Away in a Murder (5 page)

“Yes, I know,” I said. I was worried. I’d dealt with the Misty Breeze thing before and I knew how to handle it. What I didn’t know was what he had planned next.

“I saw you and you son at that terrible restaurant last night,” he said.

“Festival De La Manatee is a great restaurant. We saw you too. And how rudely you behaved.”

“I noticed that you were in the corner, away from the crowd.”

Where was he going with this? I wasn’t sure I liked it.

“Why were you hiding from the crowd? Were you trying to hide from something?” he asked.

“Yes, as a matter of fact I was trying to hide from you. I wanted to see who you were before you knew who I was.” I told him honestly.

“Well, I had your picture, I already knew you were.”

“Then why didn’t you come over and say hi? Oh, because you were too busy being rude to everyone,” I said.

“I didn’t want to interrupt your date.”

“Oh, no, Al, I was with my son. I wasn’t on a date.”

I could hear some scuffling noises behind me. I wondered who was being held back. I guessed it was probably Frank.

“I think you were on a date. In fact you traveled down here from Pennsylvania with your son, didn’t you?” he said.

“Yes, I did. I’ve traveled lots of places with both of my children.”

“And you stayed in several hotels didn’t you?”

“Of course we did, Al. It’s much more preferable to sleeping in the moving truck.”

My heart was starting to pound. I did my best to try to relax and slow my heart down.

“And you shared a room at those hotels,” he went on.

“No, we shared a suite a couple of times. But mostly we had separate rooms. Why?”

He continued like he didn’t hear me. “And when you were staying here at a local hotel there was a night when your son never left your room.”

“Where are you going with this, Al?”

I was getting angry, but trying my best not to show it. I kept reminding myself that I could not let him get the upper hand. I had to remain in control.

“I’ve seen the security footage from the hotel. They have a very easy system to hack in to,” he said.

Did he just admit to a crime?

“What’s your point, Al? I don’t understand,” I said.

Come on, I couldn’t prepare a defense if I didn’t know the offense. However, I thought I knew where he was going, but I hoped that even he wasn’t that slimy.

“You are having an incestual relationship with your son, aren’t you, Misty?”

I just laughed. This man truly was an idiot. Where the hell did that come from?

“No, I am not,” I said as calmly as I could. “The very idea disgusts me. And frankly, Al, I think the only reason you are accusing me of this is because you were wrong about my being Misty Breeze.”

“I wasn’t wrong; I just haven’t proved it yet. But I am right about the incest,” he said.

“No, Al, you’re wrong about both. And by the way, I thank you for your time, but this interview is now over.”

I stood up, removed my microphone and set it on the chair. I turned around and started to walk away. That’s when he stood up and grabbed me by the arm. I stopped in my tracks.

“Al, I just want you to know that I am a certified self defense instructor. Give that some thought and then decide if you really want to grab me like that again,” I said.

He loosened his grip and I gently pulled my arm away. He didn’t make another move. I walked over to where my people were. Both of the main men in my life were being held back. Frankie was being held by Marlowe. And Frank was being held back by William. This was kind of a funny sight because William was about twenty years older than Frank and much shorter. I knew Frank could have knocked William over easily, but he wouldn’t out of respect.

I looked at them all.

“I’m going home now. I need a copy of this as soon as it airs. I need the other copy as well. Please help these gentlemen to pack up and leave as soon as possible. I’ll call the hotel and have their bill ready. I’m sure they’ll want to get back home as soon as possible,” I said.

With that I left. Marlowe followed me out the door.

“Let me give you a ride home. Just in case the creep decides to follow you or something,” he said.

“Yes, that’s a good idea. And when I get home I’m turning the security system on,” I said.

This time there were no wrappers on my seat and no opera singer was screaming at me. Marlowe turned the radio off before he turned the car on. He tried to make conversation with me after I’d called the hotel and had Al’s bill ready and waiting, but I only wanted to think. There would be another battle that was for sure. Before that one began I wanted to analyze this one.

I spent the night worried about the interview. Nobody came over, nobody called. Not even Frankie. I supposed he wanted to reduce Al’s chances of getting more ammunition.  I received a lot of text messages, though. Marlowe had informed me that cell phone calls are not privileged, so Al could be legally recording my conversations if he wanted to. I already knew that, but I didn’t tell Marlowe.

I was up very late watching TV and blasting music, not at the same time. A commercial came on TV around midnight. It was an ad for the show Al worked for. It was a preview of our interview. It would air tomorrow night. Damn, how’d they do that so fast?

I spent most of the next day trying not to think about the interview. I was terrified just thinking about what they might air. I knew that if they wanted to they could edit the footage to make me say whatever they wanted me to. I wondered what they wanted me to say. That I was Misty Breeze? Or that Frankie and I were more than just mother and son? That I was the spawn of Satan? I had no idea. I just had to wait.

I went in to work but I never entered the park itself, I just stayed in the behind the scenes areas. I really didn’t want to be seen. I still had responsibilities and I needed to attend to them. The problem was that work wasn’t much of a distraction. The interview kept popping in to my head. I did my best to focus on my tasks. But when I got to the end of a meeting and realized that I had no idea what had happened, I thought that I had better just go home.

I had Della reschedule any meetings I had for at least the next two days. I did so as a precaution, just in case there was some bad fall out as a result of the interview airing. Then I went home.

When I got home I sat outside on my balcony and looked at the park. I couldn’t see all of it from there, but I could see enough to make me feel good. I could even hear the screams from the people who were riding a couple of the coasters. Normally sitting here made me happy and relaxed. Today I worried about the effect the interview would have on the park. Would people stop attending or would attendance increase as a result of the interview? I supposed that depended on what the interview said I was: a long forgotten rock star or a woman having an incestual relationship with her adult son.

At about six-thirty I heard the buzz that notified me that someone one was at my security gate. I went over to the speaker to see who it was. I really didn’t want company right now. It was Marlowe. Now what did he want? I pressed the buzzer and let him in. I couldn’t be rude to him.

“Hi, Marlowe. What’s up?” I asked after I let him in to my apartment.

I saw that he had a takeout bag in his hand. That reminded me that I hadn’t eaten since I got home.

“I brought dinner. I didn’t want you to have to be alone for the interview and I figured that you weren’t eating much today,” he said.

Damn, did I misjudge him when we first met? He really was a sweet man.

“Thank you,” I said. “I’ll get plates. Let’s sit out on the balcony.”

I let Marlowe take the bag out to the balcony. He took the containers out of the bag and placed them on the table. I brought out plates, silverware, drinks, and napkins.

He had brought dinner from the small soul food restaurant that was near where William, Jerome, Jerome’s wife Marcella, and their three children lived. It was really good food. And much better than the buffet restaurant Frankie and I frequented every day when we first got here and lived in that little hotel. This reminded me, I should go back to the buffet some day. I didn’t want them to think I’d forgot about them. The food was ok, but the people were great.

Marlowe and I ate our food in silence for a while. He shoveled his in, I actually tasted mine. He always shoveled his food in. We’d have to work on that if we were going to date. Especially if I cooked for him. He needed to learn to taste the food I made for him, or I would be insulted.

When we were finished we sat in a comfortable silence for a while. Marlowe reached over and touched my hand. I actually felt a chill go down my spine when he did that.

“It’ll be ok you know. You’ll get past whatever this reporter says about you,” he said.

Just like he got past the murder case he could never solve in Chicago? The one that forced him to quit his job on the city’s gang task force and hide out here? I would never say these words to him, but he wasn’t such a good role model for what he was saying.

“Maybe, but people’s opinion of me will change. Either they’ll admire me for being some hidden rock star that I’m not or they’ll hate me for having an inappropriate relationship with my son.”

“The hidden rock star thing could be cool, though. What if you really were Misty Breeze?”

“I’m not.”

“I know. But still, what if you were a long lost rock star?” he said.

“That would make you happy wouldn’t it?”

“Well, I’m attracted to you the way you are. But, it could be like a fantasy come true. I mean, her picture’s on my wall.” He smiled at me. He doesn’t smile often, but when he does it makes my heart flutter.

“It’ll be a while before that part of the fantasy comes true. Assuming we get that far,” I said.

“That’s not what I meant. Besides, I have all the time in the world. I’m not going anywhere.”

We just looked at each other. He was rather good looking. My heart started to beat faster. I felt myself being pulled toward him. A kiss was coming on, at the very least. Good or bad I wasn’t sure, but it was close to happening. Then there was knock on the door.

“Mom, it’s me. I brought dinner,” Frankie yelled through the door. Then he used his key and came in.

Marlowe and I looked at each other and laughed. The kiss would have to wait. Damn, so close.

Frankie stopped in his tracks. “Oh, I’m interrupting. I’m sorry.” He may have said he was sorry, but the smile on his face said something else.

“Marlowe already brought dinner,” I said as Frankie entered the balcony.

“Oh, cool. Do you still have some? That stuff is better than my pizza.”

“Help yourself,” Marlowe said. He was talking to Frankie but still looking at me.

Frankie set the pizza on the kitchen island and walked out to the balcony with a fork in his hand. I just looked at him.

“Ok, Mom, I’ll get a plate,” he said.

He returned with his plate and sat down to eat. Then the gate buzzer went off again. Frankie’s turn to answer it. This time it was William and Jerome. He opened the gate for them.

“Are they coming from the park entrance?” Marlowe asked.

“The front entrance, William isn’t an employee he can’t access the park gate,” I said.

“So, do both gates open when you press the buzzer?” Marlowe asked.

“No, I have two separate buttons to press,” I said.

“Good, that makes me feel better,” Marlowe said.

Frankie answered the door bell and let William and Jerome in. They brought food, too. Two paper grocery bags full. Jerome’s wife Marcella made this food from scratch. It smelled great.

“We wanted to support you tonight. We didn’t bring Marcella and the kids because we didn’t think this show was appropriate for little ones,” Jerome said.

“Thank you,” I said. “You can add it the food to the buffet that is starting on the island in the kitchen.”

William and Jerome emptied the bags and set the food on the counter. I got out a variety of plates, silverware, serving utensils, and napkins. I also brought out bottles of soda and a bottle of wine. I didn’t drink alcohol, but that didn’t mean that my guests couldn’t.

After William and Jerome filled their plates and got a drink they joined us on the balcony.

“You sure have a pretty view from here,” William said.

“Yes, I do. This is my favorite spot in the whole house,” I said.

“Hey, I’ll give you guys a ride home after the show if you like,” Marlowe said.

“Well, thank you Chief Campion, but I’d rather not go home in a police car,” William said laughing.

“I have my personal car,” Marlowe laughed back.

“Thanks, Chief, but Marcella and I have two cars now. Thanks to my increase in income. Oh, and we’re moving next week,” Jerome said.

“Not out of your neighborhood I hope,” Frankie said.

“No sir. I want to remain there as a role model for the younger men. Besides, it’s my home. No, were moving in to a house. The kids will each have their own bedrooms and they’ll have a back yard to play in. Marcella can’t wait.”

“So are you buying?” I asked.

“No, we don’t have the credit for that yet. Maybe in a couple of years,” Jerome said.

We all raised a toast to Jerome and Marcella’s good fortune. Then William got set to say the blessing before they ate their meal when the door bell sounded again.

“I’ll wait,” William said.

This time Frank and Minerva were at the door. They also had brought food. We went through the set up on the island with their contribution. Minerva arranged it so it made some sort of culinary sense. Then they filled their plates.

The table on my balcony only sat four. Marlowe and I had already moved to a chair away from the table when Jerome and William arrived. Now, someone else would have to move to a different chair. That’s when I remembered I had bought TV trays. I got them out of my pantry and brought them out to the balcony. Frankie had made fun of me when I bought them. Now they were coming in handy. As I was setting them up I looked at Frankie and stuck my tongue out at him. “Ha ha, Frankie. Don’t question your mother,” I thought.

When Frank and Minerva filled their plates they joined us on the balcony. William finally got to say grace and then everyone dug in to their food. Including Marlowe and I. We couldn’t resist the treats from Marcella and Minerva. I’d regret it later, but I didn’t care right now.

We sat on the balcony, ate and engaged in small talk. The sun had set and the sky darkened. I started to relax for the first time today. It was good to be surrounded by friends. Especially friends who came to be with you in your time of need without even being asked. I almost forgot about the interview.

“It’s almost eight, we should go in to the living room and turn on the show,” Frankie said.

I just shot him a look.

“You gotta watch it, Mom. Otherwise you’ll never really know,” he said.

How did he know, maybe if I didn’t watch it, it wouldn’t air. Ok, maybe not.

“You’re right,” I sighed.

We all went in to the living room. Minerva had cleaned up the dinner mess and the dishes earlier. Frank even helped her. In thirty years he never helped me like that. Wow was he changing. I’d have to congratulate her later.

Frankie turned on the TV and got to the correct channel. The show came on and they mentioned my interview during the opening montage. There was no hint of what would actually be revealed. It was only said that the owner of a small theme park in Florida reveals a big secret. It showed my picture and the entrance to Adventure Universe. A clue would have been nice. Then again, maybe it would have been worse.

We had to suffer through some stories about celebrity romances and plastic surgeries. Then finally at 8:45 my story played.

It started out with Al “live” in the studio. He said, “You know how I love to track down the truth. When I learned about the new owners of a small theme park in Florida I thought I had found the long lost Misty Breeze. But this time I was wrong. However, what I did uncover was even more shocking and amazing than finding Misty Breeze.”

Then they ran the story. I was horrified. They had edited the whole thing in to a completely different order. And you could tell because the editing was terrible, there were a lot of jump cuts and pauses in speech where there wouldn’t have been naturally.

In the interview, for example, Al had asked me how I felt about owning the park. I answered stating how much I loved it and how proud I was of it. They turned that around to him asking how I liked having sex with my son with the same answer. He didn’t even ask that question in the interview! I felt my face turning red and my body tense up. Marlowe stood behind me and started rubbing my shoulders. William held my hand. I noticed that Minerva was holding Frankie’s hand. She’d need to do more than that if she wanted to hold him back.

As the interview progressed I noticed that Frank was no longer sitting. He was walking the floor. His hands were balled up in fists and his face was red. Jerome just sat there with his mouth wide open. Frankie was Jerome’s twin right now.

As the interview progressed it got worse. We became the poster family for incest. He asked me more questions that never even came up in the interview. The answers I supposedly gave had been edited to serve his purpose. However, they tended to show a close up of him when I answered. Also if you listened, you could tell the sentences were chopped together.

I knew none of this mattered. I knew the public watching the show thought Frankie and I were having an affair. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to scream or pass out. I had visions of tying Al to a post and setting him on fire. They used to burn witches, right? This vision made me feel better, but only slightly.

When the interview was over, Frankie shut of the TV.

“Were we able to record the original interview?” I asked Frank.

“Yes, but the audio didn’t work,” Frank said.

I stood up and looked at him. What the hell did he just say!

“What? Frank that was my safeguard! That was my proof! What the hell am I going to do now?” I was yelling at him, but I didn’t care. He screwed up.

“I’m sorry. The audio worked when we tested it,” Frank said.

“Well investigate, find out what happened.”

“I will,” he said. “In the morning…”

“Now, Frank! There’s no way in hell I’m waiting until tomorrow. I need to know now!”