by Tonya Kappes
“Hiya…” her words slurred, obviously from an overdose of liquid courage. Not that she needed any more encouragement. “I’m Shay Moon, and over there”—she used the microphone to point to her table, making her voice trail off, but quickly brought the microphone back up to her mouth when she realized we couldn’t hear her. “That’s my finance. I mean fiancé, Lewis Malone.”
Was that a Freudian slip? I looked around to see the look on everyone else’s face. Mostly they looked entertained, but poor Lewis had his head in his hands.
She told the crowd about her getting married, and it all seemed in good fun. The crowd clapped, catcalled, and even threw out a few whistles.
It wasn’t until…
“You know how a bride gives the groom a groom’s gift?” she asked the crowd. “Well, I’m giving my half of the Moonbucks Coffee Company shares to my love, Lewis Malone. Happy marriage, baby!”
“Shay!” Tom Moon gasped and hurried his way up through the crowd.
“I’ve already signed them over, baby!” She waved some papers in the air. Lewis ran up on stage and grabbed her around the waist, twirling her around, nearly knocking over Tom Moon.
“Over my dead body!” Tom Moon reached out to grab the papers out of Lewis’s grip but had no success.
…As we say in Kentucky, you know what hit the fan.
SIX
Fifi and Chester ran off as soon as Hank had opened the camper door after we got back from the festival—or what we could call Tom Moon’s living nightmare.
Tom, Amy and Carl had all tried to pull Shay off of Lewis’s lips, but they were locked together, and Shay’s shares were in Lewis’s grip, and no one was going to pry his fist open.
I didn’t have pole lights around the campground because it was a campground and guests wanted to see the nature of what it was really like in the Daniel Boone National Forest, not lights from a city, which would hinder the experience.
I did have small lantern lights low to the ground that would click on with motion, so when guests did walk around at night, they could see where they were going without the light projecting into the sky.
“Those two.” I laughed watching Fifi lead Chester right to the edge of the lake. “He’s a good boy.” I said that about Chester when he didn’t jump in right after Fifi did.
“She’s a stinker, just like her mama.” Hank used the pad of his finger and tapped the end of my nose. He brought me closer to him and kissed me right under the bright moon. “I could stay right here forever.”
“I hear a ‘but’ coming on.” I leaned back a little to see his eyes.
“But I’ve got to go to federal court over the ginseng case.” He pulled me close. I rested my head on his chest, closed my eyes, and enjoyed his tight squeeze around me. “Ritchie Stinnet and Sue Ann Jaffarian are being tried on the ginseng first, since it’s pretty open and shut with all the record of their illegal transport.”
The forest was actually one of the world’s largest producers of ginseng. There were a lot of strict laws people didn’t know about when it came to harvesting and selling the herbal plant. In fact, Kentucky had just put a hold on any sort of harvesting so the crops could reproduce after people coming in the forest and illegally harvesting the roots.
“What about the murder charges?” I asked and wondered how long he’d be gone for that case.
“One trial at a time.” He stroked my curly hair, the hair I hated and spent a lot of money on straightening when I had money to do so, to say nothing of the salon. I was sure Helen Pyle had no idea what products to use to help me achieve the straight look I so craved. Nor was I willing to find out. “I have to leave early in the morning.”
“Chester is going to miss you,” I teased.
“Only Chester?” he asked.
“Fifi too.” I looked up at him with a squished nose. “Maybe me.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” He bent down. His lips met mine and stayed there until Fifi started chasing the sleeping ducks on bank of the other side of the lake. “I can’t believe you’ve not brought up the big whoop-dee-doo from the Chicken Fest.”
“I think I’m having a hard time processing really what happened.” I’d replayed it over and over in my head. “The incident between Shay and her father isn’t what is bothering me the most.”
“Yeah? What then?” Hank asked before he put his fingers up to his mouth and whistled for the dogs.
“I’m not sure how, but Gert and Tom Moon know each other,” I told him on our way around the lake to get Fifi. “I’m afraid it’s not in a good ‘know each other’ kinda way either.”
Ever since I’d seen how Gert reacted to Tom Moon—not just by dropping the mug, either—her body language that told me there was more to their friendship that wasn’t on the pleasing side.
“Really? I thought Gert got along with everyone.” Hank had made the same observation of our friend as everyone else in the community. “But it goes to show that everyone has a little bit of a past, and if she didn’t tell you then…”
“Hank Sharp.” I gasped and lightly smacked his arm. “Are you trying to call me a gossip?”
“Well, hon, if I wasn’t here to listen, I’m sure you’d be telling Dottie.” He laughed. “Unless you already told Dottie.”
“Stop it.” I wasn’t going to confess to anything. “Still, I do wonder how they know each other.”
“I’m sure you’ll find out.” He was right. If hindsight was twenty-twenty, I’d say Hank Sharp was psychic. “In the meantime, you’ve got a wedding to plan.”
I could tell he was enjoying my new job by the fit of laughter he seemed to be having. I’d never seen Hank be so entertained at my expense.
“You’re enjoying my little fiasco I’ve created.” I nudged him.
“I think it’s cute how you seem to always get yourself stuck in these uncanny situations.” He put his arm around me and continued around the lake.
Fifi and Chester had run back around to us. We were on the same path we walked every night before we went our separate ways for the evening.
“I’ve got a list of things we’ve got to do tomorrow.” I had yet to write them down, but they were in my head. “I had no idea Tom was going to jump at my price.”
After Shay had insisted I be her personal wedding planner for the next two days, I threw out a number for hire. Trust me when I say there was no price too good for Tom Moon’s daughter. In a way, I could see how Paul conned these rich people, though I was nothing like him. I’d already decided I was going to give Shay a great day and do my best to make her wedding exactly how she wanted it.
“Don’t forget to take care of my dog while I’m gone.” Hank knew better than to even suggest I’d forget.
“Oh, like I would forget that sweet face.” I snuggled up to him while we finished our walk. “When do you think you’ll be home?” I asked when we made it back to my camper and stood out front.
“I’ve got a hotel for the two days I think it’ll take but maybe sooner.” He ran his hands down the sides of my arms and pulled me closer. “You’ve got plenty of gossip to occupy your time. And being a wedding planner.”
The night was still young, even though daylight saving time had already kicked in and it seemed so much later from the darkness blanketing the campground. Instead of having Hank take Chester home with him, I had Hank go home and leave Chester with me, since Hank was going to be leaving earlier than normal.
Chester had found a nice comfy spot on the small couch in the living area of the campervan, and Fifi curled up in her little pink princess bed near the captain chairs.
I flipped on the television and grabbed my notebook out of the junk drawer. Then I sat down at the small café table to write down my thoughts and ideas for Shay’s wedding.
It took a few minutes for me to flip through the notebook because I was reading what the Laundry Club gals and I had been up to over the last couple of years. The memory of me walking into the Laundry Club for the very first time
left me with a big smile.
Little did I realize I’d walk out with four best friends and the laundromat would be the place we gathered practically every day to chit chat. Those ladies and I had been through so many adventures that I couldn’t imagine what my life would look like without them.
This notebook proved it. We’d gotten ourselves into many criminal pickles, and we used this notebook to write down any and all clues to help us get out of the prickly situations.
Tonight, I was going to go solo and write down things to occupy Shay and her wedding party, starting with a manicure from Cute-icles.
I quickly sent Helen a text to see if she had any openings and was happy to hear back that she’d make room for the gals, especially when I told her I was bringing Violet Rhinehammer along. Anything for free publicity. I just had to make sure Violet was there.
So she was next up on my list. Little did I think she’d call me instead of texting me back.
“Exactly what do you want out of this article?” was how she greeted me after I answered her phone call. “You obviously know that I want the recognition.”
“I guess I want you to do the story about Paul and me along with my life here and how I’ve made a real life for myself. Not as Paul West’s wife.” I wasn’t so sure why it mattered so much to me that my name was clear.
However, I feared my name would be tied to Paul and his crimes forever, no matter how much good I did around Normal.
“I don’t want Pierce to do a story, or if he does, it won’t be the full truth.” I looked down at the notebook and tapped the pen on the page. “I’m giving you full access to my day, and that includes Shay Moon.”
“I’m going to shop this article to all the rag magazines.” Without her even saying it, I knew she was talking about those national magazines located in the racks at the checkout at the local grocery.
“Fine. As long as you tell the truth,” I said.
It was as simple as getting my story out. There wasn’t a whole lot to tell, but I think people would want to hear from me how I got caught up in Paul West’s world and put to sleep any accusation that I had any inkling about how he’d conned millions of dollars out of our friends and others. In fact, Shay’s question when she asked me about knowing what Paul was doing gave me the extra little nudge I needed to really recognize that my side of the story wasn’t rightly told in Manhattan or the Hamptons in our inner circle.
“The way to do that is to follow me around, and you can ask any questions you’d like for the piece.” I couldn’t believe I was going to just give Violet free rein over everything. But I was living with a belief that what pain it would give me for a short period of time was a large gain and would finally put all of this to rest.
“Great. What else is on your list of to-dos?” she asked.
“I want to take them to the Sweet Smell Flower Shop, Trails Coffee Shop, Normal Diner, and back to the wedding barn so we can get a final layout of the bridal party with Coke.” I had touched on all the bases. As I talked to her, I wrote the places down so they would be easier to check off tomorrow.
“Later in the day, I’m going to go get Christine at the Cookie Crumble. She wants me to go with her to have the groom taste his cake and also take some samples to Shay’s dad,” I finished.
“And you’re going to be okay with me going all of these places with no questions off limits?” Her voice held a leery tone. “I mean, you just…”
“I know how I treated you in the past. But if anyone is going to tell my full story, then I want it to be you.” It was a complete switch from the normal attitude I’d shown against her when she asked me personal questions. But it was time to finally put the past behind me. The Moons’ arrival in Normal had tipped me over the edge.
“I’ll meet you at your place at eight a.m.” She hung up the phone.
“I’ll be there,” I said to myself and quickly typed a text to the phone number Shay had put on her campground contract. I wrote the message to let her know she and her group needed to be at the campground office by seven thirty, giving me plenty of time to gather them in a bus….what bus?
I had a brilliant idea and scrolled through my phone to see if the idea could be brought to light.
“Betts, hey. Do you have access to the church bus?” Betts had been married to the ex-preacher of the Normal Baptist Church, and she’d been really involved in the different ministries that included using a bus to get all the Bible thumpers, my term for her church friends, to the various events. “Because Shay Moon asked me to help her with her wedding plans.”
“She what?” Betts laughed. “I’ve got to see this.”
“Stop it. But seriously, I’m so glad you have faith in me. Hank thought it was funny too.” I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me.
“I do have faith in you, but you get yourself in the strangest situations for anyone I’ve ever known.” She continued to giggle. “You were a rebellious teen. You ran off to New York City where you became a flight attendant and got married to a really wealthy man. Fast forward to how you ended up in the middle of the Daniel Boone National Forest, owning a campground in the park where you also help me clean houses for extra money. Did I mention all the dead bodies you’ve come across?”
“Funny.” My voice was flat. “And all of that will be told in the free-for-all, no-holds-barred article I’m letting Violet Rhinehammer do on me and my life.”
“You’ve got to be joking.” Betts was someone I’d really gotten close to over the past couple of years, and she had a front-row seat to my tiffs with Violet over during that time. “Is this because of that Pierce guy?”
“Did I tell you all about that?” I knew I’d told her about the Moons but not Pierce.
“Oh no, he came in here asking all sorts of questions about you.” She sighed. “I didn’t tell him a thing, but now I know why you’ve decided to let Violet have her shot that she’s been dying to do.”
“I’m going to give Violet full access while I take Shay and her bridesmaids around town to put the final touches on her wedding. That’s why I need the bus.” It was truly a great idea.
“You need a bus driver who has the correct CDL.” Betts told me something I didn’t know, and it kind of deflated me. “I know someone who could drive for you.”
“You do?” I asked with an uptick in my voice.
“Me,” Betts said. “What time?”
“By eight?” I asked, hoping she didn’t already have something to do.
“I was going to work in the laundromat office tomorrow, but I can change that. Besides, I’m very interested in your full story myself.”
With everything set for the morning, I took one more stab at the list of places we had to visit and things we needed to do to have Shay Moon’s final touches for her dream southern wedding all tied up in a pretty little bow.
I was more tired than I realized. The next thing I knew, I was fast asleep.
SEVEN
“Good morning, ladies.” I greeted all the girls with a cup of coffee from Trails Coffee’s complementary station, which Gert kept filled for me, and a sweet treat from the Cookie Crumble.
I’d gone to the office after I’d risen, let the dogs out, fed them, and gotten ready for my adventurous day. I made a schedule along with times for the group so they’d know exactly what we were doing and where. Betts had driven the bus to the campground by seven thirty like we’d talked about on the phone last night, and Violet Rhinehammer was also there early.
Violet had taken some shots of the campground for her article and a few shots of Fifi by the lake. She wasn’t going to leave anything out.
“I’m going to need some ibuprofen.” Shay wore a big floppy hat and a pair of dark sunglasses. She pulled them off and exposed the black circles under her eyes.
“You’re gonna need a Kentucky special.” Dottie’s nose curled and jerked her neck back.
“What’s a Kentucky special?” Shay asked, her tone more curious than indicating she really w
anted to taste the certifiable hangover cocktail Dottie had served to many of our younger guests. Those guests had had too many spirits over a nighttime campfire only to find they were unable to go hiking the next morning.
“I’ll be right back.” Dottie held up a finger and trotted towards her camper, where she kept the brandy, apple brandy, and vermouth to make the ever-so-popular drink that was also known as the corpse cocktail.
I wanted to know what happened last night after Misty finally dragged her and Lewis off stage, but she was lingering behind the other girls, and I could tell she didn’t want to talk. I sure didn’t want her to throw up on me.
Betts pulled in right on time.
“Girls, our ride for our little pre-wedding day adventure is here,” I said.
About that time, Dottie came back over with the metal shaker, giving it a good few rattles with one hand and holding a fancy stemmed cocktail glass in the other.
“Drink this down.” Dottie handed Shay the glass and popped the lid off the shaker, pouring the drink into the glass. “I’ll guarantee you’re gonna feel like yourself.”
“Bottoms up.” Shay lifted the glass to her lips.
“What are you doing?” Amy scolded Shay. She flipped the calendar open. “You can’t have any cocktails until seven p.m. And then it’s going to be one.” Amy held up a finger. “We are taking no chances for you to be puffy for the ceremony tomorrow.”
“Where did you come from?” I looked around. It was like she showed up out of mid-air.
“I’ve been assigned the awful task of keeping Shay in line today while her daddy straightens out the mess she’s put the company in.” Amy’s lips twitched left and then right before she finally curled them in together. “Not to mention what she puts in her body. If she gains even an ounce of weight from all the bad food around here, the wedding photos will make her… well… less desirable.”
“I didn’t do anything Lewis and I hadn’t already discussed.” Shay was talking about the stocks she gave Lewis last night as she sucked down the rest of the glass and licked around the rim dramatically, probably just to make Amy even madder. “I don’t need a babysitter. Do you understand?”