Sunny Side Up (Lake Erie Mysteries Book 1) (20 page)

“Knock, knock. Is this a bad time?”

I reluctantly took my eyes off Hammond but was delighted when I saw Ruby and Roger Burns standing in the doorway to the room with a huge bouquet of daisies and irises and the biggest “Get Well” helium balloon I had ever seen.

“We came as soon as we heard what happened.” Ruby stepped closer and put the cheery gifts on the bedside table.

“Come on in. I’m so happy to see you both! I’m just glad this whole nightmare is finally over, and no one else was seriously hurt.”

Roger entered the room a step behind his wife. His typical gregarious demeanor was gone. He looked solemn and serious standing now beside my bed.

“What’s wrong, Roger? Is there something else? I don’t think I can take any more bad news.”

“I feel terrible about this whole thing, Francie. So much of this disaster could have been avoided if I had handled things differently. I feel like I owe you all an apology.”

I was confused. “Roger, you have nothing to feel guilty about. You and Ruby were the victims of that horrible Senora and her shady mob friend. June and I were responsible for all of our own trouble. We just wanted to help, but obviously we should have left the investigation to the professionals.”

“Well, as you’re probably aware by now, I got myself wrapped up in some of those crooks’ shady deals and then couldn’t figure out how to separate myself from them without hurting the people I love most.”

“Oh Roger, I’m sure it was all a big misunderstanding. Those people were horrible.”

“Yes, they were, and I should have known better than to think I could make a single deal with them and then walk away without consequences. About a year ago, I was approached by Kenneth Overmayer with a deal that seemed too good to be true, and of course it was. He showed me some samples of very popular designer merchandise with pricing far below anything I’d ever seen anywhere else. He said he bought the goods in bulk and eliminated the middlemen. He told me that he wanted to pass the savings along to me and other area retailers, hoping to build up his sales and transport business. He produced very legitimate-looking credentials and references, so I agreed because I thought Ruby’s customers would love the products and we could make a nice profit. It seemed like a win-win situation, but it turned out to be just the opposite.”

Roger shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, and wiped his palms on the front of his shirt. Ruby put a steady hand on Roger’s shoulder for support but didn’t speak. Finally, he cleared his throat and continued.

“I placed the first order with Overmayer and Ruby couldn’t keep the stuff on the shelves. It wasn’t until I had bought and sold three large shipments that he informed me that fifty percent of the merchandise I was selling to my customers was counterfeit. He said it was so good that the average consumer would never know, but if I didn’t continue buying his knock-offs, he would inform the authorities and I would be forced out of business. Since my signature was on all the orders, I felt I had no choice but to continue dealing with him.”

I was thinking to myself that June and I were definitely not average consumers, which is why we were able to spot the knock-offs without too much trouble. When I looked up from my musings, I saw the lawyer look on Hamm’s face as he turned to Roger and asked, “Roger, did this man ever threaten you or your family?”

“I am embarrassed to say that he did. I don’t know why I didn’t go to the police right away, but after a while, I felt like I was just as guilty as he was. He said that if I tried to turn him in, I would end up in jail as an accomplice, and worse yet, if I didn’t go along with all of his expansion plans, he would make sure I would regret it. When I hesitated, he made good on that promise, and after the fire, things just spiraled downward. He made sure I understood that if I didn’t do whatever he told me, that my wife would end up like the person in the attic.”

Roger’s voice was hoarse with emotion. Ruby’s eyes were welling up with tears. “My God! Poor Sirena! I’ll never be able to forgive myself for what happened to her.”

“You had no way of knowing what Senora had planned for her sister.” Hamm was trying valiantly to help ease Roger’s guilt. “Overmayer didn’t even know about that, but once Senora told him what she had done, he too was blackmailed into helping her carry out her scheme. It doesn’t by any means excuse his actions.” Hamm squeezed my hand as he continued. “He was no match for my Francie, though.”

I smiled weakly. My head ached and I felt myself losing focus. “Can I just have a hug?” It was all I had left in me to say.

Ruby and Roger apprehensively approached my bed. Ruby bent over and brushed a light kiss on my forehead, while Roger awkwardly patted the hand that Hamm was not still clutching. “I’m just glad that you girls are going to be okay.”

“Stop by the store as soon as you’re up and about,” Ruby added as the couple took their leave. “I have something special waiting for you and June. Hamm, take good care of that girl. She’s one in a million.”

“Don’t you worry about that. I may just stop by myself and buy something pretty for my wonderful wife.”

“Oh, that’s lovely…” I breathed a sigh of relief as my eyes shut and I drifted off into the most peaceful sleep I can ever remember.

I looked to the right of my lawn chair toward June and held my frozen margarita up toward hers in a toast. “Cheers!” we both exclaimed in unison.

Our one-of-a-kind hand-etched glasses, courtesy of Ruby and Roger Burns, clinked with satisfaction, and the tart lime flavor of our drinks brought smiles to our faces. The frightful events of the last few days were finally behind us. We had survived. Life was once again in our control. We were being pampered and waited on by the two handsome men standing on the back deck of the condo in front of the shiny, stainless steel barbecue grill. We sat back, content to be in the shade, and listened as Hamm and Morgan debated the advantages and disadvantages of using gas versus coal for grilling the perfect hamburger. Since the impressive gas grill belonged to Hamm, and since we were after all, at the Egge homestead, Jack deferred to the chef. He walked across the deck to the lawn where June and I lounged in my new gravity chairs enjoying the peaceful view of the lake we all loved so well. There was not a cloud in the sky or a wave on the water.

I had some lingering bruises and scrapes, but overall I was fine. June had recovered quickly, just like she did everything else. Her hair was basic blond now since she hadn’t had time to get to the salon. She wore no makeup, which gave her a sweet, vulnerable look. Her toenails, however, were painted an interesting olive green and her fingernails were pimento red. It worked on her. Jack stopped behind June’s chair and placed his hands on her shoulders, kneading his fingers along the muscles in her neck with a touch that suggested they were more than just friends. If I had blinked just then, I would have missed the quick, discreet kiss he planted behind her ear. Something was whispered and then he casually headed back to the cooler on the deck and retrieved a Bud Lite, pulled back the tab, and raised the can to his lips with a very satisfied expression on his face. June looked my way and winked.

“You girls are lucky that you’re both so cute,” Jack announced. “I thought you’d like to know that you don’t need to worry about those interesting IOUs you’ve been leaving around town. The kayak and the tandem bike are back with their rightful owners, and speaking of the owners, both of them waived all of the rental charges. They both were impressed with your honesty and your creativity. Business is booming since pictures of the bike and kayak appeared on Facebook, and to top it all off, Francie and June, you are local celebrities and even have a Twitter following, whatever that is! The bike shop owner wants to know if he can use a picture of the two of you on the tandem bike in a new ad for his business.”

Hamm looked at me over the rim of his glass and we exchanged a look that carried with it an entire unspoken conversation.

Smiling, I said, “Of course he can use our photo—for a fee of course!” It felt good to have a light-hearted conversation again. I sipped my frozen drink and looked at these three people: the love of my life, the friend who was part of my soul, and the newcomer who bore great future potential. I planned to be around for many more years so I could enjoy everything that life threw our way.

“Who wants cheese on their burger?”

“Duh! What kind of a question is that?” I retorted.

“Yeah,” June agreed. “You should be asking what kind of cheese. And make it a double!”

We all laughed. This was an extra cheese event if ever there was one.

From inside, the voice of Clifton Sterling drifted out from the television, which had been tuned to the WLKE evening news.

“Tonight I bring you an exclusive breaking news report.”

It doesn’t get any better than this.

The late evening sun began its lazy descent swathed in a raspberry and orange swirl. It was already one month since the fire at Ruby’s Treasure Chest set in motion the events that would change so many lives. The seven survivors had met on the beach and together we made our way down to the water’s edge conversing in hushed tones. Hamm held my hand tightly in his; June walked next to Jack with his strong arm protectively drawing her shoulder to his side; Roger and Ruby had their arms comfortably around one another’s waists; and Clifton walked alone, one hand deep in the pocket of his pressed khaki pants and the other holding a beautiful bouquet of birds of paradise. When we got to the shore we formed a line, side by side, arms linked, and shared a moment of silent respect, looking over the peaceful, lake and far out to that place where the water met the sky.

Each of us, in our own way, was remembering our trials of the last few weeks and making peace with the demons that could haunt us forever if they weren’t properly acknowledged and laid to rest. The sand beneath our feet was beginning to cool now that the sun had dipped beneath the horizon. It seemed like even Mother Nature had become still all around us, giving us the gift of this moment for us to remember. One by one, stars began to twinkle to life in the night sky. A song by Erica Freas came softly to my mind and I began to hum the melody to myself. The folksy notes of “Song for a Mermaid” carried out across the gentle night air. No one spoke Sirena’s name, but we all felt her presence. As the last few notes of the song trailed out to the still waters, I glimpsed a graceful form break the surface in an elegant dive. Shimmering auburn and emerald green were illuminated as the beam from the lighthouse lit up the still waters. I blinked my eyes and the image was gone.

I was the last to turn away from the water and that last fleeting glimpse of magic. Before I did, I said a sincere good-bye and thank you to a woman whom I didn’t know long, but who would always be an important part of my story.

“Song for a Mermaid”

by
Erica Freas

originally appeared on Freas' album
Belly

Rumbletowne Records, 2012

Listen to me

as vast as the salt seas

those uncharted waters

these Kamilche daughters.

No one knows our siren songs like we do.

Pulling on the new moon like we do.

The tales are true

as bright as the moon

a canvas for daydreamers in the night.

No one knows our dark sides like we do.

Howling at the full moon like we do.

Look in wide eyed owl

there's a rose garden inside

we'd wrap up in each other

let our skin be our disguise

our blood rides in tandem

we've been wove on the same loom.

No one knows our insides like we do.

No one knows which is which size like we do.

To me you are like breathing

you're like food.

Mermaid and unicorn to tell it true.

Unicorn and mermaid me and you.

Maureen K. Howard
is the pen name of mother/daughter writing partners, Maureen Kovach and Brigette Howard. They live in Findlay, Ohio, with their husbands, and spend summer weekends boating and visiting the Lake Erie Islands.
SUNNY SIDE UP
is the first in the series of Lake Erie mysteries featuring best friends, Francie and June. For more information, visit them online at
http://mhowardbooks.wix.com/lake-erie-mysteries.