Free Pattern of Betrayal (Vineyard Quilt Mysteries Book 2) by Amy Lillard, Mae Fox

bathroom door.
    Kenneth emerged from his suite and quietly closed the door behind him.
    “How’s Susan?” Julie asked him.
    He placed one finger over his lips. “Resting.”
    “So, what are we going to do about this incompetent innkeeper?” Gregory’s loud voice echoed off the walls in the small space of the hall.
    Julie grit her teeth. Either he wasn’t trying to be discreet or he didn’t have a clue how to be. “We’re going to go downstairs to the tearoom,” Julie answered, “where we can talk without disturbing Susan.” She fixed Gregory with a pointed look, fully expecting him to protest. Instead, he gave her a stiff nod and started down the stairs.
    Shirley’s eyes widened as everyone made their way into the tearoom. “I thought I heard someone scream,” she whispered to Julie. “Did something happen?”
    “You could say that.”
    “So.” Gregory crossed his arms over his wide girth and narrowed his eyes at her. “If you and the police are going to force us to stay here, what are you going to do to secure our safety?”
    “I am not forcing you to do anything. The police are. And you don’t have to stay here. You just have to stay in town.”
    “But if I leave, you’re not giving me a refund, are you?” Gregory challenged.
    It was definitely tempting to give in and refund Gregory’s money, but she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.
    “It says here that black rat snakes will bite if provoked,” Joyce interjected. She had her tablet in hand and was furiously surfing the Web.
    Well, it’s a good thing no one provoked it.
    “They aren’t venomous,” Shirley said. “They’re constrictors.”
    Julie shot her a look.
    Shirley just shrugged. “What? I grew up on a farm.”
    “I think somebody put it in the bathtub to scare us,” Joyce said.
    “Maybe even bite one of us,” Sadie added.
    Shirley rolled her eyes.
    “Chances are, it crawled in there on its own.” The Critter Guy was standing in the doorway with a wriggling bag in his hand. “Rat snakes are climbers. I’ve taken them out of drain pipes, off of rooftops; even got one out of a chimney once.”
    Comforting , Julie thought.
    “So, if the inn has rat snakes, does that mean it has rats?” Gregory asked.
    Julie bit back a retort.
    “No,” Critter Guy said. “The inn wouldn’t have rats with this baby around.”
    With that, Julie jumped up and escorted Critter Guy to the front door while staying as far from the twitching sack as possible.
    “What are the real odds that this fellow crawled in here on his own accord?” Julie asked once they were out of earshot of everyone else.
    Critter Guy shot her a reassuring smile. “I’d say it’s most likely what happened.”
    “So, I wouldn’t necessarily need to contact the police about it?”
    He laughed. “Not unless you want ‘em mad at you for wasting their time.”

    Everyone, minus Susan, was still gathered in the tearoom when Julie went back inside.
    “What do we do now?” Liam asked.
    A chorus of concerned murmurs followed his question.
    Julie held up her hands to stay the protests. “I’ve been assured that the snake most likely crawled into the tub by itself. There’s nothing to worry about.”
    “‘Most likely’?” Gregory snorted. “ That’s reassuring.”
    “You know, I have to admit this weekend is turning out to be much more exciting than I imagined,” Sadie said, her eyes bright.
    Joyce nodded.
    Kenneth merely smiled. Julie had the feeling that he would have voiced his agreement if he hadn’t feared word would get back to his wife. Susan probably wouldn’t like the fact that her snake scare was a source of entertainment for her husband.
    “Since everyone’s together, let’s get a snack and start quilting. Who’s with me?” Julie asked, trying to sound as enthusiastic as possible. Not surprisingly, the responses she received were weak at best.
    “Oh sure,” Gregory said. “I relish the thought of quilting with a group of murder