I’m exhausted, getting paranoid, and generally scared half the time these days. These last few months… And then today…”
“What happened today? What am I missing? It’s like a puzzle with a missing piece.” Charlotte looked at Annie like she was talking in code.
“Gretchen did it. She killed Sharon. Then today she tried to kill me.” The words felt bigger than her.
Charlotte was stunned. “What?!”
“Mrs. Bushmiller saved my life. I should probably start at the beginning.” Annie sighed, exhaus ted from the day.
“Okay, don’t leave out a single detail.” She got up and gave Annie a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Let’s go in the other room,” Annie suggested.
Squeak followed along, having gotten comfortable without much effort. He claimed the back of the sofa, stretching out and keeping one eye on the dogs.
“Where should I start? Okay, so Gretchen had a hair appointment today, and I thought I’d poke a little bit. That turned into a mistake.” She thought for a moment. “Well, a good thing and a bad thing. We got to talking and she made some statements that stood out to me. When I said something in particular, she looked at me in the mirror. She knew I was putting pieces of the puzzle together. Next thing I know, she jumps up, grabs my scissors from the station below the mirror, and turns to stab me.”
Charlotte chimed in. “Get out ! Are you kidding me? She really tried to stab you? She’s lucky she didn’t hurt you, or she’d have to answer to me.” Charlotte was furious.
“Anyway, we start to scuffle and she’s about ready to swipe at me again. That’s when Mrs. Bushmiller walks in. She sees what’s happening, and before I can react, she’s already tackled her to the ground. It was amazing.”
“Mrs. Bushmiller? Are we talking about the same woman? Mrs. Bushmiller from…”
“Yes. She saved my life, Charlotte. No lie. But in the process, she broke her hip. As soon as I was released from the police station, I went over to the hospital to see her.”
Charlotte was confused. “Wait a minute. Stop. You went to the police station? What for?”
“Okay, so I held Gretchen down so Mrs. Bushmiller could get up. We finally got the police out there. Both Gretchen and I were brought in for questioning. She made a statement about taking out one woman, and was about to finish a second one, meaning me. Anyway, they’re holding her and charging her with Sharon Millbourne’s murder. They released me after they took my statement. Mrs. Bushmiller was brought to the hospital. When I went to see her, she asked if I could look after Mitzi for her.”
“Wow.” Charlotte didn’t know what to say. “All this happened today?”
“Yeah, I actually just got home a little bit ago when you showed up.” Playing it out again, saying it out loud made it real. “With everything that’s going on…”
Charlotte waited for Annie to finish. She seemed stuck on the words. “What?”
Annie hesitated. “I’m thinking about leaving. I’m not sure I can live here much longer. The place I’ve always loved has turned into a heartbreaking and scary experience. My ex-husband marrying my sister, both of them living here, the murders, the arsons, and my own life being in danger…I’m not feeling so attached to this place right now. Money is tight with my business anyway and-”
“No. I won’t have it. And neither will Mrs. Bushmiller. We’re your fami ly, and you belong with family,” Charlotte clarified.
“Char, I’m tired.” Annie dropped her head.
Charlotte spoke from her heart. “I know, hon, but things will get better. Give it a chance. You love this place. It’s been crazy lately, but things will quiet down again. Please don’t leave. I’d miss you so much. You’ve become home to me. I know it sounds funny, but you’re the closest thing I have around here. You’ve become like a sister to me.”
“Thanks, Charlotte.” She didn’t make any promises, but
“What happened today? What am I missing? It’s like a puzzle with a missing piece.” Charlotte looked at Annie like she was talking in code.
“Gretchen did it. She killed Sharon. Then today she tried to kill me.” The words felt bigger than her.
Charlotte was stunned. “What?!”
“Mrs. Bushmiller saved my life. I should probably start at the beginning.” Annie sighed, exhaus ted from the day.
“Okay, don’t leave out a single detail.” She got up and gave Annie a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Let’s go in the other room,” Annie suggested.
Squeak followed along, having gotten comfortable without much effort. He claimed the back of the sofa, stretching out and keeping one eye on the dogs.
“Where should I start? Okay, so Gretchen had a hair appointment today, and I thought I’d poke a little bit. That turned into a mistake.” She thought for a moment. “Well, a good thing and a bad thing. We got to talking and she made some statements that stood out to me. When I said something in particular, she looked at me in the mirror. She knew I was putting pieces of the puzzle together. Next thing I know, she jumps up, grabs my scissors from the station below the mirror, and turns to stab me.”
Charlotte chimed in. “Get out ! Are you kidding me? She really tried to stab you? She’s lucky she didn’t hurt you, or she’d have to answer to me.” Charlotte was furious.
“Anyway, we start to scuffle and she’s about ready to swipe at me again. That’s when Mrs. Bushmiller walks in. She sees what’s happening, and before I can react, she’s already tackled her to the ground. It was amazing.”
“Mrs. Bushmiller? Are we talking about the same woman? Mrs. Bushmiller from…”
“Yes. She saved my life, Charlotte. No lie. But in the process, she broke her hip. As soon as I was released from the police station, I went over to the hospital to see her.”
Charlotte was confused. “Wait a minute. Stop. You went to the police station? What for?”
“Okay, so I held Gretchen down so Mrs. Bushmiller could get up. We finally got the police out there. Both Gretchen and I were brought in for questioning. She made a statement about taking out one woman, and was about to finish a second one, meaning me. Anyway, they’re holding her and charging her with Sharon Millbourne’s murder. They released me after they took my statement. Mrs. Bushmiller was brought to the hospital. When I went to see her, she asked if I could look after Mitzi for her.”
“Wow.” Charlotte didn’t know what to say. “All this happened today?”
“Yeah, I actually just got home a little bit ago when you showed up.” Playing it out again, saying it out loud made it real. “With everything that’s going on…”
Charlotte waited for Annie to finish. She seemed stuck on the words. “What?”
Annie hesitated. “I’m thinking about leaving. I’m not sure I can live here much longer. The place I’ve always loved has turned into a heartbreaking and scary experience. My ex-husband marrying my sister, both of them living here, the murders, the arsons, and my own life being in danger…I’m not feeling so attached to this place right now. Money is tight with my business anyway and-”
“No. I won’t have it. And neither will Mrs. Bushmiller. We’re your fami ly, and you belong with family,” Charlotte clarified.
“Char, I’m tired.” Annie dropped her head.
Charlotte spoke from her heart. “I know, hon, but things will get better. Give it a chance. You love this place. It’s been crazy lately, but things will quiet down again. Please don’t leave. I’d miss you so much. You’ve become home to me. I know it sounds funny, but you’re the closest thing I have around here. You’ve become like a sister to me.”
“Thanks, Charlotte.” She didn’t make any promises, but
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