We enjoyed silence the next few minutes while we wolfed down our chow. Ruth’s home cooking was some of the best I’d ever eaten in a restaurant. No wonder they ran out of meatloaf.

I laid the crumpled napkin on the table and patted my stomach. “Ladies, I feel like a stuffed turkey on Thanksgiving morning.”

“Me, too,” Dee Dee agreed.

“Well, I didn’t have much of an appetite after all.” Nana’s plate sat empty on the table. I’d hate to see her when she was hungry.

“Ladies, y’all ready for your check?” Velma laid the ticket face down on the Formica. “I don’t know what you want to speak to that ole’ Susan Gray about, but I’m sure she and that Wallace fellow was up to no good.”

I was sure they were, too. “Thank you, Velma. And you tell Ruth the food was to die for.” Oops, maybe not the best choice of words.

“Yes, me too,” Nana said. “Some of the best vittles I’ve ever eaten.”

“Well, y’all come back now. Ya hear?” Velma laughed and slapped her leg.

It was a little after two in the afternoon, so we headed over to the Gone with the Wind Museum. We could go pick out our dresses, and then have enough time to go back to Dora’s and take a quick nap.

Before Dee Dee could reapply her lipstick, we pulled onto the historic Marietta Square once again. Now familiar, with all of the trips we’d made downtown, the rain had stopped and the sun shone bright as a hundred watt light bulb. The air smelled fresh, and several tourists had already ventured out, enjoying the cooler air in the park, located in the middle of the square. Some window shopped as they walked along the sidewalks.

We parked and made our way over the railroad tracks. Nana kept up like a trooper. She talked a mile a minute about being Scarlett.

“Oh, I can’t wait to get my dress,” Nana said. “I’ll look just like Scarlett. You wait and see.”

“Well. I rather fancied myself being Scarlett.” Dee Dee patted her head with the palm of her hand as if patting her curls.

“Okay, girls. Let’s not get into a cat-fight. You can both be Scarlett. Once the ladies put on their dresses for the evening, all of them will probably feel a little like Scarlett.” I had to admit, I was getting excited. I’ve always wanted to dress up in a beautiful ball-gown.

We walked into the Gone with the Wind Museum. The building appeared deserted at first. “Hello, may I help you?” An attractive, middle- aged lady greeted us.

“Yes. We want to rent gowns for the museum fund-raiser they’re having tonight.” Her eyebrows rose to her widow’s peak.

“Oh, my. You’ve come at a most inopportune time. The dresses have been picked over, but we may have something left.” She motioned for us to follow her through the hallway and back into a side room. “I’m afraid this is all we have. I’ll try my best to fit you with something.”

I picked up a velvet, maroon dress I thought would fit me. I ran my fingers over the soft material.

“By the way, I’m Susan Gray. I volunteer at the museum and I’m helping out today. We’ve had a last minute run on dresses.” Her gaze swept over all of us. “You’d think people wouldn’t wait to the last minute.”

I literally dropped the dress I held. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Did you say your name was Susan Gray? Do you own the Magnolia Books and Antiques Store?”

“Yes, I do. How did you know?” The tone of her voice reflected her wariness.

“Uh, Doc. Doc Pennington told us you’re on the board of the history museum.” I picked the dress up from the floor. I wanted to try it on. “I’m Trixie Montgomery and I write for “Georgia by the Way”.

“Yes, I’m familiar with the magazine. We have some copies in the bookstore.”

“This is my friend and assistant, Dee Dee Lamont.” I’d called her my assistant so often; I’d begun to believe it. I placed my hand on Nana’s shoulder. “This is my great aunt, we just call her Nana.”

“Well, we need to get you ladies fitted if you plan to attend tonight.” She pulled out several dresses and held them up to Nana. Most of them would swallow her whole. She told us to wait and after a few minutes she returned with a sure-fire replica of Scarlett’s gown. Nana’s eyes lit up like a ten-carat diamond.

“We’ve just received this dress. The mayor’s wife was going to wear it, but she changed her mind. I see no reason why we can’t use it. She handed the dress to Nana. “Would you like to try this on, ma’am?” What a silly question. I don’t believe Sherman’s troops could’ve stopped Nana. She grabbed the dress from Susan’s hands quicker than a dog on a biscuit.

Now, for Dee Dee. After several more attempts we found one Dee Dee liked. I wasn’t sure it would zip up, but I wasn’t going to bring it to her attention.

“Dee Dee, why don’t you go help Nana, and I’ll wait here?” I wanted to question Susan alone.

Dee Dee didn’t take the hint. “Oh, come on. It’ll be fun if we all try them on at the same time,” she suggested.

I winked at Dee Dee, trying to grab her attention.

“Trix, is something in your eye?” Dee Dee asked. “You do seem to have a problem with that. Maybe you need to get your eyes checked.”

“Let me see. I’ll get it out.” Ever helpful Nana got right up in my face. I feared she would stick her finger in my eye and try to pluck out what wasn’t there. I popped up over Nana’s head and glared at Dee Dee.

“Please take Nana with you and I’ll follow in a minute.” She finally took the hint and off they went to try on their outfits.

“Susan, do you mind if I ask you a few questions for an article I’m working on about the Marietta History Museum?”

She jumped at the chance to share her expertise. I asked a few benign questions at first and she answered them willingly. Then I loaded for bear. “Susan, is it true you had an affair with Jacob Wallace?”

“Who are you, and what do you really want?” Susan’s eyes bore straight through me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Look. I’ve been working on an article for the history museum and we were in the museum when they found Jacob’s body. Doc’s been implicated in the murder, and I’m trying to help him.” I had no idea how long Dee Dee and Nana would be gone. I hurried to get as much information as I could before they returned.

“Velma, over at Kountry Kousins, told us you and Jacob met at the restaurant several times. I’m trying to understand why you’d meet someone you insisted Doc fire for making unwanted passes at you. Did you make that up?”

“No. I didn’t make it up.” She never took her eyes from mine. “And it’s none of your business.”

“I have a suspicion of what happened.”

“Then why don’t you tell me?”

I’ll give it my best try. “This is what I believe transpired. I believe Jacob did make passes at you. But rumor has it Jacob’s a nice looking man and possesses a way with the ladies. I think he charmed you into having an affair.” I hesitated, studying her reaction. Her wide eyes and “O” shaped mouth indicated I’d hit pretty close to the truth. I continued.

“In the meantime, you’d fallen in love with Jeffrey, who’d asked you to marry him. The choice was easy. A wealthy man over a handyman any day. You couldn’t let Jeffrey find out about Jacob, who had threatened to tell Jeffrey, so you cried wolf. Am I warm yet?”

“I don’t know what you think gives you the right to come in here and accuse me of anything. Even if you are on the right track, and I’m saying if, what would my having an affair with Jacob do with the murder?” Her shoulders dropped and her eyes narrowed, darting around the room.

“Maybe you wanted to shut him up. If he had threatened to tell Jeffrey the truth, it would certainly be motive enough to kill him.” Boy, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I was worse than Nana and Dee Dee.

She grabbed the dress out of my hands. “If you want to try this on then I suggest you do it now. You’ve worn out your welcome. And take those two biddies with you.”