Yarn Over Murder (A Knitting Mystery) by Maggie Sefton Page A

back her chair. “Maybe I’ll bring my laptop in here and work for a while. That way you can help me keep track of the time. In case I get lost in the numbers.”
    “Only accountants get lost in numbers and seem to enjoy it,” Mimi said as Kelly headed toward the café again.
    The alcove was empty now, Kelly noticed. That quiet time in the café between breakfast and lunch. Grabbing her shoulder bag and coffee mug, she walked down the hallway and through the workroom. More pattern books were opened on the work table.
    “Are you reorganizing the pattern books or something?” she asked, admiring a pattern for a sleeveless sweater that lay on the table. “That’s pretty. I need a new knitting project. Maybe I’ll make that one. Is it hard, Mimi?”
    “Not at all.”
    “Wait a minute. Why am I asking you?” Kelly said as she withdrew her laptop from her bag and settled into a chair. “Everything’s easy for you.”
    Cassie giggled. “She’s right, Mimi. Every time someone asks about a pattern, you always say, ‘It’s easy.’”
    Kelly gestured to her accomplice. “See? It’s not my imagination. Cassie says it, too. I’ve got backup.”
    Mimi gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “Well, it is easy. And you would enjoy making it, Kelly. But it might be more helpful if you tried one of the easier sweater patterns. A lot of us are starting to knit sweaters for the wildfire evacuees who’ve lost their homes and possessions. They could really use anything we can make for them.”
    “But it’s so hot!” Cassie exclaimed, eyes wide. “They wouldn’t wear a woolen sweater in the summer!”
    “You took the words right out of my mouth, Cassie,” Kelly said, taking a deep drink of coffee.
    “Well, they wouldn’t be using them now, but in a few months they will be needing those sweaters. And those poor folks are not going to be able to buy all new clothes. That’s expensive. So anything we can knit for them will be appreciated, I promise you.”
    “I heartily agree with you, Mimi,” a deep contralto voice sounded from the central yarn room behind Kelly.
    A voice she hadn’t heard in a long time. That of Hilda von Steuben. One half of the pair of spinster sisters and knitters extraordinaire. Kelly turned in her chair and saw Hilda and sister, Lizzie, standing in the archway between both rooms, smiling. Tall and big-boned Hilda, and shorter, dainty, round-as-a-dumpling Lizzie.
    “Hilda! Lizzie!” Kelly cried in delight and leaped from her chair, giving first Hilda then Lizzie a hug. “How wonderful to see you both! It’s been a few weeks since you’ve been in.”
    “Kelly, my girl, it’s so good to see you,” Hilda said, as Kelly kissed her on the cheek.
    “Oh, my, yes! You look wonderful, dear!” Lizzie said, her bright smile revealing her dimples.
    Mimi was right behind Kelly. “Oh, you two, how marvelous to see you both!” She gave them each a hug as well.
    “Oh, such a fuss,” Hilda protested mildly, holding on to Mimi’s arm with one hand. Her other hand rested on her cane.
    “We’d have come in sooner, but we both had a terrible stomach flu bug. We’d recovered from that by last week, but then this heat has been so bad, and then the smoke,” Lizzie explained as she flounced to the end of the table, pink and white ruffles in full bloom. “We have to run two filters to clear the air in our home. We’re in the middle of town, you know.” She pulled out a chair. “Here, Hilda, this will be easier for you at the end.”
    “Come in and sit down,” Mimi said, taking Hilda’s arm as she slowly walked the elderly woman to the chair Lizzie had indicated.
    Kelly quickly pulled out the chair at the other end of the table. “Here, Lizzie, why don’t you take this one. That way we’ll have von Steuben sisters anchoring both ends of our knitting table. It’ll be like old times.”
    “Old times, eh?” Hilda said. “Well, Lizzie and I are experts on all things old, aren’t we,