Read Online Monica Ferris_Needlecraft Mysteries_02 by Framed in Lace - Free Book Online

of expanding into antique and vintage clothing. And then I found my grandmother’s embroidered tablecloths and brought them in to decorate that table with the antique dessert dishes.”
    Shelly said, “Your grandmother made those? I can’t believe you’re going to sell those, Diane; they are heirlooms. The embroidery on them is wonderful; those strawberries are almost three-dimensional.”
    â€œOh, they’re not for sale, they’re just decoration. But I’ve gotten so many inquiries from customers that I think I should add stitchery to my line.” She cocked her head. “Do you still work part-time in that needlework store down on Lake?”
    â€œYes, I do.”
    â€œMaybe I should stop in there and ask the new owner if she can put me in touch with people willing to sell their work.”
    â€œWell...” said Shelly. “Actually, she probably can’t help you. She’s a terrific person, I really like her, but she’s not only new at needlework, she’s not from here.” There was a subtle emphasis on that last part, not from here.
    â€œAh,” said Diane.
    â€œOn the other hand, you could talk to her one full-time employee, Godwin. He knows everyone in the area who has ever done any kind of needlework. But you know something?” Shelly leaned forward in a mockery of her own posture when imparting a tantalizing tidbit of gossip. “ So do I .”
    Diane’s eyebrows raised in surprise, then she laughed. “Well, of course! So where do I go? Who do I see? I’m looking for vintage, antique, and new items. Not a big selection, just a few things.”
    â€œTell you what. Let me think about it, maybe ask around. I’ll draw up a list. And I think you should come to the shop anyway, meet Betsy—she’s really nice. I’ll consult with Godwin. He can probably suggest some names I miss. Let’s see, today’s Tuesday. I’ll need about a week, can you wait that long?”
    â€œYes, of course. I’ll come by sometime next week, maybe on my lunch break.”
    Diane began to ring up Shelly’s selections. “Do you collect old children’s books?”
    â€œNo, I’m going to encourage my students to read them. I think it’s helpful to expose even young children to a variety of reading experiences,” said Shelly. She had a variety, all right, from the sweet and innocent Pokey Linle Puppy to a pre-Disney version of The Three Liale Pigs that had the wolf eating the first two.
    Diane put the purchases into a bag and handed it to Shelly, who wasn’t finished talking. “You know about the skeleton on the boat they raised?”
    â€œYes, I read about it. How dreadful for the divers, finding something like that.”
    Shelly nodded. “We’re involved again.”
    â€œWho is?”
    â€œThe shop, Crewel World.”
    â€œI don’t understand.”
    â€œYou know how we solved the murder of Betsy’s sister for the police, of course.”
    Diane started to object to that but changed her mind and only raised a mildly doubting eyebrow.
    â€œI know the police are acting as if they solved it themselves, but they would still be looking for a burglar if it wasn’t for Betsy Devonshire! She has a nose, or is it an eye, for crime solving. And so they’re practically begging her to help again. They’ve left a big clue in our shop, and people are being asked to look at it and see if they can identify it.”
    â€œWhat kind of clue?”
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    â€œIt’s a piece of silk with lace edging, or rather a picture of it. It was found on the boat, which means it went down with it in 1949. No one has come up with anything yet, but you just watch. Of course, Betsy won’t suspect you or me, because we weren’t around in 1949.” Shelly laughed, embraced the paper bag a little tighter, and left, not noticing the way Diane frowned after her.
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