Yarn to Go by Betty Hechtman

the medical examiner will determine how she died.”
    “But you must have some kind of gut feeling,” I said. “From your experience.”
    “Actually, we don’t get many suspicious deaths in Cadbury,” he said.
    “Aha, so you think it’s suspicious.” I waited while he blew out his breath and shook his head at my persistence.
    “I’m supposed to be getting information from you,” he began. “But it’s pretty hard not to think it’s suspicious with those rods sticking out of her chest,” he said. “How about we get back to you talking. Could you give me the basics? The victim’s name. Your connection. I’m just after the facts. Lieutenant Borgnine will want to talk to you later.” He tapped the pen on the clipboard. “One thing, though. Lieutenant Borgnine won’t be happy with your answering a question by asking one.”
    I shrugged off his comment. “They’re not rods,” I said. “The things sticking out of Edie are knitting needles.”
    “At last, you gave me something I can write down,” he said with mock annoyance. “So now that you’ve started . . .” He waved his fingers for me to keep rolling.
    I think he got more than he bargained for. Once I’d answered his questions about Edie, I kind of babbled on. I told him about the weekend and my aunt’s business and how I’d just wanted to get through the weekend and shut it down forever. He nodded a lot, but after the information about Edie, he didn’t write anything down or maybe even listen.
    I know it was the chicken’s way out, but I was relieved when he said Lieutenant Borgnine would notify Edie’s husband. Dane examined my face. “Good, your color is coming back.” He gestured that he was done and held out his arm to steady me as I stood up.
    “Remember, my door is always open if you need a cup of sugar or want to join the party,” he said with a wink.
    I just bet it was.
    I’d lost track of time and was surprised to hear the bell clang announcing lunch. I didn’t know what had happened to Lucinda and Kris, and I thought about the rest of the group we’d left in our meeting room. I hoped they’d had the sense to go to the dining hall.
    I walked around to the front of the building and started down the slope. Ahead I saw Kevin St. John standing next to his golf cart. He didn’t look happy.
    He waited until I was next to him to speak. “The whole Sand and Sea building has been put off-limits for the present. Your people won’t be allowed back in their rooms until—” He faltered. “Until they finish investigating and remove the body.”
    I looked behind me and saw that yellow tape was being wound around the perimeter of the building in a discreet manner. “It shouldn’t matter to our many guests who are staying in the other residential building. I’m just telling anyone who asks that the yellow tape is caution tape closing off the area while we take care of some broken steps.” He mentioned that the cruisers and the ambulance had all entered the grounds with no lights or sirens and had parked out of sight around the back of the building.
    His mouth twisted in distaste. “In all the years I’ve worked here, we’ve never had a suspicious death on the grounds. I’ve alerted the Delacorte sisters and they are very disturbed. We all agree there needs to be someone with a steady manner and experience handling your group.” He didn’t say it, but it was obvious he thought I lacked both qualities. “The sisters suggested that I step in and take over your duties.”
    The Delacorte sisters were the owners of Vista Del Mar. They were the last surviving members of the family who’d owned just about everything in Cadbury by the Sea. There had been a fleet of fishing boats, a cannery to handle their catch and lots of land. They’d sold off the fishing boats, and the cannery had long since closed and been turned into a shopping mall. The land had been subdivided and turned into plots of houses. Neither woman had married or