Home Sweet Home Part Three

A Tracy Gayle mystery

By Trish Hubschman

January 2022

Tracy Gayle

“I think the crime scene was staged,” I told Danny. We were in the BMW heading to Scotty’s Pub to meet Johnson and his girlfriend for dinner.

Danny sniffed. “Are you saying Judy Crenshaw wasn’t robbed?” His tone held confusion.

I shook my head. That’s not what I meant. “Oh, I’m pretty sure she was robbed, but the thief wasn’t a professional,’ I said, then hurried on to explain. “A pro doesn’t leave telltale signs that they were on the premises, such as leaving a dresser drawer open or back door ajar. They want their victim to be in the dark as long as possible about the break-in. The more time that passes, the better the chances of probable evidence being destroyed.”

“What if the perp felt spooked and rushed out?” Danny threw at me. “He may forget to close a drawer or door.”

I shrugged. “It’s possible, but not likely in this case,” I replied. “Judy’s travel schedule was no secret. People knew when she left and when she was coming back.”

“What about Judy’s daughter, Vicky?” Danny asked.

“What about her?” I shot back. “Of course, she knew her mother’s schedule. Vicky used to live n Judy’s converted garage apartment. She moved out sometime last year into her own place.” I shrugged. “I don’t’ know anything beyond that.” ‘

We pulled into the parking lot at Scotty’s. It wasn’t too crowded. We went in. Bob, the bartender, called a hello to Danny. Patrons in the place had gotten used to seeing, Danny Tide, famous rock star, amongst them. That was good, I guess. He put on a few impromptu shows here over the past few weeks, just him, no band.

Johnson saw us and rose from the table. he gestured to us to come over. We did. Johnson shook Danny’s hand and kissed me on the cheek. Tiffany remained seated. We sat down on the other side of the table. I filled Johnson in on my chat with Judy Crenshaw earlier. “It does sound like an inside job,” I said. “But I can’t figure out who did it or how.”

“What about Judy’s son, Michael?” Johnson asked.
“Where is he now?”

I sighed and shook my head. “He’s been in Florida with his mother the past week. They drove home together,” I replied. “he’s now staying in his mother’s garage apartment that originally had been remodeled for Vicky.”

“Yeah, about Vicky, she was supposed to be watching her mother’s house, but we never saw her around,” Danny posed.

“We weren’t going out of our way to watch for Vicky or Judy’s house,” I added.

Johnson was intrigued by what Danny said. He shot a glance at Danny. “That does sound curious,’ he said, then turned to me. “Maybe I should have a chat with Vicky,” he added. “I think I have some time tomorrow.”

I was glad he was going to do it. I was busy at the office the next we days and Danny was going into New York city to have lunch with his daughter, Liz, and her husband, Tidal wave’s keyboard player, Mike Carson. Liz’s mother was Danny’s second wife, talk show hostess, Blair Nelson.

“Yu don’t think Vicky robbed her own mother’s house?” Danny said, his eyes narrowed at Johnson. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would she do that?”

Johnson shook his head. ‘I didn’t say that.  You’re right, it would seem kind of odd, but Stranger things have happened.”

I patted Danny’s arm. “Vicky would have had the opportunity,“I said, making a face at my own deduction. I honestly couldn’t see it either.

Tiffany hadn’t said a word. I was curious about that. She kept squeezing Johnson’s arm and giving him adoring eye-looks. I kept steeling glances at Danny, wondering if he was seeing this. I knew he was.

“Maybe she needed money,” Tiffany finally spoke, startling all three of us. Johnson touched her arm. I wondered if that was a cue for her to be quiet.

“Do you know Vicky Crenshaw?” I asked Tiffany.

She shook her head. “I was just talking in generalizations, she added.

“That still doesn’t make sense,” I said to Johnson. “The back door was left open and so was a dresser drawer in Judy’s bedroom. Why would the perp do that, whoever he or she was?”

“And why did the perp waited to just days before Judy got home from Florida to burglarize the house?” Danny added.

I nodded. That was another good point that we had to figure in here. It kept pointing back to my original idea that the robbery was staged, but by who and for what purpose?

Our meals arrived and conversation had to stop for a while.

To be continued

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Book Swap – Tidalwave by Trish Hubschman

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I’m here today with a special announcement from author Trish Hubschman!

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Anyone want to read my book, Tidalwave, 1^st in the Tracy Gayle mystery series? I’m giving It away for free for a limited time on Smash words. Smashwords is an e-book seller. This is in exchange for reviews on smash words and good reads.

To find out more, check out the website:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1033872

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

December 2020

website:  https://www.dldbooks.com/hubschman/

Email   palhub@rcn.com

Trish Hubschman is the creator and author of the Tracy Gayle mystery series. Tracy is a private detective from Long Island. Her sidekick, Danny Tide, is the leader of the rock band, Tidalwave. There are presently three books in the series, the first of which is Tidalwave.  Danny’s band’s summer tour bus bursts into flames while they’re on Long Island. A police officer on the scene recommends his friend, Tracy Gayle, to investigate the fire. Danny hires her. During her sleuthing, she discovers bigger and more dangerous threats aimed at Danny.

Stiff Competition is the second book in the series. Tidalwave is performing at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. Danny Tide is Master of Ceremonies. The pageant is rolling along smoothly. The ten semi-finalists have been picked. Then suddenly Miss New Jersey is missing. An all-out search of the hotels on the Boardwalk is begun. Danny calls his longtime friend, Tracy Gayle, in New York and invites her down to assist in the search. The girl is found but it’s not good and she’s hospitalized. Another finalist must be picked to replace her. Then another girl is found dead. Tracy really has her hands full. She and Danny are working together on this one.

In Ratings Game, the third book of the series, someone is trying to kill Danny’s second wife, popular daytime talk show hostess, Blair Nelson. She collapses in her TV studio due to a drug overdose that she is not responsible for. Tracy and Danny spend the next few days at Blair’s Central Park West apartment in New York city sleuthing and taking care of family business. Tracy nearly becomes a victim of Blair’s attempted murderer.

She has also written numerous Tracy Gayle short stories, as well as, shorts in other genres. She writes poetry and nonfiction too.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in English-Writing from Long Island University’s Southampton Campus. She grew up on Long Island, but presently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Kevin, and dog, Henry.