Arlene Sachitano - Quilt As You Go

"But you don't think so, and like I said before, I'm starting to think you're right."

"So, what are we hanging around here for? Let's go eat with Carla so we can get on with tailing Terry."

"Your chariot awaits, madam.” Aiden bowed low at the waist and ushered her out.

Carla's dinner went by in a blur. Her baked chicken was moist and her corn on the cob was tender and sweet. Wendy climbed into Harriet's lap with her book about a bunny that lived in a tree right after they arrived. No matter how distracted Harriet was by the upcoming events, her heart melted a little when the toddler put her arms around her neck and hugged her when they'd finished reading.

Aiden and Harriet both assured Carla her cooking was wonderful, and that she'd set a beautiful summer table. They helped clear the dishes while Carla cut slices of apple pie. The crust had been patched in places, but the apples had a caramel flavor that was incredible. Harriet decided she'd ask about the recipe when she had both the time and the attention to actually retain the answer.

"Would you like some more coffee or tea?” Carla asked when they had finished their pie.

"I hate to eat and run,” Harriet said, “but I have to go to a meeting."

"You have to go to a meeting?” Aiden repeated when they'd said their goodbyes and were walking from the porch to the car.

"It is a meeting. We're just all in different cars,” she said with a smile. “What did you want me to do? Tell her we had to go so we could spy on her boyfriend?"

"Where are we supposed to go?"

Harriet was spared having to answer by the ring of her cell phone.

"It's Sarah,” she said, and put the call on speaker phone.

"This is Silver Needle reporting. The stitch is running. Repeat, the stitch is running."

Aiden started laughing.

"What?” Lauren said in the faraway voice created by the conference call and speaker phone combination.

"Terry's moving,” Sarah said in disgust. “He's headed into downtown Foggy Point, just like we expected."

Terry had not moved early, so the other two cars would be in place along two of the three main roads leading out of downtown. Aiden turned up a steep side street that would allow them to drop down onto the third option before Terry got there, should he choose that route.

"Good work, Silver Needle,” said Harriet, getting into the spirit of things. “Roll toward town, and as soon as he commits to a route, we'll let you know where to go next."

"Silver Needle?” Aiden said when Harriet had disconnected.

"Hey, whatever works. Besides, what's wrong with having a little fun along the way?"

"This isn't a laughing matter,” he said, serious again. “You have no idea what this guy is into.” He pulled to the curb and parked just before the through street, leaving the engine running.

Harriet's phone rang again. She pressed the talk button followed by the speaker phone option.

"Silk Thread here,” came Jenny's voice. “He turned toward the strait. Lauren's got one car between him and us."

"Good job,” Harriet said. “Robin?"

"We're here,” Robin answered. “That is, Cotton Thread here,” she corrected, and Harriet could hear the laughter in her voice.

"You two go down the beach road a little way. Aiden and I will be parallel and three blocks over in case he goes inland."

"Sarah?” There was no acknowledgment. “Silver Needle?” she tried.

"Silver Needle here,” Sarah said. “Can you go back into town and then take the shortcut through Fogg Park to the spot we marked in yellow on the map?"

"Will do. Thimble, over and out."

"You ladies are nuts,” Aiden said as he drove to their next position.

Once again the phone rang.

"Harriet?” said Jenny. “You've got him. There's a small red truck in front of a yellow van and then he's the gray sedan."

"Everyone get that?” Harriet asked.

"Okay, we know where to go next,” Robin said.

"We're still aiming for the yellow spot,” Connie said.

Harriet spotted the red truck as she disconnected the call. Aiden let another car pass before he pulled out into the flow of traffic. They drove up a long curving slope that had transitioned from planned housing developments to single houses and then to grassy fields interspersed with sections of forest on both sides of the road.

"Hello,” Aiden said as they came up a slight rise and drove past the gray sedan, parked at the side of the road.

Harriet picked up her phone and dialed the others.

"Listen up, everyone,” she said. “Our subject has left his car and is traveling overland. He's headed into the woods on the back side of Miller Hill. Aiden and I will follow on foot. Robin and DeAnn, you two stay on the beach road in case he goes over the hill and keeps going. Silver Needle, you take the west side of Miller Hill, and Lauren, you two take the east side of the hill. Go up to that little park near the top that has the mineral water well and wait for Aiden and I to show up on foot. I'm assuming he won't stop before the top, since there's nothing between here and there."

"I hate to rain on your parade,” Lauren said, “but other than the park, there's nothing anywhere on Miller Hill. He's either meeting someone in the woods or he's on to us."

"I guess we're going to have to follow him to find out, then, aren't we?"

"Over and out,” Lauren said and disconnected.

Less than a quarter-mile past Terry's gray car was the wide mouth to a gated drive that was set back from the road. Aiden parked several car lengths past the gate, got out and went around to the back. He rummaged around and pulled out a pair of binoculars and a gallon jug.

"What are you doing?” Harriet asked.

"Props,” he said. “When we run into Terry and he asks what we're doing, I want to have some crumb of credibility. I'm bird-watching and you're getting some of that famous Miller Spring mineral water. Let's go."

He led the way back along the shoulder of the road and then into the knee high grass that bordered the forested top of Miller Hill. They reached the parking area adjacent to the well and its pump without encountering Terry. Lauren and Jenny pulled into the lot right after Aiden and Harriet arrived.

"I'm going to make use of the restroom as long as we're here and he isn't,” Harriet said.

"You're not going alone,” Lauren said. “Not after last time,” she added, referring to Harriet's kidnapping from a restroom at the Angel Harbor Folk Art School a few months earlier.

"Fine, come on, then."

Aiden walked to the far edge of the clearing and put the binoculars to his eyes.

Jenny joined the trek to the restroom. She flipped her hood up to cover her silver hair. Aiden was standing outside the small building when they came back out.

"Did you see anything?” Harriet asked. It wasn't dark yet, but the sun was almost down, so it wasn't likely he could see much, but he might have gotten lucky.

"I can't see him clearly, but he's sitting on a big rock on a slight rise with his back to us, as near as I can tell. From the position he's in, my guess is he's using binoculars. The angle is wrong for me to see what he's looking at."

"You could have just asked me,” said Terry as he came out of the forest.

"What are you talking about?” Harriet asked.

"Could we please not waste both of our time? Since you're here and insisting on sticking your nose into my business, maybe you can help me."

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean,” Harriet insisted.

"Harriet,” Aiden said. “You're busted. Let's hear the man out."

"How did you know we were following you?” Lauren asked.

"I didn't know you were. I spotted the car that sat in front of my motel all afternoon almost immediately-the plates belong to some kind of senior living center. I didn't know how that fit, but when I passed Aiden and Harriet parked on the side street, it started to come together."