Hope Callaghan - Garden Girls 07 - Missing Milt

by Hope Callaghan

  Gloria was glad Alice was here. The house was too big for just Andrea. Now Gloria didn’t worry about her young friend as much.

  Andrea had had her share of odd things…and old bodies popping up on the property. The house was somewhat of a magnet for creepy, criminal activities.

  “I think she’s a great addition to the family.” Gloria popped the last bite in her mouth. She swallowed the last bit of lemonade and set the glass on top of the empty plate. “Is she still after you?”

  Alice had taken a real shine to Brian. Maybe that was too weak of a word. Alice was infatuated with Brian.

  Brian chuckled. “Yeah. She hasn’t given up yet. Of course, I think that’s for show and she secretly hopes that Andrea and I will get married.” He paused. “Let me clarify that. It’s not ‘secretly hopes.’ Every time I go over there she bluntly asks when I’m going to propose.”

  Gloria’s interest was piqued. “And?” She herself was curious. The two had dated for almost a year now and they seemed a perfect match.

  Brian twisted his drink glass in a small circle.

  Gloria could see the wheels turning in his mind. It looked like he was weighing the pros and cons of something.

  Maybe he needed a little nudge…

  “Are you going to ask Andrea to marry you?”

  Brian didn’t answer. Instead, he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small jewelry box. He handed it to Gloria.

  She grabbed her reading glasses from the center of the table and slipped them on. She lifted the lid on the box and gasped. Inside the box was one of the largest diamond rings Gloria had ever seen, if you didn’t count gazing at them from the outside of a display case at a large jewelry store.

  She looked at Brian over the rim of her glasses. “May I?”

  Brian nodded.

  Gloria plucked the ring from the velvet folds and pulled it close to her face. The diamond was a princess cut. Smaller, twinkling diamonds surrounded the large center diamond, then ran down both sides of the silver band. “This ring is beautiful,” she gushed.

  She held it up to the light. “Andrea and I must wear almost the same size ring,” Gloria told him.

  She slipped the ring back inside the box and closed the lid before handing it back to Brian.

  He opened the lid and studied the ring. “I’ve been racking my brain, trying to plan something special. Something that’s completely unexpected.”

  Gloria dropped her chin in her hand. “Hmm…” She gazed out the window. Andrea wasn’t flashy. Although she had grown up in New York City, she was a down-to-earth, small-town girl at heart. She did have a taste for the finer things, but they didn’t define Andrea.

  Her eyes wandered to the barn and beyond. Then it dawned on her. “Brian, I have the perfect idea!”

  Chapter 2

  Gloria shared her idea with Brian, who promptly agreed it was the perfect setting for the upcoming proposal. He closed the lid and shoved the box back inside his jacket pocket.

  Gloria carried the dirty dishes to the dishwasher and arranged them on the shelves. “It’s time to take a look at that tree fort.”

  They headed outdoors. The base of the tree fort rested on several sturdy limbs of the large, leafy tree, which was smack dab in the center of Gloria’s front yard.

  Brian eyed the tree cautiously. “I haven’t climbed a tree since I was a kid. Here goes nothing!” He scampered up the tree so fast Gloria had to blink to make sure he had climbed and not catapulted!

  He made his way to the center of the platform, spread his legs apart and swayed from side to side. The wooden frame shifted slightly under his weight. “It could probably use a couple long screws drilled into the tree to keep it from wobbling, but all-in-all, the boys did a great job of securing it,” he hollered down to Gloria.

  Brian waited in the tree while Gloria ran out to the garage to grab a cordless drill and a couple long screws. She handed them up and waited for him to secure the frame before he eased back down.

  He pointed to the side of the tree. “Maybe you should put some slats in the side here to make it easier to climb up and down.”

  Gloria thought that was an excellent idea. There was still some scrap wood in the barn that would work perfectly.

  Brian unloaded the materials for the tree house from his truck and propped them up against the wall, just inside the barn. He looked down at his handiwork. It had been fun, thinking of how much Gloria’s grandsons, Tyler and Ryan, would enjoy this project. Someday he would have boys of his own and they would build a tree fort.

  Brian wiped his hands on the front of his jeans. Gloria followed him to his truck and watched while he slid in the driver’s seat. He stuck the keys in the ignition and started the engine. “You’re not gonna…”

  Gloria made a zipping motion across her lips. “My lips are sealed,” she promised. “But, I’m so excited!” It almost felt like one of her own children was about to propose!

  Although Gloria was thrilled for Brian and Andrea, she couldn’t help but wonder when her day might come. She and her boyfriend, Paul Kennedy, had been dating for quite a while now. She glanced down at her finger and the beautiful sapphire and diamond ring Paul had given her not long ago.

  Gloria scolded herself. Be happy with what you have, which is more than so many others.

  She shook her head to clear it, and then headed for the house. It was time to find out what was going on with Frances and Dreamwood Retirement!

  Mally must’ve known she was going for a ride. She was waiting by the kitchen door, stuffed elephant clenched firmly in her jaw. “Ready to see what kind of bee Frances has swirling round her bonnet?” she asked her pooch.

  She grabbed her purse, lifted her car keys from the hook near the door and headed back out. Gloria stood beside the car and waited while Mally took care of business, then sniffed around the dead and shriveled vegetables that littered the garden. “C’mon, girl. We gotta get going.”

  Gloria opened the door. Mally bolted across the seat and settled into the passenger side. Gloria followed her in, then reached over to buckle Mally’s belt. She made sure the belt was secure around her before she fastened her own and started the engine.

  Her mind wandered to Brian and Andrea. Andrea had the large, two-story mansion style house she had just renovated. Brian had a home of his own. His home was a big, beautiful, modern place that overlooked Lake Terrace. She wondered who would have to give up what house. They certainly couldn’t live in both.

  Their situation was similar to Paul and Gloria’s situation. Both had acreage, farms and rambling farmhouses that had been in each of their families for decades.

  Some time ago, they had discussed the fact that they both wanted to hang onto the homesteads and pass them down to the next generation.

  Gloria wasn’t sure which of her children would even want the farm. Her oldest son, Eddie, lived in Chicago with his wife, Karen. They had no children and showed no interest in moving back to Michigan, let alone Belhaven.

  Next in line was her son, Ben, the middle child. He lived in Texas with his wife, Kelly, and their two children Ariel and Oliver. She doubted they would want the farm.

  That left her youngest child. Her daughter, Jill, and Jill’s husband, Greg, who lived in the nearby town of Green Springs. Their two sons, Tyler and Ryan, were closest to Gloria since they lived nearby and often came to spend the weekend. Now those two – they might fight over the farm!

  Gloria adored her grandsons, not that she didn’t love Ariel and Oliver just as much. She didn’t get to see them very often, unlike Tyler and Ryan.

  The thought of the boys reminded her that she needed to give Jill a call to see when they could spend the night and finish the fort.

  Gloria slid Annabelle into Dreamwood’s visitor parking spot, a straight shot across the parking lot from Liz’s apartment unit. She opened the door, climbed out and waited for Mally to join her.

  Mally tiptoed across the seat and hopped out onto the asphalt. She waited w
hile Gloria closed the door and locked it.

  As the two of them headed towards Liz’s apartment, Gloria noticed a TV 8 news van parked at the end of the lot. Gloria wouldn’t bet money on it, but she had a sneaking suspicion the van might have something to do with Frances.

  She picked up the pace and darted across the parking lot. She and Mally headed to Liz’s side door and rang the bell. From where she stood, she could see her sister frantically dart back and forth, from the kitchen to the hall.

  Liz whirled around at the sound of the bell. Her eyes lit up when she spied Gloria. She hustled to the door and flung it open. “Am I glad to see you!” She grabbed Gloria’s hand, jerked her inside and Mally trotted in behind her.

  Liz slammed the door shut behind them. “Frances chained herself to the front of the restaurant in protest. She’s refusing to budge,” she blurted out.

  Gloria shook her head. This was not good. “But what can Dreamwood do to find Milt?”

  Liz backed into the living room and plopped down on the sofa. “I have no idea. Frances is half out of her mind with this missing Milt thing. She figures if she can get the local news to pick up the story, maybe the police will open an investigation.”

  Gloria eased onto the other end of the sofa. Mally settled in at her feet. “I think she’s got that covered. There’s a Channel 8 news van in the parking lot.”

  Liz shot to her feet. “You’re kidding me.” She headed to the slider and peered out. Sure enough, the news van was still there. “We better get over there and try to talk some sense into Frances.”

  Liz grabbed her house keys from the counter and opened the side door. “Maybe you can offer to search for Milt or something.”

  Gloria frowned. Of course, she was willing to help in any way she could, but what if Milt wasn’t really missing? What if he had vanished of his own free will?

  The three of them headed down the sidewalk and in the direction of the restaurant. As they got closer, Gloria could see a large crowd had gathered out front.

  The girls stopped near the outer circle and Gloria peeked over a woman’s shoulder to catch a glimpse. Despite the gravity of the situation, she almost burst out laughing at the sight of Liz’s best friend.

  Frances had wedged her ample frame between the two metal handles attached to the front doors. Around her waist was a long, black cable. The cable looped around the door handles and Frances. In the middle of the cable, hanging right below Frances’ belt, was a combination lock.

  Plastered to the front of her shirt was a large piece of poster board. In the center of the poster was a picture of Milt. Above his mug shot, in large black letters was the word: MISSING.

  Printed below his picture was the word: REWARD.

  A reporter, holding a microphone, stood next to Frances. Gloria and Mally squeezed in and around the growing crowd until they stood next to the reporter. The young man was asking Frances a question. “How long do you plan to remain chained to this entrance?”

  Good question. Gloria was wondering the exact same thing.

  Frances crossed her arms and frowned. “Until the police assure me they will look into the disappearance of Milton Tilton.” She lowered her voice. “Or until I have to go to the bathroom, whichever comes first.”

  The crowd snickered. Gloria rolled her eyes. The poor woman reminded her of a raving lunatic. Gloria needed to save her before she destroyed her reputation, what little she had left.

  The reporter had turned to talk to the cameraman. This was Gloria’s chance to have a word with Frances off camera.

  She tugged on Mally’s leash as they inched closer. Gloria leaned in. “If you free yourself from the restaurant, I’ll help you search for Milt,” she whispered in Frances’ ear.

  Frances’ face lit up. “You promise? Today?”

  Gloria nodded. “Yes. Free yourself from this fiasco and I promise I’ll start today.”

  That was all the persuasion Frances needed. She promptly reached down, grabbed the combination lock and dialed some numbers. The lock clicked open and Frances pulled it from the cable loop.

  Gloria helped her untangle it from the doors. A cheer went up in the crowd. Gloria wasn’t certain, but she figured they were thrilled they could now go inside and enjoy their lunch.

  The reporter stepped forward. He turned the microphone to Gloria. The camera was on her now. Gloria did not want to be on the evening news. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

  The reporter thrust the microphone into her face. “What exactly did you say to Ms. Crabtree to convince her to abandon her protest?”

  “That I would help her search for Mr. Tilton,” she admitted.

  Frances tapped the young man’s shoulder. “This is the famous sleuth, Gloria Rutherford.” Gloria, at that moment, wished the sidewalk would open up and swallow her whole. She did not want – did not need - this kind of attention.

  The reporter lifted a brow. “Hey! I think I remember you from the night I interviewed you and a young woman after police caught two suspected killers in nearby Belhaven.”

  Gloria narrowed her eyes and studied his face. This young man was the one that had done the interview that evening outside of Andrea’s place. The young reporter that begged for an interview, telling Gloria and Andrea that he was new.

  She cocked her head. “I remember you. You were new.”

  He nodded eagerly. “Yeah, that was me. You gave me my first big break!”

  He covered the microphone with his hand. “I’m an anchor on the 6:00 evening news now!”

  “Congratulations,” she said. “Now do me a huge favor and cut me out of your report.”

  Frances butted in. “No! You’ve gotta leave Gloria in the clip. She’s nearly famous around these parts!”

  Gloria grabbed her arm and gave her a withering look.

  Frances shrugged. “Well, it’s true.”

  The crew wrapped up their interview. The reporter asked if he could get Gloria’s number and follow up to see if she was able to crack the case. She shook her head no.

  Liz was directly behind the reporter. Gloria hadn’t noticed her move up. She blurted out Gloria’s cell phone number, much to Gloria’s dismay.

  After the reporter and TV crew left, the girls wandered into the cafeteria for a bite to eat. Liz shuffled to the front of the restaurant while Gloria and Frances followed behind.

  “I was about to give up the protest,” Frances admitted. “I was starting to feel faint from hunger.” She glanced around. “Plus, I gotta use the bathroom.”

  She darted off to the left, in the direction of the restrooms, while Liz and Gloria grabbed two trays and started down the line. Gloria wasn’t the least bit hungry since she’d just eaten lunch with Brian.

  She followed along behind Liz as she set two grilled cheese sandwiches on her tray, along with a couple bowls of piping hot tomato soup and several packets of saltine crackers.

  Frances caught up with them at the cash register. “Here, let me pay,” she graciously offered. The girls waited for Frances to pay and then the three of them and Mally wandered over to an empty table off to the side.

  They no more than settled into their seats when a heavyset woman with shocking white hair and twinkling blue eyes approached the table and turned to Frances.

  “I sure do admire your gumption,” she gushed. “Why, I was just thinking as I watched you chained to the doors how we should get together and protest the food in this joint.”

  She leaned forward. “I’d like to see ‘em put more meat and potatoes on the menu and less of those foo foo wraps and salads.”

  Frances’ eyes lit up. “Get with me later, Agnes. Maybe we can round up a few more protesters and get some real changes around here.” She thumped her fist on the table for emphasis.

  Gloria sipped her soda and glanced at Frances from the corner of her eye. The woman had more spunk than Gloria had given her credit.

  Frances gobbled up her sandwich and soup. Liz ate a bit slower and Gloria steered the conversati
on to lighter things – like grandchildren and the weather. No sense in getting Frances all stirred up – again.

  They cleared the table and dumped the dirty dishes in the bin on top of the trashcan. Gloria trailed behind Liz and Frances. “Say, Frances, what happened to your walker?”

  Gloria hadn’t noticed with all the excitement, but Frances was getting around pretty darned good. She was no longer using a walker!

  Liz held the door as Frances and Gloria stepped out onto the sidewalk. “I started taking these cayenne pepper pills a few weeks ago. Heard they were good for loosening limbs and joints. I also started walking around the neighborhood.”

  “In search of Milt,” Liz pointed out.

  Frances’ head drooped. “True. In search of Milt.” She lifted her shoulders and looked around. “I get this feeling that Milt is here, that he’s with us. Close by.”

  Chapter 3

  Frances’ apartment faced Liz’s apartment. If the two stood staring out their bedroom windows, they could look directly into one another’s window.

  Frances unlocked her side kitchen door and led them inside.

  Gloria stepped across the threshold and caught a whiff of men’s cologne.

  Liz smelled it too. “Did you start wearing men’s cologne?” She spun around and faced her friend. Her eyes narrowed. “What’s up with that?”

  Frances closed the door behind them. “I-I.” She began to sniffle. “It’s a bottle of Highland Nights, Milt’s favorite cologne,” she confessed. “I spray it in the house. It reminds me of him.” She burst into tears, dropped her head in her hands and began to sob.

  This was way worse than Gloria had imagined. This woman had an extreme obsession! She had no idea what the big draw over Milt was all about. The man’s head was shinier than Mr. Clean’s and he had beady, brooding eyes.

  His voice an annoying pitch that was always three decibels too high and it grated on Gloria’s nerves every time she heard him talk. On top of that, he was just plain slimy, for lack of a better word. Every time Milt shook Gloria’s hand, she had the overwhelming urge to douse it in hand sanitizer.