Hidden Secrets

by Madison Johns

  Chapter 6

  Eleanor and I hugged each of our friends as they arrived. Elsie and Marjory wouldn’t let Eleanor or me go as we group hugged.

  Both Elsie’s beau Jack and Marjory’s husband Bill came with her and helped pull Marjory and Elsie back before they smothered us.

  Rosa Lee and her boys, Curt and Curtis, arrived with their game faces on. I knew in a pinch that Curt and Curtis would take Angelo out if we asked, though I never believed them capable of murder.

  “Do you have any idea what happened?” Andrew asked when he walked into the lobby with Mr. Wilson.

  “All we know for certain is that Bernice was on the floor when we arrived at her house,” I said. “And Bernice’s children were arguing with her. We heard arguing before we even walked in the door. They were trying to come up with a believable story about Bernice’s condition, if you ask me.”

  “They didn’t need to accuse her of murdering their father,” Eleanor said.

  “What?” Elsie gasped. “What didn’t you tell us?”

  “We found Bernice’s ex-husband’s body.”

  “He’d been dead for two weeks,” Eleanor added.

  “How horrible for Bernice,” Elsie said. “I really hoped they would get back together.”

  “Not according to Bernice.”

  “Is it possible whoever killed Wilber might have tried to murder Bernice?” Marjory asked.

  “Only if it’s her children.”

  “Are you certain what happened to Bernice had something to do with her children?” Andrew asked.

  “Eleanor and I think her condition has everything to do with them. Who would come to Bernice’s to try to off her? She keeps a shotgun close at all times.”

  “Always liked Bernice,” Curt said with a nod.

  “Bernice doesn’t know who murdered Wilber, and we’ve been working the case. We don’t have much to go on.” I didn’t want to go in-depth about what we still planned to look into. Right now we had to focus on Bernice. I hated to think that she might die.

  I glanced up as my granddaughter Sophia walked over to us dressed in her nurse’s garb. “Dr. Thomas told me to bring you into a conference room. It will be more comfortable, and I’ve ordered a beverage and snack cart.”

  “Can you tell us anything?” I asked Sophia.

  She sadly shook her head as we followed her into the room off the emergency department. The room had a large oval table with comfy chairs. Leather couches line two walls, and a cart contained pitchers of water, coffee and tea. Eleanor poured the coffee and I passed the basket of wrapped crackers and cookies around.

  Andrew enfolded me into his arms and I sniffled as the tears slipped to the shoulder of his shirt. “I won’t be able to deal with it if Bernice isn’t okay. I blame myself for not getting there earlier.”

  Andrew pulled me an arm’s distance away. “It’s not your fault. You were trying to help her.”

  “We should have demanded she spend the night.”

  “We offered, but it was her decision to leave. She wanted to get back to her cats.”

  “That’s just like Bernice to think about those cats of hers,” Elsie said. “We don’t call her Cat Lady for nothing.”

  “That name sure spread like a wildfire,” Eleanor said, “but it never bothered her.”

  “Has she always lived like that?” Andrew asked. “Didn’t she have her other house remodeled because someone wanted to use her property.”

  “Yes, but she told us she was more comfortable living much simpler,” Eleanor said.

  “It wasn’t long ago she was dressing better than me,” Elsie exclaimed with a smile.

  “And did you ever get angry,” Marjory reminisced.

  “Not for long,” Rosa Lee said. “Bernice told me it just wasn’t for her.”

  “She told us the same,” I said. “Wearing men’s clothing fits her much better.”

  “I can’t help but wonder if she changed because Wilber was coming around,” Eleanor said sadly. “Us women will do anything when it comes to a man.”

  “You’ve never changed anything,” Mr. Wilson said with a glint in his eye.

  “Not true,” I said. “Eleanor might not have changed where she lives or the clothing she wears, but she doesn’t get into fistfights anymore.”

  Eleanor nodded. “I don’t chase after men either.”

  “In your dreams, Eleanor,” I said.

  “You know, Bernice used to make moonshine,” Curtis said.

  “Don’t remind me,” I gasped. “She almost killed me.”

  “She used to make good moonshine,” Rosa Lee said. “I’ve been friends with her longer than anyone. I suppose folks think we’re both a little odd.” She shrugged.

  “Unique is the word I’d use,” I said. “If all of us were the same, what fun would that be? I’m glad that you don’t grow pot anymore, though.”

  “I wish I had some now,” Jack said dryly from where he was sitting. “What? I have a medical card.”

  “I don’t know why. You don’t smoke it,” Elsie said. “At least you’d better not.”

  “Like I can get anything past you, dear.”

  I smiled as I filled a glass with ice water and sat down at the table. It was nice to remember all the crazy things we’ve done and our memories about Bernice.

  We jumped up when Sophia popped into the room. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I was checking to see how everyone was doing.”

  “Don’t you have any news?” I pleaded with her.

  “All I can tell you off the record,” Sophia whispered, “is that Bernice is having an MRI.”

  Andrew had to glide me to a chair. “Why would she need a MRI?” I asked.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you anything else. Dr. Thomas will be here just as soon as he has something to share,” Sophia said as she slipped back out the door.

  “You’d think your granddaughter would tell us something of use,” Elsie grumbled.

  “Don’t blame Sophia,” Rosa Lee said. “She’s a nurse first. And there are laws that prevent her from blabbing – unlike some people I could mention.”

  “I didn’t blab about anything,” Eleanor whined.

  “I wasn’t talking about you, Eleanor.”

  “Let’s all calm down. There’s no sense in getting testy with each other. We’re here for Bernice.”

  “I wonder if she knows we’re here?” Marjory asked no one in particular.

  “She will soon. And she’ll tell us to go home,” I said. Bernice isn’t the sort of person who’d want anyone fussing over her, but it was about time she knew how much we all love her.

  Andrew turned on the television in the corner of the room and flipped it to the Hallmark Channel. We settled down to watch I Love Lucy. We needed the diversion and the humor as we wiled away the hours.

  I thumped my head on the table when the door opened and Dr. Thomas closed it behind him. His eyes were red-rimmed and bags found their way onto his handsome face.

  He eased down at the table with a folder in front of him.

  “I’m sorry it’s taken so long, but I was waiting for the test results. Bernice had a TIA, what we call a mini-stroke.”

  We gasped. “Is she going to be okay?” I asked.

  “We’ve moved her to a private room. Bernice is resting now, but I’ll allow you up.”

  “Did she wake up after coming here?”

  “Yes, but we’ve given her something to relax her for the MRI. I wouldn’t expect her to stay awake more than a few minutes at a time.”

  “She just found out her ex-husband was murdered,” I said.

  “That might explain her unwillingness to answer my questions. I think she needs to know you’re here for her. It might help comfort her.”

  “When will she be released?” Elsie asked.

  “It won’t be soon. We’ll perform more tests to find out what might have caused the stroke.”

  “She argued with her children today,” I said.

  “Th
at wouldn’t cause a stroke. She might have a clot or blockage somewhere. That’s my main concern right now.”

  “Thank you Dr. Thomas,” I said.

  We went to the third floor and entered Bernice’s room. An intravenous drip was running into one arm, and blood pressure cuff was attached to her other. An oxygen tube was tucked under her nose.

  A nurse entered and motioned us into the hallway.

  “Why is Bernice on oxygen?” I asked.

  “We want to make sure she doesn’t have any breathing problems through the night.”

  “Is it okay if we’re here?”

  “She really needs her rest, but Dr. Thomas told me to expect you all. It’s not very comfortable and we don’t have many chairs. Families normally have two people stay here at a time. You could relieve one another. Bernice should be awake sometime in the morning.”

  “Eleanor and I will stay,” I volunteered.

  “Call me if anything changes or when Bernice wakes up in the morning,” Rosa Lee said. “I’ll call everyone after you contact me, Agnes.”

  Andrew squeezed my shoulder. “Are you sure you want to stay?”

  “Yes. It’s really important to me. We’ll get back to investigating once I know Bernice will be okay.”

  Eleanor and I held hands as we stood at Bernice’s bedside. Bernice had some color to her face now, and I pressed my hand against my mouth to stifle the chuckle at her snoring.

  We tip-toed to recliner chairs, unlocked the wheels and moved them closer to the bed. I jumped at the loud clicking sound when I pressed my foot to lock the wheels. It sounded like a shotgun blast in this quiet room. The nurse brought us blankets and showed us how to recline the chairs.

  I sighed and closed my eyes to the sound of the occasional inflation of Bernice’s blood pressure cuff. The events of the day made it very easy to fall asleep.

  Loud snoring woke me early the next morning. The racket came from Eleanor, whose arms were off the chair, the blanket piled between her legs.

  “I don’t know how you can sleep with the way she snores,” Bernice said.

  I yawned and pushed my chair closer to her bed. I moved to hold her hand, but she slid it away. I should have known that Bernice wasn’t the sort who would want anyone holding her hand. Not everyone is touchy feely, not even me most times.

  “I’m glad to see you awake,” I said. “I was so worried when I saw you sprawled out on your floor,” I sniffled, dabbing at unshed tears.

  “When was that?”

  “Yesterday.”

  “Dr. Thomas told me I had a stroke, but I’m feeling too fine for that.”

  “An MRI confirmed it.”

  “Oh, he told me that too, but I’m not the sort to lie around all day in a hospital bed.”

  “But if the doctor recommends —.”

  “Poppycock! I’m leaving today.”

  “He’s still trying to figure out why you had the stroke.”

  “My children had my blood pressure on the rise.” She frowned as she shook her head. “To accuse me of murdering their father. I know Sheriff Peterson might consider me a suspect, but my own children.”

  “So you remember what happened yesterday?”

  “Arguing with my children is the last thing I remember.”

  “Well, at least none of your brain cells are damaged.”

  “You say the sweetest things, Agnes.”

  “Angelo was the only one of your children who had anything to say.”

  “Including denying he was the cause of your unconsciousness,” Eleanor said from her chair as she tried to untangle the blankets.

  “We heard him arguing when we walked up. Angelo claimed you were already out on the floor when they arrived.”

  “Don’t let Callie fool you. She had her say too,” Bernice said sternly.

  “At what point did you pass out?” Eleanor asked.

  “I don’t remember that or anything else after. I was out the whole night?”

  “Dr. Thomas gave you something to relax you. You must have remembered having those tests.”

  “It’s a complete blank.”

  “You really need to rest until Dr. Thomas releases you,” I said. “We’ll be more effective investigators if we don’t have to worry about you.”

  “Bill took Callie and Angelo to the sheriff’s department for questioning,” Eleanor said.

  “That’s something.” Bernice yawned. “I’m more tired than I thought. I’ll stay here until the doctor releases me, but you have to promise to look after my cats. The cat food is locked up in the barn.”

  “Don’t worry about your cats, we’ll take care of them,” Eleanor said. “And we’ll have to call Rosa Lee so she can let our friends know you woke up.”

  “Who did you call?”

  “We were waiting for an update with Elsie, Marjory, Jack, Bill, Andrew and Mr. Wilson in the lobby of the emergency department.”

  “Don’t forget Rosa Lee and her boys,” Eleanor added.

  “Why did you bother them?”

  “Because they’re your friends, all of our friends and they care about you.”

  “Even Agnes and I put the investigation on hold,” Eleanor said.

  “You shouldn’t have done that. We need to find out who murdered Wilber. Did you ask Rosa Lee about her boarder?”

  “Not yet. Yesterday we needed to be here for you. We’re still committed to investigating. We’ll pick up where we left off today.”

  “You do that. And keep Angelo and Callie away from me or the next time I won’t be the one hitting the floor,” Bernice threatened.

  “Nothing would make me happier,” I said. “I hope I won’t have to use my secret weapon.”

  Eleanor put her fists up. “I’m ready to go when you say the word, Agnes.”

  It felt good to hear Bernice laugh, especially after last night when we thought we might lose her.

  Chapter 7

  Eleanor and I strutted into the sheriff’s department ready to make certain Angelo and Callie were still in custody. I didn’t know what I’d do if they had been turned loose.

  We knocked on Peterson’s office door. He motioned us inside as he finished a phone call.

  “How is Bernice?” Peterson asked, placing the receiver back in its cradle.

  “Dr. Thomas said it was a mini-stroke. I think it was brought on by Bernice’s children accusing her of murdering their father,” I said.

  “Strokes are caused by a blockage or clot of some sort.”

  “Her children yelling at her didn’t help.”

  “I hope they’re behind bars,” Eleanor said.

  “They’ve been questioned, but I’m about ready to release them.”

  “After what they did to Bernice?”

  “It’s not a crime to argue with someone or accuse them of murder. If it was, you two would have been locked up a long time ago.”

  “Getting back to Wilber’s murder, remember Angelo and Callie admitted to being in town two weeks ago,” I said.

  “I remember you telling me that. I’ll be looking into their movements during that time frame. I honestly doubt they murdered their father.”

  “Children do more often these days.”

  “What would their motive be?”

  I frowned. Okay so he had a point. “We don’t know yet, but we’ll certainly find out if they would profit financially from his death.”

  “They both have good jobs in Troy,” Peterson countered.

  “What if they planned to frame Bernice? It’s no secret they didn’t wish to be involved in her life.”

  “That’s a stretch, but I’ll keep that under consideration.”

  “Bernice expressed that she doesn’t want her children near her.”

  “And Dr. Thomas plans to keep her in the hospital,” Eleanor added.

  “I’ll make certain they stay clear of Bernice,” Peterson said.

  “Will you be making them stay in town for the duration of the investigation?” I asked.

&n
bsp; “I can’t hold them much longer without charging them.”

  “Their father just died. Wouldn’t they stick around to plan the funeral?”

  “And they’ll have to handle their father’s estate, providing he had a will,” Eleanor added.

  “I don’t have a reason right now to keep them in Iosco County. But there are other ways to keep tabs on them.”

  “Did they have anything to say about Wilber’s death other than that they think Bernice is the killer?”

  “They don’t think her capable of murder now, not after the way she passed out. Angelo realizes how fragile his mother is now. But personally I consider Bernice far from fragile.”

  Eleanor puffed up her chest. “But last night… .”

  “Let them think she’s fragile if it means they’ll leave her alone,” I interjected. “What did Angelo have to say about lying about Bernice’s condition before he arrived? He said she was already laid out on the floor. Bernice remembers arguing with him before she passed out.”

  “I’m aware of that, but people get confused about events.”

  “Bernice was the only one harmed.”

  “Why are you defending Angelo, Peterson?” Eleanor asked, pushing her fists into the arms of her chair.

  “I’m not, but I’m not at the point where I can single out a suspect. We don’t know whose blood is on Wilber’s floor or if we have another victim.” Peterson leaned forward. “Do you really believe Angelo and Callie are responsible for their own father’s death?”

  “You have a point, but I hope you won’t turn Bernice children loose yet. You’ll be a fool if you do.”

  I walked to the door and Eleanor called to me to slow down, which I didn’t do until I was at the car. “I expected more of Peterson,” I said as I merged onto U.S. 23.

  “He’s just doing his job. It has no reflection on ours. Weren’t you supposed to call Rosa Lee and give her an update about Bernice’s condition?”

  “We’re going there now. I hope Faith Fleur is there.”

  That satisfied Eleanor. She gripped her purse and took to staring out the window. I struggled to roll down the window as it was hot as blazes in the station wagon. Air conditioning wasn’t a standard option for cars in the seventies.