Chapter 6

“I wish, I wish we could just get away,” Stephanie said dreamily as they smoked the third joint.

“Yeah?” Daphne asked, thinking of her windfall. “Where you want to go?”

“Shit, I don’t know. They legalized marijuana in um, what’s that state?” Stephanie said.

“What’s that state? Really narrows it down there, Stephanie,” Daphne laughed, playfully pinching Stephanie on her left buttock.

“One where all the maple syrup comes from,” Stephanie tried to think.

“Vermont?” Daphne guessed.

“Yeah! Vermont!” Stephanie agreed.

“Steph, what’s in Vermont?” Daphne asked, softly stroking her fingers through Stephanie’s blonde hair.

“I don’t know. Me and my dad went once and it had snowed and it was just beautiful,” Stephanie shrugged.

After a leisurely sixty nine, Daphne asked Stephanie to drop her off at National Bank of Stooker. With a quick kiss, Daphne entered the bank and politely asked to speak with their investment counselor.

Sitting down to talk with Colby Brown, Daphne and Colby first established that they were not related. Pleasantries out of the way, Daphne left thirty thousand dollars in the account; she knew her father had access to the account. Together, she and Colby set up some investment strategies.

“Okay, first, let’s determine what your goals are, short term and long term,” Colby said.

“Short term? Jesus, I just want to get the fuck out of here,” Daphne said, voice low.

“Not much going on, is there?” Colby agreed.

“Long term? I, I just want…” Daphne whispered, then looked around the mostly silent bank.

Colby waited, faint smile on her pretty lips. She brushed a hank of blonde hair behind her ear, gazing intently at her client.

“Long term? I, my girlfriend wants to move to Vermont. Talk about nothing going on, but that’s where she wants to move,” Daphne admitted.

“Why?” Colby asked, already typing on her keyboard.

“Marijuana’s legal there and she was there once when it snowed and she said the mountains are just beautiful,” Daphne said.

“Well, hmm…” Colby mused, then looked at Daphne.

She swiveled the monitor so that both she and Daphne could look at the monitor together. Daphne looked at some truly breathtaking pictures on the web site. With a few clicks, Colby enlarged a photograph of a cute log cabin structure nestled among some evergreens.

“Abramczyk, Vermont. Turner County. Ten acres right on the west side of these beautiful foothills,” Colby said.

“Wow,” Daphne breathed.

She watched as Colby flicked through more photographs of the property and the two bedroom cabin. Both women shared a giggle when Colby read aloud that the property came with indoor plumbing.

“Okay. So what does that have to do with my long term goals?” Daphne asked when the last photograph stayed up on the screen of Colby’s monitor.

“For nine hundred thousand, it can be a short term goal,” Colby advised.

For a split second, Daphne was about to scoff. Nine hundred thousand? Who had that kind of money? Then she remembered, she had that kind of money.

“You kidding!” Daphne enthused.

“And I’ll start the bidding on it for you,” Colby offered, then held up one finger. “On one condition.”

“What’s that?” Daphne asked.

“Take me with you,” Colby whispered urgently. “God! I am suffocating here!”

She looked around at the still quiet bank. She leaned close to Daphne and Daphne leaned closer.

“And, I get popped one more time for marijuana? They’re ready to bounce me on out of here,” Colby confided. “But, shit; it’s legal in Vermont? Sign me up.”

“Deal!” Daphne laughed, hand outstretched.

“Deal; let’s start off offering them eight hundred thousand,” Colby advised.

The People of Pennsylvania V Anthony Zuna did not receive much fanfare. The courtroom itself had very few people in the galley as jurors were selected, then as the trial itself got underway.

Benjamin Franklin, the star witness for the prosecution took the stand, held up his hand and promised that his testimony would be truthful.

He gave a recounting of the day’s activity. His testimony was interrupted several times by one or another of Anthony’s four lawyers. Even the judge was becoming impatient with the defense’s tactics.

“But, you know, it really was quite fitting that you would kill her on April first,” Franklin addressed Anthony directly.

“Objection! It has not been established to the court’s satisfaction that Anthony Zuna was the person or persons that may or may not have shot Ms. Jacqueline Zuna,” one of the lawyers yelled.

“The medical examiner’s report states conclusively that one Jacqueline Zuna was indeed shot by a thirty ought six rifle,” the Assistant District Attorney stated, holding up the coroner’s report. “Cause of death was…”

“You simply waited another three, maybe four weeks? She’d been dead anyway. The cancer had got into her brain by that time,” Franklin smirked.

“Your Honor, there is an objection in front of the court,” the first attorney demanded.

“God! Okay, there have been so damned many objections I can’t even keep them all straight. Ms. Kliensmith? Please read the objection back to me,” the judge asked.

“Sustained. It has not been proven that Mr. Anthony Zuna was indeed the person who did shoot Jacqueline Zuna,” the judge sighed.

“But, by shooting her on April…” Franklin continued.

“Objection, your Honor. Please instruct the witness…” the first defense attorney cried out.

“That was why she was smoking so much marijuana; it deadened the pain,” Franklin stated. “So when she was ALLEDGEDLY shot on April Fool’s Day, the fool that shot her killed an already dying woman.

The prosecution had Franklin continue his testimony. There were no objections; Franklin stuck to the facts as they were and did not offer any opinions.

“So, if it please the court, we will now play the call the witness placed to nine one one,” the prosecution said after Franklin described hearing the rifle shot, seeing the carnage, and diving for the floor.

“Now, Mr. Franklin, on that recording, you stated that it had been Anthony Zuna that you saw in the tree, rifle pointed toward the house,” the ADA stated.

“Yes sir,” Franklin said.

Franklin, the judge, the reporter and the ADA all looked toward the Zuna table, waiting for an objection. When none came, the ADA continued with his questioning.

“As I was diving for the floor, I happened to see the sun reflecting off of something in the trees just beyond the privacy fence Ms. Zuna had put in; she liked to sunbathe nude,” Franklin stated. “A minute later, I looked up where I’d seen the glint and saw Anthony Zuna up in the tree. He squeezed off a third shot, trying shoot through the window right at my head.”

“Objection! The witness has no knowledge who may or may not have fired the first and supposed second shot,” another attorney called out.

“We don’t even know that all the bullets came from the same rifle,” another defense attorney stated.

“Ballistics study and analysis for the two bullets found near the rear window of the home plus the one bullet found in the swimming pool,” the ADA stated, holding up a second sheaf of papers.

The lead attorney for the defense tried to discredit Franklin. She also tried to dissect his testimony but only managed to have the jury hear, in much more graphic detail the shooting and then the spotting of Anthony Zuna, sitting in a tree, rifle pointed toward the Zuna Estate.

“Again, it is real funny that Ms. Zuna would get shot on that day of all days,” Franklin smiled tightly. “I mean, she was out at the pool almost daily, just sitting out there, getting high. An easy target.”

He looked at Anthony Zuna. Anthony glared with raw hatred toward the dark-skinned chauffer. Shaking his head, Franklin waited for any objection that might come.

“Guess she made a fool out of you, huh Anthony? She’d already cut you out of the estate and the business. But if you’d waited, just waited a few more weeks? You could have claimed she wasn’t in her right mind when she made the last revision to her will. On April fool’s day, she proved who the real fool is,” Franklin stated, smiling widely.

“Sustained,” the judge sighed heavily when the defense table erupted in a slew of objections. “The witness’s statement will be stricken from the records.”

Whether the ADA had done such a masterful job of presenting the case, or the jury was so tired of the consistent objections and legal twists and turns the defense attempted to introduce to the trial, the jury found Anthony guilty of all charges. At the sentencing hearing, the judge gave Anthony the minimum of seventy five years hard labor. Anthony’s legal team promised to appeal. When their massive bill was unpaid, the fervor to appeal quickly dwindled.

Daphne stepped out onto the small porch of the cabin and took a cautious sip of her hot coffee. She wore a thin robe over her nude body; the son of the family that lived down the road had a drone. She wasn’t sure if it was the son or the son’s father that liked flying the drone over the small rise to focus the drone’s camera on their property. No matter whom it might be, though, Daphne wasn’t going to give them any more shots of her nude body.

The morning air was still and slightly chilly. Daphne could smell the lush countryside waking up to early spring. As she welcomed the warmth and flavor of the robust coffee, Daphne could hear a songbird singing, hoping to attract a mate.

“Hey, Daff; won’t believe this but just got a call from your dad,” Colby said, stepping out onto the porch.

“My, my Dad? What?” Daphne asked, looking at the nude woman. “Colby! You know that little bastard’s drone could be out here.”

“Uh huh,” Colby said, settling onto the bench next to Daphne.

“What? Why, why’s he calling you?” Daphne asked, looking at her own cell phone.

“Don’t know; said he couldn’t reach you,” Colby shrugged. “Hmm. Don’t see little bastard’s drone out here.”

“Haven’t seen it yet. Still, you’re just asking for it, being out here naked like that,” Daphne said, still studying her cell phone. “Got three bars…”

“Anyway, he said he and Steph are getting a divorce and wanted to know if he could come stay here, you know, just until he gets his shit together,” Colby said.

“What? Di… They, they just got married,” Daphne said.

“And since I couldn’t find you, I told him it would be all right,” Colby shrugged, stretching and displaying her tone body.

“What? Col… After, after what he called us?” Daphne choked on her coffee.

“Oops! I hear it,” Colby giggled, rushing for the front door.

Daphne gave the impertinent drone the middle finger. Draining her mug of coffee, Daphne pulled her thin robe down and retreated to the interior of their log cabin.

“And said he’s bringing Duke with him,” Colby said, laying on their couch, lazily running her finger up and down her blonde muff.

“Oh God! That ugly, damn it, Colby! He’s bringing that worthless mutt with him?” Daphne shrilled.

“That, is that clock right?” Colby asked, squinting at the schoolhouse clock on the wall.

“What? It, it’s not ten o’clock, is it?” Daphne cried out. “Shit! I’m late for work!”

“Wait! The clock in the bedroom says it’s already eleven!” Daphne shrilled.

“Colby!” Daphne screamed, checking her cell phone. “It’s not even seven yet!”

“Oh, and your dad says he needs some money,” Colby said, ignoring the time matter for now.

“He, well, tough shit!” Daphne screamed as she started the shower. “Damn it! Colby! There’s no hot water!”

“April fool’s,” Colby whispered as Daphne squealed and shrieked her way through an ice cold shower.

“Now, please, please tell me you are kidding about my dad. Oh, and that damned useless mutt of his,” Daphne said, wiggling into her khakis. “Damn it! Why’s this… God! I, how much, I know I put on a few pounds since we moved here but…”

The only thing Daphne could find that fit her was a frumpy old ‘Grandma’ dress. Stuffing her foot into her left shoe Daphne screamed as she found a dead bug. Then began the mad search for her car keys.

“I swear to God! I am about to call in sick!” Daphne screamed when Colby finally offered to drive Daphne to her job.

“Oh! Then we could just lay in bed all day,” Colby said, running her fingers over her full breasts.

“Why aren’t you dressed? Bank ain’t closed today, huh?” Daphne asked as Colby shrugged into a tee shirt and shorts.

“Doctor’s appointment at ten. Could go to the bank, log on then leave. Ooorrr, I could just go in after lunch,” Colby shrugged.

“God, my dad? Guess he can have the spare bedroom, but God!” Daphne muttered to herself as Colby drove them to the Turner County Public Library.

“All right; see you at four,” Daphne said, getting out of the pickup truck.

“Hey, Daff?” Colby said sweetly, rolling down the passenger window of her pickup truck.

“Yeah?” Daphne asked, one foot on the steps to the rear door of the library.

“April fools!” Colby screamed and hurried away.

“April… Aw! Aw you bitch! You unbelievable bitch!” Daphne screamed, then laughed.

The key to the library was on her missing key ring so Daphne sat on the stoop of the back door. A quick glance at the clock on the tower of the Baptist church told Daphne she was actually an hour early. Looking at her cell phone once more, Daphne saw that Colby had somehow set her cell phone to San Juan, Puerto Rico time.

She sent Stephanie Brown a text message. Surprisingly, her former lover and best friend was awake. Teasingly, Daphne addressed Stephanie as ‘Evil Step-Mother’ and Stephanie responded with a ‘wicked witch’ emoji.

Nine months earlier, with Colby’s help, Daphne had managed to secure the beautiful cabin in the foothills of Abramczyk, Vermont. Daphne had assumed that Stephanie would be delighted, but instead, Stephanie had become frantic with fear. Daphne continued with her plans, sure that Stephanie would sooner or later come around.

One night, arriving home after smoking a few bowls of some very good St. Genevieve weed with Colby, Daphne grimaced with disgust as she could hear the tell-tale sounds of drunken sex coming from her father’s room. She shuddered, wondering what bloated, pasty white hag her father had managed to coax into his bed. Her favorite memory was the toothless tattooed freak that broke one of the kitchen chairs when she tried to settle her three hundred and eighty six pounds onto the spindly seat.

And in the morning, Daphne found a severely hung over Stephanie in their kitchen, attempting to make breakfast for ‘her new man.’ A few months later, Stephanie disclosed that she was pregnant and Gary proudly stepped up to shoulder his responsibilities.

Daphne moved out and moved into Colby’s crowded apartment while they waited for all the paperwork to be completed on the sale of the home and the acreage in Abramczyk, Vermont.