“Jessica,” said Annie, “Rebecca doesn’t give advice, she listens but doesn’t judge or tell the guest what to do.”
“I’m usually at work when the show is on, is it an advice to the lovelorn program?” Sally asked.
“No, she sometimes has a guest who airs her problems like that young woman. The segment was initially about schools providing lunches for the underprivileged. The guest talked about a student whose father left the home and the family finances were depleted. It must have brought back unhappy memories for her and she couldn’t help herself.”
Kenzie thought she could see tears in Jessica’s eyes and wondered if that person’s story was more meaningful to Jessica than she’d let on.
Jessica abruptly changed the subject. “Vivian when do you expect Erin? It will be good to see her again.”
“She’s driving from Michigan and will be here the day after tomorrow. Richard wanted to drive with her but she insisted she didn’t need his protection. Erin puts on a brave front.”
The evening passed quickly, Kenzie thanked Vivian and Harvey for their hospitality. She promised the others she would ask her mother to come over and introduce her to the neighbors.
When they arrived home, Kenzie asked Jake if he thought Jessica Barnes showed an excessive amount of empathy to a stranger’s story about abandonment.
“I know what you’re thinking, Jessica’s father probably abandoned her too.”
Later that night
Jessica tossed and turned in her sleep. She knew she was dreaming but couldn’t wake herself up. She was ten-years-old again standing at the front door of her house. Her daddy walked to the road and disappeared. She tried calling him but no sound came out. She tried running after him but couldn’t move her legs. She heard her mother crying in the background.
“Jessica, wake up you’re having a nightmare,” Joe cried.
She opened her eyes and breathed in relief when she looked at Joe lying next to her.
“Was it the same dream?”
“Yes, it never changes. I think the discussion about Rebecca Snow’s program brought it on. Joe, when am I going to put my childhood behind me?”
“Your dream is happening more often, it’s time you talked with a professional about it.”
“I want the dreams to stop. I have you in my life now and I know you won’t leave me.”
“No, I plan to stay until we celebrate our sixtieth anniversary and maybe longer than that. In time you won’t remember your father left you and your mother.” Joe knew his wife was reluctant to speak to a shrink, was there more to her father’s behavior than she let on? Did he abuse her or her mother? He shuddered to think about what might have gone on in that house causing the man to leave.
Chapter Six
The following day
When Rebecca Snow’s morning show ended for the day, Barb Tinsdale told her Kenzie called.
“Your daughter is a sweetheart, she told me her neighbors want to meet her famous mother, and she would love to show you off.”
“Oh, my, I hope they won’t be disappointed when they discover I’m a normal person.”
“Don’t put yourself down, you have a good following. I can tell by the letters and emails the station receives. I wish our weatherman had your positive feedback.”
“Poor Jason, his weather predictions have been off lately.”
“Not only off, but he’s also dead wrong more often than not. I didn’t know so many people planned their picnics around a weatherman’s predictions.”
Rebecca laughed, she knew many people thought a prediction was a guarantee. “I’ll call Kenzie before I leave, I love having an excuse to visit her.”
***
Sally Evans was working at the jewelry store that morning but planned to stop by on her lunch break to meet Rebecca. The others were eager to meet the local celebrity. Vivian had known Rebecca for years but was always up for a visit.
“Mrs. Snow, I’m excited to meet you, I never miss your show,” said Jessica holding a toddler by the hand and a baby in a sling.
“Please, call me Rebecca. I’m happy to meet Kenzie’s neighbors. I know we will see a lot of each other.”
When Annie Palmer gazed in awe of Rebecca, Vivian said, “You must forgive Annie, she has never seen a celebrity before.”
Annie found her voice. “I’m sorry Mrs. Snow… I mean Rebecca… I know I’m acting like a silly teenager but I have watched you on television for so long I can’t believe I’m in the same room with you.”
“Okay, ladies, that’s enough hero worship. I’ve known Rebecca since she was a gangly teenager. I’ve always known her to be down-to-earth. Don’t embarrass her any further.”
“I’m sorry Rebecca,” said Jessica, “we didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Annie and I are stay-at-home moms, meeting you is the most exciting thing that’s happened to us in a long time.”
“No need to apologize, I was a stay-at-home mom for many years. Doing the show is the first paying job I’ve had since before Kenzie’s brother was born.”
“Do you mind if I ask you about a young woman who was on your show a few weeks ago?” Jessica asked.
“No, I don’t mind at all.”
“I can’t remember her name, she talked about her father abandoning her when she was a child.”
“Oh yes, Laura Pierce. After the show, someone who knew her father called the station. Laura and her father were reunited in a nursing home in North Carolina. He had a stroke affecting his memory, but he seemed to remember Laura. She still doesn’t understand why he left her and her mother although it gave her the closure she needed. Do you know her?”
“No, I don’t know her, but I can relate to her because my father abandoned my mother and me when I was a kid.”
The group looked at Jessica in astonishment. They knew something happened in her childhood and she still carried the burden. However, they didn’t guess her father disappeared.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I said that. I didn’t mean to put a damper on a pleasant get-together.”
“Nonsense, Jessica, we are your friends,” said Vivian, “if you have something you want to say, we are here to listen.”
“I’ve dreamt of the time my father left us. I stand at the doorway trying to call him back but no sound comes out. I can’t move my feet to run after him and he disappears out of sight. It’s the same dream I had after he left years ago. Joe thinks I should see a shrink.”
“Jessica,” said Annie, “Joe is a firefighter. It is a dangerous job, maybe the dreams are expressing your fear of losing him.”
“So, you think my dreams have nothing to do with my father, it’s my fear that Joe will abandon me too?”
“I’m sorry, Jessica, I was thinking out loud, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“You could be right, Annie,” said Vivian. “Jessica, is there a reason you don’t want to talk to a professional about this?”
“My hatred for my father has been with me for so long, maybe I don’t want to let it go. My mother forgave him long ago. After he left, she renewed her teaching credentials, received her master’s degree and married a great guy. I know she is happy and I’m happy with Joe and the kids too.”
“Jessica,” said Rebecca, “have you thought of tracking your dad down? Laura didn’t find the answer to why her father left but finding him has helped her accept his leaving.”
“I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
“My mother is the best sleuth in town, if you want to find information about your dad, Mom is a great place to start.”
“Will you help me, Rebecca, I have pictures of him. My mother didn’t want me to forget I had a dad although he forgot about me.”
“I can try, I’m friends with detectives in the police department. With their help and your information, they can unofficially investigate. It might not be easy to find him, Jessica. If a person wishes to disappear, they rarely leave a trail.”
***
The children
were restless for a nap and Jessica excused herself. She walked to her home on the circle and as she unlocked the front door, she felt she was being watched. When she turned her head, she saw an old man turning the corner. She had an uneasy feeling and hurried inside locking the door behind the children and herself.
Chapter Seven
The women were sorry to see Jessica go but understood the need for children’s naps.
Kenzie made chicken salad sandwiches and encouraged the others to stay. “Sally said she would be by on her lunch break. Although she isn’t home when Mom’s show is on, I’d like them to meet.”
Sally Evans pulled into her driveway and walked across the lawn to Kenzie’s house. She saw Jessica hurrying her little one into the house and worried something was wrong. It was then she noticed a figure near Harvey Rutledge’s prized Linden tree. She had a flashback of Mr. Swayze telling her he would make her pay for what she did to his son.
Kenzie opened the door, a visibly shaken Sally walked into the living room and burst into tears.
“What’s wrong, Sally?” they cried in unison.
“I’m so sorry, nothing like making a grand entrance. While I walked across the lawn, I thought I saw a man from my past. It brought back frightening memories.”
“Is it an elderly man in a long coat? I’ve seen him too said Annie. I thought it was my imagination. The way he appears out of nowhere is creepy.”
“That’s odd,” said Carol Harper, “Scott came home from his golf game the other day and asked if I’d seen a man walking around the neighborhood. He seemed spooked, and that’s not like Scott.”
“I saw him too,” said Vivian, “he must be visiting someone on the next block. I’m sure he’s harmless, although I had an uneasy feeling when I saw him too.”
“I think I know the gentleman you are talking about,” said Rebecca, “Andy and I saw him the day Kenzie and Jake moved in. I swear he looked at me when I waved, but he didn’t acknowledge he saw me. Andy thought he might have failing eyesight and didn’t see me. I, too, had an uncomfortable feeling although I don’t know why.”
“Oh my, said Annie, I thought he was an apparition. I’d been thinking about my little sister and thought for a second he was the one who killed her.”
Kenzie and Rebecca looked surprised.
Vivian explained that Annie’s sister was killed by a drunk driver years before and the man was never apprehended.
“That is terrible, Annie, I’m so sorry to hear of your tragedy.”
“Thanks, Kenzie, Melissa was only five-years-old, I saw her running across the street when a car came barreling down the road hitting her and killing her instantly. I was in shock and have never remembered the color or make of the car. I can still see the look of horror in his eyes when he sped off leaving my sister on the ground. I think if I see him again, I’ll recognize him.”
“Annie, did the authorities suggest hypnosis to trigger your memory?” Rebecca asked.
“No, they didn’t mention it. I was only eleven, maybe they thought I was too young. I know little about hypnosis; do you think it’s too late? The accident was nineteen years ago.”
“I don’t know, we had a hypnotist on the show a few months ago. He helped victims remember pertinent information about the crimes committed against them. It might be worth a try.”
“It won’t bring Melissa back, but it might ease my nightmares.”
“I’ll ask about a hypnotist tomorrow. The one on our show works with the police department.”
***
“Annie isn’t the only one whose life changed because of an accident. Faulty brakes caused Carol to lose control of her car. It’s a miracle she is with us today,” said Vivian.
“It’s not as dramatic as Vivian and Scott make it sound. I have no memory of the accident. Apparently, when the brakes failed, I lost control and swerved off the road into a tree. I’m grateful I had the wherewithal to avoid hitting other cars on the highway. Scott insists the mechanic, Albert Fox, was at fault for not fixing the brakes properly. While I recovered in the rehab center, Scott set out to ruin Fox’s business and succeeded. He lost everything including his wife and family. That isn’t enough for Scott, I’m afraid his bitterness will continue until the man is behind bars.”
“Does Fox still live in the area?” asked Rebecca.
“I don’t believe so, Scott thinks he changed his name and moved south. He’s talked about hiring a private detective to track him down. His obsession worries me.”
“It should,” said Vivian, “would it help if Harvey talked to him?”
“Vivian,” said Rebecca, “before you mention Carol’s fears to Harvey, let me do some checking. I will try to find out where the man is living and if he’s in the same business.” Rebecca jotted down the name Albert Fox.
“Mom, with all the sleuthing you are planning, you will keep busy,” Kenzie said as she put a plate of bakery cookies on the card table.
Rebecca noticed Sally was still shaken after her brief encounter with a stranger. The woman is scared to death of the man or someone. I’d like her to talk about her fear but I don’t think she’s ready and I won’t push. Something happened in her past that traumatized her.
***
The doorbell sounded, Kenzie excused herself to answer the door. A pretty young woman stood on the porch.
“Hello, Grandpa said my grandmother is here, I’m Erin Rutledge.”
“Erin, is that you?” Vivian hurried to the door throwing her arms around the girl. “We didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”
“I know, I’d planned to stop to see Mom on the way but she isn’t in town, or so she says. I came here where I knew I’d be welcome.”
“My darling girl, you will always be welcome in Oakwood Park. This is Kenzie Morgan, our new neighbor; you and Kenzie will be great friends, I know. Come see the others they have waited anxiously for your arrival. Melissa left to put her little ones down for their naps but we have a celebrity in our midst. Do you remember Rebecca Snow, Grandpa’s friend from the Playhouse?”
“Hello, everyone, I’m sorry to barge in on your party. Mrs. Snow, it is nice to see you. I know you are Grandpa’s favorite leading lady.”
“He’s my favorite too, Erin. Please call me Rebecca. I remember you running backstage to give your grandfather a hug after a show. He always beamed when you and your grandmother greeted him.” Rebecca winked at Vivian knowing Harvey still thought of her as his bride after sixty years of marriage.
The women talked and laughed into the afternoon. After they left, Rebecca hugged Kenzie. “You and Jake will be happy here with so many nice neighbors.” Rebecca put her notepad in her purse. She’d made notes from all the stories she’d heard that day. She’d written Sally Evans’ name on the pad, she didn’t know what she would do with it but something was troubling the woman and Rebecca wanted to help.
Chapter Eight
Vivian didn’t understand her former daughter-in-law’s attitude toward Erin. Denise’s behavior was the reason Richard divorced her. Erin was a child afraid her mother was being hurt by a stranger when she came home unexpectedly and found her mother in bed with a lover.
Vivian remembered the first time Richard introduced Denise to the family. She was a stunning young woman who seemed older than her nineteen years. The Rutledges lived in a large home in an affluent area of Oakwood Park. The house had been in Harvey’s family and was passed down to the newlyweds when his folks moved into a smaller home. Denise thought Richard’s family was wealthy. Tired of living in her childhood home in Garfield with her widowed mother, Denise persuaded Richard to marry her or she would abort the child she was carrying. His child. The wedding took place on the day Richard graduated from college. His entry-level job in a tech company meant he and Denise would be forced to live with his parents until after their baby was born.
When her second baby was born eleven months after the first, Denise remained a stay-at-home mom. Richard’s salary increased enough that the family coul
d afford a small, but comfortable home in town. Denise was surprised when eight years after their youngest was born, she found herself in the family way again. Denise, who had not experienced morning sickness before, was ill for eight out of the nine months. Not only did she resent the pregnancy, but she also resented the unborn child. An ultrasound revealed the baby was a girl.
“It’s bad enough you made me pregnant, Richard, and now I have to compete with another girl in the family.”
Murder on Applewood Circle Page 3
