Fleece Navidad Part 6

"Mimi mentioned that. I gotta tell you, Kelly, that story makes Claudia out to be one desperate woman."

"Yeah, it does. But when you hear Sheila tell it, you also pick up her intensity loud and clear." Kelly wagged her head. "Listening to her talk about spending months investigating Claudia's past, tracking her from Florida, I swear that reminds me of when I used to go searching for clues."

Burt smiled. "Well, at least you didn't track anyone state to state."

"Did Mimi tell you that Sheila said she calls the Sarasota police every day to see if Claudia's been charged?"

"You're kidding." Burt's bushy gray eyebrows shot up.

"Nope, I'm not. She said so yesterday. I mean, Sheila's not eveninvolved in that case. It's not her family, and Mary Ann wasn't her mother. Sheila's got spies or informants at the retirement home. I don't know, Burt. . . ."

"You know, that makes me curious." Burt stared off into the busy cafe. Pete and staff bustled about serving platters of breakfast.

"Curious enough to check with the Sarasota cops?" Kelly tempted with a conspiratorial grin.

"I have some old friends from the force who retired to Florida a few years ago. I could give them a call."

Kelly stared out the cafe window at the Rockies in the distance. Snow-capped and sparkling in the early morning sun. But nary a flake in Fort Connor. Milder temps-fifties, sixties, and sometimes seventies-still held sway. At least Steve no longer complained about needing his winter scarf.

"Well, I'll be d.a.m.ned. Look who walked in," Burt said.

Kelly glanced up and noticed Claudia standing beside the cafe's front door. Scanning the room with an anxious look, Claudia spotted Kelly and Burt and headed straight for them.

"May I sit with you two?" she asked, already pulling out a chair. "I don't want to be alone in case that dreadful woman shows up. I saw her outside in the motel parking lot this morning, sitting in her car watching me."

Burt and Kelly exchanged glances. Since the Merry Widow was right there in front of them, it only made sense to ask a few questions. Kelly started off, confident Burt would pick up her lead. "That must have been very upsetting for you."

Claudia dropped her gaze to her lap and withdrew her magenta shawl, nearly finished. "I've gone way past upset, Kelly. I'm scared now. Sheila has been spreading lies about me ever since Nathan died. She blamed me for his death. As if I could stand there and deliberately kill Nathan. It's . . . it's beyond belief."

"When you say 'spreading lies,' exactly what do you mean, Claudia?" Burt asked in a quiet voice. Kelly recognized his gentle questioning style.

Claudia looked at both of them. "It started right after Nathan's death. She whispered awful things to his friends at the funeral. I overheard them. Blaming me for his death." She returned her attention to the wool. "It was clear to me from the start that Sheila resented me. I tried countless times over the two years Nathan and I were married to reach out to her, but she always rebuffed me. Unfortunately, things got worse after his death. When she left town I breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that a long trip away might help her sort through her feelings. I a.s.sumed she was away on business, but not so. I soon learned she'd been to Missouri and Texas, where I'd lived previously, and had been interrogating anyone who knew me or my former husbands. I was shocked when she showed up at the house, making all these wild accusations."

"What sort of accusations?" Burt continued.

Claudia released a sigh. "Sheila was convinced that both Fred's and Frank's deaths were not accidents but murder. She kept waving a folder. 'Evidence,' she called it. Evidence that proved my guilt." She shook her head. "I was stunned. Shocked speechless. I just stood there and stared while she vilified me, then she stalked out."

Kelly watched Claudia's eyes grow moist. "Did she make these accusations to anyone else?"

Claudia nodded. "Ohhhh, yes. To anyone who would listen. She tried to get the local newspaper to instigate an investigation into her 'charges,' as she called them. Of course, the newspaper refused to print her accusations. But she did convince a sleazy gossip rag to print an interview with her where she said all those terrible things." A tear trickled down her cheek.

Kelly reached out and patted Claudia's arm. "I'm sorry, Claudia. That must have been truly awful."

"Awful doesn't begin to describe it. Sheila kept appearing everywhere I went. I had to stop going to the senior center during the daytime because she would show up. I was practically a prisoner in the house."

"It sounds like you didn't receive a dime after your husband's death." Kelly started a new line of questions. "That doesn't sound right. After all, you had rights as his widow."

Claudia gave a wry smile. "I may have had rights, but I had no money to hire an attorney. I was trying to live on what money remained in the checking account. I was still staying in our house, waiting for the estate to be settled. Then, after six months, I came home from errands one day and found Sheila standing there, a legal doc.u.ment in her hand. She had inherited everything, and I was left with nothing. Sheila announced she was taking over the house and told me to gather my things, leave, and never come back. She was changing the locks. I . . . I was dumbfounded. I just stood there at first, staring at her. Then I ran upstairs and threw what things I could into a suitcase and left. I was so devastated I didn't even realize I'd left most of my clothes and belongings behind until later."

"That's pretty harsh," Kelly said. "What did you do then?"

"I didn't know where to go at first. Fortunately the minister at a nearby church recommended a state-subsidized retirement home. Thank goodness, my little income covered the monthly bills."

"I'm surprised someone didn't suggest a lawyer who took pro bono cases. You know, free legal help."

Claudia shrugged. "After all those accusations of hers, I felt so beaten down, I didn't have the heart to pursue anything. To tell the truth, I was so demoralized and humiliated, I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die. I didn't have the energy to pursue another settlement, so . . . I just let Sheila have her way. Meanwhile, I tried to start my life over again. Fortunately, I made some friends at the retirement residence."

Kelly heard an opening and followed it. "Is that where you met this other woman, this Mary Ann Howard?"

"Yes, Mary Ann had been at the residence for five years. She was a lovely woman," Claudia said, her fingers deftly working the deep violet st.i.tches. "Mary Ann was in poor health, and her vision was failing so she had great difficulty reading. Reading had been her great joy. She loved novels. Mystery novels, adventure novels, fantasy, science fiction, everything. I felt sorry for her and started visiting every afternoon to read to her. Oh, how she loved that. We became close friends. I could talk to Mary Ann." Claudia sighed. "Mary Ann was the only one I could talk to about Nathan's death and Sheila's hara.s.sment. Most of my other friends had dropped me like a hot rock once Sheila began spreading her lies."

"What about your daughter? Did she help you at all? Could you live with her?" Kelly asked.

Claudia rolled her eyes. "I'm afraid my poor Krista cannot be counted on. She's in another state and has her hands full with three small children. Plus, her husband is not very supportive. She's unable to help me. It's all she can do to help herself."

Burt signaled a nearby waitress for coffee refills and offered a mug to Claudia. He clasped his bear-paw hands together on the table and leaned forward. "Claudia, I've heard about Sheila Miller's version of how you came to Fort Connor with someone else's car and credit card. I have to admit, it doesn't sound good." Claudia's head came up at that. "Why don't you tell meyour version of that complicated story, okay?"

Kelly sensed Claudia's hesitation and placed her hand on Claudia's arm. "You can trust Burt. He was a former detective with the Fort Connor police."

The change in Claudia's expression was immediate. Apprehension vanished, and her pretty face spread with a dazzling smile. "Really? Oh, my goodness, yes. It'll be a relief to tell someone in authority."

"Well, I'm not in authority anymore," Burt said with his good-natured smile. "But I can listen and give advice."

"Oh, yes, please," Claudia implored, hand to her breast. "If there's any way to stop Sheila from spreading those lies, I'll do whatever it takes."

"Why don't you start by telling me what happened, okay?" Burt coaxed.

Claudia let the yarn and needles fall to her lap. "Well, it all started when we received notices at the retirement residence that the monthly rents were being raised sharply. I confess I looked at that letter and my heart sank. My two little annuity payments didn't cover the higher amount, and I had no extra funds in the bank. I . . . I was just heartsick because I knew I would have to move, and there was nowhere else to go. Nowhere safe, that is."

She stared out into the cafe. "I fell apart. I just hid in my room and cried and cried. Mary Ann found me there and let me cry on her shoulder. I remember telling her that I needed to start over again, away from Florida and Sheila and all her lies. Find a new place to live and start fresh, somewhere far away. Dear Mary Ann suggested I take her car. It had been sitting in the residence garage for over a year, ever since her vision failed."

Claudia took a sip of coffee before continuing. "She handed me the car keys. Then she told me to take them and leave Florida, make a new start. She even offered me her credit card to pay for expenses until I could get settled." Claudia gave a little sigh. "I told Mary Ann I couldn't accept her offer. It was too much, and I didn't know when I could pay her back. But she insisted, saying that both the car and the credit card were sitting there unused. They weren't doing her any good. So she might as well use them to help someone else."

"That was extremely generous of her," Kelly said, still amazed at the story.

Claudia sent Kelly an earnest look and nodded. "Oh, that was Mary Ann. She was a sweetheart and a saint. I swore to her that I'd repay her every cent and return the car as well. Once I became situated, that is. And I promised I would stay in touch."

"Did you call her from Fort Connor?"

"Oh, yes, as soon as I found a motel and settled in. I called to let Mary Ann know. She sounded fine on the phone. I cannot believe she died the very next day."

Burt rubbed one hand over the back of the other in a gesture Kelly had witnessed many times. He was pondering Claudia's amazing tale. "Did you tell anyone at the residence about Mary Ann's offer?"

Claudia pursed her mouth, evidently pondering as well.

"I think I mentioned it to the sweet little lady who sat beside me at dinner. But she's so forgetful, I doubt she would remember. I learned not to share too much about my private life with people there, because gossip spreads so easily, you know. And I had a feeling that Sheila had a friend working on the staff. I'd often catch one of them watching me."

"Sounds like it's going to come down to your word against Mary Ann's family," Burt said gently. "And if that happens, the police will most likely side with the family. You realize that, don't you, Claudia?"

Claudia drew back, clearly aghast. It was obvious to Kelly that Burt's sensible scenario had never entered Claudia's head.

"What . . . what does that mean?"

"If the family files a stolen car report with the Florida police, then they'll investigate the crime and enter the vehicle into the national database as stolen. Then the Florida police would contact the police here to help them investigate. That's when the Fort Connor police would get involved. They would locate the car, and then they would contact you."

Claudia blanched. "They'd arrest me?" she cried.

"Yes," Burt said softly. "I'm sorry, Claudia. But once an arrest warrant is filed, then the legal system takes over. Crimes have to be investigated."

Kelly placed her hand on Claudia's arm, patting rea.s.suringly. "Don't panic, Claudia. I know a very good lawyer with a local firm, and I'll ask him if he does pro bono work. That way, you'll have someone to represent you."

"You mean they'd take me to the police station ?" she squeaked.

"Yes, at first," Burt continued gently. "Then they'd take you to jail, where you'd be booked, and then you'd go before a judge-"

"Ohhhh, noooo!" Claudia wailed, both hands fluttering at her breast now. "They'd drag me in like a common criminal! Oh, my Lord! I couldn't bear it!Oh, no! "

"They wouldn't drag-" Burt tried to rea.s.sure her, but Claudia interrupted with another anguished wail.

"Ohhhh, noooooooo! Thrown into a cage with . . . with criminals ! I'd die on the spot. I haven't done anything wrong! Please believe me!"

"Claudia, you're upsetting yourself," Kelly counseled, noticing concerned customers turning around in their seats in the cafe, curious as to the disturbance.

Claudia refused to be consoled. She grabbed Burt's hand and squeezed it between hers. "Oh, please, Burt,please ! I beg of you, please help me. Don't let them throw me in jail, please! I'll perish. I won't survive. I'lldie !"

Burt placed his other hand atop hers. "I promise I will do whatever I can to help you, Claudia," he said, his face reflecting his concern at Claudia's emotional outburst.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Burt," she murmured. Leaning forward, she kissed his hand.

Burt looked surprised, and patted her hands before removing his from her grasp. "Don't worry, Claudia." The insistent ring of his cell phone interrupted then. "You have friends here," he added as he left the table, cell phone still ringing.

Kelly observed Claudia, concerned about the intensity of her outburst. Clearly, Claudia was "high-strung," as her aunt Helen would have said. Maybe some quiet knitting time would help.

"Claudia, you need to calm down. No one's coming to throw you in jail," Kelly declared, not entirely sure she was correct. "Why don't you sit here alone for a while and knit? I find that knitting quietly orders my thoughts and helps me make decisions. It's relaxing and settles my mind."

Claudia looked up, color coming back into her face. "You're right. I need to calm down. Yes. I'll try," she said, chewing her lip. She resumed knitting the magenta shawl.

"Do you have any activities scheduled at the senior center this morning?" Kelly asked as she left the table. Client accounts were calling. She had to get back to the cottage and back to work.

Claudia shook her head. "No, I'm afraid I won't be going to the senior center as much," she said forlornly. "Sheila's been talking to some of the group leaders there, and people look at me strangely now." She released a dramatic sigh. "Besides, it's another two taxicab fares. I've stopped using Mary Ann's car, so now it's much more expensive for me to get about town."

Kelly couldn't help feeling sorry for Claudia. Alternating her two nice suits, living in a seedy motel by the interstate while she tried to start a new life. Good Lord. Claudia's life was really the stuff of soap operas. She gave Claudia's arm another pat before she turned to leave. "Try not to worry, Claudia."

Grabbing her coffee mug, Kelly headed down the hallway that connected the cafe to the knitting shop. If Megan was there, she could check out Kelly's finished hat. If it met Megan's exacting standards, Kelly would turn it over to the charity collection. Then she could finish Steve's alpaca winter scarf-at last.

Kelly slowed as she rounded the corner into the shop. Holiday shoppers were everywhere-plundering yarn bins, digging into chests, and comparing fibers as they made their buying decisions. She wove her way carefully toward the front of the shop where a line had already formed at the cash register. Kelly spotted Lizzie and Juliet, who were talking beside the Mexican tile fireplace.

Kelly almost didn't recognize Juliet. The little brown wren was not attired head to toe in her favorite shades of brown. Instead, Juliet wore a dramatic crimson red cape that reached her knees.

"Goodness, Juliet, is that one of those Christmas capes I've been hearing about?" Kelly asked as she approached.

"Indeed it is, dear," Lizzie answered, pointing to Juliet like a proud mother. "Isn't it simply beautiful? Mimi sells every cape that Juliet brings."

"You certainly weren't exaggerating, Lizzie," Kelly said as she admired the graceful drape of the fabric. The gently rounded and curved edges were bordered with two-inch green braid as were the pockets and hood. "It's gorgeous."

Juliet beamed, her pale cheeks coloring with obvious pleasure. "Thank you, Kelly. I've been making these for several years." She held a neat stack of folded capes in her arms.

Kelly reached out and touched the fabric. "Juliet, this is so soft and fine. It's scrumptious. You wove this?"

"Yes, I weave the fabric, then I make the capes. They've been selling very well. And it's such a worthy cause. All the money goes to the Separated Moms and Kids Fund."

"What's that?" Kelly asked, still fondling the fabric. It was soft enough to have been woven by angels.

"The county police department collects money to buy toys for mothers who are incarcerated and away from their children during the holidays. Then they throw a big party so the kids can receive presents from their moms." Juliet set a pile of folded capes on the fireplace hearth.

"Wow, thatis a worthy cause," Kelly said, letting the seductive fabric slide from her fingers at last. "I know Megan plans to buy one of your capes."

"Oh, that reminds me, dear. Megan gave me a message for you," Lizzie said, placing the last cape atop the others. "She said don't forget to bake cookies. The bazaar is next weekend, and she's in charge of cookie collection."

Kelly had already forgotten. "Uhhhh, thanks, Lizzie. I confess the cookies had slipped off my radar screen. I finished my first Hat for the Homeless. So I guess I can only remember one charity obligation at a time."

"Excuse me, ladies, but I have to continue my deliveries. I'll see you both at the bazaar, right?" Juliet said as she turned to go.

"Yes, indeed," Lizzie said with a conspiratorial smile. "Meanwhile, I'll be waiting on pins and needles for your call tomorrow."

Juliet blushed and gave an embarra.s.sed little wave before hurrying from the crowded front room.

Kelly couldn't resist following up on Lizzie's last comment. She sensed Lizzie was up to something. Or wanted to be. "What's happening with Juliet?"

Lizzie's eyes danced, and she beckoned Kelly farther from the customers milling about the room and standing in line. "It's so exciting! Jeremy called Juliet this morning and asked her if she would meet him for dinner tonight. He had something important to ask her." Lizzie glanced over her shoulder but the customers were totally absorbed in their fiber pursuits and purchasing. "Juliet told me Jeremy drew her aside at the library the other day and apologized for his recent 'preoccupation,' as he called it."

Preoccupation. It sounded like Jeremy's romance with the vivacious Merry Widow might be cooling. Jeremy's waning interest would be another blow to an already emotionally fragile Claudia. How would she handle the end of their romance? Kelly wondered.

"Do you think Jeremy is regretting his, uh . . . dalliance with Claudia?"

Lizzie's eyes went wide as she bent to whisper, even though no one nearby seemed to be paying attention to their conversation. "Perhaps so. I must admit I'm not surprised. Jeremy is a quiet soul with habits much more attuned to Juliet's simple life. They're both quite similar in personality-"

Lizzie never finished, because Claudia suddenly rushed up to them. Her face was flushed with excitement. "There you are. I was hoping I'd find someone to talk to. I'll simply burst if I don't share the good news," she gushed.

Kelly blinked at the transformation. Gone was frightened, panicked, beaten-down Claudia-the-Victim. Now Claudia glowed, clearly joyful about something. What could have happened to cause such a sudden transformation?

"Wow, Claudia, you really look happy. What's the good news?" Kelly asked.

"My Prince Charming is coming to the rescue. He called me on the phone," she declared rhapsodically, one hand at her breast. "I knew he would. Now I'll have a strong man in my life to protect me again. Like Mama said. I knew Jeremy would propose. I justknew it."

Kelly managed to hide her surprise. But Lizzie wasn't so successful. "Did . . . did Jeremy propose to you?"

"Not yet, but I know he will," Claudia declared, clasping her knitting bag to her bosom, face still radiating her happiness. "He wants me to meet him for lunch in Old Town this afternoon. He said he had something very important to tell me. Oooooooo, I'm so excited !" Claudia spun about in a circle like a delighted schoolgirl.