Creamed at the Coffee Cabana: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) (2 page)

Chapter Three

Francine Diddlemier was a short woman of around five feet. Her brown hair was short and cut as if someone put a bowl over her head. Her eyes were brown and round. She’d gained some weight in her later years and because she was short it looked like more than it probably was. I could relate. I had gained 20 pounds myself over a few years and couldn’t seem to nudge it off my body despite all the workout videos I tortured myself through. But that was the only area in which I felt any kinship with Fannie. Her spite at townspeople had turned her into a person no one cared to be around, except a few old biddies she called friends. They weren’t as spiteful as Fannie was, but they certainly enjoyed how she rocked the town. Today she was flanked by one of them. Her friend Mildred had reddish hair and a fair freckled face. Both were dressed in sleeveless summer dresses and sandals.

The women entered the shop and strode up to the counter without looking at us huddled around Harvey’s table. Hildie and Essie refused to move so I walked behind the counter to take their order.

“Good morning ladies. What can I get you this morning?”

“I’ll have a coffee with cream and a chocolate squirt,” Mildred answered.

I turned to get Mildred’s order. “And what would you like Francine?”

“Don’t you have that cappuccino maker yet?” Fannie grumped.

“It’s on back order,” I replied. I’m sure Fannie won’t touch a drop of a latte or cappuccino anyway, but she had to get her dig in.

“Fine, I’ll just take a coffee with caramel then.”

“I have a fresh pot of mocha flavored coffee if you’d like to put caramel in it.”

“Ohhh, that sounds good,” Mildred squealed.

“Nope, just give me what I asked for,” Fannie remarked. Even if it did sound good to her no way would she change her order. That’s why I offered it.

The ladies took their cups and sat across the room from Harvey’s table. My aunts stared daggers at Fannie while Harvey sat in oblivion enjoying his coffee. Finally, Hildie and Essie walked behind the counter with me.

“Try not to be so obvious with your death rays,” I whispered. “I’m sure Fannie can feel the heat burrowing into the back of her head.”

“Good,” Essie replied as she pulled the filter and used grounds from the coffee maker.

I shrugged. It was useless. I walked away from Essie’s fuming and went into the back of the store to perform an inventory count, but I really wanted to get away from all the negativity.

I was feeling a little blue and my Aunt’s struggle wasn’t helping. I am mid 30’s and never been married. Not that I feel I need a man to complete me, but sometimes when I see couples in restaurants or even my own coffee shop, I feel a twinge. I have friends, but my best friend is Jules. She is happily divorced, so maybe that has soured me on relationships. But sometimes I would feel as though I was missing out on something. Not that my aunts didn’t try to solve the problem for me by trying to fix me up every whip stitch. Their idea of the ideal man and mine were miles apart. Fortunately for me, they had given up the quest, especially where Harvey’s son was concerned.

Eli, Harvey Davis’ son, was a police officer/slash detective with the local police department. I knew Eli from school but that was the extent of it. Since we’d all graduated eons ago, I only saw him when he came into the shop for a to go coffee. He was tall with short black hair, a nice slender build, and green eyes that sparkled. Yes, he was definitely good looking, but I could never get a good read on him, hence the objection of being pushed in his direction. He seemed standoffish, but maybe that was his policeman demeanor. I wasn’t sure and really didn’t want to find out.

I was peacefully performing my inventory when I heard loud voices coming from the front. What I walked in on was a free-for-all in the middle of the Coffee Cabana.

Mike Barton, the landscaper, was in the middle of the shop yelling at Fannie who was screaming back at him. Harvey sat sipping his coffee as if this display was an everyday occurrence. Hildie and Essie were behind the counter enjoying the show.

“How dare you accuse me of destroying my client’s property to make more money!”

“You sound pretty guilty if you think that article is about you!”

“Who else would it be? I’m the only landscaper in this tiny berg!”

“I could have been talking about someone in Springtown, not Sweet Home.”

“But we all know you aren’t!”

As much as I was enjoying the show along with my aunts, I needed to put a stop to it before any more customers came in. The door chimed. Too late.

In walked Toe Thompson. He was 60ish, thin as a stick and as long as a light pole. Like Harvey, he wore a cap on his head that said John Deere, but unlike Harvey, he had a shock of brown hair atop his crown.

Instead of participating in the debacle in the middle of the store, he walked over to the counter. He tipped his hat to us, and as if nothing strange was occurring not 5 feet away from us he said, “Good morning ladies. Can I have a large coffee with cream?”

“Coming right up,” Hildie answered.

“Toe, I need you to come by the house when you have time. The sink in the kitchen is running slow so I’ve probably got a clog starting,” Essie said.

Hildie handed Toe his mug of coffee. “Thank you Hildie,” he said handing her the money for the coffee. He looked at Essie. “I can come by today after 4 today if that’s okay.”

“That will work.”

Was I in the twilight zone? There were two shrieking customers in the shop and these two were talking like it was a lazy Sunday afternoon.

“Well, I’ll go over here and have a sit with Harvey.”

That was it. I needed to stop the foray before anyone else came in.

“Okay, that’s enough!” I yelled. Everyone, including those not involved in the shouting match stared at me. I looked at Fannie and Mike. “Take it down a notch or take it outside.”

Mike’s face was red, but he looked to the floor. “I’m sorry Lily. I know better than to act this way.”

Essie walked over, grabbed Mike’s arm, and steered him towards the counter. “Don’t worry Mike. We know some people bring out the animal in us.” She shot Fannie another death stare.

Mike took a seat at one of the few stools I had at the counter. “Let me get you a bottled water,” Essie said.

Fannie and Mildred started to leave when Fannie decided to leave a parting gift. “You’ll all want to see my special edition I have coming out later in the week. It will feature some juicy tidbits about certain people who think they’re good at hiding their devious deeds. It will come out right after the parade on Thursday.”

We all stood like statues as she and Mildred swished out the door. Mike took his head in his hands. “Why do I let her get to me this way?”

Essie wiped the counter in front of him. “She has that effect on people.”

“Try not to let it get you down,” I said. “Everyone knows how honest you are and her article isn’t going to affect you.”

Mike shook his head. “How do I know that for sure? I have bills to pay and a kid going to college in a few years. You know how it is…she plants the seed and it starts to grow.”

Yes I knew that all to well.

“And I heard I might start getting competition in town as well.”

“Who?” I asked.

“The word around town is Fannie has a cousin who is looking to set up a landscaping business in town. I’m sure that’s why she targeted me in her paper. I start losing business and my customers go to her cousin instead.”

Essie didn’t think so. “The minute anyone finds out this cousin is related to her they’ll run. No way will folks around here want anything to do with her family. She’s cultivated this reputation so her cousin might as well forget it.”

Mike sighed. “I hope you’re right Essie.”

Toe and Harvey walked up behind Mike. “I know how you feel Mike. She skewered me too. Not sure why though.”

“She doesn’t need a reason,” Aunt Essie huffed.

“Enough talk about Fannie,” Hildie declared. “Let’s discuss something more pleasant, like the upcoming parade and festival.

Every year in the fall, Sweet Home had a small festival to help usher in the cooler weather. Florida is so freaking hot in the summer, we welcome the cooler breezes that fall provides. So the town fathers decided a nice three-day festival was in order. It starts with a parade on Thursday, and then the craft and food booths open up afterwards in the city park. The festival provides a few rides for the kiddoes and a country music concert ends the festivities on the last night.

Some more customers came in and we talked about the festival and parade. It was a welcome departure to the morning’s downward spiral. Luckily, these people could bounce back, especially when they had the support of one another. Although I’d felt a little down earlier in the day, I found myself feeling lighter and happier. Even Essie had turned her bad mood around.

That evening I joined Essie and Hildie for dinner. Again, we laughed at some of the stories Toe and Harvey told that day. It was good to surround myself with friends and family who support me when I’m down and lift me up when I needed it. I hope I did the same for them and my best friend Jules. I didn’t know it that evening, but by Thursday we’d all need support.

Chapter Four

The next few days were uneventful thank goodness. No more talk about Fannie and her paper. Her parting words of a special edition for the festival must have fallen on deaf ears as my aunts nor our customers brought it up. Everyone was upbeat, ready for the festival to begin. Some people were putting up booths while others couldn’t wait for the concert.

I had thought about putting up a booth myself, but decided against it this year. We normally had enough business as people strayed uptown away from the festival to purchase an iced coffee or a café mocha. We would shut down early though so we could enjoy the festival.

“Look what I got on sale,” Essie said as she burst into the shop. She’d visited the outlet mall where she stumbled upon a cookware sale. She showed Hildie and me her wares…a new set of baking sheets, muffin pans, and her pride and glory, a new iron skillet.

“I need to season it so it’ll be ready for baking,” Essie said as she removed the outside casing from the skillet. I’ll just do it here so it will be ready for tomorrow.” She promptly washed the skillet in the sink in the back of the store, dried it, put a thin coat of oil on the interior, and set it on the rack in the oven.

“Be sure and put aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven to catch the drips,” I said.

We didn’t use the small oven much, but it was handy to have around in case we needed it. Essie set the timer for an hour. A few customers came in, but most were roaming the city park, watching as booths were set up prior to the parade. Of course, Harvey came in for his usual coffee and muffin, and then he decided to mosey on up the street. Mike and his wife Meghan and son Trevor stopped by as well. I didn’t know Meghan very well, but she seemed like a very nice woman and Trevor was well behaved for a teenager. The schools in Sweet Home let out for the festival, which was a nice break for the kids.

I greeted them as they walked through the shop door. “How are the Barton’s today?”

“We’re doing well,” Mike said as he and the family walked up to the counter. He did look a lot better than he did the other day. Meghan was decked out in yellow capris and a purple top. Trevor wore his usual jeans and t-shirt.

“We were wondering if we could set up our lawn chairs in front of the store for the parade and then leave them in the shop afterwards so we don’t have to take them back to the car.” Meghan asked.

“Of course,” I replied. “Although I will be locking up the shop for the day after the parade.”

“That’s okay,” Mike replied. “I’ll just pick them up next week.”

Hildie, Essie and I chatted with the Barton family and we served a few more customers. Harvey and Toe made their way in as well and we all had some laughs. The day was bright and sunny, perfect for the parade and the opening of the festival. Of course there’s always a cloud around to dampen the day, but only if you let it.

In walked Fannie, this time with her friend Gladys. While Mildred was pretty much harmless and clueless, Gladys stood hand in hand with Francine. Most of us figured that Gladys helped Fannie spy on people to feed her newspaper. While we could tolerate Mildred, we welcomed Gladys about as much as Fannie. Gladys stood taller than Fannie, a slender woman with dyed black hair that made her features appear sharp, especially her cheekbones and dark eyes.

Fannie wore an uncharacteristic smile on her face today. “I just wanted to let you know I’ll be passing out my special edition early, right after the parade. And it will be free.”

“Yes you’ll definitely want to get one,” Gladys piped up. “It’s full of excitement and intrigue.” With that, they spun around and out the door.

“I’ll be sure to toss mine in the trash,” Mike said.

“I don’t understand why someone has so much hate in their heart,” Meghan replied.

Trevor looked at his iPhone. “Why doesn’t someone shut her down?”

“Easier said than done,” Essie answered. “It’s been tried, but free press and all. The only way she could be shut down is if people stopped buying her papers, but just like the rags you see in the grocery store checkouts, people are drawn into drama, even if they don’t believe it.”

We left it at that and decided to get ready for the parade. Essie removed the hot skillet from the oven and placed it on a potholder on the counter in back to cool. We all grabbed our lawn chairs we had brought that day for the parade. The streets for the parade had been shut down for the last few hours so no cars were parked along the parade route. My aunts, the Barton’s, and I set our chairs in the parking spots on the road. Soon more people gathered. Harvey and Toe made their way up the street carrying their own chairs. In the distance we could hear the pounding of the drums as the high school band department led the parade into downtown Sweet Home. Various businesses and local politicians rode their floats while the Shriners drove their little cars in circles. It was the same people and floats every year, but we still enjoyed it. Other high school bands from surrounding counties were also included in the parade. Sometimes they were so loud we couldn’t hear ourselves talk, but that was fine.

After almost 40 minutes, the end of the parade arrived. We all stood up, gathered our lawn chairs and headed into the shop to store the chairs in the back. I hadn’t noticed during the parade, but Trevor was nowhere to be seen.

“What happened to Trevor?” I asked Meghan.

“As usual, he must have taken off. He was sitting behind us so I have no idea when he left. He’d rather be with his friends than his parents I’m sure.”

I could see that with a young teenaged boy, but he could have at least told his parents he was leaving.

Essie was in the lead with Hildie behind her and me and the Barton’s in the back. Harvey opened the door for us and Toe stood with him. As Essie rounded the counter and swung open the door to the back of the shop, she stopped short. Hildie wasn’t paying attention and ran right into her, pushing Essie the rest of the way into the back room.

“Essie why did you stop?” Hildie cried.

Essie didn’t say anything; she just looked over and pointed at something on the floor in the back room. Essie not talking. This can’t be good. Hildie looked around the door where Essie pointed and gasped. “Lord have mercy!”

I busted between my aunts into the backroom to see what had them grounded to the floor. And there she was. Francine ‘Fanny’ Diddlemier. She lay on the floor not moving, with Aunt Essie’s new iron skillet resting on top of her head.

Aunt Essie looked at me. “Think I can get a refund on that skillet?”