Blinded by the Trees Read online

  Frankie’s forehead creased in thought. “Oh, that’s Sam Clark’s. We always buy our tree from him. He’s probably wondering what happened to us this year since we usually pick it out at least a couple of weeks before Christmas. We can have dinner now and then check it out, or eat when we get back.”

  “Do I smell your chili, Frankie?” Selma asked appreciatively, sniffing the air.

  “You sure do. I was going to have it tomorrow when you arrived. I don’t know if it’s cooked long enough. I put it on a few hours ago.”

  “No work today?”

  “We just went in long enough to clear our desks for the next couple of weeks. This time we’re not going back until a couple of days after the New Year.”

  Johanna nodded. “This time nothing’s going to get in the way of our vacation.”

  “In that case, I could go for a big bowl right now, honey,” Selma said, smacking her lips. “I’m sure it’s cooked long enough and will be delicious as usual. Then I may just have another bowl later.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Frankie replied.

  “Look out the window,” Johanna said, pointing excitedly. “It’s snowing harder!”

  “That came fast. From a drizzly rain this morning to this. It’s really coming down now,” Frankie said. “Just so it’s not like that crazy storm we got right after Thanksgiving. That was something else.”

  “I saw that on the news. Snow then ice then back to snow. You girls always fare well though,” Selma said. She eyed Frankie curiously. “Any new exciting cases?”

  Frankie ignored her mother’s last question. “And if we get another storm like that we’ll fare just as well,” she quickly said, pulling herself to her feet before her mother could bring up the details of their last case. She caught Johanna’s eye, which was a signal to change the topic. “I’m going to pop the cornbread in the oven.” She walked toward the kitchen.

  Johanna glanced again at the window. “Wow! From rain, to flurries and now this!” The wind had picked up swirling the snow making visibility difficult. “It looks like a full-blown blizzard out there. I wonder if we’ll be able to get to Clark’s Christmas Tree Farm. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow.”

  “We’ll be fine.” Selma settled back on the sofa. “We’ll get there. We can take my truck. We’ll have to anyway to get the tree back here. That old girl can make it through anything.” She laughed heartily. “It would take something more than swirling snow to keep her parked.”

  Johanna laughed too as she turned her attention away from the window and back to Selma. “I keep forgetting you have a backseat in the truck and that this weather is nothing to you.”

  “The backseat makes it easier than digging groceries out of the back. And many times I give friends a ride to church or bingo. I don’t think they’d like sitting in the bed of the truck,” she teased. “How did you girls get the tree back here other years?”

  “One of Sam Clark’s grandsons delivered it for us.” Johanna smiled and looked at Selma. “We’ve got to make a trip to Bradford one of these days.”

  She nodded. “That would be nice if you and Frankie came for a visit. It’s been too long since you two visited me. You know you’re welcome any time.”

  “We know.” She grinned at Frankie’s mother. “And one of these days we’re going to surprise you and show up on your doorstep unannounced.”

  “I’d be thrilled!” Selma thoughtfully sipped at her coffee, then abruptly set the cup down and peered intensely at Johanna. “Level with me, Johanna. How is Frankie really?”

  Johanna raised her eyebrows. “She’s fine. You just saw her. She’s thrilled that you’re spending Christmas with us this year.”

  Selma squinted. “Now you can’t fool me. I know she told me she wasn’t injured too badly, but then she never tells me the entire truth…only enough to pacify me. Was it worse than she said?”

  Johanna bit her bottom lip. She hated being put in this position. She twisted her hands together. “All that matters is that she’s fine now.”

  “I don’t mean to put you on the spot, honey, but I suspect it was worse than what she told me. I know she means well, but I’m her mother and I don’t need protecting from the truth.”

  Johanna sighed heavily. “She’ll kill me for telling you.”

  “She can’t stay mad at you and you know it. Just tell me to ease my mind,” she pleaded.

  “I don’t know what she told you, but it was pretty bad.” She lowered her eyes and cleared her throat. “It was my fault that it happened. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself.”

  “Now you stop that. No one blames you. You have no control over what someone else does,” she scolded gently. “Just because you knew that woman years ago doesn’t make you accountable for anything she did in the past or does in the future.” She stood up and walked over to Johanna, sat on the arm of the chair and put her arms around her. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Frankie and don’t you ever forget it. And remember that I love you like a daughter, too.”

  Johanna’s eyes misted. “Thank you, Selma. You know how important you are to me. You’re my second mother. And Frankie is my whole world.”

  “I know, sweetie. She feels the same about you.” She patted Johanna’s back. “Frankie does look well.” She sighed heavily. “But no matter how old you girls get I just can’t stop the mothering…or the worrying. I don’t think I ever will.”

  “And we would never want you to,” Johanna said, squeezing Selma’s arm as she dabbed at her eyes before throwing her arms around Selma’s neck.

  Chapter 2

  Frankie turned on the outside Christmas lights before closing the door. It was already dark, but the swirling snow made a magical wonderland. The huge tree in the front yard twinkled merrily with its bright clear lights, while several strategically placed displays featuring angels, animals, and traditional Christmas characters adorned the rest of the front yard.

  “This is spectacular!” Selma exclaimed. “It’s a shame that no one gets to see it.”

  Frankie shrugged. “We don’t care. We actually do it for ourselves. But we do allow some people to come see it. A few days ago George…you remember Sheriff Ryker?”

  Selma nodded. “Yes. He’s such a nice man.”

  “He brought his great-nieces and nephews over. A few of our friends brought their families,” she continued. She saw the worry etched on her mother’s face. “We’re very careful who we allow here.”

  “Nowadays you can’t be too safe,” Selma said as they carefully made their way to her pickup and piled in. “It is very isolated here.”

  “We’re careful.” Frankie slid into the front seat while Johanna sat in the back. “Want me to drive, Mom?”

  “No, I’d better handle it. She’s got a few finicky quirks.”

  “I swear she’s older than I am,” Frankie quipped.

  She laughed as she playfully tapped Frankie’s knee. “Not quite, but I take good care of the old girl. She still has a lot of years left in her.”

  Frankie turned her head and grinned at Johanna as Selma slowly made her way down the long driveway. She stopped before the security gate while Frankie pressed the remote to open it, then drove through. She turned onto the deserted road and immediately slid on an icy patch, but calmly kept the truck under control.

  Frankie peered out of the windshield. “Wow! This snow is blinding. Can you see all right, Mom? Why don’t we wait until tomorrow? We don’t need to get the tree tonight. We still have lots of time.”

  “If we wait too long all of the good ones will be gone.” She drove slowly through the blinding snow. “I’m fine, honey. This is everyday to me and used to be to you, too.”

  “Nah, it still is, but we weren’t supposed to get this storm until late tomorrow night.”

  “With the weather you can’t tell one minute from the next anymore, it seems,” Selma replied. “Every time the weatherman says sunny the next day, it rains every time.”

  “I
hope Sam’s still open,” Johanna said. “Maybe he closed early because of the storm.”

  Frankie continued to peer out of the windshield barely able to make out the road ahead. “I doubt he’d close for any reason, but if he is, I’ll knock on his door. I’m sure he’ll be happy to sell us one.”

  They drove in silence for a few minutes as Selma cautiously steered the truck down the dark narrow road. The headlights from an oncoming car suddenly cut through the swirling snow and Frankie’s hands instinctively balled into fists. She glanced at her mother and slowly began to relax when she saw Selma’s hands steady on the steering wheel. She worried about her mother. She’d never asked her to move closer to them because she knew that the older woman would adamantly refuse. And moving back to Bradford wasn’t an option. Selma Barker had deep roots in Bradford and her fiercely independent nature would never allow her to depend on anyone. Frankie loved her mother’s spirit the most. Nothing ever seemed to get her down. She lived an uncomplicated life and found joy in simple pleasures. She cherished her friends and busied herself with her various projects, church and organizations. She was healthy, happy, and vibrant. What more could any daughter wish for her mother?

  “I’m glad we haven’t seen some maniac racing down the road,” Johanna observed, breaking the silence.

  Frankie nodded in agreement. “Like that drunken jerk last year. Thank God he didn’t kill anyone.” She shook her head in disgust.

  “He put an entire family in the hospital for months,” Johanna reminded her. “Not only spoiled their holidays, but left one of the small children in a wheelchair.”

  “Some people never learn until it’s too late,” Selma said. “Every year we have senseless accidents in Bradford at the first snow.” She shook her head in disgust. “The sad part is it’s usually someone who was born and raised there and should know how treacherous it can be sober let alone without having a few and then driving at excessive speeds.”

  “I think the guy who put the family in the hospital might have learned his lesson. I heard he hasn’t touched a drop since,” Johanna replied.

  “Hopefully he’s learned his lesson then,” Selma said, slowing the truck. “Here’s the place,” she announced, turning into the driveway of the brightly lit Clark’s Christmas Tree Farm.

  Selma parked the truck in an area Sam had designated for parking and they stepped out of the truck. The scent and variety of freshly cut trees arranged in neat rows was mesmerizing. Snow clung to the branches twinkling like diamonds as the bright lights strung in neat rows above the trees flashed cheerfully. A couple of customers walked around the lot of trees trying to make a final decision on which one to take home. A little girl probably five or six munched on a red and white candy cane as she played hide-and-go-seek between the rows of trees as her frenzied mother chased after her while her father paid Sam Clark for their tree.

  “I’ll be with you ladies in a minute,” Sam said with a nod in their direction. He stuffed the money into a pocket of his old worn coveralls as two of his young husky grandsons readied the family’s tree for the drive to its new home. “I was wondering when you were going to show up. I thought maybe you’d found another farm to buy your tree from,” he said with a teasing smile as he began to shuffle over to them and then stopped.

  “No, Sam, yours are the best. It wouldn’t be Christmas without one,” Johanna said. “Just a late start this year. Take your time, Sam, we’re in no hurry.” She glanced in the direction of Frankie and Selma. “We’ll let you know when we find the one we want,” she called over her shoulder as she hurried to catch up with Frankie and Selma who were already halfway down one of the rows of douglas firs.

  Selma, in black knee-high boots stood with her feet slightly apart as she scrutinized the trees. She carefully studied each tree looking for imperfections, most of which could be easily remedied.

  “See one you like, Mom?”

  She screwed up her face. “There are a couple of possibilities. Let’s look at some other kinds. Or if you’ve found one you like, we can take it.”

  “I’m going to let you pick out the perfect tree like you always did when I was a little girl.” She took her mother’s elbow. “Sam’s got some scotch pines and blue spruces over there,” Frankie said, pointing to the far end of the lot. “Want to check them out?”

  Selma nodded enthusiastically. “Might as well. I have the perfect tree in mind and I’ll know it when I see it.”

  Frankie laughed. “That’s the same thing you always said when I lived at home and we’d go looking for our tree.” She sighed happily. “Ah, those were some great times, Mom.”

  “They were and I’ll always treasure my memories.” She squeezed her daughter’s arm. “And now I’m making new memories with both of my girls.”

  Johanna joined them and slipped her arm through Selma’s. “And you’re my second mom,” she said affectionately.

  “Look at us getting all mushy.” Frankie blinked hard. “I’m going to cry in a minute.”

  “This is going to be a beautiful Christmas.” Selma gripped their arms and trudged through the well-trodden path to the end of the lot. “A blue spruce might be the perfect tree.”

  Johanna and Frankie waited patiently while Selma took her time comparing each tree. After narrowing her choices down to two trees, she stepped back to make her final decision. As she was walking around one of the trees, she spotted another group of trees.

  “What about those trees?” she asked, stabbing a glove-clad finger in the direction of a group of secluded trees several yards behind the blue spruces. “I didn’t see them before. Let’s just take a quick peek. If I don’t care for any of those then I’ll definitely choose one of these.”

  Frankie winked at Johanna and grinned. “This could take awhile.”

  “I’m enjoying this,” Johanna replied as she watched the snow still coming down heavily. She took a deep breath. “I love the scent of all these trees.”

  “Me, too,” Frankie admitted.

  “I’ve found our tree!” Selma called out triumphantly a couple of minutes later. “Come see, girls!”

  They walked to where Selma stood and admired her choice.

  Frankie nodded her approval. “I like it. What do you think, Johanna?”

  “It’s perfect. It’ll look great in the living room.”

  Selma moved closer to the back of one side of the tree and stumbled. Frankie quickly reached out a hand and caught her arm before she fell.

  “Be careful, Mom. What did you trip over?” Frankie’s eyes scanned the spot where Selma had tripped. “Looks like a broken branch,” she said, bending down to pick it up to move it out of the way to prevent someone else from tripping. Her eye caught sight of something that looked like a boot lying in the snow. She moved to the back of the tree and squatted down to get a better look. She brushed the snow off the boot and discovered that it was a dark brown work style boot. As she continued brushing off the snow, she stopped suddenly. A chill ran up her spine. The boot was attached to a body. She immediately thought someone had suffered a heart attack while tree hunting. Surely if it were busy at the lot no one may have noticed especially since they had moved further down the lot beyond the usual assortment of trees.

  How long has the poor soul been lying here? She quickly composed herself as she silently prayed that the person was still alive. She hurriedly pushed the snow off and discovered that the body laying face down in the cold snow had long shaggy reddish blond hair. The light from the overhead lights didn’t adequately illuminate the lot this far behind the trees. She had no way of determining for sure if the body was a male or female, even though the broad shoulders appeared to be that of a male. But she had seen many girls with broad shoulders or wearing oversized coats that made their bodies look larger than they actually were. If there was any evidence buried under the snow she knew better than to look for it. That was George’s territory.

  “Johanna,” she called. “Come here a sec.”

  Johanna lef
t Selma still admiring the front of the tree and walked to the back where Frankie was still crouched over the body. “What’s up?” She smiled, but the smile quickly faded from her lips as her eyes shifted to the body and widened. “Oh my God! Is—”

  “I don’t know.” She checked the body’s pulse. “I don’t feel anything.”

  Johanna slowly shook her head back and forth. “I’ll call an ambulance and I’d better call George.”

  “Yeah. Tell Sam and don’t let anyone come down here.”

  She nodded.

  Selma came around the tree. “What’s going on, girls? Is something wrong with the tree?”

  “No, Mom, the tree is fine.”

  Selma moved closer and looked at Johanna, then to where Frankie still squatted next to the body. Her gloved hand flew to her mouth.

  Johanna patted Selma’s shoulder. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Selma’s eyes stayed riveted on the body. “Oh my God. What happened to the poor soul?”

  Frankie shook her head. “I don’t know, Mom. Maybe a heart attack.”

  “Do you think he’ll be okay?”

  Frankie cleared her throat. “I don’t know if it’s a male or female.”

  Selma looked closer. “The body looks like a male to me.”

  “Probably is.”

  “Is he going to be all right?”

  She cleared her throat again. “No, Mom. I’m afraid he’s dead,” she replied softly.

  “That poor man. God rest his soul,” she murmured, making the sign of the cross. “What a tragedy for his family, especially during the holiday season.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t have a family,” Frankie observed. “He could be a transient just wandering from one town to the next. We get a lot of them here lately.”

  “Out here in the middle of nowhere?”

  “It happens, Mom. He could have been searching for work.”

  “Then that makes it even more tragic,” Selma stated firmly. “What’s this world coming to, Frankie? When I was a child people were kinder and helped one another out in tough times. Today no one seems to care. Are we losing our compassion toward humanity?”