The Long Stitch Good Night: An Embroidery Mystery Read Online Free Page A

Todd said.
    “I wasn’t talking to you,” Sadie said, her eyes boring into her husband’s downcast eyes. “What happened?”
    “It’s like Todd said, we don’t know,” Blake said.
    “How can you
not
know?” Sadie demanded. “You had to have been there, or else you wouldn’t be here now.”
    Deputy Flaherty cleared his throat. “I’m afraid your time is up, Mrs. MacKenzie. You and your friend will have to leave now.”
    “How can I help?” I asked Todd quickly.
    “Go check on the pub. Make sure the manager, Robbie, took the receipts to the bank and put them in the overnight depository. He’s probably home by now, but I doubt he’s gone to bed yet,” Todd said. “I’d also like you to talk to my dad first thing tomorrow morning. I don’t want to call him tonight and scare him and Mom to death, but I need his help with this mess. His name is Nolan, and both his and Robbie’s—Robert Barlow’s—information is in the Rolodex on my desk.”
    “In your office at the Brew Crew?” I asked as Deputy Flaherty took me by the arm and began nudging me toward the door.
    With his other hand, Deputy Flaherty began propelling Sadie out of the cellblock.
    “Yes,” Todd called.
    “I’ll take care of it,” I said. “Anything else?”
    “No.” He sighed. “Just—thank you. I appreciate this.”
    “Blake, I’ll be back,” Sadie called over her shoulder.
    “Not until tomorrow morning,” Blake said. “Please. You need your rest.”
    She scoffed. “Like I’m going to be able to sleep while you’re in jail.”
    “You can sleep with me!” one of the inmates yelled, setting off a round of wolf whistles and catcalls.
    “I’ll be back in the morning,” she shouted to Blake.
    Deputy Flaherty escorted Sadie and me back to the lobby.
    “I’ll go now and see if the police will let me take a look at that Rolodex,” I said to Sadie.
    “I’ll go with you,” she said firmly.
    “What’s the deal with Blake and Todd being charged with murder?” Sadie asked the officer. “That’s ridiculous. Graham was their friend.”
    Deputy Flaherty shrugged. “All I know is that when our men arrived at the Brew Crew to investigate a reported shooting, Graham Stott was dead. The gun used to murder him was registered to Mr. Calloway, but the fingerprints of both Calloway and your husband were on the weapon. And they were alone in the room with the victim.”
    When Sadie and I arrived at the Brew Crew, the crime scene technicians were still scrutinizing every inch of the pub. There was yellowcrime scene tape up as well as a barricade overseen by two officers—one at each end. Sadie tried to barrel past anyway and was threatened with arrest.
    “On what charges?” she shouted.
    “Trespassing, interfering with the investigation of a crime, tampering with evidence,” one of the officers began rattling off.
    I spotted Ted and waved both arms to get his attention.
    “Something told me I’d be seeing you tonight,” he said wryly as he approached Sadie and me. “But I didn’t expect you so soon.”
    Ted looked more unkempt than I’d ever seen him. But, like Johnny Depp, Ted looked good scruffy. His black hair—shot through with a sprinkling of premature gray—was going in all directions, as if he’d been running his hands through it in frustration. There were shadows beneath his cobalt blue eyes, and there was some stubble on his cheeks and chin.
    “You’re exhausted,” I said softly.
    He smiled slightly. “I’m okay.”
    “Of course
you’re
okay,” Sadie said. “You’re not in
jail
. What do you mean having Blake and Todd arrested?”
    “They were the only people in the room with the victim after the shots were fired,” Tedsaid in a low, calm voice. “They were still with the deceased when officers arrived on the scene, and the murder weapon was on the floor between them.”
    “Of course they were with Graham. He was their friend.” Sadie anchored her trembling hands to her hips. “Did you even