The Swimming Corpse - ebook

Keegan Bay Park, Florida

“I am not marrying Michael because I am still married to Barclay. Is that a good enough reason?” I shouted at my friend, Violet.

Violet only smiled. “Calm down, Doll. You know as well as I it’s time to do something with your life. It’s been over five years since Barclay went missing.”

“You think I don’t know that? I count the days, the minutes, hoping every second he’ll walk through the door.” I wiped an unwelcome tear from my eye, finished my drink, and headed toward the liquor cabinet.

“Go ahead. Have another. And what will he find if he returns? You sitting here, feeling sorry for yourself. Drowning your sorrows in scotch.” She pushed her stout body up from the chair near the bow window where we liked to have our afternoon “tea.”

“You’re not leaving already? You’ve barely touched your drink.”

“I have my literacy group at the jail tonight, and I also need to feed John before he sets off for the theater.”

“Oh, go ahead.” I waved my glass at her, splashing some of the precious liquid onto the floor. “Rub it in how busy you two are. Fine. I’ll sit here and enjoy my drink before I feed myself.”

“You could join me tonight. The girls could use all the help we can give them. They’re incarcerated for the poor choices they made in their lives. It’s shocking how many of them are functionally illiterate. Imagine how thrilled they’d be to have a real published author to work with them.”

I waved her off, sending more scotch to the floor. “If they’re illiterate they won’t know about me. Just go. I’ll think of something. I had a new idea for a book, maybe I’ll work on that.”

“What happened to the last one you started?”

After sipping some of the drink, I returned to the chair opposite where Violet had been. She stood to the side of it, ready to escape. “It didn’t gel.”

“Maybe if you wrote first thing in the morning—”

“When I’m sober? Is that what you were about to say? Why don’t you and your cronies leave me alone? Go be goody-two-shoes at the jail and tell the people here in the park to mind their own business. They can play bingo and watch their game shows.” I turned my back to her, feeling lousy about the way I’d spoken.

She placed her hand gently on my shoulder. “Look, Doll, I’m your closest friend in the park.”

“Only because you’re the nearest year-round neighbor. Go away.”

Her fingers tightened, but she didn’t leave. I struggled to keep my face under control, fearing the tears would flow if she showed me any more kindness.

“People have been talking to me about you. I remind them about your missing husband, and they all say the same thing.”

“I know. It’s time to get over it, declare him dead, and move on with my life.” That word, dead, stuck in my throat. My eyes burned. She had to leave immediately or I would lose control altogether.

“That’s right,” she answered softly as she removed her hand.

I listened to her footsteps as she headed for the front door.

At that moment the kitchen door burst open. “Doll! You here?” Michael’s voice boomed.

“Where else would I be?”

“Afternoon, Violet. Just leaving?” His heavy footsteps crossed the living room. He scrubbed his hand over my hair then kissed me on the cheek. “Why are you crying?”

“Goodbye,” Violet said. The door closed.

“Don’t you ever knock before entering someone’s trailer?”

“I did, and it’s a manufactured home, not a trailer. Are you going to turn around and be hospitable, or do I have to get my own drink?”

“Do what you like.” I turned around.

He sat in the chair Violet vacated only moments before. Like a pair of rotating therapists, those two. “I’ll skip it. New movie, want to go? It’s about Iran. I know you and Barclay lived there once.”

The man was far too cheerful for me. “The subject of Barclay is not open for discussion. And no, I do not want to go to the movies tonight.”

“All right then, what do you want to do?”

“I want to be left alone.”

“Can’t do that, Doll. How about marrying me then we can be alone together? You and me carousing through the Florida waterways in my boat.” He leaned back in the chair and placed his right ankle on his left knee, looking like he was prepared to stay.

“You know I can’t marry you. I’m already married. How many times have we been through this? Besides, I’d lose Barclay’s social security.”

A former Marine, Michael was by far the fittest and handsomest man in the entire community. He proposed on a regular basis. Why couldn’t he turn those heavily lashed green eyes on some other woman, one desperate to have a man in her life?

“As if you need it after that huge inheritance.”

Ignoring his reference to my newfound wealth, I said, “I might after I buy a house.”

“What house?” His foot thumped to the floor, and he leaned forward.

“I’ve been thinking about it. This trailer is far too small. Always has been. When we first bought here, we both agreed we didn’t want to live in a trailer, but we couldn’t find a house we could afford. Now that housing values are down and I have the means, it’s time. Barclay will be so happy when he comes home to find we have a lovely new house that won’t blow away with the first hurricane.” The thought cheered me, and I didn’t care what Michael had to say about it.

“That’s a great idea, Doll. Where do you plan to look? Have you done anything about it yet? Contacted a real estate company? Will you sell this one or rent it out?”

Taken aback by his enthusiasm, I remained silent.

“Come on. I’ll help. You need something to keep you occupied, searching for a house and then getting it all fixed up—”

“You mean instead of drinking alone every night?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. Violet told me people are talking. I don’t drink that much, you know. Only when people are around, so it seems like a lot.”

“You might fool yourself, Doll, but you don’t fool me. I’m here enough to see those bottles replaced too often. I’d be happy to go to an AA meeting with you if you’re worried about going alone.”

“I don’t need AA. I don’t need you to go anywhere with me.” I stood and stumbled into Michael as he stood at the same time. “I need to find a damned house!”

He grabbed me and held me in his arms. In spite of my anger, his warm embrace comforted me. Michael was the only man in the park taller than I, and one of the few still fit and active. All the widows in the park wanted to marry him except me. I wasn’t a widow.