by Pyper James
This was something promising. Vivica looked on her bedside table for something to record the address on. All she found was mail she hadn’t opened from the previous day and a pencil with dulled lead. It was good enough though and Vivica wrote the address down. Vivica’s movement disturbed Maximus and he looked up at her without lifting his head. As soon as Vivica settled back down, Max nestled his head against his leg and dozed back off.
“Sheriff Harper, do you have any objection to me following up with Ms. Nicholson,” Vivica asked, doing her best to be courteous and conscientious of the professional environment, as well as Bo’s disposition. Fighting with him would not win him over. Vivica knew you get a better response with honey than vinegar.
“Why don’t we do this,” Harper began. “Tomorrow morning come to the station and you and I will canvass the rest of the neighborhood and meet with Ms. Nicholson. I’ve got some other things for Deputy Gathright to handle.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Vivica said excitedly. She didn’t care if Johnathan mistook her excitement for him. Vivica was just glad to do something that could make a difference.
That night, Vivica found it hard to sleep. The conversation she had with Mr. Spruce played over and over in her mind. Was there anything he said that gave Vivica any insight?
Vivica fell asleep with that thought.
Chapter Twelve
Vivica Meadows was up with the rooster. Maximus wanted no part of early rising as Vivica exited the bed. The fact that she barely slept didn’t seem to matter. The energy she felt from the prospects of the day was more than enough to make up for the lack of slumber. After a hot shower and a quick dress, Vivica made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen that was still dark. Aunt Mildred was an early riser but this time, Vivica beat her to it. Finding the makings for a hot cup of coffee, Vivica turned on the pot and waited for the dark roasted aroma to fill the air. Waiting for the coffee to brew, Vivica danced around the kitchen to a song only she could hear. Today was going to be a good day. Vivica was ready for it.
“What has you up so early this morning?”
“Good morning, Auntie,” Vivica beamed, dancing over to her aunt and grabbing her by the hand. She spun Mildred around bringing Mildred into Vivica’s musical interlude.
“Oh my,” Mildred exclaimed as she fell right in step. Nothing pleased her more than to see her niece smiling from ear to ear. The reason Vivica was smiling was not as appealing. Mildred would much rather it be because Vivica was in love or getting married. Still, she wouldn’t rain on her niece’s parade… not today. Vivica made her way over to the coffee that was ready. Grabbing a mug from the cabinet, Vivica poured one for her aunt and sat it on the counter in front of her.
“You’re not having any?”
“I am,” Vivica replied. “But I’m taking my coffee to go.”
Grabbing her to go mug from an upper shelf Vivica poured the aromatic goodness in, leaving room for caramel flavored creamer and two teaspoons of sugar.
“You are going to be bouncing off the walls,” Mildred laughingly cautioned.
“But it will be a focused bounce,” Vivica countered.
Sealing the lid on her travel mug, Vivica walked over to her aunt, gave her a quick peck on the cheek and made a dash for the front door.
The morning sun was just showing itself as Vivica jumped into the VW. The darkness of the night sky yielding to the orange and yellow glow of the morning sun offered a beautiful backdrop as Vivica started the car and made her way down the winding road that led out of the vineyard. The varying shades of green the plethora of grape leaves provided were just coming into focus as Vivica puttered down the drive. It was open road after that until she got to the police station that sat on the edge of the more populated section of Dahlonega. Vivica’s coffee tasted amazing and the drive was peaceful. Her excitement grew as she pulled into the parking lot of the station.
Vivica didn’t mind that the lot was empty. It gave her an opportunity to enjoy the rest of the sunrise and the remainder of her drink. Her thoughts had been dominated with the case for what seemed like much longer than it actually was. The case had been all-consuming to the point that Vivica hadn’t taken stock of anything else going on in her life, apart from her fledgling business. She hadn’t had a chance to consider how much progress she’d actually made in such a brief period of time. That was a reminder of her parents. It was like, once she decided on a course that was really right for her, she had their blessing. Things that should have been harder were easier. The only thing Vivica could attribute that too were her guardian angels, her parents.
I just want you guys to be proud of me, she mused; knowing that somehow, wherever they were, her parents would hear her heart.
An official police vehicle pulling onto the parking lot drew Vivica from her thoughts. It didn’t matter which of the officers it was, Vivica was in such a good mood even Bo’s sourpuss couldn’t bring her down.
“Good morning, Ms. Meadows.”
It was Bo and that was fine.
“Good morning Deputy Gathright.”
It was a little awkward between the two, but Vivica was determined to get past it. Vivica meandered closer to the officer who leaned against his car.
“I know you don’t approve of my participation in the investigation,” Vivica began. “It is not my intention to interfere, only to help.”
Gathright didn’t say anything right away, just kicked at an imaginary rock on the ground.
“I didn’t kill Mr. Wyatt, I swear.” Vivica continued. “It’s hard for me to leave my fate to others. Maybe it’s a personal flaw, I’m not sure. I can’t just idly by and do nothing. I hope you understand.”
“It took him a while to speak but Bo finally did.
“I do. It would be hard for me, too.”
Vivica couldn’t ask for much more. The silence between the two, for the first time, wasn’t nearly as awkward or tension filled as it had been in the past. They both were leaning against Gathright’s car when Harper pulled into the lot. Johnathan was a bit miffed when he saw the two standing together, not quarreling, not bickering. He chuckled as he put the car in park. A few days ago, Bo would have just as soon threw the cuffs on Vivica. Instead, he was standing next to her as though they came to an understanding. Harper certainly hoped so. It would certainly make his job a heck of a lot easier.
Harper tentatively approached the duo, in case he misread the nonverbals.
“Good morning Vivica, Bo.”
“Morning,” they said in unison.
All three of them seemed shocked and smiles were spread all around.
“Let’s get to it, then, shall we?”
Bo and Vivica followed Johnathan into the building. Bo was gentlemanly and held the door open for Vivica to walk inside.
“Thank you, Deputy.”
“You’re welcome.”
It was almost too good to be true. Johnathan did a double-take just to make sure he was seeing what he was seeing. Turning on the lights, Johnathan headed to his desk and sat down. Vivica found a chair that sat between the two. It was still early to begin canvassing so the trio had some time to kill.
“What do we know so far,” Johnathan asked, tying to get the investigatory juices flowing.
“We know Princeton had no overt enemies,” Bo began.
“We also know he grew a deadly plant in his backyard,” Vivica added.
“Why would he do that,” Johnathan asked.
“I don’t know,” Vivica replied. “I asked the same thing of his friend Simon Spruce but got no genuine answer.”
“Simon Spruce? Who is that,” Bo inquired. Johnathan leaned in, equally as interested.
“Well, Winnie and I went to the Wyatt estate to check out his garden. We were surprised by an older gentleman who I later learned was Princeton’s good friend, Simon. While we talked, you know, after getting over the shock of him walking up on us, I asked him about their relationship and the oleander plant.”
“What
did he say?” Johnathan asked. This was a name he hadn’t heard before.
“He’s a very smart man, quick witted and sharp. He said a lot but said nothing at the same time.”
“So, he didn’t tell you anything,” Bo asked.
“He did, but not directly.” Vivica offered. “He knew Princeton for a very long time. That was clear. He even mentioned Princeton’s wife that died some years ago. That gave me the impression that they weren’t just neighbors who knew of each other but neighbors who interacted on a regular basis. Then, when he told me he would be tending to Princeton’s garden, that let me know that the two were friends. You don’t just entrust something as special as a garden to just anyone.”
That made sense to both men, given Vivica’s occupation.
“What did he say when you asked about the plant,” Johnathan wanted to know.
“That’s the thing. Even before I said anything, it was clear Mr. Spruce knew the plant’s dangerous properties. Yet, he offered no answer other than the plant was pretty.”
“Did he say where on Remington Court he lived,” Bo asked.
“No, he didn’t mention it.”
“Shouldn’t be too hard to find,” Johnathan added. It took a minute for his desktop computer to power up. Once he did, Johnathan plugged in Simone Spruce into one of the official databases.
“Found him,” Harper replied excitedly. Johnathan grabbed a pen from the cup on his desk and jotted down the address.
“Does the search give you any information about him? Married? Widowed? Occupation?”
“Whether or not he’s a murderer,” Bo added.
Vivica snickered at the add on.
“Let’s see here,” Johnathan replied, clicking through a few screens as he looked at the monitor.
“Okay,” Johnathan replied. “Mr. Simon Spruce – single, never married, he’s seventy-three years of age. Looks like he retired over a decade ago. Mr. Spruce was a scientist.”
“Now that’s very interesting,” Bo said and Vivica agreed.
“I didn’t talk to Mr. Spruce when I canvassed the neighborhood,” Bo said.
“But we will,” Harper said.
“While we’re out Gathright, I want you to make some follow-up calls to the coroner and to poison control. See where we are with the results. Also, do some more searching. I need to know more about Princeton Wyatt’s life. There’s somebody he wronged. We need to figure out who.”
Chapter Thirteen
By the time Sheriff Harper and Vivica set out toward Remington Court, the sun had fully ascended and took its rightful place in the sky. The town was just coming alive with people heading to work and children going to school. Riding alone in the sheriff’s vehicle was strange for both of them. Any other time they were together, they were not alone. In the car there was no one else around to ease the natural sexual tension that still existed between the two. It wasn’t easy to deny, especially for Johnathan. He’d never stopped loving Vivica. Her decision to go upstate to the big city ended their relationship. Johnathan thought prematurely. He hadn’t been able to move on emotionally from that place which was probably why he was single and never considered marrying anyone. A smile moved across Johnathan’s lips. If things didn’t change for him, he could end up like Mr. Spruce, elderly, single and never married.
Vivica found herself staring blankly out of the passenger window. She never thought it would be hard to be alone with Johnathan. Then again, there had been few opportunities since she’d returned, for such a thing. It was weird. When Vivica was younger, she longed for the day she could be alone with the handsome Johnathan Harper. He was so dreamy, so nice, and considered a hunk by every girl at Dahlonega High. That was then. Now that they were alone, after several years of separation, and adults, Vivica was uncomfortable. Not because she didn’t know or trust Johnathan. She trusted him with her life. But the tension between the two was palatable.
There was a natural predilection to fill the silence with empty, mindless chatter, yet neither of them could think of a thing to say. It was to both their relief when they pulled into Mr. Wyatt’s neighborhood. Now their thoughts could return to the order of the day and conversation would be focused on the business at hand.
“Who should we start with,” Vivica asked, seeing the houses she’d become more familiar with.
“Let’s see if we can raise up one of the neighbors Gathright didn’t get a chance to speak with. Gathright wrote the house numbers down. There are only a couple. Anyone stick out to you?”
“Hmm let’s see,” Vivica replied, picking up the clipboard Johnathan brought with them. “Mrs. Polly Ripkin. Let’s see if she’s home.”
“Why’d you pick her,” Johnathan asked.
“No reason other than I like her name!”
Johnathan smirked at Vivica’s rationale. It was as good a reason as any.
Mrs. Polly Ripkin lived two doors down from Mr. Wyatt. Easing the vehicle in front of the residence, Sheriff Harper parked the car and climbed out. He walked around the back of the vehicle and opened the passenger door for Vivica. She was a little surprised but offered a ‘thank you’ as he waited until she cleared the door before closing it behind her. Vivica trailed behind the sheriff as he walked toward the front door. From the outside, Mrs. Ripkin’s home was as well-appointed as all the others. The home had a wide porch with a swing on one end and not far from the front door were two easy chairs with a table in the middle. The porch was a wonderful place to sit, relax and enjoy the outdoors.
Sheriff Harper gently rapped on the door. It was painted a bold red. But it didn’t look cheap or tawdry. The coloring was rich and deep.
It didn’t take long for a lady to come to the door.
“Good morning, Mrs. Ripkin?”
“Yes, how may I help you?”
“I’m Sheriff Harper,” Johnathan began.
“I know who you are,” Mrs. Ripkin replied.
“If you have a moment, we would like to speak with you about Mr. Wyatt.”
Mrs. Ripkin didn’t verbally respond. Instead, she opened the door wide enough to step out and softly closed the door behind her.
“If you don’t mind, we can talk on the porch.”
“We don’t mind at all.”
“This is my assistant Vivica Meadows,” Johnathan offered as the three moved to the sitting area.
“Nice to meet you Ms. Meadows,” Mrs. Ripkin replied as she sat down in her favorite chair. Vivica sat in the chair next to her and Jonathan found a space on the bannister. You could immediately tell from the way she was dressed, Mrs. Ripkin was a colorful woman. From her purply silver hair loosely hanging around her shoulders, to the bold combination of bright colors of her outfit, Mrs. Ripkin did not shrink back. She stood out and, from the more they conversed, proudly so.
“What do you want to know about Princeton Wyatt,” Mrs. Ripkin asked as she crossed her legs at the ankle. Vivica’s eyes dropped down to Polly’s sandals and the aquamarine polish on her toes.
“What do you know about him, Mrs. Ripkin,” Vivica asked; drawing her eye up to Polly’s face.
“I know a lot. I’ve seen a lot,” Polly answered.
Both Johnathan and Vivica were intrigued by her reply and the all-knowing look on her face.
“Care to share,” Vivica asked, placing her elbow on the table.
“I don’t mind sharing,” Polly replied. “There’s not much he can do to me now given the fact that he’s dead.”
Her statement was rather ominous and there was no apparent sorrow in her voice. Johnathan remained professionally casual in the way he sat. He didn’t want to assert any kind of authoritative posture that would cause Mrs. Ripkin to fall silent.
“People around here thought Mr. Wyatt was just a quiet old ordinary man. In many ways, he was,” Polly began. “But I wasn’t surprised when he came up dead.”
That statement was a shock to Vivica and Johnathan.
“Why would you say something like that,” Vivica asked.
“Love is a many splendid thing, Ms. Meadows. But I don’t have to tell the two of you that.” Polly’s face brightened as a smile moved her lips. Heat rose in Vivica’s pale cheeks; turning them a soft shade of red. Johnathan dropped his head to hide the smile that threatened to blow his cover.
“No sense in denying or being embarrassed. It is what it is. Eventually you all will work it out. Whether distance or time, love always finds a way.”
There was pregnant silence between the trio.
“Can you tell us what you know about Mr. Wyatt,” Harper asked after clearing his throat. He looked uncomfortable. It was kind of funny; at least to Vivica.
The smile that inhabited Polly’s face remained as she spoke.
“I have known Princeton for a long time. I knew his lovely wife, Doris. I’ve been in this neighborhood many years. Most of us have. We haven’t had new neighbors in practically a decade.”
Sheriff Harper was glad Mrs. Ripkin was talking. It took the sting out of her previous comments.
“Princeton and Doris made a lovely couple. She was a nice woman and she died quite unexpectedly. It goes without saying, Princeton was heartbroken as any husband of that many years should be. Unlike women, though, men who’ve been married most of their adult lives don’t quite know how to manage being single. They grow accustomed to someone taking care of them, being with them, and when that ends, most men are lost. Princeton was no exception.”
“Was there a woman he became involved with, after his wife passed on,” Vivica asked.
“There certainly was, Ms. Meadows. There certainly was.”
“Is she still around?” Johnathan inquired.
“That she is,” Polly replied. “Their courtship started innocently enough,” Polly said. “Like there are many lonely men, there are man lonely women as well. A new widower on the market is like fresh meat in a maximum-security prison. Everyone vies for that person’s attention, respectfully of course.”
Mrs. Ripkin paused and looked past Johnathan down the street before continuing
“Most of the time, these women move rather quickly. No sooner than poor Doris’ body was in the ground the repast was full of crockpots and casseroles brought to the Wyatt home by single, available senior women. Princeton had to eat, right?”
