The Ruth Valley Missing by Amber West

Author:Amber West [West, Amber]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Published: 2012-11-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

“So glad you accepted the invitation to visit with us, Miss Quinn.”

I sat in the circle of ladies, each with their knitting needles and yarn in their laps.

“I appreciated the invite. I’ve always meant to learn how to knit.”

Francine leaned over to look at what I was doing. “You seem to be catching on well enough.”

“Thanks. I think I can manage to make myself a scarf. It won’t be like anything you ladies make, but I figure I gotta start somewhere.”

The women smiled and nodded, their hands never pausing from their work.

“So, Francine,” Camille, the owner of the shop we were sitting in spoke up, “have you talked to Joan lately?”

“Yes. Poor dear. You know it’s been months and she is still in denial about that husband of hers.”

“Horrible thing to happen. And with two kids.”

“What happened with Joan’s husband?” I asked.

“Up and left her,” Camille answered, “for some other woman. She didn’t even see it coming.”

The other women took turns shaking their heads and clucking their tongues.

“That’s awful.”

“You want to know what’s even sadder?” Francine was leaning forward in her chair, knitting needles still clicking away. “She’s convinced herself that he didn’t leave her for some woman. She thinks something happened to him. I mean, I guess I can understand. You hate to think the man you trusted for years wasn’t who you thought. Guess it could be more comforting to think he was in some accident and lying dead in ditch than to know he’s off gallivanting with some leggy young thing.”

“It’s beyond tragic,” Camille added. “We should invite her to do something. Get her mind off it all.”

The other women nodded in agreement.

“So, Miss Quinn,” Camille continued without looking up from the sweater she was working on, “I hear the Sheriff has taken a bit of a shine to you. I don’t like to entertain gossip, of course.”

I waited, unsure if I was supposed to be answering her lack of a question. As a few ladies glanced up from their work at me, I decided I should say something.

“We’ve been spending time getting to know each other. He’s a very nice man.”

“Yes he is. About the only eligible man in town, too. Well, was anyway.”

I forced a smile, feeling awkward as the center of attention. I remembered what Mike said about the town being protective and quickly added, “We’re still getting to know each other.”

Francine smiled and paused from her knitting to pat my arm. “Oh sweetie, we ladies here are a little old for the Sheriff, so we aren’t concerned with a nice girl snatching him up. That doll deserves a good woman.”

“Speak for yourself,” came a voice from one of the chairs, a white haired old woman that looked to be pushing eighty, easily. “I still know how to work it.”

I took my cue from the rest of the group and laughed, relieved that they all seemed to be in such good spirits about the news. Maybe Father Mike didn't know the town as well as he thought.

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