Fireworks and Waffles (The Diner of the Dead Series Book 18)

by Carolyn Q. Hunter

  “Not that I can think of,” she admitted.

  “That’s okay.”

  “I have a question,” Frank mentioned, his voice serious like it always was when he was conducting an investigation.

  “Oh?” Diana said.

  “I was wondering, do you happen to know how I can get in contact with Tina Trivilli? I haven’t been able to get in touch with her on her phone or at home.”

  “Mrs. Trivilli? You mean she still doesn’t know what happened at the parade?” Diana gasped.

  Frank mournfully shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Unless she was there at the parade. But the fact that she isn’t at home or answering her phone worries me.”

  “That’s terrible.” She opened her purse and began to shuffle through its contents, eventually pulling out a little black contact book and day planner. Sonja was surprised to see that some people still used tried and true paper contacts during the digital age of cell phones. It made her want one herself. “All I can give you is her cell phone number, her home phone number, and her work number.”

  “Where does she work?” Sonja asked.

  “She is the volunteer coordinator at the local woman’s shelter.”

  This was news to Sonja. She hadn’t followed Trivilli’s campaign very closely and knew very little about Tina. From the brief encounter, she had with Trivilli’s wife she would have never pegged her as someone who gave back to the community. Sonja had a newfound respect for the woman.

  However, her sudden absence after her husband’s death did raise some suspicions Sonja couldn’t ignore.

  “If she doesn’t answer any of those numbers, then I don’t know what to tell you.”

  “That’s quite all right. I’ll just need to keep on trying,” Frank admitted.

  “Anything else you need to ask me?” She looked from Sonja to Frank.

  “That’s all for now,” Frank answered with a solemn nod.

  “Well, good luck.” Stepping away from the bed she headed for the door.

  CHAPTER 11

  * * *

  “You haven’t been able to track down Trivilli’s wife yet?” Sonja asked Frank, still surprised there had been no sign of the woman.

  He shook his head, taking a seat next to her on the hospital bed. “I’ve tried all the normal routes to find her. Work phone, cell phone, house calls, all of it. She’s nowhere to be seen.”

  “You don’t find that suspicious at all? I mean, Trivilli dies and his wife suddenly seems to vanish into thin air?”

  “I’m aware of the possible implications, but I can’t make any assumptions until I have more solid evidence. So far, everything I have is circumstantial. I can’t arrest Carol just because she built the float that happened to explode. I have to have concrete proof that she planted an explosive on board. Similarly, I can’t assume Tina Trivilli murdered her husband just because she up and vanished.”

  “I know all that,” Sonja argued. She’d been on enough murder cases as a witness to understand how the whole system worked. She had a great intuition for this kind of thing, partially because of her supernatural senses, but also just because she had a good eye for detail. “I’m just saying that it seems suspicious.”

  “I agree. However, it is just as possible that she has gone and hid somewhere out of grief, not guilt.”

  All this thinking, talking, and speculation was making her thirsty. Spotting a cup of water on the bedside, she tried to grab it, but it was just out of reach.

  “Let me,” Frank offered, handing it to her.

  “Thanks,” she said, tipping the cup back and taking a long drink from it.

  “Can I get you anything else?”

  “Tina seems like the only one with a motive, doesn’t she?” Sonja pointed out, ignoring her boyfriend’s question and returning immediately to the topic at hand.

  “How is that?” He cocked one eyebrow at her.

  “I just don’t see a motive for Carol, not one that’s worth killing over. Also, she was with you when I got pushed off the balcony.”

  He knew she was right about that. It didn’t rule out that the person who had pushed her was someone completely different than the murderer.

  “Tina, even in the brief moment I met her, seemed more concerned about her husband’s money than his happiness.”

  “Keep in mind that she turned down money when Trivilli offered it to her. He told her he’d increase her allowance.”

  Sonja wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Allowance. What is she, his kid?”

  “The point is, she can’t be completely driven by money. Besides, what kind of money grubbing gold digger would work for the last ten years at the local woman’s shelter?”

  “One who was tired of the stress of her day to day job? I mean, working in that kind of position can’t be easy. I bet she see’s horrible things every day.”

  “Still, she turned down an offer of money from her husband.”

  “Or she just knew that there was an explosive on board,” Sonja pointed at her boyfriend determinedly. “She knew she was going to get all of his money soon, anyway, so a little bribe wasn’t going to do it for her.”

  Frank scratched his chin while he thought about this. “It’s possible, but as usual, just pure speculation.”

  “Do you have any better theories?”

  “Maybe,” he offered, standing up.

  “Like what?”

  He walked over to the door. “Even if I had any answers, I wouldn’t be able to share them. You know that. Still, I need to know more about what happened at the Town Hall this afternoon.”

  “You mean when I got pushed?”

  “I mean,” he hesitated, making sure they were still alone before closing the door shut, “I need to know if there was anything supernatural going on when you were attacked.”

  “Why, whatever would make you think that?” she replied sarcastically, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

  “Come on, Sonj’. That comment about old-timey music?”

  “What if it was just the janitor listening to the radio?” she continued to tease him.

  Frank slumped his shoulders and groaned. “Sorry, you’re right. Ever since I found out that you can talk to ghosts I can’t help but see things in the shadows everywhere.”

  “I know how that is, but you’re right,” she admitted, dropping her game.

  “I’m right?” he perked up, both eyebrows raising curiously.

  “That music was supernatural.”

  He snapped his fingers. “I knew it. Something about the whole thing just seemed off.”

  “Did you feel a tingle down your spine when she said it?”

  “That’s exactly how it felt.” He looked at her curiously.

  “It’s how I know when there is a ghost or other paranormal entity nearby.”

  Frank paused, musing over this new fact. “But I don’t have a sixth sense. How come I felt it?”

  “Everyone has the ability to sense ghosts, even if they can’t talk to them or see them as easily as I do. You’re just slowly beginning to tune into those subtle feelings.”

  “I’m training myself to sense ghosts?”

  “Right. That’s how Belinda learned to talk to ghosts.”

  “Wait, what?”

  Sonja instantly wanted to suck the words back into her mouth. She didn’t know if Belinda wanted others knowing that she’d studied for years to speak to ghosts. Of course, years earlier when she was in grade school she had bragged about her ability to “see ghosts” and no one believed her. She’d become the town outcast.

  Sonja figured it was okay if Frank knew, as long as he wasn’t aware of the secret occult section of the library.

  “Belinda can see ghosts, too? She was telling the truth all these years?”

  Sonja groaned inwardly. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything, but she is an avid student of the occult.”

  “I wouldn’t say her interest in the occult is a big secret.” He had worked on other cases where Belinda was invol
ved. He knew she kept weird things like shrunken heads, black candles, and fancy daggers.

  “She isn’t a natural medium like me. Instead, she uses rituals to contact the other side. She’s trained herself to get to the point she’s at.”

  “She always seemed a little weird.”

  Sonja shot him a scolding glance.

  He poured himself a cup of water from the plastic pitcher and drank it. “Okay, tell me, what really happened at the Town Hall today?”

  Sonja went into the details about the strange music, the odd radio, hearing her own scream, and then being pushed.

  “A supernatural radio?” he asked, still a little skeptical.

  “I’m ninety-nine percent positive.”

  “It could have just been a random scream they played back over the radio just to scare you,” Frank pointed out, his ever-constant logic fighting against his new-found knowledge of the spiritual realm.

  “No, it was my voice. I know it.”

  Frank paused. Clearly, the idea of cursed or haunted objects was still a little too out there for him.

  Sonja hesitated about her next statement but decided she didn’t have any other choice but to tell him. “I know that the radio was haunted and could tell the future because I have one like it in my van.”

  “What?” he exclaimed, a look of surprise coming over his face.

  Sonja explained that it had just randomly shown up on the doorstep, how she’d heard the prediction of the explosion, and ultimately how she believed it had predicted another murder that would be happening soon if they didn’t do anything.

  “You knew that the accident at the parade was going to happen?” he scolded.

  “Don’t talk to me like I’ve done something wrong because I haven’t,” she shot back. “It wasn’t like I knew what the sound was or even that the thing could predict the future.”

  “Still, I can’t believe it. And you think that there is going to be another murder?”

  “I know it,” Sonja confirmed.

  “Okay, give me the keys to your van. I’m going to take the radio into evidence.”

  “And mark it as what? Suspicious radio?”

  “I’m serious,” he retorted.

  “I know you are. I’m just saying, we have no idea what this thing is capable of. I need to take it to Belinda and see if she knows anything about it. She’s read way more on these types of things than me.”

  He stood up. “You’re not going anywhere. The doctor wants to keep you here overnight, just in case there are any other residual issues from your fall.”

  “I can’t stay here,” she argued back at her boyfriend. What did he expect her to do, just sit around and wait for someone else to get murdered? “Who knows what might happen? Also, I’m like a sitting duck here if the killer decides to come back and finish me off.”

  “I agree, that’s why one of the deputies is going to sit right outside your door all night.”

  “This is ridiculous.”

  “Look, I’m worried. This killer seems to be more dangerous than other ones we’ve faced. They’re willing to just set off a dangerous firework in the middle of a parade and willing to push you off the balcony without a single qualm.”

  “Even more reason for me to help figure this out.”

  “Even more reason for you to stay here.”

  “Seriously, Frank?”

  “I’m not taking any chances,” he asserted, folding his arms.

  Even through his uniform, she could see his muscles bulging. Despite how annoyed she felt by the current situation, he was even more attractive when he asserted himself.

  “I can’t have you involved in this case any more than you already are.”

  “How am I going to figure out more about the radio without being able to go see Belinda?”

  Frank huffed, realizing that this was an issue. “I’ll bring the radio back here to your room. Then I’ll stop by the library and see if Belinda is there. If she is, I’ll tell her to come here to see you.”

  Sonja didn’t like that solution, but it didn’t seem like she had another choice in the matter. “Fine. I suppose that’ll have to do.”

  CHAPTER 12

  * * *

  After Frank left, Sonja wanted to try and do some research online about the radio. Unfortunately, her body was completely worn out from the day’s events, and she ended up falling asleep.

  It wasn’t until around six in the evening when she opened her eyes again. A rolling boom shook her awake, scaring her into believing that more fireworks were going off. Instead, the white flash that came through the window, along with the sound of water pelting the roof above her, made her realize that the storm outside had only picked up since her arrival at the hospital.

  A quiet knock on the door drew her attention and she saw her father standing there, holding a plastic bag with takeout boxes in it.

  “Dad,” she sighed, grateful to see him.

  “I brought you dinner.” He held up the bag.

  “Are you allowed to do that?”

  “I have no idea, but no one stopped me.” He smiled wryly, walking over and sitting down.

  “What is it?”

  He set the bag down next to her. “Just a burger and fries.”

  “I don’t care, it sounds amazing. I’m starved.” Grabbing the bag, she pulled out the takeout box. Opening it, she revealed the crispy golden French fries, still steaming from the fryer. The hamburger looked like something out of a magazine, perfectly formed lettuce and tomatoes topping the slab of meat and placed between two perfectly brown buns with sesame seeds arranged evenly on top.

  Grabbing the first fry, she popped it into her mouth and felt her mouth water from the salty taste. “Delicious.” She began to wonder how she could incorporate that taste into one of her own recipes.

  “Also, I brought this.” Reaching into his damp coat pocket, he dug around a little bit before pulling out a small handkerchief he had enclosed in his palm.

  “What is it?”

  Unfolding it, he showed her the little green crystal wrapped inside. “I ran over to the town center after I left earlier. Luckily, the janitor hadn’t cleaned everything up yet.”

  “You found that on the floor where I fell?”

  “That’s right. It was in the rubble from a broken radio.”

  “I knocked it down when I went over the edge,” she admitted.

  “The thing splintered into a bunch of pieces. This was still attached to a piece of wire from the inner workings.”

  “What is it?”

  Slowly, he set it on the table next to her. “As far as I could tell, there was not a single other electrical component that could receive transmissions on the radio. It was just this crystal, some wires, and the speakers.”

  “It was playing music when I came up the stairs.”

  He sat down in a chair next to the bed and let out a huff. “So, it’s supernatural then?”

  “It is.”

  “I knew it. This crystal must be a transmitter for energy waves from the spirit realm.” Crystals and stones were strong conduits for ghosts and dark magic. Sonja had encountered her fair share of them and wasn’t surprised it was what powered the radio. She wondered if the radio Frank was supposed to be bringing had the same kind of crystal. “I’ve been very careful not to touch it, just in case it has dangerous powers.”

  “Well, I’m not sure dangerous is the right word. Frightening, maybe?”

  “What does it do?” Her father asked.

  “As far as I can tell, it can predict the future.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Really? That’s quite a feat.”

  “Well, don’t get too excited,” she warned him. “It’s not like a fortune teller or anything. It just plays sound clips of some indeterminate point in the future, as far as I can tell.”

  “How do you know all of that?”

  Sonja bit her lower lip, not wanting to tell him all the details. She was getting tired of the men in her life worrying a
bout her.

  “Well?”

  It looked like there was no getting out of this. “I received a radio just like it in the mail the other day. It predicted the accident at the parade.”

  Leaning back, he looked concerned. “Where is it now?”

  “Frank is supposed to be bringing it here.”

  “Here? Sonja, you have no idea what that thing is capable of.”

  “Would you rather me just let it sit in the back of my van while other people potentially die? Maybe even me?”

  “Of course not.”

  “This thing could help me figure out who killed Trivilli and who tried to kill me.”

  Her father looked down at the floor and shook his head. “I was really hoping none of this would ever happen to you.”

  “What do you mean? That I inherited your supernatural powers?”

  “Not just that. It sounds like someone is hunting you,” Sonja’s father picked a fry out of the box and ate it, chewing nervously. Eating was his way of coping with stress and it often showed in the small belly he had gained.

  “Hunting me?”

  “Like I’ve warned you before, evil forces are attracted to your power.” He grabbed another fry and downed it. “I think we may be dealing with a witch.”

  “Dad, I’m almost positive we’re dealing with a witch. That isn’t new news.”

  “You knew it might be a witch and you didn’t tell me? You know how dangerous they can be,” he barked.

  “I do, that’s right. I’ve dealt with witches before. Belinda believes that whoever it is keeps feeding off the negative energies left over by the murders here in Haunted Falls.”

  “And all you have is a frumpy deputy outside to protect you?” he shot back.

  “The deputy is fine,” she groaned.

  “I’m worried, Sonja.”

  “I know,” she snapped, getting tired of always being treated like some delicate flower. “I’m getting kind of sick of you and Frank and everyone else always fretting over me like I’m five years old. I’m the reason most of the murders in this town have been solved and I’ve also faced off against my fair share of evil spirits.”