Killer Hooks, page 23
“Just like I said. Those high heels are what killed her,” Rhoda said, giving her Crocs a grateful look.
“Pink,” Adele said, forgetting that she had started calling me Molly. “Why didn’t you tell me about all this? You ruined my party business.”
“More like she saved it,” Dinah said, looking to me.
“The party is back on with a bonus for you, and Marlowe is reinstated in the mommy group,” I said, remembering how grateful Taylor was that I had settled the whole situation with Margo once and for all.
• • •
A few weeks had gone by and things had settled down. I finally took a couple of days off. Lily was charged with three counts of murder and Miles was charged with second-degree manslaughter. They were too caught up in their defenses to worry about being in the mommy group and dropped out before they could be asked to leave.
I got Adele to make Roberta a permanent part of the party team as she prepared for Taylor’s son’s party. Adele was surprisingly gracious about everything and was completely agreeable about doing a special story-time with the mommy group. When Adele understood why Rance Junior was acting up, she agreed to give him another chance and let him stay. She gave him special treatment and his behavior issues subsided.
Peter realized that saying that when one door closes another one opens was true. He lost the financing money from Miles, but when Taylor heard who I really was and what I’d been doing for Peter, she got him together with her husband and they made a deal that was far better for Peter and had a real future. It was better than anything with Miles would have been.
My son decided to give a party both to celebrate his daughter’s birth, a little late, and that his production was getting off the ground at last. Of course, he did it at my house since his apartment was too small. Gabby had announced her return, which meant it was kind of a goodbye party for Marlowe. I had all kinds of mixed emotions. Even so, Peter said that going forward he wasn’t going to let Gabby keep Marlowe a prisoner and he was going to insist on part custody—at my house. I pushed myself to get out of my bedroom, where the dogs and cats were spending the evening, and into the living room where I could help play host.
Instead of a stiff party meant to impress, Peter had gone with something warmer and more fun. My father had taken charge of the food and there were copious amounts of comfort dishes instead of tidbits served on a silver tray. The She La Las and Samuel were the entertainment and Marlowe was in the middle of things sailing around the room in her foot-powered chair.
People were just beginning to arrive, but everything came to a standstill when Gabby walked in with her mother. She gave us all a look of horror as she saw her daughter cruising around the crowd. “What is she wearing?” she shrieked, looking at the comfortable shirt and pants the baby wore. “Where are all her dresses and hair bows? She should be wearing those Mary Janes I got for her instead of being barefoot.”
“Lighten up,” her mother said to her as she smiled and waved to my parents. “These people know how to have fun. You could learn something.” She went over and hung by the She La Las and did a little of their dance steps.
When I saw Mason come in, I froze. I knew that Peter had invited him, but I thought under the circumstances he might not come. I should have known that he would not be put off by confronting me. He was used to going to court and confronting people all the time. Dealing with me was probably just small change.
I really appreciated that he had not let our breakup interfere with his helping Peter. And I certainly wanted to thank him for suggesting that Peter use my sleuthing skills to check up on Miles Langford. If he gave me the death stare in response, so be it.
He saw that I was making my way toward him and met me halfway. I tried to say something, but with the music and crowd, it was impossible to hear and I suggested we go outside.
The yard seemed silent after all the commotion in the house. I rushed to say my piece and Mason seemed surprised.
“I like Peter and I’m glad to advise him. And suggesting to have you ferret out what you could about Miles Langford,” he said with a smile. “Well, it turned out to be good advice.” He glanced around the yard at the orange trees full of fragrant blossoms. “You did such a good job, I have a proposition. I have PIs working for me, but there are times when they just aren’t right. I need someone who blends in and people share gossip with. Would you consider working for me?”
I was stunned by his offer. “Are you sure you want to do that after the way things turned out?” I said.
“I get it, you don’t want any connection,” he said. “I should have figured it when you said you were sorry you couldn’t even handle talking to me when we met at the pet store, and the way you took off when I was coming over to your table at the food place by my house.”
“What?” I said, perplexed by his comments. “You gave me the death stare at the pet store and when I said I was sorry, it was for what a mess I’d made of everything. If it’s any consolation, it was a complete disaster and Barry is back with Carol. As for the restaurant, I took off to avoid another cold stare from you.”
“Oh,” he said, genuinely surprised. “I wasn’t aware that I gave you a death stare.” There was an awkward moment and it seemed like neither of us knew what to say.
His face softened. “It doesn’t have to be personal, but I’d really like to have your help. I already have a case I’d like you to work on.” He assured me I could keep my job at the bookstore and whatever else I had going on. We looked through the glass door as Marlowe came through the kitchen on her foot-powered chair and we could hear that the She La Las were starting up a new number.
“I better go inside,” I said.
“Will you at least think about it,” he said.
I nodded with a smile. “I already have. You know your offer is too good to refuse. How about you start by telling me about the case.”
CeeCee’s Granny Square Stripe Blanket
This uses the combination of clusters and spaces as in a traditional granny square, but creates a straight line of stitches instead of a square. Rather than give a specific pattern, these are basic instructions that can be used to make different-sized blankets. The stripes can go lengthwise or the width of the blanket.
It is a good project to use leftover yarn with. The rows can be alternated with black yarn or it can all be done in colors. Once the first two rows are done, it is a repetition of two rows that are slightly different from each other. One row has a single double crochet at the beginning and end of the row. The other has two double crochets at the beginning and end of the row. Change colors at the end of a row, when there are two loops on the hook for the last stitch, finish the stitch with the new color. You can fasten off the old color or carry it along. If you carry the yarn along, do an edging around the finished blanket to cover the carried along yarn. Adding picot stitches to the edging will give it a nice look. To do the picot edging, chain three and then single crochet into the bottom chain and attached to the next stitch.
There is no set hook size, though CeeCee likes using a J-10 (6mm) or K-10-1/2 (6.5mm).
Chain a multiple of 3, plus 1.
.
Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, sc to the end. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 & dc in the same stitch (the ch3 counts as a dc), *skip 2 stitches, 3dc in the next stitch*, repeat from *to* until there are 3 stitches left, skip two stitches 2dc in the last stitch. Turn.
Row 3: Chain 3 (counts as dc), 3 dc cluster in the space, continue 3 dc clusters in spaces, dc in last stitch. Turn.
Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc) dc in same stitch, 3 dc cluster in space, continue 3dc cluster in spaces, making 2dc in last stitch. Turn.
Repeat Rows 3 & 4 until desired length or width.
Last Row: Sc across, fasten off. Weave in the ends.
Edging as desired.
To make different-sized blankets, make a swatch and figure out the gauge of how many stitches per inch, then multiply depending on the finished size desired.
Approximate sizes for blankets.
Toddler: 42" by 52"
Lapghan: 40" by 48"
Small Throw: 52" by 60"
Large Throw: 60" by 72"
Bob’s Eggy Squares
1 pound frozen spinach, defrosted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 eggs
⅓ cup half-and-half
seasoning salt to taste
sour cream and sliced scallions for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper.
Squeeze excess liquid out of spinach using a colander. Arrange the spinach in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the spinach.
Crack eggs one by one into a cup, making sure there are no shells, and then pour into a medium-sized bowl. Beat with a whisk. Add half-and-half and seasoning salt, mixing until blended. Pour egg mixture evenly over the spinach and cheese.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the center is not jiggly.
Let sit for approximately 10 minutes, cut in squares. Add a generous dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of scallion slices.
Books by Betty Hechtman
Crochet Mysteries
Hooked on Murder
Dead Men Don't Crochet
By Hook or By Crook
A Stitch in Crime
You Better Knot Die
Behind the Seams
If Hooks Could Kill
For Better or Worsted
Knot Guilty
Seams Like Murder
Hooking for Trouble
On the Hook
Hooks Can Be Deceiving
One for the Hooks
Killer Hooks
Yarn Retreat Mysteries
Yarn to Go
Silence of the Lamb’s Wool
Wound up in Murder
Gone with the Wool
A Tangled Yarn
Inherit the Wool
Knot on Your Life
But Knot for Me
Knot a Game
Writer for Hire Mysteries
Murder Ink
Writing a Wrong
Making It Write
Sentenced to Death
About the Author
Betty Hechtman is the national bestselling author of the Crochet Mysteries, the Yarn Retreat Mysteries, and the Writer for Hire Mysteries. Handicraft and writing are her passions and she is thrilled to be able to combine them in both of her series.
Betty grew up on the South Side of Chicago and has a degree in Fine Art. Since College, she has studied everything from improv comedy to magic. She has had an assortment of professions, including volunteer farm worker picking fruit on a kibbutz tucked between Lebanon and Syria, nanny at a summer resort, waitress at a coffee house, telephone operator, office worker at the Writer’s Guild, public relations assistant at a firm with celebrity clients, and newsletter editor at a Waldorf school. She has written newspaper and magazine pieces, short stories, screenplays, and a middle-grade mystery, Stolen Treasure. She lives with her family and stash of yarn in Southern California.
See BettyHechtman.com for more information, excerpts from all her books, and photos of all the projects of the patterns included in her books. She blogs on Fridays at Killerhobbies.blogspot.com, and you can join her on Facebook at BettyHechtmanAuthor.
Betty Hechtman, Killer Hooks
