Free Shear Trouble by Elizabeth Craig

witnessed anything that seemed important. Did you?”
    Martha’s eyes hardened. “I certainly did. I saw that Phyllis lost her shears. And then I saw that she’d found them again. That’s what I witnessed. I don’t understand why Ramsay is trying to talk to people when it’s clear who is responsible for Jason’s death. Phyllis.”
    “Phyllis says that her shears were taken from her and that anyone could have murdered Jason with them,” said Beatrice. “She thinks that maybe someone was trying to set her up by taking her shears and using them for the crime.”
    “Well, of course she says that. Wouldn’t you?” Martha gave a short laugh. “The facts are that Phyllis’s shears were responsible for killing my Jason.” Her eyes filled again with tears. “I suppose she thinks that
I’m
somehow behind Jason’s death. Since she thinks someone is setting her up, it’s pretty definite that she’d blame me.”
    “Which is ridiculous, of course,” murmured Beatrice.
    “Naturally! Does she think that I went out in the store, stabbed Jason, and returned to quilting withouteven a wrinkle or a spot on my white outfit? She’s insane. Or desperately trying to switch blame from herself over to me.”
    Beatrice said, “So you didn’t leave the conference room or notice anyone else who did?”
    “I was very, very busy with my grandmother’s flower garden pattern, actually. It’s a tough pattern—have you attempted one, Beatrice?”
    Beatrice shook her head. “Those hexagons—they seemed as if they might be tricky.”
    “If you had, you’d know what I mean. You really have to focus on it,” said Martha smoothly. “And it’s all hand-stitched. The hexagon pieces are paper pieced.”
    “You didn’t get up even once from it?” asked Beatrice. “Not even with all the snacks to tempt you?”
    “Perhaps I got up once,” said Martha slowly. “One quilter came back in the back room with some really yummy-looking cake that I understand June Bug made. And June Bug is such a fabulous cook, as well as a housekeeper—you know she helps me out a couple of times a week. I do believe I got a slice of cake at one point, but then I got right back to work on my quilt.”
    Beatrice knew that Martha had left the room more than once. She knew this because she’d been keeping an eye on both Phyllis and Martha. The two women had certainly seemed to be gearing up for some kind of fight, and Beatrice was going to try to defuse the situation before it happened—mostly for poor Posy’s sake.“I could have sworn that you left the room more than once, Martha,” said Beatrice.
    Martha’s eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to investigate Jason’s death?” she asked coldly. “Really, Beatrice. I think that’s something better left to the police. Don’t you?” Her hands tightened on the fabric she was holding in her lap. She glanced around the store for a moment as if trying to collect herself. “I might have gone back into the store for a napkin. It was a very moist cake, you see.”
    “I know you think that Phyllis is behind this, but is there anyone else that you can think of who might have wanted to do Jason harm?” asked Beatrice.
    “Jason was a
lovely
person,” said Martha in a censorious tone.
    “I’m sure that he was.”
    “It’s very difficult for me to imagine that
anyone
would want to do him harm.” She gave Beatrice a stern look.
    “Of course it is,” said Beatrice, nodding and waiting.
    “Although I sometimes wonder about John,” said Martha. She sighed. “I guess each of us has our trials in life. I do believe that John might be mine.”
    “John. Let’s see. John is a friend of yours, right? I believe that I saw him right after we left the retreat—didn’t he come over to make sure you were all right?” Beatrice remembered that John Simmons had been trying to win Martha’s affections for years—but that apparently she was unswayed by his efforts.
    Martha looked away. “That’s right.