When Bobbie Sang the Blues (22 page)

R
oseann Cole was in a cold sweat. The two guys in the black Mercedes were following her, she was sure of it. When she came out of the bank, she saw them parked across the street. Pretending not to notice, she got in Eddie’s truck and drove to the car dealership where she had left her 1989 Ford.

She stood in the showroom of the Memphis dealership, her eyes fixed on a creamy white Lincoln Continental. When she came by yesterday, she had told the salesman she would trade in her car, which she left for the mechanic to check out, and Eddies new white truck on the Lincoln. She thought a white Lincoln spelled class, and from now on, she wanted to be classy.

Today the older salesman seemed as unimpressed as yesterday. She asked to speak with the sales manager. He walked toward her, a fake smile on his face. “Hi, I’m Sam, the manager. You wanted to speak with me?” She could hear that uppity tone in his voice, and she hated it. She’d heard it all her life.

“Yes, Sam. I expect to be treated well,” she said. “Just because I look like I don’t have any money doesn’t mean a person has to act like he’s wasting his time.”

“Oh, no ma’am,” Sam said, pulling at the starched collar of his white shirt. “The problem is, your older car isn’t worth much by the book, with the brakes almost gone and the transmission nearly out.” He lowered his voice. “But we’re pleased to have your business.” He looked over his shoulder and said loudly, “Tommy’s just a little out of sorts today.”

“Well,” Roseann said, “just so you’ll know I’m serious, I have enough money in the bank to pay cash for this automobile. But unless I’m treated with respect, I’ll take my money elsewhere.”

Sam perked up. “We don’t want you to do that. And, again, I apologize if you’ve been made to feel…unwelcome.” A pleasant smile changed his tone of voice. “Do you want to try the Lincoln out? Be sure you like it?”

“I like it all right. But yeah, I’d like to drive it to be sure.”

“Great. I’ll tell them I’m leaving for a little while.” He hurried inside a glass-walled office. Roseann watched him lean over a desk and speak to the guy seated behind the desk. The guy shot a quick glance at Roseann.

She turned and sauntered around the showroom, returning to the side of her new car and stroking its silky exterior. She peered through the showroom window at the busy street. Were the guys in the black Mercedes still out there? At first she didn’t see them, but as she looked farther down the block, she spotted the side of the car. They had pulled in between two other vehicles, trying to be inconspicuous.

Roseann opened her purse, pulled out her cell phone, and dialed home. “Momma, you were right. There’s danger in my path,
for sure. Now, I don’t want you to get upset, but I think we’d better leave town for a few days. You’ll have to say we’ve got a family emergency. Tell them your sister died and we have to catch a plane out tonight. Since you’re in poor health, I have to go with you, of course.”

Momma started in, but Roseann cut her off. “I’ve helped Mitford and his boring wife as long as I can stand it. Call the funeral home, and call Mitford at the Holiday Inn. You can say I’m out shopping for clothes for the funeral. You know how to manipulate people, Momma, so do it! Then pack a few things in a shopping bag and drive down to the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly. I got some cash, and I’m going to the insurance company to see how long it’ll take to get the money Eddie left me. You’ll get a nice little cut if you just do as I say, okay?” She paused for breath, noticing Sam walking toward her, keys in hand. “Listen, Momma, I gotta go. Eddie had some bad guys after him, and I don’t want them to know where I live. I’m trying to protect you, Momma. I’ll meet you where I said in half an hour.”

She hung up with the words
crystal ball
echoing in her ears.

“All right, Miss Cole,” the manager said, all smiles now. “Are you ready to take that drive? I’ll pull the Lincoln out to the side lot for you.”

When Roseann got in behind the wheel, she leaned back against the soft leather cushions and sighed. She guided the steering wheel and drove carefully, taking the back route to avoid traffic. Once
they reached the interstate, at the sales manager’s suggestion, she “opened her up.”

She felt like she was floating on a cloud. This was the life she was meant to live. Drivers in small, cheap cars stared at her, and she liked that, too.

“I’m sure I want it,” she said, slowing at the first exit and driving back to the car lot. She pulled up beside her truck, parked on a side street.

“I’ll just be a second. I need to get some things out.”

She hopped out of the Lincoln, unlocked the truck, and reached into the front seat. She withdrew her overnight bag and Millie, then opened the back door of the Lincoln and placed them on the seat.

“I, er, don’t know that we can get the paperwork completed today,” Sam said, craning his neck to see what she was doing. His gaze lingered on Millie.

“With two vehicles and cash for the balance, how much paperwork is involved?” Roseann reached in her purse, pulled out a wad of bills, and stuffed them in his hand. “Here’s a little something to keep you happy until I get back in the morning.” She hopped behind the wheel again and guided the Lincoln into the back parking lot.

He glanced at her, his eyes widening. “Tell you what, I’ll take down your address and phone number and—”

“I already gave that to the other guy when I was in here yesterday.” She assumed the same irritated expression she’d worn when Sam came out of his office to soothe her ruffled feathers.

“Oh.” He sat for a moment, weighing a decision. Then he looked at the white truck.

Roseann heaved an impatient sigh. “Make up your mind. Do I take the Lincoln with me, or do you want to keep it?”

“Are you leaving the keys to the truck? I don’t want it parked on the street.”

She reached in her purse, removed the truck keys, and handed them to him.

“I’m running late for my appointment with the
insurance company.”
she informed him, hitting the words with emphasis.

Sam nodded, slowly opening the passenger door. Roseann extended her hand to touch Sam’s arm through the crisp white shirt.

“I’ll be back first thing in the morning.” She waved to him and turned the wheel, gliding out of the back parking lot. She laughed, knowing the guys in the Mercedes were waiting for her to come out the front door.

C
hristy hadn’t stopped by the Treasure Chest, her mother’s gift shop, in over a week. Recalling how kind and caring Beth had been to Bobbie, and how sincere in her apology to Christy, she felt a deeper respect for her mother. She had never doubted her mother loved her, but when Christy had mutated into a rebellious teenager, tension built a wall between them. After Chad’s death, her mother had begun to break down that wall by comforting Christy and being there to help her through the darkest hours of her life. Christy had been strengthened by the love of her family, and over time, most of the tension disappeared. Most, but not all. A few broken stones from the wall still littered their path.

She still felt a twinge of resentment, at times, when she compared herself to her mother. She named the problem: her own guilt. Beth had admitted she wasn’t perfect and had never tried to be or thought of herself that way. Yet Christy had cast her in that image and widened the gap between them.

She turned into the parking lot of her mother’s store, a small building that truly resembled a treasure chest—brown walls with gold shutters flanking the windows and a brass door whose handle
looked like a huge gold key. Her mother had come up with the idea and made her gift shop a success. She carried items native to the area as well as unique items she ordered to complement the inventory, like the antique green bottle Christy had found on the beach at Shipwreck Island, holding the note that had turned Summer Breeze upside down.

She walked up the stone walkway, absorbing the orange-blossom aroma flowing through the half-open windows of Beth’s shop. Her mother always had wonderful scented candles that managed to smell delightful without irritating anyone’s allergies.

Christy stepped up to the door and pressed the gold-key handle. When the door swung back, an antique bell signaled the entrance of a customer.

“You’re a welcome sight,” Beth called from her desk at the far end of the counter. She was doing her bookwork, a Tuesday chore, and she peered over her bifocals to smile at Christy.

“Are you busy?” Christy asked.

“Does it look like it?” Beth answered, lifting a hand to gesture at the empty shop. Her quick question with its veiled sarcasm sounded more like Bobbie than Beth. Christy walked around the counter and hugged her tiny mother. She wore casual tan slacks and a navy sweater with a watch-plaid collar.

“You’ve really gone out on a limb for Bobbie,” Christy said, sinking into the nearest chair.

Beth closed the black ledger and leaned back in her Victorian chair. “She’s my sister and I love her. What else would you expect
me to do?” She removed her bifocals and hooked them onto a clasp on her sweater that kept them within reach.

Christy hesitated. If she were honest, she’d admit she had been surprised by the way her mother stood by the sister with whom she had never shared a loving relationship, but then she should have known her mother’s heart was warm and kind. Christy wanted to remove the final remnants of the wall between them, and she shook her head, her gaze slipping over her mother’s round face.

“It’s exactly what you would have done,” she said. “You and Dad are wonderful. Have you heard anything from the lawyer? Or anyone else?”

Beth sighed. “Your father planned to telephone Mr. Stephens first thing, but he hasn’t called me yet. I hope and pray we can find the terrible person who did this, who has brought so much suffering to everyone.”

The shop’s phone rang, and Beth smiled after the hello. “Christy just stopped by, and we were wondering if you had talked with the attorney.”

Christy could hear her dad’s deep voice on the other end, but she couldn’t make out his words. She watched her mother’s face, trying to read her reaction to her father’s news.

“I see. Yes, she’s right here. Just a minute.”

Christy reached for the phone, hoping her mother wouldn’t find out about their early morning conversation concerning Tony Panada—or Searcy Jance. She knew her father would have some information.

“Hi, Dad. What’s up?”

“Don’t react to this, because I’d rather your mom didn’t know about Tony Panada.”

“Oh, you’re right. I agree,” Christy replied.

“When I spoke with Harry about the matter, he informed me it was quite a coincidence I had asked about Searcy Jance. It seems he was arrested in a London suburb late last night. It’ll be all over the news today. Harry emphasized they were certain they had the right man.”

“Really?” Christy said, feeling an odd disappointment. She looked at her mother, careful to keep her expression bland.

“You see, Christy, this is a lesson in jumping to conclusions. Mr. Panada may be doing some evil things, but he’s not Searcy Jance.”

“Okay, Dad. You have a nice day too. See you later.” She handed the phone back to Beth, who hung up. Christy shrugged. “No news yet.”

“I know,” Beth said. “We just have to be patient, I suppose. At least Mr. Stephens has a meeting with someone in the district attorney’s office tomorrow. Maybe we’ll find out what they claim to have as proof that Bobbie…”

Christy cupped her mother’s hand. “Try not to worry. We have to keep our hopes up. And our faith.”

Beth leaned forward and kissed Christy’s cheek. “Thanks for being a wonderful daughter.”

“My pleasure,” Christy said. “Well, gotta run. Just thought I’d check on you.”

As Christy stood, the bell over the shop door announced the arrival of one of Beth’s most loyal customers.

“Hello,” Virginia Wallace said as she entered, a friendly smile on her face. “Beth, I’m afraid I have a rather large order. I hope it won’t be too much trouble.”

“Not at all.” Beth stood, smiling at Virginia. “It’s good to see you,” she added.

“Have a nice day, Mrs. Wallace,” Christy said as she left the shop. She hurried down the walkway to her car. There were so many good people in the world. In time, others would realize Beth had done what she had to do, and that her husband had been loving and supportive of his wife by trying to help her sister.

Christy thought about what her father had just told her and decided she didn’t have to feel jumpy about Panada or anyone else. The obscene phone call was probably a teenage prank, and the sound she thought she’d heard at her front door could have been a stray ball from the kids playing down the street.

As Christy drove home, her thoughts returned to her conversation with Donna, who had no reason to be anything but honest. Now, more than anything, Christy wanted to be with Dan.

She dialed his number as she turned into her neighborhood. By the time she reached her driveway, he had answered.

“Hi there,” she said.

“Hi, Christy,” Dan replied warmly. “What’re you doing?”

“Oh…kind of wondering what you’re doing.” He laughed. “I’ve been working hard the past two days, and I’m ready for a break. Want to play hooky with me?”

She got out of the car, cradling the phone against her ear as she unlocked her back door. “What’d you have in mind?”

“A boat. Deep water. Feeding the fish.”

“You’re describing my dreams.”

“We could leave out of Destin, take our time, and enjoy the sunset. What do you think?”

“Are you serious?”

“Completely. I think it would be therapeutic for both of us. The truth is, I’m considering buying a slightly used boat from a friend who just found out he’s going to be the father of twins. He needs a little cash.”

“I can imagine. Are we trying out his boat?”

“No, it’s in dry dock for a checkup to be sure everything works like he says. I trust him, and I’ve been out on it a few times and loved it. I told him if he ever wanted to sell, I wanted first chance. To my surprise, he called me last night, and today that boat is all I can think about. Well, not all.”

“Is that what you wanted to talk about when you left me a message?”

“Not really. But I would have gotten around to it, no doubt. Since he called me, I’ve been thinking that maybe I really should buy it. I love the water, especially the Gulf. When I got out of the service last February, I came here to visit my folks. But the other reason was that I wanted to look at the water for a dozen years to chase away some nightmares. After two weeks, I knew I wanted to stay here, live near the water, build old-fashioned bungalows and
Victorian cottages on the water, and fish, fish, fish. So why not invest in something I enjoy so much?”

Hugging the phone against her shoulder, Christy walked through the house to the bedroom. “I don’t believe in coincidences, but it’s pretty coincidental that we’re having this conversation,” she said. “This morning I took a quick drive along the beach, staring out at the Gulf and wishing I could be on a boat I saw bobbing out on the horizon. You know, just leave my cares behind and go play with the dolphins.”

“We can do it. I’ll call now and book a charter on a small boat. Business is slow on a weekday, now that tourist season is over.”

“Terrific,” Christy said. “To save time, I could drive over and meet you at the marina. Where are you now?”

“Leaving a building site near Seaside.” She heard a door slam and an engine roar to life. Dan lived closer to Destin than Summer Breeze. “You don’t mind?” he asked.

“Why should I mind? Sounds like the best plan.”

“Okay. Give me an hour to locate a boat, shower, and change, and I’ll meet you there. Around four?”

“Sure. Want me to stop by the deli? Or will you have time to bake cookies?”

“Nah,” he said. “If I charter a boat, we’ll get dinner. That’s the object—we do nothing but pamper ourselves or let someone else pamper us.”

Christy turned on the shower. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard in a long time. I’ll be there.”

An hour later she pulled into a parking space at the marina. Dan stood talking with a captain, who pointed out a boat that looked too big for just the two of them. Dan smiled and nodded.

Christy grabbed her tote bag from the passenger seat. It held a cap, a Windbreaker, sunscreen, and her iPod. She adjusted her sunglasses and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

He heard her slam the car door and turned. He wore black shorts and a striped shirt, with a black sweater tied around his shoulders. A white cap held his dark hair in place, and although the sunglasses hid his eyes, the smile he wore lit up the dock.

They had dressed as opposites, and Christy almost laughed. She wore a white shirt and shorts, with a white sweater tossed over her arm. Her cap was black.

“How does this one look?” Dan asked, reaching for her hand as she stepped across the boardwalk.

She turned to the gleaming white boat, the
Sea Maiden
, and nodded with approval. “Looks like a lot of fun,” she said.

“When can you take us out?” Dan asked the captain.

“Whenever you’re ready. She’s fueled up and ready to go.”

“We’re ready,” Dan said. He extended a strong arm to Christy, and they stepped down into the boat.

The captain started to give them a tour, but Dan politely waved him aside. “We just want to sit up there and relax.”

Hand in hand, they walked to the front of the boat and sank into the deck chairs facing the water. Christy set her tote bag down
and reached in for sunscreen. Once she touched up her face and dabbed sunscreen on Dan’s nose, she capped the tube and settled into her chair. Soft music floated from the boat’s stereo, and the September breezes caressed her skin.

Dan settled into the chair beside her. She rolled her head and looked lazily at him. “You going to fish?” she asked, certain he had arranged for everything he needed.

“Not this time,” he said, removing his sunglasses. His blue eyes glowed beneath his white hat. “I just want to spend some time with my girl.”

She smiled at the phrase and tucked her hand in his. He squeezed her hand, then turned to look into the distant waters, the lines in his face beginning to relax.

“You look like you belong here,” she said. The captain started the engine, and the smell of fuel drifted to them.

“I think I do,” he replied lazily, “as long as you’re with me.”

“Well, it feels like I’m here.”

She didn’t spoil their lazy contentment with more conversation. The boat pulled out and headed toward deep water.