“Oh, call me Millie, darling,” Millie smiled. “I ain't an old woman yet.” Millie watched Momma Peach fuss with the menu some more. “I think I'll have the chicken and dumpling plate too, with some okra and a sweet potato.”
Jessica wrote down the orders, shook her head at Momma Peach, and walked back to the kitchen. “Momma Peach,” Michelle said in an amused voice, “really?”
“Don't start in on me,” Momma Peach warned Michelle. She dug in her purse for a peppermint. “I am in the war zone here, oh give me strength, give me strength.”
Millie couldn't help but smile. Her close friend was newly dead, but she found comfort in Momma Peach's silly theatrics. “So,” she said, “how long has this war been going on?”
“For years,” Michelle explained. Momma Peach pretended not to listen, still digging in her purse. “But,” Michelle added in an undertone, “Momma Peach and Mrs. Edwards are secretly fond of each other, even though they'll never admit it.”
“No discount for you, either,” Mrs. Edwards warned Michelle and shook her cane in the air.
Michelle giggled again. “You see?”
“I see,” Millie smiled. She grew silent and studied the atmosphere of the diner. Even though she had visited countless towns dotted across the American landscape, there was something very special about this little Georgia town. What that something was, Millie didn't know. What she did know was that while she loved Texas, she had no desire to return to Dallas. Her old life was over and she needed a new adventure; and besides, she had a promise to fulfill.
Millie began to speak when the front door of the diner opened and a handsome man walked in wearing a cowboy hat. She saw Momma Peach raise her hand and wave at the man. “Over here, Mr. Sam.”
Sam spotted Momma Peach and Michelle sitting with a strange woman and walked over to the booth. He removed his hat, ran a quick hand through his hair, and looked down at Momma Peach. “I called the station. Officer Mintly said y’all were here at the diner.” Sam eyed Millie with a friendly look, smiled politely, and then looked back at Momma Peach.
“Is anything the matter, baby?” Momma Peach asked Sam.
“Oh no, just hungry and didn't want to eat alone,” Sam smiled.
“Well, slide on in,” Momma Peach said and moved over to make room for Sam.
Michelle saw that Sam checked to make sure his gray shirt was tucked nicely into his blue jeans before he sat down. Why did he check his shirt? That's something a high school kid did in order to make sure he looked nice and cool in front of his girl. Michelle noticed Sam's strange expression and gave Momma Peach a funny look. Momma Peach simply smiled. Meanwhile, Sam had turned politely to Millie. “My name is Sam. I'm close friends with Momma Peach and Michelle...well, family really.”
“I'm Millie Frost,” Millie told Sam and felt her heart rate increase as she looked into his handsome face.
“Millie works...worked for the circus,” Michelle explained. “Her close friend, Lance Potter, was found dead earlier this morning.”
“I'm sorry,” Sam said in a sincere voice.
“So am I,” Millie replied. “Lance was a good man.” Millie looked down at her hands. Her mind shifted away from Sam to Lance. “Detective Chan—”
“Michelle.”
Millie nodded her head. “I’ve been thinking about your question earlier…I never saw Lance tangle with anyone except Young Greenson. I never even saw him have an argument with Lindsey Sung. I just can't imagine who would want to kill him. What I do know is that Young Greenson sure didn't. Young has a temper when the whiskey gets into his system, but he isn't a killer.”
“Millie, tell me about Lindsey Sung,” Michelle asked.
“I don't know much about the woman,” Millie confessed. “All I know is that Lindsey Sung does all the hiring, firing, managing, payroll, bookings, purchases, stuff like that. She's one cold fish.” Millie kept her eyes on low. “I never really saw the woman except before performances when she made her usual rounds to make sure everyone was prepared for the big show.”
“Baby,” Momma Peach asked, “have your eyes ever seen any funny business happening at that circus?”
Sam crossed his arms over his chest. He studied Millie's pretty face. The woman was upset but determined to be helpful. “No, not that I can recall. Circus life is a strange life, Momma Peach. One day you're in one town and the next you're in another town. People come and go like the wind, drifting in and out. But there's always the regulars who are always around, and it's those people you get to know.”
“Keep talking, baby.”
Millie shifted in her seat. “I own a drivable RV, Momma Peach. Nothing fancy, but cozy and comfortable. That RV is my home. I call it my trailer because I like to use circus talk,” Millie shook her head. “It's strange, but I really wanted to fit in with the circus life. I always enjoyed having some of the regulars over for coffee and Uno after a performance. We'd sit around, laugh, talk and throw insults around.” Millie looked up at Momma Peach and smiled. “Those times were nice.”
“And Lance, baby, was he always part of the family that came over to play Uno and have coffee?” Momma Peach asked.
Millie nodded her head yes. “Lance was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. He made the best coffee, too.” Millie looked down at her hands again. “It's like I mentioned, there was no romance between us...but we did share a special bond.”
Momma Peach looked into Millie’s eyes and patted Sam's hand. “I understand, baby.”
Sam patted Momma Peach's hand back. “Momma Peach and I share a deep bond,” he told Millie and then nodded at Michelle. “I think of Michelle as my own daughter, too.”
Michelle blushed. She sure loved Sam and knew Sam loved her. “Millie, did Young Greenson ever join in on the card games?”
“Oh, sometimes, even though Lance never approved. He didn’t like Young coming over drunk. None of us in my trailer ever drank, you see. But I...” Millie shook her head. “I always tried to make those two patch things up, but it was no use. Lance never got past Young spiking his coffee, and he sure never offered his hand in friendship again. And Young didn't exactly make it easy for Lance if he had wanted to offer him friendship again, either.”
Momma Peach saw Jessica walking up to the booth. “Hello Sam, what can I get you today?” she asked.
“Well,” Sam said hungrily and then caught Momma Peach giving him a warning eye, “I think...I mean, if my stomach can handle it...I'll have some of Mrs. Edwards’ chicken and dumplings, a sweet potato and some okra...and coffee, black.”
“You got it,” Jessica smiled and walked away.
“Seems like you two have the same taste buds,” Michelle pointed out. “Millie ordered the same meal you just did, Sam.”
Millie looked up at Sam. She allowed herself to smile. “Do you like the circus, Sam?” she asked.
Sam made a thoughtful face, folded his arms again, and then shook his head. “I can’t say…I've never been to a circus show before.”
“Oh, how sad,” Millie said in a tragic voice. “The circus...the right kind of circus...is filled with wonder, excitement, mystery and even a little danger. The circus is grand and adventurous.” Millie's eyes became dreamy but quickly cleared up. “My time with the circus is over, though. That chapter of my life is now complete and I'm ready to begin a new chapter.”
Sam wanted to tell Millie about his small desert town and how he, too, had to begin a new chapter in his own life. But he kept quiet instead. Momma Peach sure didn't. “Mr. Sam changed up his life not too long ago. He used to own this small town way out in the Nevada desert,” Momma Peach said in a quick voice to let Sam know that she wanted to stir a little love in the air.
“Oh?” Millie asked.
Sam shot a wary eye at Momma Peach. “Yeah,” he said and looked at Michelle for help. Michelle simply smiled. “I was never much on big city life,” he explained. “My town is gone now, however.”
Momma Peach heard sadness creep into S
am's voice. “Be that as it may,” she added in a positive tone, “Mr. Sam may have lost his town but he gained a family and we gained him.” Momma Peach nudged Sam with her shoulder. “Mr. Sam is a real gold nugget.”
Millie could tell that Momma Peach loved Sam and that Sam loved her. Their bond was unique and special. “How did you lose your town?” Millie asked.
Sam bit down on his lower lip. What was the harm in telling a strange woman his story, he thought. So he slowly eased forward into the tale of the day Momma Peach and Michelle arrived in his town and how from there, his life was changed forever. Millie listened to every word Sam spoke, barely noticing when Jessica brought out the drinks and food. She ate slowly, nodded her head at certain times, and studied Sam's eyes as he talked. By the time Sam finished his story she sat utterly amazed. “Your own wife turned against you. How sad,” she said and took the last sip of her coffee.
Sam mopped up the last of his chicken and dumplings with a biscuit and tossed the food into his mouth. As much as he still hurt inside, he refused to let the past cripple him. “In time, when a good friend in Alaska is ready, I'm going to buy his lodge. I guess that will become my new little town,” Sam forced a smile to his face. “I have no desire to focus on my past...my dead wife...her hate...my lost town...ain't no sense in letting those things fuss with my mind anymore.”
Millie admired Sam for his courage to rebuild a broken life. “My husband of twenty years died in a plane accident. He was flying his private plane from Dallas to Tucson when the engine failed.” Millie slowly pulled her hands into her lap and looked down, reminiscing. “My Jason was full of life and heart. The world lost a good man.” Millie looked at Michelle, then to Momma Peach and Sam. “In my husband's will, he asked me to live out my dreams as a special gift to him. It broke my heart a little that he had no idea he’d be making that request after such an untimely death, but I made a special promise that I would do just that...as tough as it sometimes. Seems like you and I have something in common, Sam. We're both trying to recapture our dreams.”
Sam stared at Millie and then slowly nodded his head. “I guess you're right.”
“Well,” Michelle said and stood up, “we better get back to the fairgrounds. I'm sure Mr. Hayman is fuming by now. Sam, will we see you tonight for dinner?”
“Sure, y’all come over to the farmhouse. I'll whip us up a good meal. Millie, you should come, too,” Sam said in a hopeful voice.
“We'll bring Millie,” Momma Peach promised. “But baby, we might be a tad late for supper,” she explained. “I know there's foul play going on at that there circus and we’re going to get to the bottom of the rotten barrel if it takes all afternoon.”
Momma Peach stood up, hugged Mr. Sam, and walked up to the front register and prepared to battle Mrs. Edwards over the bill and the allegedly terrible food. Sam, Michelle, and Millie stood back and watched the war begin. By the time the dust cleared, Momma Peach had managed to win a two percent discount off her apple pie because a bit of the crust had come out a tad burnt and Momma Peach had triumphantly produced the proof, wrapped up in a napkin.
When Momma Peach and Michelle returned to the fairgrounds with Millie and walked into the main tent, they spotted Lindsey Sung standing beside Lionel. Lindsey cast an angry glare at Michelle. “I have contacted Mr. Hayman's attorney. He has instructed Mr. Hayman to remain silent until he arrives from Los Angeles tomorrow afternoon.” Lindsey nearly gritted her teeth to dust as she spoke. “We were hoping this matter could be settled without the involvement of Mr. Hayman's attorney, but since you're insisting on complicating the matter, you may expect legal intercession on his behalf.”
Lindsey's words didn't bother Michelle. “If Mr. Hayman has nothing to hide we won't have a problem,” she told the other woman, not bothered one hair by the idle threats. “Now, I would like to continue with the questioning.”
“Mr. Hayman has advised all of his employees to remain silent and speak to legal counsel only,” Lindsey fired at Michelle. “So unless you have a warrant I suggest you leave the premises.”
“This is county land,” Michelle informed Lindsey with a daring stare, “and I'm a law enforcement officer conducting an investigation into the murder of an innocent man. Right now, this circus is under lockdown and no one is going anywhere. You can hire all the legal counsel you want, but we have our own team of attorneys who don't back down from a fight.” Michelle looked at Lionel. “If you are innocent, sir, then it would seem that you would be willing to cooperate with the law instead of setting up unnecessary hurdles.”
Momma Peach studied Lionel's eyes. The snake was hiding something and using his hired ninja or whatever Lindsey was to speak for him. The situation had changed while she was away fussing with Mrs. Edwards over the food.
Lindsey turned as if to leave and said, “Unless Mr. Hayman is being placed under arrest—”
“If Mr. Hayman, or anyone else for that matter, leaves this fairground, they will be placed under immediate arrest,” Michelle warned Lindsey. “And since Mr. Hayman's employees have been ordered not to speak to the police except through his legal counsel, it looks like I'm going to have to book everyone as a clear suspect, which means I will be automatically granted warrants to search their personal trailers.” Michelle tossed a thumb at a large cop standing at the entrance to the main tent. “I have my men patrolling the fairgrounds. If they see any funny business they'll begin making arrests.”
“There's a tall fence running around this here field,” Momma Peach added. “I wouldn't try to jump that fence, either. You'd be smart to cooperate instead of playing the part of the stubborn donkey because I am going to find out who killed poor Mr. Potter, rest his soul.”
“I'm going to pull my RV out of this gray cloud,” Millie told Michelle and began walking away. Lindsey followed her with snake-like eyes.
“The autopsy report on Mr. Potter will be on my desk by tomorrow,” Michelle told Lionel. “I'll be back when your attorney arrives. In the meantime, I'm going to examine the grounds and look around.”
“You have no legal—”
“I have every legal right,” Michelle snapped at Lindsey. “As it stands, until I get the warrants I need, I can only search the public grounds and not personal trailers or belongings. It would be smart to cooperate with me instead of throwing suspicion into your corner.”
“I'll have your badge,” Lindsey threatened Michelle. “Your brutal intimidation tactics against Mr. Hayman will be condemned in your pathetic American courts. The British Embassy will hear of this, too.”
“Don't give me that garbage,” Momma Peach fired at Lindsey. “Listen you low-down, good for nothing, yellow-belly, miserable excuse for a human being, don't you dare stand there and make that man out to be the victim when a good man has been killed. Oh, give me strength to deal with these two vermin!” Momma Peach yelled.
Lindsey snarled at Momma Peach, her lip curling in disgust. “Mr. Hayman is a legitimate businessman currently suffering a great deal of stress and doesn't deserve your foolish hostility. If your harassment against him continues we will be forced to bring lethal legal action against the police department of this miserable little town. If you cease your ugly actions, we will agree to dismantle the circus and locate to a new location.”
“If you leave, I'll get to you,” Michelle warned Lindsey.
“And I will be right on your backside like white on rice,” Momma Peach promised.
“This circus remains under lockdown until I give the green light, is that clear?” Michelle fired at Lindsey.
“Don't cross me,” Lindsey warned Michelle. “Do as I say and save your job...and your life.”
“You're a disgrace,” Michelle told Lindsey and patted her badge, which was hooked to the martial arts black belt around her waist. “Honor takes courage.”
“Cowards die behind a badge,” Lindsey hissed at Michelle. She then turned and focused on Lionel. “Would you like to return to your trailer?” Lionel nodded his head yes, t
apped the ground with his cane, and walked away with Lindsey at his side.
“Seems like while we were eating,” Momma Peach said, watching Lionel and Lindsey leave the tent through a side entrance, “those two snakes created a new hole to hide in.”
“Yeah, seems that way, Momma Peach,” Michelle agreed. “Come on, let's take a walk around.”
Michelle took Momma Peach's arm and they walked to the back of the tent and outside. She paused and studied the sea of vehicles hooked to run-down trailers, red and white tents, cages full of animals, vending carts, and various carnival games—but what she didn't see were people. “Folks seem to have vanished,” Momma Peach said. “Creepy, isn't it, baby?”
Michelle nodded her head. “Mr. Hayman has some kind of power over some of these people, Momma Peach.”
“Job security, baby,” Momma Peach explained and spotted Melanie the elephant standing in a large metal cage. “Oh, how sad,” she said and hurried over to the cage. Lidia appeared. “Oh, hey, baby...oh, what's the matter?”
Michelle spotted a worried, grieved, expression on Lidia's face. “I've been fired,” Lidia explained and gave Melanie a sad look. “Lindsey Sung gave me my last paycheck about half an hour ago.”
“Why were you fired, baby?” Momma Peach asked.
“I think Mr. Hayman is having Lindsey Sung fire anyone that he thinks isn't loyal to him,” Lidia explained. She looked at Michelle. “Detective Chan, I know you locked the circus down, but I can't stand to stay here any longer and see my girl locked in this awful cage.”
Momma Peach understood Lidia's pain, but she also knew if they let Lidia leave that Mr. Hayman's attorney would have a field day. Allowing Millie to leave was going to cause a whole lot of problems, too. “Baby, you better stick around.” Momma Peach looked at Michelle.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Michelle sighed. She patted Lidia on her shoulder. “Everything will be okay,” she promised.
“How?” Lidia asked. “Melanie is my girl. I can't imagine my life without her. If...if I had the money to buy her, I would. But that means I would need land to house her, a permit, the works. I barely have enough cash to buy myself food.” Lidia patted the metal bars of the cage. Melanie stuck her trunk out and hugged Melanie's hand. Momma Peach nearly began crying.
Peachy Villains Page 3