Soft Serve Secrets: A Cozy Mystery (Caesars Creek Mystery Series Book 3) (2 page)

My mind instantly shifted to Miss Greta whom Mr. Florez dated until she was murdered. I wondered what Gracie thought of her especially if she disliked Trixie so much.

I leaned over towards Trixie. “I understand she’s upset about her father, but why is she so upset with you?”

Trixie took hold of my hand. “Oh girls…she thinks I had something to do with it.”

Stormi straightened in her chair. “Oh poopers! That’s just crazy talk! What…she thinks you snuck up behind him and clocked him while he was nibbling his toast?”

I was with Stormi on this. This woman definitely didn’t know Miss Trixie like we did. There is no way she could ever harm anyone, let alone Ben. “How in the world would she come up with a crazy idea like that?”

Trixie looked down at her lap. “She thinks the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Stormi and I looked at one another. Trixie was talking about her daughter Eileen.

“She seems to think that I passed on the murder gene to my daughter.”

Stormi took Trixie’s hand. “What Eileen did has nothing to do with you.”

Trixie shook her head. “I know it and you girls know it, but Gracie isn’t as familiar with me. Which is partly my fault. Ben and I have been flitting around here and there, enjoying our time together. We should have included her.”

“Ummm…you two are newlyweds. Why would you include his adult daughter on your adventures?” Stormi asked.

“Well, that’s what I thought as well. Still, since she didn’t know me and I did just marry her father, I should have reached out to her. However, she lives in Atlanta and Ben and I don’t like driving in the big city so it was up to her to come and see us.”

“Did she?” I asked.

“No…but she works a lot,” Trixie answered.

I didn’t believe it and I could tell Trixie didn’t either. “She doesn’t know you. How can she be so accusatory?”

“Tara hon, she thinks she does know me by my daughter’s actions. As soon as she arrived, she tried to get me barred from Ben’s room. She told the doctors that my daughter was a murderer and that I was trying to kill her father for his money.”

Stormi bolted upright in her chair. “I think it’s time I had a little chat with Miss Know It All.”

Trixie shook her head. “Bless your heart, but no Stormi, that would only make things worse I’m afraid. She’s got it locked in her head I’m only out for money. Honestly, I think she’s been waiting for something like this to happen so she can warn her father against me.”

“Why does she think you’re after his money?” I asked.

“I guess because my previous two husbands died and left me bunches of money,” Trixie said sarcastically. “I did receive life insurance payments after their deaths. The first one wasn’t so much, but yes, the second one was enough to allow me to live without concern on how to pay my bills.”

I was never familiar with how Trixie’s first husband died. It was many years ago when she was a young bride. Her second husband died of a heart attack. He was Eileen’s father and they were married for 25 years when he died abruptly. He was a businessperson who wanted to ensure his wife and child were taken care of financially in case he died. Of course, by that time Eileen was grown and attending college. After that, Trixie stayed man-free although she dated on occasion. Usually she remained in the company of Miss Greta, her best friend since childhood. So, I wasn’t sure how Gracie was coming up with the idea that Miss Trixie was a black widow.

“She can’t keep you from Ben’s room, can she?” I asked.

Trixie looked down the hall from the waiting area. “No, but she’s putting up such a fuss when I’m in the room and it’s upsetting Ben which he doesn’t need right now. So I’m laying low until she leaves.”

Stormi was having none of it. “That’s not right. You’re the wife. You should be at your husband’s side.”

“I know dear, and hopefully she’ll leave soon so I can be.”

I looked at my watch. “Trixie, we need to get back to the shoppe, but I’d like to come back and check on you and Ben tonight.”

Trixie shook her head. “That’s sweet of you dear, but not necessary. I’m sure things will work out.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. Unfortunately, I was right.

*****

After we returned to the shoppe, we filled Paige in on what happened between customers. Paige, like Stormi and I, was astounded to hear how Mr. Florez’ daughter treated Trixie.

“That’s absurd,” Paige exclaimed. “Trixie wouldn’t hurt a fly. However…”

Stormi straightened. “Oh no you don’t. Don’t even try to put doubt in my mind over Trixie!”

Paige shrugged. “Listen, I don’t believe Trixie would harm Ben either, but I can see it from Gracie’s point of view.

I was intrigued. I could always count on Paige to provide a no nonsense approach to any situation. “How so?”

Paige sat down at one of the shoppe’s tables. I adorned each table with a small pot holding a pink Christmas cactus. Paige rubbed her finger over the blooms. “Well, if my father remarried out of the blue without me knowing the woman, and said woman has a murderess for a daughter, I’d be twitchy too.”

Paige looked at the two of us behind the ice cream counter. “You’ve got to remember, we have known Trixie for years, but Gracie hasn’t. I can see her being protective of her father. Now I agree, she’s taking things a little too far by wanting Trix barred from the hospital room, but I can see where she’s coming from.”

Stormi wiped the glass on the ice cream case with a damp cloth. “Yes, but why just go on assumptions? Wouldn’t it be better if she’d at least try to find out more about Trixie than strapping her to the witch’s stake immediately? I mean, think about it. If she was so worried about her father, why didn’t she come and see him and Trix the past few months and get to know her better?”

Paige stood up from the table. “You got me there. I agree, she should have come and seen for herself how it was going between them if she was so concerned.”

I agreed with both Paige and Stormi. “I’m sure Gracie is simply frightened for her father’s health. It was probably a jolt to hear he was rushed to the hospital. Maybe it’s easier for her to think Trixie caused something to happen than to consider Ben has a major health problem. The problem here is, we don’t know Gracie, but we do know Trixie.”

“Maybe you think you do.” We all turned to see Stormi’s brother Brandon walk into the shoppe from the back door. He stopped by at least twice a week and more if he had a construction or handyman job in town. He was looking particularly sexy today with his black hair parted on the side and swept back off his forehead. His white t-shirt provided a nice contrast to his tanned face and blue eyes. Honestly, I couldn’t believe I thought this of Stormi’s younger brother. I’d known him since childhood and never thought of him in this fashion before. I needed to get that thought out of my head and back into the predicament that was Trixie and her stepdaughter.

Stormi clutched her chest again. “Why do you like to scare the kajigers outta me! I’ve already had my heart stop once today from an eight legged mutant creature.”

Brandon looked at her warily, and then decided not to pursue the subject.

“As I was saying…you all think you know Miss Trixie but maybe you don’t.”

Stormi side eyed Brandon. “Okay, what have you heard?”

Brandon pulled up a chair and filled us in. “As you all know, word spreads fast in this town. Even the blowup between Trixie and her stepdaughter has become old news already.”

Stormi looked impatient. “Yes yes, Tara and I were there. So what else is the hubbub around town?”

Brandon stretched back in his chair. “Seems there’s some speculation about how Trixie’s first husband died.”

“How did he die?” Paige asked. “It was so long ago and I never heard anyone talk about it.”

“He fell off a cliff in Stone Mountain Park,” Brandon answered.

Not what I expected. “He fell off a cliff? That’s kind of odd.”

Brandon nodded his head. “Yeah. Seems there wasn’t much of an investigation into it. She said he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. Of course back then the police didn’t have the forensics they have now to tell if he actually fell or was pushed.”

Stormi shook her head. “No way she pushed him. I’d bet my life on it.”

“But now maybe you can see why this Miss Gracie is all a twitter,” Brandon remarked.

“How did she know?” Paige asked.

“She’s the one telling the story and it’s backed up by old newspaper clippings she found on the internet.” Brandon stood up. “She’s shown them to the police and the local newspaper.”

“Oh no.” I didn’t like this one bit. I knew how this kind of gossip spread and before morning Trixie would be labeled a black widow for sure.

“I just wanted to let you girls know what was being said in town so be prepared when customers talk about it. And they will.” Brandon looked at me. “How about a chocolate peanut butter shake for the road.”

As I prepared Brandon’s shake and the three of them talked, I wondered how I could help Miss Trixie. I didn’t like how things were spiraling out of control and so fast. But that’s what happens in a small town. Gossip, good or bad, spreads like wild fire. As much as people adored Trixie, it wouldn’t stop the drumbeat. Within hours, doubt was cast over her reputation, and it would take months if not years to regain her good name.

I understood what Paige was saying about Gracie, but how could she be so irresponsible with her accusations. This was a woman’s character at stake. But then Gracie was thinking of her father and keeping him safe. Crap! Everything was so messed up.

I handed Brandon his shake as he smiled and gave me a five-dollar bill. “Keep the change gorgeous.” I felt a heat rise in my cheeks. What the heck was wrong with me?

“Thanks,” was all I was able to squeak out. Stormi looked at me sideways. Normally I’d give him a wisecrack but I just couldn’t today.

The rest of the day was off and on busy. I prepared my ice cream cakes and popped them into the freezer for delivery the next day. As the evening rush subsided, Stormi and I wound things up for the day by putting chairs on the tables, sweeping, and mopping the floor. It was getting dark outside, which made it harder to see outside from the glare of my overhead lights. As Stormi swept the floor, she looked up to see a face staring back at her through the window.

“Oh for crying out loud!” Stormi squealed. “This day is going to kill me yet.”

In walked Miss Trixie. “Oh Stormi, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I wasn’t sure if the shoppe was still open or not so thought I’d peer in first.”

Stormi caught her breath. “That’s okay Miss Trixie; it’s been one of those days.”

“Tell me about it,” Trixie replied.

Stormi grimaced. “I’m sorry Trix; I know your day has been hell. How is Mr. Florez doing?”

By this time I made it back out to the front from where I was mopping in the back and heard Stormi squeal. “Yes Trixie, how is Ben?”

Trixie laid her handbag on one of the tables. “He’s doing much better and the hospital has released him to go home.”

“That’s wonderful,” I exclaimed. “Where is he…in the car?”

“No,” Trixie replied. “He’s at our home…with his daughter.”

“Huh?” Stormi replied so eloquently.

Trixie looked bedraggled. “She’s convinced him it would be better if I wasn’t there tonight and she was.”