“Bella, bellissima! And the good doctor! How are you both tonight?” He plucked a pair of menus from the hostess stand.
“Wonderful, Nero, and how are you? How is your family?” Lisa said.
“Every day that I get to make a little food, play a little violin, it is a good day. Let me show you to your table.” The big man made his way nimbly to a table in front of a window and pulled out Lisa’s chair. “Enjoy.”
Lisa unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap. She knew the menu by heart, but picked it up out of habit. Mo turned his napkin-wrapped silverware around and around in his hands, then fumbled it, sending the fork and spoon clattering to the floor.
“Oh, sorry! Sorry,” he said, bending down to get them. He dropped the napkin on his lap and set the fork and spoon on the table. He frowned at them and picked them up again. “Um, I don’t know what I should do with these. If I leave them here it looks like they’re fine to use, but… I didn’t want to not pick them up… I wasn’t born in a barn. Though I have assisted at more than one birth in a barn. Animals, of course.” He held the offending silverware helplessly in his hand, unable to pick a place for it.
The waiter glided to their table. “If I may,” he said. Producing a new set of silverware, he put the place setting on the table and took the fork and spoon from Mo’s hand. “Can I start you off with something to drink?”
“Water, please,” Lisa said.
“Don’t you want wine?” Mo said. “We should have wine.”
“Very good,” the waiter said. “What kind of wine would you prefer?”
“Um, white, I think,” Mo said, looking to Lisa for confirmation.
She nodded.
When the waiter left again, she put her hand over Mo’s. “Are you ok? You seem nervous.”
“I do? No. I mean maybe. I just, I have something to ask you. We should eat first. And have a glass of wine.”
Color spread over Lisa’s face and her heart sped up. She could hear it beating in her chest, and wondered if the whole restaurant could hear it, too. Was Mo getting ready to pop the question? They’d only been dating a few months, but they’d already been through a lot together, and they weren’t getting any younger. No wonder he was so nervous.
The waiter returned with the wine and took their orders. Lisa got her usual, spaghettini with lemon. All of Nero’s food tasted good, but that particular dish really sang in her mouth.
Mo picked up his wine glass as if to offer a toast, then lowered it and took a sip, smiling sheepishly over the rim.
Lisa smiled back at him, hoping to calm his nerves and hers.
When the food came, Lisa tried to savor her pasta, but found herself hurrying through the meal, eager for Mo to ask her. She listened with half an ear while he talked about his veterinary practice.
At last Mo took a final bite and put his fork and knife across the plate. Lisa put her silverware down, too, and dabbed her lips with her napkin. She thought wistfully for a moment of running to the ladies’ room to touch up her lipstick, but decided to trust that long-wearing color meant what it said.
Mo reached for her hand across the table. She melted inside as he stroked it for a moment before taking a breath.
“Lisa?”
“Yes, Mo?”
“I want to ask you something.”
“Ok.” She smiled encouragingly.
“Kitten season and puppy season have been getting worse in Moss Creek the last few years. You know the numbers; I’ve half-talked your ear off about them already.”
Lisa blinked, having trouble connecting with what he was saying. “Go on,” she said.
“If I could just run a free spay and neuter clinic, an annual one, I think I could make a real difference in the number of homeless or unwanted pets in Moss Creek. But for that, I’ll need funding.”
Lisa nodded, still trying to understand.
“I’ve always been afraid of public speaking, and you have your acting training. You’re so good in front of a crowd.” He squeezed her hand and looked deep in her eyes. “What I’m trying to ask you is this: Will you go with me to the city council meeting and help me ask for that funding?”
Chapter 3
Lisa arranged the first batch of Sunshine Muffins in the basket. She wound yellow and white ribbons around the handle of the basket to match the yellow muffins with their white icing. The simple drizzle of icing on top looked more appetizing than her green and purple crocus icing, just as her mother had told her. Typical of Penny Baldwin-Chance to be right again; it was one of her worst habits.
Lisa shook off her irritation and placed the basket on the table in the front hall. The table served double-duty, blocking the stairs up to her apartment during business hours and offering a focal point for displaying her latest baked goods. She’d found that tempting people with muffins as soon as they walked in the door increased sales.
She crossed her fingers for a second, hoping for good sales of the new muffins on their first day, then unlocked the front door and flipped the sign around to tell customers the café was open.
Lisa stood on the porch for a moment, inhaling the cold crisp air. The sun, still minutes from peeking over of the mountains, lit the east with bands of gold and blue. A bird high in a ponderosa pine woke up, warbling a song into the brisk morning. Lisa felt a warm rumble next to her leg, and looked down to find Mama Cat sitting next to her on the porch, watching the bird intently. They enjoyed the morning together a moment before Lisa went inside to continue the opening chores for the café.
The whole first floor of the Folly was starting to smell like freshly perking coffee when the front door opened and the first customers of the day clattered in. Lisa wiped her hands on her apron and went to greet them.
“Aunt Olivia, good morning,” she said, spying her aunt’s multi-colored scarf and shawl trailing its fuzzy fringe.
Her aunt stepped forward to hug Lisa, revealing her companion. Forgetting her manners for a moment, Lisa gaped at the long grizzled beard, tie-died shirt under a buckskin jacket, and nearly threadbare jeans above Birkenstocks.
“You remember Billy Jack Hall, don’t you? Billy Jack, this is my niece, Miss Modesty.”
Lisa held out her hand. “Actually, it’s Lisa Chance. Aunt Olivia just likes to tease me because she doesn’t share my views on bathing suits.”
Billy Jack shook her hand with a strong grip and dry calloused skin. “Far out,” he said.
“As you can see, you’re my first customers of the day. You have your pick of any table in the house,” Lisa said.
“We just need to get some refreshments,” Olivia said, “to take to the protest.”
“There’s a protest?”
Billy Jack’s face lost its glazed expression. “They’re trying to open a corporate monstrosity on natural, unspoiled land. They need to heed the voice of the people, man.”
“What corporate monstrosity?” Lisa said.
Olivia and Billy Jack answered together: “Bargain Box.”
“Oh! I hadn’t even heard they were looking at Moss Creek as a location,” Lisa said.
“We’re not going to let those suits shut down our local Main Street businesses with their loss leaders and their shoddy imported goods. Not without a fight,” Billy Jack said.
“That’s right,” Olivia said. “In fact, as a local business owner yourself, you should be there with us. Stand in solidarity for the integrity of Main Street Moss Creek.”
“Oh, um… I can’t just close the café,” Lisa said.
“Take a leaflet. If you change your mind, we’ll be in front of City Hall.”
“Thanks,” Lisa said, sliding the leaflet into her apron pocket. “I know what would brighten up your protest. My new Sunshine Muffins.”
Lisa led them to the basket of muffins on the hall table. Billy Jack picked up a muffin and examined it.
“Is this organic?” he said.
“Well, no.”
“Thanks anyway.” He put the cling-wrapped muffin back.
“I’ll try one, dear,” Olivia said. “I hope it’s more of a Good Morning Muffin situation than a fruitcake muffin one.”
Lisa tried to smile. “Me too.”
Olivia unwrapped the muffin and took a bite. A smile lit her face and she took another bite and then devoured the whole thing. She nodded at her niece.
“Good?” Lisa said.
“I’d better try a second one to be sure,” Olivia said, grinning.
Billy Jack’s cell phone rang while Olivia opened the second muffin. He moved a few steps away from them to take the call.
“He what? When? Why, that dirty—he can’t do that! No, you were right to call me. Say hi to your mom and dad. Bye.” Billy Jack shoved the phone in his pocket and snapped his fingers at Olivia. “We’ve got to go. That corporate suit is in the mayor’s office right now.”
“He can’t do that,” Olivia said.
“Those suits think they own the whole world,” Billy Jack growled.
Olivia kissed Lisa on the cheek and snagged another muffin before trailing Billy Jack out the door. “We’ll have to get the coffee later. Thanks for the muffins!”
*
The sunset glow still painting the sky, Lisa locked the door behind her and left for Carly’s house. Her best friend had become a mother only a month prior, and Lisa had offered to babysit for the evening so Carly and her husband Gideon could get out of the house and go on a date.
She pulled up in front of the house and went to the door. Raising a finger to the doorbell, she almost pushed the button but then jerked her hand back. What if the baby was sleeping?
She sidestepped to the front window to try to peer inside. The flickering blue light of a TV screen provided the living room’s only light. In a particularly bright moment, Lisa thought she could make out a figure under a blanket on the couch. Motion attracted her eye and she saw that someone was rocking in the recliner, and they appeared to be holding a baby.
She gave a soft tap on the door with one knuckle and then tried the knob. The door opened with a creak and Lisa stepped inside. The recliner swiveled in her direction, and she saw it was Gideon in the chair with baby Liam.
“Hi,” Lisa whispered.
“Hey,” Gideon whispered back.
The swiveling momentarily broke his rhythm of rocking. A stuttering cry rose from the baby in his arms.
“Shhh, shhh,” Gideon said, rocking faster.
The baby’s cry grew louder, leaving his father’s face stricken.
“Sorry,” Lisa said, not knowing what to do. Gideon wasn’t dressed to go out, his t-shirt showing signs of being spit up on. “Tonight was the night, right?”
“Yeah,” Gideon said. He stood up and started pacing around the room, making little shushing noises at the baby.
Lisa knelt by the couch and gingerly lifted a corner of the blanket. Carly’s red curls lay on the couch in a matted mess.
“Carly?”
Slowly, as though it took the greatest of effort, Carly lifted her eyes to Lisa’s face. Her empty stare made Lisa’s stomach clench.
“I came to watch the baby. Are you ok?”
Carly looked at Lisa for half a minute, her stare flat and cold, before letting her eyelids droop again.
The baby’s cries grew louder.
“Babe, I think he might be hungry,” Gideon said.
“No,” Carly said. “I can’t. No.”
“But the nurse said—”
“NO!” Carly shot upright, throwing off the blanket. Her shirt had milk stains on the front, and she was wearing baggy yoga pants.
“Carly?” Lisa said, worry making her voice come out in a mousy squeak.
Gideon stepped toward the couch.
“Stay away from me!” Carly pushed herself off the couch and stomped out of the room.
Lisa stood up and looked helplessly at Gideon. “What’s going on?”
He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s like she’s a different person.”
“Do you want me to hold Liam, so you can go talk to her?”
“Yes.” He put the baby in her arms. “Just remember to support his head.”
As soon as she had the baby, Gideon strode from the room.
The tiny bundle of humanity gave a squawk and a giant yawn. Lisa brought him up to her face to smell his fuzzy little head. She kissed his forehead and hummed the melody from “Don’t Your Forget About Me” by Simple Minds.
Liam opened his eyes and stared at her. She kept humming. He yawned again and nestled close to her. She inhaled his sweet baby smell and looked down the hall toward Carly and Gideon’s bedroom door. She’d never seen Carly like this before. How long had this been going on?
Chapter 4
“I’m worried about her,” Lisa said.
Penny nodded and sipped her late afternoon decaffeinated vanilla latte. “We didn’t use to talk about it, not openly, but it happens to a lot of new mothers.”
“But what can I do? It’s like it wasn’t even Carly, like someone else had taken over her body. Does she hate her baby?”
Penny took a bite of her Sunshine Muffin and chewed thoughtfully. “No, but she should see a doctor.”
“Gideon said she hasn’t left the house in over a week.”
“Then he needs to make her go to the doctor. Post-partum depression is no laughing matter, but they’ve got treatment available. You tell him to take her to her post-partum follow-up appointment and tell the doctor what’s going on.”
“Ok, Mom.” Lisa sighed. “I just hope he listens to me.”
“He’d better listen to you.”
“I’ll just pretend I’m you.”
Penny raised an eyebrow and took another bite. “And how is business?”
Lisa suppressed a smile at her mother’s deft subject change. “The new muffins are selling almost as well as the Good Morning Muffins.”
“And better than those fruitcake muffins, I take it.”
Lisa blushed. “The less said about those the better.”
“Are the sales of the new recipe cannibalizing sales of the old? Or are sales up overall?”
“They’re up. How’s real estate?”
A faint smile passed over Penny’s face. “You’d never guess who called me yesterday about preparing their house to be listed.”
“I’m sure I wouldn’t guess.”
Penny leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Fern Valentine.”
Lisa cocked her head in confusion. “The mayor’s wife? I would’ve thought living in Moss Creek was a requirement for the job. Unless… are they getting a divorce?”
Penny frowned. “That kind of speculation is unbecoming, darling.”
Lisa thought of all the gossip surrounding Penny and Lou’s separation. “Sorry, Mom.”
“But no, I don’t think it means that. I think it means he’s not planning to run again when his term is up in the fall.”
“Mayor Valentine’s been running this town forever. I can’t imagine who could step into his shoes,” Lisa said.
“I have to go, dear. Make sure Carly sees her doctor,” Penny said, rising. “And say hello to Mo for me. That young man of yours has really grown on me.”
Lisa clenched her teeth into a smile as Penny left. She hadn’t told her mother about the awkwardness of her date with Mo. Embarrassment at misreading the situation rushed through her again. She busied herself clearing the table and making a round of the café looking for other tables to bus.
The embarrassment stayed with her as she cleaned. After the close of business, Mo would show up expecting her to be ready to go to City Hall with him. She wished she could just go curl up in bed.
Before her hibernation feelings could get stronger, the front door opened and admitted a man in a leather jacket and a pair of aviator sunglasses. When he saw her, he took off the sunglasses and favored her with a smile. His even white teeth spoke of years wearing braces.
“Just a coffee for me,” he said.
“Sure thi
ng. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. Are you new in town?” Lisa said.
“I’m here on business.” He stuck out his hand. “The name’s Ryan Regent.”
“Lisa Chance. It’s nice to meet you. What kind of business brings you to Moss Creek?”
Ryan smiled. “Retail. Could I get that coffee to go?”
“Of course.” Lisa scurried to the kitchen for the coffee. When she got back she found him inspecting the basket of Sunshine Muffins. “Would you like to try a muffin? It’s a new recipe for spring.”
“No, thanks.”
“Well, enjoy your stay in Moss Creek.”
He nodded and slipped the aviators back on. As he walked out, she wondered how long it would be before he had to take off the sunglasses, or if he was one of those guys who wore their sunglasses at night.
She hummed a few bars of Corey Hart’s 80s hit, Sunglasses at Night, as she swept up in the café, preparing to close for the night.
Just as she finished in the kitchen, Lisa heard a soft tap on the front door. Mama Cat’s ears perked up and she sprang down from the kitchen chair where she had perched to avoid the mop. Lisa followed the cat to the front door and let Mo in. Mama Cat purred at him and butted her head against his hand as he bent down to pet her.
He straightened up and gave Lisa a big smile. “Are you ready? I think we can get them to listen to the proposal and maybe do some real good in the community.”
She tried to smile back. “Just let me hang up my apron before we go.”
They held hands as they walked across the town square to City Hall. The squat brick façade of the Depression era building overlooked the north side of the square. The decorative brickwork over the second story windows was arched, giving the building the look of a face frozen in shock and disapproval.
As Lisa and Mo approached, they found that the disapproval this evening was aimed at a group of protesters sitting in folding chairs on the sidewalk, painted posterboard signs slumped next to them.
“Lisa! Over here!” One of the protesters stood and waved her arms.
“Hi, Aunt Olivia.”
“You got here just in time. We can really use the reinforcements.” She shot a look over her shoulder at a man with a stringy gray ponytail, snoring in a lawn chair. “Some of these people don’t have the energy they used to for protesting injustice.”
Killer Campaign (Lisa Chance Cozy Mysteries Book 3) Page 2