Murder on Sugar Hill

by Claire Sweeney

  "Sherlock was the smart one, right?" Matilda said with a slight smile.

  "But he couldn't solve a case without the help of Watson," Trixie replied.

  "Maybe we read different versions of the books," Matilda said. "You probably just read the Clift Notes."

  "You are impossible, Miss Matilda!"

  "Yes, I agree. It's a family trait. Now, why don't you run along and check the chambermaids' work? Be sure to look for hairs on the toilet seat. Guests hate to find someone else's pubic hair on the toilet seat and so does the AAA inspector. He's about due.

  "Why do I get the impression you are trying to get rid of me?"

  "I don't know what you’re talking about child. Now run along before I fire you," Matilda said.

  "Yeah, that’ll be the day," Trixie said as she took one last sip of her coffee.

  “Oh yeah, tell Trudy to come to the solarium before you go upstairs.”

  "You wanted me, Miss Matilda?" Trudy asked a few minutes later as she approached Matilda.

  Matilda glanced at the greasy-haired, middle-aged woman and found herself wondering what Sheriff Dudley found so attractive about her. They say the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and this seemed to be one of those cases.

  "Yes, Trudy I have a favor to ask," Matilda said.

  "Sure, you know I would do anything for you. If you hadn't given me this job, I would still be homeless," the cook said as she took a chair opposite Matilda.

  "Sheriff Dudley drops by every day for coffee, doesn't he?" Matilda asked.

  "Are you mad that I give him comps? I'll stop if that's the case."

  "No, no, it's nothing like that. It's about Buggy's death...”

  "Oh, Miss Matilda, I cried my eyes out last night when I heard. All the waitresses were talking about it this morning. They said he was murdered! Is that true?"

  "Yes, Trudy, I'm afraid that’s the case. And that's why I want you to do me a big favor,"

  Trudy looked puzzled.

  "You know I was very close to Buggy. He was like the son I never had."

  "Yes, Miss Matilda, everyone knows how you felt."

  "I want to keep abreast of how Sheriff Dudley's investigation into Buggy's murder case is progressing. But I'm sure you realize that Sheriff Dudley and I don't see eye to eye on lots of things."

  "Yes, I hate that you two aren't better friends," Trudy said.

  "So do I. But our relationship is complicated. And because we aren't on the best of terms, he’ll refuse to let me read the state police report on the crime scene. And I'm also sure he won’t let me see the autopsy report when it comes out. I thought that if I had more information, I might be able to help find who killed Buggy. Will you help me find the murderer?"

  "Yes, Miss Matilda, of course, I will. But how can I help?"

  "By finding out everything the sheriff knows about the murder case, especially what's in the state forensic report and the autopsy report when it comes out. Can you do that for me, Trudy."

  "Oh, yes. Dudley loves to talk about his police work. He takes great pride in his job. You know he's a great sheriff. I bet he'll find the killer in a few days, especially if you help him."

  "That’s nice to hear, Trudy. So, this afternoon when he comes for coffee and sugar cookies, be sure to grill him on all the facts of the case and report to me what he tells you."

  "Yes, I will, Miss Matilda."

  Matilda smiled as she walked into the lobby, but her smile vanished the moment she spotted the pen in Tara's beak, which now had turned blue!

  "Tara! What are you doing?"

  The parrot dropped the pen.

  "Check-in time! Check-in time!" Tara squawked.

  "Tara, where is Smiley?"

  "Got to have a cigarette! Got to have a cigarette!" Tara screams in Smiley voice.

  "What's all the commotion about?" Trixie asked as she descended the stairs.

  "Smiley is out back smoking a cigarette, and Tara is playing check-in clerk," Matilda said. "And look at her beak. It's blue."

  "Tara you are supposed to dye your head feathers, not your beak," Trixie said.

  "Give me that pen," Matilda said. "And get in your cage!"

  Trixie tried not to laugh as the parrot waddled to her cage and jumped on top of the door.

  "Is everything alright with the chambermaids?" Matilda asked.

  "No, two are taking off tomorrow, and we have the Boston ski club booked," Trixie answered. "With all that happened last night I forgot to mention that I asked Ann Bixby to come and work over the weekend. She knows how to clean rooms. I just checked a couple of her rooms. They were perfect. During a busy weekend, I don't have time to run behind new chambermaids and fix their mistakes. And she works fast."

  Matilda frowned.

  "Yes, I know you don't like her," Trixie added. "But she does good work."

  "It's her lipstick I hate. I don't know how she can get so much lipstick on. And she wears the wildest colors! And she’s always touching her lips and wiping her fingers clean with a Kleenex. God, I don't know what Carl Lovett sees in that woman."

  Trixie snickers. "Yeah, he always has lipstick on his collar. I guess when Charles passes, she'll move on up to the big house and be the queen of the Horse and Hound."

  "Don't count on it! Carl goes through women as fast as most people go through shoes. I haven't figured out if he wears them out, or they wear him out. Either way relationships with him have been a revolving door."

  Hearing the door to the hallway opening, Matilda turned around.

  "Did you enjoy your cigarette? Tara sure enjoyed destroying a pen while you were taking a smoke break. If you don't believe me, look at her blue beak," Matilda said.

  "Sorry, I know I should have called Trixie to relieve me. But Tara was asleep on the counter and I thought I'd be back before she realized I was gone," Smiley said and flicked a lock of his hair out of his face."

  "Smiley, she plays like she’s asleep just to fool you," Trixie said. "She seems to have an internal clock and knows when it's time for your cigarette breaks."

  "I didn't know birds could tell time," the hippy said. "Wow, that's far out."

  "Just what were you smoking?" Matilda said.

  "The usual."

  "And what would that be? A brand name cigarette, I hope?" Matilda asked.

  Smiley reached into his back pocket and pulled out a tin Prince Albert can. "I roll my own."

  "Yeah, I bet you do," Matilda said and shook her head.

  "Next time you want a break," Trixie said, "just call me, and I’ll come down."

  "Roger that," Smiley said as he walked behind the counter.

  Matilda glanced at her watch. "Oh my, it’s almost time for my appointment at Kim's Beauty Salon. She'll throw a fit if I'm a minute late. I swear if she weren't the best hair burner in town, I would ditch her."

  "Hmm, and here I thought she was the only beauty shop in Sugar Hill. You have to point out the other ones the next time we’re driving through town Miss Matilda."

  Instead of answering Matilda hurried out the door and walked into a blast of arctic air. Forgot my ski jacket, but I'm not going back inside to get it. Trixie would surely say something about my failing memory, Matilda thought as she hurried across the parking lot to her Bronco.

  Trixie keeps hounding me to get a new SUV—when my Bronco starts while her Blazer stalls out more times than not. That child seems to forget that reliability counts more than a shiny new paint job.

  Matilda turned the ignition key. The Bronco's engine roared to life, which brought a big smile to her face.

  Chapter Six

  "Heavy show! Just my luck!" Matilda thought, switching on the windshield wipers, as she turned out of the driveway of the inn and headed down the steep hill in to the valley that separated Sugar Hill from Cannon Mountain. Concerned she might be late for her appointment, she sped despite the snow blasting against her windshield cutting visibility down considerably.

  She hit an icy spot. The rear of
the Bronco fishtailed. Matilda pumped the brakes. Nothing happened. She pushed down harder on the mushy brake pedal. Nothing. "Rats!" Matilda exclaimed loudly as the Bronco's speed increased rapidly.

  Suddenly in panic, Matilda pumped the brakes frantically. No response. The rear of the Bronco fishtailed again this time so severally that Matilda griped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. Snow covered spruce trees whipped by the window.

  Out of desperation, Matilda shoved the gear stick in reverse. The Bronco jerked and swerved sideways. The right rear tire skidded off the road. The Bronco spinning like a toy top. The rotation of the SUV carried it off the road and toward a massive snowbank. No airbag! Flashed through Matilda's mind seconds before the Bronco struck the snowbank. The impact flung Matilda into the windshield.

  Darkness!

  ***

  "I saw her eyes flutter!" a voice called out.

  "Thank God," someone exclaimed.

  "Nurse! Nurse! She’s coming around," the first voice said.

  Matilda opened her eyes and saw purple hair. "I must not be in heaven. I don't think purple hair is allowed," she said as Trixie's face came into focus.

  "How do you know what color hair angels have?" Trixie asked.

  "Just call it intuition, child."

  "I see nothing is wrong with her noggin," Smiley said.

  "Oh yes there is, but it was that way before the accident," Trixie said.

  "What happened?" Matilda asked as she sat up.

  "You lie back down, sugar," a fat nurse ordered as she stalked into the room like a sumo wrestler. "You have a concussion; that's what happened. You banged your head into a windshield."

  "Hmm, it didn't end well for the windshield either," Trixie said.

  The nurse glanced from Trixie to Matilda. "Is this woman bothering you, Sugar?"

  "Yes, constantly, but unfortunately, she's family and there nothing I can do about it," Matilda said.

  "With family like yours it makes me glad I'm an orphan," the nurse said. "I hope the hippy isn't an offspring?" she added.

  "Heaven no. What a terrible thought," Matilda said.

  "I never get any respect!" Smiley declared.

  "Who's taking care of the inn and Tara?" Matilda asked as she bolted upright.

  "Relax, Ann Bixby is handling the desk. And Trudy is taking care of Tara."

  "Oh God no. Trudy is probably stuffing sugar cookies into Tara as though she’s preparing a turkey," Matilda exclaimed. "Where're my clothes? Nurse!"

  "Never mind your clothes, Sugar, you’ve had a concussion, and you aren't going anywhere tonight."

  "Tonight? How long have I been asleep?"

  "Two days!" Trixie said.

  "Stop with the jokes and tell me the truth, Trixie," Matilda said.

  "Sugar, she is telling you the truth. You got quite a knock on the head when you plowed into that snow bank."

  "Yeah, what happened, Miss Matilda," Smiley asked.

  "The brakes failed!" Matilda said. "And the mechanic put new brake shoes on last month.

  "It's an antique. What do you expect from that pile of junk," Trixie said. "And if it had been equipped with an airbag you wouldn't have gotten a concussion."

  "Nurse, I've changed my mind. I have never seen either of these people before. Could you have a security guard escort them out of my room," Matilda declared. "I need to rest."

  "Alright! Alright! This is us leaving," Trixie said. "Come along Smiley but do leave her broomstick so she can fly home."

  "It's nice to be loved," Matilda said as a spell of drowsiness forced her to close her eyes. I'll rest just for a moment, she told herself.

  "She's asleep," the nurse's voice woke Matilda. She turned and glanced at the door. Trudy and the fat nurse stood outside her room. They talked in whispers.

  "Come in Trudy," Matilda called out

  The nurse nodded her approval.

  "How are you doing, Miss Matilda?"

  "Just peachy. Sleeping and watching soap operas all day. The dream life of every housewife," Matilda answered sitting up. "I'm glad you came to visit. You can give me a ride home."

  Trudy glanced at the nurse.

  "Yes, she’s being discharged this morning."

  "How is Tara? You haven't fed her too many sugar cookies, have you?"

  "Uh, only when she squawked your name. It quietened her," the chubby cook confessed.

  "Hmm, she's got you twisted around her naughty beak, I see."

  "You mean she did it so that I would give her more cookies?" Trudy asked.

  "Never mind, that bird will always find a way to manipulate everyone, not just you. Uh...have you talked to Sheriff Dudley lately?"

  "Yes, Miss Matilda."

  "And? What did he have to say about the murder case?"

  "Miss Matilda, he made me swear not to tell anyone," Trudy said.

  "But you aren't going to let that stop you. Now out with it. What did the police report say?"

  The cook took a deep breath. "You know I’ll have to say some Hail Mary's at confession if I break my promise."

  "Yeah, well I'm sure it won't tack on too many extra ones, will it?"

  Trudy blushed.

  "Yeah, I thought not. Now spill the beans," Matilda ordered.

  "Dudley said there were no signs of a struggle at the crime scene. He thought that the attacker walked up behind Buggy and struck him on the head with the flower pot," Trudy said.

  "Okay, tell me something I don't already know."

  "There were no fingerprints on the fragments of the flower pot. He said the perp wore gloves."

  "And?" Matilda asked.

  "And nothing, Miss Matilda. The state forensic team didn't find any evidence to link the murder to anyone."

  "What about the autopsy report? What was the time of death?"

  "Dudley said that Buggy was killed between six and eight p.m."

  "Hmm, the banquet started at seven, but it was near the end before Trixie found the body," Matilda said out loud.

  "Yes, ma'am. I remember that I glanced at the clock in the kitchen just before Trixie screamed. It was a quarter to eight," Trudy said.

  "Yep, that sounds about right."

  "Miss Matilda, do you have any suspects in mind? Dudley seemed at a complete loss as to who killed Buggy. I would sure hate to have the killer go scot-free."

  "Trudy, I'm not going to let that happen. Don't you worry, I'll find the culprit. Now get my clothes from the sumo wrestler so you can drive me home.

  "I heard that!" the big nurse said as she stuck her head around the door. "They said you would be irritating, but I said, ‘Oh no, Miss Matilda is a nice kind, godly person.’"

  "I guess whoever told you that crock of bull didn't know me very well, did they?"

  "Hmm!" the nurse said as she disappeared into the hall.

  "Trudy, please go and get my clothes before she burns them."

  "Yes, maybe I should," the cook said. "She did seem a trifle upset."

  ***

  "Get in your cage! Get in your cage!" Tara screamed as Matilda entered the lobby.

  "She's mad at you for having been away so long," Smiley said. "She paced back and forth on the counter all morning. It’s as though she knew you would come home today.

  "Sorry, Tara," Matilda said as she walked up to the counter and tickled the parrot under her wing. "Mommy’s home now."

  "Sugar cookie?" Tara said.

  "Just one," Matilda said. She turned to tell Trudy to fetch the parrot a cookie only to find Trudy with a sugar cookie in her hand.

  "I see you go around well-armed, Trudy," Matilda said as she took the cookie. She turned back to Tara. "Just one."

  Tara reached out with her right foot and grasped the cook and began to eat it immediately.

  "You’ll get fat, Tara."

  "Tara pretty, Tara pretty bird."

  "Pretty fat bird," Matilda said before she turned her attention to Smiley. "So, how did the weekend go?"

  "Busy. We were ful
l Friday and Saturday . . ."

  "My my, how did you get home without your broomstick?" Trixie said as she emerged from the hallway.

  "Trudy was kind enough to give me a lift home," Matilda replied as she gave the floor an extra hard tap with her walking stick. "And I didn't have to look at purple hair on the ride here."

  "I better get back into the kitchen," Trudy said and hurried away.

  "You two will cause Trudy to think you hate each other," Smiley said and shook his head.

  "How did it go with the chambermaids?" Matilda asked as she ignored Smiley's remark.

  "Fine, Ann Bixby was a life saver," Trixie said.

  "Yeah, what flavor is she, chili pepper?"

  "Matilda, you know that sometimes a little spice is needed to liven things up," Trixie said.

  "Yeah, well, I know for a fact that the other chambermaids don't like her," Matilda said.

  "They dislike her because she can clean a room twice as fast. And I never have to redo her rooms. Now, do you want to hear why your brakes failed or do you want to diss Ann?"

  "What do you mean why my breaks failed? They just failed," Matilda said.

  "They failed because the brake line was cut!" Trixie declared.

  "Really!"

  "Yeah, I had Bob at the service station examine them. I thought maybe he just did a poor job when he put on the new brake shoes. That’s not the case. Someone cut the line."

  "Hmm, that's interesting. Now, who would do something like that?"

  "I don't know. You have tons of admirers," Trixie said. "It could have been any one of them."

  "Yep, I hadn't used the Bronco since you and I visited Charley Lovett. It's been in the parking lot since we returned from the Horse and Hound. Anyone could have tinkered with it."

  "Maybe it's someone who knows you’re investigating Buggy's death?" Smiley said.

  "But who knows that?"

  "Everyone," both Trixie and Smiley said at the same time.

  “It’s the talk of the town that Matilda is playing Sherlock Holmes,” Trixie explained.

  "But why would they be concerned about me? I'm not a policeman or detective," Matilda said.

  "Smiley, I'm going to the solarium to get a little sun. Please be so kind as to fire the sassy girl with the purple hair before I return," Matilda said as she tapped her walking stick against the floor.