desktop. A quick look determined they were packing slips for recent materials deliveries. She took one last look around, but there was nothing related to the shipping of quilts to Europe or anywhere else, and nothing that could shed any light on a duplicate quilt that may or may not have been created at the folk art center.
She listened for sounds of life in the storeroom and, when she heard none, stepped quickly across the space back into her classroom then on into the hallway and through the door. She only took a deep breath when she was back out on the trail to the dining hall.
'Where have you been?” Lauren demanded the moment Harriet sat down at the fiber arts table. The cook brought a blue pottery bowl filled with posole and sat it in front of her. The fragrance of the spicy pork-and-hominy soup made Harriet's mouth water.
'Can I eat before we do this?” she asked.
'Fine,” Lauren said.
'Where have you been?” Mavis asked when Lauren had returned to the opposite end of the table, where she'd been sitting with a group of students from the two-year program.
Harriet scooped a spoonful of soup into her mouth and followed it with a bite of crusty homemade French bread. The group got the message and let her eat in silence.
'Okay, so where were you and did you find proof that someone copied my work?” Lauren demanded, once more swooping down on Harriet after her lunch companions had left the dining hall.
'I didn't find anything that indicated Selestina copied your work. As your advisor, I assume she's the one who would see your design first. Since it would take some time to produce the copy, I can't think of anyone else who would have enough access to do it.” Harriet put her spoon down. “I searched her office.'
'That's my girl,” Mavis said, sounding like the proud mother of a spelling bee winner.
Harriet looked at her. “I didn't find anything useful, though. Her desk only had a few packing slips on it, and her file cabinets were locked, so it was a big zero.'
'I could have told you that,” Lauren sneered. “I told you to find me proof. If it was that easy, I'd have my proof already.'
'What, you searched her office?” Harriet asked, jumping to her feet. “If you're finding your own evidence, why are you guilt-tripping me? I'm through with your games-you can untangle your own mess.” She stomped into the kitchen with her empty bowl.
Lauren followed her through the double doors as she was rinsing her bowl at the deep copper sink.
'Okay, I'm sorry,” Lauren apologized. “I was just counting on you to come up with something. You don't know what it's like having everyone think they know something bad about you but really they don't.'
Yeah, thought Harriet, I know what it's like. And what it's like when everyone actually knows something bad and doesn't tell you.
Her husband Steve had kept the fact he had a genetic condition that could kill him before he was forty from her, yet he somehow felt free to tell all their friends about it. Not one of them thought she needed to be bothered with the information, and when he died from a burst aorta, they couldn't understand why she didn't want their sympathy.
Harriet knew all about being an outsider.
'So, what did you find out,” she asked without turning around.
Lauren slid onto one of the tall stools that circled a knife-scarred wood center island. “There was a stack of papers and files on her desk.'
Harriet took a stool on the opposite side. “So?” she prompted.
'There wasn't anything useful. There was a receipt for a package that was mailed to England two months ago- it was for a quilt, but there was no detailed description so it was worthless.'
'Let's let me be the judge of that. I want the papers. All of them.'
'I'm telling you, there's nothing there.'
'Look, do you want my help or not? If you don't, we're through here.” Harriet started to get up.
'I don't have the papers.'
'What? I thought you said you took them.'
'Actually, I didn't say I had the papers.” Lauren's shoulders slumped, and she let out a big sigh. “My brother took the files that were on Selestina's desk.'
'Your brother?” Harriet said, louder than she'd intended.
'Shhh,” Lauren said, and lowered her own voice to barely above a whisper.” She leaned across the table. “Yes, my brother. He's the janitor here.'
'Why are we whispering?” Harriet asked in a normal voice. “Are you embarrassed because your brother is a janitor?'
'Shhh,” Lauren said again. “Of course I don't mind if my brother's a janitor. It's way more complicated than that, not that it's any of your business.'
'Fine.'
'Look, just because you're finding out why I'm being accused of copying Selestina's work, it doesn't mean we are suddenly BFFs'
'BFFs?'
'My point exactly. My brother has the files at his apartment in town. He doesn't get off work until six. I'll have him bring them back to the Tree House after dinner.'
Lauren stood up, and Harriet understood she was being dismissed. She was still sitting at the island when Mavis came through the doors.
'You're not bleeding,” she said. “Does this mean we're still on the case?'
'
'You mean you're not the least bit interested in finding out who made her quilt first?'
'I didn't say I wasn't interested. I just don't think we should make a major production out of finding out. And might I remind you there's no proof Selestina was the one who produced the duplicate quilt?'
'My money's still on Selestina,” Mavis said.
Robin leaned through the doors. “Come on, ladies, time to get back to class.'
Chapter Thirteen
Carla and Harriet were at an ironing board at the back of their classroom starching their fabric rectangles to within an inch of their lives when their teacher interrupted.
'Class, would everyone return to their seats, please?'
The students looked at each other in puzzlement but did as she asked. When they were all seated, Ray Louise came around to the front of her table and sat on the edge.
'I'm afraid I have some sad news,” she said. “I've just been informed Selestina Bainbridge has passed away.'
'What happened?” a dark-haired woman at the back of the room asked.
'I thought she was awake and alert at the hospital,” said a younger woman toward the front.
The teacher held her hands up. “We don't know anything yet. They were treating her for a heart arrhythmia, and she must have had a heart attack before they could control it. I'm not a doctor, so I can't really tell you any more than that-I just don't know. The important thing is that this tragic event will not impact your time here. Of course, there will be some staff changes for a few of the classes, but it was Selestina's wish that school continue. It was her legacy. She told her son Tom it was important to her that her students not be disappointed.'
'Almost makes you feel sorry for her, doesn't it?” said Jan Hayes, the doctor, who was standing next the Harriet.
'Almost,” Harriet conceded, remembering how vicious Selestina had been to Carla.
'Well, I can tell you one thing,” Jan said.
