Murder in the Pearl District (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 5)

by Dianne Harman

  “Sure. I can do that. When does she need them?”

  “Tomorrow. I know it’s really short notice, but we’re having a bit of an issue with a food critic from the Portland Gazette, and we need to change the menu immediately.”

  “No problem. Business is a little slow today, so I can get them out before we close. That food critic wouldn’t happen to be Bill Hossam, would it?”

  “Yes, do you know him?”

  “Not personally. I do work for a lot of restaurants in the district. He’s given a couple of them reviews that were so bad they had to close. I’d sure hate to see that happen to Sophie’s restaurant.”

  “I met him earlier today, and he seems like a really mean-spirited man. He said he thought the food at Mangia! Mangia! was like, I guess the kids of today would say, so yesterday. Sophie and I decided there was no choice but to offer some new dishes that Nico, the sous chef, has wanted to try.”

  “I hope it works. I really like Sophie, and I’d like to see her make a go of it. I’ll get right on these and drop them by when I close this evening. Tell Sophie I’d like to continue the working arrangement I had with Donatella. I’ll do the work for her, eat at the restaurant occasionally, and we’ll call it even.”

  Kelly laughed. “I’m sure that will be fine with her. Here’s the new menu. She wants it in black ink on pale rust colored paper.”

  “No problem. Well, better get to work on these. Nice meeting you.”

  “Thanks, and you really have created a special shop. I’m sure everyone who comes here tells you that.”

  “Yeah, pretty much,” he said as he walked into the back room, “but that’s exactly what I want them to say. Hey, it’s the Pearl District, and all of us who live and work here are free spirits.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Kelly spent the rest of the remaining afternoon meeting with Nico and Sophie as the three of them prepared to launch the new menu the following day. Nico gave her a list of the foods he wanted for the dishes and which food purveyors she should call to obtain some of the rarer ingredients. All of them promised to have the needed foods at the restaurant by 9:00 the next morning.

  “Kelly, Sophie, I think this is really going to work. I want to push two entrees - a seafood bucatini and a lasagna. Both are pasta recipes I learned from my grandmother. They’re quite different from the usual recipes for those dishes, and I’m sure the diners will love them. They’re a classy take on timeless comfort food dishes. The bucatini has several kinds of seafood in a marinara sauce which has been enhanced by some spices. I let the sauce cook for a long time so the flavors can marry. Sometimes I use lobster in the dish, but I think we’ll begin with shrimp, mussels, and some clams.

  “By the way Kelly, Sophie told me about a frozen key lime pie you made last night that she said was fabulous. I looked at your recipe and took the liberty of adding some silvered almonds to the topping to give it an Italian feel. It will be a nice addition to the heavier desserts that are on the menu. Those are the three main new things we’ll be offering. I’ve updated some of the pasta and vegetable dishes, but I’m really hoping to make those three dishes the new signature dishes of Mangia! Mangia! Sound good?”

  “Yes,” Sophie said. “Nico, I’ve never done anything like this, so I have to trust your restaurant judgment. I not only hope it works because I want to keep the restaurant open, but I also want to do Dede proud. She entrusted me with what she valued most other than her daughter, and I feel an obligation to live up to her faith in me. Do you both understand what I’m trying to say?”

  “Absolutely,” Kelly said, “and I’m sure Nico feels the same way. You can rest assured we both will do everything we can to make this work for you.”

  The evening dinner crowd started to arrive shortly after 7:00. Some were returning customers, while others were new and wanted to eat at Mangia! Mangia! before it closed, or so the rumor mill was predicting. Waiters were busy carrying food to hungry guests while in the kitchen pulsating background music matched the orchestrated cadence of the cooks’ movements as they began their kitchen dance, a dance that required many steps so all of the components of the meal were ready at the same time.

  “Mrs. Reynolds, Carlotta would like to see you out front,” one of the waiters said as he came into the kitchen and grabbed a plated meal.

  “Wonder what’s up now? I’m not sure I can handle another crisis,” Kelly said to Nico and Sophie. “I’ll be back shortly.”

  “What is it, Carlotta?” she asked the receptionist a few minutes later.

  “Kelly, do you remember me telling you about the woman named Elena Wright? She was the one who gave the dinner party where Mrs. De Luca served the scallops, and her guest became very ill.”

  “Yes. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, it’s pretty strange. She hasn’t come to the restaurant since that incident happened, but she’s here tonight. I thought you ought to know.”

  “Thanks. Which table is she at?”

  “Table number 27. It’s in the center of the restaurant. There are two women seated at the table. She’s the one wearing the red hat with the purple scarf thrown over her shoulder.”

  Kelly introduced herself to diners at several of the tables near Elena’s, and when she reached her table she said, “Hello and welcome to Mangia! Mangia! My name is Kelly Reynolds. I’m helping the new owner and want to meet as many of the guests as I can. And you are?”

  The woman in the red hat looked up at Kelly and said, “Surely you know who I am. I’m Elena Wright. I thought everyone in Portland probably knew me by now, although most of them know me because of what Donatella did to me. You must be new to the area.”

  “That I am,” Kelly said, forcing a smile on her face. “I came up from Cedar Bay to help a friend of mine. Is this your first time at the restaurant?”

  “It’s the first time I’ve been here in several weeks. I used to be a very good customer, but that was before Donatella tried to poison a guest of mine with bad scallops she served at a dinner party I was hosting. She never admitted her mistake and tried to put the blame on me, telling everyone I should have asked my guest if she had any food allergies. It’s a good thing there was a doctor at my dinner party, or my guest might have died. The only reason I’m here is to celebrate the closing of this restaurant and a very bad time in my life,” she said bitterly. “I’m not surprised Donatella was murdered. I just wish she’d been murdered before she catered my dinner party. She was an evil conniving woman, and I truly hated her for what she did to me.”

  “Elena, that’s enough,” her dining partner said in a low but commanding tone of voice.

  “Yes, well it’s been nice meeting you Mrs. Reynolds. I rather doubt we’ll be seeing each other again.”

  “Buon appetito,” Kelly said as she continued on to the next table and introduced herself. When she came to the end of the row of tables she walked over to the reception desk. “Carlotta, do you know the woman who’s with Elena?”

  “Yes. She’s Elena’s attorney. They used to come here a lot before the scallop incident. Why?”

  “She told Elena more or less to shut up. I was wondering why.”

  “I don’t know. We’re sure getting a lot of people in here who Mrs. DeLuca had some kind of trouble with. I just received a call from Chef Pierre DuBois for a reservation for six people at 8:00 tonight. I know he and Mrs. DeLuca weren’t friends. This is all very strange.”

  “I agree. I imagine the people who didn’t like her are hoping that the restaurant fails. Would you let me know when Chef DuBois arrives? I’d like to meet him.”

  “Of course. I’ll call the kitchen and let you know.”

  CHAPTER 14

  “Kelly, Carlotta said to tell you that Chef DuBois and his party have arrived. They’re being served their cocktails right now,” Nico said, hanging up the house phone.

  “Well, what am I now? Three down and one to go. Let’s see. There’s Elena Wright, Bill Hossam, Tina Ramos, and who knows, maybe Chef DuBois. Al
l of whom for one reason or another didn’t like Donatella and actually seem to be glad that she’s dead. For a woman who was supposed to be so popular, it seems that Donatella had quite a few people who weren’t all that happy with her. Hopefully, this will be short and sweet.” In her mind, Nico was still a suspect, but she certainly didn’t want to tell him that. She walked out of the kitchen and into the crowded restaurant dining area.

  I wonder if it’s always this busy on weeknights. They’re standing three deep at the bar, every table in the restaurant is taken, and the reception area is filled with people waiting for tables. And they haven’t even tried the new menu which debuts tomorrow at lunch. This bodes well for Sophie and Nico. Hope it continues.

  It was impossible to miss Chef DuBois and his party. The table was surrounded by people greeting him. As she got closer to it, she overheard a conversation at a nearby table. “I understand he’s going to replace Donatella DeLuca. The television station is going to change the name of the show from Dining with Donatella to Dining with DuBois. They’ll probably just delete the name Donatella on the promotional material and insert DuBois. They can even keep the D. Makes it real easy,” the man said, laughing.

  Could he be right? The station, Mitch’s station, is going to hire Chef DuBois to replace Donatella? And so fast? Oh no. It looks like the person who said that might be right. That’s Mitch Ramos from the television station sitting at the table with the chef.

  “Hello, Mitch. It’s nice to see you again,” Kelly said. He looked up, clearly shocked to see her. Mitch stood up from his chair and shook her hand. “It’s been a very emotional day for me. When Chef Dubois asked me to join him for dinner, I thought it might take my mind off of everything that’s happened today,” he said in a voice tinged with sadness.

  I’ll bet. Sure didn’t seem to stop you from filling that vacancy for the cooking show. Bet Donatella wouldn’t have been too happy about that decision.

  “Pierre,” he said, turning to the chef as the people he had been talking to returned to their table, “I’d like to introduce you to Kelly Reynolds. She’s the woman who catered the dinner for Donatella last night.”

  The fat pock-marked florid-faced chef with the scraggly goatee took Kelly’s hand in his and brought it to his lips. “In my country this is how we greet a beautiful woman. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said insincerely. He turned to the other four people at the table, “Gentlemen, I’d like you to meet Kelly Reynolds.” They stood and shook her hand.

  “I don’t want to keep you from your dinners, but I wanted to welcome you to Mangia! Mangia! I’m sure Mitch has eaten here many times, but if the rest of you haven’t, you’re in for a treat. And it will be even more of a treat when we change to our new and exciting menu tomorrow.”

  “Why is the menu being changed?” Mitch asked. “I know Donatella wanted it to stay as it always has been.”

  “The new owner, Sophie Marchant, and her sous chef, felt it was a bit out of touch with what people want in a modern Italian restaurant. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

  “Well, no matter what you do to this tired and dated restaurant, I’m sure it won’t affect the popularity of my restaurant, Le Toque. As a matter of fact, after my show airs next week, I definitely will be the owner of the most popular restaurant in the Pearl District, if not all of Portland, and who knows, maybe even the West Coast,” Chef DuBois said in a pompous and arrogant manner. “Donatella was behind the times when it came to her cooking. It was too bad about her being murdered, but I’m glad Mitch called me as soon as he found out and offered me the opportunity to host the show.”

  Mitch called him immediately after he found out that Donatella had been murdered? So much for grieving over the loss of your steady girlfriend who was about to become the star of your new TV show. Maybe his ex-wife was right. Maybe Donatella was only a way for him to hold onto his failing television station, and now that she’s gone, he’s hoping that Chef DuBois will be his new ticket to success. I don’t think I like this man. No, Mitch, I don’t think I’m liking you at all. Something about you just isn’t right.

  “Mrs. Reynolds, I hope you won’t think I’m being rude, but my lawyer and my financial adviser need to talk to Mitch and work out the details of my new television show. I hope you’ll watch it. I promise you it will be the best cooking show on the air. People love me and my food,” the obnoxious chef said.

  “It’s been a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to seeing your show and Mitch, it was nice to see you again,” Kelly said as she struggled to keep from sounding sarcastic. Willing herself to smile and appear happy, she walked back to the kitchen.

  I better tell Sophie about the TV show before she hears it from someone else. With her quick temper, I also better be prepared to keep her from going out to Mitch and Chef DuBois’ table and telling them what she thinks of them once she hears the news.

  “Sophie, can you come into the office for a moment? I need to talk to you.”

  A few minutes later Kelly and Sophie were sitting in the office while Kelly took several slow and deliberate sips of water from the glass on the desk. She reached down and petted Rebel, who had decided the carpeted office floor was much more inviting than the concrete slab by the back door. After pausing for a few more moments she related her recent conversation with Mitch and Chef DuBois. Sophie’s reaction was exactly what she predicted - instantaneous and explosive with anger. Her hands flew to her heart and her eyes narrowed as she said in a voice filled with anger, “Mon Dieu! How dare Mitch besmirch Donatella’s name by hiring that sleazy chef. I don’t think he’s even French. I’ve noticed his accent is completely wrong when he pronounces certain words.”

  “Look Sophie, there’s nothing we can do except hope his show is a big flop, but from what Mitch’s ex-wife told me this afternoon, Mitch needs the show to be a big success, or he might have to declare bankruptcy and lose the television station. Did Donatella ever mention that to you?”

  “No, but she was a very private woman. What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking that maybe Mitch’s attentiveness to Donatella was based less on his attraction to her and more on his need to save his television station. Maybe he saw her as the way to do it.”

  “Non. That can’t be. If it’s true, I’m certain that Donatella didn’t know that’s how he felt. She was a very high-minded woman, and if she even suspected the only reason for Mitch’s attentiveness was because he needed her to help him financially, she wouldn’t have allowed their relationship to continue. She really didn’t need to do it for the money. I think George Mitchell made that perfectly clear today. Remember, he told us she had numerous assets. No, I’m sure she never suspected that he possibly didn’t really love her.”

  “I need to put the receipts from the bar and the reception desk in the floor safe. Thankfully, we only have a couple more hours, and we can go to your house and get some rest. I honestly don’t remember ever being this tired.”

  “Nico and I have a few more things to discuss about tomorrow. I also need to make some notes on things I need to do tomorrow like alert the newspapers about the change in ownership, and then I’ll be ready to go home. Carlotta and Nico can probably handle anything that comes up, and they’re used to locking up.” She looked at her watch. “Let’s plan on leaving in half an hour.”

  “Fine. I’ll meet you in the office.” As she made her way towards the front of the restaurant to collect the day’s receipts, she had a sinking feeling in her stomach knowing she would have to call Mike as soon as she and Sophie returned to her home.

  Today has been a day of putting out one fire after another and the biggest fire of all is yet to come. I promised Mike I wouldn’t get involved in trying to solve Donatella’s murder, but I don’t think I have a choice. I’ve already discovered a number of people who have motives for killing her, and I’d like to run them by him. After all, he’s a sheriff and knows a lot more about solving crimes than I do. Mike isn’t going to like it, but
he’ll probably understand. At least I sure hope so, and if he doesn’t, then I’ll just have to cross my fingers behind my back and tell him a little white lie.

  CHAPTER 15

  “Sophie, I hope you’ll excuse me, but I really am exhausted, and I need to call Mike and tell him what I’ve learned about some of the possible suspects in Donatella’s murder. I value his judgment, even though I don’t think he’s going to very happy about my getting involved trying to catch the killer.”

  “Why would he be upset? You solved Jesse’s murder, and from what Jesse told me, several others as well. He must be used to you getting involved by now.”

  “It sounds good on paper, but it doesn’t quite work out that way. You see, when I told him I was staying an extra day or two with you, I promised him I wouldn’t get involved in the murder investigation. He worries about my safety. As a matter of fact he makes me keep a gun in my purse and wants Rebel to be with me at all times. That’s why I took Rebel to the restaurant. I noticed you were a little surprised when I put him by the back door initially and then when I brought him into the office, but I promised Mike that Rebel would be with me. I suppose I can’t put off calling him any longer, and if I wait much longer he’ll be asleep. See you in the morning. Come on Rebel, time for bed.”

  Kelly sat down at the desk in the sitting room and called Mike. She knew it would be much easier if she could just get his voicemail, but this was one time she needed to talk to him and looked forward to any advice he could give her.

  “Hey, lady, how are you? Before you answer, I want to tell you first how much Lady and I miss you. I really don’t want to do this again. Secondly, you know that five extra pounds I’m always fighting? Well, with the caramel sauce I think it’s now ten pounds.”

  “Oh, Mike, I miss you just as much, and I wish you were here. Don’t worry about the caramel pounds. I’m sure it looks good on you.”