Thirty and a Half Excuses

by Denise Grover Swank

  Thankfully, the kids went to sleep pretty easily after getting worn out by the rowdy boys next door. When I went to bed, I checked my phone, grateful that Joe had sent me a text.

  I miss you. XO

  I tossed and turned and spent half the night trying to get everything out of my head. When I woke up the next morning, both kids were laying across the bed, waiting for me to wake up. We snuggled for several minutes, and I let my mind wander to the thought of starting a family with Joe. Now that I knew we were on the same page about kids, I wondered what it would be like to lie in bed with Joe and our own children.

  Mikey burrowed his head into the space between my arm and chest, and I leaned over to take a whiff of his hair. He’d outgrown that sweet baby smell, and had begun to smell more like a little boy, but this morning, a hint of the baby scent lingered. I wondered how Violet could give up this moment with them, how she could pick Brody over her own children, but I knew that wasn’t fair. She’d had years with Ashley and plenty of mornings with Mikey. Besides, I’d been around enough to know it wasn’t all peaches and cream at the Beauregard house most mornings. I only hoped that Violet would have a few dates, get it out of her system and try to get back with Mike. I suspected I was wishing for the moon.

  After I made the kids pancakes for breakfast, I loaded everyone into the truck, Muffy included. I hated leaving her so much that I decided to try taking her with me to the shop. If nothing else, she’d entertain the kids until Mike showed up. And I could put her in the back room if need be. Besides, I missed my little dog. In the event that Violet didn’t approve, I’d pull my fifty percent ownership card out. Of course, the fact that I’d put up most of the financial backing gave me a higher percentage of ownership, but I’d never throw that in her face. Still, if it came down to it, I’d stand my ground. Muffy was coming to work with me from here on out.

  Violet was already at the nursery when we got there. She gave the truck a dirty look, but her face broke into a smile when she caught sight of the kids. They squealed with excitement when they saw her.

  “Mommy! I missed you!”

  “Momma,” Mikey said, stretching for Violet.

  I quickly unfastened his car seat straps while Ashley unbuckled herself and leapt out of the truck and into her mother’s arms. Mikey reached for Violet as soon as I lifted him from the seat. Muffy looked on from the front seat, her tail wagging.

  “We brought Muffy to work!” Ashley said.

  “I can see that.” Violet’s gaze had moved to Muffy, and thankfully she smiled.

  My shoulders relaxed, and I was surprised by how worried I’d been about her reaction. “They had pancakes and chocolate milk for breakfast.”

  “You had food in the house?” Violet teased.

  Grinning, I shrugged. “Joe was home on Tuesday night. “

  Her eyebrows rose, and I was grateful my old sister was back, even if only for a while. “Well, thank God for that man or you’d starve.”

  “Mommy, I got to talk to Joe on the phone,” Ashley said. “He was really surprised Aunt Rose got a truck.”

  “I bet he was,” Violet snorted.

  I expected her to say more, but she took the kids inside, asking more about their night at my house.

  After I uncovered the flowers on the sidewalk, I started watering the flats. I was still at it when Neely Kate’s car pulled up. I offered her a bright smile as she walked over to me.

  She stopped a few feet away. “I wasn’t sure you would want me here after I told Mason your secret yesterday.”

  Violet emerged from the shop and sidled next to Neely Kate, grinning slyly. “What secret?”

  “I told Mason about my visions,” I said.

  Violet’s smile fell. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

  Neely Kate put a hand on her hip. “He’s her friend, Violet. She should have told him months ago. Why keep it a secret?”

  Violet glared. “To save her from ridicule, of course. Do you have any idea the torment our poor girl went through in school? Kids didn’t even know her secret, and they still teased her mercilessly.”

  Neely Kate tilted her head, a determined look on her face. “And maybe they wouldn’t have been so mean if they’d known the truth.”

  “Rose isn’t like you, Neely Kate.” Violet smiled and batted her eyelashes, her voice syrupy sweet. “She doesn’t like bein’ the center of attention. I know you find this hard to believe, but not everyone wants to have some supernatural talent. They want to be normal. What is it for you this week? Tarot cards? Voodoo dolls?”

  I gasped at Violet’s rude behavior.

  Neely Kate clenched her fists and stood her ground. “Maybe she’d know if she wanted to be the center of attention if you didn’t always try to steal it from her.”

  Once again I wondered why I was constantly on the sidelines watching other people battle for me.

  “Enough.” I stepped between them. “Neely Kate is right. There’s no reason to keep such an important part of me from people I trust. Secrets cause more harm than good. You of all people know that, Violet.”

  Fear filled Violet’s eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  So she was keeping something from me. I quickly recovered. “You know,” I said. “Like Momma keeping the information about my birth mother from us. And Daddy leaving her for Dora. We didn’t know any of that until after she died and look how upset we both were when Aunt Bessie told us the truth.”

  Violet took a deep breath, relief flooding her face. “Of course that’s what you meant.”

  I wanted to ask Violet what her other secret was, but I stopped myself. She’d never tell me in front of Neely Kate, and it wasn’t fair to ask.

  Violet lifted her chin, her smug demeanor returning. “You do what you think is best, Rose. Over the last few months you haven’t listened to a word I’ve said anyway. I might as well be talking to a brick wall.” She turned around to go inside.

  “Violet,” I called after her, but she ignored me, watering the plants inside.

  “Let her go sulk,” Neely Kate said with a scowl. “I don’t know what her problem is lately.”

  “She means well.” Funny how defending Violet had become a habit, even when I doubted my own words.

  Neely Kate helped me water the flats. “I thought you said you were going to be at the church this morning.”

  “I planned to…” My voice trailed off as I tried to figure out what to tell her.

  “What happened?”

  “What didn’t happen?” I looked through the window to see if Violet was within hearing distance, but she was occupied with the kids.

  Neely Kate saw what I was doing. “She’s busy. Spill it.”

  I lowered my head closer to hers. “I told Mason about the quit claim deed, and he ordered an autopsy on Miss Dorothy, but there’s so much more.”

  Excitement lit up Neely Kate’s eyes. “Like what?”

  “I didn’t tell you about Thomas, the teen who likes to rev up his car and drive like a maniac down our street.”

  “He’s involved?”

  “After Miss Mildred confronted Christy on the front porch, Thomas told me it was too bad that Miss Mildred hadn’t been killed too. Killed as in murdered.”

  “Why would he say that?” Neely Kate whispered.

  “I don’t know, but then I had a vision, and he was with some mean-looking guy. Thomas told the guy he had a problem, and the mean guy told him he was going to give him a problem.”

  “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “But wait, there’s more.” A car pulled into the parking lot, and a young couple climbed out, three kids in tow. We didn’t officially open for ten more minutes, but I wasn’t about to turn a customer away. They started browsing, and I kept my eye on them as I talked. “I was walking around the church grounds with Bruce Wayne yesterday afternoon, and Thomas showed up. I guess he works for Jonah Pruitt.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope. And not only that, but
he told me that Daniel Crocker has some supporters who are upset with me for getting him incarcerated, and they’re out to get me.”

  Neely Kate’s face puckered. “Do you think that’s true?”

  “I don’t know. I’d have heard about it sooner, don’t you think?”

  “You should tell Mason.”

  “I’d rather tell Joe, but who knows when I’ll see him again, and he’s upset with me for getting a truck with Mason.”

  “Oh.” She grabbed a hose to water the flowers. “I can see how that could happen.”

  “Everything’s such a mess, Neely Kate. Joe told me he was going to tell me his deep dark secret the next time we see each other.”

  “Well, that’s good, right? Just like you told Violet, secrets only lead to trouble.”

  I leaned my hip against the table. “But I’m scared to hear it. Joe’s worried I’ll leave him over it.”

  “We both know Joe. What on earth could he have done that’s so bad?”

  I chewed on my lower lip. “I don’t know; that’s what scares me. Both he and Mason insinuate it’s really bad. And to make it worse, I think it has to do with Mason’s deep dark secret too.”

  “Even more reason to get it all out it the open.” She started spraying the flowers. “But none of that explains why you’re here and not at the church. Unless you’re scared Thomas will be there?”

  I took a deep breath. “Did you know there are rumors going around town that I have lots of money?”

  Neely Kate squirmed. “Well…”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “What good would it have done?”

  “I had a right to know.”

  She looked me square in the eye. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  “Whenever I go over to the church, Jonah Pruitt pops out of the woodwork and starts hanging around me, asking questions and getting personal.”

  She snickered. “You’ve gone from no men in your life to half a dozen.”

  “Neely Kate, I’m pretty certain Jonah Pruitt heard the rumors.”

  Her brow wrinkled in confusion before her eyes widened. “Oh. You need to tell Mason.”

  “He’s the one who put that part together. After I told him about Miss Dorothy’s will and he ordered the autopsy.”

  “That’s a good thing! But if Jonah Pruitt had something to do with the deaths of those women, you’d better be careful.”

  “Jonah Pruitt might be opportunistic, but a murderer?” I shook my head. “People jumped to conclusions about me and Bruce Wayne without knowing all the facts. I’m not going to do that with Jonah.”

  “You never know, he could just be interested in you.”

  “I don’t think so. I know I’m inexperienced—as Violet loves to point out—but I always feel like a mouse in a trap when he starts hanging around. He’s after something. Although his secretary sure hates me. She thinks I’m Jezebel reincarnated.”

  Neely Kate laughed. “As if.”

  Then customers started to roll in, and we got too busy to keep talking. I was helping a customer carry a potted flower arrangement to her car when Neely Kate caught my attention while she helped someone load a cart with flats of flowers.

  “Look who just walked up.”

  From her tone of voice, I was half afraid to look. The last person I expected be walking straight toward me was Miss Mildred.

  Crap.

  I forced a cheerful greeting, “Good morning, Miss Mildred.”

  “There ain’t nothin’ good about a morning when murderers and thieves are running around our neighborhood.”

  She had a point.

  “Is there something I can help you with Miss Mildred? Do you want me to get Violet?”

  “No. I came to see you.”

  I took an actual step backward in shock. “Me?”

  “I just said so, didn’t I?”

  “Well, yeah…”

  “I want to know what progress you’re making in solving Dorothy’s murder.”

  I blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “I know you’re looking into her murder. I want to know what you know.”

  I wasn’t sure what the police department was saying about her death now, but I sure didn’t want to get into this with Miss Mildred. Denying it seemed the best way to get rid of her. “We don’t know it was a murder.”

  She shook her head. “Poppycock. Of course it was a murder and I want to know what you’ve dug up.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not investigating her death.”

  “Why the Sam Hill not?”

  “What?”

  “You’ve solved two murders this summer, and you can’t be bothered with the murder of your neighbor?”

  I held up my hands. “Wait! No. It’s not like that. I just fell into those other two cases. The police will take care of this one.”

  Mildred’s face scrunched in disgust. “You really think the Henryetta Police Department can find evidence laying right in front of their noses?”

  “Well… no…”

  “I know you’ve been snoopin’ around. I’ve seen ya, and I hear things. I heard you got the new DA to get an autopsy, and as much as I hate the thought of them cutting up that poor woman, maybe they’ll finally find out for sure what killed her. I also know you started working for that high falutin’ TV minister just about the time Miss Dorothy died, so don’t you tell me you ain’t investigating.”

  “Well…”

  “What are you gonna do about it?”

  I leaned closer and lowered my voice. “Miss Mildred, with all due respect, I’m flattered that you think I can find out who killed Miss Dorothy and Miss Laura, but my boyfriend will kill me if I try.”

  Her face scrunched in disgust. “The guy you spend all your time fornicating with in the front yard? Maybe you two can take a break so you can find the killer.” She turned and walked away, and my mouth dropped open as I watched her get into her car and leave. She hadn’t even gone through with the pretense of buying something.

  “What just happened there?” Neely Kate asked.

  “I have no idea,” I muttered. “Miss Mildred thinks I should try to solve Miss Dorothy and Miss Laura’s murders.”

  “Well, are you going to?”

  I swung my gaze to her. “No. Of course not.”

  “Yes you are.”

  Irritated, I put my hands on my hips. “Why does everyone keep insisting that I am? Shoot, Joe almost broke up with me over my involvement with exonerating Bruce Wayne. I know when to leave well enough alone.”

  “Deny it all you like, but you and I both know you’re already involved.”

  I pursed my lips. “Whatever you think I’ve done has been accidental. I’m leaving this for the police.”

  “You’re really not going to try?” she asked, incredulous. “You do realize that you have something the police don’t have that can help you find her killer, right?”

  “Wits?”

  “No,” she laughed. “Your gift.”

  “My curse. And no, there are so many problems with that idea. For one thing, I have to be right next to a person to have a vision. And two, I have to concentrate if I want to have one. That won’t look suspicious at all. And three, you know what I see comes out of my mouth instantly. They’ll know I know. How dangerous is that? And who’s to say I’ll even see anything incriminating? Not to mention that the police can’t press charges based on what I see.”

  “But Mason knows about your visions. He might be able to use them.”

  “How? He can’t mention something like that in court. And you still didn’t address the fact that what I see is like Russian roulette. I can’t choose my visions.”

  “That’s because you need to practice more. You purposely had a vision with Joe and with me. How many other times have you done it on purpose?”

  I turned away and began to straighten up flats on the shelves. “None.”

  “Why not?”

  My eyes widened with frustration. “Because it’s a
horrible thing, Neely Kate. I fight it every day of my life. Purposely using it is crazy.”

  Neely Kate grabbed my arms and pulled me to the end of the aisle. “No, Rose, it’s not a horrible thing. God gave you this talent, and you should use it. When you used it with Joe, you saved his life. What if you hadn’t used it? He’d be dead right now.”

  My eyes filled with tears at the thought. This went against everything I’d believed to be true my entire life. Momma had literally beat it into me that my visions were evil. While part of me was beginning to think differently, it was a hard lesson to unlearn.

  “Your vision for me and my wedding was a beautiful thing. You said so yourself. You said it made you so happy. How can that be bad?”

  I shook my head, no retort springing to mind.

  “God gave you this for a reason. Rose.”

  “And what if Momma was right? What if it’s a demonic talent?”

  “You seriously don’t believe that, do you? You’re the sweetest person I know.”

  I glanced away. “I don’t know.”

  “Just think about it, okay? I hate to see you do this to yourself. Violet is wrong. Hiding yourself from people close to you can’t be a good thing and you know it. You need to give people a chance. You’re just presuming the worst of ‘em.”

  I nodded. Deep down, I knew she was right. But knowing it and believing it were two different things.

  Chapter Fourteen

  A little after lunchtime, there was a lull in customers, so I snuck away to check on Bruce Wayne and David. I’d intended to visit before the nursery opened, but I hadn’t wanted to bring the kids. Muffy had done great around the shop, and she’d entertained several children while their parents shopped, but I decided to take her with me to the church.

  When I pulled up the guys were sitting in the shade, eating their lunch. Bruce Wayne started to stand, but I waved him back down. “Don’t get up. I’m just here to see how you’re getting on.”