Spooky Sweetheart Waffle: Book 9 in The Diner of the Dead Series

by Carolyn Q. Hunter

* * *

  Just as seeing ghosts had become the norm for Sonja, unfortunately, so had finding dead bodies. It was almost habit at this point to immediately pull out her phone and dial her boyfriend, the sheriff, when these things happened.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Frank had muttered upon hearing the news. His reaction was only natural considering this was the most recent in a string of unconnected murders in Haunted Falls. “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

  Hanging up the phone, Sonja slipped it back into her purse. She was sad to admit that the sight of a body hardly even frightened her anymore.

  Within ten minutes, the sheriff and his two deputies showed up, parking their cars on the road. Getting out of their police cruisers the two deputies went immediately into action, cordoning off the back lot of the diner while Sonja stood near her van just outside the crime scene.

  Frank Thompson, dressed in his police uniform, walked over to her.

  “Where is he?”

  “In the dumpster,” she reiterated, having already given this information over the phone.

  “You said you think it’s Carson Pool?”

  Folding her arms, Sonja shifted her weight to one foot. “I know it’s Carson, Frank.”

  “Just making sure,” he commented. Frank glanced toward the back of the diner, and then back at her. “Are you all right?” he asked, noticing just how calm his girlfriend seemed to be, wondering if she might be in shock.

  “I’m okay,” she whispered. “But I just found another dead body, so I’m not feeling too great about that,” she admitted. Worse still, Daniella had shown up again, and Sonja was struggling to piece together why. Did the ghost have some sort of connection with Carson Pool?

  Sonja’s shoulders slumped. “I sure am getting tired of finding bodies.”

  Breaking from normal professional police protocol, Frank embraced her. “I know,” he consoled her, unable to come up with any better way to put her at ease.

  “And why Carson?” she wondered out loud, barely reacting to the embrace, her inherent curiosity in these matters finally surfacing. “He never bothered anyone.” She thought of his smile any time she saw him around town. “If anything, he was kind to everyone he met.”

  Frank nodded in reply. “It’s true. He was always cheerful. Hardly seems like someone who would be a target for murder.”

  “Maybe that was the problem,” she speculated, grasping for any possible explanation. Letting him go, she looked up into his green eyes. “Maybe he was too cheerful? Maybe someone finally snapped, angry at their unhappy life, and decided to take it out on him?”

  “Doubtful,” Frank retorted, shaking his head, “but we can’t know anything until I do a little more investigating.”

  “Okay,” she nodded. “Where do we start?”

  “We don’t start anything,” Frank shot back.

  Sonja raised a skeptical eyebrow.

  “Look, I know you’ve helped me out in a lot of cases, a lot of them without my permission.”

  She looked down at her shoes in the snow, a little ashamed.

  “It isn’t that I don’t appreciate all the times you’ve helped me catch the culprit in cases like this, but I don’t want you putting yourself in any unnecessary danger.” He had both hands on her shoulders and was looking her straight in the eye. “You shouldn’t stick around. It’s police business, now.”

  “But,” she pleaded, her inner sleuth wanting desperately to take over. “I’m probably okay enough to help out if I can. You know I can help,” she pressed. She had been the key witness in multiple local murder cases, figuring out the necessary clues to catch the killers. She knew Frank had come to rely on her, but also knew he still had to follow police protocol.

  “We’ll talk later,” he remarked, giving her a knowing look.

  “Do you want me to come by the station later to give you a statement?”

  “The best thing you can do is just go about your day. I’ll call you if I need you.”

  “Okay,” she resigned herself.

  “Also, I don’t want you running off and chasing any leads without notifying me,” he reiterated for probably the hundredth time since he and Sonja had begun dating. “There is a murderer on the loose and I don’t want you getting involved or putting yourself in harm’s way.”

  “Sheriff,” the shorter of the two deputies called, waving a hand. “You’ve got to see this.”

  “Gotta go,” Frank turned and ducked under the crime scene tape. “Remember what I said,” he ordered, pointing a finger back at her.

  Peeking curiously into the crime scene, she watched the deputy uncover what appeared to be some symbols painted on the ground in yellow paint.

  * * *

  The sun was just beginning to rise, illuminating the icy mountain town so that it shimmered like the ocean, as Sonja unlocked the front door to the diner and stepped inside. “Daniella?” she called, wondering if the ghost was still hanging around.

  Only the early morning silence responded. Shrugging her shoulders, she headed across the dining area and into the kitchen.

  Customers would begin showing up within the next hour, and she knew that most people would lose their appetite if they found out there was a dead body just laying around out back.

  More importantly, it made her uncomfortable as a business owner to serve her delicious recipes under the dark umbrella of a fresh murder, so she decided it was best to close for the day.

  Walking into the small back office, she pulled out a piece of blank paper from the printer and wrote on it in large marker. Closed due to police investigation. We will reopen tomorrow morning at our regular hour. Sorry for the inconvenience. Heading to the front of the store, she put up the sign and locked herself in.

  Sighing, she secretly felt grateful for the extra time to get things ready for the Valentine’s Dance that night.

  Belinda was a close friend, and Sonja wanted everything to be as perfect as possible for the dance. This dance was Belinda’s way of finally reconnecting with the community of Haunted Falls. For years, she had been looked at as the town nut case, even garnering the nickname ghost lady from local kids—partially because of her almost ghostly white complexion, and partially because of her public assertions that she could talk to the dead.

  While Belinda volunteered at the local library on almost a daily basis, this dance was really going to help put her back in good standing with the community.

  Sonja was probably the only person who knew Belinda was telling the truth about being able to see ghosts. On many occasions during an investigation, the supernaturally sensitive sleuth had asked for help from Belinda while doing research about cursed objects.

  Now, Sonja felt it was her turn to repay her friend, and hoped that the rest of the residents of Haunted Falls would begin to accept Belinda as well.

  She wanted to get Belinda’s permission to move her preparations to the Smith Manor’s kitchen. Digging into her pocket, she fished out her phone and dialed Belinda’s number.

  Just as the line began to ring, a knock came on the door, drawing her attention. “Sonja, hi,” came the muffled voice through the glass.

  “Speak of the devil.” Glancing up, Sonja was surprised to see Belinda standing outside. With her were two other people, Hayden Dockers and another woman she didn’t immediately recognize.

  Gasping, Sonja realized where she knew the woman from. It was Borja Brightstar, the jazz singer.

  CHAPTER 4

  * * *

  Nervously fidgeting for the handle, Sonja turned the lock and opened the door. “Hello. Come in,” she greeted the two ladies with a smile.

  “Good morning.” Belinda skipped into the diner as if it were any other day and she was just about to order breakfast, while the tall and radiantly blonde haired Borja Brightstar followed, smiling as she entered.

  “This place is beautiful,” the singer exclaimed. “It looks like it came right out of the fifties.

  Sonja wanted to blurt out that s
he thought Borja looked like she’d just stepped out of the fifties as well, but she stopped herself before the words escaped. It was as if the singer had simply waltzed right out of a retro jazz club and into the diner. Beautifully olive skin, bright hair pinned up neatly in the back, deep red lipstick—it all fit the description.

  The only thing that contradicted the overall picture was her modern clothing, a pair of acid-washed jeans and a colorful tie-dye t-shirt embellished with sequins.

  While Sonja was feeling so flabbergasted to be standing in this minor celebrity’s presence, she almost forgot that both Belinda and Hayden were there too.

  “Good morning, Sonja,” Hayden said for the third time.

  “Earth to Sonja,” Belinda teased.

  “Oh,” she mumbled, snapping out of her star stricken daze. “Hi, guys. What are you all doing here?”

  “I wanted you to meet some of the other team members I’ve hired to help this Valentine’s bash tonight really take off.”

  “Oh,” Sonja smiled. “What are you going to be doing?” she asked Hayden, unable to bring herself to say anything to Borja yet.

  “Hayden is going to be in charge of our sound system.”

  Hayden nonchalantly took a seat on one of the counter stools. “That’s right. Sometimes these older buildings can be tricky when you try to hook up a big sound system like the one we’re using.” For a man that was older than Sonja’s father, he had a surprisingly distinguished air about him. Perhaps it was the perfectly combed salt and pepper colored hair, the well-trimmed goatee, or maybe it was just his aftershave. He just seemed like the kind of guy you’d see running a large corporation—but instead, he was just a normal electrician. “We’ve got quite the state of the art equipment going in.”

  “Only the best,” Belinda beamed, wiggling her eyebrow. “And this is Borja Brightstar. She’s going to be providing us with music at the dance tonight.”

  “She’s quite the jazz singer,” Belinda announced proudly.

  “I-I’m familiar with Miss Brightstar,” Sonja admitted, smiling at the celebrity and making eye contact for the first time since the group’s arrival. Formally, Sonja held out a hand of greeting.

  “Borja, this is Sonja Reed.”

  “A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the singer smiled, taking Sonja’s hand and gently shaking it. “If you’re nearly as much fun as Belinda says you are, we’re going to get along just fine.”

  Sonja hardly felt like the word “fun” was the best description for herself. If anything, she felt boring.

  “Yes, and she keeps telling me I have to try your waffles,” Borja noted. “I feel as if she might just have a panic attack if I don’t eat one right away.”

  “Hayden’s never had one before, either,” Belinda butted in. “In fact, he’s never even stepped foot in your diner.”

  “You know, she’s right,” Sonja added. “I’ve never seen you in here.”

  “Guilty as charged,” he announced, putting up a hand as if he were taking an oath. “So what do we have to do to get some service?”

  “Well, actually,” Sonja began, trying to explain the situation to her friend. “Didn’t you guys see the sign? The cop cars?”

  “I did notice the cop cars,” Hayden admitted.

  “So did I,” Borja added. “I wondered what was going on.”

  Hayden shrugged. “I guess I’m just a little daft. I assumed they were here for breakfast.”

  “Unfortunately, not.”

  “You put up a sign?” Belinda asked innocently.

  “Don’t worry about it. I hung up the sign literally the second before you guys arrived.” Feeling bad for saying so, Sonja informed them that she was going to be closed for the day thanks to a police investigation. “I’m truly sorry,” she apologized, feeling slightly flushed.

  “Closed?” Belinda protested slightly. “Why? Was there another murder?” she teased.

  Sonja grew quiet, not wanting to respond in the affirmative.

  Belinda’s smile turned into an O of surprise as she realized it was true. “Oh, Sonja. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have joked like that. I wouldn’t have insisted on coming in if I knew what was happening. I’ve just been so excited about the dance that things just keep going right over my head.”

  “A murder?” Hayden remarked, his suave nature fading into true concern. “Anyone we know?”

  Sonja suddenly felt ten times more awkward. Everyone in Haunted Falls knew Hayden and Carson were best friends. “I’m not allowed to say. Police instructions,” she lied.

  “Darn,” he whispered.

  Belinda raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Any troubles with Daniella?” she asked straight out. Belinda was the only other person who knew about the diner’s ghost.

  Sonja slightly nodded. “That, too.”

  “What did she show you this time?”

  Reluctant to talk about the supernatural while Borja and Hayden stood nearby, and also wanting to avoid the fact that she had a dead body out back at all costs, Sonja moved to change the subject. “It’s good,” she remarked. “It will give me more time to be ready for the Valentine’s dance this evening. Actually, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind letting me and Alison use the kitchen at the manor, instead.”

  “My kitchen?”

  “It would be helpful to have more counter space as we plate and serve everything. Also, preparation time would potentially be cut in half,” she said truthfully.

  At this, Belinda smiled widely, “Why, of course,” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “It’ll be just perfect. You can be with me at the house all day.”

  Returning the smile, Sonja was pleased. Belinda was one of the kindest, most open, and thoroughly accommodating people she’d ever met. “I’m just sorry I won’t be able to make you guys any food this morning.”

  “It’s quite all right,” Borja interjected. “I’m sure I’ll have the privilege of trying only your best recipes tonight.”

  “As a matter of fact,” the diner owner remarked, “I’m revealing my newest waffle this evening.”

  “Oh, you’re going to love her waffles, Borja,” Belinda squealed lightly. “You’ll never have another waffle like it.”

  Smiling at her friend, Sonja couldn’t help but find humor in the display. Belinda had pitch black hair and wore dark makeup, as well as a full wardrobe of gothic style clothing to match. Her normal bubbly attitude and innocence stood out in stark contrast to her ghoulish demeanor.

  “I look forward to it,” Borja remarked in a similar tone to Belinda.

  “Well, I’d better get in the kitchen. I’ve got a lot of things to pack up before I head over.”

  “We’ll be waiting,” Belinda beamed. “Just drive around to the back of the manor. There is an old servants entrance you can use to bring everything right into the kitchen.”

  “Sounds good,” Sonja replied, waving as the group of three walked back out the front door.

  “Oh, and by the way, if you run into a loud mouthed gentleman in a purple suit, don’t listen to a word he has to say.”

  “Why? Who is he?”

  “Johnny Wales, the decorator I hired for the party. He is brilliant with design, terrible with people, so just try and ignore him.”

  “He’s boorish,” Borja remarked, rolling her eyes. “You’d think he could tone it down a notch.”

  “Well, it wouldn’t be Johnny any other way,” Hayden remarked.

  “Anyway, don’t mind him,” Belinda repeated.

  “Got it,” Sonja winked.

  Locking the door behind them, she had an odd feeling that she’d heard the name Johnny Wales before. Something about the sound of it made her uneasy, as if the name were tied to some harrowing event.

  CHAPTER 5

  * * *

  “What’s going on?” Alison inquired upon entering the kitchen and setting her purse down on the counter next to the mountain of ingredients and cooking utensils that had been collected in cardboard boxes there.
r />   “Change of plans. We’re going to move everything up to the Smith Manor and do all our cooking there.”

  “Sounds good,” Alison nodded, leaning on the counter with one hand on her hip, “but that doesn’t explain to me the reason your boyfriend and his deputies have the entire back lot blocked off.”

  “Oh,” Sonja replied, not particularly wanting to share the fact that she’d found another murder victim. “It’s nothing, really.”

  “Sonja?” Alison pressed, easily seeing right through her friend.

  Sighing, Sonja gave in, knowing she’d have to tell her eventually. “Now, don’t freak out, but I found a body in the dumpster this morning.”

  Alison’s eyes widened and her face paled. “You’re kidding,” she moaned, “that’s the third body you’ve found here at the diner.”

  Sonja refrained from correcting her since it had actually been four bodies so far now—if you included the old decayed skeleton of Daniella Fitzgerald. “Hey,” Sonja shrugged. “It’s not like I’m asking for it.”

  “Sometimes I wonder.” Alison dug through her purse and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. Dumping two into her hand, she swallowed them dry. “I already had a headache this morning, but this just tops it off.” Screwing the cap back on, she tossed the bottle in her bag. “Like being up all night with Cynthia wasn’t bad enough. It’s like every madman, psycho, and murderer from a hundred miles around has just decided to dump their bodies on us.”

  Sonja, smiled at her friend, trying to defuse the stressful situation. Ally had a habit of being high-strung, and Sonja wanted to keep her as calm as possible. “I know it’s frustrating,” she shrugged, “but there’s really nothing we can do about it.”

  “Easy for you to say,” Alison commented. “You don’t have a little girl to worry about. I don’t like the idea of some crazy person running around my hometown and trying to kill my family.”

  “No one is hunting down your family, Ally.” Sonja retorted, refraining from commenting on her friend’s overreaction. “Let’s just try and enjoy today,” Sonja said with a smile, trying to encourage her. “It’s the Valentine’s Dance tonight, after all. Once the food is served, you and Alex can just enjoy a romantic evening together.”