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THE FOLLOWING DAY, Dana visited the Berry Cove Grocery Store.
“Don’t forget the watermelons and the baby spinach for the green smoothie,” Katie said over the phone.
“I won’t, cuz.” Dana pressed the end call button her smart phone. It was nice to do shopping in the evening on a mid weekday. The air was calm and quiet and the music played quietly over the speaker. You never knew whom you’d bump into, too. Dana always made sure she looked her best. Not that she was hoping to bump into Troy again, because she did once. They’d met at the baked goods aisle. He looked so handsome in his rugged shirt just coming off a shift and picking up some stuff to shove in the microwave. You could judge a single guy by his grocery basket. He was a health nut but he also liked to eat rich Italian comfort food like garlic bread or pizza or lasagna on a Friday night.
Dana should write down the watermelon before she forgot. That was a new ingredient. And Katie always liked to add a few new stuff to her green smoothies.
It was Dana’s time to do grocery shopping for the house and they were pretty much dry out of fresh produce. Because Katie’s been making tons of green smoothies with blueberries, bananas, baby spinach and apples. They don’t stay too long in the fridge. Not to mention, Truffles needed some fresh air.
Dana had way too many things on her mind. Detective Troy was busy on another case after the funeral and she didn’t want to bother him just yet.
The memorial service was beautiful yesterday. At least old man Renaldo would be laid to rest but she wished she could say the same about his case. That was a huge mystery.
“So you heard that Jackie Renaldo dumped that nice guy, Miles.” A woman said in the vegetable aisle.
Dana pretended not to notice and casually looked at the watermelon sizing it up with another. Jackie Renaldo dumped her beau? Poor thing. Did Jackie have something to do with her daddy’s death? She was now heir to a fortune, wasn’t she? Her dad never gave her anything while he was around—well not very much. He made it clear, according to Goldie that his kids would only get when he’s gone.
“Yes, it’s about time. He’s better off without that crazy family.” The other woman hissed.
Gossip. Gossip. Gossip. Still, it was very sad to hear. Maybe, Miles was better off without that wacky family.
Dana guessed they were customers from Bea’s Salon. That was probably where they got the news from. Half the women in Berry Cove got their news from Bea’s Salon.
The women stopped and glared at Dana and Truffles who was in her meshed stroller.
“Really now. Doesn’t she have a child?” the woman said to the other.
“What is a cat doing in a stroller?” the other woman kissed her teeth and they both walked off.
Dana rolled her eyes and carried on.
Just then Truffles hissed loudly.
“What is it, Truffs? Those ladies got you down?”
Dana jolted when George the butler appeared.
“Oh, George. You frightened me.”
Truffles hissed even more loudly and started to act wild and crazy in the stroller. George looked terrified at first. “What’s wrong with her?” he asked in his thick British accent.
“Oh, nothing. She’s probably just hungry. I was just getting some food for her.”
He glanced incredulously at the large watermelon in Dana’s hand.
“Oh, this. No. I wouldn’t give this to my Truffles.” She laughed nervously.
But she knew deep down that George was the killer. Truffles wouldn’t hiss so loudly at him, if he weren’t.
“So how are things at the manor?”
“Terrible. Thanks to you.”
“Thanks to me?”
“Yes. You have no business meddling in family affairs.”
“So it was you who sent the note?”
George said nothing for a moment. Guilt was written all over his face. “Mr. Renaldo probably poisoned himself. That’s what I told the police. He was suicidal.”
“So you read the note he’d received from his doctor?” Dana accused.
“Listen, Miss busy body, wanna-be detective. You know nothing about anything. And your riddles on your blog are just as immature as you are.” He walked off.
Dana felt stunned, burned, humiliated.
Well, how dare he?
Just then, Dana saw Miles walking in the next aisle by the breads and bakery. He looked very sad but she didn’t dare approach him. She’d had enough drama for one night. Right now, she needed to check her things out at the cashier and get in touch with Troy.