Quilted Secrets

By Ann Hazelwood

In the third Wine Country Quilt mystery, whispers echo through Augusta, Missouri, where it seems that everyone has something to hide.
 
Everyone has at least one secret they carry through their lives. Lily tries to keep one herself as she encounters the many confidences of her quilt class, community, friends, and family members. The mystery continues with the doctor who once lived in Lily’s house, whose secrets may never be known. And then Lily becomes aware of an unexpected, life-changing revelation when an estranged cousin comes to visit. Will she tell?
 
Praise for Ann Hazelwood and her novels
 
“I found myself immersed in the tale of this extended family and this wonderful quaint town . . . You will laugh, cry and share in their hopes and dreams.” —Community News
 
“Ann Hazelwood knows a few things about the human spirit, family and dreaming big. Add a mixture of the love of quilting and all the things Missouri historic and otherwise; you will experience the words and passion of this unique and gifted author. Enjoy the experience!” —StreetScape Magazine

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Feb 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781683395249

Book preview

Chapter 2

As much as I loved my only niece, I didn’t approve of some of the choices she’d made. She had become pregnant from an affair with a married man. Needing a break from living at home, she’d come to visit me in Augusta and had fallen in love with the community. She had also hatched a plan to live in Augusta with Lucy, but since I knew Sarah’s attention span, I knew she likely wouldn’t follow through. She was determined to return to this area for a visit now that the baby was born. However, I was adamant about her not staying with me. I’d lucked out by finding a place for them to stay at a guest house in town. My friend, Kitty, was traveling and had asked me to keep an eye on her home, antique business, and rental cottage while she was gone. The cottage was small, adorable, and perfect for their scheduled visit.

At noon, I finally had a customer. She was a lovely lady

who said that Carrie Mae had sent her over to see my quilts. She was very dignified and quite attractive. She said she loved antique quilts that had an interesting provenance. Then she shared, I’m active in the county’s historical society and wondered if you’d be interested in doing a lecture on antique quilts? I understand that you have your own column and are quite knowledgeable about quilts in general.

Taken by surprise, I blushed. Oh, I don’t consider myself an expert at all. The topic is pretty broad, and I haven’t done anything like that before.

She looked disappointed.

I do have a friend, Holly, who lectures all the time. I’ll share her contact information with you.

Well, that’s fine, but I was hoping you would agree to do it.

Thanks, but I’ll have to pass.

She nodded.

I showed her the quilts in the quilt room, and she commented about my reasonable prices. I acquired many of these from a former shop owner, so I left the prices as they were marked, I explained.

That sounds very considerate. I see you have many red-and-white quilts.

I smiled. Yes, I collected them for many years. I’m selling some of them off as I go along.

I’ve always loved redwork embroidery quilts. I have a 1904 World’s Fair quilt that has all the buildings of the fair stitched on it.

How nice! I have seen them. That year was the prime time for redwork and red-and-white quilts. Do you embroider?

Yes, I love to, but my eyes are failing.

I love to stitch as well, but I have little time. I do belong to a monthly quilt class at the library. They have a block assignment each month. I barely have time to accomplish what I need to get done for that.

Lily, would you be interested in buying my quilt from me?

Her question caught me off guard. I’d love to see it, and I may be interested, depending on the price.

Good. Someday, I’ll bring it for you to see. She continued to look around, eventually making a purchase of a small antique picture frame. I gave her Holly’s contact information and she left.

I could tell from the chatter and noise outside that the boys were back in business. I couldn’t help but wonder if folks assumed that the shop was closed, given all the commotion going on near the house. I went outside and waved to them. For just a minute, I sat down on the porch rocker that I used for a display every day. Many folks had tried to buy the rocker, but Rosie had a tag on it that said it was not for sale. I had to admit that I didn’t regret keeping it for myself.

Chapter 3

Hi, Lily! Korine greeted as she walked towards me. I can’t believe I’m seeing you sitting down.

I chuckled. Hey, Korine. What are you up to today? Korine had previously done some cleaning for me until she felt my place was haunted.

Carrie Mae said your barn and shed are coming down, which I see is truly the case.

Yes, if Kip and Tom don’t kill each other in the process, I remarked with a tinge of sarcasm.

She smiled and quickly got to her reason for dropping by. You said that when the cleanup began outdoors, you could possibly use me for planting or doing some yardwork.

Well, it’s a little early for that, but I did buy some perennials from Johann’s that need to be planted in the back of the house. Maybe you could do that for me. It’ll take some weeding and prep work.

Oh, I’d love to do that. Can I start first thing in the morning when I’m wearing my work clothes?

Of course. How about at ten?

You’ll be around here, right? she questioned.

I knew that she would not come near the property unless I agreed to be here as well. Rosie had caused her to feel uncomfortable when she had been alone in the house. Yes, I will.

As she walked up the hill, a car pulled into the driveway. Three young women got out of the vehicle and asked if the shop was open. They entered as if they were on an adventure. One of them shared that they were on a girls’ weekend at the Red Brick Inn. She mentioned that three of the original group had returned home.

To my surprise, they spent a lot of time looking at the quilts. I left them alone. They didn’t acknowledge my presence in the next room as they recapped their weekend.

Can you believe Marcie is still seeing Steve after all he’s done to her? one asked.

Well, if he finds out her secret plan, she may regret it, another said.

From what I could understand, it sounded as if Marcie had stopped taking her birth control pills and was trying to get pregnant, unbeknownst to Steve.

I’m so glad we played that game, said another. It sure brought out a lot of things I didn’t know!

Me too, one affirmed. She continued, No one had better tell my secret.

It’s funny how you think you know someone until they confess something out of the ordinary, another added.

I know! said the third. When Alice said she told her mother-in-law she’d made that gorgeous quilt, I couldn’t believe it. Who does that? I was with her when she bought it!

I guess a little white lie doesn’t hurt every now and then, came a reply.

When we were growing up, I covered for my little sister so much, one admitted. We had wine at a pajama party once, and everyone else attending spilled wine all over the sheets. My sister had spilled hers, but I got in big trouble. It was all her fault for jumping up and down!

They laughed. When the group came to the counter to check out, they only purchased a tablecloth and a small velvet pillow.

Sounds like you had quite a time last night, I said, chuckling.

Oh, for sure, the shortest one admitted. We played a game called ‘Tell Me a Secret I Don’t Know.’

Oh, I’ll bet that was interesting, I responded.

It was more than interesting! the taller one emphasized. "When I saw your quilts, I was reminded of some of the secrets

people shared, for some reason."

Do you think the things you learned will remain a secret? I inquired.

They all looked at each other and grinned.

Okay, I think I know the answer, I said as they began to exit. Come back again!

When they left, I thought that I couldn’t imagine what I would reveal as my secret. Alex and Holly, my two closest friends, knew some of my most personal thoughts, but who knew what might come out from the past after a couple of glasses of wine!

Chapter 4

Alex and I were a lot alike. We had become good friends while we both worked at Dexter Publishing. I had been an editor, and he was a writer. He had quit to do freelance writing, and I followed later, despite not having another job lined up before I left my position at Dexter. I had always longed to write a book instead of editing others’ materials. Writing my own column could be the next best thing, or possibly even better. Thanks to Alex’s connection to Spirit magazine, they had been willing to give me a chance at writing a column called Living with Lily Girl. I had the freedom to pick my topics, so that was appealing. Through the years, Alex and I had remained close, and I valued his friendship immensely.

I prepared a pizza and thought about the love I had for paper and pen. I wondered why some people felt a need to communicate while others did not. The written word has nearly become extinct with the widespread use of computers. I remembered my mother showing me precious love letters my father had written to her when they were dating. I’m sure she’d read them countless times. I’m also convinced that they gave her immense joy. I doubted whether anyone would keep precious texts or emails these days. Was I the only one feeling that we are losing the written word? I knew the topic was something I should consider for my next column. I could call it Living Without the Written Word. It would be easy to present the pros and cons. I found a pen and began to capture my thoughts. I feel that the written word is the best legacy we can leave. Quilts and art may be second, which makes me smile. However, words cannot be taken away. Words have meaning and can express a broad span of feelings. Before I knew it, I nearly had the whole column written! The topic was something personal to me, and hopefully it would make my readers think about putting their thoughts into written words.

I dozed off on the couch and did not wake up until four in the morning. I pulled the couch quilt over me. The early morning breeze and the softness of the quilt gave me another couple hours of sleep. The noise of Kip and Tom arriving woke me up. Bright sun was shining onto the porch. Ready or not, God was telling me that it was going to be a wonderful day. Truly, I had a lot to be thankful for. I placed my papers near the computer and jumped in the shower. I told myself that if the shop was slow today, I might be able to review my column and send it to Robert at the magazine.

I took my morning coffee outside with me to check on the guys. The bigger pieces of the buildings were down. I was beginning to see how open the space would look. I couldn’t help but wonder how the spirit in Doc’s house would react to those derelict buildings being gone. I walked to the back of the house and decided where Korine could start planting today. Weeds were peeking through everywhere, but there were unexpected jonquils popping up in various places. I’d have bet they were planted many years ago, perhaps by Carrie Mae herself when she lived here. As I came to the front of the house, Carrie Mae was pulling up in her car.

Land’s sake! she said in amazement, gazing across the area that had been cleared. You are making a lot of progress! I was curious as to how this project was coming along.

The nice weather has really helped, I replied. The guys work hard, and I think they’re even enjoying the process.

She nodded.

Can you come in for some tea?

I’d love to, but I need to go by Betty’s house before I open my shop. Do you have any word on whether Gracie has found a building for her quilt shop?

No, I haven’t heard anything. By the way, Korine is going to do some planting for me today.

Yes, she couldn’t wait to tell me. That’s good. There’s an Augusta Plein Air Art Festival meeting tonight at the library. Have you gotten yourself involved with that event?

No. I’m not sure what really happens, but it sounds wonderful.

It’s a big deal and great for business, but I just can’t be as involved as I once was.

You’ve done your part. It’s time for the next generation to carry on.

Chapter 5

When Snowshoes brought my mail the next morning, there was a beautiful invitation to Lynn’s art show at the Foundry Art Centre. I had visited there recently with my boyfriend, Marc. I was so proud of Lynn and her talent. I had also connected Lynn with Vic from the Gallery Augusta. I knew his clientele would love Lynn’s work.

Lurking in the back of my mind was the fact that it was almost Thursday. Anthony would be having dinner at Ashley Rose. He was an interesting Italian. I’d met him there one evening and enjoyed his company, and I seemed to be fascinated with him for some reason. Should I make a point to join him or stay at home and eat alone? I knew the answer. I honestly felt very drawn to him, despite my feelings for Marc.

Here in Augusta, away from friends and family, it was during the long evenings that I felt most alone. Yes, there were baseball games going on, and I was a devoted fan of the Cardinals, but there wasn’t much interaction with people. Marc, Holly, Alex, and Lynn were all in the city. There weren’t unexpected get-togethers as before. Most of my female friends out this way had husbands to consider. I had chosen to live in wine country because of its serenity, I reminded myself. However, it did make for a lot of evenings spent alone.

Korine arrived on time. I went out to meet her so she could get started right away.

I brought some of my own gardening tools in case you didn’t have any, she announced.

Good! Follow me. I showed her an area where a flower garden had been located previously. I told her it needed to be weeded first. After that was done, if she needed to edge it, there were bricks galore where Kip and Tom were working, and she could use those.

I left her alone and went inside the shop, purposefully leaving the front door open to get some fresh air. I was pleased to see a phone call from Holly coming in on my phone. I was often a sounding board for my best friend. She was in an abusive marriage with a man named Maurice. Sometimes I just referred to him as the monster. He seemed to enjoy making her life miserable, and she could not seem to pull herself away from what had grown into a dangerous situation. Honestly, I continually feared for her life.

I thought you’d dropped off the face of the earth, I greeted her. How are you?

Pretty good, actually, she said with a giggle in her voice.

Well, that’s good to hear for a change. What’s going on?

She paused. I have to talk quickly, she said softly. Maurice finally agreed to go to the doctor, so I thought I’d give you a call while he’s out.

Why are you practically whispering? His health must be pretty bad if he decided to go on his own.

I have no idea, and I don’t care, she responded. He looks terrible and continues to lose weight, but I don’t want to talk about him.

Okay, so what else is happening?

I had lunch with Ken yesterday, she admitted. Her voice was getting louder due to her excitement, but it still remained a whisper.

Do you think this call is being recorded? Talk a little louder so I can hear every detail.

I don’t think the phone is bugged, but he could come in the door unexpectedly. I never believe what he tells me. I’m on my cell phone.

You had lunch? Where?

I can’t say. Lily, he’s so nice and intelligent! I had really forgotten what being around a man with real manners was like.

I’m glad you are starting to realize what you’re missing.

Please don’t read too much into this, she pleaded. This has to be kept a secret. Do you understand?

Holly, Holly, I do understand, I reassured her.

If Maurice found out, he would do dreadful things to me, financially and physically. His previous work with the CIA years ago is always in the back of my mind.

Don’t let him scare and intimidate you like that. He is a sick person!

I know he is capable of killing me, she said quietly, and no one would ever know.

Do you hear yourself? Stop it. Enjoy your time with Ken. It is a better use of your time.

I trust you, but I do worry about when I tell Mary Beth things. Oh! I just heard the garage door close.

I looked at my phone and saw that she had hung up without saying goodbye.

Chapter 6

Phone calls like that from Holly really scared me. Trying to keep a secret from that crazy husband of hers could put her in a difficult position. If he should happen to pick up on her happy mood, he’d know something was up. Mary Beth, her friend from the pool, had let out the secret of Holly’s friendship with Ken to me so easily when they were both here for the Christmas walk that even I was taken aback. I often worried about who would kill the other first, Holly or the monster.

Hey, Ms. Lily, Kip yelled from outside.

I ran in the direction of his voice.

Come look! Tom called at the top of his voice. He pointed to a metal box covered in dirt.

"What is it?’ I asked as I got closer to look.

Hard tellin’! Tom responded with excitement. We tried to get it open, but we can’t. It’s all rusted shut.

It was nearly buried under a shelf in the barn, Kip explained.

Curious to see what all the fuss was about, Korine joined the three of us. Kip carried the box over to the house. It was about twenty inches long and eight inches high, and it looked like it had a lock.

I’ll bet it’s a hidden treasure, Korine joked.

I doubt it, I responded. Put it over here next to the house in the shade. We’ll open it another time.

I shook it a bit, Kip volunteered. There’s something in there, and it’s heavy.

Guys, go back to work, I ordered. You’re getting paid by the hour, remember?

Oh, Ms. Lily, Korine said. Someone just walked into the shop.

Okay! I nodded. You all carry on. Thanks, Korine. I walked toward the customer. Good morning, I said to the elderly woman. As you can see, we have a lot going on here today.

She smiled. I can see that, she replied. I’ve wanted to get in here since the day you opened.

Well, I’m Lily. Please feel free to look around. Let me know if I can help.

She immediately headed towards the quilt room. In the meantime, I looked out the window to check on Kip and Tom just to make sure they were back to work. I passed the quilt room and noticed the woman had picked up a Dresden Plate quilt.

Are you a quilter? I asked, hoping to start a conversation. When she shook her head, I noticed that she had sad, watery eyes.

No, but I do love them, she replied softly. My mother was a quilter.

I see. Sometimes quilting skips a generation. When there has always been an abundance of quilts in a family, sometimes the next generation doesn’t feel the need to make them.

This pattern is lovely, she said with a sigh. Do you know who made this?

I wish I did, but like so many quilts, this one was not identified, I explained. This pattern was commonly made during the Depression era.

She nodded and held the quilt close to her chest. May I sit down?

Her request startled me. I noticed that she suddenly looked frail. Yes! Here’s a chair, I said as I hastily pulled a chair away from a nearby desk. Are you okay?

She sat down and clutched the quilt even closer to her chest. I’ll be fine, she said in a soft voice. Just let me sit here a bit, if you don’t mind.

Sure. I’ll get you a glass of water. I was worried that she might faint. She did take a little swallow of water, but she seemed to be breathing more heavily. Should I call for help or leave her alone?

I’m sorry. I don’t want to trouble you, but would you mind opening up this quilt so I could see it better?

I responded accordingly as her eyes seemed to take in every detail of the quilt.

It’s lovely, isn’t it? I said softly.

It brings back so many memories.

Good ones, I hope.

Her expression turned to fear. I’d hit a nerve.

Do you see all those prints in the quilt? she pointed out.

Yes. This is a perfect pattern for using up scraps. Sometimes you’ll see scraps of feed sacks used alongside cotton fabrics. They couldn’t just go to the local quilt shop. As I finished speaking, I saw tears spring from her eyes and stream down her face. I didn’t mean to upset you, I said as I gently touched her hands. What is wrong?

She shook her head in embarrassment. It’s hard to explain. My mother made a quilt like this. It brings back so many memories.

Do you still have it? Even as the words came out of my mouth, I knew it was the wrong thing to ask.

No. If I had the quilt, things would have been so different.

What did that mean? Look, sit here as long as you like. Take some time to gather your thoughts, I advised.

She smiled and nodded as she took the quilt back into her arms.

Chapter 7

I left her alone and busied myself by checking emails on my phone. I wasn’t surprised to see one from Sarah saying she would be here on Friday. It reminded me that I needed to check on Kitty’s guest house to make sure it was ready for Sarah and her baby.

I was glad there were no other customers coming in and out as my emotional customer continued to sit and hold the quilt. Korine came in to get a bottle of water from the kitchen and returned to her work outside. I decided it was time to check on my customer. When I entered the room, there she was, sobbing into the quilt.

My goodness, I said, approaching her. How can I help you?

She quickly tried to contain herself. I’m sorry, but this quilt has triggered so many unpleasant memories, she confessed. It’s a family secret I wouldn’t want anyone to know. Forgive me for staying here so long. Please wrap this up for me. I want to buy it. Will you take a check?

Of course, but I hate to see you leave so upset.

She smiled and stood up. You are extremely kind, she said quietly.

We walked to the counter in silence, and I put the quilt inside a shopping bag. She was reaching for the checkbook inside her purse when I stopped her. Let the quilt be a gift from me, I said, wrestling internally with myself as I fought back tears of my own. I think you’re supposed to have this. I hope it will give you good thoughts and take away any bad ones.

Oh, I couldn’t possibly let you do that, she said, her voice breaking. I don’t know what to say.

A simple thank you will do. Are you okay to drive?

She nodded. God bless you, she said, giving me a hug.

Please come back again.

I surely will.

I watched her slowly get into her car as I took a deep breath and tried to gather my thoughts. What had just happened? What was her family secret? I was a bit glad that she hadn’t told me. There was no way I could have taken a cent from that woman. It was an inexpensive quilt, but would never have brought meaning to anyone else like it did to her. I made a note to take it off my inventory. I had to get my mind on other things, so I called Kate’s Coffee House and ordered ham and cheese sandwiches for the guys, Korine, and myself.

We were gathered under the shade tree in the backyard when Randal arrived with our lunch. As we settled in to enjoy the delicious food, it didn’t take much time for everyone to begin speculating over the contents of the box.

I’ll bring over my 22-gauge shotgun, Tom said. We’ll get that sucker open in no time.

No, no, we’ll have none of that, I warned. I’ll get to it eventually.

What if Doc was hiding money? Kip questioned.

After quite a bit of banter, we finished lunch. I said, Okay, guys, back to work! Korine, the flower beds look beautiful!

Thanks. Korine smiled with pride. I’ll get all this watered. After that, I’ll be on my way.

I’ll see you boys again tomorrow, I said by way of a reminder.

You bet! Tom confirmed. We’ll dump this last load on our way home.

Great! I exclaimed. "I appreciate it. Don’t forget—Friday is