by CeeCee James
Sue gasped. “Yes!”
Elise squeezed her eyes shut. The memory of that moment flashed in her mind. “I was the one who found him.”
“What? Oh, Elise!”
The two women broke into, “I’m so sorry’s,” sounding in stereo. They both started to laugh, and then stopped, creating a bizarre moment for not knowing how to react next.
“I really am sorry,” Sue finally said.
“Me, too,” Elise agreed. “How are you doing? Do they have any ideas? Suspects?”
Sue reached into her purse for a tissue and blew her nose. “I’m doing okay. I really wasn’t that close with him. I think they’re suspicious of his wife. I know my mom is.”
“Really?” Elise shook her head. “That’s horrible! The poor woman.”
“Speaking of my mom…” Sue got interrupted by the bell above the door jingled, alerting them to the first patient of the afternoon.
Both of them turned to the door, putting private talk away until the work day was over.
A few hours later, both Sue and Elise just wanted to go home. They were both freezing cold, and tired. Elise’s eyes hurt from working in the dusky light all day.
Dr. Gregory, the chiropractor they worked for, sent them home soon after the last patient left, for which Elise was grateful.
Max was the first one to greet her in the dark, cold house. She frowned at the lack of the teenager yelling out a greeting from her room, like she usually did. She must have gone home with a friend and forgotten to let me know.
Elise set her groceries on the table with a thump. As she turned around, she let out a scream.
Standing in front of her was a moving bundle of quilts. Elise recognized Lucy’s laugh from under the blankets. Even the teen’s head was covered, leaving only a peep hole for her to peek out.
“Lucy! You goof.”
“What? I got cold.”
“Let me get some candles lit and then we’ll see about starting a fire.”
Elise’s fireplace was more for vanity. The box only held one tiny log. But it would be better than nothing. She kept a box of fire-logs there just for this reason and soon had one lit. She rubbed her hands in front of the flames.
Lucy said, “You want to hear something weird? I was five before I realized dogs didn’t purr.”
“Well, that’s random.”
“I like being weird.”
Elise laughed. She stood up and brushed off her hands. “Hey, you hungry?”
“Starving. Duh.”
“All right, lets go figure out what there is to eat.”
As the two walked into the kitchen, Elise broached a subject she knew Lucy had been avoiding. “Have you given any more thought to visiting your mom?”
A blush rose in Lucy’s cheeks, blending in her freckles. “Sort of. The idea makes me nervous.”
“I can understand that.”
“Will you come if I decide to go?” Lucy looked up anxiously. Her dark eyes appeared huge on her face.
“I’ll be there, if you want me to.”
Lucy hugged Elise abruptly around the waist.
Momentarily surprised, Elise hugged the girl back. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. Your mom seems like she’s doing well. I mean, ninety days sober is a big deal. Longer, really…” She trailed off.
Lucy straightened and pushed tear-damp hair from her face. “You mean plus counting the time she was in jail, too?”
Elise hesitated and then nodded. “But I realized that didn’t sound very nice.”
“Nice?” Lucy sighed and went back to her bar stool. Elise watched her before grabbing out the box of cereal. “Nice doesn’t describe anything she’d done before jail. Jail is probably the nicest part about it.”
“I’m sorry, hun. Addiction is awful.”
“Addiction is the devil,” Lucy agreed, her eyes flaming with anger.
Ever since Lucy had been staying with her, Elise had taken her to weekly counseling appointments. The girl had gone through a lot. And honestly, even though her mom was in treatment, there was no guarantee that Lucy wouldn’t be going through more. Elise wanted the teen to be able to get through it as best as possible. She really was a brilliant girl, and had her whole life ahead of her.
The rest of the evening was spent watching Lucy do her homework under flickering light, reading books under a blanket, and eating pop tarts.
Finally, Brad arrived. Elise sent Lucy off to bed, and cuddled with Brad on the couch. She shared with him about how the dead man had been Sue’s uncle.
Brad groaned.
“What’s the matter,” she asked, resting her head on his chest.
“It’s only a matter of time now,” his voice was defeated.
“What do you mean?” she looked up at him.
“Until you’re fully ensconced in this case.”
“No! I’ll never. Besides, I have other things on my mind.” Elise said, settling back onto Brad’s chest.
“And what’s that?” Amusement tinged his question.
“I guess we need to get to planning. Lavina won’t leave me alone.”
“Planning? You mean for the wedding?”
“Mmhmm,” she answered.
“Well, I’m simple. I’d be happy to take you down to Las Vegas and elope. We could even have Elvis do it. But I know that’s not what you want.”
Elise rolled her eyes. “Dear heavens, not another Elvis.” Elise had once taken a cruise with a bunch of Elvis's and wasn’t keen on repeating that experience. She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I honestly don’t know what I want.”
“You have a yen for a big wedding?”
“No, no. Definitely not.” Elise shuddered at the thought. “I’m actually thinking eloping doesn’t sound so bad. But Lavina would kill me.”
He laughed. “Actually, I think she’d kill me. She’d know that I put you up to it.”
Max jumped up next to them. He climbed on Elise’s lap, placing all of his weight on his two feet, and began kneading into her thigh. She moved him slightly.
“I really don’t want to even think about it,” she confessed. “It’s so overwhelming.” She glanced up and caught a flicker across his face as his eyebrows drew together. “Oh, shoot. That didn’t come out right.”
“Well, it didn’t feel good to hear,” he said. He let out a deep breath.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that to hurt you. It’s not the marriage part. It’s just having to invite everyone. The planning and figuring everything out.”
“You’re making this too complicated,” he said, pulling her a little bit closer. He kissed the top of her head. “Let’s just go down to the chapel and get hitched.”
“Maybe we could do it on the beach at Angel Lake?” Elise said. She could visualize herself there, the waves lapping at the shore. That was her favorite place in the whole world.
“Yes, exactly that. Just me, you and the pastor.”
“And all the other people,” Elise reminded him.
Brad stretched out his legs and flexed his feet. He rubbed his hand across his whiskered face. “Do we have to?”
Elise laughed. “My parents want to be there. You’re the only son, so of course your parents want to come. Our friends…” She trailed off. That heavy, overwhelming weight was returning.
Maybe we should just jet off to Las Vegas?
“Listen, this is what we’re going to do.” Brad said, his voice firm. “We’re going to get married in that little gazebo at the lake…”
“What if we can’t get it reserved in time?” Elise was suddenly worried.
Brad wriggled around until he had his phone out. “I’m already on top of that,” he said, and texted rapidly.
Elise felt a little bubble of excitement, watching him. “You have connections?”
“In city hall? You better believe it,” he said as he pushed send. “Besides, it’s winter time. I’m not expecting we’ll have a lot of competition.”
Elise tried to relax as they waited for
a response. She was getting more excited, and the feeling thrilled her.
Bzz! Brad’s phone vibrated.
“It’s her,” he said as he read it.
“Oh, my gosh! That was fast. What did she say?”
“She says she’s got us on the calendar. And she expects an invitation.”
Elise covered her mouth, feeling both relieved and surreal. “It’s happening,” she whispered. She looked at her engagement ring, a rose setting, with tiny slivers of green emeralds for leaves. This was it. They were really doing this.
“Yes, it is. About time. You ready to become Mrs. Carter?”
She grinned at him. “Yes. How do you feel about it?”
“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this day for my whole life.” He rolled to his side, scooting her next to him, and wrapped his arm around her. “Let me tell you all the things I think about it,” he said, whispering against her neck. “But I warn you,” he kissed the skin. “It’s going to take me a long, long time.”
Chapter 5
Elise sat in Brad’s running car with her phone plugged into his charger. She dialed up the heat and held her hand over the blowing vent.
I gotta do it.
She winced, bouncing the phone up in her hand. She could just picture Lavina’s reaction when she heard the wedding news.
And she’s going to kill me.
Sighing, she pulled up her friend’s number and pushed send.
“You’re calling. It must be an emergency,” Lavina answered on fourth ring.
“Vi, Prepare yourself. Maybe you should sit down. It’s happening. We have three weeks,” Elise ripped off the bandaid and blurted out the news.
Her words were met with silence.
“Lavina?”
“Hold on, there, Ms. Pop-goes-the-weasel. I’m trying to process.” Lavina’s slow drawl held a bite of sarcasm. “I know you can’t have just meant what you said, not after your promise. So there must be some sort of misunderstanding.”
“Sorry. No misunderstanding.” Silence. “What are you thinking?”
Her friend let out an exasperated sigh. “Girl, you promised me! How am I supposed to get the reception ready, get you a dress, and decorate in that time? What are you doing for invites? We need flowers…. You’re asking for a miracle here.”
“The key word is simple,” Elise said. “I’m thinking of using the dress I got this summer. You know, the one—”
“No way on God’s green earth are you going to wear that oops-a-daisy square dance dress. You will get a real wedding dress. We’ll figure this out. After all, I happen to specialize in miracles.” Lavina’s pragmatic answer came back. “But, just so you know, you’re mine for the next few weeks.”
“I have to work!” Elise answered back with a laugh.
“You have lunches! You like protein bars? Because we’re gonna be eating a lot of those!” was Lavina’s response. “Now, where are you having it?”
“At the gazebo at Angel Lake. Brad reserved it last night. And, we’re going to check Fabulous Flowers in town for any deals. Tamara is super nice. I’m sure she’ll have something I can use.”
“An outdoor wedding in the winter? You’re set on that?” Lavina asked with just a hint of musing in her voice.
“Yes.” The musing had Elise a little scared.
“I can just see it now. We could do capes. Fluffy, white fur lined capes. That would be so—”
“No.” Elise said adamantly. “No fur-lined anything.”
“Faux fur,” Lavina emphasized. “Think of how cute that would be!”
“Right. We’d look like refugees from Little Red Ridinghood,” Elise answered.
“Pish. Now tell me, who are your bridesmaids?”
“Well,” Elise said slowly. She hadn’t really thought about it. “I suppose just Lucy. Like I said, small and simple.”
“Obviously, I’m your Maid of Honor.”
“I know. I know.”
“If only the power would come back on. I want to get you to Stella’s place. Just wait until she gets her hands on you!”
“Stella?” The fear was real now.
“Yes, she runs the wedding boutique I was telling you about.”
“All right, well I’m running back inside. I still have to get ready for work. I just wanted to let you know as soon as possible. My phone died, so I needed to charge it in Brad’s car.”
“Because your old car barely has enough power to run over a pop can, let alone charge a phone. You’re going to need a bigger car when you two start having kids.”
Elise’s eyes popped wide open. “Lavina, don’t even start. It’s going to be a long, long time before I have kids.” She shifted to look out the window at her car. “Speaking of kids, while you’re petitioning for my time, keep in mind that I have to take Lucy out driving.”
“Out driving, huh?”
“Yeah, she’s in driver’s ed at school. She’s supposed to get sixty-five hours of drive time in.”
“Good grief! Do they expect them to make a road trip or something?”
“Accumulative, Lavina. Don’t you remember?”
“Darlin’, I was practically born behind the wheel. I didn’t take driver’s ed. I just went to the DOL and made sure I scheduled with that blind old hermit, Mr. Jefferies.”
“Vi! I don’t want to hear that!”
“There’s nothing to hear! Other than he could barely see and fell asleep about two minutes into the test. He passed me the first time through, though.”
“Well, that was a long time ago.”
Lavina huffed.
“A long, long, long time ago,” Elise continued with a wicked grin.
“You be careful, missy. I’m planning your bachelorette party.”
“Oh, no, no, no. Nothing like that.”
“What? We have to party!”
“Nope, been there done that years ago. Simple, Vi, simple. I know it’s a new concept for you, but there it is.”
“Hmph. I might take that as a challenge. Anyway, I have to go, too. Have a lovely day at your job. I have a big order at the deli. I finally found someone with an appreciation of Serrano Ham.”
“Okay, talk to you later. And remember, simple!”
Lavina had already hung up and missed that last word. Elise couldn’t help but think her friend’s timing was calculated just for that reason.
She stuck her hand in front of the heater for a second longer, wishing she could suck the heat in straight to her bones. She still couldn’t shake her chill. After glancing at the time, she turned the car off.
Another wet, dreary day. And this time with no shower. She eyed her hair in the rearview mirror and made a face.
Back inside the house, still lit by flickering candlelight, she headed to her bathroom.
“I know I have dry shampoo around here somewhere…” she muttered.
“You looking for something?” Brad called from the kitchen. A moment later he was at the doorway, “Because I can hear you talking to yourself from out there.”
By now, Elise had emptied the basket under her sink. She scrambled through the drawers. “Where is it? Did you use it?” She looked at him accusingly.
“No! Wait, what?” He threw his hands in the air.
“My dry shampoo.”
He squinted at her. “You serious? I don’t even know what that is, let alone use it.”
“Um,” a quiet voice came from behind Brad. He stepped back, bringing Lucy into view. “I think, I think I may have found it somehow, and used it.”
Elise’s eyebrow flickered. Found it somehow?
Lucy stepped forward with the pink aerosol can in hand. “Anyway, sorry about that. Here you go.”
Elise took it and gave it a shake. Almost empty. Perfect. “You have plans for after school?” she asked, turning back to the mirror. She lifted her hair and sprayed the roots.
Lucy’s face appeared behind her in the mirror. She shook her head.
Fluffing her hair out, Elise shook
the can and sprayed some more. “Okay, we’re having a driving lesson later. You game?”
Fear shone from Lucy’s eyes. “Um….”
“You’ll be fine. You’re driving Betty. She’s easy, and this will be fun. You’ll see!”
“You scare me with your ideas of fun. Anyway, I’ll see you later.” Lucy grabbed her backpack and ran out the door for the school bus.
Just another day in paradise.
“How’d she take it?” Brad said showing back up at the door.
“Lavina or Lucy?” Elise asked. “They’re both barely speaking to me at the moment.”
Brad came with his cell phone in his hand. “Well, I have some news that will cheer you up. A little clue.”
“A clue!” Elise immediately perked up. “And you’re going to share it with me!” She spun around excited.
“I am. Only because I know you’ll snoop it out sooner or later yourself. But you can tell no one.”
“Of course!”
Brad laughed. “You should see your face. You look like you’re about to get a present from Santa Claus.”
“Tell me. Tell me. Tell me.” Elise made grabby motions with her hands.
“Okay, here it is. The coroner found a note in his pocket. It was very specific. It said, ‘meet me at The Cranshaw’s at six o’clock. You will be very surprised.’”
“Really?” The Cranshaw’s was a very expensive restaurant in Memphis. Not that Elise had ever been there. That’s where the ‘who’s who’ of the upper crust society went to be seen.
“And that’s the time the coroner put his death.”
“At six?”
Brad nodded. “So why was he at the ice rink instead of having a swanky meal?”
Elise jabbed a finger in the air. “And who wrote the note?”
Chapter 6
After angling her car into the tiny employee parking stall outside the StraightenUp office, Elise eased the door open and poked out her umbrella. The rain had stopped during the night, but now had started up again with light patters on a saturated ground. The air smelled of the wet leaves that had been blown into scattered piles against the curb.
She locked the car and, huddled under the umbrella, hurried to the clinic.