When Addison woke the next morning, she found a note taped to the inside of her bedroom door. She had no idea how anyone had gotten in. The night before, she’d locked herself inside, checking the lock three times before crawling back into bed. The note was handwritten in straight, cursive lines. A woman? It said: Coffee Shop. 10 AM. COME ALONE. The note was signed “M.” Hmm. M for Marjorie?
Addison got dressed, told her father she was going to town to get some groceries, and made it all the way to her car before Luke stopped her. “Where you off to?”
“Grocery store.”
“You’ve got plenty of food in that kitchen of yours, and I haven’t seen you cook much since you got here.”
She shrugged. “I’m in the mood for something different.”
“Fine. Mind if I tag along? I forgot to grab something I needed at the hardware store.”
“I’m not sure I’m going that—”
Luke swung the passenger door open and got in. “Let’s go.”
They drove for almost fifteen minutes before Addison couldn’t take it any longer. “How did you know?”
“I’m not sure what I know exactly, only that grocery shopping has never been high on your priority list. Especially at this hour. So, where are we going?”
She handed over the note.
“And you really thought going alone was a good idea?”
She took a deep breath. “I’m all out of ideas. That body in the woods, it’s a man, not a woman. My guess? My grandfather.”
“If he’s out there, where’s Roxanne?”
“I’m hoping that’s what we’re about to find out.”
***
Marjorie stood in front of the coffee house/soup kitchen modeling a pair of black sunglasses that were so large she looked like she was in the Witness Protection Program. When she got an eyeful of Luke crossing the street with Addison, her words shot out like rapid fire. Addison held a hand up and firmly stated, “He stays or I go. I don’t want to do whatever this is without him.”
“He shouldn’t be here,” Marjorie stated. “I know nothing about him.”
“And I know almost nothing about you. So what’s it going to be?”
Marjorie huffed a few times then said, “Follow me then.”
The three of them walked to the park across the street. Once there, Marjorie took them down a secluded path that seemed to lead to nowhere, but when they rounded the corner, Addison couldn’t believe the three people sitting on a bench in front of her. She never thought she’d see them in the same room, let alone out together.
“I don’t understand,” Addison said.
“We’ll explain everything,” Marjorie said. “I need you to be patient.”
“Who’s he and why is he here?” Helen said, bending a finger toward Luke.
“No one. Don’t worry about him,” Marjorie replied.
“Who are you?” Addison said to the man sitting between Helen and Celeste Brandon.
“Hugh.”
“Hugh Brandon?”
He smiled like she’d just recognized he once was a famous celebrity. “I can’t imagine what these three have filled your head with lately. You’ll forgive them for a few white lies, won’t you?”
“Is this supposed to be funny?” Addison said.
“Look, no one is around right now, and I’m catching a chill,” Helen said. “We need to get on with it.”
Addison and Luke sat with Marjorie on a bench directly across from the other one.
“She’s my granddaughter,” Marjorie said. “It might be best if I tell it.”
Helen rolled her eyes but said nothing.
“On the night of the party that Roxy went missing, all of us were there.”
Addison crossed her arms in front of her. “So basically you have all been lying to me about everything.”
“Interrupting me won’t change things now,” Marjorie replied. “Do you want to hear the story or don’t you?” She gave her words time to sink in and then continued. “Your grandfather was having an affair with Roxy and had been for some time. I knew, of course, as did most everyone. He had quite the reputation with the ladies back then. He made them all kinds of promises to further their careers, and they fell for it. Every last one. Imagine their dismay when, after one or two bit parts in small films, he moved on with someone else.”
“Roxanne didn’t have small roles,” Addison said.
“Roxy was different. You see, your grandfather liked to be in charge. And when he wasn’t, well, let’s just say it drove him to do things none of us imagined.”
“Do you mean to say he shot her out of jealousy?” Addison asked.
Marjorie shook her head. “Not exactly.”
“What then?”
“The night of the party, Roxy showed up, even though she hadn’t been invited. I had a firm rule about him bringing any of his flings to the house. They weren’t allowed. But that didn’t stop her. She came anyway. She asked if she could talk to me. So, we went into another room away from everyone else, and she confessed to the affair. She wasn’t aware, of course, that I already knew she’d been seeing him.”
“Was it you, then? Did you shoot her?”
Marjorie tossed her head back and laughed. “Heavens, no. She asked for my forgiveness, and although I didn’t give it to her, I respected her for having the decency to tell me the truth—and to my face, no less. She said she only came over to break off the affair and to clear things up with me and with him.”
“And did she?”
“I counseled her not to tell him that night. He’d been drinking, and I knew how he could be when he didn’t get his way. She thought she could reason with him—she said she had to. She’d met someone else. Someone she didn’t have to sneak around with.”
“Did she tell him?”
“As soon as he saw her he went on the attack, airing it all out in front of our guests. I took him aside and gave him two options: leave the house or take her to another room, somewhere more discreet. A few minutes later, he rejoined our guests. Roxy was nowhere to be seen, but no one saw her leave. The party wound down after another hour or so, and I saw Norman heading upstairs. He’d had a lot to drink and could barely walk. I assumed he was going to bed.”
“I know about the blood on the floor in my mother’s room.”
Marjorie patted Addison’s leg. “You’re getting ahead of yourself.” She cleared her throat and continued. “A few minutes after he’d gone upstairs I heard two people arguing. And I recognized Roxy’s voice. We all assumed she’d gone upstairs to wait it out, thinking perhaps if he sobered up, she could talk to him.”
“Where was my mother?”
“I used to put her in the bedroom at the end of the hall when we had parties because it was the quietest room in the house. I should have thought to check on her, but I didn’t. My only concern at the time was getting everyone out so I could deal with another one of his messes.”
Addison looked at the others. “So everyone left except the three of you?” They all nodded in agreement.
“I was saying goodbye to a friend when I heard a gunshot go off,” Marjorie said. “Several seconds went by and I heard another. The four of us practically stepped over each other to get up those stairs. I flung your mother’s door open and stood there. Shocked. We all were. Norman and Roxy were both dead.”
“I don’t understand,” Addison said. “Did one shoot the other and then turn the gun on themselves?”
“No, dear.”
“What then?”
“Roxy shot your grandfather.”
“Then…who shot Roxy?”
There was an unsettling silence before Hugh spoke up for all of them. “Your mother.”