Chapter One
The Chatham Crossing Chronicle
“Song and Dance Lady” Tap Danced Around Whaling Museum Murder Investigation
By: Daniel DaRosa, Investigative Reporter
Monday morning, July 5, 2010. Early Saturday, Venus Bixby, widow of lifelong and beloved Chatham Crossing resident Paul Bixby, tripped and fell strolling through the lush Gardens of the Sofia Silva Whaling Museum just hours before neighbors and friends were scheduled to gather there to celebrate her fiftieth birthday.
That wasn’t the only calamity at the museum that day. The much anticipated birthday party of the summer had to be postponed indefinitely due to the sudden death of Margaret “Maggie” McGee, manager of the museum’s gift shop. Though unconfirmed, sources close to the investigation said the police are treating this as a homicide.
As it turns out, according to an anonymous tipster, Ms. Bixby may have been the last to see Ms. McGee alive in the gardens that morning. All we can report at this juncture is that Ms. Bixby told a friend she hadn’t the foggiest idea if the victim was “alive and kicking” when she tumbled over a pair of orange platform shoes and broke her thumb.
Like the birthday festivities, efforts by the always diligent Chatham Crossing police to take a full statement from Ms. Bixby were delayed until she sleeps off the pain medication.
Hazard to guess what song Ms. Bixby will sing when that happens?
For up-to-the-minute investigation details and the date and time of the rescheduled birthday bash, follow this story.
Print and digital editions.
