the furniture seemed modest and utilitarian. The living room couch and chairs were plain and could probably live up to the abuse of the assorted kids who stayed there. But Kelly’s crafting room was filled with nice things. There was artwork on the walls and all the furnishings were tasteful and eclectic. Her computer sat on a beautifully refinished library table and the Victorian dining chair pushed into it had a dusty rose cushion to soften the back. A Victorian-style love seat was covered in the same dusty rose material. An old trunk served as a table in front of the love seat and held a silver tray with a silver tea service. I guessed that the Mission-style easy chair was Kelly’s seat of choice judging by the facedown magazine on the small table next to it and the full-spectrum floor lamp arranged to illuminate it. I was admiring the doll-size figure of a knight next to a small silver bowl of dried rose petals when Kelly came in the room.
“You found my knight in shining armor,” she said with a smile. Adele let go of the lid of the plastic bin she was snooping in and turned quickly, no doubt to hide what she’d been doing. The brim of her hat flapped down over her face blocking her view, and Adele suddenly lost her balance and whirled across the room. The burst of wind from her movement flipped the brim back up and Adele reached out to steady herself and almost knocked over a lamp with a leaded glass shade sitting on the end of the computer table. I grabbed the brass base just in time to steady it and knocked a small book to the floor instead. I replaced the book, noting it was some kind of guide to coins.
“That glass shade wouldn’t have taken a tumble well,” I said. When I asked about the Tiffany-style lamp, Kelly laughed and said it was just a copy. “Just like everything else in here,” she said, making a sweeping gesture with her arm. “Is there a reason for your visit?”
I noticed that one of the men had set a potted feathery palm tree in front of the sliding glass door. The other man looked at it and shook his head. The first man pulled it away.
Before Adele could stick her foot in her mouth, I told Kelly we’d come to pick up anything she’d made for our booth at the Jungle Days Fair. Kelly’s phone rang, interrupting us. She answered it and listened for a moment before turning to the group.
“I have to go pick up my kids and take them to their father’s house. I still have a little finishing to do with the pieces I made. I’m really coming to the group meeting tomorrow. I’ll bring everything in then.” She ushered us toward the door. “I promise.”
When we got outside, Adele gave Dinah and me a knowing glance. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
CHAPTER 2
“That was a waste of time,” Adele said as we walked into Shedd & Royal. The bookstore seemed abuzz with business and Mrs. Shedd was standing at the front near the cashier station watching the activity with a big smile. Dinah had left us when we passed her house. She was teaching summer school and had to get her things together.
“At least you believe Kelly crochets now,” I said.
Adele rolled her eyes with consternation. “Pink, I just saw some skeins of yarn, which doesn’t prove a thing. I still say she’s a crochet pretender. And she was sure in a rush to get rid of us.”
“She had to pick up her kids and we did arrive unannounced,” I said.
“Watch, if she does come to the meeting tomorrow, she’ll have another excuse.”
It was useless to argue with Adele. Crochet pretender? Adele was too much.
“I hope they stay forever,” Mrs. Shedd said, gesturing toward the crowd in the café and bookstore. I knew the they she was referring to was the L.A. 911 production.
The production had set up shop a little over a week ago and was using the whole area. I’d heard they were filming a number of episodes and would be there for weeks. It looked like Mrs. Shedd was going to get her wish, for a while anyway.
“If it weren’t for my Eric,” Adele said. “Molly might have messed all that up for you. She almost got arrested.” Adele waited a beat before she added “Again.”