Quilter's Knot

meaningful? I'd like to make a block that represents the school. I've had such a great time here, I think an applique of the fiber arts building would be a better memorial. This is his mother's school, after all.'

'It is hard to think of a motherhood block,” a skinny blonde with thin lips said.

'And I don't think we should be limited to techniques we learned here for the other one, either,” Sarah continued. “I took a class in Seattle and we made a paste out of flour and cornmeal and ginger ale and spread it on muslin and when it dried we shook it off and then we sprayed dye over the top and when it dries you wash it and the results are very cool.'

The blonde asked a question about what, if any, fabric prep Sarah had done. Harriet looked around the entrance hall for Carla, and finally spotted her on a small hand-carved bench near the door to the outside. She crossed the space, and Carla stood up.

'I'm sorry. I couldn't take any more of Sarah. She isn't really letting other people talk anyway.'

'Well, it was worth a try.'

'It was kinda interesting before she showed up. That blonde in the tight jeans was riling people up about leaving. She said she never liked Selestina and… let me think… she said, ‘I merely tolerated her so I could take classes from her teachers.’ And then she said she would feel like a hypocrite going to her memorial service on Sunday.'

'So, what did the other people say?” Harriet pulled the door open and ushered her out.

'They didn't get a chance to say anything. Patience came up and basically calmed everyone down. She told them that, in spite of Selestina's public persona, she was a real nice lady and only wanted what was best for the students, and after all was said and done, didn't they all have great memories of their time here? And then she said that although the school would continue and they would make many more memories, change was inevitable, and Selestina's passage marked the end of the era and surely that was worth celebrating.'

'Did they buy it?'

'Everyone was kind of whispering among themselves, and I couldn't exactly hear what they were saying. I tried to get closer.” Her face started to turn pink.

'Hey, you did great.'

'I started to go up to the table, but then Sarah showed up and I didn't want her to figure out what I was up to.” She held up a handful of paper and fabric. “I had to grab another set of stuff so I'd have a reason to be there. Then I made like I was leaving and found that bench.'

Sarah caught up with them as they headed back toward the Tree House.

'I'm going to lunch with a friend,” she said, emphasizing the word friend. Harriet presumed she was talking about whoever it was keeping her out late the last few nights. She couldn't help but notice that Sarah had abandoned her usual khaki twill pants and blazer for low-rise black slacks with a wide belt and a silky pink T-shirt that hugged her curves and revealed more cleavage than usual for a student at a quilt school.

She brushed past them and hurried on to the Tree House. Carla looked at Harriet and laughed. Harriet just shook her head.

Mavis and Connie were sitting on the sofa in the great room. Mavis had a sketchpad in her lap. Connie was cutting out images she'd drawn on a piece of freezer paper. She had obviously figured out a design, and it was going to involve applique. The waxy side of the freezer paper could be attached to fabric simply by ironing it on. It stuck well enough that you could cut out images drawn on the paper and then sew them to another piece of fabric; and when you were finished, it peeled off without leaving a residue.

'Tell me something good, chiquita.'

'No one's heard of our Patsy,” Harriet said. “Ray Louise said she'd ask around just to be sure, and she said she'd ask Inessa Follansbee, who owns Angel Harbor Quilts, the local fabric store. Do we have a lunch plan?'

'Are you hungry?” Mavis asked. “There are some of those molasses cookies on the counter in the kitchen.'

'Thanks, but I was actually wondering if we could go to town for lunch. Les should be helping with the buffet here, and I'd like to go by his apartment and see if Lauren is there.'

'Great minds think alike,” Connie said. “Robin went upstairs to get ready while we were waiting for you. She heard about an Italian restaurant that's supposed to be good.'

'If it's the one I went to, it's great. And it's perfect. That's where I was when I saw Lauren and Les go up to his apartment.'

It was another fifteen minutes before everyone had used the bathroom, gotten her purse and put a coat of some sort on.

'Have you heard from Lauren?” Robin asked.

'No, and I take it you haven't either,” Harriet said. “I don't like this.” She opened the Tree House door. “I'm going to check her brother's apartment while we're at lunch, but I'm not holding out hope.'

Chapter Twenty-eight

Tom Bainbridge was sitting at a window table when they entered the restaurant. He nodded at Harriet.

'I guess he likes this place,” she said to Mavis.

The hostess led them to a table at the back of the room and handed out menus. The lunch special was a small pork chop with spaghetti marinara and a side salad with a scoop of spumoni ice cream for dessert. The six-dollar price was too good to pass up. The whole group chose the special, making it easy for their waitress.

'Anyone have any idea how I'm going to combine my less than spectacular hand quilting with half-square rectangles for my memorial block?” Harriet asked as they waited for their food.

'I know it isn't your usual style, but maybe you could piece your half-rectangles out of homespun fabrics and then quilt it with a coarse thread and make it look folk-arty,” Mavis suggested, and in doing so began a lively discussion that lasted through dessert.

'I'd like to go to Les's apartment with Harriet,” Robin said as everyone dug in purse or bag for lunch money. “Angel Harbor Quilts is two streets over and a couple of blocks down. You three can take the car if you want, and Harriet and I can join you there when we're done looking for Lauren.” She held up her keys, and Mavis took them.

'We'll give you thirty minutes, and if you aren't at the quilt store we're coming after you.” Connie said.

'If we find Lauren, we'll call, so turn your cell phones on.'

Mavis and Connie were notorious for faithfully carrying their phones but just as religiously not turning them on. Both women dug in their bags and powered their units.

They split up at the door, and Harriet led Robin around the building and across the alley to where she'd seen Les and Lauren enter the night she'd had dinner with Tom. The door opened into a small entrance hall. Worn gray indoor-outdoor carpeting covered the floor, and dirty gray handprints dulled the beige paint that had probably looked tired when it was new. A row of metal mailboxes was set into the wall at the base of the stairs. Harriet read the names. “Sawyer” was listed as apartment number four.

The doors to the ground floor apartments were set at the back of the tiny vestibule, behind the stairs. A quick glance verified they were units one and two. Robin started up the stairs, and Harriet followed, trying not to touch the grimy handrail.

'I don't like the feel of this place,” she said.

Robin stopped when she reached the landing at the top of the stairs. Apartment three was to the right with four on the left.

'Uh-oh,” she said.

Harriet looked over her shoulder. The door to apartment four was partially open. She brushed past her and stepped into the doorway. She pulled her sweatshirt sleeve over her hand and pushed on the door.

The apartment had the look that was becoming all too familiar. It had been searched, and none too gently.

'Don't go in,” Robin said. “Lauren!” she called out, but both women knew it wasn't likely there would be an answer.