Stitches in Time by Barbara Michaels

Surely Tony wouldn’t say anything in front of Adam. Unless they had already discussed it, unless Adam knew?
    â€œYes,” she said, forcing herself to look directly at Tony.
    â€œExcuse me for sounding peremptory just now,” he saidformally. “But you really have to be careful. I explained the situation to Adam, and Thomas will keep an eye on the place too. He’ll let you know if they locate the guy. I’ve asked him to report progress to me as well.”
    â€œThank you.”
    â€œPart of the job. Try not to worry,” he added. “Something is bound to break sooner or later. Adam is taking my room, so he’ll be downstairs.”
    He got slowly to his feet and reached for the crutches.
    The worst was over, Rachel thought. A few more minutes and he’d be gone.
    She should have known he wouldn’t back away from it. It wasn’t easy to find an opportunity for a private conversation, but he managed it, at the last minute, while Cheryl was trying to settle the children into the car and arbitrate the arguments as to where each would sit. They had been racing back and forth, up and down the steps, chasing one another, and since it was an unseasonably warm day their feet had left muddy smears on the stairs and the porch. Rachel was about to start down when the quiet voice pronouncing her name stopped her again. This time she couldn’t bring herself to turn around. Face averted, she waited.
    â€œI want you to know that I regret what happened last night. You may not believe me, but I’ve never—not since Cheryl and I—”
    â€œI believe you. It’s all right.”
    â€œNo, it’s not all right.”
    â€œI’ll be gone when you get back,” Rachel said. She hadn’t meant to say it, but she knew the decision was inevitable and the words irretrievable.
    He didn’t respond immediately. Finally he said, “Perhaps that would be best. Surely by that time—”
    Cheryl came trotting toward them and Tony started down the steps. If he was trying to prevent Cheryl fromhelping him the attempt backfired; moving clumsily and too quickly, he slipped on a patch of mud and might have fallen if she hadn’t been there to steady him.
    Rachel stood waving and smiling until the van turned the corner. It was a relief to let her face relax.
    Adam wasn’t the waving type. He had gone back into the house after hoisting Tony and the cast into the backseat of the van, and he was nowhere in sight when Rachel entered the shop. Methodically she locked and bolted the door and put up the chain. Then she went to her room.
    The room was a mess. She hadn’t made the bed or even finished unpacking. There hadn’t been time. Vaguely she thought, I ought to have something to eat. I told Cheryl I’d clean up the kitchen. Did she put the butter away? The cats are probably licking it right now. The dogs are still outside, I ought to let them in, feed them.
    The house was utterly silent. Apparently Adam intended to leave her strictly alone. That was fine with her. Maybe, after all, he hadn’t seen anything. Guilty people become paranoid, she reminded herself.
    â€œPerhaps that would be best.” Well, what had she expected him to say? It could have been worse. He had waited for her to make the offer, he hadn’t told her to get out. He wouldn’t do that. He was fair and kind-hearted, not like…
    Her thoughts dead-ended, as if they had run into a wall. For a terrifying second or two the room seemed to shiver, like an image embroidered on gauze shifted by a gust of wind. Rachel caught hold of a chair. No wonder she was giddy, not enough sleep, no lunch or breakfast.
    The surface under her hand felt gritty, like fine sand. It wasn’t wood she touched. The album quilt lay across the chair, where she had thrown it the night before.
    She had forgotten about the quilt until that moment. Lucky for me Cheryl didn’t see it, Rachel