Knit Your Own Murder (23 page)

“Awwww,” said Cherie, “I was kind of hoping we'd hear
from you that there were going to be people arrested and sent to jail. Instead, we get . . . nothing.”

“We got plenty!” disagreed Phil. “We got a neat little package of two mean people destroying each other and no innocent bystanders killed in the process. Well . . .” he conceded, “Joe Mickels is still standing.”

“He's going to get his Mickels Building at last,” said Emily. “Good for him. Now maybe he won't be sad anymore.”

*   *   *

“L
et's
begin again,” said Doris to Godwin and Rafael. They were in the pair's condo and had just finished a light supper of poached salmon and vegetable soup, served with wine. “How much do you want to spend on this wedding?”

“I don't think we ought to start with a budget,” said Godwin. “I think we should decide what we want and find a way to pay for it.”

“Well, I think we should have a budget,” interjected Rafael. “Some weddings cost tens of thousands of dollars, which I think is ridiculous. Is the object of this ceremony to see how ostentatious—is that the correct word?—we can be? Or is it to celebrate the legal joining of our lives while our friends celebrate, too?”

“The legal joining of our lives,” sighed Godwin. “What a sweet way you put it, Rafael.”

“So of course we will do it in the presence of God and the company we invite, and so it should be beautiful. There should be flowers and perhaps balloons, and bright colors, and good food. And we will wear something appropriate—yes? Or festive. Which do you prefer,
mi gorrión
?”

“If it is to be formal, we should wear tuxedos. If you want to go festive, we could wear bullfighter costumes—”

“Not bullfighter costumes, because we are not bullfighters. No costumes. We are not making believe; we are Rafael and Godwin, two real men doing a real thing.”

Doris hastily drew a line through something she had written. “I think tuxedos are nice, unless you want to go full formal and wear tails.”

“Tails?” said Rafael.

“It's very formal menswear,” said Doris. “White shirt and tie, white vest, black trousers, and a coat that has a back that is very long and split in half at the bottom. Orchestra conductors wear them. The outfit probably has some other name, but I've always heard it called tails. Of course, if you want to go that far, then you have to get married in the evening, as it is incorrect to wear tails during the day.”

Godwin stared at her admiringly. “How clever of you to know that!”

“I've been studying up on weddings. Miss Manners has been very useful.”

“I think we want an afternoon wedding,” said Rafael. “So tuxedos, all right?”

“All right,” said Godwin. “But maybe with rainbow cummerbunds?” He made a gesture indicating the size and location of a cummerbund.

Doris laughed. “That sounds like fun.”

“And my tuxedo black, Raff's white?”

Rafael nodded. “But then I want my . . . my cummerbund to be lavender.”

“Yes!” cheered Godwin. “And matching bow ties, lavender for you and rainbow for me!”

Doris made some more notes. “Now,” she said, “about location. The wedding's a little more than a year away, so it's possible not all the good places are taken.”

“We want it indoors—remember?” said Godwin.

“I remember. Did you know you could use the Minneapolis Institute of Art?”

“Wow, that would be fabulous.” He turned to Rafael. “Just imagine a photo of the two of us at the top of those stairs leading up to the old entrance. Do a video, starting long-distance, from the bottom and gradually coming up and up, closer and closer . . .” His eyes closed, and he smiled.

“In the rain,” Rafael said.

“Oh. Well, we could shoot that on another day, when it's not raining, unless it's not raining on our day. Still . . .” He looked at Doris. “Where else?”

“Well, there's Loews Minneapolis Hotel downtown. Their Stone Arch Ballroom has seventeen-foot-high ceilings and can seat four hundred, and they have other, smaller rooms. And an on-site catering service that can do plain or fancy. I didn't ask for a quote, but they sound pricey. But for real extravagance, there's the Saint Paul Hotel. Beautiful location, however.”

Doris named several other places, from an arboretum to a retired railroad station. Then she said, “Look, I'm not a professional. I don't want to plan your wedding for you, just help you make important decisions, tell you what your options might be. What I think you should do is contact a professional wedding planner. Sunrise Styling looks great, judging from their web site, and they specialize in gay and lesbian weddings. Ariane Criger is another. They have
venues, catering, photographers, everything at their fingertips. I want to stay involved, help you make decisions—keep you, Goddy, from sitting up the night before dyeing white doves lavender; and you, Rafael, from holding the reception at McDonald's. Does that sound good?”

“No lavender doves?” sniffed Godwin, pretending to be heartbroken.

“No Quarter Pounders?” mourned Rafael—then he laughed. “All right, Dorita, you are to accompany us to our planning sessions and wear a big hat with a long pin in it, so you can prick us in our backsides when we start failing to do this properly.”

Doris's eyes shone. “You two are so wonderful!” she said.

*   *   *

J
oe
Mickels sat up late in his modest Excelsior office. He was calculating the value of assets he could draw money from, considering the disposition of other assets, moving money into accessible accounts. Those people running Maddy's estate would have no wish to involve themselves in the complex and time-consuming building project over on Water Street, so they would—probably fairly quickly—put the option to buy on the market. And he was not going to be caught short again.

He could see it in his mind's eye, rising above the surrounding buildings. Maybe copper clad—or was that too ostentatious for little old Excelsior? But not plain glass; he wanted something ornate. And over the main entrance a massive granite lintel with letters cut deep:
THE MICKELS BUILDING
.

He was no longer feeling his age. He felt young and vigorous and energetic. Maybe he should invite Betsy Devonshire to the grand opening.

*   *   *

I
t
was close to bedtime. Connor was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. Betsy was in bed but reading—rereading, actually—Jerome K. Jerome's famous comic novel,
Three Men in a
Boat.
A best seller over a hundred years ago, it was still very funny. Betsy was making the bed jiggle with her chuckles when Connor crawled in beside her.

“
Machree
,” he said, “I have something to ask you. Something important.”

Betsy immediately put the book down. “What is it?”

“All this talk of marriage has reminded me that I haven't asked you to marry me for several months. So I ask again: Will you marry me?”

“Oh, Connor . . .”

“Is it because you don't love me enough?”

“I love you with all my heart, you know that.”

“Then what's holding you back?”

“I've tried marrying, twice. And failed at it both times.”

“You haven't tried it with me.”

“You've tried it before. And it didn't work.”

“I think my marriage failed because I was so often and for so long at sea. But I'm home from the sea now.”

“I think my marriages failed because I'm lousy at picking men to marry.”

Connor looked so stricken that she said at once, “Don't you see? That's why I haven't married you! I love you, I love
who you are, where you came from, what you can do, everything about you! I love having you in my life; you are very good to me and for me. But I'm scared. I don't trust my own judgment. I'd be devastated if you left me. And for some stupid reason, I'm scared witless that if we marry, you'll leave me. And I couldn't bear that, I couldn't!” She felt herself beginning to weep and started to turn away.

But he gathered her into his arms. “Oh, my dearest darling, my own heart, how could I leave you? You are everything to me.” He began to kiss her gently, stroking her face, her hair, her back, then more ardently, insistently . . .

Later, all tension gone, she purred, “You are such a comfort to me.”

“And you to me. So let's make a bargain. If I am still here a year from now, and you are still with me, then we will reopen the question. Until then, I will not ask you again. All right?”

“All right.” A year. In a year, surely she would
know.

Designed by Diane Davis

“Sophie” is a fluffy little avalanche of white with a patchwork of gray and tan on her ear, back, and tail. She'll be great company while you're reading one of the Needlecraft Mysteries by Monica Ferris!

FINISHED SIZE:

Approx. 7" long by 3" wide

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Worsted weight yarn—approx. 65 yards in Main Color (MC), 10-15 yards in Gray (A) and Tan or Gold (B)

Satin ribbon for collar (approx 9”)

Embroidery floss or yarn for embroidering face (Optional: Small plastic cat eyes and nose)

Stuffing material

Size 3 double pointed needles

Plastic needlepoint or darning needle

ABBREVIATIONS:

CO: Cast on

K: Knit

P: Purl

M1: Make 1 stitch

M1K1: Make 1, Knit 1

skpo: Slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 1 stitch, pass the slipped stitch over

K2 tog: Knit 2 stitches together

w&t: Wrap and turn

PU: Pick up

dpn: Double pointed needle

SPECIAL STITCHES USED:

M1—Used to increase stitches. Make 1 stitch, lift right leg of the stitch in the row below the next stitch to be worked and place it on the left needle, then work it as a normal knit stitch.

W&T—Used in short rows to avoid “holes” in your work. When knitting, knit required stitches, pass yarn to the front, slip next stitch to the right needle, pass yarn to the back, slip stitch back to left needle and turn your work. When purling, pass yarn to the back, slip next stitch to the right needle, pass yarn to the front, slip stitch back to the left needle and turn your work.

Double Knitting—In this pattern, we'll use double knitting to combine all of the stitches onto one dpn before binding off. However, instead of using separate strands of yarn for front and back layers, we're going to use just one strand of MC, switching to B when we reach the left ear.
Purl one stitch from the rear needle, knit one from the front, continuing in the same pattern across the needles.
When you reach the B stitches, let MC trail out between the MC and B stitches (you'll need it again when you're ready to bind off). Continue in B for remainder of row until all stitches are on one dpn.

HINTS FOR COLOR WORK (INTARSIA) KNITTING:

• When switching from one color to another, wrap the two strands around each other to minimize holes or gaps between color patches.
  
• When knitting intarsia in the round, there are many times when your working yarn will end up at the wrong end of the patch you're knitting. When this happens, knit up to the color change, slip stitches to be knitted from one needle to the other and turn your work. (These spots are noted in the pattern instructions.) Pick up the working yarn and purl back across the stitches, then turn your work again and slip the purled stitches back to the right needle. Carry your MC behind the stitches and continue with your next color.
  

BODY

CO 26 st in MC, divide between 3 dpns (10 st on dpn1, 8 st each on dpn2 and dpn3). Connect in the round, making sure your stitches are not twisted.

Rounds 1–2:
K all

Round 3:
Dpn1—K3, M1 K4, M1, K3 (12 st); Dpn2 & Dpn3—K2, M1, K4, M1, K2 (10 st on each)

Round 4:
Dpn1—K4 in MC, attach color A and K3, attach color B and K2, MC K3; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 5:
Dpn1—K3 in MC, slip next 6 st, turn, P3 in B, P3 in A, turn and slip those 6 st back to working needle, K3 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 6:
Dpn1—K4 in MC, K2 in A, K2 in MC, K3 in B, K1 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 7:
Dpn1—K4 in MC, slip next 7 st, turn, P5 in B, P2 in A, turn and slip those 7 st back to working needle, K1 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 8:
Dpn1—K2 in MC, K5 in B, K3 in A, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 9:
Dpn1—K3 in MC, slip next 7 st, turn, P5 in B, P2 in A, turn and slip those 7 st back to working needle, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 10:
Dpn1—K3 in MC, K3 in A, K4 in B, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 11:
Dpn1—K3 in MC, slip next 7 st, turn, P5 in B, P2 in A, turn and slip those 7 st back to working needle, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 12:
Dpn1—K3 in MC, K3 in B, K4 in A, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 13:
Dpn1—K3 in MC, slip next 7 st, turn, P5 in B, P2 in A, turn and slip those 7 st back to working needle, K2 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 14–16:
Dpn1—K all in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 17:
Dpn1—K5 in MC, K2 in B, K5 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 18:
Dpn1—K4 in MC, K4 in B, K4 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 19:
Dpn1—K4 in MC, K5 in B, K3 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 20:
Dpn1—K4 in MC, K5 in A, K3 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 21:
Dpn1—K4 in MC, slip next 5 st, turn, P5 in A, turn and slip those 5 st back to working needle, K3 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 22:
Dpn1—K5 in MC, K3 in A, K4 in MC; Dpn2 & Dpn3: K all in MC

Round 23:
K all in MC

**NOTE:
Knit rounds 24–28 in MC**

Round 24:
K3, skpo, *K6, skpo* 3 times, K3 (28 st)

Round 25:
K3, skpo, *K5, skpo* 3 times, K2 (24 st)

Round 26:
K3, skpo, *K4, skpo* 3 times, K1 (20 st)

Round 27:
K3, skpo, *K3, skpo* 3 times (16 st)

Round 28:
K3, skpo, K2, skpo, K2, skpo, K2, slip last stitch, pass over 1st stitch in the round (12 st)

Round 29:
In Color A: K2, skpo, K1, skpo, K1, skpo, K1, slip last stitch, pass over 1st stitch in the round (8 st)

TAIL

Continue with the 8 stitches on the dpns

Round 1:
K all in A

Round 2–16:
All 3 colors should be trailing out the hole where the tail will be. For the remaining rows, hold together two of the strands for one round, and change combinations for each round.

Round 17:
*K2 tog* in A only, repeat from * 3 times. Cut a length of yarn and thread a plastic darning needle. Pass stitches from needles to the yarn and pull tight to close the end of the tail. Fasten off and weave ends down inside tail. (Tail doesn't need additional stuffing.)

PAWS (TWO)

CO 10 st in MC, divide between 2 dpns to give paws a flatter look. Connect in the round, making sure your stitches are not twisted.

Rounds 1–15:
K all

Round 16:
Skpo, K1, skpo twice, K1, skpo. Cut a length of yarn and thread a plastic darning needle. Pass stitches from needles to the yarn and pull tight to close the end of the paw. Fasten off. Stuff lightly to within a ½” from the closed end of the paw and shape paws around your thumb, giving them a slight downward curve. Sew paws to underside of body approx. 8–10 rows from neck opening. After paws are attached, stuff body to desired fluffiness.

HEAD/CHEST

Determine center of front neck opening, count 8 stitches to the right. This is where you will begin picking up stitches for the Head/Chest section. Pick up 26 stitches around the neck opening, moving clockwise as you look at the opening. Distribute the stitches on 3 dpns with 8 st each on left and right front sides (dpn1 on the right as you look at the
opening, dpn 2 on the left) and 10 stitches on dpn3 across the back of the neck opening. Knit all of the stitches on dpn 1 (K8), which will bring you to the center of the neck opening, and begin the short rows. (The short row section will only be worked across dpn1 and dpn2.)

Rows 1&2:
Dpn2: K2, w&t, P2; Dpn1: P2, w&t, K2

Rows 3&4:
Dpn2: K3, w&t, P3; Dpn1: P3, w&t, K3

Rows 5&6:
Dpn2: K4, w&t, P4; Dpn1: P4, w&t, K4

Rows 7&8:
Dpn 2: K5, w&t, P5; Dpn 1: P5, w&t, K5

Rows 9&10, 11&12, 13&14**:

Continue adding a stitch each pair of rows until all 8 stitches on each dpn are wrapped and turned.

**Row 14—Note:
You will end the 14th Row at the center of the chest, then K the next 8 stitches on dpn2 to make the front rows even on both sides. Transfer 1 st from the ends of dpn1 and dpn2 to dpn 3, giving you 7 st on dpn1 & dpn 2, and 12 on dpn3.**

Round 15:
Begin knitting in rounds, starting with dpn3. Dpn3: K11 in MC, K1 in B (beginning of color work for ear section); Dpn1: K1 in B, K6 in MC; Dpn2: K7 in MC

Round 16:
Dpn3: K10 in MC, K2 in B; Dpn1: K2 in B, K5 in MC; Dpn2: K7 in MC

Round 17:
Dpn3: K9 in MC, K3 in B; Dpn1: K3 in B, K4 in MC; Dpn2: K7 in MC

Round 18:
Dpn3: K8 in MC, K4 in B; Dpn1: K4 in B, K3 in MC; Dpn2: K7 in MC

Round 19:
Dpn3: K7 in MC, K5 in B; Dpn1: K5 in B, K2 in MC; Dpn2: K7 in MC

Round 20:
Dpn3: K6 in MC, K6 in B; Dpn1: K6 in B, slip last st on dpn1, K first st on dpn2 in MC and psso, K6 in MC (7 st on dpn1); Dpn2: K6 in MC (25 st)

Round 21:
Dpn3: K6 in MC, K6 in B; Dpn1: K7 in B; Dpn2: K6 in MC (25 st)

NOTE:
At this point you will need to stop and stitch the facial features and stuff the head and chest before seaming the top. Don't forget to add a few whiskers!

Round 22:
There are now 13 stitches on dpns1 & 2, and 12 stitches on dpn3. Turn work so that dpn3 is closest to you, and hold the front needles parallel to it. Starting with the first st on dpn2, double knit the front and back stitches (P st from dpn1 & 2, K st from dpn3), alternating until all stitches are on one needle. (1st 6 from each dpn will be in MC, remaining 7 will be in B).

Row 23:
Turn work so the back of the neck is closest to you. K2tog, binding off the row as you go. Fasten off and weave in ends.

FINISHING TOUCHES:

• Stitch along where ears meet the head and over the top seam between the ears to give them more definition. Tie off at back of head and weave ends in.
  
• Tuck tail around the side of the body and stitch if desired, or let it hang naturally.
  
• Add a “collar” of satin ribbon with a bell or charm on it for a sophisticated touch.