Arlene Sachitano - Quilt As You Go

"Well, technically, I guess you could say I'm not, but I'm helping James."

"That's what I thought. He always has been able to get you to do his dirty work."

"Seriously, Mom,” James said. “We're trying to figure your widow's benefits out. If you can remember anything else about that time, it could help."

Mavis returned to the sitting area and settled in one of the wing-back chairs. Aunt Beth joined her, taking the chair opposite her friend.

"Your mom has thought about this all she can,” Beth said. “Your dad had just died then, and he's just died again now. Let her be until she can catch up with herself. Harry, you go put the water on for tea. Ben, put some of those chocolate chip cookies on the cooling rack on a plate and bring them in here."

"You made cookies while I was gone?” Harriet said, but no one was listening to her.

"James, take a break."

The attorney looked like he was going to protest, but one look at Aunt Beth changed his mind.

"I'll go make some calls in the living room,” he said. “Mom, I'll talk to you later."

"You just sit back and relax,” Aunt Beth ordered.

"I need to make some calls myself,” Harriet said, and followed James through the connecting door into the kitchen. She went to the refrigerator and took out a can of foul-smelling cat food and scooped out a portion for Fred. “Don't eat it all in one bite,” she said as he flew off his strangers-in-the-kitchen perch on top of the hallway bookcase and dove at his dish.

"Don't mind my aunt,” she said to the collected Willis men. “She's protective of her friends."

"You don't have to apologize for your aunt,” Ben said. “We've lived it."

"Our mom probably taught your aunt her best tricks,” Harry added.

Harriet offered a few directions about where to find additional snacks and went to her bedroom to place her calls.

She came downstairs a half-hour later and strode across the kitchen and into the studio.

"I'm going out for a little while,” she told her aunt and Mavis as she picked up her purse and headed for the door. “I'll be back shortly."

She was out before either of them could ask any questions. Aunt Beth appeared in the doorway, but by that time Harriet had backed her car up and turned it down the driveway toward town. She knew her aunt wouldn't approve of her planned evening's activities.

Connie was speaking in rapidfire Spanish to Jorge when Harriet came into Tico's Tacos a few minutes later.

"Hola, chiquita,” Connie said and pulled Harriet into a bear hug. “I filled Jorge in on the plan. He can't leave here, but he's preparing snacks for each team."

"Thanks, Jorge."

Jorge tipped his ball cap to her in acknowledgment. She took a deep breath. He was roasting peppers, and the smell permeated the room.

"I'll have to have a snack after smelling the wonderful aroma in here."

"I pulled a couple of tables together in the back room,” he said, and indicated a doorway near the kitchen. “And I packed a container of guacamole with roasted peppers for you."

Harriet thanked him and crossed to the door he was now holding open for her.

She had never been in that part of the restaurant. Woven serapes in pinks, greens and yellows were draped on the walls with ornately embellished sombreros in complimentary colors positioned between each pair. Two square wooden picnic-style tables had been pushed together. Robin and DeAnn sat on benches opposite each other, sipping icy glasses of lemonade, a pitcher and additional glasses between them on the table.

Robin was dressed in her usual capri-length black yoga pants, but this time her customary pastel sleeveless top had been replaced by its black counterpart. DeAnn had on black shorts and a black T-shirt.

"We're ready,” Robin said.

"Well, we think we're ready,” DeAnn amended. “We haven't heard the plan yet."

"Did I miss a memo?” Lauren asked as she entered the back room and poured a glass of lemonade. She indicated her khaki shorts and pale blue T-shirt.

"We don't have a dress code, if that's what you're asking,” Harriet said. “We're going to be in cars."

"Oh, my gosh,” Lauren said as a realization hit her. “Did you think we were going to be skulking around in the bushes?” she asked DeAnn. “Did you think black shorts would make up for your fluorescent white legs?"

"Okay, Lauren, we're all a little nervous. You don't need to settle yours by picking on DeAnn or anyone else,” Connie said in her teacher voice, which was less accented than her casual one.

Lauren took her glass and sat down at the end of the table. Jorge opened the door and held it for Jenny, who had also come dressed in black-knee-length shorts and a sleeveless hooded tunic. Her silver hair was pulled back in a low ponytail.

"Here is another conspirator.” He laughed and went back to work in the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Sarah let herself in.

"This better be good,” she announced. “I canceled a hot date for this.” She was dressed in a creased navy blue cotton blazer and gray slacks. Harriet hoped she'd been planning on changing before her date.

When everyone was seated and had drinks, Harriet cleared her throat, then waited until everyone stopped speaking.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice."

Sarah started to reply, but Connie clamped a hand on her wrist and she closed her mouth.

"I'm sorry I was so mysterious on the phone, but I decided it would be better to talk about this in person. As you all know, Carla's been seeing a new fellow. He's a stranger in town, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. He's been very kind and attentive, and he's a natural with Wendy."

"That all sounds good,” Jenny said. “What's the problem?"

"I'm not sure there is a problem, but that's what I want your help to find out. All of a sudden, Carla's friend Terry is unavailable at night."

Several started to talk at once, and she held up her good hand to silence them.

"There could be any number of valid reasons for Terry to be otherwise occupied at night."

"But you don't think so,” DeAnn said.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but there's something off about his whole story. He's supposed to be here finding people who knew his dad, who he says worked at Foggy Point Foggy Fire Protection when Terry was little. The trouble is, I've talked to Carlton and looked in their employee picture book, and there are no Jansen's. He looks like he's military, but Carla said he was in the SEALs and he said he was an army paramedic in Iraq. Those are two very different things."

"If he's not looking for his dad's past, why is he here?” Connie asked.

"That's what I'm hoping we're going to find out. Listen, Terry's been going somewhere every evening, and I intend to find out where."

"What do you want us to do?” Jenny asked.

"First, I'd like to say that if anyone is uncomfortable with the idea of following someone or, for that matter, meddling in Carla's business, feel free to exclude yourself. No hard feelings."

"For crying out loud,” Lauren said. “We're all here, aren't we? Let's get on with it."

"Okay, I've broken us up into teams. Most of us won't start until later, but I'd like one group to sit down the street from his motel-he's at Pine Villa over at Smuggler's Cove. I dialed for dollars among the cheap motels and got lucky on the third try.

"The rest of us will wait for a call from that team.” She took a sip from her glass of lemonade. “There aren't that many routes he could take and still be in Foggy Point, and until I learn different, I'm going to assume his target is here."

"So, one of us will pick him up when he commits to a route?” DeAnn asked.

"That's the idea. Then the other teams will circle around to the next forks in the road. Each time he turns onto a road, the other cars will position themselves along his possible routes and pick him up. That way, he won't see a particular car following him."