A Pizza To Die For

by None

  “I’m sorry, but I already told Bob Lemon,” Maddy said. That wasn’t strictly the truth, since it had been the other way around, but it was a clever way to get Bob’s knowledge of Nathan’s wealth out in the open without incriminating him.

  “Don’t worry about him. He’s a good man, and I know he’ll keep quiet about what he knows.” Nathan paused, and then as he looked at Maddy, he added, “Especially if you’re the one asking him.”

  I couldn’t believe it, but my sister actually blushed at that. “You’re right. You can trust him. I’ll talk to him.”

  “I appreciate it. Anyway, back to my story. I asked the pair of them what they wanted to do with their lives, since they were both kind of adrift. Judson said he’d always dreamed of running a real old-fashioned pizzeria, and I wanted him near me. I told him I was stone broke, but that I had a friend who invested in things like that, and I set the deal up through someone in Hickory so they’d have no idea I was involved.” He turned to me as he added, “That’s why he opened Italia’s right on your doorstep, Eleanor. I’m sorry about that. I wasn’t thinking what that would do to your business; but when The Shady Lady closed down, it seemed to work out beautifully for us.”

  “What did Gina want?” Maddy asked.

  “Nothing more than to move here and stay with me,” he said proudly. “She wasn’t due to move until next week, but Judson’s death has moved things up. There’re lots of details to see to about her brother’s arrangements, and I don’t have the heart to do any of it. Besides, if we’re being straight up about it, I hardly knew the boy. But that chance is gone now, and I owe someone a load of buckshot for robbing me of it.”

  “I’m so sorry for your loss,” I said. “I know what it’s like to lose family.” I thought about how different I’d felt since losing Joe, and how I could still feel his presence from time to time, as though he’d never been ripped away from me.

  Nathan nodded. “I appreciate that, but I’ll tell you something I’ve never admitted to anyone before in my life. I’d give up every square foot of land I own if I could have had the same relationship with my brother growing up that you and your sister have right now, and that’s the honest truth.”

  What could we say to that? Maddy and I didn’t always see eye to eye, but when things got tough, we were always there for each other. I knew, even more than Nathan did, what he’d missed growing up with a brother like that, and he had my sympathy.

  We had just finished talking when I saw a striking brunette in her mid-twenties come around the corner. Her six-inch heels buried themselves into the soil with each step she took, and her short skirt pulled up with each attempt to free herself. She finally found a patch of solid ground and moved quickly toward us.

  When she spoke, the illusion of her beauty was suddenly diminished. Gina’s words were like acid as she lashed out at us, “Why are you two bothering my uncle? He’s in no shape to talk to anyone.”

  “Gina, cool your jets,” Nathan said. “These ladies are friends of mine, and I’ll ask you to keep a respectful tone in your voice when you address them, do you hear me? This is Eleanor,” he said as he bobbed his head toward me, “and this is Maddy.”

  “Sorry,” she said quickly to us. “I just don’t want him to have to deal with any drama right now. If you’ll excuse us, we have some details to go over for the funeral.”

  I nodded. “We’re sorry for your loss, and we understand completely. Nathan, if there’s anything we can do, just let us know.”

  “We will,” Gina said as she moved to block us off from her uncle.

  Maddy and I took the hint, so we walked back to her car.

  “Wow,” I said, “she comes on like a hurricane, doesn’t she? Did she look to you as though she even noticed that someone killed her brother?”

  “Maybe she keeps it all bottled up inside.”

  “Maybe,” I said.

  As we got into Maddy’s car, she asked, “Is it terrible that I’m beginning to wonder if she’s going to take over the pizzeria?”

  “I’ve been thinking about the exact same thing,” I admitted. “She doesn’t look the type to me. Does she to you?”

  Maddy shrugged. “Who knows? Most of the people who know me outside of Timber Ridge would be amazed that I’m working in a pizzeria.”

  “You’re more than an employee, and you know it,” I said as we drove.

  “Co-owner?” she asked with a grin.

  I had to laugh at the way she’d asked. “Not in your wildest dreams. Would you be happy with ‘valuable assistant manager’?”

  “I’ll have to be, won’t I?”

  “You bet,” I said with a grin of my own.

  “Okay, I’ll take it. Will you have business cards made up for me, or should I do it myself?”

  We were both joking, but I didn’t want her teasing about it with Greg and Josh. “Let’s just keep this promotion between the two of us, okay? We can’t afford to make waves right now.”

  “Sis, I would never do anything to alienate the guys.”

  “I know that,” I said, though I wasn’t entirely sure that it was true.

  As we neared the downtown area, it was time for a decision. “What should we do next?”

  I glanced at my watch. “I hate to break it to you, but there’s no time to talk to anyone else. I need to make two batches of dough this morning, one to use fresh, and one to freeze. Our inventory was completely wiped out yesterday, remember?”

  “I’m not about to forget,” she said. “My feet are still killing me.”

  “That’s what comes from not wearing sensible shoes,” I said. I was a big fan of tennis shoes, and I’d been trying to get Maddy to work in them as well, all to no avail.

  “Maybe so, but I look good, and that’s worth a little extra pain every now and then, to say nothing of the tips I get when I look especially nice.”

  “If you say so.”

  As we drove to the Slice, I said, “Nathan told us that his niece doesn’t want to do anything but stay there with him, but Gina doesn’t exactly look like the stay-at-home type, does she?”

  Maddy frowned. “Now that you mention it, she does look as though she’d fit in better in Charlotte or New York than in Timber Ridge.”

  “I hate to break it to her, but if she’s serious about being around her uncle and getting to know him, she’s going to have to get used to our quaint little town.”

  “I give her a week,” Maddy said.

  “Before she gets bored out of her skull and leaves?” I asked.

  “No, until she breaks down completely. You know what, Eleanor? It might be fun to watch.”

  “Have I ever told you that you’ve got a mean streak, Sis?” I asked.

  “I’m not being particularly cruel. I made the transition myself, so I’m in a position to know,” Maddy said.

  “We’ll see,” I said as we parked in back of the promenade. “She might just surprise us both.”

  I actually enjoyed living in our town and running the pizzeria, though I knew there were plenty of people who didn’t like where they lived or what they did for a living. I had a house I loved, and I was my own boss, which made me the toughest employer I’d ever worked for, but it gave me a sense of permanency in the world that I had always craved. The other reason I stayed in Timber Ridge was much less practical. Joe and I had started A Slice of Delight together, and every time I walked through the front door, I still expected to see him there, waiting to wrap me up in one of those bear hugs he always loved giving me. Joe would have loved the weather we were having now. Autumn was by far his favorite time of year, and for the umpteenth time, I wished he was there to enjoy it with me one more time. I didn’t have him beside me any longer, but I did have more memories than I could count, and a sister by my side who truly loved me.

  She’d admitted to me once that she’d been looking her entire life for what I’d found, and I was grateful for every moment I’d spent with my husband.

  “You’re awfully quiet,”
Maddy said as we walked through the shortcut toward the promenade. “Thinking about Joe again?”

  “Is it that obvious?” I asked.

  “Just to people who know you.” She looked down the promenade as we came out onto the wide swath of brick pavers. “Tell you what. Let’s go over to Paul’s Pastries and see what kind of goodies he has for the season before we get started.”

  I thought about my expanding waistline, and then I put it far from my mind. “I’m game if you are.” On an impulse, I started running toward the bakery. “Race you there. Last one pays.”

  Maddy began laughing as she ran, and I felt the burden of my deep thoughts desert me. It was a day for joy, a day filled with sunshine, both inside our hearts and out in the real world, and I wanted to savor every moment of it. Whenever murder visited Timber Ridge, it reminded me of just how important it was to hold onto every precious moment that came my way, to cherish it, and then to file it away to enjoy again at another time.

  “Are you two drunk this early in the day?” Paul asked as we raced inside his store, laughing the entire time. The aromas coming from the back were even fattening, but I didn’t let that stop me from inhaling the ambrosia deeply.

  “On life, maybe,” I said. “What’s good today, Paul?”

  The tall and lanky young man smiled at me. “That’s like asking me who my favorite kid is, if I had children, that is.”

  I looked in the display and saw that something new had been added to his offerings. “What’s that?”

  He pulled one out and showed it to me. “I’m kind of proud of this. It’s a pumpkin muffin with cinnamon nutmeg glaze and a few sprinkles thrown in just for fun. Would you like one?”

  “We’ll take two,” Maddy said.

  “Each, or all together?”

  For some reason, the question made us both giggle, and I said, “Two total.”

  As I paid for our treats—despite winning the race—Paul said, “There’s something I want to tell you, but I don’t know how to say it without sounding like I’m heartless. I’m sorry that man had to die, but I hope it keeps you in business. Any word about what they are going to do with it?”

  “Not a clue,” I said, in total honesty. I truly had no idea, and it hadn’t even occurred to me to ask Nathan earlier. After the discussion I’d had with Maddy on the drive over, I couldn’t see Gina running it; but then again, I’d been wrong before. “Thanks for the treats.”

  “You’re most welcome,” he said.

  As we made our way to the Slice, I couldn’t help myself and reached in to pinch off a bit of one muffin.

  “Hey, no fair,” Maddy said. “If you’re going to eat yours, I want mine.”

  I looked at my watch. “We’ve got a little time, and the sun feels really warm today. Why don’t we go get a couple of coffees and eat these out here?”

  “That sounds great. I’ll be right back,” she said as she started back to Paul’s. Then she stopped abruptly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “No more sneaking bites. Agreed?”

  I pulled my hand out of the bag and nodded. “Okay, you win. But if you’re not back in three minutes, all bets are off.”

  She hurried into the bakery, and I found a nearby bench where I could enjoy the sun.

  I must have closed my eyes, because the next thing I knew, someone was blocking my light.

  “That was fast, even for you,” I said.

  “I hadn’t realized you were expecting me,” a familiar voice said.

  I opened my eyes to find Art Young—our well-dressed local shady character—standing there looming over me.

  I started to stand as well, and Art said, “Please, I didn’t mean to interrupt your leisure time. I know how little of it you manage to get.”

  He was a slim man, with light blond hair carefully styled, and he had an air of civility about him, despite all the rumors of his shady activities I’d heard recounted. We’d formed an odd friendship over the years, though no one else seemed to understand it, including Maddy.

  “It’s fine,” I said as I moved over on the bench. “Join me.”

  Dapper as ever, Art brushed at the bench with his gloved hand before sitting down.

  “I understand you’ve had a bit of trouble,” he said. “I just this moment got back into town, so forgive me for not coming by sooner.”

  “It’s okay. I’m not directly involved in the murder investigation,” I said.

  He shook his head. “I know you are not that naïve, Eleanor. When a competitor dies, the second person the authorities look at is the person with the most to gain financially.”

  “I’m curious. Who’s the first?”

  “Love interests: wives, girlfriends, mistresses. There’s more passion there, and murder can be a very spur-of-the-moment event. Has our esteemed chief of police spoken with you yet?”

  “Briefly,” I admitted. Some of the glory of the day was fading under the reality Art was offering, but it was counsel I needed to hear.

  “He’ll be back soon, I have no doubt about that,” he said. “Is there anything I can do?”

  I was about to say no, and then changed my mind. “As a matter of fact, there is.”

  Art looked surprised by my response, and there was a hint of pleasure in his expression as well. “Just name it, and if it is in my power to grant, it is yours for the asking.”

  “Maddy and I have decided to look into the murder ourselves so neither of us gets steamrolled by the police,” I admitted, something I wouldn’t say out loud to many folks in Timber Ridge.

  “A wise precaution,” Art said.

  “I’ve been wondering about the murder victim. There could be lots of reasons he was killed besides trying to wipe out my pizzeria.”

  Art started ticking off the fingers of his gloved hand. “Love, money, revenge, protection, all these things come to mind.”

  “We’re looking into a few of those ourselves, but we don’t have any contacts in the area that Judson Sizemore comes from. Do you know anyone in Chastain?” It was a town twenty minutes from Timber Ridge, the place where the Sizemores had lived. It amazed me that Nathan had been located that close to his brother and yet had still been estranged from him all those years. Then I realized that there are more distances in life than could be seen on a map.

  He nodded. “I have several acquaintances there,” Art admitted.

  “But no friends?”

  His smile was a wry one. “Eleanor, I can count my friendships on one hand, with fingers left over.” He looked at me covertly, and then added softly, “I hope I can include you in that list.”

  “You know you can,” I said, meaning it.

  He smiled with an air of satisfaction. “I’m sure many people in our community wonder about that.”

  “Let them,” I said. “I don’t submit my friendships for their approval, and I don’t expect them to consult me about theirs, either.”

  He stood, brushed the seat of his pants lightly, and then said, “That’s good to hear. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Don’t go to any special trouble,” I said. “Just ask around when you get the chance.”

  He looked down at me. “How many times have you asked for my assistance with anything?”

  I thought about it for a moment, and then admitted, “I can’t remember ever asking you for a favor before.”

  “Because you never have,” he said. “Our balance sheet leans heavily in your favor, so any opportunity I can get to even things out is always welcome.”

  “I don’t put my friendships on a scale, Art. That’s not what it’s about as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Of course not,” he said quickly, clearly chastened by my comment. “Just know that I am thrilled to do this favor for you.”

  He looked behind me and said, “Good morning.”

  Maddy nodded. “Morning.”

  There was an awkward silence for a moment or two, and then Art left us with a wave of his hand.

  “I still can’t beli
eve you are friends with that man,” Maddy said as she handed me a cup of coffee.

  “Do you honestly want to have that conversation again?” I asked.

  “You know what? I really don’t. Today is too pretty to spoil.” She looked at the bag in my hand. “Now, are you going to hand one of those over, or am I going to have to take it from you?”

  “Don’t be so grabby,” I said with a smile as I gave her a muffin. “There’s plenty for both of us.”

  I’d taken my first bite when I heard a pair of high heels clicking up the promenade toward us.

  Why did I have a sudden premonition that this wasn’t going to be someone I wanted to talk to?

  I turned to find Gina Sizemore approaching with a look of anger plastered on her pretty face.

  It appeared that I wasn’t going to get to enjoy my treat after all.

  Chapter 6

  “Good morning, Gina,” I said as she neared us. “How are you today?” Because of the expression on her face, I decided to stand when I greeted her. It wouldn’t do to be caught unable to flee, though I hoped it didn’t come to that.

  “Stay away from my uncle,” she said flatly.

  “You can’t be serious,” I said. “You heard what he said. He’s our friend.”

  Her face screwed up into a deep frown, and her attractiveness took an instant nosedive, at least in my mind. “You both tricked him, and you know it. I won’t have you harassing him anymore, do you understand?”

  “We never harassed him,” Maddy said, her voice matching Gina’s state of agitation. She decided to stand as well, and the three of us were faced off like gunfighters in the Wild West.

  “I heard what you were talking about when I got there. Why were you grilling him about my brother? It’s none of your business, and now he’s upset about your involvement in the case. He sent me here to tell you that he never wants to see either one of you again.”

  “We didn’t kill Judson,” I said a little louder than I should have.

  “The police believe you both are suspects. Would you care to deny that?” There was real anger behind her glare this time.

  “I have no control over what the police think,” I said. “Your uncle didn’t suspect us when we spoke this morning. What changed his mind so quickly?”