by Lynn Cahoon
“Can’t. You know Sunday mornings and late-night Saturdays don’t mix.” She hopped into the truck and put on her seat belt. When he came around the other side and started the engine, she added, “That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.”
“At least I know what to expect with you.”
He turned up the music, and they didn’t talk for a while. Angie watched mostly fields go by on the side of the road. Every once in a while, Ian would point out a hawk or a dog roaming the countryside. Finally, they were on the access road to the freeway. She pointed to the hotel that was on the other side of the road. “According to Chris, that’s where Nubbins and Tara hung out.”
“Far enough outside of Boise not to run into his wife, but right on the freeway for easy access. Makes sense.” He merged into traffic and then looked at her. “I take it we’re going to the Tea House?”
“Yep and I’m going to show you the plant. Your uncle is going to believe me. I don’t know if she actually killed Chef Nubbins, but if she didn’t, she at least has to explain why she has a toxic plant in her garden. Maybe he broke it off. Maybe he didn’t want to see her anymore. Maybe he was going back to his wife, or worse, had found another lover. You never know.”
“There’s a lot of maybes in that scenario.” He changed lanes, aiming toward the connector off-ramp.
“True, but it gives her motive and opportunity if even one of my maybes turns to fact.” She glanced at her phone. Felicia had texted, asking when she’d be in today. She glanced at Ian. “Where do you want breakfast?”
“You’re the food expert. I’ll just drive.” He turned up the music.
Angie glanced at her watch. They were less than fifteen minutes away from the teahouse, even if the traffic got worse. Then, if they went to the Omelet Shop on Broadway, they could be done and on their way back to the house by ten thirty, eleven at the latest. She texted “before noon” as her answer, and got back a quick “K.”
Slipping the phone back into her purse, she leaned back to enjoy the ride. Now the view was of retail strip malls and businesses. The rural feel had disappeared almost immediately when they drove into Meridian to get onto the freeway. Boise was getting bigger by the month. Which was great for business, but as a longtime resident of the area, it made her a little sad.
Ian swore under his breath as a red convertible swerved in front of him and he slammed on the brakes. He took a quick glance into the rearview and sighed. “People drive like idiots.”
“Especially at fifty-five miles an hour. I bet no one but us is staying under the speed limit.”
A touch of pink bloomed on Ian’s cheeks. “Make that no one. I’m five miles over the limit as it is.”
“Why, you bad boy.” She dug in her purse. “Maybe I should call your uncle and tell him you’re breaking the law.”
“Maybe I should call my uncle and tell him what we did last month when we went to Santa Barbara for the weekend,” he countered.
“No way. You tell him that, and there will be a shotgun wedding. I don’t think he believes in premarital anything. Including kissing.” She knew she was blushing as he navigated the downtown streets to the restaurant.
“We’ll keep our secrets then.” He pointed down the street. “The herb garden is on the other side of the corner. I’ll pull up and park right there on the street and wait. You run and get the picture. If you run into anyone, you were just getting a feel for your own garden.”
“Great cover.” She hopped out of the truck with her phone. “Don’t leave without me.”
She sprinted across the parking lot and then climbed the steps to the garden, where the patio opened up seating for customers. She glanced at the window, estimated where they’d been sitting near the exterior wall, then turned back to the garden. The plant should be there, next to the wall of pavers that went up to the fountain and the patio. She scanned the area for the trumpet-shaped flower. She went closer and snapped several pictures. Then she ran back to the truck.
She strapped in and nodded to Ian.
When they were several blocks away, he pulled over to the side of the road in a residential area. “Did you get it? Let me see this bad boy plant.”
She opened the camera roll and held out her phone. He took it and flipped through a few pictures. “I don’t understand. I don’t see anything.”
“The plant was there on Monday. And it’s gone today. The dirt’s disturbed where it was. She didn’t even bother to cover it up.” Angie leaned on the door, watching Ian. “Does this mean she really did do it?”
Chapter 16
“We don’t have any proof that the plant was even there,” Ian said for the third time since they’d ordered breakfast.
Angie was digging into her chicken fried steak, trying to block out the disappointment she felt at not being able to prove to Sheriff Brown what she’d seen. “Just because we can’t prove it doesn’t mean it’s not true.”
“It makes it harder for Allen to do anything about it.” He covered her hand. “Let him talk to the barista and the hotel. If there’s proof, that’s where he’s going to find it.”
“You’re right. But I keep thinking all we needed was one picture. Maybe I shouldn’t have Bleak come to the fair with us on Friday. Maybe it’s not safe.”
“No one is going to mess with you. According to Allen, they’ve upped the security at the event. Hired off-duty police officers rather than the temp guys they had last weekend. And someone’s going to be at the area twenty-four seven.” He finished his juice and glanced at his watch. “Are you about ready? I’ve got a meeting coming up.”
“Sure, I feed you, then you leave. What’s up with that?” Angie pushed the half-eaten plate away. “I guess I’m just not very hungry today. Let’s go.”
When he pulled the truck into the driveway after the quiet trip home, he grabbed her arm as she tried to get out. “Look, I’m sure he believes you about the plant. He wouldn’t be looking into this affair rumor if he didn’t.”
“I know. I’m just tired of getting involved in these things. People lie. They hurt others. And I hate thinking that someone who cooks is like that. Cooking is a gift that you share with the world. Why would one of our own do this?” She closed her eyes. She was talking like a naïve girl rather than a mature woman. “I’m going to call Felicia and tell her I’ll be in after I take Dom for a walk. He deserves some time. And it will make me feel a lot better.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “Take care of yourself. Don’t be taking any stray food samples from anyone.”
“No polished apples from old women who look like they could be witches.” She nodded. “Good advice. I’ll be sure to stay away.”
“I’ll come by the restaurant tonight around closing. Will you eat dinner with me?” He ran a finger up her arm.
“I’ll eat before we start service, but I’m sure I can squeeze out some time for you. Unless you want to come at four.”
“I’ve got meetings up through seven. You eat. I’ll come in and maybe you can share my dessert.”
Angie nodded. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll be looking for you. Tell Felicia to seat you at the back table so I can sneak out of the kitchen easier.”
They said their good-byes and Angie went and unlocked the door, keeping Dom inside with her leg so Ian could back out of the driveway. She pushed her way inside, and Dom sat on his bed with a huff.
“Don’t be getting an attitude. We’re going for a walk, so give me five minutes and we’ll be out of here.” By the time she changed, checked her mail, and made a pit stop, it was closer to ten minutes. Dom still sat right at the door. Waiting. He knew her moods. He knew her words. He listened when she griped about work. He was the perfect boyfriend, except for the fact they were of two different species.
She filled the backpack, then leaned down to give him a hug. “I’m so glad I have you in my life.”
&nb
sp; An hour later, the walk done and her mood elevated, Angie arrived at the County Seat ready to face her day. Felicia was in her office, feet up on Angie’s desk and a laptop perched on her legs. “Hey, how are you?”
“I’m better now. I was feeling a little stressed with everything that’s going on, but Ian assures me that the fair organizers have upgraded the security around the Restaurant Wars area so no one should die on Friday.” She sat in her chair and booted up her computer. “So, there’s that.”
“Sounds like a move in the right direction. I think it’s ironic that the killer is using junk food as a delivery medium for the poison. What if someone had been on a diet? They wouldn’t have eaten the nachos.” Felicia glanced at the laptop. “Anyway, we’re all set for next Sunday’s class. And it’s full. We could get so many more students if we had that room opened already, but I get that we need to take this slow.”
“I just don’t want to be underwater on the financing for the place.” Angie opened the financial records their accountant had sent for approval earlier that week. “Want to go over the budget with me so we can get this back to Kim?”
“Sure. Going over what we actually brought in last month will help with the proposal, anyway. Are you thinking we’ll take this to a bank for a loan?” Felicia closed her laptop and moved her chair around to sit near Angie so she could see the screen.
“Maybe. Or maybe we’ll do it a piece at a time. Cash-flow the renovations. That way, we don’t have to worry about paying back anything.” The costs for the remodel had been high on her worry list. “Oh, and before he gets to you, Ian wants us to talk the neighbor into an option to purchase the house behind us so we can eventually have an herb garden.”
“Mrs. Beverly lives there. She’s in her sixties. She might not sell for years.” Felicia glanced toward the back of the building. “What is Ian thinking?”
“I guess he’s in the long-range planning mode.” Angie went first to the reports that Kim had made as an overview of the business’s financial net worth. “Me, I’m not sure what I’m doing tomorrow.”
“That’s not true, and you know it. But yeah, he’s thinking long-term for the business—and for you.” Felicia gave her a questioning look. “Are you sure he’s not asking about something else?”
Angie shook her head. “Let’s focus on the report, okay?”
After reviewing the monthly report, they looked at the budget. Angie compared the budget with their plan. “Food costs increased last month, but I was buying a lot of fresh vegetables that don’t keep very well. This month, I’ll be moving to more root vegetables that we can store extra from one week to another, so that should drop the costs back into normal range.”
“We need to add more into payroll now that we’ve hired Bleak.” Felicia was taking notes. “Will the fair event increase our payroll hours?”
“I don’t think so. Except for the temp we hired for Hope’s dishwasher duties.” Angie glanced at the work schedule. “I already told Bleak she could come with us. Should I move her back to the restaurant this weekend to cover Hope?”
Felicia shook her head. “No. You should take her with you. From what I’ve heard, the girl hasn’t had much of a childhood ever. She needs to know that having fun is part of life too. Not just work. Did you know she cooked for her entire family from the time she was seven?”
“Seriously?” Angie had felt bad that her parents hadn’t wanted her back. Now she was wondering if Bleak was just lucky to be out of the family home. “No wonder she fits in so well here. She’s a good worker.”
“Yes, she is.” Felicia checked her watch. “But there’s more to life than just being a good worker. Speaking of, the team should start arriving soon. Anything else we need to adjust or talk about?”
“Do you know a guy named Jon Ansley from the area? His wife just died. He’s a lawyer. Has a black labradoodle named Timber?”
“Well, now, that’s pretty specific.” Felicia ran her tongue over her teeth, a habit Angie had seen her do many times when she was thinking hard about something. “I don’t think I’ve met any lawyers. A lot of my friends have husbands who are lawyers, but no one has died recently out of that group. Let me ask around. Why? Is something going on?”
Angie considered telling her the full story, but they didn’t have time before they needed to start prep and get ready for service. “I ran into him and his dog at Centennial Park, and something just feels off about him.”
“Like, ‘could be our murderer’ off?” Felicia flipped her notebook closed and put it on the table that served as her desk in the office. There was room for a second desk, but Felicia had wanted the table, saying that sitting was the new smoking for causing health problems.
“I don’t see how. Unless he’s stalking me, but that’s a stretch. No, he just knew a little too much about me.” She held a hand up to Estebe, who’d just walked into the office. “Just let me know what, if anything, you find out.”
“Will do.” Felicia turned and smiled at Estebe. “Thank you for the flowers. They’re lovely.”
“I’m glad you like them.” He smiled back at her, and for a moment as their gazes met, Angie felt like she was watching a romantic movie. Then he turned back to Angie. “Can you come in and explain how you want this dish plated? We have a disagreement within the troops.”
“I’ll be right there.” Angie sent the approved accounting documents back to Kim and added the next month’s budget. She was great at keeping them in line and on track with spending. When she closed out the computer, she realized Felicia was still standing by her desk. “Sorry, was there something else?”
“No, I’m just thinking about your bad luck in meeting creeps out at the park. Maybe you should find another place to walk Dom.”
“I like walking there.” She stood and took her friend by the arm. “I’ll be fine.”
“You should take Mace.”
“Dom’s enough of a protector for me. Besides, nothing’s going to happen at the park. There’s people in and out of there all the time.” She paused at the kitchen door and let Felicia go. “Let’s have an amazing service tonight.”
“Back at’cha.”
When Angie opened the kitchen door, the smells of tomato bisque mixed with the lamb stew they were showcasing tonight hit her and made her smile. The kitchen was warm and inviting, and exactly where she wanted to be. She called out, “It’s a great day for a great service.”
“Yes, chef.” The voices rang out. She had a full crew today. Estebe, Nancy, Matt, Hope, and even Bleak were working some sort of prep. She’d imagined a life like this from her first days at culinary school. She didn’t find it in California, but since she’d come home, it had been a joy to work with these people.
Estebe waved her over to where he stood with Nancy and Matt. “So, you have two choices…”
* * * *
Friday morning, she sat drinking coffee, thinking about her schedule. She had to be at the fairgrounds by ten. Hope was picking up Bleak and would meet her there. She had about three hours to tighten the main dish idea she and Estebe had developed on Wednesday. She grabbed the ingredients and started setting up for the trial, writing down the recipe and adjustments as she went.
She was just finishing when a knock came to the door. Erica Potter stood on the porch, a basket with empty plastic containers and several small zucchinis in her hands.
“Erica, come on in. You can be my taste tester.” She took the basket from her and set it on the table. “How are things going?”
“Getting ready for classes next week. Grans had a ton of doctor appointments this month.” Erica reached down to give Dom some love. “So I’ve been busy.”
“Is she all right?” Concern for her elderly neighbor made her pause and search Erica’s face for clues.
“Just checkups. She’s fine. Although my folks are coming to get her in September and she’ll be the
re until May. The winter months are expanding this year. They want to take her on a cruise in October.”
“That will be fun.” Angie handed her a plate with the new creation on top. “Try this. So, are you excited about staying at the house this year to finish your classes?”
“You know it. I’ll be the lady of the house until Grans comes back, so don’t forget to come over and see me.” She set the plate down without taking a bite. “And I may have a visitor every once in a while, so don’t freak out or call Grans, okay?”
“You mean you’ll have gentlemen callers?” Angie put the back of her hand to her head and faked a faint. “I’m not sure I can deal with such wantonness.”
“Not sure that’s a word, but yeah, my boyfriend will be visiting.” She grinned as she took a bite. “This is really good. I thought it would be different.”
“Well, hopefully the crowd will like it. I’d like to win one of these contests.” Angie sat at the table next to her.
Erica jumped up. “Speaking of school, my study group is getting together to see what books we need for classes. I’ve got to get down to the bookstore.”
After Erica left, Angie cleaned up the kitchen and then sat with Dom for a few minutes. “I should be home early tonight. The competition is over at six. I’ll drop off Bleak and then come right home instead of stopping at the restaurant. Then we can watch television.”
Apparently, Dom thought that was a great plan and pounded his tail on the wood floor to show his approval. She packed up what she needed in the SUV and left for Boise.
Since it was early, she got parking close to the main gate. She had to show a pass at the front to get in, then she made her way through the wandering crowds to the exhibition site. When she got to the Restaurant Wars gate, a security guard was arguing with Hope and Bleak.
“What’s going on?” Angie stepped in front of the line of others waiting. “What’s wrong?”