Stormi side eyed Brandon. “Okay, what have you heard?”
Brandon pulled up a chair and filled us in. “As you all know, word spreads fast in this town. Even the blowup between Trixie and her stepdaughter has become old news already.”
Stormi looked impatient. “Yes yes, Tara and I were there. So what else is the hubbub around town?”
Brandon stretched back in his chair. “Seems there’s some speculation about how Trixie’s first husband died.”
“How did he die?” Paige asked. “It was so long ago and I never heard anyone talk about it.”
“He fell off a cliff in Stone Mountain Park,” Brandon answered.
Not what I expected. “He fell off a cliff? That’s kind of odd.”
Brandon nodded his head. “Yeah. Seems there wasn’t much of an investigation into it. She said he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. Of course back then the police didn’t have the forensics they have now to tell if he actually fell or was pushed.”
Stormi shook her head. “No way she pushed him. I’d bet my life on it.”
“But now maybe you can see why this Miss Gracie is all a twitter,” Brandon remarked.
“How did she know?” Paige asked.
“She’s the one telling the story and it’s backed up by old newspaper clippings she found on the internet.” Brandon stood up. “She’s shown them to the police and the local newspaper.”
“Oh no.” I didn’t like this one bit. I knew how this kind of gossip spread and before morning Trixie would be labeled a black widow for sure.
“I just wanted to let you girls know what was being said in town so be prepared when customers talk about it. And they will.” Brandon looked at me. “How about a chocolate peanut butter shake for the road.”
As I prepared Brandon’s shake and the three of them talked, I wondered how I could help Miss Trixie. I didn’t like how things were spiraling out of control and so fast. But that’s what happens in a small town. Gossip, good or bad, spreads like wild fire. As much as people adored Trixie, it wouldn’t stop the drumbeat. Within hours, doubt was cast over her reputation, and it would take months if not years to regain her good name.
I understood what Paige was saying about Gracie, but how could she be so irresponsible with her accusations. This was a woman’s character at stake. But then Gracie was thinking of her father and keeping him safe. Crap! Everything was so messed up.
I handed Brandon his shake as he smiled and gave me a five-dollar bill. “Keep the change gorgeous.” I felt a heat rise in my cheeks. What the heck was wrong with me?
“Thanks,” was all I was able to squeak out. Stormi looked at me sideways. Normally I’d give him a wisecrack but I just couldn’t today.
The rest of the day was off and on busy. I prepared my ice cream cakes and popped them into the freezer for delivery the next day. As the evening rush subsided, Stormi and I wound things up for the day by putting chairs on the tables, sweeping, and mopping the floor. It was getting dark outside, which made it harder to see outside from the glare of my overhead lights. As Stormi swept the floor, she looked up to see a face staring back at her through the window.
“Oh for crying out loud!” Stormi squealed. “This day is going to kill me yet.”
In walked Miss Trixie. “Oh Stormi, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I wasn’t sure if the shoppe was still open or not so thought I’d peer in first.”
Stormi caught her breath. “That’s okay Miss Trixie; it’s been one of those days.”
“Tell me about it,” Trixie replied.
Stormi grimaced. “I’m sorry Trix; I know your day has been hell. How is Mr. Florez doing?”
By this time I made it back out to the front from where I was mopping in the back and heard Stormi squeal. “Yes Trixie, how is Ben?”
Trixie laid her handbag on one of the tables. “He’s doing much better and the hospital has released him to go home.”
“That’s wonderful,” I exclaimed. “Where is he…in the car?”
“No,” Trixie replied. “He’s at our home…with his daughter.”
“Huh?” Stormi replied so eloquently.
Trixie looked bedraggled. “She’s convinced him it would be better if I wasn’t there tonight and she was.”
I couldn’t believe it. “That’s outrageous. How can she come into your home and kick you out?”
“Technically it isn’t my home, its Ben’s…at least that’s what the deed says.” Trixie waved her hand. “That’s neither here nor there. Gracie has this idea of me in her head and nothing’s going to change it.”
I could see Stormi’s blood pressure rising. “But how could Mr. Florez think you would harm him?”
“I don’t think he does,” Trixie answered. “He gave me a wink behind Gracie’s back as we were talking in his hospital room and he was being released. I believe he wants me to go along with her wishes, at least for tonight, until he can talk some sense into her. Right now he’s too tired to fight with her and I don’t want to make things more difficult for him.”
I wasn’t happy with Gracie. Not one bit. “Did the doctors ever figure out what happened with Ben?”
Trixie shrugged her shoulders. “They’re still not sure. The imaging the hospital performed on his heart and brain came back with no irregularities. They took a bunch of blood samples, but they’re still analyzing those.”
“Maybe it was low blood sugar,” Stormi offered. “I know when mine gets too low I feel dizzy and shaky.”
“That’s a thought, but we just finished breakfast so I don’t think that’s it. I’m sure Gracie thinks I spiked his orange juice with something lethal.”
I shook my head. “I just don’t see how someone could come to that conclusion so fast.”
“I don’t know either girls. Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and let you know. I’m heading to the hotel by the freeway. Let’s hope it’s only for one night.”
“No you’re not,” I replied. “You’re coming home with me.”
Trixie shook her head. “Oh no Tara, I’ll be fine at the hotel.”
I wasn’t taking no for an answer. “No, you’re not staying by yourself tonight. I insist you come home with me.”
“Will there be mocha almond ice cream?”
“You bet!”
Trixie laughed and it was heartwarming to see that old familiar smile again.
“Have a seat while Stormi and I finish up and we’ll be on our way.”
I didn’t know what the evening would bring. However, what did transpire was not what I expected.
*****
That night Trixie and I changed into our pajamas and housecoats. I wore flannel jammies and my housecoat was pink, old and tattered, but it was comfortable. Trixie on the other hand wore maroon silk PJs with a matching housecoat. We were definitely a contrast, like royalty meeting hillbillies, but Miss Trixie was not one to put on airs. She was as down to earth as anyone.
I scooped mocha almond ice cream into two bowls and brought them into the living room where Trix was sitting.
“Oh hon, I need my ice cream fix bad,” she said taking one of the bowls. “Thank you so much.”
We chatted about other items of interest as we ate. I wanted Trixie to talk about her situation only if she wanted to. At first, I didn’t think we would as she steered the conversation towards the upcoming senior fundraiser. The senior center in Caesars Creek offered several fundraisers every year to help with children’s charities. Last spring the center had a fundraiser to raise money for cerebral palsy and this fall the fundraiser would go towards bi-polar research for children and teens.
Trixie placed her empty bowl on the coffee table. “I believe this upcoming fundraiser is very important. I hope we can raise a lot of money for it.”
I licked my spoon and set it back into my empty bowl. “Do you know of anyone with the disorder?” I was familiar with bi-polar disorder, but only from what I’d read about it.
Trixie sat back in my
lounge chair. “Yes, a long time ago I knew someone with it. Of course, back then it didn’t have a name. Maybe the doctors called it mania or depression. Who knows? But it wasn’t taken as serious long ago as it is now. So those afflicted with the condition in the past likely didn’t get the help they needed or the help offered to them wasn’t right. Heck, I don’t know, maybe the doctors didn’t have the right kind of medicine back then.”
I stood up and gathered our empty bowls to take back to the kitchen. “Do you mind if I ask who the person was you knew with the disorder?”
Trixie looked down at her hands in her lap. “Not at all dear. My first husband.”
I turned and walked into the kitchen, placing the bowls into the sink. Her first husband. The one who took a flying leap off the cliff in Stone Mountain Park.
I walked back into the living room and sat down. “It must have been difficult for you.”
“Well, we were young. In fact, I was only 17 and he was 18.”
Now that was a surprise. “Wow, Miss Trixie. I didn’t know you were that young during your first marriage.”
Trixie nodded her head. She had a faraway look in her eyes. “Yes we were young, and thought we were in love. Honestly, you don’t know what love is when you’re that young. You think you do, but you don’t. It didn’t take long for reality to sink in though. Daniel, that was his name, worked but never at any job for very long. Either he would quit or they’d fire him for mouthing off. It wasn’t that he was lazy. Oh no. But his condition…well it just made it difficult for him to hold down a job.”
Trixie leaned back in the lounger. I could tell she was getting more comfortable at talking about her history and I wanted to learn more.
“Since he couldn’t hold down a job, that meant I had to quit school and work myself. Someone had to bring home the bacon. Fortunately, I was able to get a good paying job as a secretary for a lawyer in town. By that time I had turned 18. It was perfect. The lawyer paid me well and I learned quite a bit of legal details from him. In fact, he was the person who said I should get a life insurance policy.”
“Really?” I knew that Gracie was using the insurance policies as a motive so I was intrigued when Trix brought it up.
Trixie nodded her head. “Mr. Davenport, that was his name…well, he knew the goings on with my husband. Daniel would sometimes come into the office and raise hell with me when he was in one of his manic episodes. At other times, Daniel would be crying his eyes out. Mr. Davenport knew there was something wrong with Daniel and urged me to talk to him about seeking help, but I knew he wouldn’t, and we didn’t have the money for doctors anyway.”
Trixie took a sip of water from the glass sitting beside her on the end table and then continued. “Mr. Davenport was afraid for me…for my mental and physical state and financially. Daniel didn’t know how to budget so he’d spend money like it was sprouting off a tree in our back yard. He started buying guns and ammunition, something a depressed or manic person shouldn’t have. Mr. Davenport was concerned that Daniel would take his own life and leave me with all his unpaid bills.”
“The thing is, life insurance won’t pay for suicide, even back then. I guess now it will if you have the insurance policy over two to three years. I have no idea what the rules were back then and was too young to care. I told Mr. Davenport we couldn’t afford it so he offered to make the monthly payments for me. I took the policy home for Daniel to sign. The policy paid out $20,000 upon his death and $10,000 upon mine. If Mr. Davenport was going to pay the monthly premiums Daniel didn’t have a problem with it and signed that night.”
Something wasn‘t making sense. “But if the policy didn’t pay out for suicide, why did Mr. Davenport want you to have it? I assume he thought Daniel might commit suicide with his state of mind.”
Trixie wrapped her silky housecoat tighter around her small body. “I guess it’s alright to let the cat out of the bag. Old Mr. Davenport is long gone and no family around here to speak of.”
“After I took the policy back to him he sat me down in his office and closed the door. He told me that if Daniel ever did kill himself, that I should make it look like an accident so I could cash in on the life insurance policy.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. “What did you think when he said that?”
Trixie shrugged. “I didn’t think Daniel would do it so I really didn’t pay it much mind. To me, Daniel was up and down, but he never seemed suicidal. I’m sure to Mr. Davenport he did, but I knew him…or at least I thought I did.”
At that moment there was a knock on the front door that startled both of us. “Who in the world can that be at this hour?”
I walked over to the door and looked through the peephole. It was Brandon. I opened the door. “Brandon, what are you doing here?”
Brandon peeked his head in the door. “Hi Trixie…mind if I borrow your hostess for a few minutes?”
Trixie stood up. “Not at all Brandon. In fact, I’m heading for bed. It’s been a long day.”
“Goodnight Miss Trixie,” Brandon said as I gave him a curious look.
“Night Trixie, I’ll see you in the morning.” Trixie waved as she headed up the stairs to the guest bedroom.
I pulled my tattered housecoat tight around my body. Crap! Not the most flattering attire to be seen in. Now I was really annoyed! “Brandon, what are you doing here so late? Couldn’t you have called?” His blue eyes shined in the porch light.
“I just heard from Stormi that Trixie was staying the night with you. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
I was taken aback. “Of course I’m alright. Please don’t tell me you’re starting to believe this crap Ben’s daughter is spewing around town.”
Brandon looked toward the street. “I don’t want to believe it Tara, but there are some hard truths that are difficult to sweep under the rug. Right now I’m worried about you, that’s my only concern.”
“Brandon, I never knew you cared,” I said with a hint of sarcasm. To my shock, he looked hurt.
“Fine,” he said throwing up his hands. “I was worried about you and wanted to make sure you were okay.” He turned and started walking towards his truck. “I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Brandon!” I yelled. “Come back…I’m sorry. I was teasing.”
“That’s okay,” he said without turning around. “I’m tired. Better just go home.”
With that, he was in his truck and away he went. I felt like an ass. But we teased each other all the time. I had no idea he’d get all huffy. I turned and walked back inside to the empty living room and slumped down in my recliner.
What a day it had been. First the spider incident, then all of this with Miss Trixie, Ben and Gracie, and now I pissed off Brandon. I was happy to put this day to rest. However, my mind raced with everything Trixie divulged this evening. I had no idea she married so young and that her first husband suffered from bi-polar disorder or at least some sort of undiagnosed mental condition. Now I was wondering about his dive off the cliff. Brandon was wrong; there are more than two ways off a cliff. You can fall accidentally, be pushed, or jump. If Daniel was bi-polar then my money was on suicide.
However, Trixie said that Daniel wasn’t suicidal which was why she didn’t worry about the insurance policy. In addition, the police ruled it an accidental death.
My head ached from information overload. I stood up, turned off the lights, and headed for bed. I wasn’t aware of it at that moment, but tomorrow things would go into hyper speed.
*****
The next morning I was prepared to fix Trixie a nice southern breakfast. Home fries, biscuits and gravy, and eggs any way she liked them. However, Trix only wanted coffee and juice. She looked tired and said she didn’t sleep well although the guest bed was very comfortable. I believe she was being nice, as I’ve slept on that old mattress before. I asked what her plans were for the day.
“First I’ll go by and see if Gracie’s gone from the house. If she is, I’ll go in. If
not, I’ll go by the senior center and help with getting decorations ready for the fundraiser.”
I poured Trixie a cup of coffee. “Have you tried calling Ben this morning?”
Trixie thanked me for the cup of coffee and poured cream into it from the tiny pitcher I set on the table. “No. I thought I would wait since he may be sleeping in. Gracie would answer anyway, especially if she saw it was me calling.”
“I hate that you don’t feel you can go into your own home.” The situation was getting my hackles up…whatever a hackle was.
Trixie took a sip of her coffee and shook her head. “Don’t you get all riled up my dear. Things will be okay. Once everyone simmers down I’ll go back home and Gracie will return to her life in the big city.”
A Frozen Scoop of Murder - The Bundle Edition (Books One to Six): Cozy Mysteries Page 11