Wound Up In Murder (26 page)

I went outside a little while later just as Dane went jogging by. As soon as he saw me, he jogged up my driveway. “Looks like everything is back to normal,” he said, glancing toward the guest house.

“Lieutenant Borgnine had you watching me, didn't he.” Dane tried to wave it off, but he finally gave me a halfhearted
nod. “What about in the kitchen at the Blue Door? You must have known Sammy was in the pantry.”

“Really,” he said in mock surprise. “I never thought to look. You can't report what you don't see.”

“And why didn't you leave the plate of food?”

“It was a trap. Borgnine's idea, by the way. So I merely didn't set it out.” He was running in place to keep his heart rate up. “Anybody with any sense would know that Sammy wasn't a killer.”

“And you're not trying to get rid of him?”

Dane thought about it for a minute. “You mean because I think if he's out of the way, you'll fall into my arms?”

“Something like that,” I said.

“I don't play it that way. Speaking of us, I've come up with a solution. We do the dinner thing somewhere out of Cadbury. I found a great place on the way to Big Sur. It's a complete tourist trap, so no locals to coo over us.” He'd started to jog backward. “I'll send you the website.” He was gone before I could say anything. The truth was after all he'd done for me, it was the least I could do. Besides I wanted to go. I'd worry later about where it was going to lead.

Julius looked upset when I loaded up a plastic shopping bag with muffin-making supplies and got ready to go to the Blue Door. “I promise, it will just be the two of us tomorrow and you can have a stink fish fiesta.” He watched through the window while I walked to my car. I felt bad leaving him, but it was kind of nice feeling that I was going to be missed.

Sunday night everything closed early. The Blue Door was dark when I got there. The lights were off at the movie theater, and the streets were practically rolled up. It was just me, the jazz and the batter this time. No one knocked at the door. I left pans of cream cheese brownies for Monday's
desserts and walked out with the plastic containers of vanilla muffins to take around town.

I made my deliveries and was about to head back to my car, but took a detour past Cadbury Yarn. The lights were on in the display window and I laughed when I saw that Gwen had put out a display of mystery bags along with samples of things people could make with them. Her daughter, Crystal, must have just finished her worry doll in time to add it to the window. It reminded me how far I still had to go with mine. I was sure Wanda had supplied the samples of the scarves. A center spot had been made for some of the samples Crystal had brought the first day—her own teddy bear, and a small bag. Why hadn't I noticed it before?

Back home I took out the envelope and emptied the contents. When the picture of the baby girl fluttered down, I grabbed it. All along I had been focusing on her, but this time I looked at what she was holding. The style was unmistakable. Even with the faded colors, I could see that the teddy bear was wearing a jacket of all different yarns with random beads. His body was made of different-colored yarns. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Crystal's grandmother had made that bear for her own child. I let the information sink in. It meant that Gwen Selwyn was Edmund Delacorte's heir and Madeleine and Cora's niece. Her daughter, Crystal, would be their great-niece. I wasn't sure about all the legal stuff, but if somehow the will could be reopened, Gwen would be the owner of Vista Del Mar.

Now I had to decide what to do with the
information.

Crystal's Worry Doll

Supplies

BODY

1 skein beige, Lion Brand Vanna's Choice, 170 yds (156 m), 100% acrylic, medium (4) weight

DRESS

Approx. 70 yds of assorted medium (4) weight yarn or 1 skein Rainbow Bright, Loops & Threads Impeccable Brights (Michaels store brand), 192 yds (175 m), 100% acrylic, medium (4) weight

Approx. 12 beads with holes big enough for yarn to pass through

HAIR

1 skein black, Loops & Threads Charisma (Michaels store brand), 109 yds (100 m), 100% acrylic, bulky (5) weight, 1 skein black, Loops & Threads Poodle Caniche (Michaels store brand), 23 yds (21m), 61% acrylic 29% wool 7% alpaca

U.S. size 6 (4mm) knitting needles

Size J-10 (6mm) crochet hook

Tapestry needle

Small piece of thin wire folded over for threading beads onto the yarn

Black felt for facial features

Polyester fiberfill for stuffing

Finished size: Approx. 15” tall

Stitches Used

Knitting—cast on, cast off, garter stitch (all knit).

Crochet—chain (ch), half double crochet (hdc), half double crochet two together (hdc2tog).

Note: Put beads on yarn before you begin to crochet dress. When you want to add a bead, push it down before making next stitch and make sure it is pushed to front. The doll is knitted. The dress is crocheted.

DOLL'S HEAD, BODY AND LEGS AND ARMS (ALL DONE IN THE GARTER STITCH)

Using knitting needles and beige yarn, cast on 40 stitches and knit 30 rows, use a piece of yarn to mark (this is end of head).

Knit 34 more rows for body.

On next row, knit 20 and turn (this is beginning of one leg), put a marker.

Knit 39 more rows (only on 20 stitches), cast off.

With right side facing, attach yarn to other 20 stitches for other leg.

Knit 40 rows, cast off.

Make 2 arms.

Cast on 15 stitches and knit 37 rows, cast off (make 2).

PUTTING DOLL TOGETHER

Fold body in half lengthwise, and sew together from top to marker for tops of legs.

Arrange so seam is in middle of back. Sew inside and bottom of legs.

Stuff doll, shaping it as you do. Sew top of head closed. Squeeze doll to shape its neck, and tie a piece of yarn around neck to hold shape.

Fold arm pieces in half, and sew side and end closed. Turn inside out and stuff. Sew last side closed.

Sew to doll just below neck.

Hair: Cut 20 15-inch lengths using a mixture of yarns for hair. Arrange lengths of yarn across top of head and sew to middle of head. If desired, tack “hair” in place with needle and black thread.

Make facial features out of felt, and glue in place.

Dress Front: Put beads on yarn first, reserving two beads for the straps. Using crochet hook, chain 21.

Row 1: Hdc in third ch from hook, hdc across—(19 stitches).

Row 2: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc across—(19 stitches).

Rows 3–13: Repeat Row 2, adding beads randomly.

Row 14: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn,
hdc2tog with first two stitches, hdc across until last two stitches, hdc2tog—(17 stitches) (this is beginning of armhole).

Row 15: Repeat Row 14—(15 stitches).

Row 16: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc in first 3 stitches (to make strap).

Row 17: Repeat Row 16.

Row 18: Repeat Row 16, fasten off.

Attach yarn to top of other side of Row 15 (to make other strap).

Row: 19: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), hdc in 3 stitches.

Row 20: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc in 3 stitches.

Row 21: Repeat Row 20, fasten off. Weave in ends.

Attach a bead to each strap to work as a button.

DRESS BACK

Put beads on yarn first; Using crochet hook, chain 21.

Row 1: Hdc in third ch from hook, hdc across—(19 stitches).

Row 2: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc across—(19 stitches).

Rows 3–13: Repeat Row 2, adding beads randomly.

Row 14: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc2tog first two stitches, hdc across until last two stitches, hdc2tog—(17 stitches) (this is beginning of armhole).

Row 15: Repeat Row 14—(15 stitches).

Row 16: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc in first 3 stitches (to make strap).

Row 17: Repeat Row 16.

Row 18: Repeat Row 16.

Row 19: Repeat Row 16.

Row 20: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc in first stitch, ch 2 and skip next stitch (for button loop), hdc, fasten off.

Attach yarn to top of other side of Row 15 (to make other strap).

Row 21: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), hdc in 3 stitches.

Row 22: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc in 3 stitches.

Row 23: Repeat Row 22.

Row 24: Repeat Row 22.

Row 25: Ch 2 (doesn't count as first stitch), turn, hdc, ch 2 and skip next stitch (for button loop), hdc, fasten off.

Weave in ends.

Sew sides of dress together, slip on doll, and use button loops to fasten back to front.

Wanda's Scarf

Supplies

Approx. 300 yds (275 m) assorted medium (4) weight yarn

Approx. 60 beads with holes big enough for yarn to pass through

U.S. size 10½ (6.5mm) knitting needles

Small piece of thin wire folded in half to thread beads onto yarn

Tapestry needle

Stitches Used

Cast on, cast off, knit, purl, yarn over, knit two together.

Approx. length of finished scarf is 5 feet without fringe.

Note: When changing yarn, make sure to thread beads onto yarn before attaching to work. Also best to change yarn at beginning of row.

Cast on 21.

Add beads as desired.

Row 1: Knit across (21 stitches).

Row 2: Knit across.

Row 3: Purl across.

Row 4: Purl across

Row 5: Knit across.

Row 6: Knit across.

Row 7: Knit across.

Row 8: Knit across.

Row 9: Knit 1, *yarn over, knit 2 together,* repeat from * to * across to last stitch, knit.

Row 10: Knit across.

Row 11: Knit across.

Row 12: Knit across.

Row 13: Knit across.

Row 14: Repeat Row 9.

Row 15: Knit across.

Row 16: Knit across.

Row 17: Knit across.

Row 18: Knit across.

Row 19: Purl across.

Row 20: Purl across.

Row 21: Knit across.

Row 22: Knit across.

Repeat sequence of rows, changing to new yarn as desired until scarf is approx. 5 feet long. Cast off and weave in ends. Use mixed yarn to make
fringe.

Flashback to the Sixties Cream Cheese Brownies

BROWNIE LAYER

6 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, broken into pieces and chopped

3 tablespoons butter

2 eggs

1¼ cups organic sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

¾ cup chopped walnuts

CREAM CHEESE LAYER

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

⅔ cup organic sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate in microwave. (Put in small microwave-safe bowl, microwave on high 30 seconds, stir, microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Continue microwaving in 10-second increments and stirring until chocolate is melted.) Stir in butter (heat of chocolate will melt it), and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs until foamy. Add 1¼ cups sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until slightly thickened. Add chocolate mixture and beat. Combine 1 cup flour, salt and baking powder and add to mixture. Stir in nuts. Batter will be very stiff. Spread ⅔ of mixture in pan. Pressing with wax paper helps to spread batter. Set remainder aside.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, ⅔ cup sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over chocolate layer in pan. Drop spoonfuls of remaining chocolate mixture on cream cheese layer. Take a knife and swirl to give a marble effect. Bake approximately 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes about 32 brownies.

Out-of-Time Cinnamon Nut Square Muffins

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup organic sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

½ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup butter, melted

paper baking cups (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease an 8-inch-square pan.

Sift flour into a bowl and add sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and nuts. Stir to mix. In a separate bowl, combine milk, eggs and melted butter. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir until just blended. Pour into pan. Bake about 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and cut into squares. If desired, put each square into a paper baking cup to serve. Makes about 12
squares.