by Gale Deitch
“And I’m fortunate that you’ve taken this case.”
He stood a moment holding my hands and peering into my eyes. I drew in a breath and inhaled a whiff of his cologne, a subtle clean and spicy scent. Was this bit of intimate attention part of his regular legal service?
I stepped back and reached into my purse and handed him my business card. “You’ll be sure to call me when May is released, won’t you?”
“Of course. I’ll keep you posted on any new developments.”
“I’d like to visit her at the hospital. Can I?”
“I’m not sure if they’ll allow it. I could request the visit for you, but somehow I think you’ll be more successful if you ask your boyfriend.” Alan raised an eyebrow. “Do you think he can pull some strings for you?”
“I JUST WANT to see for myself how she’s doing,” I entreated Daniel from my cellphone a few minutes later. “There wouldn’t be any harm in one measly visit and she needs a friend right now. Please.”
He paused, and I allowed the moment of silence on his end of the phone. “Okay. I’ll meet you at the hospital in half an hour. But you’ll only get a few minutes with May, and that’s it.”
“As long as I can get in to talk to her.”
Right on time, Daniel met me in the hospital lobby and escorted me up to the psychiatric floor and to May’s room. He gave the okay to the police officer guarding her door, and I knocked and walked in.
I’d expected her to be lying in bed in the same silent stupor as the evening before, but instead she was sitting in a vinyl lounge chair staring out the window.
“May?”
She turned and her face broke out in a smile. “Trudie, I’m so happy to see you.” She stood and held out her arms to me. As we hugged, her frame felt as thin and fragile as a cellophane package of uncooked spaghetti.
May began to cry and I held her and rocked her until she calmed. She sat back down in the lounge chair, and I seated myself in an armless chair across from her.
“I can’t believe he’s gone.” She shook her head. “Trudie, you know he was always the biggest pain in my skinny little a-s-s.” She knew me well and had spelled the word out so I wouldn’t be offended. “But he was my pain, and I loved him anyway.”
“I know,” I nodded.
“I just don’ know who coulda’ done this to him.”
“You mean, you didn’t…I mean it wasn’t you?” I felt bad about doubting May, but I had to just come out and put the question on the table. “Don’t get me wrong, May. I never believed you could do such a thing. But—“
“I know, but there I was sittin’ right next to him and holdin’ that bloody knife. What else is a person to think?”
“I knew it. Oh, thank god, May. But why were you holding the knife?”
May stood up and walked over to the window, staring out. “I don’t know. I don’t even remember why I walked out into that alley or even seein’ him lyin’ there with that big blade sticking into him. I don’t remember any a’ that. All I recall is your Daniel tellin’ me to put down the knife. I looked up and there it was in my hand. And there everyone was lookin’ at me.”
May turned back to me and shook her head. “I’m wonderin’ now if maybe I coulda’ done it. I just don’ know. I suppose I must ‘a found him that way and pulled the knife out.”
“Of course, you didn’t do it. You loved Micah. He was everything to you. But who do you think would have done such a thing?”
“That’s why I need you to manage Maybelline’s for the next few days. Trudie, you’ve got an eye for people. You might see somethin’ I missed. And no one would suspect that’s why you’re standin’ in for me.”
“Y-you want me to be a detective while I’m there? Try to figure out who the murderer is?” The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as I pictured Micah’s body lying in the alley, his white shirt soaked in blood. Returning to the scene of the crime was the last thing I wanted to do, much less smelling around in a rotten vegetable bin.
“Exactly. Trudie, you are the only person I can trust to do that. Don’ worry. I’m sure whoever did this to my baby brother had somethin’ personal out for him. They wouldn’t bother you.”
“I don’t know, May. What if they realize what I’m doing and view me as a threat?”
May looked me straight in the eye. “Shuga, I wouldn’t be askin’ ya’ except you’re my only hope of not being convicted for this murder. If I thought you’d be in any danger, I’d neva’ ask you to do it. But I’m askin’ you now. Please find my brotha’s killer.”
I stared back at the conviction in her eyes. She was right. Except for the real murderer, I was the only person who believed she didn’t kill Micah. I was also the only person who could fill in for May convincingly at the restaurant. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
May got up from her chair and sank to her knees in front of me, grabbing my hands. “Thank you, Trudie. You saved my life once, and now I know you’ll do it again.”
“May, stand up,” I said, stunned. I grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet. “Don’t ever kneel in front of me again. I’m your friend, and this is what friends do. Now tell me, do you have any suspects in mind? Who do you think I should focus my attention on?”
She thought a moment. “Well, Micah was a bit of an upstart. He had the habit of stirrin’ up trouble wherever he went. So a few people come to mind.”
“Who?” I took a pad and pen out of my purse, ready to take notes.
“Well, the most obvious are those sharks that come around periodically lookin’ for protection money. I thought I’d had that taken care of, but somehow Micah got them interested again.”
“Okay. Who else?” I asked. “What about Mr. Benson from the shop next door? He seemed pretty angry at Micah last night.”
“Yes, he was. But Mr. Benson’s a sweet old guy. And I did pay him what Micah owed.” She shook her head as if to dismiss that thought. “Anyway, how would Mr. Benson get a knife from our kitchen and summon up the strength to overtake a strong young man like Micah?”
“Anyone on your staff you’d suspect?”
She shrugged. “Micah tended to make more enemies than friends. There was a bit of animosity comin’ from Gus and some of the line cooks. Micah strolled around like he owned the restaurant. He pretty much had the run of the place without worries about bein’ fired.”
“Would that be enough of a motive to kill him?” I asked.
She gave me a sad smile. “Well, there were many times he done things that made us all want to kill him. And then he had that rovin’ eye with the ladies. I’m not sure how many relationships he messed with. I just stayed out a’ those situations. There was nothin’ I could do about his philanderin’ ways. Although, Lord, you know I tried.”
“I guess I’m going to have to get close to some of your staff to find out what was going on.”
“That may be what you’ll need to do,” May agreed, nodding. “I do want to thank you for gettin’ me that nice lawyer, too. I’ve got some money saved from the restaurant, so payin’ him shouldn’t be a problem. He seems to know what he’s doin’.”
“He does. But May, he’s going to tell the judge that I’ll be staying with you at your house. He doesn’t think you’ll be released otherwise, so I’ve volunteered to be responsible for you.”
“I don’t know, Trudie. What about you and Daniel? You been stayin’ at his house more often than not.”
“That’s okay. I’ll still be able to spend time with him. Just not as much. It’s only until this ordeal is over. And when we figure out who the real killer is, everything can go back to normal. If I’m living at your house, I’ll be able to report back to you about what I observe, and together we’ll get this case cracked open like a raw egg.”
The officer knocked and opened the door. “Two more minutes.”
May and I stood and hugged. “What fun it will be livin’ with you again, Trudie. We used to have some good laughs, didn’t we?”
I smi
led. “Yes, we did,” I said, wondering what kind of laughs we’d be having with May arrested for murdering her brother and me working right under the nose of the real killer.
Chapter Four
Lunch service was in progress when I walked through the front door of Maybelline’s. When Katie spotted me, she headed right over.
“Trudie, this is a surprise. Are you here for lunch?”
“Actually, I’m here to help out for a few days until May is released and back at work. Who’s working the kitchen today?”
By the pink flush on Katie’s face, she seemed taken aback. “Well, Gus is on all day and all evening. He’s kind of taken over the reins while Miss May is…well, you know. But watch out. He’s a real bear today.”
I had to give Gus credit for getting the restaurant back to normal. The dining room seemed to be running smoothly, bus boys refilling water glasses and servers checking on tables to see what they might need. I noticed that waitress with the long, dark ponytail serving food to one of the tables. As she turned to head back into the kitchen, she glanced at me then looked quickly away.
“Who is she?” I asked Katie.
Katie pursed her lips. “That’s Gina. May hired her a few weeks ago. She doubles as a server and dining room manager.”
“You don’t seem too keen on her.”
She shook her head. “That’s not up to me. May’s the boss, and I haven’t heard any complaints from her about Gina.”
I headed for the kitchen, took a deep breath and entered. “Hi, Gus. How are things here?”
He turned and scowled, “Who wants to know?” Then, as he recognized me, “Oh. It’s you.”
Gus was well over six feet tall and husky with meaty hands big as ham hocks. He wore a Washington Nationals baseball cap and a white chef’s jacket that buttoned down the front with Maybelline’s embroidered across the pocket. A large brown splotch stained the front of his jacket and seemed to have splattered up his right sleeve, most likely the result of splashing sauces or from butchering cuts of beef. I shuddered, thinking about Micah’s bloody shirt.
“Listen, Gus. May wants me to take over managing this place for a few days until she can get back here. I’ll do that, because she wants me to. But it looks like you’re doing a great job. That’s going to make it a lot easier for me.”
Gus frowned. “With all due respect, Trudie, I really don’t think we’ll need your help. I basically run this place anyway every day. May kind of stands back and watches, checks on the customers, counts the money, that sort of thing.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do,” I said.
Gus tried again, a little more firmly. “Miss Trudie, we are a team here.” He gestured with his arm to the few line cooks as they worked. “We run this restaurant like a finely-oiled machine. We don’t need your help.”
I stood up straighter, stretching my five-foot-two height to its limits and lifted my chin. “That may be so, Mister Gus,” I said, stressing the word Mister. “But I promised May I would manage Maybelline’s for the next few days, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Now things look like they’re going well for the lunch service. What time do you start prepping for dinner?”
Gus glared down into my face. “Three-thirty.”
“Then I’ll be back at three-thirty. In the meantime, I’d like a copy of all the recipes for tonight’s service please.”
Gus paused then turned to Katie. “Get her the recipe book from the office.”
Katie scurried into the office and emerged with the book, which she handed to me.
“Thanks.” I smiled at Katie and, without a word to Gus, turned and went back through the dining room and out the front door.
I FELT AS if I’d been neglecting my own business, A Fine Fix, so I headed to our office and warehouse on Nebel Street in Rockville. I knew I’d find my partner Zach going through paperwork and checking the books.
When I stepped through the glass entryway, Zach glanced up with a grin. “We’re in the black, Trudie. We are actually making money. We received the insurance check today to cover all the damaged equipment. Soon we can return the stuff May and her friends loaned us.”
“Whoa. That’s great news, but don’t I get a hello, how are you doing? Or how are things with May?”
“Sorry, Trudie.” His forehead creased. “How are things with May?”
“Distraught about Micah, but she should be released from the hospital tomorrow morning and out on bail by the afternoon. Alan Bernstein’s working on it. By the way, thank Ally for the suggestion to call him.”
“I’ll do that—when I see her later.”
I folded my arms across my chest. Now I wanted to find out the juicy details. “So, how are things going between you two?”
Zach’s face reddened. “We’re spending a lot of time together. I’m helping her with details for her new restaurant. She’s found a great space in Bethesda, and Mr. Lewis is negotiating the contract and renovation.”
“Oh, yeah.” I remembered that her father’s business partner, Bob Lewis, was financing Ally’s new restaurant concept. “Healthy comfort food, right?”
“Uh-huh. We’re trying out recipes, building a menu, that sort of thing.”
“So is there more to this relationship than that? I thought you guys were an item now. You were there pretty late last night.”
He closed the folder he was working on and filed it in the desk drawer. “We’re taking it slow for now. Just spending time together and having a good time.”
“Zach, you and I have both known Ally for a long time. I just hope she’s not taking advantage of you to get her restaurant going. I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
“Trudie, what is it with you and your questions? For once, can’t I get a little privacy in my life?” He slammed the drawer and stood up. “Do me a favor and back off. I’m a big boy. Yes, I know Ally very well, and I’ve got my eyes wide open. So don’t worry about me.”
We glared at each other a moment, then I broke the silence. “You’re right, of course. You’re a grown man, and I should trust that you know what you’re doing. I’ll try not to worry, but you know that’s not easy for me.” I hesitated. “And I’m always here if you ever need to talk.”
His eyes softened. “I know. You’re always there for me. I just—I’d like to handle this part of my life myself, like an adult. Okay?”
“Okay,” I said, nodding. “So let’s get to work. We have some jobs coming up next week. We’ll need to go over the menus, make our shopping lists and do some early prep work. I’ll be helping out at Maybelline’s for a few days until May gets back.”
“Helping out how?”
I sat down at the desk and turned on the computer, trying to appear nonchalant. “She wants me to manage the restaurant, keep an eye on things.”
“Do you really think that’s a good idea? Do you even know how to manage a restaurant?”
“Of course I do.” I looked up at him and rolled my eyes. “I went to culinary school, didn’t I? Took restaurant management classes. I certainly know my way around a kitchen. And May’s staff is capable and efficient. They’ll keep things running smoothly.”
“Then why does she need you?”
“I told you. To keep an eye on things. There’s lots involved with running a restaurant.”
“I don’t know, Trudie. I have a bad feeling about the place after what happened last night. I don’t think you should get involved.” Zach ran his hands through his hair, a sure sign of his growing anxiety.
I walked over to him and put my hands on his arms. “Zach, there is nothing to worry about. They have a great staff, fantastic food, wonderful ambiance. It’ll be fun to manage a restaurant for a change. Think about it. I’ll get the chance to boss everyone else around instead of just you.”
CONVINCING DANIEL WAS another story, like trying to coax a lobster into a pot of boiling water.
“No, Trudie. You are not spending the next few days in that restaurant,” he persisted over the
phone.
“Daniel, I promised May I would help her out, and I’m not going back on my word.”
“A murder was committed there just last night. It might be dangerous for you.” He was breathing heavily into the receiver.
“Dangerous how?” I asked. “You arrested the so-called murderer last night. She’s in police custody. So how am I in danger?”
“Yes, we arrested May because all evidence pointed to her, and I would have looked like an idiot if I tried to convince Sergeant Flowers and the other officers not to. But Trudie, I’m listening to you, too. You know May well and you don’t think she did it.”
I smiled. “You’re actually listening to me?”
“I’m investigating every angle. And, yes. I’m also seeing that it’s possible she didn’t kill her brother.” His voice softened. “Trudie, I don’t want you to put yourself in a dangerous situation. I care about you.”
I melted like a chocolate-covered cherry left outside on a warm summer day. “I love that you care about me.”
“Then you’re not going to work at Maybelline’s?”
“Yes, I am going to help May out. I promised her.”
“Trudie, please.”
“Daniel, it’s going to be fine. I’ll either be in the kitchen or the dining room, always with other people around. I’m not going to stand out in the alley alone on a dark night like Micah did. I won’t even stand out there in the daylight.”
“Well, if you insist on doing this, there’s not much I can do about it. But I’ll be sending patrols periodically during the day and evening to check things out. And I will escort you home every evening. Okay?”
“Okay. That will work. And Daniel?” Uh, oh, here comes the oven timer that will really set him off.
“Yes?”
“I’m going to be living with May for a while.”
Chapter Five
“Living with May? At her house?” Daniel’s voice had risen an octave. I held the receiver away from my ear. “Why?”