Hooked on Murder: A Crochet Mystery

hopefully.

Natalie thought a minute. 'She'd probably have kept it with her all the time, but other than that, I don't know.' Nataliesuddenly appeared impatient. 'We've gotten way off the reason you're here. What is it you need for the crochet group?'

She seemed relieved when I said we needed to get Ellen's squares. 'I'm glad you aren't abandoning the project.I'm taking over Ellen's charity work, too. The chairmanof the silent auction committee called me yesterday and said she hoped the promised blanket would still be donated.She thought that in light of Ellen's death, it would be sort of a memorial and probably would bring in more money.'

Natalie was only too happy to arrange a time for the group to come to Ellen's house. She knew about Lawrence's outburst toward me and said he was just expressing his grief and frustration that the police hadn't caught Ellen's killer yet. Then she added that she'd make sure he wasn't there when the group came.

By now Natalie was moving me toward the outer door. I noticed that the workman had finished with the sign. It read PSS PR.

'I thought using the initials looked more contemporary than 'Pink Sheridan Shaw Public Relations.' '

When I suggested that she could have shortened it by taking off the P, Natalie gave me a disparaging look. 'SS PR sounds like some Nazi thing, so I decided to keep the P.'

'So then it's pronounced like the initials PSS, rather than the sound?' When she didn't get what I meant, I demonstrated that the letters said as a word sounded like air escaping a balloon. I thought she would laugh; instead she nodded.

'Hmm. Catchy. I might just use it.'

I rolled my eyes.

CHAPTER 8

'L.S. AND NAT SOUND PRETTY COZY,' DINAH said. We'd met for coffee before the crochet group's start time, and I had just finished telling her about my trip to Pink Sheridan. I couldn't bring myself to call it PSS PR yet. I was glad for the break. Even though Mrs. Shedd had said my time with the crochet group counted as work time, I wasn't about to shirk my duties. So I'd already updated the event calendar, put up the signs for the upcoming Hook Down the Pounds program and placed copies of the store newsletter in strategic places around the bookstore.

Writing the newsletter was my job, too. The latest editionhad spotlights on the mystery lovers' and romance readers' monthly gatherings; a notice that we might be starting a writers' group (if I could get Dinah to run it); and of course, a big article about the Tarzana Hookers, includinga note about Ellen's passing; along with the usual list of staff-recommended books and a calendar of events.

Just before I'd joined Dinah, I'd set up an end cap displayingHook Down the Pounds along with other books on crochet. Even though the event wasn't happening for almost a week, I wanted to start generating interest for it. For obvious reasons, I wanted it to be a stupendous success.

'If she's got Lawrence, never Larry, going by his initials,something is going on for sure,' I said. 'Though, frankly, I don't get his appeal.'

'That's because you're a romantic. Believe me, to a lot of women, money and power trump charm, hair and six-packabs.'

I knew what she said was true, but personally, Lawrence was still in the life's-too-short category. 'Detective Heather was off the planet when she implied I might be having an affair with him. I wonder if she picked up on the Natalie- Lawrence connection when she talked to her. I guess there isn't any way to help her along in that direction.'

Dinah gave me her best are-you-kidding look. 'The best thing you can do with her is keep your distance.' I had to agree. It was a relief that several days had gone by and I hadn't seen or heard from the blond detective.

'Barry said that if he was investigating, the first person he'd check out would be Lawrence.'

'Barry talked about work?' Dinah said, incredulous. 'I thought you said he never did, that he was almost weird about it.'

'I think he was so nervous about me and Jeffrey meeting, he wasn't thinking straight and it just slipped out.' I took a long drink of my red-eye and paused. Something Barry had been doing lately was bothering me, and I thought I'd run it past Dinah. 'Ever since Jeffrey arrived, Barry has started just showing up--like without calling or anything.'

'What's wrong with that?' Dinah asked, breaking off a piece of her peanut butter cookie.

'I don't know exactly. It feels like he's acting as if . . .'

'As if what?' Dinah seemed perplexed.

'As if I'd committed to something more than seeing him. I know he wants something more concrete, and preferably with a name like at least 'engaged.' But I am not ready for that. I want my space and the freedom to walk around with some kind of green facial mask on without beingworried about being seen. And as long as I'm still buyingbeer for Charlie, it's too soon, anyway.'

'If the worst he does is show up without permission, I wouldn't get upset. You don't know what it's like out there.' Dinah stirred her coffee and broke off more cookie. 'Mr. Online wants to meet in person. I'm just hoping he doesn't turn out to be another weirdo. Barry is probably trying to stake his claim and thinks by acting as if it's so, he'll make it so.'

With all of Dinah's relationship woes, it was hard for her to understand that I didn't want to be claimed. I guess the old 'grass is always greener' saying applied here. I drained my cup, hoping that the doubly caffeinated drink would go straight to my brain. Not only had I come in early to do everything before the crochet group met, but I'd been short on sleep. Too much on my mind had kept me rolling around and refluffing my pillow for what had felt like forever.

Thank heavens I'd gotten up and found my red fuzzy scarf-in-progress. I'd sat on the couch and begun working on it. The repetitive motion was soothing, and counting the stitches to make sure I didn't add or lose one became like a mantra. Just a few rows in and my eyes were heavy and all the tension had disappeared. After that, I had fallen into a good sleep, but it hadn't been long enough.

'So, do you think Lawrence did it?' Dinah said, turning back to my investigative efforts.

'He is certainly acting very together for someone who just lost his wife, like maybe he isn't so brokenhearted,' I said. 'But if you want motive, Natalie had plenty. Suddenly she's in charge and running everything. And she did somethingstrange.' I told Dinah about overhearing Natalie's call with CeeCee and being sure Natalie was lying to her.

'I wonder what's in that file,' Dinah said.

'You and me both,' I said with a nod. I watched as Dinahtook off another mini cookie piece. At this rate, it would last forever. 'What's with the cookie?'

Dinah mumbled something about meeting Mr. Online and suddenly being weight-conscious.

'You've got to be kidding.' Not only was she slender to begin with, but Dinah was such a ball of energy that she had to use up every calorie she ingested. 'Here, let me help you out,' I said, taking the last of the cookie and eating it whole as we tossed our coffee cups and headed to the event area as the others arrived.

'Good work,' ceecee said when i told her Natalie had arranged for us to go through Ellen's crochet room.

'Since Natalie wanted to lock in a time, I suggested we have our next meeting at the Sheridans' house. I hope that's all right with everyone.' I waited until CeeCee, Adele, Dinah, Meredith and Sheila nodded their assent, and then told them about the changes Natalie was making to Ellen's business. 'Though there is no way I am ever goingto call her Nat. I wonder if she really thought it through. Nat sounds like g-n-a-t, which is hardly positive.' I turned toward CeeCee. 'Is it true you're terminating?'

She stopped unpacking her tote bag. 'With Ellen gone, there is no way I could stay.'

Sheila gave CeeCee a puzzled look. 'I thought I overheardyou telling Ellen that you wanted to leave the PR firm a while ago.'

CeeCee's demeanor changed, and she flashed an annoyedlook at Sheila. 'You must have misunderstood.'