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.