Murder In Oakwood Park

by Jane T O'Brien

  “The mayor insists on talking about a boring highway problem. You have the floor, Mr. Mayor.”

  Exactly one minute later, Carolina interrupted Adam saying they were out of time.

  Adam walked off the set; the disgust showed in his face. “Angus, that appearance was a waste of time. You should have warned me that Ms. Bloom is uninterested in Oakwood Park.”

  “I’m sorry, Adam, Carolina is new to this type of show. She’ll learn the ropes, and we’ll have you back.”

  Adam didn’t say it, but he knew he would never agree to another appearance on Carolina’s show.

  ***

  As time went on, Carolina Bloom in the Morning consisted of more gossip than information. Her show was popular with young people and those who thrived on that type of program. The sponsors were happy because the show hadn’t lost viewers who had been fans of sitcom reruns.

  Harriet Carlson continued to complain to Angus and Angus continued to look longingly at Carolina when she was seated in her short skirts and low-cut blouses.

  About half the calls the studio received were viewers praising the show. The other half were disgruntled folks who threatened to boycott the station if they didn’t’ stop showing filth.

  ***

  Sandy Clark was sorry she’d considered doing the Willow Lake play. Carolina played the part perfectly. Willow Lake was a truly evil person and Sandy thought Carolina might have some of those traits.

  Rebecca stayed behind the scenes. She helped with set decoration. She and Barry spent a half hour each day going over various scripts. He wasn’t a bad actor, he was simply too nervous when there was a crowded audience.

  “I wish you were starring in this play, Rebecca, everybody is happy on the set when you are in the starring role.”

  “I don’t think it’s me as much as the darkness of the play.”

  “Carolina doesn’t help the mood any, does she?”

  Everyone associated with the production of the play considered it a downer. All but Carolina were sorry they voted to perform it.

  Sandy considered calling an end to it but there wouldn’t be enough time to settle on another play and be ready in time for the fall presentation.

  Carolina was either late for rehearsals or didn’t make them at all. She was unpleasant to everyone except Harvey Rutledge. Although everyone called the old man Harvey, Carolina called him Mr. Rutledge.

  Carolina managed to be on time for her television show. She liked being herself more than acting a part. She’d been so busy with the two projects, she hadn’t pestered Brad to come to Oakwood Park every weekend.

  Rebecca watched the show the first time and decided it wasn’t for her. Adam Reynolds was one of the most honorable men she knew. She could see the discomfort on his face when he was on the show.

  At the Playhouse

  As usual, Carolina showed up at the playhouse twenty minutes late for rehearsal. The show was to go on in soon and timing still needed to be worked on.

  Sandy Clark was certain the subject matter was the reason for the glitches. Again, she regretted attempting to do the play in the first place. Carolina was more of a challenge than Sandy had anticipated. She longed for the days when the regular crew joyfully practiced their lines and everyone was interested in putting on their best performances.

  “Carolina, you look pale, are you feeling all right?” Rebecca asked.

  “No, I think I have the stomach flu and to top it off, I had a call from my mother this morning. I haven’t spoken to her in years. She heard I was back in town and wanted me to know she was giving up the house and moving to a condo in Florida. She asked me to stop by and pick out anything I wanted to keep as a remembrance of my childhood.

  “Why in heaven’s name would I want anything to remind me of those horrible days with that horrible woman. I told her no and I’d see her in Hell. I know it’s out of character for me, but I feel bad that those are the last words I’ll ever say to the woman who gave me life.”

  “Carolina, surely your mother knew you didn’t intend to be insensitive. Perhaps you should visit her. It sounds like she was trying to reach out to you,” said Rebecca.

  “I’m not like you, Rebecca, I can’t forgive and forget. You don’t know what it was like growing up with a mother who never wanted you.”

  “No, I don’t know what it was like and I wish your childhood was a happy one. There isn’t anything you can do about that now except try to remember the good times. There must have been some of those.”

  Carolina smiled and sighed, “Mama taught me how to count to one hundred when she brushed my hair every night. I remember how gentle she was while brushing the tangles out. She told me her hair was just like mine when she was my age. I think I must look like my father in every other way, maybe that’s why she resented me so much.”

  Rebecca’s heart broke when picturing a young Carolina. She had no idea what it would be like to feel unloved by your mother.

  “Would you like me to go with you to see your mother, I don’t want to intrude but it might be easier to have a friend along.”

  “Are you my friend, Rebecca? I never had one before.”

  Rebecca wasn’t sure what to think. Was Carolina being sincere? Was the change because she didn’t feel well? Whatever the reason, Rebecca would be a friend if Carolina needed her.

  Chapter Ten

  Sandy Clark wasn’t happy about Carolina leaving rehearsal so soon after her late arrival, but she could see the woman was distracted and knew rehearsing a pivotal scene in the play would require Carolina’s full attention.

  “Folks, there has been a change of plans. We’ll meet tomorrow at one o’clock sharp,” Sandy said looking directly at Carolina.

  “I knew that girl was the wrong choice for our troop,” said Harvey Rutledge. “Carolina Bloom was temperamental in high school, and she hasn’t changed one bit. If you ask me, we should scrap the whole thing, what will happen on opening night if the prima donna decides not to show up.”

  “Harvey, we have so much invested in the show, we can’t just give up. Look at the hours the crew has put in on set decoration alone. Rebecca is with Carolina now, maybe she can get her to cooperate with the rest of us.”

  On the way to the Bloom house

  “Rebecca, this is a terrible mistake, turn the car around, I don’t want to see Mama after all. I just want to go back to my hotel suite, I’m nauseated and too tired to deal with this.”

  “We’re almost there, Carolina. You’re probably just nervous, you’ll feel better after you see your mother.”

  Rebecca turned to look at the woman slumped in the passenger seat. She did look miserable. Is it more than nerves? Rebecca wondered.

  The house was in an older section of Oakwood Park. Rebecca guessed the gingerbread style home was built in the fifties. It was a perfect match for the woman Rebecca and her friends called ‘the story lady’ but not for a self-proclaimed movie star. A large real estate sign was placed in the front yard with the word ‘sold’ across it.

  Carolina didn’t flinch when she looked at the house. Although she was apprehensive about seeing her mother, she slowly opened the door of Rebecca’s car.

  “I can wait for you here, Carolina.”

  “Please come with me, I don’t want to face the witch alone.”

  Ida Bloom stood at the front door waiting for her daughter to climb the few stairs to the porch.

  “Hello, Carolina, I see you have taken to bleaching your hair. Too bad, it was your best feature.”

  “Mama, I’ll have you know the finest stylists in Southern California have colored my hair with the best products on the market. They don’t use household bleach.”

  “You’re being impertinent, Carolina, I’m sure Rebecca doesn’t speak to her mother that way.”

  Rebecca could tell Carolina was about to explode and did her best to change the subject.

  “Ms. Bloom you have a beautiful home, you must hate to leave it.”

  “Rebecca, dear,
I’m in my eighties and I can’t take the harsh winters any longer. I’m looking forward to living in the Florida sunshine for the rest of my days. I can’t say I’ll miss this old place.”

  “Okay, Mama, what did you want me to take off your hands. I don’t have all day.”

  “There’s a box over in the corner with some things I thought you would like to have. There’s an old grungy teddy bear in there. I can remember you carrying that thing around under your arm. I remember thinking you’d make a better mother than I did. You were always gentle with that bear.

  “Carolina, I know I wasn’t a good mother to you. It’s no secret you were not planned for or even expected. I was too old to be a new mother. I should have given you away but I couldn’t do it. If you’d been adopted, you’d have had two parents to love you. I apologize for that.”

  “Mrs. Bloom, Carolina told me you taught her to count by brushing her hair every night. It’s a nice memory for her.”

  “Is it, Carolina? I’m happy because I put that old hairbrush in the box too.”

  “When will you be leaving for Florida,” asked Carolina?

  “My flight leaves first thing in the morning. I’m only taking a few belongings. I have a furnished apartment on the beach. It’s a place for the elderly, so I will be eating my dinner every night with all the other old crows living there.”

  “It will be nice for you to have company, Mrs. Bloom. Tell me, do you still read to children?”

  “Oh no, I haven’t done that in a few years. I don’t read much anymore because my eyesight isn’t good. I listen to audio books, so I’m up on all the latest works.”

  “Mama,” Carolina said in a quiet voice, “would it be all right if I visited you in Florida?”

  “Oh yes, I would like that very much. We’ll sit in the sunshine by the ocean. I’ll make sure I have a hat for you, we don’t want the sun to ruin your beautiful hair.”

  Rebecca carried the box of treasures to her car while Carolina and her mother embraced for the first time in many years.

  “Thank you for making me come, Rebecca, I feel so much better. I think Mama loves me a little after all.”

  ***

  It was the last time Carolina saw her mother alive. Ida Bloom passed away three weeks later as she sat on her lounge chair on the Florida beach looking at the ocean. She pictured her daughter sitting next to her with an oversized hat hiding her beautiful blonde hair from the sun.

  If only Carolina had known her mama’s last thought was of her daughter.

  Chapter Eleven

  Carolina struggled to get out of bed in the morning to do her television show. Continuing nausea made eating breakfast almost impossible. She did, however, manage to sip bottled pineapple juice from the studio refrigerator every morning. It helped to keep up her strength.

  Partly because of her illness and partly because of her new friendship with Rebecca, Carolina’s attitude changed. She tried cutting back on the gossip but her audience expected it and tuned in to see what juicy tidbits they could learn that day.

  The makeup artist worked diligently trying to hide the dark circles from the unforgiving television lighting. Carolina began to lose weight. The costume designer who volunteered at the playhouse was kept busy altering the outfits Carolina wore on camera. Rebecca quietly paid the woman for her services.

  Rebecca thought of Carolina as an injured bird who needed care. Ida Bloom’s death affected Carolina more than she thought possible and the sadness didn’t help with her recovery.

  “Carolina, you must see a doctor, a stomach virus doesn’t last for weeks.”

  “I’ll be fine, Rebecca, it’s nice to have someone worry about me but I’ll be better soon.”

  Carolina didn’t get better. She barely made it through her television show and missed several rehearsals for the play. Sandy Clark knew The Secrets of Willow Lake would not be performed on the Playhouse stage.

  “Harvey, I should have listened to you and Rebecca. This play was doomed from the beginning. I’m sorry our star is under the weather but sorrier for all the time and effort everyone wasted because of my ill-fated decision.”

  “Sandy, there might be a solution,” said Harvey. “Mrs. Rutledge always tells me I’m a packrat and she’s right. Because of it, I have a script that will please you. It comes from my college drama class. A humorous mystery called Lilacs for Lyla. I’ve looked over the sets from The Secrets of Willow Lake and, with a few adjustments, they will be useable. I’ve made copies of the script. I think you will find the storyline reflects the mood of today, although the play was written some sixty years ago.”

  Sandy was skeptical that starting from scratch on any new play was possible. She trusted Harvey and wanted to believe it could be done.

  “Harvey, I have my doubts we can get our acts together, so to speak, by our fall deadline. Everyone, take the script home, read it over and come back tomorrow with your ideas of how we can pull this off. or if we want to.”

  “If Harvey thinks it will work,” said Marsha Brill, “you have my approval today.”

  The others agreed with Marsha and began studying the script immediately.

  “Just one thing,” said Harvey, “Rebecca Snow must play the lead. It’s a perfect part for her.”

  Rebecca agreed to do the play and as much as she enjoyed working with Barry and the others on set construction, she’d missed being on stage. Andy teased that she loved being a ham. It was true, Rebecca did like performing in front of an audience and she had always enjoyed visiting the world of make-believe.

  On set at the television studio

  “Where is Carolina, the show is about to begin in three minutes. Find her, Barry, she’s probably in the makeup chair, it’s taking longer than usual for the makeup girl to get rid of those dark circles and sallow skin color,” shouted Angus Carlson. He knew Harriet would not be pleased if the show failed to begin on time. She’d commented only last night that Carolina looked emaciated. It was a harsh statement but not all that far from the truth.

  “I’m here, Angus, don’t be such a nag. Have I ever let you down?” said Carolina as she walked slowly across the floor passing out two steps from her chair.

  “Someone call an ambulance,” Angus cried nervously.

  Carolina awoke and in an almost inaudible voice said, “No, I’m all right, I don’t need an ambulance.”

  The program manager instructed the director to issue a notice that the station was experiencing technical difficulties. A rerun of a previous show aired in its place.

  “Carolina, we can’t allow this behavior to continue. I’m sorry you are ill but I have a show to put on. Go home and get yourself together. We’ll fill in with reruns of your shows for the rest of the week.”

  Harriet Carlson tuned her television set to Carolina Bloom in the Morning. Finding a rerun being shown, Harriet immediately called Angus demanding an explanation of what technical difficulties caused the removal of the live show.

  Angus knew it was no use trying to hide the truth. He said Carolina was under the weather and he’d given her the rest of the week off.

  “I want a live show by Monday or we will go back to situation comedy reruns. It was a stupid idea to give that woman the job because of her looks. I told you not to hire her but you had to do it your way.” Harriet slammed the phone in Angus’s ear.

  Angus called Carolina to give her the bad news and that’s when she said her friend Rebecca would fill in for her.

  Now, I have to convince Rebecca to take over for me until I shake this flu.

  Rebecca and Andy were finishing their dinner when Carolina called imploring Rebecca to cover for her by hosting Carolina Bloom in the Morning.

  Chapter Twelve

  After several weeks, Carolina’s show was going well with Rebecca as hostess. The station received more rave reviews than when Carolina herself was in charge. Rebecca had a fresh and positive approach with her guests and it brought out the best in them.

  Rehearsals for Lilacs for
Lyla moved along without incident and the play would be ready for its first showing within days of the scheduled opening. The Secrets of Willow Lake and the impending disaster was all but forgotten. The crew was upbeat and thrilled to have a mystery that was not only funny but heartwarming too.

  Rebecca was tired after rehearsals and hosting the morning show, but delighted both were going well. She checked in on Carolina several times a week.

  On a recent visit, Carolina asked, “Would you mind bringing me some pineapple juice? It’s one of the few things that taste good to me. The studio ordered me several cases. I like the brand but it isn’t carried locally.”