Part 8 (1/2)
”Great.”
”Ready?”
Bells attached to the tall gla.s.s door rang as we entered. We were greeted by a blast of cool air and the sweet aroma of potpourri.
”Smells like a florist.” Annie Mae crinkled her nose.
A sixty-something-year-old pet.i.te woman with short, teased, brunette hair and wearing a lime-green and hot pink dress with matching stilettos walked forward and greeted us. ”Welcome to Blue Belle. We are so glad to have y'all here.”
She had a thick southern drawl. Her perfectly made-up face was taut, her nose very small, her eyes slanted upward. She had a surprised look on her face because her eyebrows were raised, even when her face was still. My guess was that she had undergone a full face-lift with nose and eye job, lots of fillers, and regular Botox injections, as well.
”Hi, I'm Catherine Thomson. My friends call me Cat.” I shook her hand.
”I'm Scarlett Louise Montgomery.” She pumped my hand. ”You look familiar.”
As we ended our handshake, I said, ”My maiden name is Argall. You may know my family.”
”Oh, yes.” Scarlett let go of my hand.
”I'm Dr. Maple, but you can call me Annie Mae.” Annie Mae stuck out her hand to the lady.
”A doctor?” Scarlett said.
”PhD in Fine Arts,” Annie Mae said.
Scarlett opened her arms and turned slightly to the center of the room. ”Are y'all looking for anything in particular? We have a wide variety of antiques mixed with a tasteful a.s.sortment of new contemporary items as well. Very eclectic. Something for everyone, I a.s.sure you.”
Picture frames, candles, knickknacks, and paintings were interspersed on lovely display tables. Some fringed pillows along with lovely throw blankets were artistically displayed. Chairs, loveseats, lamps, ottomans, and other household items adorned the s.p.a.ce. A handful of crystal chandeliers hung from the cavernous, twenty-foot, wood-beamed ceilings. Jazz music played. A scent of fragrant flowers infused the air.
”You have a great store,” I said.
”Why, thank you.” Scarlett tipped her head. ”Owning a business keeps me occupied. Mind you, there are only so many teas and luncheons that one can go to without being bored to death.”
”I guess so.” With four children and my family store, I had no idea what bored was. ”Listen, when I have more time I would love to look around.”
Annie Mae picked up a candle, stuck her nose near the wick, then tipped it over to look at the price tag. ”Whoa. One hundred bucks?”
I shot Annie Mae a look that I hoped conveyed be good. ”We're here to ask you some questions, if you don't mind.”
”You're not trying to sell me something, are you?” Scarlett put her chin up. ”My door sign clearly states no solicitors.”
”I have nothing to sell. Unless you want four kids?” I joked.
”Heavens, no.” Scarlett's face softened to a smile. ”I raised two boys, and now one is a father to a sweet little girl, Biddy. She's always giving me her artistic creations. She's such a peach.”
”I bet she is.” I nodded in agreement. ”My girls love arts and crafts, too. They're now into making jewelry. I can't tell you how many times I've stepped on those little plastic beads.”
”My granddaughter is making pottery now, some of it pretty good.” Scarlett beamed with pride.
”Seriously, a hundred dollars?” Annie Mae held the candle and looked at Scarlett.
”It's imported with the very highest quality wick and soy wax. And, you'll notice, it's in a crystal holder.” Scarlett held her chin up. ”Worth every penny.”
”Not ten thousand of them,” Annie Mae muttered under her breath.
”Do you have a few minutes to talk?” I asked Scarlett.
”About what?” Scarlett asked.
”One of your clients,” I said. ”We won't take up too much of your time.”
”That should be okay. What do you need to know?” Scarlett asked.
The bells jangled, and a tall, medium-built man wearing a straw cowboy hat entered. He approached us.
”Pardon me, ladies.” He took off his cowboy hat showing thick white hair. Wrinkles accentuated his tanned skin. He touched Scarlett's arm. ”Am I too early for our meeting?”
Scarlett looked at her gold and diamond wrist.w.a.tch. ”No, not at all. Excuse me, ladies. I just need a moment with this gentleman.”
Annie Mae held on to the candle. ”Is the wick made out of gold?”
Cowboy and Scarlett walked a few feet from us.
I overheard Scarlett say to the cowboy, ”Can you come back today when we close? Around eight? I can give it to you then. We're packing it up so that it's safe for your journey.” She kept glancing over at Annie Mae and me.
”I just can't believe you got it back. What luck,” Cowboy said as Scarlett guided him farther from us.
Scarlett stammered and lowered her voice, ”Yes. Lucky for you.”
Then I couldn't hear them anymore.
”I mean, there should be a law against selling a candle for a hundred bucks.” Annie Mae turned the candle in her hand.
”If I were you, I'd put it down. See the sign that says *You break it-it's yours'? You'd own the world's most expensive broken candle.” I smirked.
Very slowly, Annie Mae set it on the display. Then she picked up a necklace and held it to my neck. ”This would look great on you.”
”Remember, I don't wear necklaces,” I said.
”That's right. Your strangulation phobia. You know, there is therapy for that.” Annie Mae smiled.
My parents said I was born with the umbilical cord tightly wrapped around my neck. Maybe that was why I had an aversion to all things to do with my neck.
The bell jangled as Cowboy left the shop. Soon, Scarlett was back at our side.
”We really don't want to be a bother, but can you talk with us now?” I asked Scarlett. ”It's important.”
Scarlett glanced side to side. ”You're in luck. It's not busy yet. I might be able to spare a few minutes. Plus, I'm parched. Why don't y'all come to the back, where I can fix us a gla.s.s of iced tea?”
We followed Scarlett through the maze of displays in the showroom to the back of the store. Scarlett pushed aside a thick tapestry curtain. We entered a hallway leading to an office.