Victoria (2 page)

"Everything is coming along nicely."

"You sound out of breath. Where are you?"

"I'm trying to get to my aunt's house before the parade begins."

She looked both ways as she held the cake holder in her hands and the phone with her right shoulder as she squeezed between the two parked cars. It had been a tight fit, but it was the last parking spot left.

"A parade? What are you doing at a parade when you have a deadline?"

"Oh, come on. You know I'm never late for any of my deadlines."

Victoria could hear the silence as if her boss had to actually stop and think about that.

"You're right. I guess I just needed to talk to you."

"About what? I'm trying not to drop the cake I made while I'm holding the phone with my shoulder."

"You made a cake?"

She released a frustrated breath, and her boss seemed to get the hint.

"All right, I'll get right to it. You've been acting kind of funny. Not yourself Victoria."

Victoria nearly dropped the cake. She had been taking extra precautions as not to seem different or preoccupied. Had she failed immensely?

"Is everything all right, Victoria?"

"Why of course. You know how I can get when I'm so into a story I'm doing."

She couldn't help but nibble her bottom lip.

"This one was pretty intense. Furthermore, you got the man to confess to murder. That's not exactly an every day occurrence."

"Of course it isn't and I appreciate your concern, but really, I'm fine."

"If you're sure?"

"I'm sure."

"What about the package that came to you yesterday? After it arrived, you looked rather sad. I don't mean to pry, Victoria, but I care."

Victoria felt herself panic then she paused next to a parked car. The package her friend in the police department sent to her contained her father's case file. Quickly, she racked her brain for an answer, a response that would surely get John to quit asking so many questions. She was determined to succeed in this investigation. She had to.

"Oh, that was some information I thought would be of assistance in the article I'm working on, but instead, it was just upsetting."

"How so?"

Damn it, why didn't he get the hint?

"I guess ... well, John, I hate to admit it, but sometimes the acts of the criminal element get to me."

He was silent a moment. Victoria didn't care if he thought she was weak or suddenly affected by the cases she was forced to write about. What she cared about was finding her father's killer.

"That's understandable, Victoria. I know how you like to keep things inside, but if you need to talk, or just someone to listen, I'm here for you."

"I appreciate that, John, but really, it was just a moment of stress and a reminder of why I have to do my best in this job. I want the public and law enforcement community to be knowledgeable of what's out there, what to watch out for, and ultimately do better in their professional lives as well as personal lives."

"Well, it shows."

"I need to get a move on it."

"You really made your own cake?"

"Yes, I did and I need to go."

"Why not just hit the bakery?"

"Bye."

Victoria hung up the phone, smirking at first then feeling the uncertainty in her gut.

Knowing she was not one to sneak around or snoop in places she didn't belong, she couldn't help but feel guilty, anxious, and frustrated. All this extra work laid a toll on her, and she was tired.

All week at work, she looked forward to everyone meeting at Aunt Jane and Uncle Patrick's house. Her aunt's house was located on the same block as the town hall. Every year, the family would gather to watch the parade and enjoy a feast of barbecue and traditional party foods. The Malley and Mardullo families had celebrated the town Memorial Day parade for generations. This year would be no different despite the gray cloud that seemed to linger over the family.

Already ten, she could hear the parade starting—the bagpipes, the drums, and festivities clamored in the distance. She inhaled deeply, pleased at the smell of popcorn and the sounds that stirred emotions and memories from her childhood.

Many residents in the town had their houses decorated with American flags, POW flags, and various other patriotic embellishments. Her uncle's neighbor had a large statue of Uncle Sam pointing, and was well known for it, too.

Most of the men in her family were in the parade, for some reason or another, and the women in the family prepared the meals for the celebration once the men got back.

Aunt Jane's husband, Patrick, was Victoria's favorite uncle and one of the local police sergeants. His son, Connor, Victoria's cousin, was a detective in the same police department. Other members of the family were firemen, police officers, or service men.

Born into a family of First Responders, she understood all too well the sacrifices and dedication each family member committed to their job.

Once again, Victoria was late.

"Hey, Tory! You had better hurry up. The parade is about to start!” Mr. Clemmens yelled as she passed by his driveway. He had all his grandchildren sitting on the blacktop preparing to watch the parade together.

"I know ... I know. Thanks and enjoy the parade!” she yelled as she passed by quickly heading toward her destination.

Forced to park a few blocks over because the traffic cops had all the streets closed for the parade, she knew she would receive a reprimanding.

Victoria ducked under the yellow tape and ran through the neighborhood, carrying her special, homemade, strawberry shortcake, her uncle's favorite, in an enclosed Tupperware cake holder. She nearly dropped it multiple times, but finally made it to her aunt's house before the first marchers.

A triumph only she appeared to be celebrating.

The street filled with onlookers. Everyone by her aunt's house greeted her with yells and faces that showed expressions of pure relief she'd made it on time. Victoria had a feeling Aunt Jane had already started complaining about Victoria being late or perhaps, not showing up at all.

"See, Jane, my daughter's not a no-show,” Sherry, Victoria's mother, teased as she took the cake from her daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Mom. Hello, everyone. I'm sorry I'm late. I found myself caught up in a story I'm doing, and I couldn't stop. Then I had to park three blocks away."

The parade began, and it would be a while before any of the marchers reached the street of town hall. Victoria had made it and with time to spare.

Looking across the street where the historic house, now the River Point Town Hall, stood, she relaxed in preparation of the fun day ahead.

The town hall was an old Victorian-style home, completely updated and remodeled, appealing to the small town's unique historical aura. People covered the enormous side lawn area. Large tables filled with crafters and artists, along with their latest creative works, continued to set up their displays in hopes of selling out as the day continued. Victoria figured she would check out the displays later, once the parade concluded.

"We'll go over there later to check out the crafts. I heard Mary Duberry has a whole display of her hand crafted jewelry,” Sherry stated.

"That would be great. I love her jewelry,” Victoria added.

"Hey, Tory, glad to see you made it in time. Did they block off Maple and Cherry Avenue already?” Peter asked.

"Yes. They did. I had to park a few blocks away on Mercy Drive."

Victoria had a feeling her brother was trying to help make excuses for her late arrival. Her aunt was a bit extreme for her liking.

The town celebration for Memorial Day would continue into the evening hours. The local fire department had set up a DJ booth and volunteers prepared entertainment for the children and the adults. There was plenty to do.

Victoria recalled her childhood memories of when the celebration was much smaller but still fun and exciting. She and her brothers, Peter and James, along with her other cousins, would enjoy watching the parade from home. After the parade, they would walk across the street to the town hall where her uncles and father handed out lollypops, ice cream sandwiches, and other goodies to all the little kids in town.

Her father, Danny, her Uncle Patrick and Uncle Jack, who owned a local fencing company, would participate every year after marching in the parade. They enjoyed the tradition and were doing the same this year.

"Victoria, what was so important that you couldn't get here on time?” Aunt Jane asked, and Victoria caught the looks from her mother and cousins. The looks warned her not to start a fight with her bossy aunt. Aunt Jane was a good-hearted person, very caring and friendly, but for some reason, she felt that somewhere along the line that the family needed discipline and she appointed herself leader. No one seemed to argue that fact, except Victoria. She expressed her annoyance with Uncle Patrick and asked why he couldn't settle her down a bit. Of course, Uncle Patrick always tried to be civil and played mediator.

Victoria recalled his words, “
She just wants to feel important and keep the family together. By taking charge and organizing every family gathering, she feels she's doing this."
Even with his reassurances, Aunt Jane still tended to get on her nerves.

Sighing, she responded to her aunt's inquiry.

"It's getting closer to crunch time, Aunt Jane. I have two separate articles in this month's edition of
Search And Seizure
magazine, and I want to be finished ahead of time. I thought I was, then more ideas came to me, and I had to write them down immediately. That's why I was a little late."

"Well, family is most important, dear. Everyone else got here on time, and we all have busy lives."

Victoria clenched her teeth, but maintained a civil expression.

She never claimed her life was busier or more important than anyone else's. What nerve.

"Jane, she's here, isn't she? So, cool it. She even made a cake. Let's just settle down and enjoy the parade.” Sherry took Victoria's arm and led her to the front yard to sit on some lawn chairs and watch the parade.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Aunt Jane check out the cake. Victoria knew she was seeing if it was store bought or homemade. Thank God, she got up at five thirty this morning to bake it, or she would have been forced to hit the bakery down the road and pray Aunt Jane didn't personally inspect the Tupperware.

The family gathered around, talking and having a good time as they waited for the parade to reach Main Street. Family and friends told jokes and updated one another on their lives’ events.

The first marchers appeared. The local politicians led the way. Victoria laughed as a few onlookers actually booed the town political leaders.

"He is so good looking; my heart is beating really fast right now.” Victoria's cousin, Sally, gave her a light tap with her elbow.

"You think so?” Victoria pretended to act as if she had never seen the handsome politician before.

Sally appeared to have followed her line of sight.

"Not Bret Collins. I meant Roy Sanders,” Sally exclaimed and the heat hit Victoria's cheeks.

She cleared her throat when Sally laughed but kept her gaze glued to Roy Sanders.

Victoria's attention remained on the other politician.

Bret Collins, a very handsome man who was involved in various types of businesses, slowly made his way down the side street.

She heard around town his businesses ranged from restaurants, to small sidewalk shops, gas stations, and Laundromats.

Bret Collins sat on the town board and had his sights on the position of town supervisor. He made that perfectly clear to everyone.

Through the grapevine, she had heard his own family would benefit if he got the position because each of his brothers owned local businesses, as well. He has connections to Delaney Construction, which began to monopolize most of the larger construction projects in the county. Victoria met him for the first time last week at a fundraiser for a local child in the area diagnosed with leukemia. Hundreds of supporters showed up, and Victoria's editor from the magazine, John, knew Bret very well and introduced them.

"He's a very sexy man, Tory, but I wouldn't have the guts to even talk to him.” Sally watched him slowly pass by the front yard.

"Why is that? He's just a man."

"Not just a man. A God!"

Victoria laughed, and Sally grabbed her arm to gain Victoria's full attention.

"Maybe just a man to you, Tory, but I have heard some pretty intense things about him. He's way too hot to handle and you're..."

She squinted at her younger cousin. “I'm what?"

Sally eyed Victoria from head to toe.

"You're a goody, goody."

Victoria didn't know if she should feel proud or embarrassed by the way her cousin described her.

"I don't know why we're talking about this. He's not my type at all.” Victoria swallowed hard.

Sally smiled. “Good, because an older man like that would only hurt you, never mind, corrupt you."

"Umm, the last time I checked I was three years older than you."

"You may be three years older than me, cuz, but definitely not as experienced.” Sally eyed her up and down again before placing her hands confidently on her hips and walking away.

She never knew her cousin Sally was so assertive.

Victoria watched Bret as he drove by in a classic red Mustang, waving at the crowd and glancing at Victoria. He had a good twelve years on her and she knew her family pretty much disliked his political ideas, but something about him that interested her. Maybe it was the rumors how wealthy he was and all the women whose hearts he broke. She really wasn't sure, but if they crossed each other's paths again, she would definitely learn more about him.

Then everyone's attention drew toward the shiny, red fire trucks all decked out in their parade best. The trucks slowly drove past, firefighters tossing lollipops at the children watching.

A moment later, bunches of lollipops landed on, by, and around Victoria. Glancing toward the trucks, she immediately identified the culprits, then waved and smiled.