Free A Quilt in Time (A Harriet Turman/Loose Threads Mystery) by Arlene Sachitano

little pearl of wisdom.”
    “Hey, what sort of friend would I be if I didn’t help you prepare for your future? Who knows, you might have gotten an ill-placed tattoo if I hadn’t warned you.” Mavis smiled at her.
    “Yeah, like that was going to happen.”
    “On a totally other subject,” Harriet interrupted, “do you want to go look at fabric with us when we’re done here?”
    Lauren swallowed her bite.
    “I need to. I’m still struggling with my idea for a bed quilt for the shelter. I know I could just do something pretty, but I’d really like to do something inspiring.”
    “I’ve been grappling with the same thing,” Harriet said. “I assumed there were symbols associated with hope or healing that are universal, but I guess not.”
    “You were worried about that for the pet quilts?” Lauren asked.
    “Hey,” Mavis said. “We get that the pets don’t care, but there’s an owner associated with each of those pets, and she might be inspired by our quilts.”
    “Whatever.”
    “I signed up for a bed quilt,” Harriet said. “If I ever finish the customer quilt I’m working on, I’m going to try to do one or two pet beds, too.”
    “Aren’t you just the overachiever,” Lauren said. “Now I’m going to look like a slacker if I just do my bed quilt.”
    “Stop it, you two,” Mavis scolded.
    Harriet stood when they were finished eating.
    “Everyone done?”
    Mavis and Lauren nodded, and she picked up the baskets and took them to the bussing station, dumping the papers into the garbage and stacking the plates on the table. When everyone was ready, they headed down the block for Pins and Needles.

    “Honey? You ready to go?” Aunt Beth called from the base of the stairs.
    “Just a minute,” Harriet called back.
    Scooter ran down the stairs at the sound of Beth’s voice. Like the other Loose Threads, she carried a small bag of dog treats in her purse to use as part of the ongoing socialization process of the formerly hoarded dogs several of them had adopted. Scooter was learning fast. Any time he heard a Loose Thread voice, he came running in hope of a treat.
    Harriet descended the stairs a moment later, buttoning the three lowest buttons on her cardigan.
    “Since we’re all going to be there today for the open house, Robin went to sit with Sarah this morning,” Aunt Beth reported.
    “I was hoping she’d be in the shelter by now.”
    “I don’t know if you saw her yesterday, but she had to go and have some of that hardware that’s sticking out of her arm adjusted. She was in rough shape. I’d have thought her pain meds would have knocked her out, but they didn’t seem to.”
    “They must have some provision for injured residents at the shelter. I’m guessing it’s not unusual.”
    “Probably, but still, it’s not all bad that she’s in a skilled nursing facility.”
    “Lauren’s meeting us here. We figured parking might be at a premium.” She led the way through her studio to intercept her friend, who had just pulled into the driveway.
    “Okay,” Harriet said when everyone was in the car and had their seatbelts on. “Let’s check in with Sarah and then each take a different family member, see if we can learn anything.”
    “Do we know they’re all going to be there?” Aunt Beth asked.
    “I’m assuming they are,” Harriet answered. “I thought Sarah said they all work there.”
    “We know some of them do, but I’m not sure they all do,” Lauren said. “I’m with Harriet, though. I figure they’ll all be present. Opening a memory care wing is a big deal, at least according to all their advertising.
    “I did some work on their software the other day, and I saw their VIP RSVP list. They’ve got some heavy hitters coming—hospital executives, politicians, and even a couple of B-list actors.”
    “Wow, maybe we should have dressed up,” Harriet said.
    “We’re fine. It’s a senior care center, not a four-star restaurant,” Aunt Beth assured her.
    “Yeah,