Crazy as a Quilt (A Harriet Turman/Loose Threads Mystery Book 8) (12 page)

Lauren bit into her gingersnap.

“Remind me to bring you a fresh box of these. You could break a tooth.” She chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. “I’m thinking we should call your aunt and Mavis. Maybe Connie.”

“I was about to dial up Robin.”

“Good idea,” Lauren agreed. “I’ll call your aunt and see if she thinks they need to come over.”

“Didn’t you tell me Robin is an attorney?” Jessica said.

Harriet paused before touching the face of her phone.

“She
is
an attorney. She keeps her license current, but she doesn’t work many hours. She’s taking time off while her kids are young. She works a little for her old firm and helps out the Loose Threads when we get in trouble.”

“We don’t know anyone’s in trouble yet.” Jessica pointed out.

Harriet started tapping numbers.

“Better safe than sorry.”

Lauren and Harriet had just completed their calls when they heard a soft tap on the studio door.

“That was quick,” Harriet said and went to see who had arrived. “Carla?”

The Loose Threads’ youngest member followed her into the kitchen, her toddler Wendy balanced on her hip.

“I hope it’s okay we came by. We’re on our way to Connie’s. Michelle cleared everyone else out of Aiden’s, and I didn’t want to be home alone with just her.”

“Of course it’s okay.” Harriet looked over at Jessica and Sharon, who were both smiling at Wendy.

“Can she have a cookie?” Jessica asked Carla.

Carla pulled a sippy cup from the bag slung over her shoulder.

“Sure, she’d like that. Here’s her juice.” She set the cup on the table and put Wendy on the chair next to Jessica. When the child was situated, she got out a portable DVD player and pink earphones and set up her daughter with an educational cartoon. “All I heard from Michelle is Marine was found dead in Aiden’s apartment at the clinic. Do you know anything?”

Harriet got a mug from the kitchen cupboard.

“Tea?” She filled it with hot water when Carla nodded. “That’s all we heard, too. Marcel came to get Lainie and told us what you just said. If Aiden hasn’t come home, he’s probably still waiting at the police station to give his statement.”

Jessica looked up from feeding Wendy bits of cookie.

“I hate to say it, but this should be routine. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in this country—more than traffic accidents and guns. That woman was definitely an addict, too.”

Sharon sipped her tea.

“I saw a bit on our local news in Oakland that several of the social service agencies are providing training and kits for the local opiate addicts. They give them naloxone to inject in case of an overdose. I guess it’s an antidote.”

“Kind of sad that it’s come to that,” Harriet mused.

The group pondered this latest fact until the studio door opened and Jorge came in, followed by Aunt Beth and Mavis. He carried a bulging white bag in each hand.

“Can you give me a plate?” he asked Harriet. She handed him one and he opened a bag and began placing cinnamon-sugar-covered churros on the provided dish. “I thought you ladies might need a snack for this discussion.”

Harriet didn’t ask him how he knew about “this discussion.” She’d noticed that every time she called her aunt or Jorge lately, the other one was nearby. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She knew she should be happy for her aunt, but the child in her wasn’t sure she wanted to share.

Aunt Beth shrugged out of her jacket and hung it on a hook in the kitchen closet.

“I wonder if anyone has informed any of the Small Stitches.”

Harriet got more mugs out while Lauren refilled the water kettle.

“I hadn’t even thought about that,” she said. “They’ll need to make some sort of announcement to the group.”

Mavis picked up Harriet’s telephone.

“I’ll tell Glynnis,” she said as she dialed a number from memory. After a short conversation, she returned to the kitchen table and picked up a churro. “They hadn’t heard, so it’s good we decided to call. She said she’ll make an announcement during the Continental breakfast, and in addition, she’ll call all the teachers and have them each tell their morning class, just in case anyone skips breakfast.”

Jorge shook his head.

“I don’t mean to speak ill of the dead, but that girl has been trouble for Aiden for years. Why would she go to his apartment? And how could she get in?”

Lauren grabbed a second churro.

“I’m sure that’s what the police are asking Aiden.”

“My bet is, he has no idea what she was doing there,” Harriet said. “He told me when he was in high school she scratched his car and told everyone she was pregnant with his child—which she was not—all to try to pressure him into staying with her. She was pretty resourceful.”

Jessica took a churro when the plate was passed to her.

“I’m telling you, she was an addict and probably went to his place ‘cause she thought he’d have animal drugs she could take. They’ll use anyone and everyone to get their next fix.”

Robin came in from the studio.

“I let myself in. I hope you don’t mind.” She hung her coat on the closet doorknob and helped herself to a mug, filling it with hot water from the kettle before coming to the table.

“Let’s move to the dining room,” Harriet suggested. “We can spread out and be comfortable.”

The group relocated, and when they were settled, they all looked expectantly at Robin.

“I spoke to Aiden. The detectives finally came back to the station, and someone took his statement. As expected, they didn’t really tell him anything. He told his story several times, and they typed it up, had him sign it, and sent him on his way. The apartment is still off-limits for now, so he’s returning to his house. I told him to call me if he has any more contact with the police. I don’t expect that to happen, but you never know.”

“Could he get in trouble if she got into animal drugs that weren’t safely secured?” Carla asked.

“Good question,” Lauren said to her. The girl’s face turned red.

“There are rules about securing controlled substances,” Robin told them. “But I think those are mainly around settings where the public could gain access. If he had something in his medical bag, I think the lock on his front door would be considered adequate control. I don’t know that for a fact, though.” She pulled a yellow pad from her bag and made a note. “I’ll check on it.”

“Hard to imagine they could hold him liable for something someone does when they’re in the process of committing a crime,” Aunt Beth said.

They reviewed what was known for another fifteen minutes but weren’t able to tease anything new out of the few facts they had.

“The law can be very crazy,” Jorge finally stated. His phone rang, and he got up and went into the kitchen to answer it.

Connie arrived a few minutes later.

“Sorry I’m late. I was putting fresh linens on the beds.” She smiled at Carla.

“You didn’t have to do that,” the young woman said.

“Of course we did. We want you to be as comfortable as possible while you’re staying with us. Heaven knows you’ll have to go back to work at Aiden’s soon enough.”

Carla twirled a strand of hair around her finger.

“It’s not that bad. Michelle is better than she’s ever been, and I’m getting used to the nanny and tutor. They spend a lot of time together in their rooms, speaking French.” She got up. “I’ll get your tea.”

Connie smiled at her and turned to the group seated around the table.

“
Diós mio!
Marine is dead? And she died in the apartment at the vet clinic?”

Harriet slid the plate of churros to her.

“That’s what everyone is telling us. We don’t really know more than that.”

“Will the workshop continue?” Connie wondered.

Aunt Beth set her cup back on the table.

“I can’t imagine anyone would suggest canceling it. They’re going to tell everyone, of course, but Marine killing herself has nothing to do with our quilting workshop.”

Jorge returned to the dining room.

“That was Aiden on the phone. He was looking for Julio. I told him we were all here and invited him to come over.”

Carla picked Wendy up.

“Is it okay if Wendy and I go on over to your house?” she asked Connie. “I don’t want her to hear anything Aiden might have to say. I mean, details or something. And she can only watch videos for so long.”

“We knew what you meant, honey. And Grandpa Rod is waiting for Wendy so he can read her some stories.” Connie smiled.

Robin stood up. “I better get going, too. I need to do a little research. Someone call me if Aiden tells you anything new.”

Lauren put two fingers to her forehead in a mock salute.

“Will do, Chief.”

Sharon took her empty mug to the kitchen and came back to the doorway.

“If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a couple of Harriet’s quilting books upstairs and do a little reading.”

She was right, Harriet thought. Aiden wouldn’t feel comfortable with strangers hearing about his trouble.

“I think I’ll help her,” Jessica said. “Holler when it’s time to go back to your place,” she added to Lauren as she followed Sharon out of the room.

Chapter 13

“Here, come sit down by Harriet,” Jorge told Aiden setting a cup of Mexican hot chocolate he’d whipped up in Harriet’s kitchen in front him. Lauren slid the plate of churros to him. He picked one up and dunked it into his chocolate before taking a bite then looked at the people seated around him.

“I guess you all want to know what happened today.”

Harriet put a hand on his arm.

“Only if you want to talk about it. If you don’t, we’re okay with that.”

Lauren glared at her but didn’t say anything.

“I’m sure you all heard I found Marine dead in the apartment over the clinic.”

“We did,” Harriet affirmed. “What I don’t understand is why they had to take you to the police station to make a statement. I mean, if you were with patients and then went in for lunch and found her, what else is there to say?”

Aiden looked down at his hands. His pale blue eyes looked white in the soft light of the dining room.

“It isn’t quite that simple. I wasn’t in the clinic before I found her. I wish I had been. I worked evening hours last night, so I didn’t have to take appointments this morning. I went out for a run, and while I was out I got a call from someone at the homeless camp. I’d posted my cell phone number there, offering emergency animal care.

“I came back, got my car, drove over to Fogg Park and started looking for the caller. No one in the camp knew anything, so I drove around to the back side of the park. I’ve seen a few people camping in those woods before.

“I found a big area of blood on the side of the road. It looked like a fairly large animal had been hit by a car, but other than the blood and a little hair, I couldn’t find anything. I saw a trail and followed it into the woods, but still no dog. I worked my way over to the strait and got a bite to eat.

“I needed to get to work so I drove back to the homeless camp to see if anyone had appeared while I was gone. They hadn’t. I told the people there to let me know if the dog or his owner showed up and went back to the apartment to change clothes for work…and you know the rest.”

Lauren toyed with her teaspoon.

“So, you were wandering the wilderness while Marine broke into your apartment and killed herself with an overdose.”

Aiden gave her an icy stare and turned to Harriet.

“That’s why they had me at the police station for hours. I have no alibi. I have no idea how she got into my apartment. I had the key with me, but they told me there’s no sign of forced entry.”

“That may or may not be true,” Harriet said. “They aren’t obligated to tell you the truth when they’re questioning you.”

“They asked me all sorts of questions about Marine and our relationship. I tried to tell them I hadn’t seen her in years before she showed up for this quilt deal. I could tell they didn’t believe me. They pointed out that she didn’t seem like a very likely quilter. I couldn’t argue with that.”

Harriet took her hand off his arm.

“Did you tell them that your mom had taken her in while you were in Uganda?”

“I told them I had
heard
my mom had taken her in for a few weeks during that time. I have no direct knowledge about that, though, since I wasn’t here. They twisted that around. They made out that she had a closer relationship with me than I was letting on if she stayed with my own mother.” He propped his elbows on the table and lowered his head into his hands. “This is a nightmare.”

“
Diós mio
,” Connie said. “They can’t accuse you of wrongdoing because you dated in high school. And that apartment isn’t really yours. You were there temporarily. The other vets must have keys. Maybe one of
them
had a relationship with Marine.”

Aiden raised his head and smiled weakly.

“Thanks for that. None of the other vets grew up around here, so it isn’t likely. I guess anything’s possible, though.”

Harriet sat back in her chair and thought for a moment.

“If Marine died from an overdose, why does it matter where you were when it happened?”