Madison Johns - Agnes Barton 04 - Trouble in Tawas

by Madison Johns

  I observed the crowd carefully and then asked El, “Is this a hospital or casino?” How could I not think that when the place was loaded with senior citizens with canes, walkers, and wheelchairs — even some rolling portable oxygen tanks behind them.

  “I had no idea there were that many people our age that gambled.”

  “Yeah, like if they ever hit a jackpot, they’d probably keel over from a heart attack.”

  El giggled. “How right you are.” A strange look came over El’s face and she announced, “I hafeta pee.”

  After we both used the bathroom we stood washing our hands under the automatic faucets and El asked, “How in the heck are we gonna find Mildred and Hal?”

  “Let’s just browse for a while. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

  “I have a twenty. I’m gonna play something.”

  “That’s not why we’re here, Eleanor.”

  “Geez I know that, but why not?”

  “Because you’ll just lose your money is why not?”

  Eleanor made her way to the counter to ask for quarters only to be told that she just had to insert the bills directly into the machine. “I liked it much better the other way,” El told me. “I loved carrying around a bucket of quarters. I just loved hearing them rattle together.”

  “With your ears, dear?”

  “I can hear just fine if you need to know.”

  “That’s a good thing to know.” I grimaced. I should have known better to mention that Eleanor sometimes couldn’t hear at times, but then again, we are senior citizens. It’s to be expected.

  El stopped in front of a Lucky 7 machine and put her twenty in. Credits counted up, and she played for ten minutes before she lost all her money. I couldn’t hold myself back. “Told you so.”

  “Oh phooey. You gave me bad luck.”

  “What a thing to say. I thought we were pretty good together.”

  “Sleuthing, we are. Why not search for Hal yourself while I try another twenty.”

  I put my foot down. “No way. I’ll lose you for sure.”

  Eleanor pouted but followed me despite how I knew she felt. She’s thinking I’m a fun sucker like usual, I thought.

  After a half hour of going down rows and rows of slot machines, I threw my arms up. “I give up. We’ll never find them!”

  “Why not just page him, dear?” Eleanor suggested. “That is, if they can hear over the roar in here.”

  “Good idea, Eleanor. I knew I brought you with me for a reason.”

  “Like you could ever go it alone.”

  I nodded as we made our way to the counter and asked them to page Hal Peterson. The announcer said, “Hal Peterson, your party is waiting for you.”

  I searched the crowd and nearly gave up when a bright-eyed Hal surfaced, one hand under his red suspenders that held up his brown trousers. The white tee shirt he wore underneath was stained with ketchup and I figured that’s why we never ran across him before. I bet he was having lunch.

  Hal’s eyes narrowed as he spied us, “Where’s the party? I’m so ready to party,” he exclaimed as he danced around, or shuffled his feet.

  “It’s back in East Tawas,” I suggested.

  “I’m not going back there. I’m not out of money yet.”

  I glanced behind him. “Where is Raul?”

  He scratched his big belly. “Who?”

  “Your companion.”

  “Beats me, back to Mexico for all I know.” He whispered to me, “I think he’s an illegal.”

  I shook my head, “I have a hard time believing your son would hire an illegal to watch over you.”

  “Humph, that harebrained son of mine doesn’t know his head from his shinola.”

  “He’s worried about you,” I lied. Truth was, it was important for me to get ole Hal back in town.

  He snapped his false teeth out and proceeded to clean them with his shirt. “You sure are touched in the head if you believe that line of bull. He’d take me back to the old folk’s home for sure if he gets ahold of me.”

  Eleanor butted in. “But he took you out of that place.”

  “Sure he did, but I know he didn’t want to. Kept grumbling about my behavior.” He stopped talking to blow his nose on a red hanky he’d pulled from his pocket, before continuing, “He thinks his own father is an embarrassment.”

  “Well, that’s just awful.” El glanced toward me and added, “I know exactly how you feel.”

  Hal licked his lips, staring at El’s ample bosom. “Hey, are you still with Mr. Wilson?”

  “Of course. He makes the best tuna casserole in all of Michigan.”

  “I see, well… if you break up I have a twenty with your name on it,” he suggested.

  “Twenty!” El shouted. “What on earth are you talking about?”

  “You two are hookers, right?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Not that I’m aware of. Neither Eleanor nor I have ever worked as hookers.”

  El gave me a sheepish look, but remained silent. “Besides you’re seeing Mildred Winfree, aren’t you?”

  “What if I am? A man is allowed to date more than one woman if he wants to these days.”

  “Not unless he wants a black eye,” El spat.

  I interrupted them before this got out of hand. “By the way, where is Mildred?”

  “She went to the spa.”

  “She needs it too,” I blurted out before I thought.

  “Be nice Agnes, she’s your nemesis, not a troll,” El said.

  “You could use a trip yourself,” Hal told me.

  I winced at that, but I deserved the barb. Lord knows I hardly even put on makeup these days. “You, on the other hand, are a picture of what an older man should be, right?”

  He rubbed his belly. “I sure am. I have plenty of ladies eyeing me up today, too.”

  “Exactly how much money are you putting in those machines?” El asked.

  “Oh I don’t know. I’ve lost track.” He paused and then added, “Whatever the card holds, I suppose.”

  “Whose money are you spending?”

  “Raul gave me his credit card for safe keeping.”

  What in the hell? “That’s about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. He actually gave you the card or you took it?”

  “He never took anything,” a freshly made up Mildred spat as she walked up. Her high silver hair made her look like Frankenstein’s bride. “Raul must have gave it to Hal, right sweetie?”

  “Well, his wallet was there and I was sure he wouldn’t mind if I borrowed his card. I planned to pay him back when I won.”

  “If you won, you mean. We better head back to East Tawas before you lose any more of his money.”

  “It’s not his money, it’s the credit card company’s money,” Mildred said in a sour tone.

  “It’s only a credit line, Mildred. Raul will be responsible for all the money you spent.”

  “Did you at least win a little back?” Eleanor asked.

  “Not so far, but I have a feeling I’m about to. Maybe I would have by now if you hookers hadn’t interrupted me when I was on a roll.”

  Mildred spoke up. “You didn’t leave the credits in the machine, I hope.”

  He pulled a slip from his pocket. “Nope, I’m not an idiot, woman.”

  I took the slip from him that read ‘fifty cents’. “Wow, what a roll. How about rolling with us back to East Tawas.”

  “Not until I win more money.”

  “That’s not your card. You’re stealing Raul’s money. I’m sure he won’t be too happy when he finds out.”

  Hal frowned and darted to the right, disappearing into a crowd of eager gamblers. I moved into action and pursued him with El hot on my heels.

  “What is the hay?” El shouted. “How did we lose him so quick?”

  “We need to keep moving. We have to find him before he gets into trouble.”

  “Which he already kinda of is.”

  An hour later El and I flopped down into a bench, exhausted. “
I h-have no idea what to do next.”

  “How about home?” El suggested. “I’m so tired and starving.”

  “I’ll book a room for us and we can look for Hal later. How far could he have gone?”

  “I don’t know, but this sure is a big place.”

  El and I ate dinner at the casino’s buffet and my jaw about slacked open when I found out what it would cost me for a room. I shelled out the two hundred dollars and when we entered our suite, I was both shocked and awed. It was a one bedroom suite with fireplace and sunken tub Jacuzzi. I sank down on the tan plush comforter covering the bed and practically melted. This was great. I made a quick call to let Martha know we wouldn’t be coming home tonight. I also asked her to check out if anyone by the name of Polly had recently come to East Tawas. I then explained to her how this Polly might be having an affair with Clay Barry and how it might help Peterson out if we could find her.

  When I hung up the phone, El announced, “I want to get in the Jacuzzi.”

  “I’m not sure who is gonna help you get out.”

  El shucked her clothes and I glanced away as she filled the tub and climbed in. The water rolled to the surface and El giggled like a school girl. “Now this is what I call relaxing. Jump in, Agnes.”

  Hands went to my hips. “I will not!”

  “What are you afraid of, a little fun?”

  Thinking about both El and I naked in the tub together I nodded. “Yup, that’s it.”

  Sure enough, a half hour later I went to the tub and took ahold of El’s hand to try and assist her from the tub. Her hand slipped… she gripped me harder and—I fell headlong into the tub. I bumped into Eleanor who squealed in delight. “It’s about time, old girl.”

  I righted myself and made as dignified a retreat as I could, crawling out. Eleanor clamored out also and stared at my clothes. “What you gonna do now? It’s not like you have a spare set of clothes.”

  I changed and donned a white bathrobe. “I’m sure there is some kind of shop here where I can buy something else to wear in this hotel.”

  We wandered back to the casino, where we were told there was a gift shop. I wasn’t about to be bothered by the strange stares I received, either. At this point I had no dignity left. If I have learned anything in our adventures, it was to roll with the flow. It won’t be the last time I’m caught in an awkward position.

  I bought pink sweat pants and a Soaring Eagle tee, and took them back to my room. En route, I receive a few wolf whistles from college kids we passed in the hallway. “Way to go Grandma,” a boy shouted. “You’re way cooler than my grandma.”

  I nodded and slipped into our room, quick like. At this moment all I wanted to do was crawl into bed and get some sleep, which is just what I did.

  Chapter S ix even

  I awoke to a smiling Eleanor who held a ceramic coffee cup in her hands. “About time you woke up, sleepy head.”

  I slid my feet out of the covers and took the offered coffee. “Thanks, Eleanor. I slept like the dead.”

  “I know. I had to take your pulse to see if you were still kicking.” She handed me my clothes. “So, what’s in store for our adventures today?”

  “I’m showering and we’re heading back home. There’s no case with Hal. He’s obviously not missing.”

  “What about him having Raul’s credit card?”

  I ran my fingers through my hair in an attempt to straighten it. “That’s his problem, not mine. I have bigger fish to fry.”

  “Or possibly his son’s problem if charges get pressed.”

  I couldn’t imagine what ole Sheriff Peterson would do if that happened. It might even hurt the election. “Let’s just hope that won’t happen.”

  “And by fish to fry, you mean?”

  “Help Sheriff Peterson win this election.”

  “That’s a switch, but I’m with you on that one. At least we don’t have a murderer on our hands.”

  I shuddered like someone had just walked on my grave. “Don’t say that, El. Every time you say that something dreadful happens.”

  “Shucks, don’t blame me. People in town just drop off sometimes.”

  “Not without help they don’t, except for the ones that die of natural causes.”

  ***

  After I showered, El and I placed our belongings in a bag from the hotel. It sure was heavy though, and I had to take out the towels. “El, we can’t take the towels or we’ll be charged.” It was then I glanced at the mini bar. “Put that alcohol back!”

  El frowned but did as she was told. When we strode out to get our car from the valet, Hal and Mildred were sitting on the curb.

  “So what gives?” I asked the pair.

  Hal shrugged. “Out of money. That damn Raul couldn’t have had a very big credit limit.”

  The less I knew about the stolen card the better, so instead I asked, “How did you get here, drive?”

  “No, we took the bus,” Mildred said. “But it left without us.” She smiled and asked, “Any hope of letting us ride back with you?”

  I sucked in a breath in shock. “You want to ride with us?”

  “Well, yes. Why not?”

  “I thought you hated my guts?”

  “Oh, but I do. Hal’s too afraid to call and ask his son to pick us up and no way am I asking my sister, Elsie, to drive all the way here. You know how she can get.”

  I wouldn’t call Elsie either. As it was, she thought herself to be the social icon of East Tawas. “The thing is that we don’t have much room.”

  “Oh Aggie. I’m sure they can squeeze into the back seat,” El said.

  I nodded as I handed my ticket to the valet, and soon they drove the wagon up. He waved and shouted, “I always wondered what an 8-track was!”

  I handed him a tip and waited until Hal and Mildred had settled themselves atop the clothing in the back seat. An amused Eleanor climbed into the passenger’s seat and asked, “All comfy back there?”

  “Yikes, I might as well be going back home in a lumber wagon!” Mildred shrieked.

  “I’m sure I can arrange that if you’d like,” I taunted her.

  Indicating my attire, “Sweatpants do nothing for your figure, Agnes.”

  I gnashed my teeth together and delighted in taking off in a roar, making a hard turn fast enough to watch Mildred topple over in the back seat.

  Mildred righted herself and asked, “Are you nuts?”

  “Maybe in the future you should just keep your yap shut!”

  Mildred gasped. “Why you little—”

  Eleanor gave Mildred a harsh look. “You better just shush dear before you leaves you two on the side of the road.”

  “Two of us?” Hal spat. “I haven’t said a word.” Pointing toward Mildred, “It was all her.”

  “Thanks a lot, Hal. I thought we were in this together. Has Agnes gotten to you, too?”

  “Keep quiet woman. Agnes was decent enough to drive us home. The least you could do is be nicer to her.”

  “She slept with my husband.”

  “That happened so many years ago,” Eleanor said. “Maybe it’s about time you just forgot about it.”

  Mildred folded her arms over her chest. “Easy for you to say.”

  “I’ll have you know my ex-husband stepped out on me too,” Eleanor volunteered. “I just never blamed the floozies.” El stopped talking when I groaned. “No offense, Agnes, but as I was saying, it was my husband’s fault for doing what he did and he’s the one who deserves all the blame.”

  Mildred puffed out her chest. “Fine, I’ll drop it then, but I hope you don’t expect me to become Agnes’ friend because that just isn’t going to happen.”

  “I agree with that one,” I said. Mildred might drop this, but it was far from over. I just knew she’d never let it go gracefully.

  I turned up the radio and soon both Mildred and Hal were snoring away.

  Keeping my eyes peeled to the road I said, “So El. What do you think we can do to help Sheriff Peterson wit
h the election?”

  “Maybe we could try to keep our noses out of his investigations.”

  “Thank goodness there isn’t one happening right now.”

  ***

  A few hours later, I drove up US 23 and turned left on Newman Street. Just past the business district stood a yellow two-story, a once impressive Victorian home. I stared at the peeling painted exterior in disgust. It was awful to see the once pristine home in such a state of disrepair. I pulled up to the curb and asked Hal in total disbelief, “You’re staying here?”

  “Yup, my damn son didn’t want me living with him. Can you imagine that?”

  Remembering Hal peeing into a trash, I can’t say I blame ole Peterson. I simply smiled instead. “Isn’t this house used for rentals?”

  “Yes, and they are a big pain in the ass. Always bothering me with their loud music and such. I stay on the bottom floor with Raul. Luckily I have a shitter downstairs so I don’t have to climb those infernal stairs.”

  I was too curious to stay put, so El and I followed Hal and Mildred to the door. As the door swung open, we gasped in unison. A man was crumpled at the foot of the stairs, his head in a puddle of dark blood! Mildred screamed at the top of her lungs while El gripped my arm, digging her nails into me.

  I knelt to check his pulse and shuddered as blood saturated the knees of my pink sweatpants. “No pulse,” I announced. “Call 911, El.”

  I stared into Hal’s bulging brown eyes and asked, “Was he here when you left town, Hal?”

  “Of course not.” He went on to say, “He probably accidentally toppled down the stairs.”

  “With help?”

  “Don’t you dare look at me like that Agnes Barton, or none of you! I’m a frail old man. How could I kill him?”

  I shook my head. “I thought you said he fell down the stairs on accident?”

  “Because I knew damn well what you were thinking. You have very accusing eyes.”

  El, still white faced, agreed, “I know, right? Are you ready for me to call in the law?”

  “I already told you to do that.” I rolled my eyes. Oh great. I can already hear this one on the news, or better yet from Sheriff Peterson. This so wasn’t the time.