by Rosie Sams
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Six
"Again, Ramona! Again. You still sound like a croaking frog," Denise said as she shook her fist with frustration. She sat, camped out in the front row of the spectator seats watching Ramona sing on stage.
Her belongings were spread across several chairs as if she was saving them for other family members that would never show for the event. It was always just Denise and Ramona. Melody suspected Denise liked it that way.
"I guess this is a dress rehearsal," Melody said under her breath as she led Alvin and Smudge toward the stage. Ramona, who was dressed in the same magenta gown she wore the night of the murder, stopped singing abruptly and stared at them with wide eyes.
Denise turned her head sharply to see the new arrivals. Her eyes, narrow slits full of anger, fell on Smudge. Without acknowledging their presence, she turned back to Ramona and clapped twice.
"Now, focus! The pageant is all you need to be concerned with, Ramona. Sing it again, now."
"The pageant and 20 to life are all she needs to be concerned with," Alvin said under his breath. Smudge yipped in agreement. Melody kept her eyes on Ramona.
Perhaps if I only address Ramona, we'll get somewhere, she thought.
"I'm sorry we're interrupting your rehearsal, but we need to speak with you - and only you. Maybe you can take five?"
Denise leaped from her seat in seconds once Melody suggested that Ramona stop rehearsing. Some of her belongings fell to the floor, including her coat and her big designer bag of tricks.
"Now, you listen here. We are in the middle of rehearsal, and this is not the time nor the place for your distracting questions. I told you before, no one talks to my daughter without our lawyer present. She is innocent, and I've had enough of your meddling. I'm calling the police."
"I am the police, and you, ma’am, are starting to get on my nerves. You are currently obstructing justice, and if you do not stand down, you will be arrested," Alvin said as his frustration mounted. "We haven't accused your daughter of anything. We just need to double-check some facts with her that could help us crack the case. We're looking for her help, Mrs. Newman. If she's innocent and if she loved Ronald Atkins, I'm sure she would want to help us find his murderer." Finishing, he looked at Ramona and asked gently, "Wouldn't you, dear?"
"My mother did it!" Ramona's hand shot up and out toward her mother. Her finger pointed like a laser. Tears streamed from her face as she blurted the admission.
Denise gasped in horror as she spun to face her accuser!
"How dare you make such a vile accusation. I am your mother! Did you forget all that I have done for you? I've been covering up your messes your entire life, you ungrateful brat! If it weren't for me, you'd still be…"
"I'd still be singing in the shower at my leisure. I'd still be relaxing and maybe enjoying a good book, or I’d still be spending time with friends I no longer have. I’d have free time. Now, there’s a novel idea. I'd be happy. Maybe, I would even have a dog like Smudge. Mother, you know it has been me covering for you this whole time. I am always apologizing for your overbearing and embarrassing behavior. Well, now I'm done with all of that! I'm over this pageant, and I've had enough of you! Sheriff Hennessey, I want to come clean."
Melody's eyebrows were high on her forehead as she looked between mother and daughter in shock. Alvin and even Smudge stood frozen in place as they watched both women give up the other.
"I found you with Alexis' sash! I know you killed that dirty old man in a jealous rage, and I did what any mother would do, I covered for you!" Denise said, her face was as red as a tomato.
"There has never been a raging jealous bone in my body, Mother. Yes, he broke my heart, but I could never kill him, and you know that. That's why you did it! You hated the fact that I loved him more than I loved all of this!" Ramona mocked the contest by putting on her best pageant smile and walked across the stage, waving to the invisible crowd.
As the women argued back and forth, Smudge wandered over to Denise's bag. She hadn't lost interest in the bag yet. She sniffed it, then barked to get Melody's attention. Melody, who could barely peel her eyes from the Newman Family meltdown, turned her head slowly toward Smudge in query.
"Shoo!" Denise said, breaking her attention away from her traitorous daughter long enough to wave a hand at Smudge.
"You never cared about me, Mother! You wanted that crown for yourself. I never wanted it!" With the dam of secrets broken, Ramona continued to spill her guts.
Smudge barked at the bag again now, repeatedly. The sound of her bark echoed through the auditorium over the arguing women. She pawed the bag and looked at Melody. Her deep chocolate eyes were insistent.
Denise reached for the purse when Smudge pawed at it again. One of the straps caught on her paw, causing the bag to tip open. Its contents flew across the floor. One item slid right into Alvin's shoe. He glanced down, then instinctively reached for the thing before Denise lunged for it!
"That's Ronald's phone!" Melody said, shocked! In the excitement, she ran to Alvin. "Turn it over! Look for his initials!"
Alvin took out a plastic evidence bag and examined the phone encased in a protective gold cover. He flipped it over, and there at the very bottom of the case were the initials "R.A." He noted that it was a bit sticky. "Looks like we have a winner! Ms. Newman, you have the right to remain silent," Alvin said as he removed his cuffs from his belt.
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Seven
"It was you! You saw an opportunity, and you took it!" Melody pointed at Denise as all the fragmented memories her mind clung to from the night of the murder fell into place.
Denise laughed, but Alvin was moving toward her to slap the cuffs on her wrists. She took a few steps back from him, trying to keep out of his reach. Even though she laughed, her eyes were wide like a deer caught in headlights.
"That's ridiculous. I've done nothing but protect my daughter!" Smudge blocked Denise's path while Alvin advanced. Melody continued formulating her theory as she pieced it all together.
"You knew Ronald liked younger women, but you also knew he wanted older women just as much. He was a relentless flirt. I bet he flirted with you, too. You probably watched him ask all those contestants to put their phone numbers into his phone. It wasn’t that you wanted his affections. You just knew how to exploit his own weaknesses in order to manipulate him, didn’t you?
"The man was a pig!" Denise took another step back but jumped when she saw Smudge advance.
"When Alexis threw her drink in Ronald's face, you saw how upset Ramona was, and you also knew how drunk Alexis was. You waited until she passed out and grabbed her sash, thinking you could frame her for the murder," Melody continued with her accusations.
"Alexis was a selfish brat and a drunk. She doesn't deserve to wear a crown." Denise was cracking quickly. Melody knew it was ingrained in her character to compulsively correct others. It wasn’t a big surprise that Denise couldn’t stop confirming her bad deeds. The woman was a bit of a showoff, and Melody suspected she thought she was the smartest person in the room.
"Yes, and framing her helped eliminate some of the competition, but just in case that part of your plan fell through, you made sure you gave Colleen motive to kill Ronald by sending her those breakup texts. You're the one I saw texting outside in the shadows." Melody continued to egg on Denise.
"Colleen thought Ronald was going to gift her the crown! She would have won without earning it. My Ramona has worked tirelessly. She deserves to win!" Denise turned to Ramona just as Alvin reached her. He pulled her hands behind her back and cuffed her.
"Baby, I did this all for you! All of it! I just wanted you to be happy! I wanted you to be the best!" she pleaded to her daughter with the hope that she would be sympathetic.
"There's only one thing I haven't figured out," Melody said. "How did you snag his phone?" Denise glared at Alvin as he tugged her toward the red carpet for her walk of shame. The gig was up. With no reason to hold back any longer, Denise
gave them the last piece of the puzzle.
"I saw him in a lustful embrace with Alexis before the reception. You saw them, too. Your little interruption distracted him enough that after you walked away, he rushed out of the room, worried he had been caught yet again. The word was out - Penelope had already warned him that if he was caught romancing another contestant, she would out him publicly. That's when I saw that Alexis was already half in the bag, and he’d left his cell phone on her vanity table."
"Brilliant! What an opportunist! Your mother really knew how to look out for you, Ramona," Melody said as she watched Alvin lead Denise away.
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Eight
"I didn't plan it! I never meant to hurt him!" Denise said as Alvin placed her in the back seat of his patrol car. The reality of being put into the vehicle while wearing handcuffs had her backpedaling her story as quickly as she had first spilled it.
Ramona stood with Melody and Smudge as she watched her mother's fall from grace. Melody placed a hand gently on the girl's shoulder.
"The pageants were my mother's idea. I never wanted to compete. I wanted to play soccer."
Melody listened as Ramona finally spoke freely without being under her mother’s watchful eye.
"As for Ronald, I know he wasn't the best man he could be, but I did have strong feelings for him." She locked eyes with Melody. "He made me feel prettier than any pageant ever could."
"I'm sorry your mother did this to you," Melody said quietly. "Even though her actions were wrong, I suspect she had the best intentions in trying to help you succeed."
"My mother is a jealous woman. She used to compete when she was my age. She never did win the crown, but she stayed passionate about the pageant lifestyle. She came close to winning once. She qualified for a national pageant that would have set her up for Miss America, the biggest competition of all. Back then, she could have gone all the way. She could have had a collection of crowns, and the winnings would have set her up for a comfortable life."
"What happened after she qualified?" Melody asked curiously.
"I happened,” Ramona said then went on to explain. "She met my father. He was a judge at one of the events. She got pregnant. Then, he left her for another competitor. Does the story sound familiar yet? History repeats itself."
Smudge rubbed against Ramona's leg until Ramona scooped her up into her arms. Together the trio watched as Alvin drove away. Denise cursed her daughter's existence and ingratitude from the backseat until she was nothing more than a speck in the distance. Shortly after, Kerry pulled up in her car and parked alongside the curb.
"There's Kerry. She'll give us a ride to the station," Melody said.
"Thank you," Ramona said quietly into the soft fur of Smudge's neck as she cuddled her close. "You really saved me." Ramona's eyes drifted back to Kerry's car as she lowered Smudge to the pavement.
Kerry pushed open the passenger door.
"Smudge! C'mon girl!" she said excitedly. Smudge hopped into the car, excited to see Kerry, too. She nuzzled her wet nose against Kerry's face then jumped into the back seat. Kerry reached back and buckled her harness into the special seat belt she kept on the occasion she had to care for Smudge.
Ramona inhaled deeply, then slowly let it go. She watched as Kerry spoke playfully to Smudge and observed how Smudge responded to Kerry. Melody observed how everything about Ramona’s presence had changed once her mother was far enough away. She appeared to be free; the stress had gone from her body.
"She's really something special. I love that little dog. She inspires me to be a better person,” Ramona said thoughtfully.
"Smudge brings out the best in everyone, because she's the best, too. What will you do now that you're free from the pageant circuit?" Melody asked.
"I'm not exactly sure, but I know one thing. I want to be around more dogs like Smudge."
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Nine
"Ladies and gentlemen, your first runner up is…" Penelope Cross glanced down at the gold card she was holding. She read a name to herself first, then announced it into the microphone. "Alexis Garnett!"
The crowd roared with excitement! Alexis forced a smile evidently disappointed her name was called so soon. Reluctantly, she took her runner’s up lap around the stage. She waved to the cheering audience until she found her way to Penelope. Penelope took a freshly pressed sash and draped it over Alexis' shoulder. Then, she handed her a bouquet of flowers. Alexis waved again and stood in the spot on the stage marked for the First Runner Up.
"She doesn't look thrilled," Melody whispered to Kerry, who was seated at her left.
"Nope. We should keep an eye on whoever wins and make sure she doesn't end up with a sash around her neck," Alvin said, overhearing Melody. He was seated to her right.
"I think Kerry should be on that stage next year." Bradford Smedley, Kerry's fiancé, leaned in closer to add his two cents about the pageant.
The four friends had the best view of the show as Penelope had hooked them up with VIP seats, front row, and center. Knowing how Kerry felt about pageants, everyone but her snickered at his suggestion.
Penelope tapped the microphone with her painted fingernail to recapture the attention of the cheering crowd.
"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for." She looked at the card carefully so as not to say the wrong name. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your NEW Miss Port Warren and state qualifier for Miss America, Colleen Thorne!"
The crowd went wild!
Colleen's hands flew to her open mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her whole body shook with excitement as she acted genuinely surprised at being announced the winner. With a gut reaction, Alexis rolled her eyes, but as quickly as she’d reacted, she ultimately smiled warmly at Colleen and applauded her success. They had all been through so much together.
"Oh, yes, such a surprise," Kerry said sarcastically. "Wasn't she the favorite to win?"
"She's not a horse!" Melody said.
"Well, she may as well be with this dog and pony show."
Colleen, still sobbing, put on her best award-winning smile as she strutted over to Penelope, who draped her winner’s sash and placed the ceremonial crown atop her luxurious blonde hair. The gorgeous headpiece sparkled under the bright lights of the stage.
"I wouldn't mind wearing that on my wedding day." Kerry appreciated the beauty of the crown. Melody suspected Kerry was envisioning herself as the winner.
"I guess there are some perks to competing after all." Melody's comment caused Kerry to snap out of her daydream and frown.
“Fine, I admit there’s something somewhat magical about the finale,” Kerry said begrudgingly.
Penelope handed Colleen a substantial red rose bouquet reserved for the winner. A local high school student sang the ceremonial pageant song as Colleen took her lap of honor. As she turned toward the front of the stage, one of the roaming spotlights fell on Kerry’s face sitting in the front row. Colleen couldn't help but smile genuinely when she saw her. It was evident that she remembered Kerry's kindness one month ago when Ronald Atkins was murdered.
Colleen deviated from her choreographed walk despite Penelope’s subtle protests. She descended the steps to the side of the stage and headed right for Kerry. The spotlight settled on the two women. Plucking a rose from her bouquet, she handed it to her new friend. Kerry, caught completely off guard, was immobilized in her chair by all the fanfare. She looked up at Colleen, confused.
"Thank you. I haven't forgotten what you did for me. Your kindness meant the world to me. You're the most beautiful woman in the room, Kerry, inside and out. Please, stand up and share this moment with me. After losing Ronald, I’m not sure I could have made it here without your support." Colleen took Kerry's hand, encouraging her to stand beside her.
Her friends cheered her and snapped some photos for Leslie. She wouldn’t have believed that Kerry was a highlight of the pageant finale without them.
Shocked, Kerry rose from her seat and foun
d herself smiling genuinely with one arm around Colleen's waist. Together, they waved at the audience and smiled for the cameras. The flashes were popping like fireworks.
Melody knew that Kerry had kept in touch with Colleen after the investigation closed. She hadn’t told anyone about her secret, but the blossoming friendship with the newest pageant queen was something Melody had spotted.
Colleen hugged her then headed back to the stage, leaving Kerry with tears in her eyes. She finished her victory lap and met Penelope at the microphone.
"I'd like to thank the National Pageant Association, the city of Port Warren, and Ms. Penelope Cross for putting together this event. I'd also like to thank all the sponsors, and especially the other competitors. These women are some of the strongest, most talented women I have ever met." She led a round of applause for the competitors poised on stage. "You ladies didn't make this win easy, but with everything we've been through together, you definitely made it special." The crowd cheered again.
Melody, Alvin, Kerry, and Bradford cheered for Colleen. As they did, Melody stole a glance at Kerry. She watched her genuinely applaud Colleen and the other girls.
"Are you a fan now?" Melody asked as the hoopla died down.
"Let's just say I support those that celebrate the success of women." Eager to prove he supported his fiancée, Bradford kissed Kerry tenderly.
"She's right, you know. You are the most beautiful woman in the room," he said.
Later that evening, after the event ended, Alvin drove Melody home.
"I noticed Ramona didn't compete. Have you heard from her?" Alvin asked.
"Yes! She's volunteering at the Port Warren Animal Shelter, and she's going to veterinary school. She wants to help animals. She said she owes it all to Smudge." Melody couldn't help but smile at the thought of how Smudge had helped Ramona during the loss of her lover and mother. A mother who now rotted in jail, as well as having helped her to find her real calling - one that made her truly happy.