by Rose Pressey
This was the kind of day that demanded chocolate. And not the baking kind either. I needed a candy bar or brownie now. I could justify eating it too because it had been a day from hell and the walk to Honeysuckle Supermarket would burn the extra calories. After grabbing keys and cash from my purse I locked the door and headed toward the supermarket. It was only a few streets away. The summer sun shone brightly, blazing down its heat, making me pick up the pace so that I wouldn’t have a heat stroke. Claire Ann still worked at the store and had probably just started the evening shift.
The supermarket came into sight and I could almost taste the Snickers. Or maybe I’d get a Milky Way or a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Too many decisions in the candy department.
I sensed someone walking close behind me so I glanced over my shoulder. Dread filled every vein in my body when I saw who was behind me. Ross’ mother was staring right at me. I knew this wasn’t a coincidence. Her personality was as pleasant and calm as a tornado. She’d never liked me and the feeling was mutual. I was no longer married to her son so I didn’t have to be nice.
She wore her blonde hair tied back in a French twist. Her outfit was a black tank top with sequins and a white pair of Capri pants with black sandals. The woman’s demeanor was always unpleasant but she knew how to dress.
“Raelynn, I want to speak with you.”
I blew out a deep breath and then stopped. “What do you want, Doreen?”
She marched around and stopped right in front of me. “Look what you’ve done to my son now. You’d better make this right. He told me what you did. I always knew you were a bad seed.”
I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. This woman was blind to her son’s slimy ways. “I had nothing to do with what happened to Mr. Lexington. As for your son, I don’t know what he did. And I really don’t care.”
She glared at me. “You are an evil woman. I’m sure they will soon find out that you did this to that poor man.”
“I don’t appreciate your slanderous accusations,” I said.
“I knew he should have never gotten involved with you,” she repeated.
A crowd had gathered around us and were watching. Didn’t these people have anything better to do? This was the last thing I needed though after what had just happened. It was as if trouble followed me. It looked as if I would have to add ice cream to that candy to make this day better.
“Doreen, I have to ask you to leave me alone.” I stepped around her.
Apparently she wasn’t finished with this conversation though because she followed along behind me.
“This is not the last you’ll see of me,” she said.
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.” I focused my attention on the store ahead of me.
Doreen stomped off muttering under her breath. I was sure she’d called me a few unflattering names. That wasn’t a first for her though so I was used to it. I’d been referred to as the woman who stole her son and a she-devil. At least I’d gotten rid of her for now. She’d be back like a bad rash.
Mitchell Green leaned against the brick building as I approached. He wore a plaid button-up shirt and dirty jeans. The buttons on his shirt were fastened into the wrong holes so the front of his shirt hung lopsided. He had wisps of thinning gray hair on top of his head.
“Good afternoon, Mitchell. How are you?”
He looked over in my direction, acting as if he didn’t know where the question had come from. His eyes looked surprisingly bright today and I hoped he hadn’t finished off a bottle of Jim Beam. I said eyes, but technically it was just one eye because the other was glass. It looked like the real thing though and I wouldn’t have known he had a fake eye if not for the fact that he’d lost it in the supermarket one day. Claire Ann had found it rolling around like a marble in the cereal aisle. Thank goodness no one had tripped on it.
“Raelynn Pendleton, you get better-looking each time I see you.”
Mitchell Green had always been a flirt.
“Thank you, Mitchell.”
I could always count on Mitchell being nice to me. Why weren’t more people like Mitchell? Well, minus the drinking too much thing. That wasn’t good for him. But he’d been doing better recently.
Mitchell waved his finger. “You know, I never liked that Ross Perkins. Everyone else in town thinks he is great, but I can see right through him. His mama too.”
“You’re a smart man, Mitchell.”
“Just been around for a long time, that’s all.” He waved over his shoulder as he walked toward the church parking lot. Now on to that chocolate for me.
Chapter Six
The cold air felt good against my hot skin when I stepped into the store. It was like stepping back in time at the Honeysuckle Supermarket. I was pretty sure the old linoleum floor was original to the 1930s building. Some of the same food was probably on the shelves too. Claire Ann was behind the register helping a customer, but she smiled when she saw me. The area to the left was reserved for all the old-timers in town who gathered for coffee and gossip in the mornings. They left around two though, so the store was quiet. I decided to pick out my sweet therapy of choice while I waited for Claire Ann to finish with the customer.
I didn’t wait to pay for the candy before I peeled off the wrapper and took a bite. This was an emergency. When the woman picked up her bags of groceries and walked away, I placed the cash for my candy bars on the counter.
Claire Ann peered down at the bills. “What happened?”
I chewed the chocolate and then said, “Ross is implicating me in the murder of Luke Lexington.”
Her face turned red. “I’ll kill him. Where can I find him?”
I took another bite. “He’s still in jail. I talked with Kent—of course he doesn’t believe Ross, but you know everyone in town will. Ross’ mother just confronted me outside the store.”
“I never liked that woman.” Claire Ann placed the money in the register. “You seem kind of calm about all of this.”
“I’m self-medicating with chocolate while I figure out what to do. There’s not much I can do other than let the police do their work. Kent will find out who did this.”
Claire Ann tapped her fingers against the counter. “I just hope it doesn’t take too long.”
I finished my candy and tossed the wrapper into the trash can behind the counter.
Claire Ann sat on the stool behind the counter. “I hate to bring this up right now, but are you almost finished with that article for the paper?”
“Sure, I’m on top of it.” I stuffed the other candy bar in my pocket as a backup. “Call me later, okay?”
Claire Ann leaned over the counter and I gave her a hug. “Take care.” She couldn’t hide the worry on her face.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,” I said over my shoulder as I reached the door.
I’d told Claire Ann that I had everything under control, but in reality I hadn’t even started the article yet. The fact that I lied to her was getting to me, but I couldn’t have her panic right now. I’d go home and get to work on the project right away. She wouldn’t even know how close I’d cut it.
First I needed to decide on a subject for the article. Sometimes my favorite little boutique threw out some of the broken items they no longer wanted. It would be worth a try if I went by their Dumpster and took a little peek. The woman who worked there had gotten used to seeing me climbing in their trash. Now if I could only get them to call me before they actually put the stuff in the garbage.
Instead of turning to my left for home, I headed in the opposite direction toward Coco’s. As I walked down the sidewalk the thought hit me that I would be near the scene of the crime again. I hated to think about what had happened, but I couldn’t avoid the area for long.
Having a deadline would certainly take my mind off my current problem. Okay, maybe it wouldn’t, but it would be a distraction. That was the thing I needed most.
It was probably my imagination, but it felt as if people were already look
ing at me strangely. Had word spread already? How could Ross get the rumor out there from jail? Then it hit me—it wasn’t Ross. His mother had probably gone from store to store or even home to home telling anyone who would listen.
Unfortunately, I had to walk by Luke’s office. It still had crime scene tape around the outside. Would people look at me strangely if they saw me hanging around the area? They already thought that I was an odd duck anyway, so I supposed I shouldn’t let it bother me. Hurrying down the sidewalk, I crossed to the other side of the street just so I wouldn’t have to walk directly in front of the crime scene. It was the long way around, but it made me feel better.
Crossing the street again, I arrived at Coco’s. The store was closed, but I didn’t need it to be open for a little Dumpster-shopping. One woman’s junk was another woman’s soon-to-be treasure.
Even though the store was closed and they knew I rummaged through their trash, I still felt awkward about doing it. That never stopped me though. I sucked it up and got to work. After all, Claire Ann was counting on me to write about a recent project.
I walked down the alley and to the back of the store. Other businesses shared the trash bin with Coco’s but they never had anything good.
Just a few doors down was the back entrance to Luke’s office. I would stay as far away as I could from that door. Climbing into the Dumpster could be tricky, but I’d gotten better at it the more I tried.
I lifted my foot onto the side of the Dumpster and heaved myself to the top. Of course it smelled in there and was completely gross. But with any luck, I’d find something good I could reach without having to climb all the way in. The good thing about Dumpsters like the one at Coco’s was there was minimal food or other things that would stink.
Right away something caught my attention. Glass reflected the light. I’d have to actually go inside to get a better look. It was something that had to be done, so I climbed over the top.
Items crunched under the weight of my body, so I had to be extra careful not to step on glass or some other sharp object. The piece I’d spotted was on the other side of the container, so I had to climb over all the trash to reach it. I hoped that this wasn’t all for nothing. I stumbled and then righted myself before finally reaching the thing. This was one heck of a treasure hunt.
I grabbed the item and pulled it from the pile. The large white picture frame was in perfect condition. I flipped it around to check out the back.
Why had they thrown it out? Was I missing something? I turned it over again. The glass was in perfect condition. It even still had the price tagged at forty-nine ninety-five. I almost felt guilty for taking the frame, thinking they had tossed it by mistake. The frame was big enough to make a large art piece for one of the walls in my dining room. I placed my prize to the side and looked for anything else I might have missed. Just as I was ready to give up, I spotted something small on the top of the pile.
A small piece of paper that looked as if it had drops of blood on it. I reached down and picked up the card. There was definitely blood on the card, which wasn’t a big deal until I flipped the card over and saw who it belonged to. The name on the front was Darcy Parish, Luke’s competition. What was this card doing in the Dumpster back here when her office was across the street? Considering there had just been a murder mere steps away, I figured I should hand the card over to Kent.
Of course I hated to tell him that I was in the Dumpster when I found it, but I figured he had an idea of my extracurricular activity anyway. After all, this was my hobby, just like going to yard sales and thrift shops. My only regret right now was that I’d touched the card. I didn’t know if the blood was from Luke, but nevertheless, I didn’t want my fingerprints on the thing.
I grabbed the frame and tucked it under my arm. Getting out of the container with the frame and not breaking it would be tricky.
Plus, I had the card that I didn’t want to lose. Since the blood had dried, I stuffed it into my pocket, then stumbled my way across the container. As I reached for the top, everything went dark and the slam of the lid rang out.
I couldn’t lie and say that I didn’t panic just a little. I was enclosed in this Dumpster. What if I couldn’t get out and the truck came to pick up the trash? I’d be squished along with the bags.
I pushed on the top, but it wasn’t budging. Panic had definitely set in and my heart raced. I set the frame down and used both of my hands to shove the lid. After several small pushes, and then a giant one, it finally opened. I had to use all my strength to get the lid back so that I could escape. How had the top closed on me? It had been completely open when I had climbed in. Whatever the reason, I just wanted to get out of there before it happened again. I wouldn’t leave my treasure behind though, so I stuffed it under my arm again. I’d have to be more careful next time. Yes, there still would be a next time.
I reached over the container and managed to set the frame on the ground without breaking it. I would have been heartbroken if I’d lost my great find. Next it was time for me to climb out of there. I shoved one leg over and then the other and jumped down. Luckily, the Dumpster was small and not too difficult to escape. I scanned my surroundings for what might have caused the lid to fall. It wasn’t windy and when I checked the lid it was extra hard to move. If I didn’t know better, I’d say someone closed it on purpose.
Who would do such a thing? I grabbed my frame and headed down the alley toward the storefront. When I reached the sidewalk, I placed the frame down and pulled out my cell phone. Kent answered on the second ring.
“I’ll be there in two minutes,” he said.
The station was just around the corner, so I knew when he said two minutes, it really would be two minutes. I spent that two minutes trying to figure out if someone had closed the lid on me and studying the bloody card. I figured I’d already touched it once, what was a few more times?
Kent pulled his cruiser up to the curb and hopped out. The look of concern was evident on his face. “What happened?”
I wouldn’t bother telling him about the lid falling on me because I couldn’t prove that someone had done it. It was probably just a faulty lid—at least that was what I’d convinced myself.
I handed him the card. “I found this in the Dumpster.”
He looked at me. “The Dumpster?”
I shrugged. “What can I say? I found a great picture frame.”
He held back a grin and then said, “I’ll bag this for evidence, but we already checked the trash in the area.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, that’s where I found it.”
Kent placed a call. I assumed he was having the area searched again.
“I guess I’ll go home now. I have a deadline for an article for the paper.” I pointed at my found item.
Kent picked up the frame and carried it over to the back of his car. I was kind of protective of my treasures and I wondered what he was doing with it. He unlocked the trunk and placed the frame inside.
“That’s not evidence,” I said.
He laughed. “Come on. I’ll drive you home. It’s too hot to walk and carry that.”
I’d carried heavier and in hotter conditions, but the offer was sweet, so I didn’t refuse. Plus, the air conditioning in his car felt good when I slipped in the passenger seat. I was just glad I wasn’t handcuffed and placed in the back.
It was only a minute until he pulled up in front of my house. He shoved the gear into park and looked over at me.
“Thanks for calling me with what you found,” he said.
“Just doing what I can to help you.” I picked at the edge of my shirt.
“You have a little something in your hair.” He reached out and pulled the item from my head.
I took the piece of scrap paper from his hand. At least it hadn’t been something worse like an old food wrapper or something equally stinky from the trash.
“I guess I’d better go inside.” I gestured.
“I’ll walk you to your door.” Kent opene
d his door and came around to open mine.
I wondered if Kent saw Ross’ mother watching us from the bushes.
Chapter Seven
Doreen Perkins took off when we got out of the car. Kent heard movement, but I told him it was a bird. She was nuts, but I figured she would leave me alone soon, no need to involve the police. As much as I didn’t get along with her, I knew she was hurting because her son was in jail. Even after all that Ross and I had been through, I didn’t wish him harm. I honestly hoped the police found the real killer and let Ross go.
Kent kissed me on the cheek and said goodbye. He was going back to the scene of the crime to have another look. I should have asked if I could tag along. Earlier I’d thought I should avoid the scene, now I wondered if I would see a missed clue.
As soon as I was inside, I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and settled at the counter stool to complete my project. Once I finished, I’d write the article for Claire Ann.
I had a bit of burlap left over from a pillow I’d made, so I cut a piece to fit in the picture frame I’d found. Once I’d secured the back on the frame again, I turned it over and pulled out my new window marker I’d picked up at Wal-Mart in Belleville, the next town over. We didn’t have a craft store or even a Wal-Mart in Honeysuckle.
With the marker I wrote directly on the glass. Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air. The turquoise color of the marker complimented the white frame. Using the markers on the glass, I could change the quote any time I wanted. It was a simple project, but would have a big impact on my dining room wall. The cost had been next to nothing.
Over the past week, I had been working on a larger project that I thought would be finished in time for this week’s article. I’d been sidetracked with painting my bedroom walls and hadn’t completed it in time. A couple weeks ago I’d discovered a perfectly good dresser sitting along someone’s curb. I’d put it in the backseat of my Mustang and picked up a gorgeous shade of turquoise paint and chestnut-colored glaze to go over it. My idea was to turn it into a media center for the TV I’d recently gotten back from the pawn shop. It had been Ross’ TV, but at least I’d gotten something out of the divorce. That and Ross’ beloved Mustang. Anyway, I’d removed the doors on the front of the dresser and added cute accent baskets to store items on the shelves.