Best Enemies (A Triple Trouble Mystery)

by Lynn Emery

“I see.”

  Willa caught and held onto that useful nugget of information. Miller had shared precious few. So far no evidence that MiMi Landry’s melodramatic behavior had any basis in fact. Relieved Willa looped her purse over one shoulder and stood.

  “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I know the police have plenty to do without me taking up their time.” Willa held out her hand to him. She wondered if Miller picked up on her subtle message not to waste efforts looking at her or Anthony.

  “Not at all. The first forty-eight hours are critical. But even though we’re long past that timeframe on Jack’s murder the investigation is still active.” Miller shook her hand then walked her to the lobby.

  “Thank you. I know from watching television that the odds are slim you’ll find out who killed him,” Willa said as she faced him.

  “It gets tougher the longer time passes. But you’d be amazed. Eventually somebody talks.” Miller nodded at her as though sure there was more to find out.

  “I hope so. The thug who robbed and killed an unarmed man needs to be off the streets.” Willa pretended not to hear the double meaning in his words. She gave him a cool parting smile. “Goodbye.”

  ***

  Two days later a long black car pulled up to Willa’s house. She stood at the window with Mikayla, both hands on her daughter’s slender shoulders. Anthony, dressed in a dark blue suit, pulled himself off the sofa to join them. Morning sunlight glinted off he polished chrome of the Lincoln limousine. It was one of five family cars for Jack’s funeral. Rhodes, the name of the funeral home, was etched in discreet, tasteful silver letters in a corner of a side window.

  Mama Ruby bustled in from the kitchen having stored numerous casseroles from her family. Her sisters Ametrine and Beryl followed moments later. All three of the older women seemed to know why Willa and her children stood frozen.

  “Okay, babies. Y’all come with us so we can go on out to the car,” Aunt Ametrine said in a composed, gentle tone. She took one of Mikayla’s hands. She brushed a speck of lint from Anthony’s shoulders. Her way of mothering him because she knew he wouldn’t hold hands like a little kid.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Mikayla didn’t move. Instead she glanced up at Willa as if asking if she had to go.

  Willa wanted to respond. She even opened her mouth to give encouragement, but a sob caught in her throat. Shocked that she felt such an intense reaction Willa put a hand to her chest. Anthony glanced at his mother then put a hand on the top of Mikayla’s head.

  “Come on, kid. Mama’s going to meet us in the car in a minute.” When Willa could only nod in response he walked out between his great-aunt and sister, a long arm around both.

  “Can’t this day just be over?” Willa closed her eyes and put a hand to her forehead.

  Aunt Beryl came over and gave Willa a quick hug. “We’ll be right there with you, sugar.” The white feathers of her hat bounced as she moved. She tucked a black clutch purse under one arm, patted Willa’s back then went to the car.

  Mama Ruby came with Willa’s purse and the house keys. “Now, baby, I know this is hard, but the children need a chance to say goodbye.”

  Willa had debated, forcefully in fact, against letting Mikayla and Anthony attend the funeral. Mama Ruby, Willa’s adoptive father and both aunts had advised for their attendance with equal force. They argued that the children needed a chance to say goodbye, to feel apart of family and doing so was a vital part of the grief process. In a rare moment of unity with her side of the family, Jack’s parents had agreed. The real deciding factor had been when Mikayla showed her mother the dress she’d chosen to wear.

  “The one with pink and purple flowers. Daddy bought it for me last Easter,” Mikayla had said in a strangely grown-up way.

  And Willa knew. Mama Ruby was right. The children had to learn the ritual of loss. She’d always imagined one of their older relatives would be the first lesson of course. Even with Jack’s crazy love life Willa never would have imagined him leading the way to the grave. Mikayla disappeared into the limo right after Aunt Ametrine. Aunt Beryl followed with Anthony holding her arm.

  “Right. Just get through this,” Willa whispered and pushed herself forward. She welcomed Mama Ruby’s sturdy arm around her waist.

  An hour later they were seated in Mount Olive Baptist Church in a sea of relatives. Willa sat with Mikayla and Anthony on the third row pews between two of Jack’s female cousins. Mikayla had not wanted to be close to the front, facing her father’s casket. Mrs. Crown had tried, but Mikayla refused to sit on the first bench. Her grandmother had only succeeded in making Mikayla clutch Willa tighter. Willa’s family had shown up in force to support her, knowing that the Crown family still regarded her as an interloper. Yet Willa forgot everyone but her two children once the organ started playing “Nearer My God to Thee.” For the next two hours she concentrated on comforting Mikayla and Anthony. Her son held up well until the end. After going to look at Jack in the casket with other family members he returned with tears streaming down his face.

  “Mama, I’m so sorry,” he gasped then buried his head into her shoulder.

  “That’s okay, Anthony,” Mikayla said. She left the pew and hugged him around the knees. “Daddy knows you didn’t mean it.”

  “That’s right, baby,” she said, not wanting her daughter to bring up the fight between Anthony and Jack. Willa froze when she saw a familiar face. Detective Miller stood in the line of mourners filing by. He transferred his intent gaze from Anthony to Willa then nodded. How much had he heard and what conclusion had he drawn from what Mikayla said? She shuddered to think. Seconds later the line moved passed them.

  Mama Ruby appeared in the crowd with Willa’s adoptive father right behind her. Elton Wilson was a compact man of five feet eleven inches. With powerful arms from working at the docks few men challenged him. He gave Anthony a manly clap on the shoulder and murmured something to him. Anthony nodded and leaned on his grandfather. People closed in on her to offer condolences. Kay and Cedric managed to get through after a while then left. Cedric went on to continue his duties as a pallbearer. After a few minutes Willa pressed a palm to her forehead. She felt dizzy.

  “You okay?” her father said with a glance toward the detective. Miller stood at the edge of the crowd.

  “Sure, Daddy. Why don’t you take the kids out for a minute for me, okay?”

  “So y’all not going to the cemetery? Well, I think that’s best for the kids,” Elton nodded to his wife and a silent message passed between them.

  “Come on with me, baby. You need some fresh air, too.” Mama Ruby put a protective arm around Willa.

  “Maybe you’re right.” Willa heard her own voice sounding far away.

  “Excuse us. Pardon me. Sorry, but Mrs. Crown and her children need to get through.” Mama Ruby waved a hand at those around them urging them to move.

  Soon Willa realized two of her brothers and her half-sister, Jazz, were helping Mama Ruby by shouldering their way ahead of them. Dion and Shaun, at six feet six inches, stood out the most. His sheer size made a dent in the throng. Shaun wore his characteristic charming smile to help move people. Jazz did her usual, gave them a dirty look that communicated they’d better get out of her way or else. The sedate upper-class folks shrank away. Even so it took Willa and her family a good ten minutes to find their way down a hallway to the church annex, or Fellowship Hall as it was caused. A long table held buffet servers filled with food at one end of the spacious hall. Tables had been reserved for the family. Her father was the first to sit down. Anthony took the chair next to him.

  “Y’all just wait here and I’ll get you something to eat,” Mama Ruby said briskly, ready to take over. She looked around to get her bearings. “There’s plates and silverware on that table.

  “No food,” Willa said quickly, a hand on her stomach.

  “Me neither, Nana.” Mikayla shook her head. Instead she climbed on her grandfather’s knee and rested her small head against his broad chest
.

  Willa’s brother Shaun glanced at Willa and the rest of his adoptive family. Appearing satisfied they were secure for the moment he eyed the food. “I could go for some of that pasta and shrimp.”

  “I love that stuff. Smells good, too,” Dion agreed following his brother’s gaze.

  Willa gave a short laugh. “Just like always. Twin bottomless pits when it comes to eating.”

  “Like they didn’t just eat at the house,” Mama Ruby said and shook her head at them.

  “Hey, Anthony. You want some?” Dion tapped Anthony’s shoulder.

  “I dunno. I’ll look at it.” Anthony followed his uncles. All three had the same dip and roll hip-hop motion to their stride.

  “Look at ‘em. Three peas in a pod,” Daddy Elton said with a grin. He planted a kiss on Mikayla’s braided hair. “You sure you don’t want a little bit of something, sweetie pie?”

  “No, thank you,” she murmured.

  Mama Ruby had gone over to inspect the food. Church members came from the kitchen to serve them. She spoke to them briefly then came back to the table. “Nice enough folks. Least they’re not acting stuck up like those Crowns.”

  “Now Ruby,” Daddy Elton said gesturing discreetly at Mikayla. “They’re kin remember.”

  “Humph,” Mama Ruby replied. Still her expression softened when she looked at her granddaughter. “Anyway, I’ll get you something later, Elton.”

  “I can serve myself. You just relax.” Daddy Elton rocked Mikayla gently and hummed his favorite gospel tune.

  Dion came back to the table with a plate and sat down. He was about to eat when he stopped at a look from his mother. He whispered a quick prayer over the food then dug in. Shaun joined him moments later.

  “I saw that policeman,” Shaun said to his brother.

  “Just doing his job.” Dion shrugged. As a firefighter and certified emergency medical assistant he felt kinship to the police.

  “We’ll see.” Shaun gave a grunt then dug into his food. He didn’t even seem to notice Mama Ruby’s disapproving glare.

  Jazz strolled back from the buffet tables with a dissatisfied air. “I don’t eat from folks I don’t know,” she said loudly.

  Several of the church ladies gasped then whispered to each other. Two male church ushers observed her as well, but with a different kind of interest. They watched the swish from east to west of the deep purple flared skirt as Jazz’s hips moved. Willa mused that her sister had provided days of gossip for the Mount Olive hospitality ministry. Her aunts appeared talking animatedly, no doubt comparing notes on who was among mourners that they knew. Dion glanced as if to make sure the rest of their family was preoccupied. Then he leaned over to Willa.

  “Anything wrong? I’m just saying that detective looked mighty interested in us,” Dion said, his voice low.

  Shaun leaned as well. “Yeah. Mama told us he’s askin’ questions about Anthony. You know I can get the boy a lawyer.”

  “I don’t need help. And Shaun, I worked with top attorneys,” Willa replied, her voice low as well. “Not that Anthony needs one.”

  “Those Ivy League white dudes you work with are smart. I’ll give ‘em that. But they used to dealing with corporate fraud and stuff. All those rich dudes got connections. Most of them don’t even do time.” Shaun snorted. “And they steal a helluva lot more money than any small time thief I know.”

  “What Shaun is trying to say, Willa, is you need lawyer who knows our world,” Dion said sharply, then nodded at his twin brother. “Now shut up about it. Anthony is coming.”

  Anthony returned with a plate loaded with nothing but Swedish meatballs. Willa hoped his appetite was a good sign. With the keen sense of radar most adolescents had Anthony eyed them. He seemed to know he’d been the topic of discussion. Still he said nothing as he sat down farther from the rest of the family. Papa Elton nodded at him from his seat across the wide round table. Anthony tried on a brief smile that didn’t stick. He examined a meatball then nibbled it cautiously.

  “Pretty good, huh?” Shaun said patting his mouth with a napkin.

  “It’s awright,” Anthony replied after a few chews.

  Mikayla perked up as she watched her brother eat. She slipped from her grandfather’s knee and went to her brother. Anthony shoved her away when she reached for a meatball. Mikayla shoved him back with a baby sister pout. Her big brother grinned, then he speared one on a fork and held it up for her. Soon they were giggling and poking each other with elbows. Three young cousins wandered in and the two of them joined them in horseplay. Willa sighed with relief.

  “Maybe they’ll get through this day without too much trauma,” Willa said leaning close to Dion.

  “They’ll be fine,” Shaun replied then licked buffalo wing sauce from a finger.

  “Sure they will,” Dion echoed. He paused from eating long enough to give Willa a quick hug of reassurance.

  “Look at those three. Up in here trying to take over.” Willa nodded toward the buffet line.

  Aunt Ametrine had somehow managed to join the Mount Olive members. The family came in first. Under her direction they were seated and served. Beryl wore clear plastic gloves and put hot rolls and corn muffins on plates in an assembly line. Mama Ruby came back with their purses and sat down. Papa Elton followed her with a plate in each hand for both of them.

  “Ametrine knows some of those ladies in the kitchen. Wouldn’t you know it, she’s found a way to boss folks around.” Mama Ruby shook her head as she dumped three purses on the chair next to her.

  “Humph. I noticed Beryl’s got next to some of the Mount Olive brothers who are serving.” Papa Elton jerked a thumb over his shoulder without looking around at the subject of his comment.

  Shaun, Dion and Willa followed the gesture. Sure enough Aunt Beryl, forty-nine and never married, was beaming at a man standing next to her. His white hair made him look quite distinguished. Seconds later she leaned over to comment to the shorter, plumper man to her right.

  “Looks like Auntie B has her own buffet line,” Shaun quipped with a grin. He bit into another boneless buffalo wing.

  “Lord, have mercy look at Jazz.” Willa hissed sotto voice so as not to alert the children.

  Jazz tossed her long vibrant auburn weave and laughed. The dark-suited man next to her blushed with pleasure at her reaction to his words. Jazz leaned closer as though to make a point. Willa suspected it was to give the guy a better view of her décolleté dress. Another man joined them. Then another. Her half-sister stood at the center of three attentive men. A group of the Mount Olive church ladies served food and scowled at them.

  “Probably some of her admirers from the Candy Girls club,” Shaun blurted out with another wide grin.

  “Please don’t talk so loud,” Aunt Ruby said with a light swat to his left shoulder.

  “What? It can’t be a secret that Jazz does ‘interpretive dance’ at Candy Girls,” Shaun said in an exaggerated whisper then laughed.

  “Humph,” was Papa Elton’s only response. Still he shook his head in resignation. “We tried, Ruby. And Lord knows Ametrine was hoarse from preaching to the girl.”

  “That sanctimonious naggin’ probably pushed her over the edge into dancing half-naked,” Aunt Ruby replied, her long held argument with Aunt Ametrine rising again.

  “Let’s change the subject,” Willa mumbled when she saw Anthony approach. Then she smiled at him. “Your cousins invite you over to swim in their new pool?”

  Anthony dropped down onto the chair next to Shaun. “Ain’t my cousins.”

  They all grew quiet. Willa shot a glance across the room. The Crowns and extended family seemed to have enveloped Mikayla into their midst. Mikayla nodded at something one of Jack’s sisters, said then looked around for Anthony. She waved for him to come back. Sharon, Jack’s oldest sister, distracted her with a piece of cake. With outrage bubbling to the surface Willa stood and walked toward the table where Jack’s parents sat. Her mother was at her side in seconds.

&
nbsp; “Don’t start anything in here, Willa. This is the man’s funeral. He can’t rest in peace if you start a fight.” Mama Ruby huffed with the effort to keep pace and talk, too. She gripped Willa by the arm and stopped her progress. Then she plastered on a smile at those who had glanced at them.

  “Anthony needs to feel accepted and loved, especially now. Jack meant just as much to him as he did to Mikayla,” Willa shot back.

  “I know that, baby,” Mama Ruby said through the smile. “But we don’t want Detective Miller to get any ideas.” Without moving she shifted her eyes to the left.

  Willa followed her glance. Sure enough Detective Miller stood with a plate chatting, but his gaze was fixed in their direction. Even though it made her cheek muscles hurt Willa forced a smile. Then she continued walking toward the Crown clan. MiMi appeared from behind a column like a magician’s assistant. What now?

  “Girl, I saw the whole thing. They treat me the same way. Tell those Bs and Bs where to get off,” MiMi whispered while smiling as though they were exchanging pleasantries. “Just not here with everybody in the world, God and the policeman watching.”

  “Excuse me, where the hell did you come from, and why do you think I’m your new best friend?” Willa shot back at her.

  “Not now, baby. Bad idea,” Mama Ruby whispered in a singsong warning. “Who is this?”

  “MiMi Landry, ma’am,” MiMi broke in before Willa could speak. “I’m so happy to meet you. Lovely service wasn’t it? We’ll all miss dear Jackson so very much.”

  “I’m Ruby Wilson, Willa’s mama. Yes, we will,” Mama Ruby smiled back at her in gratitude. “Won’t you join us?”

  “You are so sweet to ask. Thank you,” MiMi gushed.

  Before Willa could object she was guided away from the Crown family. With MiMi to her left and Mama Ruby to her right Willa would have had to make a scene to stop them. The two women batted chitchat across Willa like a ping-pong ball as they walked. Since everyone was clustered at or near the food Mama Ruby steered them to an empty corner.

  “Now what did you say your name was, sugar?” Mama Ruby bathed MiMi in a warm glowing smile.