Soft Serve Secrets: A Cozy Mystery (Caesars Creek Mystery Series Book 3) Read online

  Soft Serve Secrets

  by

  Constance Barker

  Copyright 2015 Constance Barker

  All rights reserved.

  Similarities to real people, places or events are purely coincidental.

  “Ahhh, what a gorgeous day,” Stormi exclaimed as she waltzed through the door of my store, The Frozen Scoop Ice Cream Shoppe. She stopped and looked in the huge mirror on the back wall of my Shoppe. “Without the humidity, my hair is bulletproof.”

  When fall settles into the Caesars Creek, Georgia region, it’s met with sighs of relief. Georgia is known for its humidity; lofty molecules that hang in the atmosphere ready to zap you of energy and good hair days. Stormi cursed many a day when her fine blond hair would look limp and lifeless as an overcooked noodle. I think what really got her was the fact that Paige’s hair always looked like she’d walked out of a hair salon. How could someone have a perfect hairstyle all the time? Even in a monsoon! “It’s not fair,” Stormi would whine during the summer months as she attempted to repair the frizzes that occurred 10 seconds after she walked out her front door.

  Now the days were filled with clean, brisk air and brilliant blue skies. A welcome retreat, although my store would likely take a hit. That’s what’s good about an ice cream shoppe in the summer; everyone wants a treat to cool down with. However, once the temperature plummets, my sales take a decline as well. Fortunately, I had my custom ice cream cake ordering business that more than made up for any lost sales due to cooler weather.

  Today I was making three custom order ice cream cakes for the weekend. Two yellow cakes, one with raspberry sorbet and the other with Irish crème. The third wanted a devil’s food cake with coffee ice cream and roasted almonds mixed in. I loved making the custom cakes as it gave me time alone in the back of my store. Not that I didn’t love my customers, or my helpers, Stormi and Paige, but sometimes I needed a break from all the hustle and bustle. While I enjoyed owning my shoppe, the pressure of keeping inventory, placing purchase orders, and insuring I was making a good living while paying Stormi a good wage could take its toll. So I loved the chance I had at making my custom ice cream cakes so my mind could rest and simply focus on the task at hand.

  However, today would be the start of a new adventure. At least no one was dropping dead in my ice cream shoppe or confessing to murders like in the not so distant past. But there would be a commotion of the Stormi kind. After helping the last few customers, Stormi marched into the back to see if she could help me with the custom cakes. “What can I do?” Stormi asked as she walked through the swing door into my makeshift kitchen.

  The back of my store held three giant freezers and two long stainless steel countertops. The counters are where I worked my magic on the custom ice cream cakes. The counters also held many of my mix-ins, such as crushed Oreo cookies, almonds, jellybeans, chocolate chips and bananas.

  I looked up from my cake batter, which I was pouring into my sheet pans. “You can peel and slice a couple of those bananas over on the counter. I want to layer them inside the ice cream cake I have ready to prepare.”

  Stormi grabbed a knife and headed over to the several bunches of green bananas I had lain on the stainless steel counter. As she picked up one bunch, she let out an ear-splitting scream!

  “What the heck Stormi!” I cried, gripping my chest, the spatula dripping cake batter onto the countertop.

  Stormi dropped the bananas back on the counter and scampered back to me. “A huge (huff) hairy (huff) spider!” She pointed back to the bananas. I could see one black leg sticking out between two bananas. We clung to one another. Since we were little, both Stormi and I were frightened out the wazoo of spiders. Didn’t matter if they came big or small, brown or black, we were having none of it. Now we were trapped by what looked like a gargantuan mutant spider.

  Stormi danced from one leg to the other. “That sucker’s as big as my hand! Oh lawdy, I might have a heart attack!”

  I kept a wary eye on the black hairy leg that seemed to know the jig was up. I reached down under the counter and pulled out a fly swatter. “Don’t go down on me now Stormi. I need back up.”

  Stormi looked at the flimsy fly swatter. “You’re kidding right? Swatting him with that feeble excuse for a weapon will only make him angry.”

  I looked at the fly swatter as the end of it drooped lazily. “You got any better ideas?”

  Stormi kept a watchful eye on the hairy leg as it started to twitch. “Do you have a gun?”

  Fortunately, our savior walked through the front door of the shoppe. “Where is everybody?” Paige yelled.

  “Get back here quick!” We both yelled in unison.

  Paige came barreling through the door. “What is it?”

  “Do you carry a gun?” Stormi asked, still staring at the black leg.

  Paige looked at us like we sailed out of the loony factory. “What are you talking about? Why are you holding on to one another and staring at the bananas?”

  I tore my eyes away from the hypnotic black and hairy leg sandwiched between the two bananas and peered over at Paige. “Spider…big…spider.”

  “Oh good grief.” Paige, our hero, walked deliberately to the counter holding the bananas.

  Stormi stiffened. “Paige! Be careful!”

  Paige looked back at us in despair. “You girls. I’ve never seen two women so squeamish about bugs. You know, you are bigger than said spider.” Paige turned back to the counter and picked up the bunch of bananas to expose the beast hidden within. As soon as she did, mutant spider was primed and ready. It jumped from the counter towards Paige who let out a shriek. I don’t know who was more startled…her or the spider. Paige ran over to us as Mr. Spider scurried towards the back of the shoppe.

  “Get me the broom!” Paige ordered to no one in particular as she kept an eye on hairy legs. I ran to the closet and pulled out the broom. Why hadn’t I thought of that? I handed the broom to Paige.

  “Watch and learn girls,” Paige instructed as she advanced towards her prey.

  It was like watching a WWF fight as the two circled one another. “Stormi, open the back door.”

  Stormi looked stricken. “Why me?”

  Not looking away from her opponent, Paige replied, “Then go outside and open it from there.”

  “Good idea,” Stormi said as she sprinted towards the front door.

  Within 30 seconds, Stormi opened the back door. Paige raised the broom. “Time to go bye-bye.” With one quick swish, Paige brought the broom back then forward, launching hairy legs into the air and out the door. We heard Stormi squeal as she witnessed the flying spider whiz past her head. She careened back into the shoppe, slamming the door behind her. She grabbed her chest with one hand. “That’s all the excitement I can handle for the week.”

  Paige walked over and put the broom away. “You girls need to get over your phobia of spiders.”

  Stormi walked warily towards the bunch of bananas, likely wondering if hairy had a wife or brother lurking in the shadows. “You didn’t sound all that brave when he took a flying leap at your head.”

  Paige shrugged. “I wasn’t prepared for a leaping spider. That’s a new one on me.”

  “They’re mutating,” I said. I picked up where I left off filling my sheet pans with cake batter. “They’re half spider half grasshopper.”

  Stormi scrunched her nose. “Ewww.”

  Paige took off her purple sweater and hung it on the coat tree. “I hate to change the subject but I have some news.”

  Stormi commenced peeli
ng the bananas. “Okay, spill.”

  Paige sat down on one of the stools. “I just got a call from Lindsey, my friend who works at the library. She said that a neighbor of Ben and Trixie’s came in and said an ambulance was called to their house.”

  Stormi stopped cutting. “Ben and Trixie Florez? Oh no!”

  I put the cake sheets in the oven and closed the door. “Who was taken in the ambulance?”

  “She said it was Mr. Florez because Trixie followed the ambulance in her car.”

  “I hope it isn’t serious,” I said. Trixie had been through enough this year with her daughter confessing to murdering Trixie’s best friend Greta. She’d also lost two husbands prior to marrying Mr. Florez.

  Trixie was a delight to have around. Always smiling, she brightened your day. One would never know she was widowed twice. She hid her sorrow well, never allowing it to consume her or burden others with it. Although her friends would be happy to help with that grief, Trixie wasn’t one to allow people into the deepest crevices of her soul. It was said that only Greta Haglemier knew Trixie’s past and she was gone now.

  I wiped my hands on my pink The Frozen Scoop Ice Cream Shoppe apron. “I’d like to go visit her and Ben, see how they’re doing.”

  “Me too,” Stormi chimed in.

  Paige put on her pink apron. “That’s why I’m here. I thought you two might like to go down to Mercy hospital and see how they’re doing.”

  I untied my apron. “Thanks Paige, I appreciate that. Timer’s set for the cakes. Just let them cool on the counter. We shouldn’t be long.”

  “Take all the time you need.”

  Stormi and I raced to my vehicle to take the short ride to Mercy Hospital. However, we had no idea the hornet’s nest we were walking in to.

  *****

  Mr. Florez’ room was located on the fourth floor of Mercy hospital. As Stormi and I walked off the elevator, we could see Trixie and another woman standing down the hallway in what appeared to be a heated discussion. I grabbed Stormi’s arm. “Maybe we should hang back a few minutes.”

  We waited near the elevator doors, trying not to stare at the two women who seemed to be in an argument. Finally, the other woman went into what I assumed was Mr. Florez’ room. Trixie stood with her back to us looking at the floor.

  Stormi and I walked down the hall towards her. As we got close I said, “Trixie, how are you?”

  Trixie spun around. Her eyes were red, but she put on her usual smile for us. “Oh girls, it’s so good to see you!” She gave us hugs and we asked about Mr. Florez.

  “He’s doing better than he was, but the hospital wants to keep him and run blood tests.”

  “What happened?” I asked.

  Trixie motioned down the hall. “Let’s go to the waiting room where we can talk.”

  We sat down in a corner of the room and Trixie proceeded to tell us what happened. “We were having our normal breakfast of fruit and toast. Everything seemed fine. Ben went to the bathroom and then I heard a crash. I ran to the bathroom to find him sprawled on the floor. I tried to rouse him but nothing worked so I called 911.”

  Stormi shifted in her chair. “How frightening! So he blacked out?”

  “Apparently. He came to when the medics got to our house. They asked him questions, like his name and what year it was. He answered them all correctly. Ben doesn’t remember anything though. He says the last thing he remembers is eating breakfast. He doesn’t remember walking to the bathroom. But he hit his head on the bathroom sink when he blacked out and that may be why he doesn’t remember.”

  It made sense to me. “Who was that woman you were talking to in the hallway?”

  Trixie looked uncomfortable upon mention of this other woman. “She is Ben’s daughter from a previous marriage. As you might have witnessed, she isn’t particularly fond of me.”

  Stormi scrunched her nose. “Yeah, we kind of noticed that.”

  I didn’t understand. How could anyone not like Miss Trixie? I would think having her as a stepmother would be a treat. Apparently, this woman didn’t think so. “What in the world would she have against you?”

  Trixie appeared downtrodden. Although Miss Trixie was heartbroken regarding her daughter’s murder confession, she’d always seemed strong throughout it all. However, there was something different in her eyes this time, like a light had switched off. “Gracie wasn’t happy that we, her daddy and I, ran off and eloped. She’d never even met me so I’m sure it came as quite the surprise. Gracie is Ben’s only child so she’s somewhat particular as to whom her daddy hooks up with.”

  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 chi
ldhood. 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.”