Cashmere Death: A Pennie Pleat Cozy Mystery by Norris S. E

Author:Norris, S. E.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-09-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter thirteen

Agatha will have to wait. Pennie's heart races as she turns toward the police station, “I’m on my way."

As she turns, she is unable to shake the feeling that she's being watched. Pennie hurries, her mind whirling with questions. What has Jasper found? Could it be connected to the design, to the old knitting book? She arrives at the police station to find Jasper waiting for her, his face grave in the harsh fluorescent lighting of the lobby.

"Thanks for coming, Pennie," he says, leading her to his office. Once inside, he closes the door and turns to face her. "I've been looking into Fiona's past, like you asked. And I've found something interesting."

Pennie leans forward, her heart pounding. "What is it?"

Jasper pulls out a file and opens it on his desk. "About twenty years ago, there was a controversy in the knitting world. A young designer accused a more established knitter of stealing her work. The case was eventually settled out of court, and everything was hushed up. But guess who the established knitter was?"

"Fiona," Pennie breathes, the pieces clicking into place.

Jasper nods. "Exactly. And here's where it gets interesting. The young designer who made the accusation?

Pennie answers before he finishes, “Esther Chen.”

Jasper scoffs but it’s more out of amusement. “I don’t know why I bother sometimes.” He smiles.

“Have you talked to her? Esther Chen? Do you know where she is?”

"Was," Jasper corrects gently. "Esther Chen died about five years ago. But here's the kicker—she was Cordelia's sister."

Pennie's mind reels with this new information. Cordelia, the quiet, unassuming member of the knitting circle, had a connection to a past scandal involving Fiona? It seems impossible, and yet...

"There's more," Jasper continues, his voice low. "I did some digging into the festival finances, like you suggested. And I found some irregularities. Large sums of money being moved around, cash withdrawals that don't quite add up. And guess who was in charge of the finances alongside Fiona?"

"Dolores," Pennie says, remembering the older woman's evasive behavior when questioned about the festival budget.

Jasper nods. "It looks like there might have been some creative accounting going on. Whether Fiona was embezzling funds, or using the festival to launder money, I'm not sure yet. But it's definitely suspicious."

***

The morning sun filters through the windows of the shop as the girls chatter idly and Pennie sits at her desk, surrounded by stacks of knitting magazines and printouts, her eyes fixed on the screen of her laptop. The image of the vintage knitting pattern Selina had sent her stares back, its intricate design hauntingly familiar.

Pennie's fingers fly over the keyboard as she digs deeper into Esther Chen's history and her connection to Fiona. Hours pass, marked only by the gentle ticking of the clock on the wall and the occasional chime of her phone as new information trickles in.

Finally, a breakthrough. Pennie's eyes widen as she reads an email from a librarian in a neighboring town. The librarian has uncovered an old knitting book authored by Esther Chen, featuring designs that bear a striking resemblance to Fiona's "revolutionary" pattern.

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