Arlene Sachitano - Quilt As You Go

"You're starting to make me nervous."

"It's going to be fine. We're going to find out where Terry goes at night, and he'll be none the wiser."

Aiden glanced at his watch. “I better go. I need to make sure everybody woke up okay after their surgeries. I hate to leave you on your own when you're like this."

"I think I've just been insulted."

"You know what I mean. When you're trying to help one of your friends, you take risks-it scares me."

"I'm not taking any risks!"

Aiden tugged on the edge of her sling with his fingers. “Says the woman with the broken collar bone."

"I was not taking a risk when this happened. I was walking in a public park."

"Yeah, which just happens to be the scene of a crime."

"It was broad daylight,” Harriet argued, her voice rising slightly.

"I don't like to see you hurt,” he said softly and stood up.

She stood up, too, and leaned into him as he put his arm carefully around her shoulders.

"I won't get hurt again. You'll be with me, remember?"

He guided her past the dirty cup station and out to the car.

"I'm going to go back home and see what the Willis gang is up to,” she said as they drove back to the Animal Hospital.

"I hope they're keeping their hands to themselves."

"They've got bigger fish to fry. They're waiting for James to arrive."

"He's the lawyer?"

"Yeah, and unfortunately, it's not hard to imagine more than one reason Mavis could need one."

"She'll be alright. She's a tough old bird."

"Not this time. You haven't seen her like I have. She cried when she found that quilt in her house. Have you ever seen her cry?"

"I'm sure with you helping it will all be sorted out."

"I wish I had your confidence."

"See you tonight,” he said when she was once again behind the wheel of her car. He leaned in the open window and kissed her. She smiled when he started to pull away, and pulled him back for seconds before she raised her window and drove away.

Aunt Beth was working on the long arm machine when Harriet came into the studio.

"Hi,” she said and then realized her aunt wasn't alone. A tall red-head Harriet didn't recognize was sitting at her computer. The presence of Harry and Ben on either side of the man meant that this had to be Mavis's second-to-oldest son, James the attorney.

"I hope you don't mind,” Aunt Beth said. “I told James it would be okay for him to use your computer."

"Sorry,” James said from behind the monitor. “Your wifi is password protected, so I couldn't use my laptop."

"It's no problem. If it will help your mom, use it all you need. Where is she, by the way?"

"She went to see that woman,” Harry said.

"Ilsa?” Harriet asked. “Why is she seeing Ilsa?"

"The woman called and wanted to talk about the funeral. They decided to meet with Pastor Hafer to help figure things out."

"So have you found out anything interesting yet?"

"It's really weird,” Ben said without looking up. James was furiously clicking the mouse.

"Mom might not be cheating the insurance company after all.” Harry offered.

"What do you mean?” Harriet put her purse down and went over.

"He means the company issuing the payment checks to our mom doesn't seem to exist.” James stood up and held out his hand. “I'm James, by the way. I'm assuming you're Harriet."

"I am,” Harriet said, and took his hand awkwardly in her left one. “Nice to meet you. Your mom is very proud of you."

"That's embarrassing,” James said. “Usually Mom just apologizes for the misdeeds of our youth."

"She quit including you in that when you passed the bar,” Harry said.

"So, tell me about the insurance payments,” Harriet said.

"Something very strange is going on,” James explained. “She is supposedly receiving widow's benefits from Dad's company insurance. I use the term supposedly because I can't find any record of the insurance company that's issuing the checks. As near as I can tell, the checks are being auto-drafted from a bank account. Gerry told me the name of the insurance carrier the company uses now, and they have no record of any type of payout to my mom."

"Where does that leave her?” Harriet asked.

"It could mean several things. It might simply mean we didn't find the insurance company. It's not unusual that a company the size of Foggy Point Fire might have changed insurance carriers more than once or twice in a twenty-year period. That being said, it is unusual that we couldn't find the company.

"Mom's checks are no help, as they don't have a company name, only a numerical ID. Even with her power of attorney, I got nowhere on the phone with the bank. They won't tell me who the account holder is. It's possible Foggy Point Fire chose to carry their own paper."

"So?” Harriet asked.

"It means they didn't have a policy through a company. They simply set aside a large pot of money that could be used if needed but otherwise belongs to the company. Remember, the company was pretty small back then. The rules change when you get bigger."

"So, now what?"

"I'm going to hire an investigator; I know a guy who specializes in this type of search. We can't begin to assess where Mom stands until we can talk to whatever entity has been providing the money."

"It's not like Mom was trying to defraud the insurance company,” Ben said. “She really thought Dad was dead."

"Unfortunately, as far as the law is concerned, ignorance isn't considered a valid argument in most proceedings."

"What about Social Security?” Harriet asked.

"I was in law school when Dad died.” James said. “Gerry worked at the company, but he had just started and the rest of the boys were still in school. Mom didn't talk to any of us about her financial situation. Mom says Carlton 's dad Marvin advised her not to apply for Social Security for herself or the boys at that point. I'll have to do a little research to find out why he would have said that, but frankly, right now, I'm glad she didn't."

He leaned back in the chair and rubbed his hands over his face and then his head. “I haven't looked at the second wife and Dad's estate yet. That could be a real can of worms, given that his second marriage was in a foreign country.” He pulled a small notebook out of his shirt pocket and made a note. “I'll get someone to research that for me. If we're lucky, Mom's marriage will be the valid one."

"What a mess,” Harriet said.

"Dad must have known how this would wreck Mom's life,” Harry said. “Why would he just disappear?"

"Don't even go there,” James said. “Dad's dead. We may never know why he left. We need to concentrate on Mom."

"I agree we need to take care of Mom, but I need to know who killed Dad and why,” Ben said.

The outside studio door opened, and Mavis entered. Harriet couldn't help but notice the new-looking black shirt-style jacket that had replaced her usual man's plaid flannel shirt. In her mind's eye, Harriet imagined Mavis in her back yard burning a pile of similar flannel shirts she had been wearing and carefully repairing for almost twenty years; her personal shrine to the husband she'd thought she'd lost.

"What was the old saying when you guys were all at home? Any time you see three Willis boys together in one place, trouble is sure to follow.” Mavis crossed the entry area and stood in front of her offspring.

"Mom, I'm injured,” James said with a hint of the boyish smile that had helped him charm his way out of trouble. Harriet wondered if he used it on juries.

"Yeah,” Harry added. “Cut us to the quick."

"We're trying to keep you out of jail, if you must know,” Ben said.

"And just how are you doing that?” Mavis asked, and poked a finger into his chest.