She’ll Stitch You Up Read online

  Faye and Dottie were first, and both were eager to hear all about the murder. Of course, Ethel was content to tell her side of things.

  “The lights went out all over the house, and lightning flashed in the windows as the thunder crackled. Then when the lights came back on, there he was. Mr. Unker was lying right across the table, his dead eyes staring at me. His blood soaked into the table cloth, spreading closer and closer toward me.”

  “Oh, my,” said Faye. “And you just sat there?”

  “Heavens, no,” said Ethel. “I was pulled to safety by Mr. Harrison Spoke.” The other ladies looked impressed.

  “The Harrison Spoke?” asked Joyce, who had shown up in the middle of the story.

  “Yes,” said Ethel. “The two of us are very close now that we’ve been through this traumatic experience together. We’ve been to Ruby Jack’s twice to try and come to terms with what happened. Did you know he’s inherited responsibility of Gaines Industries? I told him not to worry. He was going to do a beautiful job. He’s a very smart businessman, you know?”

  The other women exchanged a look, each of them soaking up the gossip like sponges.

  Daisy Pratt entered the room, and Ethel had even more to say. “There’s Daisy. I saw her at Ruby Jack’s the other night when Harrison and I were there.” The other women seemed even more impressed.

  Finally, the door opened, and in came Ray, looking healthier and much happier than he had the last time Velma saw him.

  The ladies soon left Ethel and crowded around the man. And boy, did he eat that up.

  “We heard that you went to jail,” Dottie said. “Was it horrible?”

  “Yeah, tell us about the dinner and the murders,” Daisy said.

  “Easy, ladies. I’ll tell you all about it. You won’t believe it. Our girls Ethel and Velma were there too, and boy, do these women know how to party.” He waggled his brows. “We were all just going into the dining room. I told Ethel to save me a seat across the room. Next thing I know, the lights are out, and when they come back on, I’m looking at a dead man. I mean D-E-A-D. And there was blood everywhere too. Poor Bats. He never saw what stabbed him. Well, they all started pointing fingers at me. Except for these two, of course. But you know me, right? I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

  “Tell us about Everett Gaines,” said Faye.

  Dottie nodded. “Yeah, how did that happen?”

  “Well, ladies. I tell you what. It was just terrible. We’re in the game room of that big, fancy mansion of his, right? And I’m in the corner, minding my business, when just like before, the lights go out. I was ready for someone to mess with me, right? Because let’s face it. When the lights go out at that place, someone’s getting murdered.”

  Velma looked at Ethel, who was on pins and needles as if she hadn’t lived it. At the same time, she looked a little bitter because she couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

  This was Ray’s moment to shine, and Velma was content to let him have it. He’d certainly paid for it enough, and what did she care if the ladies didn’t want to listen to her side of things? But then just as she thought she was going to get away from the gossiping hens and their rooster, she was pulled back in it.

  “So, then Velma, she comes to the jail to see me, right? And I can tell she’s on the case. She promised me she’d get me out of there, and what do you know? An hour later, I’m being walked out of jail a free man.”

  “How did you help Chief Rayne solve the crime?” asked Nicole. “Had you seen what happened?”

  Velma held her head up high. “I just looked at the evidence and used my detective skills. I’ve always been a big mystery buff.”

  “I heard you’ve helped Chief Rayne before,” Nicole said.

  “Well, I heard from Rhonda at the station—who is my niece’s best friend—that the chief only had you helping because you wouldn’t mind your own business.” Daisy Pratt finally sucked enough oxygen from her tank to speak, and as usual, she didn’t have anything pleasant to say.

  Ethel snorted. “My sister is the best thing that has ever happened to that department, and if it weren’t for her, no one would know who killed Randy Knox to this day! She’s a town hero.”

  “She’s my hero,” said Ray, for once not making it creepy.

  “Well, let’s talk about you,” said Daisy Pratt. “I did see you at Ruby Jack’s, and I saw Harrison Spoke there too, but I’m not so sure the nature of your friendship.” She looked around at the others and took a long pull from her oxygen. “You see, Harrison Spoke left angry. It was clear on his face.”

  Ethel shrugged. “A lover’s quarrel and nothing more. We’ve already made up.”

  The other ladies were not as convinced anymore, and Ethel’s face fell as they all walked away and went to the refreshments. Daisy wheeled her oxygen across the room and found a place to sit.

  “I’d like to strike a match and toss it into her wig,” said Ethel. “Did you hear her, Velma?”

  Velma knew it was time to do her one good deed for the day. But before she could make her move or answer Ethel, Ray leaned over and whispered in her ear.

  “It’s good to see you again, doll face.”

  “Hey,” said Ethel. “I thought I was doll face?” She gave Velma a dirty look, and Ray smiled.

  “Don’t fret, sweet cheeks. There’s enough of me to go around. I’ve always wanted to date sisters. What say we take our own little trip to Ruby Jack’s after class? They have the best coconut pie in the entire state of Texas.”

  “I think I’ll pass,” said Ethel, walking away to the refreshment table.

  “Looks like it’s just you and me, Velma. I wanted to thank you again for all you did for me. You’re a true-blue friend and a great gal.” He stepped closer. “That’s why I did what I did. I’ve been wanting to tell you, but I didn’t think you’d want the others to know. I mean, they’d be jealous.”

  “Jealous of what? My level of repulsion for you?”

  Ray laughed. “There’s the girl I love so much. Turns out, I did get a tattoo, but only after I got out of jail. I got your name on me forever, Velma. It sounds like a song, doesn’t it?” He sang it. “Velma!”

  Velma was sure she had never heard anyone do that before. “You’re lying.” She really hoped he was.

  “No, sugar dumpling. You saved my life, and it was the least I could do. Of course, we’ll have to go to the next room so I can show you. I don’t want to take my pants down in here.” He grinned, and thankfully, he didn’t have a gum wrapper on his teeth.

  “You had better be lying about the tattoo. If you got my name, I wouldn’t be too happy about that.”

  Ray’s face fell. “You mean you don’t like the idea? I think it tells a story.”

  Before Velma could respond, Nicole stood up in front of the class. “Everyone, please. I know there is a lot of excitement over what happened this past weekend, but let’s go ahead and get started so you all can enjoy plenty of time stitching today.”

  Everyone gathered around and found their seats, and while Ethel was still getting strange looks from the group and their whispers had her down, Velma walked over to join her.

  She cleared her throat to get the attention of the others and took off her shawl, revealing the ugly shirt that Ethel had bought her.

  Ethel’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Velma. You wore your shirt!”

  “Yeah, I just wanted to thank you for all of your help on the case. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  Ethel smiled and then turned her nose up at the other women. “Thanks, Velma. There’s just one more thing.” She opened up her bag and pulled out her shirt. “I should put mine on too!”

  “Oh hell, Ethel.” She hadn’t wanted to be twinsies with Ethel.

  Ethel pulled the shirt over her head on top of her long sleeve. “There, now everyone can see that we’re a team, you and me.”

  Velma rolled her eyes. That had certainly backfired, but she let out a sigh and smiled. “Yeah, Ethel, we’re truly a pair, all
right.”

  The End

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  About the Author

  BK Baxter is a family creation pen name for Laurie Starkey (Ali Parker Romance), her brother Brent Drost (Weston Parker Romance), and their good friend Kelly Hall (Kelly Hall Young Adult). All of these authors are writing under other names and are quite prolific, but a good, funny mystery was missing.

  We hope you enjoy the humor of the two old ladies we've brought to life to bring you some laughs, surprises and a good old fashioned good time.

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  She’ll Stitch You Up

  The Yarn-Over Series: Book 2

  Copyright © 2019 by BK Baxter

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and plot are all either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons – living or dead – is purely coincidental.

  First Edition.

  Cover Designer: Jeff Brown

  Editor: Eric Martinez