Free Soft Serve Secrets: A Cozy Mystery (Caesars Creek Mystery Series Book 3) by Constance Barker Page B

Trixie Florez? Oh no!”
     
    I put the cake sheets in the oven and closed the door. “Who was taken in the ambulance?”
     
    “She said it was Mr. Florez because Trixie followed the ambulance in her car.”
     
    “I hope it isn’t serious,” I said. Trixie had been through enough this year with her daughter confessing to murdering Trixie’s best friend Greta. She’d also lost two husbands prior to marrying Mr. Florez.
     
    Trixie was a delight to have around. Always smiling, she brightened your day. One would never know she was widowed twice. She hid her sorrow well, never allowing it to consume her or burden others with it. Although her friends would be happy to help with that grief, Trixie wasn’t one to allow people into the deepest crevices of her soul. It was said that only Greta Haglemier knew Trixie’s past and she was gone now.
     
    I wiped my hands on my pink The Frozen Scoop Ice Cream Shoppe apron. “I’d like to go visit her and Ben, see how they’re doing.”
     
    “Me too,” Stormi chimed in.
     
    Paige put on her pink apron. “That’s why I’m here. I thought you two might like to go down to Mercy hospital and see how they’re doing.”
     
    I untied my apron. “Thanks Paige, I appreciate that. Timer’s set for the cakes. Just let them cool on the counter. We shouldn’t be long.”
     
    “Take all the time you need.”
     
    Stormi and I raced to my vehicle to take the short ride to Mercy Hospital. However, we had no idea the hornet’s nest we were walking in to.
     
     
     
     
    *****
     
     
     
     
    Mr. Florez’ room was located on the fourth floor of Mercy hospital. As Stormi and I walked off the elevator, we could see Trixie and another woman standing down the hallway in what appeared to be a heated discussion. I grabbed Stormi’s arm. “Maybe we should hang back a few minutes.”
     
    We waited near the elevator doors, trying not to stare at the two women who seemed to be in an argument. Finally, the other woman went into what I assumed was Mr. Florez’ room. Trixie stood with her back to us looking at the floor.
     
    Stormi and I walked down the hall towards her. As we got close I said, “Trixie, how are you?”
     
    Trixie spun around. Her eyes were red, but she put on her usual smile for us. “Oh girls, it’s so good to see you!” She gave us hugs and we asked about Mr. Florez.
     
    “He’s doing better than he was, but the hospital wants to keep him and run blood tests.”
     
    “What happened?” I asked.
     
    Trixie motioned down the hall. “Let’s go to the waiting room where we can talk.”
     
    We sat down in a corner of the room and Trixie proceeded to tell us what happened. “We were having our normal breakfast of fruit and toast. Everything seemed fine. Ben went to the bathroom and then I heard a crash. I ran to the bathroom to find him sprawled on the floor. I tried to rouse him but nothing worked so I called 911.”
     
    Stormi shifted in her chair. “How frightening! So he blacked out?”
     
    “Apparently. He came to when the medics got to our house. They asked him questions, like his name and what year it was. He answered them all correctly. Ben doesn’t remember anything though. He says the last thing he remembers is eating breakfast. He doesn’t remember walking to the bathroom. But he hit his head on the bathroom sink when he blacked out and that may be why he doesn’t remember.”
     
    It made sense to me. “Who was that woman you were talking to in the hallway?”
     
    Trixie looked uncomfortable upon mention of this other woman. “She is Ben’s daughter from a previous marriage. As you might have witnessed, she isn’t particularly fond of me.”
     
    Stormi scrunched her nose. “Yeah, we kind of noticed that.”
     
    I didn’t understand. How could anyone not like Miss Trixie? I would think having her as a stepmother would be a treat. Apparently, this woman didn’t think so. “What in the world would she have against