Anyway, they seemed to be doing well. Both of them had nice, and I do mean nice houses. Tad and his wife had one child, a daughter, and Bobby Lee didn’t have any children.” Tilly leaned forward and looked around the room as if someone else might hear our conversation. “You know what the sad thing is?”

We shook our heads.

“She was barely a teenager when her father died of a heart attack.” Tilly hung her head. “It was a shame because her mama had run off with someone and left Tad to raise her. She didn’t have a mama or a daddy.”

Nana took her turn at questioning, “Oh my, what happened to her?”

“Ladies, before I continue, I’ve been a terrible hostess, how about some tea and homemade cookies?”

My tummy was quite full, but Dee Dee spoke up. “I’d love some cookies.”

“Me, too, if it’s not too much trouble,” Nana chimed in.

I swanny I sometimes wondered if Nana had a tapeworm. That woman could eat more than Dee Dee and me together and she never gained an ounce. I hated to whine but, no fair.

Tilly gave me a questioning look. “Sounds lovely.” She went to the kitchen to prepare our snack.

“We just ate y’all.” I like to eat as much as the next person, but I needed to finish my interview.

“Lighten up, Trix. It’s rude not to accept food when offered in someone’s home.” Dee Dee smiled to soften her words.

“You’re right. What’s a few hundred more calories?”

“Well, I know any calories that go through my lips are going to wind up on my hips, but I don’t want to live life worried to death about being a little overweight.” That statement was so Dee Dee. She strived to live life to the fullest and instead of wallowing in worry she looked at problems as challenges. What she couldn’t handle she gave to the One who could. The one time I thought she wouldn’t come out of the doldrums, was when she was accused of murder in Dahlonega, Georgia. I was so happy when Dee Dee was absolved of any involvement.

She hit the target more often than I did though. I tried, but I still enjoyed a good pity-party every now and then. I have to admit, since I’d reconnected with Dee Dee my ability to handle difficult situations had become easier and my faith had grown in the process. Thank you God, for good friends.

“Here ya’ go!” Tilly interrupted my musings when she returned holding a tray laden with cookies and a teapot. I jumped up to help.

“Those cookies do look good, Tilly.” Suddenly I was hungry again. She served everyone then resumed her story.

“Now where was I? Oh yeah, I was telling you about Tad’s death that left his poor daughter without a caring parent.”

“Do you remember her name?”

She gazed at the ceiling as if she’d find the answer written there. “Don’t hold me to it, but I think it’s Tabitha.”

I wrote as Tilly continued.

“Well, Bobby Lee stepped up and took over as her guardian. He and his wife raised her just like they would their own. She never lacked for anything. I heard she was hard to handle for a while during her teens. I suppose those years aren’t easy for any of us. Anyway, she went off to college until the unbelievable happened.”

“What was that, Tilly?” Dee Dee and I asked in unison.

Bobby Lee’s murder. It was terrible. They found him in one of his warehouses and I heard it was not a pretty sight. You’ve heard of people losing their heads. Well, he definitely lost his.” A little shiver shook her body.

“And they never found out who committed the murder?” The sleuth inside me was intrigued.

“No they didn’t, but the rumors flew. People were saying he was part of the Dixie Mafia, and they were cashing in on a payment.”

I wondered if I’d gotten myself in deeper than was safe, and wondered what Beau would say about this new twist.

“What do you think, Tilly?”

“I guess anything is possible. One thing I know for sure is they lived high on the hog. The best of everything, nice house, new cars and that young’un had everything her heart desired. I’ve wondered from time to time if the furniture business was that lucrative.” She shook her head in wonderment.

Dee Dee looked at her Minnie Mouse watch. Her clothes more likely than not, matched her personality – bold and colorful. Today she wore black pants with a bright red sweater covered in snowflakes. With the Christmas season arriving, she’d wear a holiday-themed outfit until the New Year arrived. I’d love to dress as bold, but I usually stuck to my brown, beiges, and pastel colors. I didn’t like to draw attention to myself, but that was a lost cause with Dee Dee and Nana in tow.

She pointed to her timepiece. “We’d better be going if we want to get off the mountain before it gets dark. Do we need to go by the B&B to pick up your things?”

“No. I’ve got enough for tonight, I just need to check in and let Detective Sams know where I’ll be staying. We can go by tomorrow and gather my luggage and car.”

I hoped and prayed Nana hadn’t ordered the Elves to tuck us in tonight. I didn’t think I could handle them. “Thank you so much Tilly for taking the time to talk with us. You’ve been the perfect hostess. I’ll be sure and let you know when the article’s published, and I’ll give you credit for your help.”

She raised her hand. “It wasn’t anything. I’m glad I could help.” Tilly gathered the material spread out on her coffee table and returned it to a box. “Here, Trixie, you can take this with you and go through it at your leisure.”

I took a few pictures of Tilly and we said our good-byes. We were going out the door when Nana’s foot slipped on a patch of ice. She straightened her arms to cushion her fall. I heard a sickening crack when she hit the ground. A shrill scream pierced the evening air.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Mama, don’t worry, she’s all right.”

Nana yelled from the hospital bed. “I’m okay, Betty Jo. You should see my hot pink cast.”

“Oh, dear! Tell me what happened. Do I need to come to Chattanooga?”

“No, Mama, you don’t need to come. Nana just slipped on a patch of ice. Dee Dee and I have this under control. They’re getting Nana’s discharge papers ready and we’ll be able to leave. We’re going back to the hotel as soon as we leave here. Mama, I’ve got more bad news.” There followed a big sigh on the other end of the phone.

“Go ahead. I can handle anything but another dead body.”

An involuntary gasp escaped my lips.

“You found another one didn’t you? Trixie, what am I going to do with you? Every time you go on an assignment a dead body turns up.”

She was right. My greatest nightmare of becoming Jessica Fletcher was coming true. I always said I wouldn’t want to be her friend because bodies turned up everywhere she went. Now the same thing was happening to me.

“Annie, our teacher, turned up in the deep freeze. We’ve already been questioned so I don’t see any problems arising from the incident. Of course, we won’t have any classes and the detective wants me to stick around a few days, but I have an article I can work on while I’m here. It’ll be okay, Mama.”

“Please keep me up to date on what’s happening and ask Nana to call me when she feels like it. By the way, Jill called and said you didn’t answer your phone. She was concerned about you.”

Jill, my daughter, attends the University of Georgia. “I had my phone turned off during the interview with Tilly. If she calls back please don’t tell her about my discovery. I don’t want her to worry while she’s at school.”

“How’s Nana doing?”

I scooted back into the screened-in area where Nana was flirting with a handsome young doctor. “She’s doing fine, Mama.”

We talked a few more minutes before saying goodbye. Dee Dee arrived from a trip to the gift shop. I didn’t see the snacks she left to buy, but I figured she’d stashed them in her behemoth purse. She had a habit of carrying a bag the size of a small overnight case. Today was no different. She patted the colorful bag by her side.