing, it’s that you never give in to a tantrum.”

  Nora laughed. “Truer words have never been spoken.”

  “Exactly! May has to realize that, just because she’s convinced of something, it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for everyone!” Brooke exclaimed. “Some of us have our own ways of doing things!” There was such heat in her voice that, for a second, Nora was taken aback. As if she knew she’d crossed some invisible line, Brooke hastily added. “I mean, it’s not her fault, really. May’s great. I guess she just has her own problems.”

  “What problems?”

  Brooke smiled. “May’s an excellent photographer, but things aren't going so well. I know she was planning to expand her career in some way, but it’s not always easy to figure out how. She’s had all sorts of wild ideas. She’s talked about opening her own Etsy knitting store. She’s been taking videos of herself doing yoga and adding them to her Instabook account hoping to get more followers. She nearly even got sucked into a multi-level marketing scheme, till I told her it was a fraud. But, basically, she’s frustrated. So, since her career’s at a standstill, she’s become extra attached to the knitting club. It’s the one thing that’s hers. But it’s ours, too, and she can’t just bully us around.”

  “Well, if she’s having a hard time, maybe part of being a good friend is supporting her,” Nora said gently.

  Brooke flushed a little. “I do support her. I just don’t support bad behavior. If you ask me, Natalie’s the one you should talk to. If she backed me and Jess, May would quiet down. But Nat’s never going to do that. She’s too afraid of May.”

  “Afraid?” Nora raised her eyebrow.

  “Well, they’ve been friends forever, and there’s nothing about Nat that May doesn’t know,” Brooke said. With a laugh, she added, “They’re more loyal to each other than husbands
and wives are nowadays. Stupidly so sometimes.”

  “It’s good to have friends like that,” Nora said, thinking of Tina.

  “Yeah, I know. I really do love May, you know,” Brooke said. “To be honest, even I’m surprised at how serious this feud has gotten.”

  “It’s not just about the knitting, is it?” Nora asked. “It can’t be. There’s more to it.”

  Brooke bit her lip. “Yeah. I guess there is. I think I know what it is, too.”

  “There you are!” A voice called out from the doorway and both Nora and Brooke turned around. Maybelle strode to the edge of the pool, her face tight. She was wearing a maroon dress with grey heels and tights, and was holding a backpack across her chest. “We need to talk, Brooke. Right now.”

  “May?” Brooke looked at Nora and back again at her friend. “Not now, alright? Some other time.”

  “Just get out of the pool, will you?” Maybelle rolled out her words, giving Nora a sideways glance.

  “I-” Brooke looked uncertainly at Nora one more time. “I really don’t want to talk right now, okay?”

  “You never want to talk to me these days,” May said. “It’s about time you faced me, Brooke.”

  “May, just stop it!” Brooke’s face was red. “We’re in a public space, don’t make a scene!”

  “Actually, I’m just leaving,” Nora said, trying to defuse the awkwardness of the situation. “You two can have the place to yourselves.”

  “Thanks.” Maybelle tossed her curly black hair and rolled her shoulders like a boxer getting warmed up. She was so focused on Brooke that she barely looked at Nora.

  “Bye, Nora,” Brooke said in a small voice. Nora gave her a last glance as she wrapped a towel around herself. Strangely, she remembered what Natalie had said - "I thought we grew out of this in middle school.” Brooke had been the picture of a confident young woman just two minutes earlier, yet thirty seconds in the same room as Maybelle and she seemed to regress into a thirteen-year-old who was about to get reprimanded by the head cheerleader. Yet, in the tilt of Brooke’s chin, Nora could see that she was determined not to bow down to Maybelle.