Roses and Daisies and Death Oh My!

by Petersen, Penny Clover

  “Whatever is going on, it looks like someone thinks you know something about it. Please be careful. There’s been one murder victim. I don’t want you to be the next. Keep your doors locked, the alarm on and your idiot dog tied up.”

  He picked up the letters and said, “I’ll take these with me and check them for prints. Call me if you get any more letters.”

  Rose walked him downstairs. He turned to her and said, “Rose, it could be Proctor. Please, don’t let him get too close. Be careful.”

  Rose hustled him to the door. “We’ll be careful. I’ll make sure of that. But I think you’re wrong about Marc.”

  Things were quiet for the next few days. Daisy and Malcolm were healing nicely. Angela stayed to help out in the shop. Daisy had thought that she was okay to work, but Thursday morning her head ached and she felt sick.

  Angela smiled and said, “That’s why I’m here, darling, to make sure you don’t overdo it. And I can keep an eye on Malcolm. Go back upstairs and don’t worry about a thing.”

  By Sunday things were back to normal. Daisy felt as good as new.

  She and Rose got up in plenty of time and took their morning walk which was shorter now that the sun was rising later. Still, Daisy, Rose and even Malcolm were nervous being out alone.

  “I don’t like feeling like this in our own neighborhood,” Rose said as they were turning back toward home. “It’s too freaky. Maybe we should stop walking until this is figured out.”

  “We’re careful, we’ve got the dog, the cell phone, and Tom Willis gave me a police whistle. I won’t let some weirdo stop me from doing what I like,” replied Daisy.

  They were on Azalea about two blocks from home when they saw a figure on their porch near the mailbox. Rose shouted, “Go Malcolm. Go get him,” and Malcolm took off toward the house.

  Whoever it was must have heard him coming and moved quickly off the porch, crossed the street and ran down the alley. Malcolm continued his charge barking like a little mad, fur ball and seemed to be catching up when the mystery mailman ran through the last yard on the path, jumped the fence and kept running.

  Daisy and Rose caught up with Malcolm who was jumping up and down trying to get over the fence and follow. A minute later they heard a car start up on the next block and drive off.

  “Good dog. That’s my good little humpmeister,” said Daisy. “What have you got?”

  Malcolm had stopped barking and was nosing around something on the ground. Just as Daisy bent down to get it, he picked it up and started back down the alley. He got to the front porch and dropped it right in front of the mailbox. It was a woman’s dark green leather glove trimmed with fur.

  Daisy opened the mailbox and saw another letter. Rose said, “Don’t even touch it. I’m calling Bill right now and he can handle it. We’ll wait here until he comes. I don’t want to take any chance that this will disappear.”

  She tied Malcolm to the porch rail praising his good work rubbing his little head carefully making sure to avoid the stitches and started to dial.

  It didn’t take long for Bill to get there. “I was already in my car on the way to work. What’s going on?”

  As Rose was explaining Angela pulled up.

  Daisy said, “I forgot. Mother’s coming to help.”

  Bill mumbled something under his breath, shook his head, and looked at the note. Same envelope as the last two.

  He opened it awkwardly because he was wearing his leather gloves. It was short and to the point. The picture this time was of a stick figure woman hanging from a tree with a knife stuck in her chest. The message inside was short and to the point - “BITCH!”

  “A little overkill there, wouldn’t you say,” laughed Daisy uncertainly. Angela gasped and hugged her daughter. “I think you should come and stay with me until Bill finds this person. I don’t think you’re safe here.”

  Malcolm was nudging Rose’s leg with the glove in his mouth. “I’m getting to it, Malcolm.” She took the glove and gave it to Bill.

  He looked at it and reacted spectacularly. He smacked the wall and shouted, “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!”

  “OMG, I think he’s going to lay an egg!” said Angela.

  Bill ignored her and asked, “Where did you get this?”

  “I told you the person Malcolm was chasing dropped it when she climbed over the fence.” She looked at Bill’s face and said, “You know who this belongs to, don’t you? Well?”

  “I might. Look, I’ve got to check something out and I’ll be back as soon as I can. I don’t think you’re in any danger right now, at least not from,” he hesitated a moment, “the person who dropped this. I’ll be back.” He got into his car and drove off.

  Daisy turned to her mother. “‘OMG’, Mother?”

  “I move with the times.”

  They had a leisurely morning. Daisy made scones. They read the paper and sipped their tea. Malcolm, who had been staying outside in the yard or his igloo during the day, stayed close to the girls.

  Tonya came to work in the afternoon and business picked up. They stayed busy until closing at five o’clock. Still no sign of Bill. He had called at two to say he was still working on it and he’d see them later.

  Tonya and Angela had gone home when Marc came by as Daisy and Rose were closing up for the day and asked if they’d like to get some dinner.

  Rose said, “Sounds good. How about Rip’s? I think you’ll like it.”

  As the three were walking out the shop door the phone rang. Rose answered it. “Bill? Okay. What development? Sure. Tomorrow morning. We’ll be here.” She joined Daisy and Marc and said “Let’s go. I’ll tell you what he said when we get there.”

  Rip’s Country Inn was a local restaurant with a horseracing theme. After they had settled into ‘Secretariat’s’ booth and ordered drinks Rose said, “Apparently, there has been a development in Ted Williamson’s murder. Bill said he’ll be by in the morning about eight and for us not to worry about the letters. He has it under control.”

  Marc looked doubtful. “It seems like a lot of stuff going on here. What could the police have discovered about Ted?”

  “Maybe they found his home base,” suggested Daisy. “They could have found the weapon. Or where he was murdered! Marc, with all that’s been going on with my head, I never got to ask you what Bill wanted with you the other morning.

  “I’ve got the feeling that I’m the number one suspect. I knew Ted Williamson, but only since he’s been hanging around here. They tell me we worked for Marcus Worthington at the same time. I never met him back then. But the connection is there in your ex’s eyes.

  “So we spent the morning going over my past employment with Marcus Worthington. I wasn’t with him long. He was secretive and manipulating. I didn’t trust him, so I left.

  “Are you two sure that you’ll be okay tonight? I can stay on the couch if you’d feel safer.”

  “We’re okay,” said Daisy. “I’m fine and Malcolm’s getting back to normal. I tell you that when that poor pooch didn’t even sniff at anything for two days, I was worried. But this morning he was in the garden merrily humping that ridiculous gnome Mother gave us. He’s almost back to his charming self.

  “So let’s just have dinner and talk about anything else.”

  They took their time and enjoyed the night out. After dinner Marc took them home. The three of them went into the shop to make sure everything was locked up tight. Rose went upstairs through the connecting door.

  Marc and Daisy walked around the outside of the house checking on things. They stopped at the front door and Marc said, “Sure you don’t want me to stay?”

  Daisy smiled and said, “No thanks. We’ll be all right. And I’m absolutely exhausted. I just need to get some sleep.”

  “Okay, if you say so. Make sure the alarm is on and call me if you need anything. Good night.” He kissed her good-night and went home.

  Chapter Seven

  Early next morning the weather had turned bitter cold. Dawn was get
ting later each day as they neared the winter solstice and getting out of bed in the dark was a pain. But Rose was up at six, anyway. Daisy slept in and Rose didn’t wake her.

  By the time Daisy woke it was too late for a walk. “It won’t hurt to miss today and Bill will be here soon. Tea’s ready and I ran over to the bakery and got some Danish. Walt says ‘hi’ and wants to know if we’re going to do our own baking for Christmas Days. I told him I’d let him know by tomorrow. Mother might like to do the cookies.”

  The doorbell rang and Malcolm started to howl. “I guess that’s Bill.” Daisy walked down the steps to let him in.

  Standing at the door next to Bill was a short, overly-permed woman who was glaring at Daisy through black cat’s eye glasses and about twelve layers of mascara. She was wearing tight jeans that bulged at the hips, a low-cut knit sweater that revealed a tattoo of a turtle on the top of her left breast, and cowboy boots.

  Daisy looked puzzled, but said, “Come in,” as she headed upstairs. As soon as they reached the living room, Malcolm bared his teeth at the woman.

  “Malcolm, stop that. Behave,” said Rose. “I’ve never seen him do that. Who is this, Bill?”

  “Daisy, Rose, this is Bambi Hunter.”

  Rose’s eyebrows rose up to her hairline. Daisy’s mouth fell open. “What? This is Bambi? The Bambi you left me for?” She looked Bambi up and down and sighed, “Are you sure?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” snapped Bambi. She stood there sullenly like she was daring someone to take a swing at her.

  Malcolm had stopped baring his teeth, but sat next to Rose grumbling at Bambi under his breath. She kicked at him and said, “Get that stupid dog away from me.”

  Daisy moved Malcolm away and said angrily, “Stop that! He won’t bother you. This is his home.” To Bill she said, “What do you want?”

  “Um, this is difficult,” said Bill. “Bambi has some issues, trust issues, with me. She somehow got the impression that I was interested in seeing you again, Daisy.

  “She got a little angry and wrote those notes and left them in your mailbox. The glove you found yesterday? I gave it to her.”

  “Presumably with another just like it. Lovely. And is she the one who attacked me?”

  “No, I didn’t attack you.”

  “I don’t believe you. Why is she here and not in jail?”

  “She didn’t attack you. She was stuck at the courthouse with jury duty all day last Wednesday. She couldn’t have done it.

  “Daisy, you have every right to be angry and I have no right at all to ask you this. But would you consider letting this drop?

  “It’s my fault really. Bambi mistook what I needed to do in this murder investigation for something personal and took it out on you. She’s ready to apologize.”

  “The hell I will.”

  “Bambi, just shut up!” roared Bill. “Just shut up and come over here,” he said more calmly. They moved to the landing at the top of the stairs where there was a lot of mumbling, hissing, and a foot stomp or two. They walked back into the living room and Bambi said, “I apologize,” with such a lack of sincerity Daisy laughed.

  “That’s it? That’s the apology for scaring the hell out me, Rose, and my mother, not to mention Malcolm. And I should drop this, why?”

  “I guess for old time’s sake,” said Bill.

  “There were no old times, as far as I’m concerned. But if this gets you and your little playmate out of my hair, I’ll think about it.

  “But Bambi, believe me, if you come near us again I will let Malcolm loose. He’s a terror when he gets going.”

  Bambi opened her mouth to say something, but Bill grabbed her arm. “We’re going.”

  Daisy stood at the top of the stairs and said, “Bill, make sure she stays away from us.”

  “I will.” He looked into her eyes and said, “Thank you.”

  They left and Rose went down and locked the door. She came back into the living room and looked at Malcolm. “Okay, baby, you heard the lady. If you see that woman again, you have our permission to hump her senseless.”

  Daisy was pacing up and down the apartment, waving her arms and grinding her teeth.

  “A fat, frizzy-haired, tattooed bimbo! He left me for a fat, frizzy-haired, tattooed bimbo! She could be the fat lady in the circus! Or the tattooed lady! I can’t believe it. I really can’t.”

  She stopped to look in the mirror. “A skinny, blond twinkie, I could understand. But this is just a slap in the face. I’m much better looking than Bambi the Tattooed Bimbo. Aren’t I?”

  “Daisy, calm down. You know you are. That wouldn’t be saying much, though. Why are you getting so upset?” She stopped and looked at Daisy. “You don’t want him back, do you?”

  “Of course not. Our problems didn’t start with Miss Freak-show. They just ended there. But really, all those years of putting on make-up and exercising and eating right. No to mention the money I’ve spent on good hair cuts. Hells bells, I could have let myself go. Just have a giant gnat tattooed on my forehead. Maybe he’d have liked me better.”

  “Daisy, get a grip. Who knows why he would choose someone so unlike you? But he did, apparently. Maybe he’s a closet masochist. At any rate, something tells me their relationship isn’t going too last much longer. The good news is, I don’t think she’ll be sending any more funny, little messages.”

  Tom Willis came by at two to take Tonya to lunch. When they got back Daisy asked if she could speak to him. They went into the office where Rose was wrapping gifts.

  Rose asked, “Tom, do you know what’s going on with the investigation? Are they going to make an arrest?”

  “Well, the state guys found Ted Williamson’s hideaway. He kept his stuff in a shack near the old train tracks. Apparently all of the things that were stolen from the shops were hidden there, plus some stuff that wasn’t reported. Books, mostly.

  “I don’t know what else they found, but I did hear that they’re trying to convince the prosecutor to issue an arrest warrant for Marc Proctor. Rumor has it that they found something solid to connect him to Williamson.”

  “You don’t know what?”

  “No. You could ask Detective Greene. He seems to be the one who’s really hot to arrest Marc.”

  “Is he? That rat! I’d prefer not to speak to him again in my lifetime. I just hope you’re wrong about the warrant.”

  Lots of the shop owners stopped by Champagne Taste during the afternoon to talk about details for the Christmas Days week-end. When Hazel and Mary came by Daisy invited them upstairs for tea, “We can only take a few minutes, but we need a little break.”

  “Mother’s doing our baking. I don’t know when we’d have time and it’s always nice to have something homemade,” said Rose.

  Hazel replied, “It must be nice having people helping you all the time. I had to scramble to get extra help for the week-end.”

  “Well, I’m glad you found someone. Mary, how about you?”

  “I’m fixed all right. My daughter is coming in and one of her friends is going to help out at Marc’s shop.”

  Hazel hesitated, then said, “I hope his shop is open on Saturday. I believe the police think he had something to do with that vagrant’s murder.”

  “Why do you say that?” asked Daisy.

  “Well, I saw your ex-husband take him in for questioning the other day. That must mean something. I guess we’ll see what happens.”

  After they left Daisy said, “I’m running over to Marc’s for a couple of minutes. I think he should know what’s going on.”

  “What did Marc say?” asked Rose that evening as they were eating Szechwan Chicken from the Golden Pagoda.

  “He thanked me and said he’s already gotten in touch with his lawyer. Just in case.

  “Rose, he seemed as calm as ever, but I think he’s really rattled. He gave me spare keys to his shop and the info about the alarm system. He said he’s not worried. But I should be able to get into the shop, just in case!
Well, he may not be worried, but I am.”

  “So am I. And about more than Marc. What the heck is going on around here? Too much weird stuff. Maybe we do need to figure this out ourselves. I mean, if Bill is so certain that Marc is the killer, he’s not going to look any further. And I really don’t think that Marc did it,” said Rose.

  Rose got a sheet of paper and said, “Okay, let’s make a list. I’ll write down everything that happened in order. It started with those silly, well they seem silly now, break-ins.

  “Silly until Roscoe was almost killed. That was kind of when they upped the ante,” said Daisy.

  “You’re right. Things got much worse from then on. Ted Williamson was killed. After that, Bill tells me about this Marcus Worthington and his royal diamond. I think he was already trying to tie Marc to the murder.”

  She shook her head. “But what does this diamond have to do with the price of peas in China?”

  “Tea.”

  “Hmm?”

  “In China.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “No, you said peas. You’re turning into Mother,” said Daisy.

  “Well, it’s inevitable, isn’t it?” She looked at her list. “Next we find out that Ted Williamson was the one breaking in all over the place. What does that tell us?”

  “That there are at least, or were, two people committing crimes in Old Towne! Are we sure that Ted was the burglar?”

  “Well, they found all the little things that were stolen in his shack.”

  “They could have been planted by the killer,” said Daisy.

  “Why?” asked Rose.

  “I don’t know. To point the police in the wrong direction?”

  “That seems a real stretch to me. I’ll put an asterisk by that one.”

  “Next those nasty letters started coming and you were attacked. Now we know that Bambi the Bimbo sent the letters, but didn’t attack you.”

  Daisy said, “Don’t forget that Malcolm was attacked, too. And the gate managed to open itself. Do you think someone was actually after Malcolm? Lured him out of the yard and tried to kill him?”

  “Why would anyone do that?” asked Rose.