Die a Yellow Ribbon

by Teresa Trent

  “Vic,” I yelled out. “You don’t want to kill me, Vic.”

  “Oh, yes, I do,” he assured me, his cheery mood still evident.

  “Pssst.” Sarah stood at the door with one finger over her lips. “Don’t let him know I’m here.” I was able to read her lips, and I nodded. I had never been so happy to see her.

  Vic entered from the kitchen with his hands behind him, hiding whatever instrument of torture he had chosen. I only had to hope Sarah had gotten out of his line of vision before he entered. My heart was beating so fast I worried I would die from a heart attack before he could kill me.

  “You’re so cute. You don’t want to kill me, Vic,” Vic said, mimicking my voice. His appearance had changed dramatically. He had removed his shirt and slipped over a shiny green trash bag with a hole cut out in the top for his head. He also had several more trash bags stashed under his arm. Vic Butler didn’t intend to leave any evidence.

  “You’re actually trying to reason with me? Talk me out of murdering you because I’m a fan of the Happy Hinter? I read your column every week. I don’t always agree with it, and some of those recipes seem a little far-fetched. Still, though, there’s not much more to read in that paper, and you did help me get that irritating stain off my toilet bowl. I guess you can go to your grave feeling good about that.”

  I know he was trying to help me feel better, but really? He had his hands behind his back, but then his smile widened, and he lifted one arm up into the air holding a butcher knife. As the overhead light glinted off the polished blade, he moved around me, going from side to side as if judging the best place to insert a knife.

  I saw movement at the window. I was grateful the outdoor spotlights allowed me to recognize the form of my stepson, Tyler. I was also grateful Vic was focused on his plan to kill me and had his back to the window. What was Tyler doing here? He could get hurt—or worse. Tyler held up his phone and backed away from the window. I didn’t know why he was there, but even with my reservations I couldn’t have been happier to see him. I hoped his gesture meant he was calling the police.

  I glanced discreetly toward the doorway. Sarah was no longer no longer there. My heart began to race. Vic could actually get away with this, but I know he wouldn’t do it until he put the trash bags around me on the floor. I hoped and prayed Sarah would do something to stop him in the few seconds that might remain in my life. Visions of Leo and the kids, Danny, Aunt Maggie, and my father flashed before my eyes. Would this be it? Would Coco have to grow up without a mother the same way I did? I could try to capsize the chair before the knife came down. It was a dangerous gambit because once I was defenseless on the floor, there was no moving out of his way. Vic was carefully arranging the trash bags around my chair on all sides.

  “There we go. Don’t need to have blood sinking into the floorboards. Those pesky crime scene investigators can find it anywhere these days. It’s so important to be careful.”

  “You know, before you get started with this job, and I’m sure it’s a big job for you, you aren’t as neat as you think you are.”

  Vic’s eyebrow rose. “Excuse me?”

  “You missed a spot. Blood would seep in over there. Possibly, this might work better if you overlapped the trash bags. That way, if blood slips off one trash bag, it will simply go to the one underneath it.”

  At first, Vic looked confused as I pointed out this little flaw in his pre-murder planning. Then he started to get angry. Not exactly the emotion I was trying to evoke in a man who was dead set on murdering me.

  “You know what your problem is? You spend your whole life trying to correct people. Does it make you feel good to always be right? Who cares?”

  “I care,” Sarah said, her voice clear and very much awake. She had a revolver pointed directly at Vic.

  Vic looked like someone had yelled “surprise” at his macabre killing party. “Sarah, my dear. You need to put the gun down. Do it for me, darling. Please don’t kill anybody else” He turned to me. “It’s the medicine. She’s dreaming. She won’t remember a thing later.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong,” she said. Her hand was shaking but she kept the gun pointed at Vic. She looked even more frightened than I felt. “I didn’t take the medicine. You see, when I was in and out for the last day or two, I started remembering things. I started remembering how Poppy Donaldson went over the bridge. It really was my fault. That’s the thing about having your eyes open—the memory still registers. You just have to dig to find it. I also know I had nothing to do with the deaths of Mark or Bosco. That was you. You told me all about it as you sat by my bedside, thinking I was asleep. That was some sick bedtime story.”

  Vic still stood with the knife held up in the air as if he were some sort of town statue. Would he now consider killing both of us? I hardly thought he could kill the woman he loved so deeply, but now that she knew what a monster he was, it changed things.

  “You know why I did it. It was love. The purest love that a man can feel for a woman. I did it all for you, my darling. What we have here is perfect, and they were going to get in the way. Can’t you see that? No one can love you the way I do.”

  Sarah wavered a bit. “Stay strong, Sarah,” I said. “He’s done everything he can just to keep you here. He’s told lies about you. He told lies to you to keep you here.”

  Her doe-like eyes widened. “You lied to me? You lied about me? How long has this been going on? How long, Vic? That isn’t love. That’s evil.”

  The tableau between husband and wife was chilling. He, with the knife raised above his head and her, with the gun, fully extended and pointing toward him.

  Would they kill each other, leaving me trapped in this chair, surrounded by their dead bodies?

  “Let me just take care of this loose end, and then we’ll sort all this out, sweetheart. You’re upset.”

  I was the loose end.

  “I’ll finish up here, and then we can make a nice dinner and talk. Communication is the key to any successful relationship. Don’t you agree?”

  It sounded like he was quoting an article out of Redbook. I was so glad they were communicating, but why did I have to die in the process?

  Sarah stood straighter, planting her feet slightly apart. “You need to put the knife down, Vic. It’s all over. You may love me, but I could never be in love with a murderer. Killing people is the exact opposite of loving. You took those men’s lives because of me. Do you think I will ever sleep again because of that? Do you think I could ever sleep next to you again? What you did was horrendous, and it has to stop. Put the knife down.” Her tone had changed. It was low and even, and she meant business. Her hand stopped shaking.

  “You’re confused, sugar. Trust me in this. It’s better for everyone. If I get arrested, if I go away, who will take care of you? You would be defenseless. You know you have problems,” he reasoned.

  “What about this woman’s children? What about this woman’s husband? Is it better for them? Did you ever think about how your actions affect other people?” she countered.

  This time Vic did not come back with a condescending answer. He emitted a growl. “You obviously don’t understand. This nosy woman means nothing to us. This situation is her own fault. Curiosity killed the helpful hints writer. Just go to upstairs and lie down a bit. I’ll be done in a minute.”

  “I’ll shoot you before you can stab her. Don’t think I won’t.”

  “How can an angel kill someone? It is not in your DNA, sweetie. It’s okay, I’m going to keep you safe.” He turned back to me, raised the knife, and began to swoop toward my chest. Before he could make contact, the deafening sound of the gun went off in my ears, and Vic Butler, president of the bank and head of the chamber of commerce, crumpled to the floor. She meant what she said.

  The police, and Tyler, burst through the door in the next instant. My father rushed to the body of Vic Butler, but instead of going to Sarah, Tyler ran to me and began to untie my hands and feet.

  “Thank
God you’re all right.” There were tears in his voice. “I came over to check on Sarah, but no one answered. When I looked in the window, I saw you sitting here, and there was nothing I could do. I didn’t know what to do.”

  “You did the right thing. You called your grandfather.” I reached up and hugged him as he began to sniffle. “You saved me, son. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” Tyler’s arms tightened around me as he sobbed. Yes, he was becoming a man, calling the police proved that, but at this moment, he still needed the comfort of a mother.

  Chapter 21

  Birdie’s Diner was overflowing with customers now that it had reopened after the contest. Aunt Maggie and Ruby had commandeered a booth and had placed their bags on the seats to discourage anyone else from joining them. Danny sat on the end seat, leaning on his elbow as he watched the comings and goings of the town.

  I scooted in next to Maggie. “Have they said anything yet?”

  “Not yet, but everybody and his uncle is here. Birdie ran out of chairs, and she can’t keep up with coffee refills.”

  Rocky, holding a piece of paper and looking very official, unseated one of the diners and stood on his chair. “Can I have your attention, please?” This was it. The big moment we’d all been waiting for. What was going to happen to the coveted golden pecan and the money that went with it?

  “Well, this is definitely a golden pecan treasure hunt that will go down in history. Sadly, because of the murder of Bosco Brown, we did not have the opportunity to award the cruise to anyone. His brother Earl has expressed no interest in the prize.”

  “He doesn’t deserve it,” someone shouted out from the back.

  “I think you’re all wrong about that. Yes, Earl was the brother of Bosco, who was an ex-con, but Earl is clearly the victim in all of this. I think he’s being right kind saying someone else should take the money. I also think this town owes it to him to support Earl’s Java during this troubled time. Don’t stop going to Earl to get your coffee. He not only needs your money in his till, but he needs to know that he still has friends in Pecan Bayou. What do you say, folks?”

  Whoever it was who had spoken up in back was now silent. Many eyes were cast downward, probably considering Rocky’s declaration. He continued, “Now we had a lot of thoughts on this. We could try to rerun the contest, but I know that it takes a lot out of everyone. We really didn’t have anyone in second place, so Libby Loper and I came up with a solution.”

  Libby rose from her table and stood next to Rocky, her turquoise jewelry and fringed vest looking particularly smart today. She nodded her approval at Rocky and held up a coffee can.

  Rocky took it out of her hands. “We’ve decided to let you vote on who you think should get the prize money.”

  “Hot dog. How do you spell R – U – B – Y,” Ruby whispered.

  Rocky smiled. “You can vote for yourself, sure, but is that what our little town is all about? No. We can’t stop you from putting your own name down, but we want you to dig deep in your heart and think if there was someone else who deserves this prize more. This needs to be another contestant who was running the race. Someone you know deserves and needs this vacation or prize money. I’ve always been told that it is better to give than receive. Keep that in the back of your mind as you fill out your ballot.”

  Once the ballots were passed out, I quickly scribbled a name on it and folded it up, waiting for the coffee can to come back around. Maggie and Ruby did the same, as did Leo.

  “Who did you vote for?” Leo asked.

  “I’m not telling. It’s a secret ballot.”

  “Me either,” Leo answered.

  “I just have to say I’m so glad they caught Vic Butler. In a million years, I never would’ve thought he was the—” Ruby looked over at Danny. “A bad man.” Ruby knew not to discuss things like murder in front of Danny.

  “Nobody did,” I said. “Everybody loved Vic. He was so loving toward Sarah and a friend to a lot of ranchers around here when they needed a loan at the bank.”

  Leo held up a finger, “Yes, and he got something that most men never get. The prettiest girl in town. He also found out how much work it is to have such a beautiful woman on your arm.”

  I jabbed my elbow into his side.

  “Of course,” he corrected. “I also know what it feels like.” The ladies around the table laughed.

  “They have also reopened Poppy Donaldson’s murder, or should I say accident? Do you think they will charge Sarah Butler?” Maggie asked.

  “I don’t think so.” I said. “It really was an accident, and once she started remembering, she remembered it all. They found Mark Valencia’s cell phone and the video he took of her that night on the bridge. She was in a deep state of sleep and thought that Poppy was a monster. She was fighting for her life. She threw the monster over the bridge, and Poppy hit her head. It’s strange legal ground.”

  Ruby clucked her tongue. “I saw Bunny down there by the banks of Pecan Bayou planting more flowers. You know she actually waved and smiled at me? Something about her has changed. Maybe just finding out how her sister died made all the difference. She’s helping Belinda open the yarn shop. Of course, she’s insisting on sustainable yarn. But that’s okay, she’s not running around town like a pot about to boil over. As awful as all of this was, I think it helped Bunny.”

  Birdie came by, and we dropped our ballots in the coffee can and then went to the front where Rocky and Libby began to count out the vote. It was only a moment later when they returned with the results.

  “We have a winner. Many of you voted for this team, which shows just what a wonderful part they are of our community. I am happy to announce that this year our beloved Prim Thatcher and her husband Josiah will be going on a cruise in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean. Congratulations.”

  Josiah and Prim rose from their table as the crowd gave them a hearty round of applause. I couldn’t think of a better team to win the prize.

  “I guess our romantic cruise is off,” Leo whispered in my ear. I suddenly remembered a scene from It’s A Wonderful Life where Mary Bailey put up travel posters for the honeymoon destination they would never get to see. “You know we don’t need a ship to rock the boat,” I said.

  Chapter 22

  “Betsy, where are my socks?” Tyler yelled down the stairs.

  I’d been anxiously awaiting this question. I couldn’t wait to tell the boys how much easier their lives were going to be with my latest organizational effort.

  “I moved them. I’ve created a sock and underwear area in the top dresser drawer. I think you will find that if you can just roll your socks and t-shirts neatly you will have much more room in your dresser. Isn’t that a great idea?”

  Tyler grunted and raised both hands in the air, palms toward me. “Betsy, please. You have to stop. You’re driving us all crazy with this stuff.”

  Zach, who had been in his room upstairs, came out. “What’s going on? I’m trying to get through that summer reading list Mom gave me. I’m almost to the top of the rocket ship.” I thought it would be inspiring if I listed his book titles on the body of a rocket ship and even put the words Read to the Stars underneath it. I thought it was quite clever.

  “Of course you are,” Tyler said. “She has reorganized every door, every closet, every cabinet, and none of us can find anything. If always tidying up is supposed to make life better, why are we are all so miserable?”

  “I was just trying to find the joy.” I was sure that reminding him of my mission statement of tidiness would slow down his outburst, but Tyler was on a roll now. All that pent-up frustration seemed to be aimed right at me.

  “Is finding the joy micromanaging every inch of our lives? You set up a schedule for my sports practices. If I’m a minute late, you’re texting on the phone. You have to stop. I’m almost a man, but you’re treating me like a three-year-old.”

  “He does have a point, Mom,” Zach said. “You’ve taken this tidying up thing just about
as far as it can go. I don’t think you have to work this hard to find joy.”

  That was it. My whole family was now against me just because I tried to improve their quality of life.

  “Fine. You guys just go ahead and live in the mess that you create every day. Find your own socks. While you’re struggling, I’ll have my own neat area where everything is organized and easy to find.” I grabbed my keys, slung my purse over my shoulder, and headed out the door. How could they not appreciate what I had done? This was homemaking taken to the next level. The expert level. They were lucky to have me. A tear began to roll down my cheek as I pulled into the park, where I knew Leo had taken Coco to play. I found a seat on a park bench. Butch, happy in the sunshine, was running in circles. Leo had taken him off his leash, but he seemed perfectly content to stay in the park. Our sweet Weimaraner bounced up to me and then put his head on my lap. I was grateful for the company. Why was it that dogs instinctively knew when you needed a friend?

  There was a slight breeze today, so the heat had subsided. I sat back and let it drift over me. When I heard a squeal, I looked up suddenly. I hadn’t realized that Leo had brought Coco to the park with her bike. I thought she was just playing on the playground. Not only that, he had taken her training wheels off. She wasn’t ready for this yet. What was he thinking?

  I had wanted to take this step-by-step. Maybe make a motivational chart for the refrigerator. This wasn’t something to go into it willy-nilly. She had been badgering me for weeks, but I had been hesitant, especially to take the training wheels off her bike. Leo tried to convince me this morning that it was time to do this. I had visions of multiple Band-Aids and possibly a bandage wrapped around her head after getting a concussion, but Leo assured me that he could teach her to ride a bike. She wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready. Once she started riding her bike, it was only a couple of steps until she was in school, and then the years would go by too fast.