I sat in the right section, four rows from the back row. This location gave me an excellent view of the entrance and of people coming and going. Less than five minutes later, a line of twenty people formed to view the body. No one I knew was in this group. As these people, one by one, viewed the body, spoke to Nancy, and then sat down, I couldn’t help but notice the colorful melting pot that had accumulated thus far. Different races, ages, gender, and style and color of clothing made up the melting pot. I was admiring it when a commotion at the entrance caught my eye. Brightness Bus Tours people had lined up in twos at the door to make an entrance. It looked to be a group of at least fifty people. They all wore the Brightness uniform, which consisted of a white shirt with the Brightness logo and khaki pants. In front of the line was Montgomery and a younger version of Jackson. I assumed this was Jackson’s son, Jack.
As the group slowly walked to the front of the room, I got a good look at Jackson’s wife. She and Jackson held hands as they walked behind Montgomery and Jack. She, indeed, looked younger than Jackson. She was Black, with light skin, small facial features, and was very attractive. I wondered if cosmetic surgery had anything to do with her appearance. Behind them were Lanta and a stout White man, taller than Lanta, who I assumed was Lanta’s husband. They had on the Brightness uniform, too, but her sizeable eye-catching ruby red jewels in her ears, around her neck, and on both wrists made her look obtrusive. I think it would have been better for her to look unobtrusive at a sepulchral occasion as this was.
Behind Lanta and her husband were employees I didn’t know. Armie Bledsoe and a Black lady holding his arm were toward the back of the line. I assumed this was Armie’s wife. Lemmonee Ames and the receptionist, Louise Bellville, were at the end of the line. This group obscured my view of Nancy, which I didn’t want to happen. I had been looking forward to seeing her reaction to Montgomery, Jackson, and Lanta. After the Brightness group viewed the body, spoke to Nancy, and then sat down, another group of people came in. After this group sat, Amazing Grace soft music began playing. It was now 7:00 pm.
The officiant, the funeral home director, stood, walked to the podium, and began the scheduled program. As he did so, I couldn’t help but notice that the colorful melting pot had been subdued. Now white and khaki had taken over. Nevertheless, all around the room were people of different races and ages who had come together to pay respect to a fallen one from within their community. I wondered how many of these people, after the funeral tomorrow, would have any contact with Nancy. Her demeanor when I met with her did not appear to be very open and welcoming.
I sat back in my chair and waited for the revelation I had come here for to spring forth. I let my eyes mindfully roam around the room. There had to be at least 100-125 people in the room. I couldn’t clearly see Montgomery, Jackson, and Lanta from where I sat. I wanted to watch their reaction to the program, and the best way to do this was to stand. I was about to get up and walk to the right wall to stand against it when an elderly White lady came in looking for a seat. I motion to her to take my seat, which gave me a perfect reason to stand. Other people were standing against the wall, so I felt comfortable doing the same.
I could now see clearly the front of the room. Montgomery and Jack sat in seats on the front row on the left side of the aisle. They sat impassively; their attention focused on the funeral director. Next to them were Jackson and his wife. Jackson was emotional. His wife had her right arm around his shoulder. He bent toward her as she whispered something in his ear. Lanta and her husband were next on the front row. As the Brightness group had walked toward the front, I noticed that Lanta’s husband’s uniform was too small for his stout body. Now he pulled down each arm sleeve twice, then yanked down the back of his shirt. Lanta turned to him in annoyance.
She whispered, “Stop it.” I could make out what she said from where I was standing, but I’m sure people seated around her heard her words.
Her husband whispered, “Leave me alone.” He then turned away from her and stared at a picture of Jesus on the cross. The picture was on the wall to the left of him.
I didn’t know the four people sitting to the left of Lanta’s husband. On the right side of the aisle on the front row sat Nancy. Next to her was an older wrinkled woman with long stringy salt and pepper hair. This woman appeared to be offering comfort to Nancy. From where I stood, I couldn’t tell what race she was. I hadn’t seen this woman when I first came in, nor had I seen her walk in.
“She must have been in one of the rooms to the left and right of the casket, then came out once the service began,” I whispered to myself.
From my viewpoint, she was a very slender woman and sat erect as she whispered comforting words to Nancy. I assume they were comforting because Nancy leaned against the woman, appeared to be most agreeable to what the woman was saying, and nodded several times as the whispering continued. This woman held my attention because, like Lanta, she was obtrusive in jewels. A dark green beret with a large diamond-shaped brooch covered the top of her head. Large crystal and sliver rhinestone earrings were in her ears, and a large matching necklace was around her neck. The white folding fan she fanned herself with contained crystal rhinestones. This fan was shaped like a sector of a circle, and it revolved around to open, then rotated back to close when not in use. My cousin Dottery gave similar fans as favors to the women at her wedding a few years ago. As I watched the woman, she opened her purse, took out another fan, and then handed it to Nancy.
Nancy’s two friends, Lynn and Tess, sat to the right of the older woman. As the woman handed Nancy the fan, the two friends gave each other a disapproving look. Lynn then whispered something to Tess. When the whispering ended, they shook their heads in a way that told me what they were thinking. They were thinking; I can’t believe this. Their disapproval of the fan and or the woman was incentive enough for me to try later to find out who the woman is and her relationship with Nancy.
I heard a loud whimper, then turned my focus to the other side of the aisle. Armie was bent over in his seat, holding his face with both hands as he cried. His wife was hugging him and speaking to him.
“It’s going to be alright. I know you miss him, but it’s going to be alright,” she whispered. She was heavy-set, attractive with brown skin, shoulder-length thick black hair, and medium-size facial features. She wore gold and brown animal print eyeglasses and modest size gold hoop earrings.
“I’m okay,” Armie whispered to her as he regained composure and sat upright in his seat.
Lemmonee, sitting behind him, handed him some tissues.
Armie turned to her, nodded his head, and then whispered, “Thank you.”
Louise was sitting on one side of Lemmonee, and beside her was a young White woman who was very emotional. I estimated the young woman’s age to be around thirty-five. Her uniform looked good on her small shapely frame. She was so pale, and her dyed jet black hair aided the paleness. She held her hands in the prayer position against her lips, which showed off her slender fingers, nails painted fire engine red. Louise had one arm around the young woman as she rocked her own body from side to side. I made a note to ask Lemmonee about this woman.
The funeral director caught my attention as he said, “There are several people who wish to speak tonight. The first speaker is Mr. Montgomery Stevens, CEO of Brightness Bus Tours. After Mr. Stevens speaks, Rev. Ronda Valmoria, and then Mr. Porter Carvel will speak. I ask that you each take no more than two minutes or so to speak. Mr. Stevens, you have the floor.
Montgomery somberly walked to where the funeral director had stood at the podium and began. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. As Mr. Mineral mentioned, my name is Montgomery Stevens, and I am the CEO of Brightness Bus Tours. Duffy worked for me. On behalf of the company and all its employees, I express our deepest condolences to Nancy and the family. Nancy, if there is anything you need, please let us know.”
I looked at Nancy. She was looking at Montgomery, nodding her
head. She silently mouthed, “Thank you.”
“Duffy was special to all of us, and there are so many good memories to share. He had a hearty laugh and an incredible sense of humor. He could tell a joke about anything, anywhere, that kept you laughing till you cried. I’m sure all of us in this room have cracked up at one time or another at his jokes.”
Throughout the room, mumblings, heads nodding, chuckles, and giggles took place.
“Duffy took an interest in people he met, and his job afforded him the opportunity to meet a whole lot of people. He loved people and interacting with them. It wasn’t only people he loved. He had a strong connection and love for animals, and he gave of his time and money to protect all animals. The impeccable way he cared for Footlong, his brown dachshund, shows his strong devotion to animals. I remember one Halloween, Duffy came into the office to show off his and Footlong’s costumes. Footlong’s costume was a hot dog—the bun, onions, mustard, the whole works. That little hot dog pranced around the office like he had won one of those dog contests. What was even funnier than that was Duffy’s costume; he was a hotdog, with all the toppings, too.”
The room erupted in laughter. When the laughter stopped, Montgomery continued.
“On top of all that, Duffy was taking Footlong to a dog Halloween party. My golly, I had never before heard of such a thing.”
The laughter started up again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a sad occasion that has brought us here tonight, but Duffy’s memory will live on for as long as we do. He was a great husband, friend, employee, bus driver and made a significant impact on my life. He had a way of making every day something to laugh and dance about, even if you couldn’t dance. Because of him, I’ve tried my very best to laugh and dance every day.
“Nancy, again, we offer you our deepest condolences. You’ll miss his hearty laugh. We’ll miss it, too. You’ll miss his jokes and tall tales, and we will, too. You’ll miss his sense of humor, as will we. But while we all stand deeply grieved by the loss of your loved one, by the loss of our loved one, a member of our community, we are thankful for the chance to have known him. We may have lost him physically, but spiritually he will always be with us. God Bless all of us.”
As soon as Montgomery walked to his seat, the elderly lady sitting next to Nancy walked to the podium. So her name is Rev. Ronda Valmoria. What is the relationship?
Rev. Ronda was not attractive at all, and everything she had on attracted attention. She was humorous looking and reminded me of a skinny version of Elzora, the fortune-teller character Diahann Carroll played in the movie Eve’s Bayou. Diahann Carroll was still beautiful in her fortune-teller costume, but Rev. Ronda’s face was unattractive. Even now with a better view, I couldn’t tell if she was White or Black with light skin. In any case, what did she have to do with Duffy?
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Rev. Ronda began, “my name is Rev. Ronda Valmoria, and I am an energy healer advisor and psychic medium. On behalf of Nancy, I begin by thanking everyone here tonight and thanking everyone who have sent their condolences but couldn’t be here tonight. Nancy has received so many e-mails, phone calls, flowers, visits, food, and prayers. She wants you to know that all of this has been very comforting during this difficult time—the loss of her husband. And she wants you to know that your love and kindness has been a great reminder of the impact Duffy had on so many people.”
Rev. Ronda spoke with clarity and confidence. Her outward appearance conveyed a different impression of her.
“I’ve been an advisor to Nancy for over five years and to Duffy for the past two years. I saw firsthand his zest for life, his humorous nature, his love of telling jokes, and his passion for people. Most importantly, I saw his undying love for Nancy and her love for him.
“I’ve asked some of Nancy and Duffy’s friends to tell me what they remember most about Duffy, and the first thing that came to mind from most is his hearty laugh. He certainly did have an enthusiastic laugh that was infectious. There was the time he and his friends went horseback riding for the first time. Afraid of horses, Duffy sweet-talked his horse for ten minutes while his friends made fun of him talking to a horse. Duffy had the best ride that day and conquered his fear after that by taking riding lessons. He could do anything he set his mind on. Uh, except for the time he tried to sweet talk Nancy into letting him adopt three more dachshunds. I think everyone on their street heard her cry of ‘No.’ It was probably heard across town to the Brightness office, too.”
The room burst into a fit of laughter.
“There are so many little things that I remember—like the loving way he looked at Nancy, how he loved holding her hand, and how he held the door open for her—those subtle little things. So it’s really not always the grand things we remember best, but tiny enjoyable pieces of Duffy’s life. As much as I would love to share more of the things I loved about Duffy, I know you all have your own memories tucked into your heart.
“While Nancy stands deeply grieved by the loss of her loved one, she is thankful to have had the opportunity to share a remarkable person with you. I ask that you keep Nancy in your hearts and prayers as she begins to navigate a life without her husband. In closing, I wish you all comfort and hope in the midst of your sorrow. Thank you.”
As Rev. Ronda walked to her seat, there was a noticeable quietness as people waited for Porter Carvel to come to the podium. Seeing no one stand up, Mr. Mineral stood and asked, “Is Mr. Porter Carvel here tonight?”
Nancy half stood in her seat, then turned around, looking for Porter Carvel. Clearly, she was expecting him.
“I’m here,” Porter shouted, walking to the front from the back of the room.
Nancy sat down, then whispered something to Rev. Ronda.
“Duffy and I were second cousins,” began Porter. “His mother and my mother were first cousins. Though Duffy and I have not seen much of each other during the past few years, I am privileged to have had him as my cousin. As children, we played on our great grandfather’s farm, and boy did he play pranks and practical jokes on me! So you see, even back then, he was known as a jokester. He once put a rubber garden snake in my coat pocket. You can imagine how high I jumped and screamed when I reached into my pocket and pulled out that snake. It looked so real.”
The audience smiled and giggled.
“Then there was the time he glued all the eggs to the carton and told me to get three out of the carton. I got a beating for cracking the eggs in the carton when it was all Duffy’s fault.”
The audience again smiled and giggled.
“I won’t tell you about the time he put black rubber spiders in my bed. I’ll just say I have been afraid of spiders ever since. I will remember those times, and I will remember Duffy’s generous heart, too. He gave when I needed him to. When I needed help, he was there for me. The sudden death of my cousin has left me saddened as it has all of you. Prankster and jokester aside, I greatly admired and respected my cousin.
“Nancy, I know nothing can take your pain away, and I know words can do little to comfort you now, but I do hope our thoughts and prayers will help support you at this time. Your husband, my cousin, your employee, and your friend was a remarkable man and as said here today made a difference in the lives of so many people. I will always cherish his memory. May his soul rest in eternal peace. God bless you all.”
After Porter walked back to the back of the room, Mr. Mineral walked to the podium and said, “If there are others who wish to speak at the funeral tomorrow along with the other scheduled speakers, let me know. Now before I pray and end the scheduled program, I want to let you know there are refreshments in the back of the room courtesy of Brightness Bus Tours. And for those who will not be at the funeral tomorrow, there is an obituary available for you. As you leave, let my attendant, who will be standing by the door, know that you want an obituary. Now let us pray.”
Mr. Mineral prayed
, then everyone began moving around. I hightailed it over to Lemmonee before she got caught up in conversations with people. I was too late, but Louise saw me coming toward them.
“Vett, how are you tonight? I am so glad you could make it.”
“Hi, Louise. So am I. How are you doing?”
“I’m well. I want you to meet Laramie Russell. Laramie is Brightness’s second woman tour bus driver. Duffy trained her and was with her on her first tour.”
“Nice to meet you, Laramie,” I said with my hand outstretched,
“Nice to meet you, Vett. How do you know Duffy?” Laramie replied, shaking my hand.
“I’m doing some work for Jackson. I’ve met a few Brightness employees through Jackson.” It was evident Jackson had not told all his employees that he had hired me to look into Duffy’s murder. I thought it best for me not to share that information either.
“It was nice to meet you, Vett. I’ve got to use the ladies room. Ladies would you excuse me,” Laramie said. She then began meandering her way through the crowd.
“Vett, thank you for giving Lemmonee that information about Marjorie Brown’s address. I have made a note in her record. I reached out to her, but she has not called me back,” Louise said.
“You’re welcome. I’ve telephoned her several times, too, left messages, but I have not heard back from her, either.”
“Heard back from whom?” Lemmonee asked as she turned in to join our conversation.
“Hi, Lemmonee. I was telling Louise that I have not heard back from Marjorie Brown. And I have not heard back from Rebbie Shields nor Gwen Sonnack. I’ve left her several messages for all three of them.”
“I don’t understand why they are not returning your phone calls. They’ve met you and know your background. For the life of me, I don’t understand this,” Lemmonee lamented.
“I don’t either, but I’ll keep trying.”
“It’s good seeing you again, Vett. I’m going to get some refreshments. Do you want me to get something for you?” Louise asked.
Sequestered with the Murderers Page 13