Part 7 (2/2)
”Yes. My married name. I've lived here all my life, so you may know me by my maiden name, Argall.”
”Your family owns the Suns.h.i.+ne Market on Forsyth, don't they?” Susie pursed her pink lips.
”Yes, they do.”
”I'm really sorry about the burglary and your dad.” Susie tilted her head and let out a small tssk.
”Thanks.” My heart ached.
”After that happened, it scared a lot of businesses like us. We upped our security by adding new locks and alarms. I'm even thinking about getting a gun.” Susie bent over and picked up some trash on the floor. ”Cynthia, when you're not ringing up a customer, you need to clean up around you.”
The whoosh of the automatic door sounded, and three children and their mom entered the store, followed by an elderly couple.
Cynthia popped another bubble and turned her back to ring up Annie Mae who handed her a plant.
Susie had flawless, porcelain skin. Her blue eyes were outlined perfectly in black liner. With slight wrinkles around her mouth and eyes, I put her age around late fifties, early sixties. I didn't see a wedding ring on her hand, or any rings, for that matter. She wore a stunning gold necklace with a diamond Celtic cross that fell into her decolletage.
”Beautiful necklace,” I said.
”From my boyfriend.” Susie blushed while she touched her neck. ”So, what can I do for you?”
”I'm sure you're busy. I just wanted to ask if you knew Lucy Valentine.” I adjusted the purse on my shoulder.
Susie's face froze. Her eyes darted up to the ceiling then back at me. ”She was a regular customer here.”
”Yes, I know. That's why we're here. We're trying to see how she was the last week of her life. If anything seemed different about her.” I tried to make eye contact with Susie, but she seemed to be occupied with things around me.
She seemed familiar. Where had I seen her before?
Lucy's funeral.
”No. Nothing. She was fine.” Susie gazed at her manicured fingers.
”Nothing unusual at all?” I asked.
Cynthia called out. ”I need an over-ring.” An elderly couple stood at her register.
”I have to go. By the way, we have peaches for sale if you need any. You'll love them, locally grown with no pesticides. They'll melt in your mouth.” Susie turned on her kitten-heeled sandals and walked away.
Annie Mae strode over to me, plant and receipt in hand. ”I've adopted it. This thing can practically take care of itself. I wish I could find a man like this.”
”Low maintenance?”
”h.e.l.l, yeah. It'd be great if men had the little information stakes on them, too. I could've been warned when I married Ernie that he needed three home-cooked meals daily, frequent watering with beer, and lots of attention.” Annie Mae grinned.
I laughed. ”Andrew would've said *low maintenance, easygoing, needs lots of s.e.x.'”
”Don't they all.” Annie Mae and I walked outside to the parking lot. Steam rose from the blacktop.
Annie Mae opened the SUV pa.s.senger door and put her plant on the seat. ”Roll down the windows a crack. Do you think my plant will be okay in here?”
”You got a low maintenance one. It should last forever. Plus, it's in the shade now.” Pressing the b.u.t.ton on the key, I locked my SUV.
”Do you think I should have gotten two plants, so Marvin has a friend?” Annie Mae shrugged her shoulder.
”Who's Marvin?”
”My plant, Marvin Gaye. Now that it's mine, of course I needed to name it. I was thinking that or Jim Croce.”
”Of course.” I put the keys in my purse. ”The antique store is only down the street. We can walk.”
”So did you find out anything?”
”Yes. We've just met Bert's mistress.”
Chapter Nine.
”The girl who's every other word was *like'?” Annie Mae asked.
”No. The redheaded store manager, Susie.”
”No kidding. The nice plant lady?” Annie Mae whipped her head in my direction as we ambled along the sidewalk in front of the small strip mall. ”So that was the same woman who Bert fawned all over during Lucy's wake. Didn't she wear a black hat with a net hanging in front of her face?”
”Yes. It took me a few minutes to recognize her, too. And she wears pink lipstick. Could be the same color found on Lucy's note. Oh, and she smelled like mango shampoo.”
”Call Jose. Have her arrested.”
”Not so fast. I have no proof she killed Lucy. I just know that she's Bert's mistress. Lucy probably knew Susie was having an affair with Bert.”
We made our way over to the Blue Belle Antique Shoppe a block away. The heat and humidity felt so thick you could cut it with a knife.
”You know, I feel like I'm losing weight doing all this sleuthing. Maybe I don't need to take water aerobics.” Annie Mae huffed as she walked beside me. ”With all the extra calories I'm burning up, I'm getting hungry.”
I s.h.i.+elded my eyes from the noon sun.
Annie Mae held her stomach. ”I say after this, we call it a day and grab lunch at the Green Truck Cafe. A big, juicy burger with fries is calling my name.”
”Let's go after we finish here.” I grabbed the large silver door handle.
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