Disappearing Nine Patch (A Harriet Truman/Loose Threads Mystery Book 9) (36 page)

“We have to show the others.”

Harriet took the bundle from the cooler and carried it back inside. People had gotten up from the table and were clearing dishes and making more coffee.

“Come on back in here, everyone, you have to see this.” She waited until they were all seated around the table again. “Lauren, can you help me here?”

She loosened the strings on the bag and put a handful of fabric in her friend’s hand then, taking a handful herself, pulled the bag away with her free hand. The hand-quilted disappearing nine-patch quilt unfolded as they stepped apart and held it up for all to see.

“Where did that come from?” Aunt Beth asked.

James repeated his story.

“Apparently, Josh was so mad after he was marched out of the presentation ceremony that, when his quilt was delivered, he took it to the nearest Goodwill donation box. Fortunately, one of my mom’s friends was volunteering when it came through and was able to negotiate for it. She thought you all might want to re-gift it or use it as a raffle quilt or something, so here it is.”

Connie stood up.

“I for one am glad that jerk doesn’t have our nice quilt.”

“Well,” Mavis said, “we’ll have to decide what a proper disposition is for it. For now, I think getting it back is a fitting end to this unfortunate adventure.”

END

My books are not written in a vacuum but rather push their way into daily life, causing me to miss dinner, keep the lights on too late and to ask random questions, often of a grisly nature, at coffee break. Thanks to my friends and family for putting up with that. I also appreciate the flexibility of my knitting groups who always understand when I have to miss class for book related activities.

My sister-in-law, the real Beth, deserves sainthood for all the driving, cooking and the unfailing support of my writing activities. Her friends Sally and Kay also help when I’m in Texas and to them also, thank you.

Jack and Linne Lindquist of Craftsman’s Touch Books have opened a whole new world of opportunity for me by providing a venue for me to promote and sell my books and for being so kind and supportive. Thanks Jack and Linne.

Barb Stillman at the
Country Register
is a wonderful supporter—thank you Barb, I love the drawings and the winners.

A huge thank you to Deon Stonehouse, owner of Sunriver Books and Music in Sunriver, Oregon and also to Diana Portwood, manager of Bob’s Beach Books in Lincoln City, Oregon. Both stores host wonderful author events and have been gracious enough to include me.

A huge shout out to my cover artist April Martinez—the covers just keep getting better.

Last and most important, thanks to Liz for making it all happen.

After working nearly 30 years in the high tech industry, where her writing consisted of performance reviews, process specs and a scintillating proprietary tome on electronics assembly,
ARLENE SACHITANO
wrote her first mystery novel,
Chip and Die
.

Inspired by the success of the popular Block of the Month quilting pattern program
Seams Like Murder
for Storyquilts.com, Inc., she wrote
Quilt As Desired
, the first Harriet Truman/Loose Threads mystery, which was published in the fall of 2007.
Disappearing Nine Patch
is the ninth episode in the highly-successful series.

Arlene is aided in her writing endeavors by her canine companion Nav-arre. When not writing, she is on the board of directors of the Harriet Vane Chapter of Sisters In Crime as well as Latimer Quilt and Textile Center in Tillamook. She teaches knitting at Latimer and, of course, is a quilter.

She’s been married to Jack for more than thirty years, splitting their time between Tillamook and Multnomah Village in Portland. They have three lovely children and three brilliant grandchildren. She also has two wonderful friends named Susan.

APRIL MARTINEZ
was born in the Philippines and raised in San Diego, California, daughter to a US Navy chef and a US postal worker, sibling to one younger sister. For years, she went from job to job, dissatisfied that she couldn’t make use of her creative tendencies, until she started working as an imaging specialist for a big book and magazine publishing house in Irvine and began learning the trade of graphic design.

From that point on, she worked as a graphic designer and webmaster at subsequent day jobs while doing freelance art and illustration at night. April lives with her cat in Orange County, California, as a full-time freelance artist/illustrator and graphic designer.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

DISAPPEARING NINE PATCH

© 2016 by Arlene Sachitano

ISBN 978-1-61271-301-4 (Kindle), 978-1-61271-302-1 (epub)

Cover art & design © April Martinez

All rights reserved. Except for use in review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is prohibited without the written permission of the author or publisher.

“Zumaya Enigma” and the raven logo are trademarks of Zumaya Publications LLC, Austin TX

https://www.zumayapublications.com/enigma.php

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Sachitano, Arlene, 1951- author.

Title: Disappearing nine patch : a Harriet Truman/loose threads mystery /

Arlene Sachitano.

Description: Austin TX : Zumaya Enigma, 2016.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016003069 | ISBN 9781612713007 (trade pbk. : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Quiltmakers--Fiction. | GSAFD: Mystery fiction.

Classification: LCC PS3619.A277 D57 2016 | DDC 813/.6--dc23

LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016003069