Wicked Stitch Read Online Free PDF Page B

pursuit.
    The pair took turns chasing each other until the bells over the front door indicated that someone had come in. I turned, smiling, to greet the newcomer. My smile disappeared when I saw Clara’s face glowering at me.
    “What are you doing to my little Clover?” she shrieked. “Clover! Clover, darling, come here!”
    Clover, formerly known as Harvey, wisely ignored her and scurried under the counter to huddle with Angus in his bed.
    Clara scowled at me. “Get my Clover away from that monstrous beast right this instant!”
    “Angus isn’t hurting your rabbit,” I said. “In fact, they’re having a blast playing together.”
    “What are you doing with her? How did you get her out of my shop without my seeing you?” She squinted, looking as if she half expected me to whip out a magic wand and conjure up a room full of helpless rabbits for Angus to devour.
    “I saw the bunny on the sidewalk and rescuedit before it got hit by a car,” I said. “I was hoping the owner would come looking for it.”
    “Oh.” She pressed her lips together. “Thank you, then . . . I suppose. . . . But could you please give her to me now? I’d like to go.”
    I was happy to accommodate her—not because I wanted to deprive Angus of his new playmate but because I wanted nothing more than to get Clara out of the Seven-Year Stitch. I bent down and carefully picked up the bunny, which had snuggled between Angus’s paws.
    “Maybe you guys can play again sometime,” I said as I cuddled Clover.
But don’t count on it
. I walked around the counter and handed the bunny back to its owner. Without another word, Clara took Clover and left.

Chapter Four
    A ngus and I were both feeling a bit deflated on the drive home from work. He’d spent the rest of the afternoon lying by the window looking for his little cotton-tailed friend. I, of course, was bummed about the entire situation with Clara. I’d given myself at least a dozen pep talks throughout the day, but it was seriously hard to be optimistic when things kept going from bad to worse. I cheered up when I turned onto my street and saw Ted’s car in my driveway.
    I parked, got out of the Jeep, and snapped Angus’s leash onto his collar. The dog pulled ahead of me as he hurried to the door in anticipation of seeing Ted.
    Ted opened the door for us, and Angus thanked him with an exuberant hug. Ted laughed, removed the leash, and stepped aside so the excited dog could bound on into the house.
    Ted gave me a quick “hello” kiss before closing the door to embrace me more thoroughly.
    “It feels so good to have you in my arms,” hesaid, once we’d come up for air. “I hope you don’t mind my being here when you got home.”
    “Of course I don’t.” I stood on my toes to brush an unruly strand of hair off his forehead. “Is anything wrong?”
    “It’s just this cold case. It’s driving me up the wall. I had to get completely away from it for a while.”
    I smiled softly. “I understand completely.” And I did. Ted’s spare bedroom is a study, and on one wall he has dry-erase boards and corkboards detailing the cases he’s currently working. Had he gone home, he’d have inevitably found himself in the study examining those boards.
    “I ordered a pizza,” Ted said. “It should be here soon.”
    “Great. I’ll go ahead and feed Angus while we’re waiting.” I went into the kitchen and found Angus already standing there in anticipation, and I filled his bowl with kibble. As he dug in, I refilled his water dish.
    Back in the living room, I found Ted stretched out on my white overstuffed sofa, staring into space. I snuggled next to him, and he wrapped his strong arms around me.
    He kissed the top of my head. “I simply can’t figure it out.”
    The case really did have him stumped.
    “What can’t you figure out?” I asked with mock innocence. “Why you love me so much?”
    He chuckled. “No. That’s an easy one.”
    “Talking about it—to the extent