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  “Okay, so you found out he was your father. Then what?”

  “I went to see him. Things were okay at first. We talked. He couldn’t explain why he didn’t tell me who he was or why he hadn’t been around, but he did tell me he was selling the cabin. He told me he was holding out for more money. He said he was going to be a very rich man and that’s when I got upset. I told him how mom had struggled over the years, but he didn’t seem to care. I tried to get him to agree to give her some of the money when he got it and he told me he was saving it all for his grandson. He said the grandson was the only person that ever cared about him. He even showed me his will and I saw it in black and white. It was all going to the grandson.”

  “His grandson Travis?”

  “Yeah. That’s when I learned about this Travis. Ma never told me about him either. I guess I had some family out there…”

  Detective Garcia interrupted the young may saying, “so you decided to kill him and pretend to be Travis?”

  “No! I told you I did not kill him.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “I didn’t do anything for a few months, but then I decided to go back and talk to him again.”

  “So you went back and got into an argument with him. It was an accident, right? You didn’t mean to kill him…” Garcia said attempting to lead the man into a confession.

  “I told you he was dead when I got there. I panicked and left. That’s all that happened that day.”

  “But you went back again after that?”

  “Yes, after I read in the paper that he’d been found. I went back and obviously no one had moved into the house. I broke in and that’s when I came up with the plan. I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. I didn’t know if people there knew Travis, but I figured it was worth a shot. I was still planning it when those people came by.”

  “Who was that?”

  “I forgot their names. It was a couple and he was a retired cop, I do remember that. That worried me but it turned out to be fine. Actually, we even had a couple of beers together a week or so later. Nice guy.”

  Matt, on the other side of the mirror looked at Charles, raising his eyebrows. Charles shrugged and said, “You gotta do what you gotta do.”

  “Anyway,” Patrick continued, “once I saw I could get away with pretending to be Travis Hawkins, I contacted that Kirkland fellow. That was harder.”

  “He didn’t believe you were Travis Hawkins?”

  “Oh, he believed it all right. He just wanted to go through the process legally, even though he was trying hard to get away with paying the very least for the property. He’d been planning to rip off the old man, so I decided to do the same to him.”

  “And how were you going to do that? You weren’t going to be able to take legal steps to sell the house since you didn’t own it.”

  “I figured that as bad as he wanted it, I could just give him the deed and have him pay me cash. That’s what I offered and he bit. I told him it was this or nothing. I walked away with a bundle.”

  “What did you do with the money?”

  “I still have it. I was going to give it to the nursing home as soon as they moved my mother to a private room. Ma’s been there three years now. Alzheimer’s. She doesn’t even know me anymore.” He dropped his head again and Garcia respected the moment by remaining silent.

  Finally he asked, “Where did you get the deed?”

  “Found it right on the old man’s dresser. I guess he was thinking about selling when he died.”

  * * *

  “What do you think?” Charles and Sarah were sitting across from one another at their kitchen table. He had just told her the whole story and she sat without speaking when he finished. “Sarah?”

  She took a deep breath and finally responded. “Well, I wasn’t there, but from what you tell me, Charles, I believe him. How about you?”

  “Yeah. I believe the guy. I’ve spent some time with him and I liked him. At least, I didn’t have any bad vibes. He did a stupid thing but for a good reason. He’ll go to jail for it if Kirkland presses charges.

  “He didn’t kill Hawkins, did he?”

  “Nah. No chance. The medical examiner was right. Natural causes. Probably brought on by the stress Kirkland was causing and then the son coming out of nowhere. It was all too much for his worn out and abused system.”

  Sarah sighed again. “I guess I’ll call Sophie and let her know it’s over.”

  “Yeah. It’s over,” he said and added with a note of sadness, “It’s completely over.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I resigned from my contractual work with the department. I decided this would be my last case.”

  “Oh Charles,” she responded, knowing how much he loved his work. “Are you sure?”

  “Yep. I could tell with this case. It’s time to get on with my life – my retirement life. How about a trip out west?”

  “What a great idea!”

  Chapter 31

  “Sarah,” Sophie bellowed as she burst into the house. “Have you been to City Hall?”

  “No Sophie, I haven’t been there since we went in to get help with the tax bill. What’s happened?”

  “It’s our quilt,” she announced excitedly. “It’s hanging in the main lobby and someone from the Humane Society is sitting there selling raffle tickets. I bought twenty!”

  “Don’t you have a bundle of tickets you can sell to yourself?”

  “Yes, but I decided to make a big fuss about the quilt and I kept pulling out money and buying more tickets. I attracted quite a crowd,” she added proudly.

  “I’ll bet you did. Did you ask how they’re doing?”

  “The young girl that was there didn’t know, but she said it’s going to the library next week.”

  “Ruth is taking it with her to the Chicago quilt show in a couple of weeks,’ Sarah remarked. “She’s taking Anna along to sell tickets at her vendor booth. When they get back, it’ll be going to the county fair.”

  “These folks are going to make a killing!” Sophie exclaimed as she pulled off her coat and scarf. “Where’s my coffee?”

  “Come on into the kitchen. Andy and Caitlyn are already here.”

  “What’s the occasion for this impromptu party anyway?” Sophie asked as she hung her coat in the closet.

  “It just seemed like the right time to celebrate all the many changes in our lives – Tim’s retirement, Penny and Blossom joining the family, Emma’s adoption, the Hawkins’ mystery finally laid to rest, Charles’ second retirement from the department, and even the completion of the Rescue Quilt.”

  “I agree,” Sophie responded. “This group definitely deserves a party. By the way, who else is coming?”

  “Your son, of course, but he called and said he’d be late. I’m not serving dinner until eight so that’s fine.”

  “Dinner at eight? How very cosmopolitan of you!”

  Sarah laughed. “Well, this provincial woman here has never been accused of being cosmopolitan. We’re only eating late because Charles isn’t due back from the airport until late.”

  “He’s picking up his son?”

  “Yes, John’s plane lands at 6:30 and they should be back here around 7:30.”

  Andy had just entered the kitchen with a drink in one hand and a plate of cheese and crackers in the other. “John’s flying in for the party?” he asked looking surprised.

  “Not just for the party. He’ll be here tonight,” Sarah responded, “but he’s coming in to help Patrick and his attorney with their defense.”

  “I didn’t realize he could practice in this state?”

  “He can’t, but he’s a criminal attorney and Charles asked him to come help out. Patrick couldn’t afford a lawyer and he’s using a court appointed fellow that Charles didn’t feel very confident about. He asked his son to come help the guy out.”

  “Charles really feels for this Patrick guy, doesn’t he?”

  “Yes, he does,” Sarah responded.
“The young man is only twenty-five and is watching his mother vanish into the dreadful world of Alzheimer’s. She barely knows him anymore. Patrick told Charles that his mother raised him alone with no help from the father. She worked two menial jobs just to get by the whole time he was growing up. Patrick was desperate for the money, but of course that’s no excuse for what he did.”

  “What did he want the money for?”

  “Charles said he just wanted to get his mother a private room at the nursing home. She’s on assistance and living in a ward with three other indigents.”

  “That’s a sad situation,” Sophie responded. She’d been sitting on the couch listening as Sarah talked to Andy. Emma and Barney were laying at her feet. Emma rested her head across Barney’s back and both dogs wagged their tails with contented pleasure.

  “What about the other son?” Andy asked.

  “Christopher will be getting a portion of the inheritance as well once the court gets this whole mess straightened out,” Sarah responded.

  “What does Charles think will happen to Patrick?”

  “John and Charles are going to attempt to get Kirkland to drop the charges. That’s really Patrick’s only crime and Charles thinks Kirkland won’t want the publicity of a trial.” The group sat quietly for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.

  “Have you told Emma she’s been adopted?” Caitlin asked, looking toward Sophie and hoping to lighten the mood.

  “I sure have. I told her she’s officially one of the family,” Sophie responded as she reached down and scratched Emma’s ear affectionately. Emma closed her eyes and pushed her head into Sophie’s hand.

  Suddenly Emma and Barney jumped up and ran to the front door, both barking.

  “What’s going on?” Andy asked heading toward the door. Just then Tim swung the door wide open and with a swoop of his arm said, “I’d like to present the newest member of our family, Miss Blossom Ward.” A tiny black and white pup with large fringed ears came proudly prancing through the door with Penny right behind her.

  Once she greeted everyone, Penny scooped the little Papillion into her arms and kissed her on the top of her head. The puppy stretched up and licked Penny’s chin but then began wiggling and squirming, eager to get down and play with Emma and Barney who both stood looking baffled.

  “With those ears, I can see why she’s called the butterfly dog,” Andy said.

  “Papillion is French for butterfly,” Caitlin added, pleased that she could finally use something she had learned in her language class.

  Sarah, suddenly realizing Martha was right behind Penny, squealed with delight, “Martha, you’re here!”

  “I wouldn’t have missed it,” she responded putting her arm around Penny who was again holding the dog.

  Later when Penny and Blossom were sitting with Sarah in the kitchen, Penny spoke up with a little more confidence than usual and said, “I think my Dad likes Martha.”

  “I think so too,” Sarah responded as nonchalantly as she could manage.

  “Do you think they’ll get married?” Penny asked as she snuggled little Blossom to her chest.

  “I don’t know,” Sarah responded. “What do you think?”

  “I don’t know either,” she said and then added softly, “but I hope so.”

  Sarah smiled to herself before responding, “Me too.”

  By the time Charles and John arrived, Blossom was chasing the big dogs around the house, Penny and Caitlin had their heads together sharing a bit of high school gossip, and Sarah sat by the fire sipping wine with her guests and laughing as Sophie entertained them all.

  “Life is, indeed, good,” Charles said softly to himself.

  A Note from the Author

  During the writing of this book, Sarah (in the book) and I (in my sewing room) created the quilt described in this book. My quilt was made in memory of my little Shih Tzu, Mollye, and was donated to the Robeson County Humane Society, a no-kill shelter in Lumberton, North Carolina, to be used as a fund raiser.

  It is my hope that readers who are members of quilt guilds and clubs, or simply quilters who want to get together with their friends for an old-fashioned sewing bee, will consider making a quilt to benefit their local animal rescue organizations.

  Most of these organizations are staffed predominantly by volunteers, and we’ve all seen their heart-wrenching pleas for donations. They need our help. We may not be able to drive a Pup Mobile like Sophie, or act as mid-wife for pregnant dogs like Bernice, but this is one way each of us can make a difference.

  Quilters are always searching for worthwhile charity projects. Who better to help than the creatures who offer us their unconditional love?

  Mollye

  2003-2014

  Mollye, an adorable little black Shih Tzu, was rescued from a puppy mill in the mid-west where she had been forced to produce litter after litter of little black fluffy pups. After being rescued and placed in a no-kill shelter in Ohio, she was ultimately placed online for adoption.

  When I read her story, I knew she belonged with me. I decided I would drive to Ohio from my home in West Virginia to get her, but when I contacted them they apologetically explained that she was no longer there. Due to overcrowding, they had transported her to a foster home in West Virginia.

  As it turned out, her new foster home was minutes from my house -- Mollye was on her way to me!

  Mollye and I had seven wonderful years together until her previous lack of care caught up with her. She crossed over the Rainbow Bridge peacefully. I will love her always.

  OTHER BOOKS IN THE QUILTING COZY SERIES

  By Carol Dean Jones

  TIE DIED (February 2013)

  RUNNING STITCHES (May 2013)

  SEA BOUND (October 2013)

  PATCHWORK CONNECTION (March 2014)

  STITCHED TOGETHER (July 2014)

  MOON OVER THE MOUNTAIN (January 2015)

  THE RESCUE QUILT: A Quilting Cozy

  Carol Dean Jones

  Copyright© 2015 by Carol Dean Jones

  This novel is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental. The characters, names, places, plots, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. All rights are reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise without the written consent of the author.

  Carol Dean Jones, 1938-

  Published by Carol Dean Jones, September 2015

  Cover quilt, The Rescue Quilt, by Carol Dean Jones

  Cover photograph, by Woodberry Bowen, Elegant Portraits, Lumberton NC

  Author’s Website: http://caroldeanjones.wordpress.com