by Jenny Kales
“Yeah, sure,” Josh said uncertainly. “Listen, you’re our first customer today. What would you like?”
Rubbing his hands together, Allan turned to the food, choosing pieces of savory zucchini pita, spanakopita and a cup of rice pudding. He gave Josh the allotted number of tickets and stacked his plates precariously on one meaty forearm.
“What is that delightful smell?” Allan asked Callie. Sniffing the air, Callie knew he was most likely speaking about the souvlaki that George was cooking in the tent right next door. Pork was the traditional meat used in Greek souvlaki, so that’s what they cooked at the festival. Tradition was everything today. The souvlaki got a squeeze of lemon after they came off of the grill, and they were served with cool, creamy tzatziki, the luscious cucumber-Greek yogurt sauce.
“Souvlaki. Also known as kebabs. My father, George, is in charge of those today, and he is a master. I’m sure he’ll be happy to serve you some fresh from the grill.”
Allan nodded at the two of them and stuck a piece of spanakopita in his mouth before shuffling off to the next tent. Callie could hear him say, “And of course, you know that Thespis, an ancient Greek, is considered the father of theater…” She shook her head and smiled.
“Did you know Allan Browne was a Greek food fan?” Callie asked Josh.
“Not really. Though, he does seem to enjoy talking about Thespis, so I should have known.”
“I do believe my dad may have just met his match,” Callie said.
***
As the bright afternoon sun faded into a gentle dusk, Callie realized that the crowds were growing exponentially. So far, she’d seen quite a few Callie’s Kitchen regulars, as well as many friends and acquaintances. Tammy Heckstrom was there with her boyfriend, Phil. April Manning was walking around with Raine and Hugh before disappearing into a crowd of young twenty-somethings, just like she had at Beats on the Bay. Josh had served quite a few of his fellow murder mystery players who teased him about “making the doughnuts.”
Tourists milled around eating and shopping at the craft market. Children screamed on the Ferris wheel that had been set up just for the event. Callie was happy to see quite a few of her fellow business owners from Garden Street. They must have come over after they closed up shop for the day. Overall, it looked like half the town had shown up, not to mention tourists. Callie couldn’t help thinking about Max and how much he usually enjoyed this annual event.
Callie wondered if Josh had regretted his brave vow to volunteer. He was speeding back and forth to the refrigerators, once for more puddings and batter for her sweet loukoumades, the fried Greek doughnuts that were always such a hit at every Greek Fest she’d ever attended. Small balls of dough were fried in oil as festival-goers watched, then drizzled with honey and cinnamon. The fried treats were a morning mainstay at Callie’s Kitchen, too. After a short tutorial, Josh had taken over the loukoumades preparation to the delight of the teenage girls and twenty-somethings that crowded around his work station, watching him work.
Petharos, indeed.
Callie wiped her hands on her apron and glanced at her watch. It was time for Samantha to show up for her shift. She’d planned to send Josh home when Sam arrived, but as she watched girls squeal for the loukoumades and hand over several tickets, she wondered if she could convince him to stay longer.
“How’s my favorite Greek goddess?” said a voice behind Callie. Sam must have swept into her tent as she’d stood contemplating the petharos who had taken over so much of the burden today. Sam looked smashing as always, in a pair of sleek khaki shorts and a loose royal blue top.
“Sam! I’m so happy to see you. Grab an apron so you don’t get anything on that cute outfit.” She noticed a new group of people clustering near her food. “Let me get these customers squared away, and I’ll put you to work.”
Callie’s heart was lighter than it had been in days as she provided plates of food to the hungry hordes. George had to be thrilled! She’d been so busy that she’d only had glimpses of him and heard his booming laughter for several hours. The festival had been such a success that breaks had been nearly non-existent.
Her rumbling stomach told her that she need a break, and soon. The souvlaki that had tempted her appetite all day were calling, and besides, she was awaiting the arrival of both Sands and Viv. Viv had planned to show up with Olivia, who wanted not only food, but a chance to ride the Ferris wheel and play some carnival games.
The sounds of Niko and The Grecian Keys, the band scheduled for the fest, was starting their jaunty Greek folk songs. Cries of “OPA!” rang from George’s tent, and Callie laughed.
Suddenly, over the sounds of the band and the joyful cries of the dancers, Callie heard other, more unwelcome sounds.
“You…” expletives filled the air as Callie listened in horror. Then there was a crash, and somebody screamed.
The next words Callie heard turned her blood to ice, despite the heat.
“I’ll KILL YOU!!”
Twenty
“Stop that man!”
Callie heard a voice with a heavy Greek accent bellowing above the rest. Callie ran from her tent to have a look, praying that George wasn’t caught up in the melee.
Instead, she was treated to the sight of Allan Browne being body-slammed to the ground by three older Greek gentlemen. Callie recognized one of the men as Sotiris Giannopoulos. A short, balding man with impressive muscles for a man in his sixties, Sotiris sat on Allan Browne’s back while the other two men knelt next to Allan and tried to hold his writhing body in place.
Without thinking, Callie rushed to Allan’s side. “What is going on here?”
“Callie?” Allan Browne’s voice sounded out of breath as he called to her from the ground. “This is an outrage. Tell them to let me go.”
“What is it, Sotiris?” Callie asked, determined to find out why these mild-mannered men had seen fit to tackle someone to the ground in the middle of Greek Fest.
“He steal from the cash box! I see him!” Sotiris shouted in his non-native English.
From the ground, Allan Browne roared in either disapproval or guilt. At this point, Callie didn’t know which one. By this time, a large crowd had gathered. Callie looked around desperately and before she knew it, Sam was by her side, grasping her arm protectively.
“He stole? Are you sure, Sotiris?”
“Of course! This is money for the church. Church money, he stole! Then, when I try to stop him, he say he’ll kill me!” Sotiris’s cohorts nodded their heads, glaring with menace at Allan Browne.
“Just an expression, I assure you,” Allan’s voice was sounding strangled. “I was very upset at the accusations.”
“You can’t keep him on the ground,” she told Sotiris. “Let him up. Please. I know him. It’s all right.”
Sotiris shook his head stubbornly, and Callie decided she’d pull him off if she had to.
Just then, George appeared. In rapid Greek, he told his friend to let Allan go. He repeated himself once more, and Sotiris nodded reluctantly. He and his gang released Allan, but stood closely around him in a semi-circle as if daring him to escape. Allan stood up laboriously, brushing dust from his clothes.
“Are you all right?” Callie asked him. Even if he was a thief, and possibly a thief that had stolen from her as well, she didn’t want him to have a heart attack on the premises.
“I am not!” Allan Browne bellowed. “This is an outrage!” he repeated, appearing to relish the fact that he now had an audience. “Allow me to explain.”
“Explain to police!” Sotiris shouted, and several people grumbled in agreement.
“Callie, you have to believe me!” Allan Browne turned to her with a look of despair. “It was a simple disagreement about tickets. I was sold too many tickets, and the young woman at the ticket counter wouldn’t take them back. So I handed her my extra tickets. I returned them, you see. Then, when she wouldn’t give me my money back, I took it myself.” He glared at Sotiris and George. “How can you
steal your own money?” If he was acting, it was awfully good, she had to admit.
“Allan, I don’t know what to think. Couldn’t you have come to me? I would have helped you get your money back.”
“Thank you, Callie, but this situation did not have to come to this.” He brushed more dust off of his clothes. “I never had such treatment in all of my life!”
“Sure,” Sam whispered. “He’s a real friendly guy, gets along with everyone.” Callie stifled a giggle before hushing Sam.
Josh suddenly appeared, gesturing nervously at the group of men. “I was in the refrigerator tent. What did I miss?”
“I’m not exactly sure,” Callie whispered back. Was Allan telling the truth? If so, then he was something of a bull in a china shop. If not, then he was the type of guy to steal church funds. Neither one was a great look for him. If he had stolen any money tonight, then had he stolen from her as well?
George’s voice rang out over the angry buzz of the crowd. “OK! It’s time for Niko and the Grecian Keys. Everybody, go and dance! Nothing to see here.”
George nodded towards the stage. The band was standing motionless watching the mini brawl. After a couple of seconds, they took up their instruments again and started playing loudly. The crowd began to disperse, and people glanced curiously at George, Allan and Callie. Callie felt her cheeks burn. She just couldn’t seem to stay out of drama, no pun intended.
George took Allan by the arm. “Let’s sit down,” he said kindly, but firmly. “I’d like to talk to you some more, clear this up. Maybe that way, we don’t need to call the police.”
Allan looked at Sotiris and crew who were still standing guard, then he glanced at Josh who was standing with arms folded, giving him a stare-down.
“Fine. Let’s talk. I did nothing wrong.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about,” she heard George say as he led Allan to a chair.
“We’d better get back to our tent,” Callie told Josh and Sam. A good old-fashioned fight was bound to make people hungry.
A few minutes later, Callie had her head down, deep in thought as she cut up more squares of spanakopita. Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms grasp her firmly around the waist. “Hey!” she protested, “I’ve got a knife here, you know!”
“Yes, you are dangerous,” was the reply from Sands. Callie was laughing as she turned around to embrace him.
“Break it up, you two,” Sam said with a smile, as she walked over to join them. “You certainly missed a good show,” Sam continued, with a twinkle in her eye as she gazed at Sands. Callie didn’t blame her friend for being the slightest bit flirty. Tonight, Sands looked tan and handsome in a white t-shirt and well-worn jeans.
“No! Wait, don’t tell me, don’t tell me…” Sands pretended to ponder the possibilities. “George already did his Greek dance!”
“Unfortunately, no,” Callie said, smiling at his quip. “We had a potential attempted theft…maybe. It’s unclear. It may just be a misunderstanding.”
“What? Where’s the culprit?” Sands wanted to know.
“The ‘culprit,’ if he actually is one, is talking to my father at that table over there. Allan Browne? You know him well.” She pointed to the duo, who were having an animated conversation.
“Yes indeed. He keeps turning up, doesn’t he? I’ll just have a little talk with him.” Sands nodded at Callie and strode towards Allan with a deliberate, long-legged stride.
“I like a man who takes charge,” Sam teased once Sands had left the tent.
“Oh, stop it,” Callie said, laughing. “Anyway, he’s just talking to Allan. I hope.” She glanced anxiously over at them, but the conversation seemed to be calm enough.
“Sorry to interrupt, but do you want me to make more loukoumades?” Josh asked, stumbling over the long Greek word. Callie smiled. Josh had been surprisingly competent tonight. She thought warmly of Max who had provided her with help when she needed it, even though he was dealing with his own problems. Was it possible that Josh could be as helpful someday?
“How much batter do we have left?” Callie couldn’t bear to think of Max any more tonight.
“Not that much. We may as well kill it.”
“I agree. Sam, would you like to put the honey and cinnamon on them after they’re fried?”
“You trust me with that?” Sam asked, her long-lashed eyes wide. “Just kidding,” she said when she saw Callie’s expression. “You got it. Come on, Josh.”
Callie finished cutting up the last pans of spanakopita, zucchini pita and Greek cheese pita, while she watched the conversation with George, Sands and Allan Browne wrap up. The smells of buttery phyllo dough and salty cheese were too tempting to resist. She put a piece of pita on a plate for herself.
Allan was a confusing person, Callie thought, digging into a piece of cheese pita. On the one hand, he could be very pompous. On the other hand, there were times that he seemed bumbling and relatively harmless. He did seem to have a temper, as he’d proven on many separate occasions, including this one. Then there was the fact that his home was in the same neighborhood as the one where she’d found Holly Tennyson. She wondered what Sands thought of him and planned to ask him later.
Callie was just finishing the last few bites of pita when she saw Sands walking back towards her. Allan Browne was stomping off in a huff, and George was presumably heading back to his grilling station.
“Well?” Callie asked.
“He gave me his explanation, the one I believe you already heard. While bullish of him, I didn’t see any evidence of a theft.” Sands appeared thoughtful. “True, his judgement was off, but I asked him to leave, and that should do it for now.” He stared after Allan Browne who was walking off toward the parking lot, looking like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Still, I may just keep an eye on him. For fun. Know what I mean?” He smiled at Callie.
“You have a weird idea of fun,” Callie replied, a gleam in her eye.
“Then how about this: Let’s dance.”
“That’s better,” Callie said, taking his hand.
Niko and the Grecian Keys had the crowd in a full circle Greek folk dance by the time Callie and Sands pushed their way through the crowds. Sam had offered to help serve any remaining food lovers, so Callie was happy to take a few minutes and just get away from food for a minute. She wasn’t even hungry any more.
She and Sands joined the circle, and Callie was charmed to see George in the center of all the dancers, whirling and kicking his legs to loud encouragement and cries of “Opa!” Sands grasped Callie’s hand and chuckled as he tripped along in the complicated Greek folk dance steps. Callie felt a tug on her other hand and looked down to see her daughter Olivia joining her in the dance.
“Hi honey,” she greeted her daughter. “Where’s Grandma?”
“Over there, with Kathy.” George’s girlfriend. Callie looked over to see the two women beaming at them and clapping their hands to the beat of the music. She nodded and smiled at them, feeling better than she had in days.
“Well, hello there!” Sands called to Olivia. “I’m guessing that you’re better at these Greek dance steps than me.”
“I sure am!” Olivia agreed, and they all laughed and danced in the circle, Callie and Sands smiling at each other over Olivia’s tousled, honey-blond head.
Like a family.
Twenty One
“Well, Piper, sending Josh to the Greek Fest was a pretty good idea after all.”
It was the next day at Callie’s Kitchen, and Piper and Callie were working side by side. Callie was setting out food and Piper was ringing up customers.
Today, Callie had taken some prebaked koularakia from the freezer early that morning to thaw, and they’d been a hit. Along with several of her Greek yogurt coffee cakes, she’d also made several Big (Low) Fat Greek Salads, and stocked the fridge with several other dishes. Hummus, pita wrap sandwiches and other light fare were the perfect foil to the summer heat. The smell of lemons, d
ill and feta cheese filled her shop with a fresh, summery scent.
Callie had told Josh to take a break that day, and she’d get back to him, but she was leaning towards giving him a chance at Callie’s Kitchen. His performance at the Greek Fest had been excellent overall, and his people skills were good, too. Callie wasn’t sure if she trusted him to create recipes from scratch yet, but he just might be the kitchen savior she so desperately needed.
“I sent him over there because I knew you’d be busy, especially without Max,” Piper said, innocently blinking her lashes, thick with mascara.
“Are you sure there weren’t any ulterior motives?” Callie couldn’t help but ask her employee.
Piper looked flustered. “Yes. I admit it. Josh was getting in the way. Believe it or not, I felt like I could do a better job without him hovering around, asking questions. I miss Max.” Piper sighed gustily and then turned back to the register to help a customer.
Don’t we all, thought Callie. Still, Josh had gone a long way towards redeeming himself. Maybe things were looking up.
“It was a good call, Piper, but Josh may be someone I want to work with. You can’t send him out of the shop instead of training him. We need more than just you and me working here. You of all people know that.”
Piper had the good grace to blush. “I’m sorry. You’re the boss. If you like him, I’ll learn to work with him. He’s a nice guy. He’s just not…” she trailed off with a sigh.
“He’s just not Max,” Callie finished for her. “I know.” She decided to drop the subject.
Callie was still rattled from the altercation with Allan Browne. For some reason, his story rang true to her. Taking money from a cash box because he wanted to return pre-paid tickets seemed like exactly the overdetermined sort of thing he would do. At least there hadn’t been any casualties, except maybe Allan’s pride when he’d been tackled by three older men.
She hadn’t even had a chance to research anything about the Fitzgerald debutante and the article that Viv had told her about.