“I spoke with Sandy Clark about Erin being involved in the Community Playhouse. She is interested in her.”
“Sandy and the others would never deny you anything, Harvey. You and Rebecca Snow keep the playhouse going.”
“They’d get along fine without me, but it’s nice to hear the words. I will clean the grill to get ready for our company. I hope the rain holds off so we can eat outside on this warm summer day.”
Chapter Three
Annie and Kevin Palmer
After a chaotic breakfast with three children arguing over who gets the last pancake, Annie Palmer is happy to hear Jerry Marshall’s van pulling into the driveway. The kids are joining their friends for a day at summer camp. She walks them to the door checking to see that they have their backpacks, scurries them out the door and waves to Jerry. Tomorrow will be Annie’s turn to gather the campers in the neighborhood and drive them to their destination. It’s only a ten-minute ride, but eight energetic kids piled into a van is a harrowing experience. The quiet ride back home is always a treat until it’s time to pick them up again in the afternoon.
Kevin smiled when Annie returned to the kitchen. “Is it possible so much noise can be made by three children?”
“Vivian tells me I will miss these days when they are grown and gone.”
Annie and Kevin planned to wait five years before starting their family. It was a surprise when after only two months of marriage, Annie discovered she was pregnant. She and Kevin were more surprised when the doctor told them Annie would give birth to triplets. It wasn’t long before Annie quit her job to stay home and in bed for the second half of her pregnancy.
“Annie, we can’t stay in a one-bedroom apartment with three babies,” said Kevin. “My mom has offered to help me look for a house.”
Annie was still reeling over the fact she would be a mother of three before she turned twenty-five and house hunting was not a priority. Annie loved the house Kevin bought and when she gave birth to three baby boys, any doubts she’d had disappeared.
The boys recently celebrated their sixth birthday and would start first grade in the fall. Kevin talked about trying for a little girl to complete the family. As much as Annie would love a daughter, the tragedy of losing her little sister almost twenty years ago was still clear in her mind.
“You’re thinking about Melissa, aren’t you, sweetheart?”
“You know me too well, Kevin. Watching the boys run to Jerry’s van made me remember that horrible day and Melissa’s senseless death.”
“I know when you were expecting the boys, you were relieved none of the three were girls. What happened to Melissa had nothing to do with her gender. As you said, it was a senseless accident. It doesn’t mean it will happen again if we have a little girl.”
“Kevin,” Annie cried, “Melissa didn’t die because of an accident, she died because some horrible person drove drunk and didn’t see her crossing the street. I will never forget the look in the man’s eyes when he saw her there and didn’t try to avoid hitting her. It’s my fault they never caught him, I couldn’t describe the car, not even the color.”
Kevin had heard the story many times before. He knew the incident left a deep wound on the then eleven-year-old girl. Annie watched as her little sister died on the street while the man drove off as though nothing happened. Without a description of the car and no witnesses to the accident, the driver was never found. It was assumed the man was drunk although it was never proved.
Kevin didn’t want to leave his wife alone with her memories. He’d call the office and say he was running late. Before he could make the call, Annie received a text message.
“Vivian and Harvey are hosting a barbeque this evening to introduce our new neighbors, Mackenzie and Jake Morgan, to everyone on the circle. I’m happy we will get to meet the newlyweds. Did I tell you, Mackenzie is the daughter of Rebecca Snow?”
Kevin was happy the distraction put a smile on Annie’s face. “Rebecca Snow, she’s an actress at the Community Playhouse. Harvey thinks the world of her.”
“Not only that, she has a local morning show, I watch it every day. She is terrific and has great guests. Her daughter seems friendly enough, she waved the other day when I drove into the garage.
“Aren’t you going to be late for work? I hope you can get home before six, the party starts then. I think I’ll get a sitter, I don’t want to be scolding the boys all evening.”
“I agree, I’ll see you later.” Kevin kissed his wife goodbye thinking he shouldn’t push her to have another baby, she has her hands full with three rambunctious boys.
***
Annie stood at the doorway, waving to Kevin as he drove to the crossroad and out of sight. She turned to close the door and saw a man in a long trench coat slowly walking off the circle in the other direction. A chill went through her body. I’m being silly, it’s not unusual for a person to walk around the circle for the exercise. It must be all the talk about Melissa. How I wish I could see her again, she was so pretty with her long golden hair and big blue eyes. She’d be a beauty now at twenty-four.
An unknown driver not only took away Annie’s sister, but he also caused the premature deaths of her parents. Her father’s drinking intensified after the accident and liver disease ended his life. Her mother never recovered from losing her baby, the cause of death was listed as heart failure although Annie believed her mother died of a broken heart.
***
“Good Morning, Annie.”
“Good Morning, Sally, did you see the text from Vivian?”
“Yes, I was on my way to ask what I can bring tonight. I’m excited about meeting our new neighbors. I’ll miss the Taylors but I know they will be happy in Pittsburgh with Mike’s new job.”
“Did you know the girl is Rebecca Snow’s daughter?”
“No, I didn’t, I hope she isn’t hoity-toity.”
Annie laughed, “I don’t think she is. I’ve never met her mother, but she seems down to earth. That’s how she comes across on her television show. Harvey speaks highly of her. I guess we’ll find out tonight. What will you be bringing tonight? I’ll make German Potato salad, I’ve been craving it lately and my boys won’t touch it.”
“That sounds good, I’ll see if Vivian would like me to bring a fruit salad. Jessica will make one of her fabulous desserts and Carol is always good for appetizers.”
“I hope Vivian doesn’t mind that we planned her menu for her,” laughed Annie.
“After I check with Viv, I’m going to the market. Do you need anything, Annie?”
“No, I have everything I need. I’ll see you later.”
Chapter Four
Sally and Paul Evans
Sally Evans makes her way through the grass to Vivian’s house. Sally and Paul are the original owners of their home on Applewood Circle. They and their two children moved to Oakwood Park when Paul was offered the job as manager for a large life insurance company.
Having lived on the west coast for most of her life, Sally enjoys the change of seasons and relishes watching the snow fall at Christmastime. Sally works part-time at Crenshaw Jewelers leaving her with plenty of free time. Her children, sixteen-year-old Ben, and fifteen-year-old, Jenna, are busy with friends and school activities. She misses the days when they were underfoot and needed her attention.
Paul’s promotion to regional manager keeps him busy too. He travels to other parts of the state often leaving Sally alone for several evenings each week.
She thought the summer would be different with the children out of school and Paul’s workload lessening, however; she found herself alone many nights cooking dinner for one. Ben and Jenna found summer jobs at fast-food restaurants and Paul still spends much of his time on the road.
“Hi Vivian, Paul has promised he will be home early to meet the new neighbors, I’ll bring a fruit salad if that doesn’t interfere with your meal plans.”
“That would be lovely, Sally. This is an impromptu gathering and nothing fancy
although Harvey is checking the liquor cabinet for tequila. I thought margaritas sounded refreshing.”
“Margaritas sound wonderful, I wouldn’t mind having one now,” Sally laughed.
“Are you all right, Sally, you sound melancholy.”
“No, I’m fine, I’m feeling sorry for myself. Maybe I should get another dog. After we put Bosco down, I couldn’t face starting over with a puppy. Paul works too many hours and my babies have lives of their own. I could put more hours in at the store, but I don’t want to. I’m sorry Vivian, I didn’t come over to complain.”
“That’s perfectly all right, Sally. We’ve all gone through some lonely times. Have you thought about getting involved in the Community Playhouse? It was a lifesaver for Harvey when he retired. A man can only make so many birdhouses.”
“Oh, Viv, Harvey has talent, I can’t act and my artistic ability is nil. They wouldn’t want me.”
“What’s this I hear about you not being wanted?” Harvey said as he walked in from the garage. “If you are talking about the playhouse, we
have plenty of things you could do, Sally. We never have enough volunteers.”
The smile on Sally’s face told Vivian she was giving the playhouse some thought. Sally gave Harvey and Vivian a hug and left their house with a bounce in her step.
“I will talk to Paul about cutting back on his work. He’s been looking harried lately. One nice thing about being my age, I can tell people what to do and they’re too polite not to listen.”
“Harvey, everyone listens to you and then does their own thing. Don’t you remember that happening with the boys? You gave them sage advice, and they did what they wanted,” Vivian laughed.
***
Ten minutes later, Sally backed her car out of the garage. For a fleeting moment, as she drove around the circle to the main road, she saw the shadow of an old man behind a pine tree. She gripped the wheel, steadying the car and turned her head. Who was that man, has he found me after all this time? I can’t run again, where would I go?
Sally heard the blast of a horn behind her bringing her out of her trance. She waved and drove on to the supermarket trying to forget the nightmare she never could put out of her mind.
Jessica and Joe Barnes
“Vivian and Harvey are hosting a barbeque tonight to introduce the newcomers to those of us on the circle. I’m happy you aren’t on duty. I’ll call Viv, I found a recipe for a yummy chocolate dessert I’ve been dying to try,” said Jessica.
“If she says no, you can make it and I’ll take it to the station, the guys like it when they have an excuse to consume two thousand calories at one time.”
“Come on, Joe, just because I use butter and heavy cream in my recipes doesn’t mean they are fattening,” laughed Jessica.
Like Kenzie and Jake, Jessica and Joe were newlyweds when they moved into their home on Applewood Circle. Joe is a firefighter with the Oakwood Park Fire Department. The couple has four children under the age of eight. Jessica loves cooking and her specialty is making luscious desserts.
“Jess, I’ll take the kids to the park while you are creating your mouth-watering dessert.”
“You read my mind, it makes it easier without little fingers getting into the batter.”
Joe gathered the kids while Jessica packed a few snacks for them. It was work getting the little ones into their car seats and making certain the older ones were secure on the booster seats, but Joe loved every minute of being a father. Jessica knew how lucky she was. Joe was an all-around good guy. She counted her blessings every day that he was the complete opposite of the man who was her father.
She stood at the doorway waving goodbye to her brood when she noticed a man walking by the house, he glanced her way and her heart sank. It wasn’t the first time a stranger reminded her of her father and the heartache he’d caused. She closed the door and tried to put the man out of her mind. If only she could find it in her heart to forgive, however, she feared that day would never come.
Carol and Scott Harper
Like the Rutledges, Carol and Scott Harper moved from a large two-story home to a smaller ranch-style house after their children left the nest. Scott retired after thirty-five years with a construction equipment company. Carol worked as an office assistant until an automobile accident left her partially paralyzed ten years ago. With extensive therapy through the years, Carol walks without a cane. She is never free of pain but doesn’t talk about her discomfort.
Carol’s accident was caused by brake failure because of shoddy work by an auto mechanic. After dropping her children off at school, the day of the accident, Carol noticed her brakes didn’t feel right. She stopped at an auto repair shop. The busy mechanic added brake fluid and sent her on her way. Carol has no recollection of the accident. Although the investigation proved the brakes failed because of a leak, criminal charges were not brought against the mechanic. Scott Harper refused to let the mechanic get away with cutting corners and began a campaign to put the man out of business. The publicity prompted others to report their experiences with Fox and forced him into bankruptcy. He lost his business and his home. Eventually, his wife left him, leaving him a broken man. Scott lost track of the man through the years although he cursed Albert Fox when he saw his wife grimace in pain.
Scott arrived home after a morning playing golf with his cronies. He thought he saw an elderly man approach his car but when he turned his head, the man disappeared. Albert Fox came to mind.
Carol greeted him with a kiss and told him about the barbeque.
“Carol, did you see a stranger walking around the circle?”
“No, I’ve been in the kitchen making appetizers to take to the Rutledge’s. Why, did he look suspicious?”
“I don’t know, it could be my imagination working overtime or the beer I had at the nineteenth hole.”
“Maybe you should take a nap. It sounds like the sun has gotten to you, Scott,” Carol laughed.
Chapter Five
The Rutledge back yard
“Vivian, it’s nice of you and Harvey to host a party to introduce Jake and me to the neighbors. I’m not much of a cook, but I brought baked beans, it’s my mother’s recipe, so it can’t be too horrible.”
“I’m sure it’s wonderful, Kenzie. Don’t worry, you will learn to cook. Poor Harvey almost starved to death when we were first married. My mother was a fabulous cook, but she didn’t share her talent with me.”
Harvey patted his belly saying her cooking improved through the years. “Jake, how about a beer or something stronger?”
“A beer sounds good, Harvey.”
“The others should come shortly, Kenzie, I promised to make margaritas for everyone, come in the kitchen where we can talk while I blend my concoction.”
Kenzie followed Vivian to the kitchen. She’d known Harvey and Vivian for as long as she could remember, they were older than her parents and even her grandparents, but they didn’t act like old people. Vivian had a lightness in her step and Harvey ran circles around some other actors on the stage of the Community Playhouse. She wondered if the love they’d shared for sixty years kept them young.
“I’ll watch you make your margaritas, I buy the mixes they sell but I’m sure yours are better.”
“I don’t know how much better they are, I think it’s the tequila that makes them so yummy,” Vivian laughed.
***
“It looks like we’re just in time for Viv’s margs,” said Annie who was followed by Sally. “The boys are out back with Harvey but we heard your blender start, so we came in here.”
“Hello, Kenzie, I’m Sally Evans and this is Annie Palmer. We are so happy to have you and your adorable husband join our circle.”
“He is adorable, isn’t he?” laughed Kenzie. “It is nice to meet you both.”
Jessica and Carol followed soon after.
Vivian blended the margaritas until they were a perfect consistency and poured them into salt-rimmed glasses adorned with a slice of lime. Je
ssica carried the tray of drinks to the backyard with Carol carrying the appetizers she’d made.
After introductions were made, Annie sipped her margarita. Because of her sister’s death caused by a drunk driver, Annie never had more than one drink.
“Kenzie,” said Annie, “I must tell you, I adore your mother’s show. I hope we can meet her sometime soon.”
“She’d be happy to meet all of you. Mom doesn’t consider the show hers, she took over for a friend and they haven’t found a permanent host. I think Mom enjoys doing it and would miss it if she gave it up.”
“She had a segment on last week about a young woman whose father disappeared out of the family’s life when she was only seven. The girl talked about the resentment she felt and how it affected her. She was only twenty-one and feared she would never have a healthy relationship with a man. Your mother showed her compassion and didn’t make light of her feelings. She always gives wonderful advice,” said Jessica.
Murder on Applewood Circle Page 2
