by V. M. Burns
Jacob knocked on the door, and then we entered.
The regular board meetings were packed with board members and trustees. When everyone was there in full force, there would be over twenty-five people, not including the museum staff who might be invited to present. Today, there were only six people. I recognized them as the board executive committee.
I took a seat at the back of the room and tried to be as quiet and unobtrusive as possible. However, Linda Kay smiled and motioned for me to join her at the main table, so I quickly took my laptop and sat in the seat next to her.
Linda Kay said, “I know you all know Lilly Ann Echosby, who has been filling in as our accountant.”
Everyone nodded, and most smiled. Dixon Vannover had his cell phone out and was engrossed in sending a text message, which I thought was extremely rude. However, Linda Kay ignored him and continued. “I don’t know what we would have done without Lilly’s help these past few months.” She smiled at me again, and I forced myself not to squirm in my seat with embarrassment while I plastered a smile on my face.
“I’m pleased to say that Lilly has gotten our books in order, and I received a letter from the IRS that we passed our audit with flying colors.”
Everyone applauded, and I felt the heat rise up my neck. I wasn’t good at being the center of attention, but I smiled at each board member to acknowledge their gratitude.
“Now that our books are in great shape and we’ve survived the audit, it’s time we made some changes.” Linda Kay looked serious. “As you know, Lilly Ann is a temp, and I think its high time we changed that situation.” She glanced at me and smiled. “So I’m excited to announce that on behalf of the board, I would like to offer you a full-time, permanent position.”
My heart was racing so fast that I wasn’t sure I’d actually heard her correctly. I blinked. “What?”
She laughed. “We’re offering you a permanent job.” She leaned forward. “That is, if you’re interested.”
I flung both my arms around her neck. “Are you serious? Yes. Yes. Of course.”
The other members of the board politely clapped.
I didn’t realize I was crying until Jacob handed me a handkerchief. When I was able to speak, I thanked each member of the board.
“We can discuss the specifics later, but I hoped you would say yes.” Linda Kay nodded, and Jacob opened the door. Stephanie, Joe, David, Dixie, and Red came in. Dixie was carrying a cake.
I hugged Stephanie. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Goading me about the way I looked so I’d change clothes and put on makeup.”
Stephanie hugged me. “Jacob called and invited us, and I thought you might want to look your best.”
I squeezed her. I wasn’t a vain woman, but she knew I’d want to make sure I looked my best, especially if I was going to be the center of attention.
Red and David both brought flowers, which made me start crying all over again.
Jacob clapped and yelled, “Speech!”
I have no idea what I said. I remember thanking Linda Kay, Jacob, and the board, and then I think I babbled on for several moments before I finally realized I was making a complete fool of myself and stopped talking.
Jacob wheeled in a cart with paper plates, plastic silverware, and plastic fluted glasses. That’s when I noticed that Stephanie and Joe had brought a few bottles of champagne. While Dixie cut the cake, Jacob poured the champagne, and Stephanie distributed it around. When everyone had a glass, Dixon Vannover stood up and proposed a toast and wished me many happy years at the museum.
I introduced my family to the various board members and tried to stop getting weepy whenever anyone congratulated or welcomed me to the Hopewell Museum family, but it was a losing battle. I was an emotional basket case.
The cake was chocolate with chocolate icing. It looked handmade and was extremely moist. I found myself licking my fork and didn’t even realize my eyes were closed until I opened them and saw Red looking at me with a grin on his face. “What?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. I was just wondering if you needed a few moments alone with that cake. You seemed to be enjoying it so much.”
I put my fork down and stuck out my tongue before I remembered where I was. I quickly glanced around to make sure none of the board members had seen my childish behavior. I was glad to find everyone was engrossed in enjoying their own cake and champagne. I turned to Dixie, who was sitting next to me. “This cake is delicious. It doesn’t taste store-bought. Did Mrs. Huntington bake this?”
“No, but please don’t tell her that I allowed anyone other than her to bake for you. She’d be devastated. Actually, I ordered this from a friend of mine. Melinda makes the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had.”
“It’s delicious.” I glanced down at my plate, which I’d all but licked clean. “Does she have a shop, or does she cater? Maybe I could order a couple of cakes for the housewarming.”
Dixie smiled. “She doesn’t have a shop, but I’m sure she’d make whatever you want. She’s amazing.”
Dixie and I talked about the menu for the housewarming, which had been all but forgotten because of the murder investigation. We decided on a chocolate cake, two dozen cupcakes, and something Dixie called whoopie pies. She promised to place the order with Melinda, and I turned my attention to Red. He was chatting with Joe but kept glancing in Dixon Vannover’s direction.
“Stop staring,” I whispered.
“I’m not staring.”
I glanced down at the end of the table where Dixon Vannover was sitting and sipping champagne. There was a plate with a generous slice of chocolate cake sitting in front of him, but he hadn’t touched it. Instead, he had his cell phone out and was texting while pretending to listen to Linda Kay, who was next to him. I grabbed Red’s arm. “Come on.”
We walked down to the end of the table.
“Excuse me, Mr. Vannover.”
“Yes?” He continued to text, but I waited until he stopped and looked up.
“I wanted to say thank you for making me a permanent member of the staff here at the museum. Linda Kay is wonderful, and I’m sure I’ll learn so much working for her.”
He grinned and mumbled something and then returned to his phone.
“I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Dennis Olson.” He nodded without looking away from his phone.
“He’s with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and he’s investigating the murder of Naomi Keller.”
That got his attention. The arrogant jerk finally looked at Red, and fear flashed across his face.
“Red, this is Dixon Vannover.”
The two men shook hands.
“I know Red has been anxious to talk to you, so I thought there’s no time like the present.”
Dixon Vannover’s phone vibrated, but miracle of miracles, he completely ignored it. Instead, the color that I’d seen rising up his neck flooded his face. He looked like a blotchy tomato. “You want to talk to me? I can’t imagine why.”
“Your name came up during the course of our murder investigation. Do you mind if I sit down?”
“Of course not.” He pointed to the empty seat next to him. “Please.”
I gave Linda Kay a sideways glance. She looked like a cat who’d just eaten a large bowl of cream. She winked at me and turned her attention to her cake.
Red sat down. “How well did you know Naomi Keller?”
Dixon Vannover squirmed, and I could almost see the wheels turning in his eyes. He glanced around like a rabbit caught in a trap. “I knew her, of course, but no better than anyone else.”
Red gave him his deadpan law-enforcement face that gave nothing away. “My sources indicate that you and Naomi Keller were rather close. In fact, I hear you’re also close to her daughter Brittney.”
I hadn’t thought Dixon Vannover’s f
ace could get redder than it was before, but he was now turning purple, his tomato face turning into eggplant. He scowled at Linda Kay, who gave a look of pure innocence. “Those are malicious lies. It’s fake news planted by my political opponents to try and ruin my good name and place a black mark against my character. I don’t have to sit here and be insulted by some . . . some . . . vigilante TBI officer.” He stood and grabbed his phone. “You have no right to disparage my good name by questioning me here.”
Red stood too. “Actually, you’re right. You don’t have to sit here. We can go downtown.” He pulled out his shield and held it up. “However, this badge gives me the right to question you. I just thought you would prefer to do it here in a friendly setting. However, if you’d rather go to headquarters, that’s fine too.”
Dixon Vannover’s face went from outrage to despair in less than ten seconds. He glanced around the room. Then he leaned close and whispered, “Can we go someplace a little more private?”
“Lead the way.”
Dixon Vannover flashed a toothy grin at the other board members. Obviously, he was under the false impression that no one had witnessed his humiliating exhibition. However, if he was entertaining that thought, he was sorely wrong.
He picked up his glass of champagne, and only those closest to him saw how his hand shook. He drained the liquid and replaced the glass. He extended a hand to me. “Welcome aboard.” We shook. Then he waved to the group. “I’m sorry to leave such an exciting party, but I have a little business to take care of.” He chuckled. “No rest for the wicked.” He slapped a hand on Red’s back, as though they were old buddies heading out for a beer, and walked out.
Red turned and beckoned for Joe to join him.
“That was amazing,” Linda Kay said. “I just love Red. I sure hope you marry that man.”
I felt flushed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and count a proposal before it’s offered.”
I had to work really hard to keep from smiling.
Chapter 17
The party ended not long after Red, Joe, and Dixon Vannover left. The board members welcomed me and then hurried on to other meetings. I noticed Dixie and Jacob cleaning up, and I hurried over to lend a hand.
Jacob waved me away. “There’s not much to do. Besides, you’re the guest of honor. You aren’t supposed to soil your hands with this trivial nonsense.”
“Pshaw. We’re a team.”
“There’s not much cleanup.” He grinned. “It hurt my heart to use disposable plates and plastic silverware, but . . . it sure makes life easy.”
Every piece of cake was gone. Dixie tossed the box into the trash. All of the champagne was gone too, and the empty bottles were also tossed. The plates, silverware, and napkins were chucked into the trash.
Jacob picked up the two bouquets of flowers. “Do you want me to put these in your office, or do you want to take them home?”
I thought for a moment. “My office.”
He put them on his cart. “Then I better get them in water.” Before leaving, he turned to Linda Kay. “You have another meeting in ten minutes.” Then he pushed the cart out of the room.
Linda Kay motored her scooter toward the door, and David jumped up to hold it open for her. She gave him a big smile. “I’ve got to scoot.” She waved and rolled a few feet before stopping and turning toward me. “Why don’t you take the afternoon off and enjoy your family. Tomorrow, we can talk about the specifics.”
I thanked her, and she rolled away.
I looked at Dixie, Stephanie, and David. “Thank you all for coming, but what do we do now?”
“How about we grab some lunch and figure it out,” Dixie said.
“I need to go upstairs to my office and get my purse.” I picked up my laptop. “And I need to take this back. I’ll be down in a few minutes, and we can go.”
I rushed upstairs. Jacob was quick. Both sets of flowers had been placed in beautiful crystal vases and were sitting on my desk. I stopped to sniff each and knew that I had a silly grin on my face, but I didn’t really care. I had a permanent job at a place I liked and got to work with people I liked. I snatched my purse from my desk drawer. Jacob wasn’t at his desk, and Linda Kay’s door was closed. So I hurried downstairs.
Dixie and Stephanie were waiting for me in Dixie’s Lexus. I climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up.
She pulled out of the parking lot, and that’s when I noticed David pull behind her. I turned to my friend. “Where are we going?”
“Stephanie sent a text to Joe letting the boys know we were going to Aretha Frankensteins.” She glanced in my direction. “You can’t spend time in Chattanooga without going there.” She made a quick right turn in front of a city bus and headed down an extremely narrow street with more speed than I would have deemed wise. However, Dixie never seemed to attract the attention of the police, no matter how fast she drove.
When my stomach traveled back down from my mouth, I opened my eyes and released my grip on the door. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to Aretha Frankensteins.”
“That’s on me. I have been derelict in my duties as an ambassador for Chattanooga.” She turned down what appeared to be a quiet residential street. After about two blocks, she slowed down. “There’s a spot.” She swerved and pulled into a parking space almost directly in front of a large house. The parking gods were almost always looking out for Dixie. Unfortunately, David wasn’t as lucky, and he had to circle the block.
We climbed the stone steps and walked up to the covered, wraparound porch. A creative builder had fitted a bar around the railing, and there were people sitting on barstools. Inside, the restaurant was packed; and a large bar dominated the main room, and the tables around the perimeter offered barely enough room to walk between them. The sloped ceilings and every available wall were decorated with pictures. The combination of the small interior jam-packed with people, the cluttered walls, and the noise sent me into sensory overload.
A petite woman who was extremely pregnant greeted us. “How many?”
“Six,” Dixie said. “Any tables outside?”
The hostess waddled to a side door and looked outside. Then she motioned for us to follow her.
Outside, the wraparound porch bar was crowded, and from the side I could see, there was another level with tables that were placed on a concrete pad, with a large umbrella to protect diners from the sun.
She pulled two plastic chairs from a nearby table and then left, promising that our server would soon arrive with water.
We sat and stared at the menu, which had a Halloween theme.
David smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to a restaurant where they advertise that it may take quite a while to get your food.”
“What?” I asked.
David read, “Everything is prepared to order in our tiny kitchen. Please understand, waiting thirty minutes or more for your food is not uncommon. That said, thank you for coming, and enjoy.” He looked over the top of his menu and smiled. “I love the South.”
“This place is famous,” Dixie said. “I believe it was once featured on Rachael Ray’s show—you know, the one where she traveled and had to eat under some ridiculous amount, like forty dollars.”
Stephanie smiled. “Oh, I used to like that show.”
“So she came to Chattanooga and ate at Aretha Frankensteins.”
“It’s very . . . eclectic?” David said.
He looked up and waved. We all turned to see who he was waving at and caught sight of Joe and Red coming around the corner. Without even thinking about it, we automatically adjusted and skootched our seats so Red could sit next to me and Joe next to Stephanie.
“Did he confess to the murder?” Dixie asked.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t confess to anything.” Red glanced up at the waitress, who arrived and took our beverage orders. When she was gone, we tu
rned back to Red and he continued. “He wouldn’t even admit to his name being Dixon Vannover. He spent the majority of the time whining about how his political opponents were trying to cast black marks against his character and besmirch his name.”
“Besmirch?” I said. “He actually used that word?”
“He did.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone actually say besmirch,” Joe said, laughing.
“I’m surprised Dixon Vannover knows what the word means,” Dixie said. “Beau claims he’s dumber than a bag of hammers.”
Stephanie had chosen that instant to take a sip of her coffee and nearly choked laughing. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that saying before.”
The waitress hovered near our table, and we knew it was time to get down to business.
David asked, “What do you recommend?”
The young woman mentioned the restaurant was famous for its pancakes and waffles. She recommended the Waffle of Insane Greatness. David took her up on her recommendation. Dixie mentioned that was her favorite and ordered the same thing. Red surprised me by ordering the Slim Stack, which was two pancakes. I’d seen him eat and knew he was capable of putting back a lot more than two pancakes. I was feeling super hungry and ordered the Fat Stack, which was three pancakes. Red and Dixie gave me a look.
“What?”
“Their pancakes are large,” Red said. “Are you sure you’re up for that?”
“Is that a challenge?”
Red held up his hands, and he and Dixie exchanged a glance.
Stephanie ordered something called Elephants Gerald, which I’d noticed on the menu because it involved a Belgian waffle topped with vanilla ice cream, pecans, syrup, and cinnamon.
Once our orders were placed, the waitress took our menus and headed back to put in our orders.
“So Dixon Vannover refused to answer questions?” I asked, surprised that Red would allow him to get away with that.
“No, he answered. He just lied. He denied having a relationship with Naomi Keller. He denied having ever been in a relationship with Brittney Keller.”