Carolina tried to hide her fury as she sucked in her belly. It was true, she’d put on a few pounds in the last twenty years, but she still looked good. Milton gladly paid for her implants and didn’t object when she had a little work done around her eyes and mouth.
“Let’s find a seat at the bar and leave these folks in peace,” said Brad as he dropped a fifty-dollar bill on the table. “This should cover her majesty’s tab.”
“That’s not necessary, Brad,” said Andy.
“Okay then, give it to the bartender, he’ll deserve it after putting up with Carolina for the evening.”
Chapter Seven
“Your instincts are correct, my dear. Those two are up to something,” said Andy after Carolina and Brad were seated at the bar.
“I get the feeling Carolina is calling the shots and Brad isn’t happy about her methods. If they are in a romantic relationship, it seems to be a strained one. Let’s not talk about them, I’d rather talk about your day, you look tired.”
“It’s not so bad, the week seemed to go on forever, I’m looking forward to Kenzie’s homecoming next month. Her smile brightens any difficult day, just like her mother’s.”
“How could I have forgotten to tell you? I heard from Mackenzie today. She is having a wonderful time in Europe. She sounded happy, I thought she might have met some handsome Frenchman who swept her off her feet, although she insists her only indulgence is in the pastries.
“I wish both our kids would decide to come back to Oakwood Park to live. Kenzie hinted she wouldn’t mind living abroad and Alexander enjoys the fast pace in New York City.”
“I’m not so sure about that. I ran into Jake Morgan this week. Jake said the last he’d spoken with Alex, he got the feeling he was tired of the city. He also asked about Kenzie, is something going on with those two?”
“I can’t imagine there is anything between them. Kenzie had a huge crush on Jake when he and Alex were in high school. Jake was always kind to her, much more so than her brother. Of all Alex’s friends, he was my favorite.”
After finishing their dinner, Rebecca and Andy left their table waving to Carolina and Brad on their way out the door.
“Remember, we must rush home to watch our favorite television show.”
“What is the name of that show?” asked Andy with a chuckle.
“I have no idea what’s on tonight, I was afraid Carolina would ask me and I’d be forced to come up with something hoping to fool her.”
“Let’s have an after-dinner drink on the patio at home and count the stars. Remember when we used to do that with the kids? I guess I’m getting nostalgic thinking about our absent children.”
Meanwhile, at the country club bar
“Bradley, you made a mess of that meeting. You were supposed to make Rebecca believe you were deeply in love with me. You are very close to losing everything if you don’t do better,” Carolina said as she drained her second martini and signaling the bartender for another.
“No more for you, I’m taking you to the hotel. You have an appointment with Angus Carlson tomorrow morning and you’ll blame me if you oversleep.”
Brad had his own room. He had no desire to share a bed with Carolina Bloom.
Carolina tried to argue with him saying with the time difference between California and the east it was still late afternoon. Between the travel and the drinks, she’d started at lunch, the oversized bed in her hotel room was more inviting than the little bottles in the mini bar.
“Brad, stay with me, I don’t want to sleep alone,” she cried before closing her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.
Brad let himself out of Carolina’s suite. He’d rented the room across the hall. It wasn’t a suite but it was large enough for him. He sat on the surprisingly comfortable sofa with a glass of scotch in his hand. He wondered how he’d gotten into this mess and remembered the night he spilled his gut to Carolina. He wondered why he’d had too much to drink that night. He was normally in control and hadn’t had a hangover since his college days. Did Carolina put something in his drink that loosened his tongue? Had she really given a copy of his taped confession to a lawyer in California? Maybe he would leave the country, he’d change his identity. Did he really want to spend his life looking over his shoulder? His life wasn’t worth anything with Carolina Bloom in it.
Brad’s eyes began to close, and he fell asleep on the sofa with his drink in his hand. He dreamed of dancing with Rebecca, it was amazing how she’d kept her figure all these years. In his dream, he told Carolina she looked older than Rebecca. He woke up with a smile on his face.
***
In Angus Carlson’s Office
“Carolina Bloom, I can’t believe a movie star is sitting in my office. When you told me, you were returning to town I couldn’t keep the news to myself. I told my assistant, Barb, and she blabbed the news all over town. I hope everyone is treating you well, it isn’t often we have a famous person in our town.”
“Angus, darling, thank you for your kind words. I have a wonderful proposition for you. What Oakwood Park needs is a local television show featuring the local folks with yours truly at the helm. It would be called Carolina Bloom in the Morning. Get it? Like the song…Nothing could be Finer than to be in Carolina in the Morning. Of course, we will include my full name to attract an audience.”
Angus’s first instinct was to tell Carolina that the station was doing just fine showing reruns of old sitcoms. The viewers who watched the programs often bought the products advertised. The sponsors loved the lucrative time slot.
Angus was impressed with the confidence Carolina showed. He also admired her blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. Angus was partial to blondes although he married a brown-haired woman who was now totally gray. He’d have to convince his wife, Harriet, the true owner of the station.
“Carolina, do you have anything on tape that I can look at. You understand I can’t take a chance like this without studying what you have in mind.”
“No, Angus, I don’t have anything to show you, however, if you get a cameraman in here, I can interview you.”
Angus agreed and Carolina interviewed him. Angus thought she was a charming hostess. He only hoped he could get Harriet to agree.
***
“Angus, Carolina Bloom is a harlot, I can’t have her running a show on my station with her sordid reputation. She married a man old enough to be her grandfather. I hope she doesn’t set her sights on you.”
“Harriet, my dearest love, there is no one in this world who compares to you. Besides, the scuttlebutt is that Carolina and a former Oakwood Park resident are an item. I will always be true to you, my darling."
“You’d better be if you want to keep your social standing in this town.”
Angus had a soft spot for the young ladies. However, he prided himself on being very discreet. His dalliances were either not known or not acknowledge by Harriet Carlson.
Harriet made Angus wait for her answer until she consulted with her psychic. The clairvoyant was enamored with movie stars and foresaw a long and successful run for Carolina Bloom in the Morning.
Chapter Eight
Carolina expected her show would start production the day after she signed the contract. Trying to save on costs and preserve the remaining money she had from Milton’s estate, she fired her California agent and refused to hire a lawyer.
Her obstinance and her inflated self-worth almost put the kibosh on the deal. Angus Carlson was finally able to convince his promising star to let the staff do their jobs and when the show was a hit in the ratings, she would have more clout and could demand her ideas be implemented. Carolina was satisfied but anxious to do something other than lounge around the hotel pool all day.
She’d let Brad go back to his job but expected him to fly to town on the weekends to take her to restaurants frequented by Rebecca Snow.
“I meant to ask you, Carolina,” said Brad, “how did you know Rebecca would be at the country club on that Friday e
vening?”
“Silly, I followed her to her house and waited for her to leave again. Because it was a Friday night, I guessed they’d be going out. I knew that snooty maître d would never let me in, so I made certain Rebecca saw me. I knew she would convince that dope to let us in. Rebecca has always been a pushover.”
“You can’t get away with following her in your car indefinitely. Someone is going to notice you watching her house.”
“That’s why I’m signing on with that stupid Community Playhouse. I’m planning to be Rebecca Snow’s best friend. I’ll know everything she does.”
“I don’t get it, Carolina, what did Rebecca ever do to you?”
“She didn’t do anything, she just is.”
“She just is what?”
“She just exists, everyone has always talked about perfect saint Rebecca. I was back in town a few years ago, and she was the talk of the town. She had the most wonderful husband and the best kids that were ever born. Even my mother sang her praises. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to get out of town. Rebecca is the one who encouraged me to go to California. I shouldn’t have listened to her. Because of her, I married a control freak.”
“You can’t blame Rebecca for that, I doubt she ever met Harrington. You married the old codger because he was rich. It had nothing to do with Rebecca.”
“The man stifled me, if I’d stayed in Oakwood Park, I’d never have met him so it is Rebecca’s fault.”
“Has anyone ever said you are the most exasperating woman in the world?”
Carolina smiled, she knew if she waited long enough, Brad would forget about Rebecca and fall in love with her. She was determined to marry him and was willing to resort to more blackmail to get her way.
***
In the Snow kitchen
“Good morning beautiful, you made blueberry muffins, I could smell them in the bedroom,” said Andy. “What’s the occasion?”
“No occasion, I’m taking them to the playhouse this morning. Don’t worry, I made enough for you, they are warming in the oven.”
Rebecca’s phone rang. It was Sandy Clark, the leader of the community theater.
“Rebecca, I hope I’m not calling too early, I wanted to talk with you before our meeting this morning. I was able to get the script for a stage play, The Secrets of Willow Lake. It’s very risqué and nothing like we usually do. I think we can clean it up some but I wanted to ask if you’d consider the female lead if we do it. I don’t want the others to know unless you say yes.”
“Sandy, I’ve read the reviews of that play. Are you sure we want to tackle something that dark? Our group is more into comedy and light mysteries.”
“I know it’s something different for us but maybe it’s time we branch out.”
“I can’t promise, Sandy, but I’ll read the script. I think the group should be told and let them decide.”
***
“You look serious, Rebecca, was that bad news?” asked Andy.
“No, not bad news; Sandy has come across a script that is unlike anything we’ve ever done. It’s a story about a woman who has secrets involving her love affairs and the murder of her husband. She wants me to play the lead. I don’t think I want to do it. Am I being silly?”
“Not at all, I don’t want you playing a part where you murder your husband. What if the character takes over and you slit my throat in your sleep?” Andy said with a laugh.
“That settles it, I’ll sacrifice the part to save your life. It’s too bad Carolina is doing her morning show; the part would be perfect for her.”
“If that show ever gets on the air it will be a miracle, why don’t you ask her. She can only say no.”
“I’d rather not, the less I see Carolina Bloom the happier I am. She loves to flaunt her supposed love affair with Brad Pickett. For one thing, I don’t believe Brad is a willing partner and for another, I don’t care one way or the other.”
In the Community Playhouse meeting room
Sandy Clark called the meeting to order. She noticed Barry Kemp in the back row and hoped he wasn’t planning to audition for a part in their next production.
“It’s nice to see so many faces today. It’s nearing the end of summer and everyone is back from vacation. It’s time to think of our autumn presentation.
“Rebecca and I have discussed an idea, she suggested I get your opinion. We have acquired the script of a play called The Secrets of Willow Lake. It is like nothing we have tried before. The language might be offensive to our audience, although we are at liberty to change the terminology if we choose.”
Harvey Rutledge spoke up. “I know that story, it’s hardly suitable for our best actress. No one would believe Rebecca Snow as the immoral Willow Lake.”
“I agree with Mr. Rutledge,” came a voice from the back of the room. “The part of Willow Lake was made for me.” Carolina Bloom paraded up the aisle with her hips swinging.
“Carolina, I didn’t realize you were in our group,” said Sandy. “I didn’t think you’d be interested in our amateur production with your talk show beginning soon.”
“They are working out the details and I find I have time on my hands now that Bradley Pickett has returned to New York City. Of course, he will come back to Oakwood Park on the weekends. He can’t stay away from me.” She looked directly at Rebecca when she said it.
“We would be lucky to have a real movie star in one of our shows. I vote we do the play with Carolina Bloom as the star,” said Elaine Becker.
The others chimed in with their opinions. Some of the more adventuresome agreed they needed to branch out, the more conservative members didn’t like the idea of a suggestive presentation but were enamored with Carolina Bloom and voiced their approval.
Harvey Rutledge shook his head. He turned to Rebecca and whispered, “nothing good will come from this, Carolina is not to be trusted.”
Chapter Nine
Carolina’s talk show attracted more attention each day it was broadcast.
Harriet Carlson sat in her living room staring at the television set and seething. Why did I let Angus talk me into hiring this Carolina person? She flirts with every male guest and insults the females. Just look at that skirt, her thighs are exposed. It’s disgraceful. Look at her now, she’s reminiscing with Mayor Reynolds about some stupid football game over twenty years ago. The mayor looks uncomfortable. I’m sure he wants to talk about funding highway expansion, and the little sexpot is reliving her cheerleader days.
Harriet dialed her husband’s private phone. “Angus, get that woman off the air. She is exposing herself right here in my living room.”
“Harriet, Carolina Bloom in the Morning is a hit. The phones are ringing constantly. The folks in Oakwood Park and surrounding areas love Carolina’s antics. Remember, dear, you signed a contract and it will cost a pretty penny if we don’t live up to our end.”
“Shut up Angus, I’m wasting my time talking to you. You’d better not be involved with that woman outside of the studio.”
It’s not for lack of trying, Angus thought to himself, but said, “Dearest, you know you are the only woman I will ever love.”
Mayor Adam Reynolds was squirming in his chair. Carolina Bloom was coming on to him in front of the television camera. He attempted to talk about highway expansion and she continually interrupted him to bring up long-forgotten stories of their high school days. He didn’t remember much about Carolina back then. She was a beauty and still is, but he only had eyes for his future wife, Stephanie.
Just before they broke for a commercial, Carolina ran her toe on the inside of Adam’s pant leg.
Adam’s face turned red in anger. When he was certain they were off the air. He said, “Carolina if you try that again, I will walk off the set. The people of Oakwood Park want to hear about our overcrowded highways and not who won a football game twenty some years ago.”
“Nobody wants to talk highways at this hour of the morning. I remember you in high school, Adam, you were a regul
ar boy scout. What did Stephanie think of you driving Miss Rebecca home the night of prom? I’ll bet you were a great comfort to her.”
Adam was surprised to hear that Carolina knew he’d driven Rebecca home that night. Stephanie was the one to comfort her friend. Adam didn’t want to further the discussion of that night so he said nothing.
“I understand you are still married to little Stephanie Bower. You were always a good-looking guy, Adam, I’m sure you have escaped the monotony more than once.”
They were back on camera before Adam could reply to her statement.
Murder In Oakwood Park Page 4
