Advance Notice (A River Valley Mystery, book 2)

by Cynthia Hickey

  “Maybe I should make you come with me.”

  “No, I’m going to the movies with some friends.” She held up a hand as I started to speak. “I’ll be home by curfew. I wouldn’t want Grandma and Leroy to stay up too late on my account.”

  And there was my sweet, thoughtful daughter again. Had I been as quick to swing from one mood to the other when I was her age?

  “I’ve been kind of snooping.” She pulled harder on a thread.

  “Stop that before the whole thing falls apart.” I tapped her hand. “What kind of snooping?” My heart lodged in my throat.

  “I know how important it is for you to find this person before someone else dies, so I’ve kind of been asking questions.” She gave me a sideways glance.

  “Of who?”

  “Uh, Danny mostly.” She shook her head. “He sure doesn’t talk much. I also spent a lot of time browsing the store where Amber worked, although the clothes were a little too old for me.” She rolled to her side and rested her head on her hand. “Danny doesn’t really like his mother.”

  No secret there. “How does this pertain to the mystery?”

  “I’m not sure, but…” Biting her lip, she exhaled sharply through her nose. “I need to talk to Bruce. I might have seen Amber’s killer.”

  My knees buckled, and I fell to the bed beside her. “Please don’t tell me you witnessed her death.”

  “Not exactly. Oh, Mom!” She threw herself into my arms. “It was awful. I was taking a short cut to Rachel’s house by cutting around the back of the shops. I heard a scream, a loud noise, then by the time I got there, Amber was lying in a pool of blood next to the dumpster. It was me that called the ambulance.” She cried harder. “I didn’t call right away. I was so scared the killer might’ve seen me. Mom, there’s no way she tripped and fell without some help. There wasn’t even a puddle to slip in.”

  I’d come to that same conclusion without seeing her body. I tightened my grip on my daughter. What if the killer had seen her snooping around? We needed to call Bruce immediately. “You’re definitely coming with me to Dottie’s.”

  “No, Mom!” She straightened fast enough to cause the top of her head to connect with my chin. My teeth clanked together with a snap. After making sure I hadn’t lost part of my tongue, I took a deep breath. “The killer might have seen you. I want you with me for safety.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You can’t save much with a broken foot. What if we have to run for our lives?”

  “Don’t be dramatic.” I chewed the inside of my cheek, rethinking her staying with me and Dottie. What if that put her in more danger than leaving her here? “Fine, but you’re staying by Leroy every second!” Grabbing her hand, I pulled her after me as I marched across the yard to Mom’s house.

  They sat at the kitchen table, Mom reading a book, Leroy the paper, both with coffee cups in their hands. Mom glanced up with a smile. “Good morning to my beautiful girls.”

  “Sit.” I pointed Lindsey to one of the vacant chairs, then sat in the last one. “It seems, Lindsey might have seen a little more of Amber’s murder than she should have.”

  Mom sighed and got to her feet. “Let me fix you a cup of coffee before you start talking. I’m sure I won’t want to miss a single word.”

  I could’ve sworn I heard her mutter, “How do they get mixed up in these things?” Since I wasn’t sure, I kept my mouth shut.

  “All right,” Mom said, handing me a coffee heavily laced with chocolate. She then handed Lindsey a hot cocoa. “Spill the beans.”

  Lindsey shot off at the mouth faster than a dog after a rabbit. By the time she’d finished, Mom and Leroy stared like a couple of barn owls.

  “Did you see anyone other than Amber in the alley?” Leroy asked.

  “Maybe.” Lindsey suddenly concentrated on her drink. “I kind of screamed when I found Amber, then I heard footsteps run off.”

  “So, the killer could have seen you?” My blood chilled. “If they saw you, then that person could also believe you saw them.” I bolted to my feet and grabbed the wall phone. I couldn’t dial Bruce’s number fast enough.

  “What now?” He growled.

  “I need you. My mom’s house. Now.” I hung up and stared at Lindsey’s face while I dialed Duane. I repeated my cryptic message, gaining strength from his promise to arrive within ten minutes.

  More times than I could count, I’d warned Lindsey of the dangers of cutting behind the stores. That it only took once for disaster to strike. We’d found that one time. My legs trembled and I reached over Mom’s refrigerator before remembering I no longer kept my M&Ms there.

  “Freezer.” Mom motioned her head. “I knew you’d come looking at my house sooner or later. For all of our sanity, I stashed a bag.”

  “Thank you.” God, please don’t let anything happen to my daughter. I sagged against the counter, clutching my chocolate. Again, I stopped to pray only when against a wall. When all else seemed hopeless and fear filled me.

  For the first time, I experienced the same worry my family felt when I rushed into a mystery. I found I didn’t like the feeling. Who died and made me savior of the world? The world only needed one, and He was much better equipped than I was. Once this killer was caught, I’d never try to solve another mystery. I tossed several candies into my mouth.

  “What happened?” Duane burst through the kitchen door, his handsome face creased and hair mussed. After Leroy filled him in, he headed straight for the coffee pot. “Where’s Bruce?”

  “Here.” In his uniform, Bruce appeared only slightly more authoritative, not instilling a lot of confidence in his ability to keep my baby safe. Again, Leroy repeated the story.

  Lindsey continued to stare into her hot chocolate. Mom refilled her coffee. Bruce glanced from me to each of the others. “You Calloway women will be the death of me.” He wiggled his fingers at Mom. “Coffee.”

  She shrugged and handed him her mug, then fetched a fresh cup for herself.

  Bruce took the chair I’d vacated and pulled out his notepad. “Could you hear the victim talking with anyone before she screamed?” He narrowed his eyes at Lindsey.

  She shook her head. “Just the scream, a loud noise, then running feet. Are they going to come after me?”

  “I’ll have the new officer patrol in front of your house a couple of times a day, when he isn’t running past the retirement home, keeping an eye on Dottie.” He flipped the pad closed. “River Valley definitely needs more police officers with this family living here.”

  “It hasn’t always been like this.” Not until the women’s ministry leader decided she needed money to adopt a little girl from China and didn’t care how she came to possess the funds. That was definitely not my fault. The Calloways didn’t get involved until she stole from us, Lindsey got blamed, and I found a dead body. Same as in this case. I stumbled upon it. I didn’t go looking for danger.

  “Do you have any suspects at all?” Duane moved closer to me and slipped his arms around my waist, drawing me close.

  “Everyone is a suspect.” Bruce’s shoulders sagged. “Except for maybe the people in this room.”

  “I’ve been wondering…why haven’t you questioned Frank about the postings in the obituaries?” I rolled the top of the candy bag and stuck it back in the freezer. “I mean, someone is taking the information off the internet. Maybe they need to start checking their sources.”

  “No, I haven’t spoken to him. I’ll do that first thing Monday morning.” He stood and patted Lindsey on the head with all the grace of a man unfamiliar with the ways of dealing with children. Or teenagers, for that matter.

  Lindsey glared and pulled away. “Just try not to let me get killed, okay?”

  “Just stay together. That’s my advice for now.”

  “I can’t,” I said. “I promised Dottie I’d stay with her through tomorrow. She thinks if someone else is there, then she’ll be safe.”

  “Yeah, guess staying in a jail cell didn’t work out so well a m
onth ago.” Bruce glanced around the room. “Can’t she stay here?”

  “Absolutely not,” Mom said. “That woman is like a burr in someone’s sock.”

  “I need to switch professions. Maybe one where I don’t deal with people.” Bruce headed out the door.

  A horn blared from out front. One glance out the window showed Dottie waving from her cotton-candy pink Cadillac.

  “I’ll grab your suitcase.” Leroy set his cup in the sink on the way out.

  “I don’t like you staying with her,” Duane said, turning me to face him.

  “Do you really think someone will blow up her apartment? That might injure her neighbors. They don’t seem to kill willy-nilly.”

  “No, but if the killer is determined to make Dottie their next victim, he or she could use a different method, and you’d be collateral damage.”

  “True, but they haven’t so far. I’ll be alight.” I stood on tip toe and gave him a kiss, sounding much braver than I felt.

  “I’ll be calling you every hour, and you’d better answer your phone.”

  “Don’t call during Bingo. You know how the old ladies get when they can’t hear the caller.” I grinned and caressed his cheek. “I asked Dottie if you could stay with us, but she said it wouldn’t be proper for two single women to spend the night with a man.”

  He laughed as she honked again. “Well, you’d better rush out to Polly Prude.”

  “Surprising, since she’s known as the tramp of the retirement home,” Mom added. “But, I guess even Dottie has standards.”

  “Stop it.” I kissed Duane again, landed a peck on my daughter’s cheek, and sauntered out the door, trying to look as if my heart wasn’t clogging my throat. God, please let me see my family again.

  I really didn’t want Dottie’s wrinkled, heavily made-up face to be the last one I saw on earth.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “It’s about time, girlie. I thought my time would run out, sitting here waiting for you.” Dottie sped backward, thrust the giant car into drive, then roared down the highway. “We should take a road trip. Like Thelma and Louise. Remember that movie?”

  I stared at her with nothing less than astonishment. “Didn’t they kill some guy and then drive off into the Grand Canyon?”

  “Well, we don’t have to go to those extremes, but two wild women like us could have quite the adventure.”

  “I’m having a big enough adventure right now, thank you.” One I didn’t care to repeat or have drag on much longer. Most people who had the threat of less than twenty-four hours to live wouldn’t be quite as joyful as my companion. I’d be holed up somewhere, praying harder than ever before.

  “Once we get you settled in my apartment, we’ll head over to Wanda’s. Early Bird starts at four and Bingo at six. We don’t want to be late for either one.”

  All I had was an overnight bag, so settling in would take all of five minutes. Oh, and I’d borrowed my mom’s Bingo bag of assorted colored dobbers. My favorite was the fluorescent pink heart. Hopefully, it would bring me good luck.

  With much maneuvering and backing up to start over, Dottie finally managed to park her pink behemoth into her designated parking space. Since she didn’t have medical needs or need a nurse on a regular basis, she rented one of the independent living apartments.

  “I love this place,” she said, opening her door. “There’s always something going on. Not to mention there’s a couple of foxy men living here.” She winked before closing her door.

  I shook my head, reached over the seat to grab my bag, then joined her on the sidewalk. “I’m glad you’re active.”

  “How else do you think I keep my girlish figure?” She sashayed toward the staircase. “One of my secrets is to never take the elevator if I don’t have to. Another is weekly ballroom dance lessons. Too bad I don’t have one tonight. Visitors get a free lesson. You could practice for your wedding.”

  “Yeah, too bad.” I followed her up three flights of stairs, breathing like an overweight basset hound, while Dottie acted as if she did nothing more than stroll down the sidewalk. A fancy well-choreographed dance at the wedding might be fun, and the lessons might help get me in better shape.

  After an eternity of stairs, Dottie stopped in front of her apartment and opened the door, ushering me into a dream room…for a little girl of six. Everything was pink! Pink carpet, pink slipcovers, pink, pink, pink. It looked like a bottle of Pepto-Bismol exploded. Already, I felt hives coming on. “Wow, this is…very feminine.”

  “Men like a girly woman, Marsha. Remember that. If you always look and act like a girl, Duane will never stray.”

  I’d prefer to act like a woman, but I got the message, and thankfully, I was pretty sure Duane would never allow me to go all pink. I dropped my bag near the sofa. “Okay, let’s go. Wanda’s is waiting.”

  “It’s too early. Have a seat, and I’ll fix you a glass of lemonade.” She bustled away around a wall to where I presume a small kitchen sat.

  I perched on the edge of the sofa and tried to let my gaze fall on something that didn’t make me want to throw up. A small framed print over a flat screen television drew my attention. Although the sand in the beach scene had a pinkish tint, at least the waves and palm trees broke up the monochromatic color scheme.

  “Here you go.” Dottie handed me a glass of pink lemonade. “You should take a look around the place. Each room is a different color scheme.”

  I sipped the too sweet drink. “How many rooms are there?”

  “Three, not counting the kitchen. I carried the pink theme through there, with accents of white and dashes of mint green. Very lovely. Take a look later. The bathroom is canary yellow and my bedroom is lime green.” She beamed. “I’ve thought of doing interior decorating as a part-time job, but my other activities keep me way too busy.”

  So that explains her all pumpkin-colored outfit. No one had ever told Dottie that clothes, and furnishings, needed to go together, not match exactly. “Very clever.”

  “I’ve been told that many times.” She glanced at the clock. “Time to go.” After snatching my unfinished drink from my hand, she rushed back to the kitchen, then dashed for the front door. “There’ll be a line forming at the diner, and we mustn’t be too far back.”

  Gracious. I was exhausted already, and I hadn’t been with her for a full hour yet.

  “Don’t forget your Bingo markers!” She stampeded down the stairs, leaving me to close the door.

  Fifteen minutes later, we stood outside Wanda’s Diner, a half-hour early for the Early Bird. If anyone over the age of fifty-five walked up, Dottie made sure to tell them we were in line for the Special. My face flamed, and I gave so many sheepish grins, my cheeks hurt and my jaw popped.

  “You didn’t lock my front door, did you?” Dottie peered at me.

  “No. It wasn’t locked when we arrived, so I figured you preferred it that way.”

  “Usually I lock it, but with Nina’s and Mae’s houses exploding when they unlocked their doors, I’m not taking any chances.”

  This time, I couldn’t fault her reasoning. At four o’clock exactly, Dottie pushed open Wanda’s front doors and waltzed up to the hostess station. “The Early Bird Special, please.”

  The young lady behind the oak podium styled structure frowned at me. “She isn’t old enough for the special, but I’ll seat you anyway.”

  Well, pooh. I would’ve enjoyed a little discount after the crazy ‘Alice in Wonderland’ type of day I was having. “That’s okay. I’ll pay full price.”

  Dottie patted my arm. “That’s sweet of you to offer to pay. How generous.”

  I sighed and followed the hostess.

  We repeated the whole hurry up and wait process when we moved to the bingo hall across town. Were all of the elderly this paranoid? I thought for a minute of the older folks I knew. Nope. Just Dottie.

  A long line stretched from the Knights of Columbus building. Already my feet and back ached from standing at Wanda’s and
my thighs cried out for mercy from climbing the stairs. Maybe I should join a gym. Then, I could buy one of those skinny wedding dresses.

  “Clara!” Dottie grabbed my elbow and dragged me to the front of the line. “There you are.”

  “Who’s Clara?” I yanked free.

  “Just play along.” Dottie grinned and squeezed in behind a stout man. She jumped up and down on her tip toes, hooting and hollering to rival any carnival caller. “Oh, pooh, she can’t hear me. Wait over there, Marsha, and I’ll be right back.” Still talking several decibels too loud, she shoved me out of the line, causing me to stumble because of my cast. Surely no one believed her ruse. They must all be used to her.

  I was beginning to see why my mother avoided her if at all possible. I pulled my text phone out of my pocket and texted Duane. “This woman is nuts.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Bingo.”

  “Win.”

  I smiled, and texted back, “I’ll try. Love you.”

  “Ditto.”

  Feeling warm and fuzzy, I slipped the phone back in my pocket and noticed Dottie waving and glaring at me from the cashier’s table. “Sorry,” I said, rushing to her side. “Got a phone call.”

  “We almost lost our spot in line.” She explained the complicated procedures of serious Bingo. Nobody bought only one set of sheets. Instead, they bought three, plus any of the specialty games. Everyone had several types of snacks and a soda or sweet tea in front of them. By the time we finished, I’d spent thirty dollars. Not exactly cheap entertainment.

  Dottie led me to a table close to a raised platform and slid into a chair before a poor woman with a cane could take the seat. I shook my head and mouthed my apologies. The other woman patted my hand and shrugged. Obviously, they were all use to Dottie’s shenanigans.

  “Everyone knows this is my seat.” She raised her nose in the air. “Yet, every week someone tries to take it.”

  “It doesn’t have your name on it.” I pulled out the chair next to her.

  “It’s the same as church, Marsha. If you sit in a pew more than once, it becomes yours. That’s in the Bible.” She set out ten different dobbers and a stuffed chicken. “For good luck.”