Millie and John

By Percy Townsend

In this sequel to To Kill a Cat, Millie and John Austin's beloved cousin, Mark Austin, had disappeared. He had left the country without telling them or anyone else that he was leaving or where he was going. With the help of two clues provided by Mark's maid, Maria, Millie and John were able to determine that Mark was probably in San Miguel, Mexico. They decided to go there and look for him. There, they learned that he had been murdered and buried in an unmarked grave in a remote area of the state of Guanajuato. John was able to gain access to Mark's two bank accounts. One was in San Miguel; the other was a Swiss account. With this extra money to spend, Millie and John decided to extend their stay in Mexico and do some sightseeing. They had many memorable adventures in Mexico, which included the celebration of their thirty-second wedding anniversary and an unexpected tragedy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887632452

Book preview

Table of Contents

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About the Author

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Millie and John

Percy Townsend

Copyright © 2023 Percy Townsend

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2023

ISBN 979-8-88763-244-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88763-404-3 (Hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88763-245-2 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

To all the girls that have been important in my life: Claire, Earline, Ellie, Emma, Lucetta, Rachel, and Susie.

1

In the country, south of the Rio Grande, there lies the body of Mark Allen Austin, in an unmarked grave. He had been murdered and buried for over a year, yet his friends and relatives in the States did not know it. He had left the country without telling anyone he was leaving.

*****

Mark's cousins, John and Millie Austin, didn't discuss him anymore. They thought about him now and then, especially when they were eating beans and corn bread. However, they never mentioned his name to each other.

John had been doing something and not telling Millie about it. Once or twice a month, when he was away from home running errands, he would drive by Mark's house. He always had a faint hope that Mark had returned. He was always sadly disappointed. What he viewed was a dilapidated old house badly in need of painting. The yard was grown up in weeds. It was the worst-looking residence he had ever seen. He never stopped. He only drove slowly by.

On one such occasion, he noticed a white sign on the front door. It had never been there before. Curiosity got the best of him. He parked in the driveway, got out, and went to the front door to read the posting. It essentially said the property belonged to the county and that interested parties should inquire in room 314 at the county courthouse. They should refer to case number K-8482. As soon as John returned to his car, he wrote down the numbers and then drove straight to the courthouse.

John told the clerk in room 314 that he needed information about case number K-8482. Without saying anything, she started working with her computer.

Yes, I see the county has confiscated the property for nonpayment of taxes. Are you Mark Allen Austin?

No, I am his cousin. My name is John Austin. Mark is out of the country, but he will need that house when he returns. How can I get the house back and hold it for him?

We will issue you a deed to the house if you pay the back taxes and this year's taxes and some administrative fees.

Please add that all up, and I will go to my car and get my checkbook.

Sir, you will need a cashier's check.

Well, this will have to wait until later today or maybe tomorrow.

Okay, I will print the information you will need, like the exact amount of the check and how it should be made payable. The paper will show the street address of the property and the legal description for tax purposes. This will take a few minutes. Please have a seat.

Okay, thanks.

John started thinking. He would not be able to do this today because he had already been away from home a lot longer than he had planned. Millie would be asking a lot of questions. He didn't want her to know about this yet. The clerk folded the paper and put it in an envelope.

Here you are, all set. I also added a note to tell you to bring the information about how you want the deed made out. I am sure you will want your wife's name on it.

Do I need to bring my wife?

I would be happy to see her, but it is not necessary for her to be present.

Thank you very much. I will come back tomorrow morning.

I will be expecting you. Have a good day.

*****

When John arrived home, he stopped Millie's questions before she could get started by saying, Millie, let's go out for hamburgers.

Oh, very good. We haven't done that for a long time. I am hungry for a hamburger. I will go put something else on.

They went to their favorite hamburger joint that made Oklahoma-style hamburgers. They ordered burgers with curly fries and Cokes. John had thought of an excuse to be gone for a while the next day.

Millie, you know I have read some books by Che and about Che. There are others I haven't read. I am going to visit some used bookstores tomorrow to see what I can find.

Have you tried the library?

Yes, they don't have one I haven't read. They are reluctant to acquire any others.

Their food came. They enjoyed the burgers and fries and then ordered fruit salad pie with whipping cream on top. They also asked for coffee.

If I eat all of this, said Millie, it will make me miserable.

It will make me sleepy. I am going to take a nap as soon as we get home.

That's a very good idea. I will join you.

*****

The next day, John left home at ten and went to their bank. He had the instruction sheet the clerk had given him. He spoke to an officer that he had known for a long time.

I want a cashier's check for the amount shown on this paper. You can see how they want it made payable. I want to take money from my savings account to pay for it.

Okay, Mr. Austin, we can handle that. Sign this withdrawal slip, and then go have a cup of coffee in the lobby while I work on this.

When John finished the coffee, he returned to the officer's cubicle.

Everything is ready. Inspect the check to see if it makes you happy.

John compared the check with the instruction sheet.

I am happy. Thanks.

The officer put the check, check receipt, and withdrawal receipt in an envelope.

You are all set. Come and see us again sometime.

You know I will. Bye.

*****

In room 314 at the courthouse, he handed the cashier's check to the clerk. She shoved a sheet of blank paper and a pen at him.

Print your full name and your wife's full name and your mailing address.

He did so and gave the paper back to her.

Mr. Austin, one of the fees you paid was to have the deed registered here at the courthouse. Someone in another office will prepare the deed, have it registered, and then mail it to your house. You will have it in about one week.

May I have the keys now, or must I wait a week?

We don't have the keys. There has been no need for us to have keys. The county is only interested in recovering tax money. We don't go into the houses. We just put a sign on the front door.

This presents a problem I had not thought of.

Hire a locksmith to let you in.

Okay, thank you for your help. Goodbye.

When John got home, he called for Millie. She had been somewhere in the house but quickly appeared.

Millie, can you stop whatever you are doing? We need to talk.

Sure, I am not doing anything that can't wait. I will put the kettle on.

John settled down in his favorite chair to wait. He knew that Millie liked to have hot tea while they were talking. He liked it also. John was thinking. He had never withheld anything from Millie before. Now he must play catch-up and reveal everything. Mildred returned with a tray loaded with a teapot, cups, spoons, and some sugar.

Okay, boss, what are we going to talk about? She poured the tea.

Millie, yesterday I drove by Mark's house. A sign had been posted on the front door, so I stopped and read it. It said the county owned the property. I went to the courthouse to see what it was all about. I was told it had been confiscated for failure to pay taxes. The clerk said I could have the house if I paid the taxes.

John, it might be best to not buy the house. Stay away from that house. It will help you forget Mark.

I will never be able to forget him. I am not sure I want to. He has been like a brother to me. We have been together since we were very small.

I know it will be hard to forget. It has been hard for me, but I was getting close, and then you came in with this thing about his house.

Millie, we each have different memories about Mark. I have known him all my life, but you have known him only since you married me.

I got to know him while we were still going together.

You saw him only occasionally before we were married and then afterward only when he came over to eat your corn bread and beans.

Those were very enjoyable times, said Millie. Maybe we should talk about something else. Millie's eyes became wet. She used a tissue.

No, I want to tell you about some very enjoyable times when we were young boys. Once in a while, I would get to stay all night at his house, or he would be staying at mine. On warm nights in the summer, we would be allowed to sleep outside on the ground. All we had was one quilt and two pillows. We did not need anything to cover up with. We slept in our clothes. We would lie on our backs and look up at the stars. The air was clear, and we could see millions of stars. They seemed to be very close. They were very bright and lit up the sky. It is not possible to see anything like that now because of the air pollution and the lights from the city.

I wish I could have done that with you. My parents would have never allowed me to sleep outside.

One other thing. There were lots of lightning bugs flying around.

Do you mean fireflies?

If you want to be technically correct, yes. They were not really bugs. They were winged nocturnal beetles.

I have seen those, but it was a long time ago.

Millie, we would catch them. They are easily caught. We each had a mason jar with a lid. We would see which of us could capture the most. We would have so many that they would light up the jar. Before we went to sleep, we would release them.

What would you boys do when it was too cold to sleep outside?

We would take turns telling stories. We would make them up. Usually scary stories. I remember one night, I was telling a scary story. I was really trying to make it scary. However, when I heard Mark start snoring, I shut up and went to sleep.

I can see why you will never be able to forget Mark. But are you serious about wanting to buy his house?

Millie, I did buy it. It's a done deal. You will be on the deed as co-owner. You will need to help me clean the place up.

"Okay, dear. You know I will help you. When do you want to start?

Not soon, because there is a problem. I don't have the keys to the house. The clerk at the courthouse couldn't help me with that. I will have to hire a locksmith so that we can get in.

Mark had a maid. She had a key. I will bet she still has it.

We would never be able to find her. We don't even know her name.

I know it. Mark told us. Her full name is Maria Margarita Garcia.

Hey, now we are getting somewhere. Maybe she is in the phone book. He found it and started looking. There are several with the name Garcia. Here is a Maria Garcia.

That would be it. She probably doesn't use her middle name.

A man answered the number John had dialed. John asked, Is this the residence of a maid called Maria Garcia?

Yes, that is my wife. I will call her to the phone.

This is Maria.

Maria, I am John Austin, the cousin of Mark Austin.

Yes, I remember you. You came to the house once when Mr. Austin was away on a personal business trip.

Maria, I am now the owner of that house, but I don't have keys. Do you have a key?

Yes, I can meet you there and let you in. Did you buy the house from Mr. Austin?

No, I will explain a lot of things about this when I see you there. When can we meet?

Not today, but tomorrow, any time after ten.

Can you be there at ten?

At ten or shortly after ten.

I will be there about ten. Thank you, Maria.

Should I go with you tomorrow? Millie asked.

You are welcome to go. There is no need for it. I only want to get in, look around a little, and then borrow the key from Maria so that I can get some keys made for us.

In that case, I will not go. I will wait until we have our own keys, and you are ready to start cleaning the house.

*****

John arrived at the house a few minutes before ten. He went to the front door and removed the county sign. He folded it, threw it in the back seat, and waited in his car until Maria arrived. She parked, and they met at the front door.

Good morning, Maria. Thank you for coming.

I was happy to. I am so curious to learn what you know about Mr. Austin. He has been gone a very long time. She unlocked the door, and they went in.

The place needs cleaning. I kept it tidy for a while until all the utilities were cut off. Then it was useless to come here. I couldn't do anything without water and electricity.

I would like to borrow your key and have some copies made.

Sure, but what have you heard about Mr. Austin?

Absolutely nothing. He is missing. He disappeared without telling us where he was going. We have not heard anything about him.

Oh, I was hoping you would have some good news. How did it come about that you are now the owner of the house?

The county said Mark was behind in his taxes. I paid them for him. The county now considers me the owner. I will hold it until Mark returns.

I hope that is very soon.

My immediate problems are to get some keys made and then get all of the utilities turned back on. After that, my wife can clean the house.

The cleaning is my job. I will take care of that.

Maybe you and my wife can work together. She was expecting me to help her. With you here, I won't have to do anything. I can just watch.

You are certainly different from your cousin. He would not watch. He always left the house on the day I came to clean.

Well, let's get out of this stuffy place. After I have new keys made, and the utilities have been restored, I will call you to set a day when we can all meet here.

Okay, I always called your cousin Mr. Austin. What should I call you?

Call me John. My wife is Mildred. I call her Millie.

Millie. What a pretty name.

John decided to have the keys made and then have lunch with Millie before going to the utility places. There was a hardware store not far from his house, so he went there. He asked the man to make three keys. With four keys, he and Maria could each have one. He would give two to Millie and ask her to store one in a safe place. The man said it would be four dollars including tax. John handed him a credit card. After paying, he left with the keys and credit card receipt. He would keep the receipt until he was sure the new keys worked.

When he arrived home, Millie said, I didn't know if you would be back here for lunch, so I haven't cooked anything. I have some chicken salad, heavy with mayonnaise, the way you like it. How about a sandwich with that?

That will be great. While she was putting the sandwich together, he explained about the keys and laid her two on the cabinet top.

Go make yourself comfortable. I will bring your lunch to you.

She brought John a glass of milk and a plate with the sandwich and a serving of cottage cheese. I will go make coffee.

While they were having coffee, he told Millie about his meeting with Maria. He gave her all the details and added that he liked her.

Also, she wants to do the house cleaning, but I told her that I had promised that job to you. But she insisted to come and help, so let's do it that way.

She has been cleaning that house for years, so she knows her way around, and I don't. She will probably do most of it. I will help her any way I can.

I think you girls will get along just fine.

When will we do that?

First we must get the utility service restored. After you finish your coffee, find the last utility bills you paid. I will need them for the addresses of their offices.

Millie brought the four utility statements to John. Dear, these statements have phone numbers as well as addresses. Maybe you could use the phone and stay here at home.

I think they will want me to make deposits.

Maybe, maybe not. Call and ask.

Okay, good idea. He called the water department first. They did not want a deposit. All they wanted was his name and the house address. They would turn on the water soon; maybe today.

Millie, that was easy. That is one trip I won't need to make.

Next, he called the gas company. They would not turn on the gas unless the owner was there to open the house for them, and they wanted a $50 deposit. He made an appointment to meet the gasman there at ten, tomorrow morning. They said he could give a $50 check to the man.

Millie, I want you to go with me. We need to be at the house a little before ten.

When he called the electric company, they asked for his name and the address of the house. They would turn on the electricity immediately once they received a $50 deposit. He could use a credit card. He asked the girl to hold for a minute.

Millie, get your credit card. Read the number to the girl. Millie did so, and that settled the matter.

The telephone company told John he would have Mark's old number but needed a credit card number for the deposit. He handed the phone to Millie, and she took care of that. That completed the calls.

Millie, thanks for your suggestion about calling. We were able to take care of everything without me having to make a trip.

We will make one trip tomorrow, to the house.

Yes, and take your two keys so we can try them out. The electricity and water should be on by then. I don't know about the phone.

Well, we don't really need that.

Millie, I think I will call Maria, tell her about the utilities, and let her know that we will be there tomorrow. She may want to come. You girls could get acquainted.

I would like that very much.

He called Maria. She was happy about the invitation and said she would be there.

*****

When John and Millie arrived at the house a few minutes before ten, they saw a man coming from behind the house.

John spoke to him, Are you from the gas company?

No, I am from the water department. I just now turned your water on.

Very good. Thanks a lot.

The water will be dirty-looking when you first use it. Don't turn on the hot water side. Open every cold water tap in the house. You will get some gas and some dirty water. Let them run until the water is clear.

We will do that. That is good advice. Thank you, sir.

The water man left, and Maria drove up. She got out, carrying a can of coffee and a gallon bottle of water.

We can have coffee if the electricity is on.

Maria, I am Mildred, John's wife.

I am happy to get to know you. John said he calls you Millie. May I do likewise?

Yes, that will be fine.

Millie is a very pretty name.

Thank you.

As they approached the front door, John told Millie, Get out your keys. Now is a perfect time to see if they will work.

Okay. She took the keys from her purse and tried one. It opened the door. She closed and locked it and then tried