Free Quilt Trip: A Southern Quilting Mystery by Elizabeth Craig Page A

and put them in their pockets or shoes or purse . . . Unless we’re prepared to search people, it’s going to be futile. Besides, the thief could have put them anywhere in the house—in the curtain seams, behind the cleaning supplies in the kitchen closet . . . It would take us a week to search the house and we still probably wouldn’t find them.”
    Beatrice put a hand up to rub her forehead.
    “You were on your way to lie down, weren’t you?” asked Colton gently. “If you’re getting a headache, this might be a good time to have that nap.”
    “Sure,” said Beatrice glumly. “But what if I don’t wake up again?”
    “Just be sure not to have anything to drink.”
    •   •   •
     
    Beatrice didn’t end up lying down after all. After putting her feet up, she found that she couldn’t shut her brain off enough to take a nap. Her mind kept whirling, thinking over her interviews, thinking about Muriel. Finally she gave up and wandered back into the library, where she watched with interest as Holly and Dot quilted on the bay window seat in the dying gray light of the day. Posy joined them soon after, holding a bag with an unfinished project of her own.
    “That’s a really fun pattern, Holly,” said Beatrice, looking over at Holly’s twelve-inch quilt blocks.
    “My guild is quilting for a children’s hospital, so we were trying to work with blocks we thought the kids would enjoy,” Holly said, smiling at her as she made her quick and confident stitches.
    “It’s a tic-tac-toe pattern, right?” asked Beatrice, studying two of the blocks that Holly had completed nearby. The blocks were in a cheerful red and white.
    “That’s right. With sort of square-looking O’s and a funny X,” said Holly with a laugh. Beatrice noticed that the X’s and O’s were in different red fabrics—checkerboard, paisley, and gingham.
    “Who’s going to win the tic-tac-toe match?” Beatrice asked.
    “Oh, I think the X’s will win—in the diagonals,” Holly replied.
    Beatrice glanced over at Dot, perched next to Holly on the bay window seat.
    “I have a feeling I’m going to get plenty of inspiration for my quilt here,” Dot said with a deep chuckle, gesturing with a needle out the window.
    “What is it that you’re working on?”
    “A winter medley!” Dot grinned at her.
    “Yes, I think you’ll have plenty of inspiration. More than you might have wanted,” said Beatrice with an answering smile. “So, what? A snowflake for one block, a snowman in another?”
    “Definitely those. And mittens in one, ice skates in another. A sled, a cup of cocoa, a snowy evergreen—you get the idea. I’m going to have a border of snowflakes just like the one in this block.” Dot held up a block with a glowing, silvery snowflake.
    Beatrice smiled again. “I love those rich, warm colors you’re using. Deep reds and golden browns and dark greens. It’s going to be lovely.”
    “I . . . uh . . . well, I didn’t come with any blocks or a quilt or anything,” said Dot ruefully. “But Posy had half a quilt store in the back of her car and very generously allowed me to use her fabrics, template, and notions.” She hastily added, “Which I’ll be paying her back for, of course.”
    Posy said kindly, “Oh, no worries, Dot. It did seem kind of odd to come here armed with quilts, didn’t it? We were only supposed to be here for a little while. All the vendors give me fabrics and things because they want me to buy more for the store. I end up with all this extra stuff. I’m happy to share it.”
    Posy had likely noticed that Dot’s clothes were fairly worn and that she might not have much extra income for quilting, so she had decided to help out.
    •   •   •
     
    Supper that night was a quiet affair. Meadow heated up canned vegetables in pots over the fireplace. Beatrice finished her corn and peas and cleared her throat. “Colton and I made a discovery earlier this afternoon. I’m afraid