Each month, someone will be murdered at Quilt Shop of Chisholm and you will have a chance to solve the murder and get a discount on the featured product (kit, fabric, pattern, etc.) It's okay ---- all the victims are like video game characters and they have "multiple lives". This month I will be murdered, but don't think I won't reappear!
A DISCLAIMER: These "murders", all characteristics and words of the characters are fictitious. Only the actual names will be used. Don't even try to get your lawyer involved if your name appears --- you can't get blood out of a turnip and a lawyer will not work to get you a discount on fabric. Believe me, I've tried!
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It was a dark and stormy afternoon at Quilt Shop of Chisholm. Mary was cutting fat quarters of flannel. Barb and Bev were in the back office making coffee and talking. The bell on the front door jingled, and they could hear Mary talking to a customer. Bev heard a loud "THUMP" and the bell jingled again. As they got to the door of the office and looked out into the shop, Barb said, "I don't see Mary, but there are some bolts of FLANNEL THROWn on the floor. She must be playing with the bolts again. I'll pick them up while you get the coffee." Bev went back to pour the coffee and returned to the shop to see Barb staring white faced at the floor and pointing. "She's dead," Barb whispered. "Who?" said Bev. Barb stepped aside and pointed at the floor. Bev could just see the toes and shapely ankles of her friend. (Hey, I'm writing this. I can have shapely ankles if I want to.) "Call the police, Barb!" Barb looked for the cordless phone, but of course she couldn't find it. Running around the shop in circles, she stopped for a sip of coffee several times and finally found the phone under the flannel bolts on the floor. "The phone is under the bolts with Mary!" "Well, grab it!" said Bev. "I'm not touching a dead body. I don't get paid enough for that!" said Barb. "GET IT!" demanded Bev, and Barb quickly picked up the phone and looked up at Bev. "What's the number for 911?"
When the police officer arrived, Barb and Bev were sitting at the table drinking coffee and the body had a quilt THROWN over it. Officer Al lifted up the quilt and checked the body. "Looks like she was bludgeoned by flannel. But you can tell it was personal. What kind of a monster would take the time to hack up her hair like that?" Barb and Bev looked at each other. "Oh, that wasn't the killer. Her hair always looked like that" said Bev. "Really?" said Officer Al. "Can you think of anyone who would want to kill Mary?" Barb and Bev looked at each other again and then the giggles started. "How much time do you have?" asked Barb. "Let's see.....there could have been Bev or myself. Her husband. Her children. Her customers........"
Officer Al looked at his list of suspects:
1. Husband of victim. Drives up to front of shop in new sportscar with a young redhead on his arm to identify the body. Says, "YEP, that's her. Gotta go now. I'll be at Fortune Bay with my 'sister' if you need me." Husband doesn't have a sister. Husband took out large life insurance policy on wife one week prior to murder.
2. Children of victim. When daughter contacted by phone, says, "Oh, too bad. Well, at least I don't have to worry about her writing stupid personal things on her blog about me anymore. And as her only daughter, don't I get all that cheap costume jewelry she wore?" Oldest son in Florida wanted to know if he had to "show up" for anything. Middle son seemed genuinely upset, but not surprised. "FLANNEL THROWn? Isn't it obvious? Check out 'Flannel Tammi'," he whispered and hung up. Youngest son only said "does this mean I can watch what I want to on TV tonight?".
3. Barb and Bev. Alibi each other. Unless they did it together.
4. Mike the postman. Says he saw a pretty blonde hurrying away from the shop as he was delivering the mail on the day of the murder. Says when he entered the shop to bring in a wheelbarrow of bills to the shop, he saw Barb running around in circles looking for the phone and left in a hurry. Note to self: must find out who "mystery blonde" is.
5. "Flannel Tammi". Note to self: Found the mystery blonde. --Interviewed suspect at her home where she tried to hide her "stash" of flannel by closing the door to her Flannel Room. I knew it was the Flannel Room because she had a sign over the door that said "Flannel Room" and she finally couldn't keep it closed any longer. Told me she would just "pet" the flannel while we talked, whatever that means. I asked her if she had been in the shop on the day of the murder, and she looked wildly around before saying. "No. But I should have been! She deserved it! Selling all that beautiful flannel to just ANYONE. And she had all those EASY FLANNEL THROW kits with the beautiful combinations of Maywood Woolie Flannels and they were selling and selling and soon there would not be any left for me.........but of course I wasn't there. Can't think of any reason anyone would want to THROW FLANNEL at her." Note to self: Find out if Tammi is single. She's really cute.
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By now, you've probably figured out that the quilt kit I'm promoting is the EASY FLANNEL THROW. Here is a picture of two different EASY FLANNEL THROWS. We put them together in many color ways, and they are all gorgeous. The kits sell for $48.00 and make a 54" x 72" lap throw. Fabric for backing is extra. Let me put one together in your colors and if you can guess who murdered Mary you will get 10% off your kit and backing!!!!!! Call or come in and let me know if you guessed it! (218) 254-1700.
