Serena shifted uncomfortably. “The reason I’m here is to tell you my mother, Sarah, is in the early stages of dementia.”
“Oh I’m so sorry,” I replied. “She didn’t seem confused or disoriented.”
“She was having a good day today and I’m glad that’s how you saw her. Some days she can remember things and other days she forgets who I am.”
Stormi grimaced. “That has to be so hard for you.”
Serena nodded. “It is, but I’ve come to accept it. I just didn’t want her telling you and the police things that may be a figment of her imagination. Her memory can’t be trusted.”
“The only thing she mentioned was the old partner and how they ended on bad terms,” I said. “Do you think there’s a possibility that she did remember correctly and that this man had something to do with your uncle’s murder?”
Serena sighed. “It’s certainly possible I suppose. But I wouldn’t give anything she says much credence.”
“I hope we didn’t upset her too much by giving her the news about her brother,” Stormi replied.
Serena waved her hand. “Oh no, she’s already forgotten. But it may be best to not bring it up to her again. She can’t help the investigation anyway in her mental shape.”
That was true and even if she was having a good day, it might only upset her, something none of us wanted.
Serena headed for the door. “Well, I didn’t mean to disturb you all. Thanks for listening.”
Stormi and I said our goodbyes to Serena and finished our clean up. We didn’t talk, both of us deep in thought. Not sure what Stormi was thinking about but my mind kept pulling towards the mystery of Mr. Ewing’s killer. Could he still be around wandering the streets of Caesars Creek? Perhaps he was an upstanding citizen, married with children, a person no one would suspect of murder. Many times that’s how it turns out, the person of least suspicion. Of course, other times the writing’s on the wall. But as we witnessed with Miss Trixie and her first husband, circumstances aren’t always as they seem.
Neither of us brought up Brandon again, which was just as well. At least I knew Stormi was fine with it so that made me feel better. Perhaps I could ask Brandon to dinner tomorrow evening. I could always get Sammy to come close the shoppe for me.
That evening Winchester and I curled up on the couch watching a whodunit on television. My mind wandered to Mr. Ewing and the two main suspects so far. Trixie told us about Mr. Ewing having an illicit affair and how the husband threatened him. It was certainly possible that this man, whoever he was, had killed Mr. Ewing, especially if he hadn’t heeded the man’s advice to leave his wife alone.
Now we had another suspect…his law partner. Miss Ewing, or Sarah, said she heard yelling between the two men. Could it have eventually escalated to the point the partner bashed in Mr. Ewing’s head in a fit of rage? It sounded as if Mr. Ewing may have had a host of enemies. Could there possibly have been more?
I yawned and Winchester did the same. Whatever happened to Mr. Ewing would have to wait until tomorrow.
*****
The next day Stormi and Paige flew into the shoppe all a flutter. Winchester gave them a woof hello and they both stooped down to pet him.
“What’s got you girls all excited?” The shoppe was ready to open, but the first customers normally didn’t show up until 11am unless they came by to order or pick up ice cream cakes.
Stormi sat down at one of the tables and Winchester promptly jumped into her lap. Stormi stroked his head as he lay contented. “I fixed Greg and me a lasagna dinner last night and afterwards we sat down with a bottle of wine and talked.”
Paige interrupted. “Sounds like it’s getting really cozy between you too. When am I going to see a ring on your finger?”
Stormi and Greg, Officer Manning, had been dating for several months now, ever since he took her statement on another murder investigation. Seems like we’re always in the middle of it. Anyway, Stormi isn’t the type to settle. She loves her freedom and for years has dated off and on, but never getting serious. She talked about Brandon drifting from girl to girl, but she was much the same way.
Brandon and Stormi came from a broken home, and neither their father nor mother remarried. From what I gathered, the breakup wasn’t amicable and that may be the reason for their cold feet with relationships. But with Greg, Stormi was different. I could tell how comfortable she was with him. He was the perfect gentleman, opening car doors and sending her flowers to the shoppe. She resisted him at first, trying to keep him at arm’s length, but Paige and I could tell her resolve was floundering. I know she simply didn’t want to get hurt…I knew how she felt. But sometimes you have to take the risk.
Stormi looked at Paige, annoyed that she had interrupted her story. “I don’t know…you’ll have to ask Greg.”
“Okay, I will,” Paige answered.
Stormi looked stricken. “Don’t you dare!”
Paige laughed. “Of course I won’t. But this has to be a record for you in the dating department.”
Stormi looked down at Winchester as she stroked his head. “Yes, I suppose it is. But enough about that. Let me fill you in on the investigation of Mr. Ewing’s death.”
Paige interrupted again. “How is it that he can divulge this information to you? I thought the police weren’t supposed to talk about ongoing crimes.”
Stormi looked at Paige impatiently. This was their relationship. Paige and Stormi always going back and forth with neither gaining ground. It was like watching a tennis match.
“Do you want to know or not?”
“Yes I do, but not if it will get him into trouble.”
Stormi sighed. “I’m sure he’s not telling me everything, to my displeasure. But this is what he did tell me.”
Stormi shot Paige a look. Paige waved her hand for Stormi to continue.
“The police have found out who the man was that Trixie was talking about…the one whose wife Mr. Ewing was seeing. His name is Mr. Talbot and he lives in Sinking Springs now. Now the other one, the partner, he’s dead. He died over 20 years ago. So if it was him that did the deed, well he’s done paid the price so to speak.”
I leaned my hip against the ice cream counter. “So what about this Mr. Talbot?”
“Greg said they went to question him and he met them with a shotgun in his hands!”
Paige leaned forward. “Holy crap! What happened?”
Stormi loved the attention she was getting. Even Winchester perked up.
“Well, as soon as the police car pulled into his driveway and Greg and Officer Burkle got out of the car, Mr. Talbot is standing on the porch with his shotgun telling them to get off his property. They finally calm him down and tell him to place the firearm on the ground. Then they haul him in for questioning.”
Paige appeared confused. “Why did he pull a gun on them?”
“Seems he’s a little cuckoo,” Stormi replied. “His wife, the one that had an affair with Mr. Ewing, left him years ago. He was always so jealous.”
“Guess he had reason to be,” I responded.
Stormi nodded. “It would appear so. But he couldn’t handle it. There were many men he beat up over the years over her and one he even cracked the guy’s head open.”
“That sounds familiar,” Paige said. “But do they have any proof that he killed Mr. Ewing?”
Stormi shook her head. “No. They released him. He admitted he hated Mr. Ewing, but he didn’t kill him. Not sure if Greg believes him or not, but they’re stuck unless they find something that leads to Talbot or someone else.”
“Did the police find anything else in the building that had to do with the murder?” Paige asked.
“If they did Greg isn’t saying,” Stormi answered.
Paige stood up. “Well I need to go next door and continue cleaning, especially if we‘re going to have the Halloween party there. Then Bruce and I can get it ready for his office.”
“So Bruce is okay with the whole dead body thing?” Stormi
asked as she put Winchester on the floor.
“As long as we don’t find another skeleton hiding in another wall, he’s okay with it. All right, I’m off. See you girls later.”
The day went by with customers coming in and out selecting their treat of choice. It always amazed me how so many people preferred vanilla over some of the more scrumptious offerings like Chocolate Attack, or Coffee Surprise. I was getting ready to remove the empty barrel of vanilla from the ice cream case when Brandon entered the shoppe. My heart skipped a beat and I cursed it for making me feel so…strange. I missed the lighthearted banter he and I use to have. Now everything seemed strained.
“Hey Tara, how’s it going?” At least he still seemed comfortable.
“Hi Brandon. It’s going fine. Would you like a special treat? We have double dippers on sale for half price.” Man, what the heck was that?
Brandon pointed to his waistline. “Not today. I’ve got to watch my figure.” He laughed and I tried to. Could I please stop embarrassing myself.
“No, I stopped in to see if you wanted to go to Paige’s Halloween party together?”
Did I just lose my ability to hear properly? I stood there like a moron, just staring at him. Finally, I found my voice. “Ummm, Paige’s Halloween party?”
“Yeah, I bought this biker Halloween costume that has a biker helmet, fake tattoos, bandanas and a leather cut. It also included a woman’s cut and leather gloves. We’d have a blast. You can be my old lady.”
Huh? Old lady? “What do you mean old lady?”
“That’s what bikers call their main squeeze…their old lady.” Oh, okay…I guess.
“Sure, I’d love to go with you.” I wasn’t quite sure if he was asking me on a date, or we were simply going together as friends. Drat! Why did it have to be so complicated?
Brandon headed towards the door. “Okay, well I better get to work. I’m helping Paige with the building next door. Got to get it ready for the party tomorrow night.”
I bid him goodbye, still stumped at what just happened. I planned to ask him over for dinner but he sideswiped me with a proposal of his own. I’d have to feel him out during the party to see if this was indeed a date or simply a friendly invitation.
*****
The next day I closed the Frozen Scoop early so I could help Bruce, Paige, Stormi and Sammy decorate for the party. Winchester came too and Bruce, who was finally back from his last business trip, promptly told him not to be looking for anymore dead bodies.
“Now see here Stiff Tail, if you find anymore skeletons, please keep it to yourself,” Bruce instructed Winchester who gave him a ‘woof’ in response and immediately set off to investigate the rest of the building.
Stormi opened a box of Halloween decorations. “I swear if that dog brings back any more body pieces…”
“Then the police can use him for a cadaver dog,” Paige interrupted.
I set a witch’s cauldron on the floor. “One dead body is enough. You hear that Winchester?”
Winnie ignored me as he sniffed through the boxes.
“This first floor looks great,” I remarked to Paige as we continued to empty decorations from boxes.
“Yeah it’s a wonder what a little elbow grease will do,” Paige said as she hung a banner that read Happy Halloween.
Bruce walked over to help her. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to help you girls.”
Paige shot him a look. “Don’t lie to me buddy…I know you too well.”
Bruce laughed. “Yes you do. But I do appreciate all the hard work and I promise to take all you girls out for dinner next week.”
Stormi removed what looked like a severed hand from one of the boxes. “Don’t mention food when I’m holding this monstrosity. Paige, why do you have to have such gross decorations?”
Paige looked at Stormi. “Better to scare you with my dear.”
Stormi dropped the hand on one of the tables we’d set up the night before. “More like gross me out.”
After about an hour of working, Brandon showed up. “Sorry I’m late. I had an emergency plumbing job over in Sinking Springs. Looks like you’ve made a lot of progress though.”
Seemed like every time I saw Brandon my heart would quicken. Part of me liked the feeling but another part yearned for the easygoing chatter we once had. I felt like I was losing a special part of our relationship if I allowed this, whatever it was, to continue. I greeted him and continued to work. Right now, I’d rather ignore the situation. Tonight we’d just have to see what happens.
We were almost finished with the decorations. I was heading home with Paige, Bruce and Sammy to help prepare the food for tonight’s guests when Serena stopped by. Brandon already left but not before giving me my biker chick ‘old lady’ costume for that evening. “I’ll pick you up at 8 sharp,” he said to me.
“I’ll be sure my tattoos are dry.” He laughed and headed out the door. There it was, that easy banter we had. Maybe it wasn’t gone, just hidden under my emotional roller coaster.
“Hello…I hope I’m not intruding,” she said as she entered through the open front door of the building.
Paige walked over to her. “Not at all. As you can see we’re decorating for a Halloween party.”
Serena looked over the space. “Looks like you’ve all done a fantastic job.”
Paige introduced Serena to Bruce and Sammy.
“I looked for you all at the Frozen Scoop but it was closed, then I heard familiar voices coming from here.”
“Is your mother alright?” I asked.
“Oh yes,” Serena answered. “Actually I heard through the grapevine that a man had been questioned regarding my uncle’s murder.”
Stormi walked over to the group. “That’s true. It was the man whose wife was having an affair with your uncle. Of course he says he didn’t do it.”
“Do they have any evidence against him?” Serena asked.
“Right now it’s all circumstantial. Just witnesses that heard them fighting and the man threatening your uncle if he didn’t leave his wife alone,” Stormi answered.
“Does this bring back any memories for you?” I asked as I gathered my keys and purse.
“No. My mother might have remembered it, but I doubt she would now.”
“She remembered the old business partner and how they fought,” Stormi replied. “Maybe she’d remember this man.”
Serena looked like she was deep in thought. “She might. When she’s having a good day again, I will ask her.”
Serena headed towards the front door. “Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me about this.”
We told her it was fine and Paige invited her to the party that night, but she politely declined. She was heading over to visit her mother at the nursing home.
She walked to the door as we all got ready to leave ourselves when she stopped suddenly and turned around. “I can’t do this anymore.”
We swung around, wondering what she meant. Serena suddenly appeared weary, as if she was carrying a great weight on her shoulders. “Could I sit down?”
Bruce grabbed a chair and Serena sat down. “Would you all please sit down with me?”
We gathered several chairs and surrounded Serena. We had no idea what was going on, but thought it was best to remain quiet and let her say what was on her mind.
Serena looked down at her hands lying in her lap. “I hoped that I could wait to tell this story after my mother passed, but I see now I can’t.”
What did that mean?
Serena took a tissue from her purse as her eyes welled with tears. We were all caught unawares and weren’t sure what to do for her.
“Serena, are you sure want to tell us…whatever it is?” Paige asked. “I mean, of course you can, but maybe it would be easier to tell close family and friends?”
Serena sighed. “Actually it wouldn’t and there aren‘t any close relatives left. Although I’ve only just met you all, I find a certain calmness when I’m around you. You were so
nice to my mother and that means a lot to me. She enjoyed your visit.”
“She’s a sweetheart,” Stormi replied. “We enjoyed our time with her as well.”
“I’m glad you liked her, but what I’m about to say may surprise you.”
We straightened up in our chairs as we slowly came to realize that we would finally learn what happened to Mr. Ewing.
“As I told you, I was only seven years old when my uncle went missing. But I knew he didn’t go missing. I knew where he was the entire time.”
A Frozen Scoop of Murder - The Bundle Edition (Books One to Six): Cozy Mysteries Page 17
