Disappearing Nine Patch (A Harriet Truman/Loose Threads Mystery Book 9) by Arlene Sachitano Read Free Book Online

past Harriet to the stove, where she set her dish down.
    “I can just leave this with you, then.” She started for the door.
    “Wait. I’m sorry.” She stepped over and put her hand on Mavis’s shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “Let me take your coat. Come in.”
    The older woman shrugged out of her light jacket and hung it in the coat closet.
    “Maybe I am being too pushy. I saw your face the other day when you found out Aiden’s been calling Carla every week. I just thought…well…I thought you might not want to be alone on a Friday night.”
    “I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I’m talked out when it comes to Aiden. I know it’s terrible, what his sister did to him. I know he has to recover, but once again, he’s choosing to do that alone, without me. I understand that, I really do. The whole year he and I have known each other, he’s had terrible things happen, and it’s all been done by people who supposedly love him.
    “He and I met and fell in love, but it wasn’t enough. At every turn, he chose to shut me out. I know it’s probably selfish, but I want to come first. I want to put him first in my life, and I want him to put me first in his.”
    “Oh, honey, that’s not selfish, that’s how it should be.”
    They stood in silence for a long moment. Harriet looked over at the foil-covered dish.
    “So, what did you bring?”
    “It’s my famous chili-cheese-dog casserole. You should pop it in the oven for about fifteen or twenty minutes—it probably cooled a little on the drive over, and it’s best piping hot.”
    “I’ll make us tea while it warms up. I was planning on binge-watching Black Coat tonight. The new season started three weeks ago, and I haven’t gotten to watch any of them yet. If you haven’t seen them I think I’d like some company.”
    Mavis brightened. “Oh, honey, I haven’t—my cable’s been on the fritz, and they had to order me a new box. I’d love to stay and watch if you really don’t mind.”
    “Say no more. It’s a small price to pay for dinner delivered to my door.”
    “If you have a little lettuce, I can throw a salad together.”
    “I can do you one better. I’ve got salad in a bag.”
    Mavis smiled. “Perfect.”

 

Chapter 6
    Harriet was munching on an antacid when Mavis arrived the next morning. She slid the roll of tablets into her jeans pocket.
    “Good morning, and thanks again for bringing dinner last night.”
    “You don’t have to hide those Tums. I know I got it a little too spicy last night.”
    “But it tasted so good.”
    “It did, but hand ’em over. I could use one myself.”
    Harriet laughed and did as she was told.
    “How many blocks did you finish,” she asked.
    Mavis pulled a stack of nine-patch blocks from her bag and set them on the kitchen counter.
    “I finished ten.”
    “As Lauren would say, ‘Aren’t you the overachiever’.”
    “Well, honey, I knew you had to get back to machine stitching on your regular customers’ quilts, and Lauren has her day job, and Carla has that little girl and big house to take care of. I figured I’d take the pressure off the rest of you. Besides, it was nice to just stay home and sew.”
    Lauren had joined them as Mavis was speaking.
    “How very thoughtful of you. And perceptive. Harriet and I worked together, and even with Jane Morse pressing seams for us, we still only got ten done between us.”
    Harriet looked out the kitchen window.
    “Carla’s arriving. Let’s go to the studio. I’m dying to know if all our careful measuring resulted in blocks that are the same size.”
    “How can you even question it?” Lauren asked.
    “That would be ‘experience with our group’,” Harriet shot back.
    Mavis shooed them through the connecting door and into the studio.
    “You two behave yourselves, Carla’s about to walk in.”
    Mavis opened the door to let their youngest member in. Carla’s black hair was pulled back from her face and braided.
    “Oh, honey, your