Dropped Dead Stitch by Maggie Sefton Read Free Book Online Page A

told me that you and Lisa were taking her to some psychologist workshop up in Poudre Canyon.”
    Kelly could hear the concern in the alpaca rancher’s voice. Jayleen was like an older sister to Kelly and her friends. She had been down many of life’s troublesome paths and had the wounds to show for it. So, she was always looking out for them.
    “That’s right. Jennifer’s therapist is leading a retreat for women who’ve been sexually assaulted like Jen. Lisa asked us to come up and teach the fiber classes. Lisa’s helping organize it because Dr. Norcross is her professor at the university.”
    “Good for Lisa. I’ve talked to Jennifer about joining some of those support groups, but she always shied away. I swear by them. I wouldn’t be sober today without their help.”
    Kelly stepped off the lodge porch and strolled through the barnyard toward the creek. It was almost lunchtime, so she might as well talk to Jayleen and enjoy the rushing waters at the same time.
    “You’ll be pleased to hear that Jennifer actually started attending the workshop sessions, and she played a big role yesterday in helping the others start to share their stories. Nobody was talking until we started the yarn sessions, and once everyone started working on their projects, then they began opening up. But it wouldn’t have happened if Jennifer hadn’t started the ball rolling.”
    “Well, I’ll be damned. Good for her.” Jayleen’s throaty chuckle sounded. “You tell her I’m proud of her.”
    “I am, too, Jayleen,” Kelly said, noticing Donny and Marie setting up the tables on the deck behind the ranch house. They walked across the barnyard, arms laden with plates and cups, soft drinks, and a coffee urn. “And there was an unanticipated benefit in coming to the retreat, too. Have you ever met a ranch owner by the name of Cal Everett?”
    “Nope, can’t say that I have. The name doesn’t ring a bell.”
    “He opens his ranch to retreat groups, and we’re at his ranch in Poudre Canyon right now. Turns out, he’s the guy who assaulted Jennifer.”
    “ WHAT! ” Jayleen shouted on the other end of the phone.
    “Yeah, Jennifer never knew his full name, but she took one look at him and—”
    Kelly didn’t finish her sentence because Jayleen exploded in a string of angry curses that rivaled Jane’s earlier diatribe. Kelly waited until her friend’s salty stream had finished.
    “Yeah, you can imagine our shock.”
    “Damnation, girl! How’d Jennifer take it?”
    “Actually, it helped Jennifer open up, I think. She and Dr. Norcross took a walk before the session and Jen got to look Everett in the eye and not back down. Then Dr. Norcross gave him hell and told him to stay away from everyone.”
    “I would’ve paid to see that, I swear I would. Wait’ll I tell Curt. He’ll be glad to know where we can find that no-good so-and-so.”
    “Now, Jayleen, remember what Curt told Steve and Greg. No matter how much they want to put some hurt on Cal Everett, we can’t do it. He’d just charge us—”
    “I know, I know, I know.”
    Kelly spotted Everett emerging from the ranch house, looking both ways around the barnyard, then yanking his Stetson down over his eyes and heading toward the emerald green truck parked next to the barn.
    “Listen, Jayleen, I’ve gotta hang up now. But tell Burt and the guys that I’m getting Everett’s truck license so Burt can ask the cops to run a check on him. See if there are any outstanding speeding tickets or something they can get him for.”
    “Tell Jennifer we’re proud of her, and I’ll make another pot of chili for her this week.”
    “Will do. See you after the weekend,” Kelly said before clicking off. Shoving the phone into her jeans pocket, Kelly set off on a different path across the barnyard.
    Whether it was Greta’s proactive defensive techniques or the conversation with Jayleen or her own desire for confrontation—whatever it was—Kelly decided to intercept Cal