Crocuses and Corpses (Treehouse Hotel Mysteries Book 5)

by Sue Hollowell

  “What can I get you ladies?” A server suddenly appeared next the table separating Mom’s and my chair. She looked back and forth between us.

  Mom turned toward her and lowered her glasses. “I’ll have a tequila sunrise.” She replaced her glasses and returned to her world.

  I looked at the server and shrugged. “OK. I’ll have the same. Thank you.”

  “Wonderful. Those will be right up.” The server turned toward Mom. “And ma’am, if I may. You look just like a movie star.”

  Mom wriggled in her chair. A smile formed. Angling for a tip or not, the server just made Mom’s day. That would go on the list of garden club topics when she got back home. Mom didn’t really drink as far as I knew. Although, many things in her life had given her reason, not the least of which was the recent murder of her hairdresser. “Don’t say a word, Chloe. I know it’s early in the day to drink. But I just felt like it. And I am on a tropical vacation.”

  I held my hand up. “Not a word, Mom. And I’m right there with you.”

  She turned her head and lowered her glasses again. “Chloe, I just keep wondering if we passed the killer when we were leaving the salon the first time. I keep wracking my brain to remember all of the faces in the hallway going that direction.”

  “I know. Me too.”

  “Luke was a sweetie. Did you know he also did the hair and makeup for the Cats production? I wonder who will do it now. Or if they’ll even be able to have the show.” She returned her glasses and retreated into her thoughts.

  “I’m guessing they have a backup. Maybe it’s Shirley.”

  Mom sat straight up and swung her legs to my side of the chair. “I hope not. Something about that woman just didn’t seem right. Her crying didn’t seem all that genuine to me. And that gum smacking.”

  Mom could be critical of others, but she also had a perception of truth that sometimes only she could see. The attack on Luke did seem personal, with the hairspray all over him, his hair completely messed around, and the hair stylist scissors. But maybe those were just the available weapons in the heat of the moment. I shook my head.

  “Here you are, ladies.” The server returned with our gorgeous orange and red beverages, garnished with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. “Enjoy.”

  Mom grabbed hers and took a long swig. “Ah, that’s better. Yummy.” She plopped the cherry in her mouth.

  I reached for my glass and took a sip. Yummy, indeed. “Let’s talk about happier stuff. How about we go to karaoke tonight and have some fun there? I want to try some things on this trip that I’ve never done before. Stretch my comfort zone.”

  Mom took another long swig and returned to her lounging position. At this rate, I would have to wheel her back to our room before lunch. But my lips were zipped. “Oh, no, Chloe. I can’t do that. It sounds like something for a younger person.”

  Max rose from his chair and stared at me. That boy was always tuned in to what was going on, his radar top notch. I laughed and petted him. “Well, it looks like I have a singing partner if you aren’t up to it.” Max smiled and returned to his lounge chair. “What would you like to do for yourself that’s fun?”

  “When we get to Mazatlán, I really want to go snorkeling and see all of the beautiful, tropical fish.”

  I was stunned. Never in a million years did I expect those words to come out of my eighty-year-old mother’s mouth. She kept me on my toes every day. “Really?”

  “Why not? All of my garden club ladies will be so jealous. Maybe they can come on my next cruise.” It had taken monumental powers of persuasion to get her to agree to a trip, let alone a cruise. Now she was planning the next one. I sincerely couldn’t be happier. That was my ultimate goal, for her to enjoy her life.

  “You should totally do it. We can go to the sales office later and see what kind of deals they have.”

  She turned toward me and lowered her glasses again. “Thank you, Chloe. If it wasn’t for you and Max, I wouldn’t be here. I know I can be stubborn sometimes, but I’m so glad I listened to you about this cruise.”

  “Of course. Let’s just make sure you do everything you want to while we have the chance.” We both sipped our drinks and laid quietly while the chairs around us filled with other sun seekers. I didn’t know how much time had passed when Mom startled me awake.

  “Oh, and Chloe. I want to go to the dress shop later, too, and look for a shawl to go with my dress for the ball.” The ball was the culminating event of the trip. Mom had packed her fanciest gown and dancing shoes and was ready to paint the town red. If she left this trip exhausted from all of the activities, I would consider my job well done.

  “You got it. Whatever you’d like to do.” I was grateful we had veered far enough from the subject of Luke’s death for Mom to focus on enjoying her time. If I could just keep her busy enough with distractions, we could end our trip and leave that mystery far behind. We had to make the most of our time with a brand new year on the horizon and an incredibly booked treehouse hotel. This past year brought so many changes to my life. I was a little nervous for what was next. But what was life if not an adventure?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The grand ballroom’s expansive space rose two stories. Round tables surrounded the wooden floor in the center of the room. The chandelier and ceiling lights sparkled. At one end of the floor a stage housed the karaoke setup. Mom, Max, and I chose a table mid-room and settled in. Half the tables were filled with what I estimated to be about a hundred people so far. Upbeat music played in the background.

  I leaned toward Mom so she could hear me. “I didn’t expect this many people. This should be fun.”

  Mom turned and scanned the room. “I’ve never seen karaoke before. Are you going to do it?” She looked back at me.

  I shook my head, nerves settling in. “I think I might sit this one out. I’ll do it another time.”

  Max tapped my arm. I looked at him. Great. Are you ganging up on me too? I smiled. What could it hurt? I’d certainly have a story to tell when I got back home.

  The hostess tapped the microphone for our attention. “Welcome, everyone. My name is Linda, and I’m your host for this evening. For those of you new to karaoke, the way it works is that you choose a song from the list I have. Then when it’s your turn, I’ll call you up to sing. OK?”

  A smattering of applause acknowledged the instructions. Max tapped my arm again. My boy was persistent.

  Linda turned off the background music and started the karaoke machine. “Dancing Queen” by ABBA blared over the speakers. Linda began crooning and moving around the dance floor. She maneuvered to each of the tables bordering the floor. Almost halfway through her song, a loud howl began to my left. I looked over and Max had his front paws on the table, joining Linda in her performance. I scanned the room and saw several other dogs follow suit.

  Linda’s shoulders dropped. She returned to the stage while her voice faded at the close of the song. She nonchalantly lifted a hand to her face and sniffed. Turning back to the crowd, she had a smile plastered from ear to ear.

  A man sped from one of the tables up front to meet her. The neon blue, green, and purple geometric pattern of his suit hurt my eyes. He reached for the microphone, which Linda hugged to her chest. Her eyes widened and her mouth was rigid. She glanced around the room uneasily. Slowly she extended her arm and transferred the microphone to the man.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, give Linda another round of applause. Come on up and select your song. This is going to be a legendary night.” The man panned the crowd, having taken over hosting duties. Linda stepped forward and yanked the microphone from his hands. He stepped down from the stage and headed toward our table, his bright white teeth almost lighting his way. Background music began to play again until the next singer was ready.

  As if he had staked us out, the man made a beeline for Mom, extending his arm. “Hello, I’m Cecil.” They shook hands. “And who is this beautiful creature in front of me?” He hadn’t broken eye con
tact with Mom.

  She dipped her chin and giggled. “I’m Mabel, and this is my daughter Chloe and her dog Max.”

  Cecil nodded toward me, not taking his eyes off Mom. Max barked like he was warding off a predator. I reached over and calmed my boy, pretty sure he wasn’t wrong. Cecil reached out and took Mom’s hand in his. “Mabel, I bet you have a beautiful singing voice. Let’s do a duet.”

  She waved her unoccupied hand. “Nah, I could never do that.”

  I looked at Max, and he vigorously shook his head. This didn’t seem right. We were both on high alert. My stomach churned. I couldn’t take it. I got up and signaled Max to join me, as much to escape the sickly sweet fawning of Cecil and to venture out of my comfort zone. We approached the stage, and Linda peered over my shoulder toward our table.

  “He’s at it again, I see,” she snipped. Just as quickly, she pointed toward the song book. “Please help yourself. You should at least have some fun tonight.”

  I looked up at her. She couldn’t take her eyes off Cecil. I thumbed through the pages and found the perfect duet. “We’ll take this one.” I placed a finger on the name of the song until she turned to acknowledge.

  “OK. Just a sec.” She handed me the microphone and pointed to a large X in the middle of the stage. “Stand over there. The words will come up in front of you on the screen.”

  Max followed me to the spotlight, where we waited for our debut performance.

  “And, oh yeah. Just have fun with it,” Linda yelled.

  I didn’t have much experience in front of groups, let alone with a microphone. “Well, here goes nothin’,” I whispered to Max. He sat tall next to me, appearing calm as a cucumber. We waited for what seemed an eternity for the song to start. The words started to appear on the screen, and I stumbled with the first several until I fell into a rhythm. As soon as I began, Max stood and began howling and barking at just the right moments. He was a natural. I think I found our song, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Just as the final words scrolled to the top of the screen, a drop of sweat fell from my forehead. I lifted my head toward the crowd to an emphatic round of applause. Max took two steps forward, soaking in the attention. The crowd yelled, “More.” Max turned and looked at me. I laughed and headed back to return the microphone to Linda. Maybe another time, Max. I think we need to go rescue Mom.

  Cecil still had a hold of Mom’s hand like he wasn’t going to let go. Without breaking eye contact with each other, Mom said, “Chloe, that was great!”

  Max and I sat down, the other two oblivious we were there. “Mom, it’s getting late. We should probably go soon.” I tried to nudge her out of her trance.

  Her head swiveled. “Oh no, Chloe. Cecil hasn’t sung his song yet. He wants me to hear it.” I was afraid she was quickly getting in too deep with whatever this was.

  Cecil stood. “Don’t go anywhere, gorgeous,” he said to Mom. “This one’s for you.” He strutted in his obnoxious suit to the stage. Linda handed him the microphone like it was her firstborn. He took it lovingly and planted his feet mid-stage. The song began, and the entire time he locked eyes with Mom, belting out “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”

  If I could have gotten Mom out of there mid-song, I would have. But she had hearts in her eyes. It had been several years since her husband had died, and although she didn’t mention it often, she seemed lonely. Cecil finished his song and returned to the seat next to Mom. She gave him a little clap, and he took her hand in his again.

  I touched Mom’s elbow. “We really should go.”

  She was under his spell. Max jumped from his chair and circled the table, tugging Cecil’s pant leg. He bent over, swatting at Max. “Go away.” Cecil turned back to Mom and kissed her hand. “Good night, my sweets. I will see you soon.” He rose and darted away.

  I released a loud sigh, unaware I had been holding my breath. “Mom, please be careful.”

  She turned in her seat toward me. “Chloe, didn’t you want me to have fun? I’m just doing that.”

  That wasn’t my idea of fun for her, but who was I to live her life?

  “Oh, Chloe. Isn’t Cecil exciting? I need some of that in my life. Thank you for making me come tonight. Let’s go.” She pushed her chair back and led the way out of the ballroom. There wouldn’t be a next time if I could help it. That guy was trouble.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The clink of dishes and muffled voices greeted us as we joined the breakfast buffet. Mom had a surprising spring in her step, especially given the early hour. The previous night with Cecil crooning to her had really boosted her spirits. For that I was glad. Many questions surrounded his credibility. Perhaps if I could keep him at arm’s length the remainder of the trip, we could escape unscathed. The smell of bacon lured me into the small ballroom. Tables lined the room with every food choice you could desire. My only want at the moment was coffee.

  “Mom, why don’t you grab a table, I’ll get us some coffee to start. Then we can make a game plan.”

  One section of the room had been cordoned off with a buffet table about six inches off the ground. The pups had their own feast waiting for them. Several dogs had already lined up to partake. Max looked at me. I gestured to the section, and he took off. I was pretty sure he would mind his manners and not over-indulge. I grabbed two coffees and scouted for Mom. She had chosen a table to herself, her elbows on the table, chin resting on her hands. Her head tipped to the side with a faraway look.

  I set our coffee on the table and took a seat. “Here you go, Mom.”

  She turned with a smile of contentment. “Wasn’t that fun last night?” She grabbed a cup and took a sip. “Mmm. That’s good.”

  “Yeah. I have to admit. It was fun. I was so nervous. I’ll sure have a story to tell when we get back. I think Max really liked it too.” I grabbed my coffee, willing it to give me more energy. I couldn’t get Cecil’s behavior toward Mom out of my mind all night. He acted like he had known her for years. And she fell for it.

  “Maybe next time I’ll get up and sing too.” She lifted her hand and waved to someone.

  I saw Cecil’s suit before I saw him. It was another obnoxious multi-colored assault on my eyes. I stood. “I’m going to check on Max.”

  Without breaking eye contact with Cecil, Mom said, “OK, dear.”

  I needed my partner with me to scope Cecil out and find more clues about this guy. Not that any evidence would dissuade Mom from getting involved with him at this point. I retrieved Max from the buffet. He high-stepped alongside me to almost a gallop. As we neared the table, he sprinted and leapt into the chair next to Cecil.

  “What is with that mutt? Get him away. He’s going to get that fur all over me.” Cecil held out an arm to keep Max from touching him. As if he understood the insult, Max jumped down and rubbed against Cecil’s leg, leaving quite the swath of fur on his pants.

  Good one, Max.

  Cecil glared at me. “See what I mean?” He reached down to wipe the fur off.

  Mom joined forces with Cecil. “Chloe, sometimes you let Max get away with too much, like he’s human or something.” She grinned at Cecil, who had taken her hand just like last night. “I love your fun suits.” Today’s ensemble consisted of a brown suit with bright yellow, orange, and red leaves on his jacket, pants, and tie. How many of those hideous outfits did he have? I didn’t want to find out. “Chloe, I was just telling Cecil that I want to do the karaoke with him.”

  My stomach clenched. My throat tightened. This relationship was getting out of control faster than I could reel it in. “Well, we have lots of activities planned. We’ll see.” I hoped my noncommittal answer was the end of the story. But I was sure it wouldn’t be.

  “In the meantime, my beautiful Mabel, may I ask you to accompany me to the ball?” Cecil leaned closer to Mom and stroked her hand. This guy was as slick as his shiny suits.

  Mom made a noise that sounded like a teenage girl squealing. “Oh, Cecil. I would love that!” Breaking her trance, she turned toward
me. “But, Chloe, don’t forget. I need to get a shawl for my dress. Let’s go to that little shop later to see what they have.” She returned her gaze to Cecil.

  I stood. “Why don’t we get some food? This coffee isn’t sitting well on my empty stomach.” I touched Mom’s arm to get her attention.

  “What? OK. Cecil, will you stay and have breakfast with us?” Mom stood, still holding Cecil’s hand.

  He stood and pecked Mom on her cheek. “Of course, my sweets.”

  I wanted to gag. Seriously, were they teenagers? We headed to the buffet, and Max attempted to insert himself between Mom and Cecil as if he belonged in that space. Cecil stopped, looked at me, and pointed at Max.

  I shrugged. “What can you do?” I asked. Max smiled at Cecil, and we continued our march to the food.

  Mom and Cecil whispered to each other the entire time we were getting our food.

  Back at the table, Cecil began quizzing Mom. “Mabel, tell me more about your treehouse hotel. That sounds incredible.” He shoved a huge piece of pancake into his mouth, syrup dripping down his chin. Mom reached over and dabbed it with a napkin. We were now entering the danger zone.

  “Mom, we should finish up so we can go.”

  She frowned at me, her cheeks turning pink. “Chloe, don’t be rude. We’ve got lots of time.” She returned to Cecil. “We just finished a major upgrade. Almost the entire next year is booked out.”

  Cecil sat back in his chair, his open mouth chewing another lump of pancakes. “That’s amazing. You must be pretty well set, financially.”

  And there it was. His motive revealed. After what he thought was loads of Mom’s money.

  “Oh, we do OK. Thankfully, Chloe came and helped get the books organized.”

  Smacking his lips with the last bite of pancakes, he said, “Well, Mabel. That seals the deal. I’m coming to visit your hotel as soon as I can.”