We drove down Mulberry Lane in Summerfield and Eddie asked, “See it yet?”
“Next block on the left.”
Eddie passed a storefront sign “Dolly’s Flowers”, made a U-turn and pulled into a lot behind the store. When we entered the flower shop, a young woman ignored us as she positioned flowers inside a bowl.
Eddie asked her, “Dolly?”
“You mean Dolores?”
“Sure.”
“Just a moment please.” The woman faced the curtain behind the counter and bellowed, “Lolo!”
After a short pause, my hearing returned and a bulky, dark haired man appeared behind the counter. “Yes?” he asked.
Eddie looked down at the man’s rounded belly poking against the fabric of his sleeveless T-shirt. Then up at the unlit cigar sticking out of the man’s unshaven face and asked, “Dolores?”
“Yeah. That’s me. Whaddya want?”
Eddie asked again, “Dolores?”
The man took the cigar from his mouth and said, “Look, maybe you don’t get around too much Buddy, but Dolores is pretty common for men in Guatemala. I’m named for the Blessed Virgin, our Lady of Sorrows, just like my mom was.” He crossed himself. I didn’t know if he did this for the Virgin or for his mom.
I said, “Eddie, Dolores is Spanish for sorrows.”
“My friends call me Lolo. Mom was Loli back home. Dolly here.”
Eddie showed Dolores his badge and asked, “Every year this time, you deliver flowers to a family plot out where the old carnival used to be?”
“That’s not a Summerfield badge, not even State or the right county either. I don’t have to tell you anything.”
I said, “Por favor. Muchos hombres están muertos. Este hombre podría ser el asesino o podría ser la próxima víctima.”
Dolores looked at me quietly for a moment and then asked, “What man could be next?”
I said, “The man who ordered the flowers. Can you tell us his name?”
Dolores thought about it for a while, then said, “Darlene, bring up last weeks delivery schedule.”
The girl behind the counter typed on a keyboard and turned the computer screen towards Dolores. He moved the computer mouse and said, “OK, here it is.”
Eddie whispered to me, “A fire breather named Dragoni. A florist named Delores. What next, a sailor named Taylor?”
Dolores let go of the mouse and dropped his hands to his sides. He looked at Eddie as if he were about to say something. Then he sighed, looked at me and said, “Order came from an affiliate store in New York. All we did was fill their order and deliver.”
Eddie wrote on his pad, “Where in New York?”
“Some place called Waalbroek.”
“And?”
“And you need to contact them to find out who placed the order, the originating store handles customer billing.”
“OK, what’s the name of the store?”
“Wahl Flowers.”
“W-a-l-l?”
“W-a-h-l. Gimme your pad. I’ll write the phone and order numbers for you.”
“Odd they spell Waalbroek with two As and Wahl Florist A-H.”
I said, “Not if you know why. The shop’s not named for the town, it’s for Edna Wahl. It’s an inside joke, Edna’s not exactly the first girl men would ask to dance.”
Eddie looked up from his pad. “How you know that?”
“She’s one of Mom’s Book Club friends.”
“Can you call her?”
I dialed the number Dolly wrote down and turned on my speakerphone so Eddie could hear. Edna wasn’t in but Chet, the college kid that worked for her checked the order number for me.
“Gee, I’m sorry, Ms. Flanagan. The book only shows a cash sale. It doesn’t say who bought the flowers. Ms. Wahl might know though, she took the order.”
“Thanks, do you know where can I reach her?”
“Yes and no. She’s out camping for a few days but to save her battery, only turns her cell phone on if she needs to make a call. Due back tomorrow, but if I hear from her, I’ll ask her to call you.”
“Thanks, Chet.” I gave him my number and hung up.
Eddie closed his pad. We thanked Dolores and got back in the car for the drive to Achalaca.
Once we got on the highway, Eddie said, “Our flower customer could be our killer. He’s got connections to Waalbroek and Achalaca… motive, too.
“What motive?” I asked
“Killer could be that sailor. Medici killed his love. The sailor can’t kill Medici, but he can kill those that drove Medici to kill his wife.”
“… or Medici could still be alive, sending flowers to his dead wife and the sailor could be the next victim.”
“Hey, it could be Popslowski sending flowers to his sister-in-law.”
“…or they’re from the son who saw his Mom die.”
Eddie held out his hands, stuck out his lower lip and then asked, “… in which case the killer would be?”
“The son, avenging the loss of his family and his childhood.”
“The son? We don’t know who he is, where he’s been or where he is now.”
“You said you can get birth and adoption records.”
“It takes time we don’t have. We’ve got to go to New York and find out who sent these flowers.”
“Can’t you put in the request before we go?”
“For the records? Sure, Jennie can do it. Consider it done.”
“If you’re anxious to follow up, we can send Robby to look for Edna. He can also check the New York birth and adoption records.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Why not?”
“You’re not going to like my reason.”
I sat and glared at Eddie.
“OK. First, we don’t know that Robby can find her in the woods or even if Edna’s going to be able to ID the customer. Second, you told me Robby’s parents adopted him. Does he know who his birth parents are?”
“No.”
“He’s lived in Florida and New York?”
“Are you kidding? You think Robby –“
“Raquel, please keep your voice down. You’re the one who suggested the son could be the killer. This is just protocol. Robby’s probably not involved. It’s just that, well, what we don’t know can get somebody killed. OK?”
Eddie’s attitude about Robby surprised me. I thought they overcame their differences at Kara’s wedding. Maybe this was just protocol. Whatever it was, it was Eddie’s call. He was the cop, not me but he was making a mistake about Robby.
“OK, we don’t have to tell Robby about the son, but you have to call New York about the sailor. If he’s the next victim, he needs protection. If he’s the killer, the police need to watch him.”
“Call and tell them what? Look for a man who used to be a sailor. That’s all we got and it’s not enough. It’s too late tonight but there’s an early flight to New York tomorrow.”
Chapter Twenty-Three – Ed and Eddie
Eddie unlocked his condo and tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter. He pulled his holster from his belt and placed it with his gun encased into a cabinet over his stove. I leaned against his refrigerator and kicked off my shoes. He removed his suit jacket, took off his tie and unbuttoned his collar.
I said, “Don’t stop there.”
“Enjoying the show?”
I put my arms around his waist, pulled close and said, “You’re just getting started.”
We kissed and I heard bells ringing. It took me a moment to realize they were doorbells. Eddie held me at arm’s length and asked, “You expecting anyone?”
“At your condo?”
“I guess not.”
He retrieved his gun from the cabinet, held it down at his side and went to the door. After squinting through the peephole, he said, “Damn. I gotta replace this thing with something that works.” Then he hollered, “Who is it?”
A voice from outside yelled back, “Open the door, this stuff is heavy.”<
br />
Eddie opened the door to an older couple. The woman held in both hands, something horizontal wrapped in a brown paper bag. The man carried an upright paper sack. He said, “Eddie, my boy.”
The woman looked down at the gun in Eddie’s hand and asked, “Is that anyway to greet your mother?” She glanced at the man next to her and added, “Your father, maybe, but your mother?”
Eddie stuck his gun in the back of his pants. “Sorry, Mom.”
Eddie’s mom came in, smiled at me and made a beeline for the kitchen. “Come. This is heavy.” I followed and helped unwrap her package.
Eddie’s dad said, “We brought dinner.” He pulled a cabbage from the sack, tossed it to Eddie and said, “Boil this.” Then he pointed at me. “Raquel, right?”
“Nice to meet you Mr. Franklin.”
“Nah, call me Ed.”
Eddie’s mom said, “… and call me Gladys”
Eddie held up his hands, “Mom, Dad, what’re you doing here?”
Gladys said, “I came to see my boy.”
Ed shrugged. “We wait for an invite, we’d never see you.”
Eddie said, “But I’m in the middle of a case. I don’t have time for –“
Ed said, “What? You don’t have time to eat? You gotta eat. Did you eat yet? No, I didn’t think so. We brought corned beef.”
Eddie looked at the kitchen table and asked, “From Brody’s deli?”
“Yeah, called the order in on the way from New Smyrna Beach. Ready to go when we got to town except for the cabbage.” Ed sat in the recliner in front of the TV. Mom’s going heat things up.” He leered at me and said, “Like she always does.” Then to Eddie, “What are we drinking?”
Eddie brought three bottles of Bud Light from the kitchen, handed one to me and one to his Dad. “Dad, how’d you know I was back?”
“Spoke with your friend last night. Wassa matter, too busy to return calls?”
“Mr. Franklin –“
“Ed.”
“Ed, I wanted to explain about last night… the phone call…”
“No need Kid. I enjoyed it. You gave me a laugh. Think nothing of it. So, Eddie, what are you working on that’s keeping you too busy to call your old man… besides your friend here.”
“Multiple homicides, Dad.”
Ed whistled, “No shit?”
“Language, please, Edward.” Gladys called from the kitchen.
“I curse, she gets pissed.”
“Language, Edward.”
“Yeah, yeah. Sorry.” He drank some beer.
“Yeah, Dad, a couple down here and a couple in New York. Raquel’s a big help. She’s the reporter who made the connection and tied the cases together.”
“No sh… kidding.” Ed grinned and looked toward the kitchen. After a moment of silence, he said, “When I behave, it’s like she’s not even there.”
Gladys yelled, “I heard that.”
“So whaddya got, Eddie?”
“Right now, some of the clues seem to be charms from a charm bracelet.”
“Yeah? Mom used to have one of those… back when we dated.”
“Still do.”
“Still do what Gladdy? Have the bracelet or date?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Ed shook his head in apparent disbelief. “She’d put new charms on it for things that meant something to her.” Ed turned to yell into the kitchen. “Gladdy. You still got that thing?”
“Yes, Dear, in the bottom of my jewelry box. It’s one of those things you keep, probably until you have a daughter or die.”
Eddie and I set his table and just as he went to get another round of beer, his mom pronounced dinner as ready. When I tasted the moist, tender, corned beef, I could see why Eddie acquiesced to the visit. The freshly cooked cabbage didn’t smell that great cooking but tasted delicious. We chatted and ate and I began to feel comfortable with Eddie’s folks.
Ed asked me, “So, Debbie, how you like living in New York?”
Eddie said, “Dad.”
I said, “Excuse me?”
“Sorry, I mean, Raquel. You like New York? Not too cold there?”
“I guess you get used to it. It’s only rough in the winter. Doesn’t it get too hot here in July and August?”
“If you’re older and decrepit like me, you like the warmth, besides we get an ocean breeze back home. Ever think of moving South?”
Eddie pointed his fork at his father. “Dad.”
“What? I’m making dinner conversation here.”
“Fine, next topic.”
“OK. How close’re you to catching this killer?”
“Early tomorrow, very early tomorrow, we fly to New York to follow a lead.”
“OK, I get it. Don’t worry, we can’t stay late. It’s a hour and half to get home. Gladdy, how bout we leave after coffee?”
After dinner, Eddie refused his mother’s offer to help clean up. We said our goodbyes then, he and I started the task.
“How come your dad called me Debbie?”
“Who knows why he does anything he does?”
“You really don’t know or you just don’t want to tell me?”
“Unh, I have an idea why.”
I stood up from placing dishes into the dishwasher and waited.
“I used to date someone named Debbie.”
“Someone?”
“OK, I had a girlfriend named Debbie.”
“How long ago?”
“About six months.”
“Is it over?”
“Yeah.”
“So why the big secret? I didn’t think I was the first girl you ever dated. God, at your age, I’d hope not.”
“What’s wrong with my age? I’m not that much older than you.”
“Nothing’s wrong with your age, but I don’t get why me knowing about Debbie makes you uncomfortable.”
“It doesn’t bother me. I thought you’d be the one uncomfortable.”
“Why? Were you engaged or something?” As soon as I asked the question, I could see the answer on his face. Eddie knew me better than I thought. Discovering the guy I’m dating ended an engagement to be married just before we met set off my alarms. Now, I had to know the details.
“How long were you two together?”
“Three years.”
“What happened?”
Eddie sat down at his kitchen table. “Usual, the cop thing.”
“What do you mean? She was afraid of losing you, tired of sitting home alone, tired of the waiting, tired of worrying?”
“Dunno, I guess… maybe a little of each.”
“You were together three years. It took her that long to figure things out?”
“Sort of. Things varied. For a while it would be quiet… then things would pick up again.”
“… and how do you feel about it? Do you miss her?”
Eddie wiped his face with his hand. “I did… at first. Then, I realized… I am who I am and this is what I want to do. If she loved me, she’d understand that. When she couldn’t deal with the job, I kind of knew, she’d never be able to deal with me. It was end the engagement now or file for divorce later. I can’t be someone, I’m not. How about you?”
“How about me?”
“Yeah, if you were in her situation, could you deal with it?”
“The job or the break-up?”
“The job.”
“You’re right. If you love someone, you love them for who they are… and that includes what they have to do.”
“You mean that?”
“Yeah.”
“Prove it.”
I kissed him. “How’s this?”
“For starters?”
“For starters.”
* * *
I felt Eddie’s hand rocking my shoulder, “Raquel. Raquel, you’re talking in your sleep.”
“What, huh? Oh, sorry. Did I disturb you?”
“No. It’s not that. Are you OK? You seemed… agitated. Mumbling… turning side
to side.”
I sat up in bed, Eddie’s bed. I took me a moment to get my bearings. “Had a dream. Sorry.”
“Is it about returning to New York? Worried about that Kewpie Psycho coming after you?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“You can stay here, you know. You don’t have to go to New York.”
“No, it’s not that.”
Eddie sat up and put his arms around me. “You want to talk about it?”
“No… yes. I guess so.”
“Whatever you want.” He kissed my forehead.
“I was a little girl, with my Dad… in a rowboat, so early it was still dark out. He loved to fish and just had to be first on the water. I turned down roller-skating with my friends to be with him and I was miserable… cold, wet and sleepy. I sat huddled in the boat trying to burrow inside my sweatshirt with my rod lying on the bottom of the boat.”
Eddie hugged me and stroked my hair.
“Dad reeled in his line and said, ‘I love you and I love that you thought enough of me to come but it’s OK to prefer to be skating with your friends. We all have to do the things that make us who we are… and those who love us will understand.’ Then he put down his rod, grabbed the oars and said, ‘C’mon, we still have time to get to the rink.’”
“What’s it mean, Raquel?”
“I don’t know. I think… all my life I thought I wanted to be a reporter… like my Dad. I love to write so I never really thought about it, but lately, now that I’m doing it, I’m not so sure that it’s what I want.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know.”
Chapter Twenty-Four – Homecoming Queen
We exited the one terminal building at the Waalbroek airport and stood at the taxi line when a voice yelled, “Yoo-hoo. Yoo-hoo. Yoo-hoo.”
Eddie made a face. “Who says ‘Yoo-hoo’ these days?”
As the yoo-hooing became louder, its source became clearer. A woman rapidly approached us, waving one arm in the air. In her raised hand, keys jingled. Eddie smiled as the woman tried to run in a long pencil skirt she hiked up with one hand to allow a little more leg movement.
Finally, she came to a stop in front of Eddie and I said, “Hi, Mom. Nice to see you.”
“Oh, I was afraid I was going to miss you.” She fussed with her skirt making sure it lay flat. “The second I try to leave that office is the moment everybody wants something… Detective Franklin.” She held out her hand.
Falafel Jones - The Kewpie Killer Page 16