All In The Family (7 page)

Aunt Beatrice Lulu motioned to the chair. “
Fine. Would you like some tea?”

Callie sat and
tried to push herself into the living room. Aunt Beatrice Lulu wasn’t having any of that.

“I
could use my arms or my good leg to maneuver the chair.”

“How many times I have to tell you, we do things my way around here.”

“Fine,
I’d rather have coffee or something cold if you’ve got it. A soda maybe.”

Her aunt stopped the chair next to the end table and locked the brake. “Would you like a sandwich or something?”

“No, just something to drink will be fine.”

“You really should eat, Callie. You’re skinny as a rail. Trouble with you young people today. You don’t eat worth a damn.”

No point answering. Her aunt didn’t always need an answer. Sometimes she talked just to hear herself. Callie picked up a magazine from the table and leafed through it. Not much of interest in it. All about how to decorate and such. Too bad Aunt Beatrice Lulu didn’t follow some of the tips.

Her house was the gaudiest place Callie
had ever seen. Bright red drapes at the windows, sunny yellow walls and grass green carpet. Nothing toned down about this place. The kitchen was almost as bad. Burnt orange walls, old fashioned avocado appliances and sink and bright blue countertop. Callie swore you needed sunglasses in here. Not her style, but it fit Aunt Beatrice Lulu. Fit her personality. At least the bedroom she was in wasn’t as bad. Purple walls with soft green sheer curtains on the windows and plum carpeting. The quilt was a mixture of the three colors on a white background. Really kind of pretty.

Her aunt’s room, on the other hand was decorated in primary colors on the walls with red carpet on the floor. Definitely not restful. How anyone could fall asleep in there was beyond her. Callie often wondered what Uncle Ed thought of the place. Not that she ever heard him complain. He only had eyes for her aunt. The woman absolutely mesmerized him. Yet, he had the upper hand in most decisions. She’d never seen Aunt Beatrice Lulu bend to anyone the way she did Uncle Ed. The woman absolutely waited on that man hand and foot and treated him like a king. Callie had a feeling if he complained about the rooms; she’d change them in a heartbeat. Obviously, he never had.
Not to say, she’d changed completely. On occasion, her aunt took a stand and nothing Uncle Ed said would change her mind. Like when she wanted to go to the casino. Uncle Ed didn’t agree with gambling. A waste of money, he said. But her aunt wouldn’t bend and to the casino they went. Lost over a hundred dollars much to Uncle Ed’s regret. But her aunt was happy and that’s all that counted.

Aunt Beatrice returned with a soda and a sandwich
followed by Aunt Ethel. “Here, eat this.” She set the soda on the table and pushed the plate into Callie’s hand.

Callie
didn’t have a choice. She bit into it.

“Good! I’ll fatten you up in no time.”

Like she needed fattened up. Lord, spare her bossy people. Not even an hour and she was ready to scream. She’d never make a week. She did have to say, Aunt Beatrice Lulu made an excellent chicken salad sandwich. From what she remembered, her aunt was a darn good cook. Callie might be in trouble. Some foods she just couldn’t resist.

“Oh leave the girl alone.” Aunt Ethel sat down next to Callie. “I have something to talk to you about, dear.”

Callie put the sandwich on the plate and set it on the table. It was never good when any of the aunts wanted to talk to you. Especially Aunt Ethel.

“You remember that young fella you dated in high school, Bobby Hansen?”

“I went out with him twice. I’d hardly call that dating. What about him?”

“Well.” Aunt Ethel looked at Beatrice Lulu and smiled. “I heard he was moving back to town.”

“And…?”

“And he’s widowed.”

“So?” Callie knew what was coming but damn if she was going to make it easy.

“So I wrote to him and signed your name.” Aunt Ethel stood and crossed the room.

“You WHAT?” If Callie could have gotten out of her chair, she’d have choked her aunt.

“I signed your name. And he wants to see you.”

“How dare you sign my name? What ever gave you an idea like that? How DARE you?”

“
No need to shout, dear. Beatrice Lulu and Lottie thought it was a good idea. You really need to get out there and socialize, dear.”

“Aunt Beatrice Lulu and Aunt Lottie thought it was a
good idea to write to him and sign my name?” Callie looked at her aunt for confirmation.

Aunt Beatrice Lulu crossed her arms over her chest, set her legs wide apart and stared her down. “It had to be done and I approved that message.”

Callie wanted to scream. “I think you’d both better go and leave me alone. I don’t want to say something we’ll all regret.”

Aunt Beatrice Lulu
returned a few minutes later. “Callie, you have a guest.”

A tall, thin, bald headed man followed her aunt. Callie groaned, and Aunt Beatrice Lulu threw her a murderous look. 

“Walter, this is my niece, Callie Johnson. Callie, dear, this is the man I was telling you about, Walter Hamlin.”

He shuffled his feet, his lanky body bent as he reached down to shake
Callie’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Aren’t you the new police chief?”

“Thank you. Yes, I am.” Callie’d never felt more uncomfortable with a person in her life.

Aunt Beatrice Lulu stood there and beamed. “Sit down, Walter. I’ll get you a soda, unless you’d rather have tea.”

“Coffee if you have it. Thank you.” He crossed the room and sat in the rocker. “So, Callie, what happened? Your aunt tells me you injured your foot.”

“Yes, someone attacked me, and actually, it’s my knee.”

“Oh, my. I hope you’re not going to need surgery. Knee surgery is dangerous.”

Just what she needed to hear. “Hopefully, I won’t need surgery.” Who was this guy and where the heck did her aunt find him? More importanly, how did she get rid of him? At least on blind dates, she could leave.

Aunt Beatrice Lulu came in with two cups of coffee, set one on the table near Walter and set the other one next to Callie. “I thought you’d rather have coffee with the rolls.” She set a tray of homemade cinnamon rolls on the coffee table.

She made the best rolls. Of course, Callie couldn’t resist.

“Well, now. Isn’t this nice?” Aunt Beatrice Lulu sat on the couch. “Walter, tell Callie a little bit about yourself. I met Walter at the bank. He was standing in line behind me. We had such a nice chat.”

Callie almost groaned again. As usual, her aunt didn’t know a darn thing about Walter. She picked up men in the strangest places – airport, drive-in, dry cleaner. Last one was at the hardware store. She had gone into pick up something for Uncle Ed.

“Well.” Walter shifted in the chair, took a sip of coffee, and set it down.

Callie thought she felt uncomfortable. Walter looked like he wanted to crawl in a hole and hide. Her aunt sitting there didn’t help.

“Well,” he said again. “There’s really not much to tell. I’m a biologist, single, and have my own home.”

Sounded like a job resume to Callie. She yawned. Aunt Beatrice Lulu threw her a dirty look.

“I’m sorry, my pain medication makes me sleepy. I’m afraid I just can’t hold my eyes open.” Callie released the brakes on the
wheelchair, spun it around, and headed for the bedroom. “Nice to meet you, Walter.” She didn’t stop to see if he replied, didn’t wait for her aunt to push her down the hall. All she wanted was to get away from a very uncomfortable situation.

Strangely enough, she was tired. What the heck.
She had nothing better to do. She set the brakes, stood, spun, sat on the bed and eased her bad leg up, and laid down. Wasn’t long before she fell asleep.

No more had she woke up and Aunt Beatrice Lulu stood at the doorway. “That was very rude, Callie.”

“Sorry, but I just couldn’t keep my eyes open.”

“The least you could have done was wait for me to take you back to your room.”

One would have thought she’d be upset for leaving her with Walter. “I’m not an invalid, Aunt Beatrice Lulu. Nothing wrong with my arms. Besides, I have to keep my strength up somehow.”

“Well I suppose. Dinner’s ready. Would you like me to help you out of bed?”

“No, thanks. I can manage.”

Her aunt stood for a minute and looked at her. Callie thought for sure she’d start a rant, but instead she turned and left the room, mumbling something about her being too damn independent for her own good.

Chapter 10

Jim Landry stopped by after dinner. “How ya doing, Callie?”

“Could be better. I hate being useless. How are things going on the case? Any leads?”

“Nothin. Not a damn thing. No one was around, so no one saw anything. I told you not to park in that alley. Ain’t safe. You sure you can’t remember something. Anything. Color of his eyes, scars?”

Callie shook her head. “It all happened too fast. He was on me before I saw him coming. He was a blur.
Seems to me there was something about his hand. Only thing I really saw, and that was a blur.”

“We’ll keep asking around. But to be honest, I don’t think we’re gonna find the guy.”

“You find anyone to replace Sanders yet?”

“Nah, the mayor and I think you need to hire someone. He’ll be working for you.”

Callie had an idea. “Do you think I can conduct my interviews here? It’ll give me something to do. I’m gonna go nuts just sitting around.” Besides, if she was busy working, her aunt couldn’t set her up with the ‘perfect man’.

“Well now, I don’t see why not. I’ll have Annabelle send a list over, and you can set up your own appointments.”

“Good. The sooner the better.”

Suddenly her
aunt appeared in the doorway. “Am I interrupting?” That woman moved quieter than a cat following his prey.

“Uh. No. Actually, I was just fixing to leave.” Jim stood. “I’ll send that list over first thing tomorrow morning. You remember anything else, you know to give me a call.”

No sooner had Jim left, and Aunt Beatrice Lulu was back. A tall, blond and very handsome man stood behind her. Callie sat up a little straighter. Wow, this one had definite possibilities. Or would, if she hadn’t met William. Still, this was one she might not mind talking to.

“Callie, this is Bruce Butler. Bruce, my niece, Callie.”

He glided across the floor, his hips gyrating seductively. A runway model couldn’t have wiggled them better. He shook her hand like a wet dishrag. His blue eyes, the color of cornflowers, sparkled.   “Nice to meet you, Callie.”

His breathy, feminine voice sounded like Marilyn Monroe. Good Lord! Callie glanced at her aunt. Either she hadn’t noticed or didn’t mind. Not sure which. Okay, he might even be a nice guy. But Callie couldn’t get past that voice. It sounded so sissy. Worse, he sat down, crossed one leg over the other and leaned his chin on his hand. A giggle escaped. Rude, but she honestly couldn’t help it. She’d met a lot of guys in her work, but never one like Bruce. Okay, he deserved the benefit of the doubt.

“So, Bruce, tell Callie about yourself.” Aunt Beatrice Lulu threw Callie a dirty look. “I met Bruce in the fabric shop. He’s making a quilt. Isn’t that nice? A man who can sew?”

Bruce leaned back and looked a little more natural. “Yes, well. It’s just a hobby. Something I learned from my grandmother.”

“How nice.” Quilting? Wasn’t something that interested her. Didn’t know the first thing about putting one together. Hell, she didn’t know the first thing about sewing. Couldn’t thread a needle if her life depended on it.

“What kind of quilt are you working on now, Bruce?” Apparently her aunt felt compelled to keep the conversation going.

Bruce, on the other hand, looked uncomfortable with the topic of conversation and ignored her question. “Your aunt tells me you’re the chief of police.”

“Yes, that’s right.” Okay, it wasn’t an answer that contributed to the discussion. She didn’t particularly want to.

“Callie’s looking for a new officer.” Again her aunt felt the need to add her two cents.

“Is that right? How does one go about finding an officer?”

“The mayor will send a list of applicants. I’ll go through them and decide which ones to interview.” Okay, she wasn’t contributing much to the conversation. She couldn’t help it. That voice just got to her. Besides, even though she’d taken a long nap, she was still tired. The pain medication didn’t help. Callie didn’t even try to stifle her yawn. “You’ll have to excuse me. It’s been a long day and my medication makes me sleepy.”

Before anyone could respond, she wheeled out of the room. When was her aunt going to learn she wasn’t interested? Apparently, Aunt Beatrice Lulu didn’t believe that she’d met someone. Callie
hadn’t spoken to William since the attack. He’d want to visit, and she wasn’t ready for him to meet her family, especially not her aunt. Not that there was anything wrong with them, but they’d interrogate him mercilessly. Was William was ready for that?