Barbara Graham - Quilted 04 - Murder by Vegetable Read Online Free

good kid but Alvin's mom is a frequent flyer in the jail.” Sheila paused. “Candy Tibbles is his mom.”
    Tony saw Candy's name on arrest reports frequently. She had a long record—mostly for drunk and disorderly. “Is there a problem with Candy?” Tony thought the homework program was a good one. It connected kids on the brink with positive role models. “Or do you think Alvin would do better with a male mentor?”
    “I don't think so. Alvin and I actually get along pretty well. I'd like to see him have emancipated status.” She leaned forward, clasping her hands together. “He's so old for his age he doesn't fit with any so-called normal family, but that's not why I'm here.”
    Tony felt his eyebrows lift.
    Sheila continued. “What I came to ask you is for your permission to take Alvin on a tour of the jail, let him see what it's really like, where his mom sleeps when she's here and that she's not abused. He's
her
caretaker and he worries.”
    “Where does Alvin sleep when she overnights here?” Tony hoped it was some place safer than the backseat of an abandoned car.
    “He's old enough to stay at home by himself, but I usually take him out to my folks' house.” Sheila smiled. “My mom dotes on him, and he likes Dad.”
    “Bring him in any time. I'll escort both of you and he can ask me anything he wants.” Tony thought in the long run it might save two lives, Alvin's, and his mother's.

C HAPTER T HREE
    Theo made it up the stairs to her office without dropping anything. Success. She was elated. Not only was she feeling stronger every day—her recovery from the twins' births was taking longer than she'd expected—but she was getting the hang of juggling. She knew her ability to carry both girls together wouldn't last long. The babies were growing like weeds, and she'd better rest while she could. Once they started scooting around on their own, she probably wouldn't get to sit down again until they went to school.
    Gretchen, her only full-time employee at the shop, charged up the stairs behind them and stopped at the top, a pen and small notebook clutched in one fist and the mail in the other. “Jane's already called eighteen times.” As if conjured by her announcement, the telephone on Theo's desk rang, and Gretchen trotted over to answer it. She claimed Theo had not arrived yet and would definitely give her the message. She disconnected. “Why is Jane calling the shop instead of your cell?”
    Theo pulled her cell phone out of the diaper bag. “I turned this off.” She did not turn it on. “Jane's afraid she'll wake the babies so she won't call the house phone. What does she need?”
    Gretchen shook her head. “She won't tell me. She just wants you to call her.”
    Theo was torn. The twins were asleep, so she considered waiting until she'd gotten some work done on the can-can skirts and maybe even her new quilt pattern before returning Jane's call, but guilt won out. She dialed Jane's number. Her mother-in-law was a sweetheart, but disaster followed her and her sister Martha around like their shadows. Any guardian angel assigned to either of them was probably exhausted after one day. The two ladies were never without a plan for doing something bizarre. At least they had given up the idea of traveling around the state singing in bars, a scenario that had created many conversations and sleepless nights for Tony and his siblings.
    “Oh, Theo dear, it's you.” Jane didn't give Theo a chance to say a word. “I really hope you are planning to be a part of the quilting demonstration at the Ramp Festival on Saturday?” Theo shook her head at the voice. Jane, not seeing the gesture, of course, charged ahead. “I know you are busy these days, but really, it would be so sweet if you'd come and help for a little while and teach something simple. We'll find someone to cover for you at the ticket table.”
    Theo shook her head harder. She could feel her curls bounce and couldn't imagine her mother-in-law