by Jessica Beck
“You’ve got it. I keep some in the back of the fridge, since Greg likes it that way, too.” My husband couldn’t stand milk that was within shouting distance of merely cool. It had to be cold enough to freeze, and if there happened to be a crust of ice on the top of the glass, he was perfectly fine with that.
After I set Moose up at the counter, he dug into the pie with so much vigor that I considered joining him, despite the fact that I was still working the floor with Ellen.
“Ellen, I hate to complain, but I didn’t order this,” I heard Reverend Mercer say a few minutes later as Ellen dropped off his plate. As Ellen apologized, the reverend added, “Usually I wouldn’t complain, but I’m allergic, you see.”
“I’m so sorry. I’ll fix it right away,” Ellen said as she picked the plate up as though it were toxic. She was clearly off her game; for the first time in a long time, she was getting orders wrong. Even when they were right, she was delivering them to the wrong customers.
I decided that enough was enough, for both our sakes.
“It might not be a bad idea if you go on and head home early,” I said as I followed her into the kitchen.
“I don’t want to leave,” Ellen said, though I was having a hard time believing her. She handed the plate to my mother, explained what she’d gotten wrong, and then she turned to me, tears welling up in her eyes. “Maybe you’re right. Victoria, I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”
“Come on, don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re under more strain and pressure than any normal person should have to endure. Go home before the kids get off the bus, take a long hot bath, and turn the ringer off on your phone.”
“I couldn’t do that,” she said.
“Which part?” I asked. “I’m willing to negotiate here,” I added with a grin.
“Going home probably isn’t a bad idea, and the bath sounds wonderful, but I have kids. I could never turn off my ringer. What if something happened to one of them?”
“Okay, leave your phone on, but the other two items aren’t really an option. Go on. Things will look a lot better after a long hot soak.”
“You’re probably right. After all, I’m not doing much good here. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“I can have Moose drive you, if you’d like him to. I’m sure that he wouldn’t mind.”
“No, the walk home might help me clear my head. If you’re sure, I’m going to take you up on it. Thank you for being there for me, Victoria.”
“You’re part of our family, Ellen. If there’s anything I can do, all you have to do is ask.”
“Do you mind if I sneak out the back way?” she asked me. “I don’t want to be around anyone right now.”
“That’s fine. I’ll see you in the morning, but don’t forget, if you need me before then, I’m just a telephone call away.”
“I know, and I appreciate it. Bye.”
After she left, my mother handed me a new, properly filled plate. As she did, she asked worriedly, “Victoria, is she going to be okay?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. This thing with her ex-husband really has her rattled.”
“You did a nice thing sending her home early today,” Mom said.
“For us, or for our customers?” I asked with a grin. “After all, she almost killed Reverend Mercer.”
“For her,” Mom said. “Now, go deliver these orders before they get cold.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” I said with a soft smile.
I did as my mother suggested, and when I came back over to Moose, I saw that he’d finished his pie and drained his glass.
“Feel better now?” I asked.
“You were right. Pie never hurts,” he admitted as he looked back toward the kitchen. “Is Ellen coming back out soon?” he asked with concern.
“I just sent her home,” I said. “She was a wreck.”
Moose looked alarmed. “Victoria, you didn’t send her out alone, did you?”
“She’s a big girl, Moose. She can take care of herself.”
“Ordinarily I’d agree with you, but not with that fool of an ex-husband walking around Jasper Fork. She needs someone with her.”
“You don’t seriously think that she needs to be protected, do you?”
“She’s not the one I’m worried about,” Moose said as he headed for the back. “What do you think she’s going to do if she’s worried that Gordon’s coming after her children? To be honest, I have a feeling that he’s the one who’s going to need protection. I personally wouldn’t mind one bit if she pushed that weasel into oncoming traffic, but it won’t do her kids any good.”
Moose was gone before I could stop him, and I wondered if perhaps he was right. Should I have kept Ellen at the diner where she had something to do instead of sending her out on her own? No, I stood by my decision. As far as I was concerned, she needed the peace and quiet of home, not the frenzied activity of the diner.
That didn’t keep me from hoping that Moose caught up with her, though. I’d feel better about everything if my grandfather played guardian angel to someone else for a change. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate his thoughtfulness, but sometimes it could be a little much.
Things got busy just then, and I quickly forgot all about Ellen, Gordon, and Moose while I ran the place single-handedly until reinforcements showed up later in the day. It was after one before I thought of Gordon Murphy again, and the only reason he crossed my mind was because his old crony, Sam Jackson, showed up at the diner looking for blood.
“Where is he?” Sam asked as he stormed into the diner. Jackson was a big, hulking man, and his normal expression was a scowl, but the look on his face at the moment took that to a completely different level. I had to do something to calm him down before out customers started fleeing en masse.
“First, you need to lower your voice, and second, you’re going to have to be a lot more specific than that, Sam,” I said.
He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then he said, “Sorry. I know it’s not your fault. I heard Gordon Murphy was here.”
“He was, a few hours ago, but he’s long gone. Why are you so eager to see him?”
“He owes me something, and I mean to get it back.”
“I don’t think you’ll have much problem collecting,” I said. “I understand his fiancée is rich.”
“This isn’t about money. It never was. Do you have any idea where he might be?”
“I can honestly say that I don’t have a clue,” I replied.
“Don’t worry. I’ll find him, and when I do, he’ll be sorry that he ever came back to town.”
Sam left, and I had to smile at the thought of him catching up with Ellen’s ex-husband. It sounded as though Gordon was going to be on the wrong end of bullying this time, which would be a nice change of pace. I was still thinking about that when Mitchell Cobb handed me his check, along with a ten-dollar bill.
“Is it true?” he asked me as I made change for him.
“What’s that?”
“Is Gordon Murphy really back in town?”
“Do you want to get even with him, too, Mitchell?” I asked. The man was about Ellen’s age, and a calmer fellow I’d never met. Mitchell was the original ‘Go Along, Get Along’ guy.
“He stole Ellen from me a long time ago,” Mitchell said in a hurt voice. “I asked her to the prom, and she said yes, but then Gordon swooped in, and I never had a chance. She’s going to be really upset when she finds out that he’s back.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” I said. “He already came in here threatening to take her kids away from her, and Ellen doesn’t know what she’s going to do. I’m sorry that she ditched you for the prom. You must have been upset about it.”
“It wasn’t her fault,” he said with the hint of a soft smile. “Gordon had that effect on people back then. He could charm the pants off a rattlesnake, you know?”
“I don’t believe that I’ve ever seen a snake wearing pants,” I said, smiling back.
&n
bsp; “You know what I mean.”
“I do.”
“I don’t like that he’s here again, not one little bit,” Mitchell said.
“You’re clearly not the only one upset about it,” I said. “Not many folks seem to be pleased that he’s back. Have a nice day.”
“You, too. Tell Ellen that I’m pulling for her.”
“I’m sure she’ll appreciate it,” I said as I touched his arm lightly.
“What was that all about?” my husband, Greg, asked me as I stepped back in the kitchen for a second.
“What do you mean?”
“First Sam comes blasting in here, and then you have a powwow with Mitchell Cobb. Does he have a problem with Gordon, too?”
“How could you possibly know that from where you were standing, Greg? Mitchell never even raised his voice.”
“He didn’t have to. For a second there, he had an expression on his face that was pure hatred.”
“I didn’t see it,” I admitted. “Are you sure you read him right?”
“Hey, I’m just a guy working the grill. You’re the one with the massive detective skills,” he said as he winked at me.
“You have more value than your work with a spatula around here, and you know it,” I answered. I would have said more, but just then, Polly Ward approached the register with her check. “Duty calls.”
“You know where I am if you need me,” Greg said.
“It’s what makes me keep smiling throughout the day,” I replied.
Things were mostly quiet for the rest of day, and I thought that we might just weather this particular storm, but two minutes before closing, Sheriff Croft came in with a serious expression on his face.
“Where’s Ellen?” he asked without even saying hello to me or anyone else.
“She normally leaves the diner at two every afternoon, but I let her off early today. You know as well as I do that there’s a lot going on right now, and she needed some time to cope with it all. Why are you looking for her?”
The sheriff frowned as he looked straight at me and said, “I don’t know how to tell you this, but she’s one of my lead suspects. Somebody just killed Gordon Murphy.”
Chapter 3
“What? How did it happen?” I asked as leaned back against the counter.
“It appears that somebody clubbed him in the back of the head with a pipe in the alley between the hardware store and the knitting shop,” the sheriff said. “We haven’t found the murder weapon yet, but there’s no doubt that was what was used to kill him. I’d tell you to keep that part to yourself, but I’ve got a hunch that it’s going to get out fast enough without your help. I went to Ellen’s place, but she and her kids were gone.”
I couldn’t believe she’d just take off like that. “Did you check at her mother’s place?”
“I called Opal, but no one answered,” the sheriff said. Ellen’s folks had separated years ago, but they’d never gone through with their divorce. They were perfectly amicable, aside from the fact that they lived in different houses across the street from each other. It turned out that they enjoyed being together; they just had no taste for living under the same roof. It was an odd solution to their problem, but folks around town had mostly gotten used to it.
“Did you try Robert?”
“No one picked up there, either.”
“I’m sure there’s a perfectly innocent explanation for it,” I said.
The sheriff shook his head. “I hope you’re right, but I kind of doubt it. If Ellen were to run, where would she go? Victoria, you’re not betraying any trusts here. I need to find her.”
“I wish I could help. If she’s not at Opal’s or Robert’s, I don’t have a clue, and that’s the truth.”
“I’ll drive over to Opal’s right now,” the sheriff said as he started for the door. “Victoria, if you talk to her before I do, tell her she needs to find me, and pronto.”
“She didn’t kill him, Sheriff,” I said, but he didn’t respond one way or the other as he hurried out the front door of the diner.
Greg whistled softly behind me. “That’s bad, isn’t it?”
“It couldn’t be much worse,” I admitted as I reached for my telephone.
“Who are you calling?” Greg asked.
“I need to get ahold of Moose. We have to find out who killed Gordon Murphy.”
As I dialed the number, I saw that Greg was studying me with a pained expression. “What is it?” I asked as Moose answered.
“How should I know?” my grandfather asked. “You’re the one who called me.”
“Get over to the diner,” I ordered my grandfather. “Somebody killed Gordon Murphy, and the police don’t have a clue as to where Ellen might be.”
“I’m on my way,” Moose said as he ended the call.
After I hung up, I turned back to Greg. “What’s up?”
“I’m worried, that’s all,” Greg said.
“There’s more to it than that, and we both know it.”
“Victoria, there’s something that you’ve got to consider. What are you going to do if Ellen did kill the man?” he asked softly. “Can you turn over the evidence to the police and let them arrest her? Maybe you and your grandfather should just sit this one out.”
“Do you think that she’s guilty?” I asked Greg calmly.
“Of course not, but you told me yourself how angry she was earlier. She threatened him in broad daylight, Victoria. Even you have to admit that it’s possible that Ellen might have killed her ex-husband, not that anyone could blame her if she had.”
“I don’t believe for one second that she did it,” I said.
“But what if you’re wrong?” my husband asked me.
“Then we’ll put the diner up as collateral if we have to and get her the best attorney we can find. Are you okay with that?”
“It’s fine by me,” Greg said. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I patted his cheek. “I know you don’t.”
“Just to set the record straight, I really don’t think Ellen did it,” he added softly.
“I know that, too. You’re just looking out for me.”
“It can be a full-time job sometimes,” he said with a wry grin.
“I can only imagine,” I said, matching his smile with one of my own. “She didn’t do it, Greg. I know it with all of my heart.”
“I hope you’re right. There’s just one thing, though.”
“What’s that?” I asked him.
“It would have been a whole lot better if she hadn’t run.”
I nodded slightly. “I have to agree with you there.”
Chapter 4
“I got here as fast as I could,” Moose said as he rushed into the diner a few minutes later.
I glanced at my watch. “I can’t believe you didn’t get a speeding ticket racing over here,” I answered.
“Me, either,” he said with a sheepish grin. “The cops must all be out looking for Ellen. Any idea where she might have gone?”
“If she’s not at Opal’s, I don’t have a single idea,” I said.
“That’s where we can start, then,” he said as he looked back at the door. “Where is that confounded woman, anyway?”
“That’s what we’re all trying to figure out,” I said.
“Not her. I’m talking about Martha. She was right behind me.”
My grandmother walked into the diner at a much more sedate pace. “Moose, one of these days you’re going to kill us both. You know that, don’t you?”
“I don’t drive that fast,” Moose protested.
“It’s not just the speed, it’s the maneuvering you do, too.”
“Woman, I haven’t had a wreck in forty years, and you know it.”
Martha raised one eyebrow. “That might be true, but what we don’t know is how many accidents you may have caused yourself because of your driving habits.” She turned to me and smiled. “Hello, Victoria. I understand you could use a hand.”
&nbs
p; “That would be great,” I said. “I appreciate you coming in on such short notice.”
“Nonsense, it’s always my pleasure. I enjoy working with your husband. He’s got a deft touch with the grill, doesn’t he?”
“I like to think so,” I said.
“Enough with the pleasantries,” Moose snapped. “Let’s go, Victoria.”
“Lead the way,” I answered, and I followed Moose out of the diner. As we got into his truck, I asked, “Do you have any ideas where else we might look? The sheriff is on his way to Opal’s place.” I glanced at my watch. “In fact, he’s probably already there.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t be focused on finding Ellen first, then,” Moose said as he started the truck.
“Why wouldn’t we? Isn’t that our top priority?”
My grandfather shook his head. “Finding out who killed Gordon Murphy should be our only aim, don’t you think? Let the police track Ellen down. They have the resources, and besides, while they’re searching for her, we can start working on our investigation.”
“I don’t know,” I said, the hesitation clear in my voice.
Moose turned the truck engine off. “Then we won’t do anything until we can both agree on a game plan.”
“Well, we can’t just sit here,” I said.
“Tell me where to drive, and I’ll be happy to comply.”
I thought about it, and after a few moments of thought, I realized that Moose was right. If we spent our time looking for Ellen, we wouldn’t be doing anything to advance our investigation. Besides, even if we did manage to find her, all we could do was turn her over to the sheriff, and was that something I really wanted to do?
“Okay, you’re right. Ellen’s on her own at the moment. How should we start looking into Gordon Murphy’s murder?”
“I’d say we should talk to the fiancée first, don’t you?”
“What makes you think we can find her, let alone convince her to talk to us about Gordon?” I asked my grandfather.
“She has to be somewhere nearby, since they’ve been staying in town. Where would you think she and Gordon would stay, since they evidently have plenty of money?”