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

  I looked at Officer Manning. “Shouldn’t she have a lawyer?”

  Officer Manning looked at Trixie. “That’s up to Ms. Florez.”

  Trixie looked at Stormi and I. “Lawdy no, I don’t want a lawyer and I don’t believe I need one.”

  Stormi looked at Officer Manning. “Greg, do you think she needs one?”

  Officer Manning shook his head. “She’s told me some of the story. I don’t like to tell people what to do as far as getting a lawyer, but from what I’ve heard so far, it doesn’t sound like she needs one.”

  Trixie looked at the recorder on the table. “I can start from the beginning again, if that’s alright with you Officer Manning?”

  He nodded. “Sure. We can skip all the official items, like your name and address. Why don’t you start with Mr. Crager’s behavior.”

  “Mr. Crager?” Stormi asked.

  “Mr. Daniel Crager,” Trixie answered. “He was my first husband dear and whom I’ve come to talk about today. I told Tara a little about him last night. He and I married young, him 18 and me 17. I don’t know why. I suppose it was more about freedom than being star-crossed lovers. It didn’t take long for me to find out what a mistake I’d made.”

  Trixie shifted in her seat to get more comfortable, which was difficult in these old hard chairs. “Daniel had a mental condition that today we likely call bi-polar disorder. Now that I think about it, he was also paranoid. Of course, none of this was diagnosed back then as we didn’t have money to see a doctor and everyone just thought he should pull it together. But he couldn’t. He lost so many jobs I lost count. People thought he was loony. The fact is, as bad as he was in public, he was much worse behind closed doors.”

  “He would fly into rages, throwing books or crashing plates. One minute he’d be calm and then something might set him off. Other times he would sit and cry for hours or have so much energy he’d be bouncing off walls. Everything was my fault…I couldn’t do anything right. I felt like I had walked straight into hell and there was no way out.”

  “Couldn’t you get a divorce and go back to your parents?” Stormi asked.

  Trixie shook her head. “No. They were angry with me for running off and getting married in the first place. When I told them how bad it was, they told me I’d made my bed, so now I had to lie in it. They wouldn’t take me back.”

  “I decided to try and make the best of it and when I went to work for Mr. Davenport, things started looking up. He was such a good man and a brilliant lawyer. I didn’t make a lot, but it was better than we’d ever had it. I brought home enough money to buy us fresh vegetables and even a few slices of bacon or pork belly from time to time. But Daniel resented me. It didn’t matter what I did, it either wasn’t right or not enough. He’d come into Mr. Davenport’s place of business and raise hell with me. I was so embarrassed. I felt for sure Mr. D. would fire me, but he didn’t. In fact, that is when he came up with the life insurance policy.”

  Trixie explained to Officer Manning and Stormi what she told me last night about the life insurance policy Mr. Davenport had her take out and have Daniel sign. “I know Mr. Davenport was looking out for me, but after Daniel signed it, the policy became a source of contention. Not that we needed anything to cause tension in our household since Daniel could turn anything into an argument. However, he became obsessed with the insurance policy. Maybe it was his paranoia kicking in. He acted as if I only wanted it so I could kill him and take the money. He was talking crazy. I told him to terminate the policy then, I didn’t care, but he wouldn’t. So stubborn.” Trixie shook her head at the memory.

  “So one day he decides we’re going on a picnic to Stone Mountain Park. Now, I knew something was up because this wasn’t like Daniel at all. I didn’t want to go, preferring to stay home and get some work done around the house on my day off. But he was having none of it. He seemed to be in a good mood and finally I decided to go along with it. I packed us some hard boiled eggs and a few peanut butter sandwiches and off we went.”

  “The drive up was nice, but we didn’t talk. I would look at Daniel and I could tell he was concentrating very hard on something. I decided to keep quiet and enjoy the ride. When we arrived, he wanted to take a hike before eating. I was alright with that as I had heard the park had some gorgeous views.”

  I could feel my heart pitter patter in my chest. One part of me wanted to hear what Trixie had to say and another part didn’t.

  “Daniel grabbed my hand and we started up the trail. It was a weekday so we didn’t meet many people. We kept climbing the trial and eventually I became weary. I told Daniel I couldn’t go any higher and needed something to drink. He pleaded with me to go just a little further. He said there was a perfect view just around the bend he wanted to show me. I decided I’d better go to keep the peace, so we went a little further. There were warning signs the park placed at various intervals, warning hikers not to leave the trail. Of course, Daniel wanted to so he could see the view better.”

  Trixie pulled the blanket up over her arms. “I told him he could go ahead, that I was too frightened to leave the trail. And that’s when he changed. It was like watching Jekyll turn into Hyde. His face turned towards me and his eyes blazed. He grabbed my arm and pulled. I kicked at him and screamed for help, but there was no one nearby.”

  Goosebumps populated my arms. I couldn’t see Stormi as she was sitting on the opposite side of me from Trixie, but I could feel her tension emanating to me. I glanced over at Officer Manning. His poker face told me nothing as he continued to jot down notes in his notebook.

  Trixie sighed and continued. “He was pulling me closer to the edge of the cliff. I knew he meant to throw me off. We struggled and finally he had me pinned to the ground. I screamed ‘what are you doing?’ He laughed then, and said ‘I know you were planning to kill me so you could have the insurance money, but now I’m going to kill you and get it myself.’ I pleaded with him to stop, that I wasn’t planning anything and that he could cancel that damnable policy. But he had it in his head that’s the way it was and no amount of pleading would convince him otherwise.”

  “While he held my arms and straddled me, he continued to explain his well thought out plan. He said he’d tell people that it was my idea to come to Stone Mountain Park on my day off. That I’d lured him to the edge of the cliff on the promise of seeing a gorgeous view. Then, when we got near the edge, he’d say I tried to push him off, but he was too sure footed and caught himself. When I tried to push him again, I lost my footing and careened to the bottom to my death. He had it all worked out.”

  I held my breath as Trixie told her story. “He then stood up and grabbed my arms as I lie on my back, dragging me towards the edge. I kicked and screamed but it was to no avail. I knew this was it, that my young life was over. How did I get to this place? It’s funny the thoughts that race through your mind right before you know you’re about to meet your maker. Then something happened. I don’t know if it was blind luck or divine intervention. As Daniel pulled me towards the edge, he himself got dangerously close to it. I suppose my kicking and screaming drew his attention away from how perilously close he was getting. All of a sudden, I heard him emit a strange sound, and then he loosened his grip on my arms. It was enough that I could pull away from his grasp. When I turned and looked at him, I saw that the ground under his feet was soft and shifting. He fell to the ground and his legs slipped over the edge. He grasped at the dirt to halt his slow decent and at one point he grabbed enough soil to stop himself. However, with his legs dangled over the edge, he couldn’t pull himself up. He looked at me, his eyes pleading.”

  At this moment, I noticed Officer Manning look up from his notepad.

  “I looked around for a branch to toss and help pull him up. However, I was not going near that edge. I knew how unstable it was. He yelled for me to help him, that he didn’t want to die. Then I saw it. A long branch from a tree not 10 yards away. I ran to it. I know he thought I was leaving him. He screamed, ‘don’t
go!’ I was back with the branch within a few seconds and I pushed the end towards him. I yelled for him to grab the end of the branch and I’d try to pull him away from the edge. Then he got that sick look in his eyes again. ‘You’re trying to push me off with that branch,’ he yelled. I told him no, I was trying to save him. But his paranoia set in deep. The more he struggled the looser his grasp on the soil. I became angry with him. I told him to shut up and grab hold of the branch. He kept refusing saying it was all my fault. I reminded him it was his idea to come up here and that he tried to kill me. Finally I said, ‘Shut up you stupid idiot and take the branch!’ That’s when he went over. Just like that. One second he was there and then he wasn’t. I stood staring at the edge. I don’t know for how long. I guess I thought he was going to pop his head back up and say ‘fooled ya!’ Of course that didn’t happen.”

  “I didn’t walk over to the edge and look down. It was too dangerous and I pretty well knew he was dead. I kept thinking…the last thing he heard on earth was me calling him a stupid idiot.”

  Stormi put a hand over her mouth. I knew her nervous nature wanted to let out a snort, but she contained it.

  Trixie looked over at Stormi. “Well, he was a stupid idiot.”

  Stormi couldn’t take it. She got up from her chair, mumbled something about being excused, and took off out the door. We could hear guffaws trailing down the police station hallway.

  Officer Manning and I turned back to Trixie. She was smiling. “I love that girl. She always brightens my day.”

  I took Trixie’s hand. “That’s what we say about you.”

  When we first entered the interrogation room Trixie appeared small and frail, but now she was starting to look like the old feisty Trix we knew and loved. The color was coming back into her cheeks and she was sitting up straighter. Perhaps unloading this hard truth had unburdened her somewhat.

  Officer Manning shifted in his chair. “Why didn’t you tell this to the police when it first occurred. The report says you told police it was an accident and no mention of him trying to kill you.”

  Trix sighed. “Honestly, the story seemed implausible. I mean really, it sounds like a movie script. Besides, I didn’t want his family to be heartbroken over the revelation of their son trying to kill his wife. They had enough to deal with. I came to find out that his death was both a sorrow and a relief to them.”

  “How so Miss Trixie?” I asked.

  “Well dear, I wasn’t the only one he threatened. His family had long suffered by his untreated mental illness. They were relieved when he left and married me. I just wish they had warned me of his…condition.”

  “You didn’t notice how unstable he was before marrying him?” Officer Manning asked.

  “Oh, he hid it well,” Trixie answered. “Sure he’d pop off every once in a while, but don’t most men? You know, testosterone and all.”

  Officer Manning looked back down at his notepad.

  “Anyway, I was dumb and thought I was in love, when I simply wanted my freedom away from my parents. What I found was a prison I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”

  “I’m not saying that I was without fault here, but I will plead immaturity and ignorance for a lot of it. Maybe I was wrong about lying to the police, but in my young mind I thought I was doing what was best for everyone, his family included.”

  Officer Manning looked up from his notebook. “You also benefited from the insurance policy by lying.”

  Trixie straightened up in her seat and started to fold the ugly brown blanket. “Young man, Daniel’s death was an accident. He did not jump nor did I push him. The insurance pay out was on the up and up.”

  “She’s right,” I interjected. “While Trixie didn’t disclose all the details, Daniel’s death was an accident.”

  Officer Manning reached over, shut off the tape recorder, and snapped his notebook closed. “Thank you Ms. Florez. I believe we can close this chapter. I’m satisfied that what occurred was an accident.”

  Trixie stood up. “Thank you Greg, errr Officer Manning. It feels good to finally tell the truth of that day for the record.”

  I gave her a hug and Officer Manning escorted us out of the interrogation room. As we walked to the front of the station, we saw Stormi standing beside Mr. Florez.

  “Look who I found,” Stormi chirped.

  Mr. Florez looked his dapper self wearing freshly pressed navy slacks with a light blue button down shirt. The color was back in his face and he appeared ready to take on the town.

  “Ben, what are you doing here?” Trixie exclaimed. “Are you feeling alright?”

  “Never better,” he answered. “The doctor’s office called. They’ve changed that new medicine they put me on. Seems it can cause dizziness and lightheadedness. I knew I didn’t feel right after I started taking it. Now that I’ve been off of it the last few days, I feel like a new man.”

  Trixie walked over to Ben and took his face in her hands. “So you know I would never hurt you.”

  “Oh my dear, I never did. However, I was too weak to fend off my very stubborn and hardheaded daughter. I simply thought it best to let her get it out of her system and when I felt myself again, I’d give her what for, and that’s exactly what I did just a little while ago.”

  “Oh Ben, you weren’t too hard on her I hope.” Did I see a twinkle in Trixie’s eye? I believe she was secretly hoping he gave her a little bit of a sting.

  “Let’s just say I set her straight. She won’t be pulling any more shenanigans with us again. I told her to act like a proper southern lady should and respect her elders.”

  Trixie hugged her man. Such a cute little couple.

  Ben pulled back with Trix still in his arms. “I heard from Paige and Bruce you were here. Are you alright my dear?”

  “I am now. I wanted to get things straightened out with the police. I will tell you all about it later.”

  We all walked out of the police station where the sun was setting for the day. The orange and pink clouds hung on the horizon making for a mystical end to a rather eventful day.

  “Ben, why don’t you go to the Frozen Scoop with Stormi and I’ll meet you there. I want to talk with Tara alone for a few minutes.”

  “If you trust me with this young filly,” he answered with a gleam in his eye.

  “The better question is does she trust me,” Stormi hooted as she hooked her arm through Ben’s. “Come on Mister, let’s take a stroll.”

  “Your cop boyfriend won’t get jealous will he?” Ben asked with a grin.

  “He might,” Stormi answered. “Trixie better hold onto you with a tight leash.”

  “I plan on it.” Trixie motioned them to move on. “Now get going you two, and don’t let them sell out of almond mocha before I get there.”

  Stormi and Ben headed down Main Street back to the Frozen Scoop and Trixie guided me over to the small city park across from the police station. We sat together on one of the many benches strewn through the park.

  “Tara, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me these last few days. Allowing me to stay at your house and then coming down to the station to offer a strong shoulder for me to lean on.”

  I shook my head. “It was my pleasure.” I reached out and took her hand. “You mean the world to us girls and we didn’t want you to go through this alone.”

  “You’ll never know how much I appreciate that. And hopefully one day Gracie will come to accept me as well.”

  Trixie looked over at the pink and orange sky. “There are a few more things I’d like to get off my chest if you don’t mind listening.”

  I shook my head, wondering what else there could be.

  “I knew Gracie was running around town telling everyone who would listen about my past husbands and my year long disappearance after Daniel passed. Now, no one but my parents and Greta knew why I left and where I went. My folks have been dead for a long time, so when I wanted to talk about it, I had Greta.”

  “I realize people
didn’t understand why I stayed friends with Greta all these years. What they didn’t realize was the depth of our friendship. We’d been friends since grade school and shared many secrets over the years. I know Greta could be brash, but that never bothered me…I took her as she was. When we were alone we had the best time together. I’d get her laughing despite her best effort not to.” Trixie smiled at the memory.

  “What most people didn’t understand, Greta was insecure. But she hid it by being brassy as you are well aware.”

  I nodded my head. Oh yes, I came under the gun many a time with Miss Greta.

  “Greta was good at keeping secrets and she kept mine to the grave. You don’t know how much it pained me that my daughter Eileen murdered my best friend. It is a pain that will never heal. I hide it though, because that’s what’s expected of me.”