Tea and Sympathy

by Carol Cox

  Paul wagged his finger at her. “Usually, that’s true. But today I claim that honor, and you get to play the part of the faithful Dr. Watson.”

  “Okay.” Kate’s lips twitched. “Tell me what you’ve found, O Great Sleuth. Pull out your violin and tell me the story.”

  Paul mimicked tucking a violin under his chin and stroking a bow across the imaginary strings, reducing Kate to helpless laughter. He dropped his hands to his sides. “Now that I have your attention, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve solved the mystery.”

  “What?”

  “Part of it, anyway.”

  “What are you talking about? You know who’s behind the chamber of commerce fraud?”

  “No, the other mystery. I’m talking about what you’ve been going through.”

  He looked directly at her and folded his arms across his chest, his playful expression fading. “You were right, in one respect at least. You were poisoned.”

  Kate sat up straight, her eyes wide.

  “But not in the way you think.”

  Kate continued to stare at him. “I don’t understand.”

  “Would you believe that every one of the people I visited today had symptoms very similar to what you’ve been experiencing?”

  “Oh no.” The phone call from Joshua Parsons flashed into Kate’s mind. “You mean I really did pass germs around to all those people at church?” She covered her face with her hands. “Oh, Paul, I feel awful.”

  She looked up again to see him shaking his head and smiling. Kate picked up her notebook and set it to one side. Patting the cushion next to her, she said, “Sit down right now, Mr. Holmes, and tell me what’s going on. If you don’t, I may have a relapse.”

  Paul sat beside her and slipped an arm around her shoulders. Pulling her close to his side, he said, “All of you—Bob, Frank, and Dot—had the same thing. The symptoms may not have been identical, but to my mind, they’re close enough.”

  Kate gave a low moan. Paul cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her face up to meet his gaze. “It wasn’t your fault. It was poisoning, all right, but it was food poisoning, not the work of a mad poisoner—unless you’d like to cast J. B. Packer in that role.”

  Kate put her hand to her mouth.

  “I’m joking,” he added gently. “It was an accident, pure and simple. Every one of the people I went to see today had eaten at the diner either last night or this morning, and they all got hit about the same time.”

  Kate’s lips formed an O. “You mean it was J.B.’s cooking? But he’s worked there for quite a while now.”

  “He and LuAnne froze some of the leftover food from Sunday and decided to serve it yesterday, but apparently they didn’t cool it down quickly enough to keep bacteria from forming. Anyone can make a mistake in the kitchen, and he and LuAnne have been under a lot of stress trying to pull double duty since Loretta’s been gone. The sad thing is that J.B. ate some of his own cooking.”

  “Oh no. You mean...?”

  “That’s right. He’s down for the count as well. Which leaves LuAnne trying to hold the fort all alone.”

  Kate turned to face him. “What’s she going to do? She can’t run the diner all on her own.”

  “I didn’t have a chance to stop and talk to her myself after making those other visits. Thanks, by the way, for letting me know about Joshua Parsons. I went out to see him after you called. By the time I was finished there, I needed to come back home and check on you. I heard at the Andersons’ house that LuAnne has already hired Marlee Jones and Brenna Phillips to fill in as waitresses. That should take some of the weight off her shoulders.”

  “Oh my goodness. The girls will mean well, but they’re just teenagers. LuAnne needs someone with experience.” Kate remembered Renee’s dire comments about the fate of the diner. “What is Loretta going to find when she comes home?”

  “A functioning restaurant, we hope.” Paul spoke lightly, but his expression told Kate he took the crisis as seriously as she did.

  “Wait a minute. If J.B. is out sick, does that mean LuAnne is trying to do all the cooking too?”

  “I assume so. I haven’t heard otherwise.”

  Kate closed her eyes and gave a long sigh. “LuAnne’s a good cook, but she’s used to preparing small meals at home. That’s hardly the same thing as trying to cook in quantity. I wish there was some way I could help.”

  “I know you do, hon. You’d help the whole world if you could.” Paul dropped a kiss on her nose and said, “Speaking of food, I’d better rustle around in the kitchen and make some plans for our dinner...unless you’d like me to run down to JD’s Smokeshack and pick up an order of ribs?”

  Kate clasped her hands over her midsection and made a face. “I know you love them, but please don’t even joke about eating ribs. Not for a few more days, at least.”

  The doorbell rang, and Kate smiled. “Besides, you don’t have to worry about fixing anything tonight. Dinner has just arrived.”

  Paul gave her a quizzical glance and walked over to the door to admit Abby, who carried a large ceramic container in a bright quilted carrier.

  “Would you mind taking this into the kitchen?” She pushed the pot into Paul’s hands. “I have to get something else out of the car.” She returned a moment later with a basket covered with a blue-and-white-checkered cloth in one hand and a pint jar in the other.

  Abby bustled toward the kitchen and set both items on the counter. “I didn’t know if the soup would be filling enough on its own, especially when you have a hungry man to feed, so I whipped up some biscuits and brought this along.” She held up the jar.

  “Is that some kind of jelly?” Kate asked.

  “Honey,” Abby corrected. “I get it from a beekeeper who lives out near Pine Ridge. It’s wonderful stuff, absolutely delicious. It’s supposed to be very good for you too. I’ve read quite a bit about its healing properties.”

  Paul lifted the checkered cloth and took a bite from one of the biscuits. “As the resident hungry man of this household, I thank you.”

  Abby beamed. “Anything for my favorite pastor.”

  A lump formed in Kate’s throat. Would she ever be able to repay all the dear people who had been so generous to her and Paul during this time? Usually she was on the giving end of situations like this. It felt odd to be the recipient instead, but at least it confirmed to her how meaningful such small tokens of caring could be.

  “Yoo-hoo!”

  Abby jumped a little when the front door swung open and a voice sounded behind her.

  Kate pressed her lips together to hide a smile when Renee poked her head into the room. With all this coming and going, she and Paul would have to remember to keep checking the lock on the door if they wanted to keep unexpected company from popping in.

  “Come on in, Renee. I’m visiting with Abby.”

  Renee bustled inside with a covered dish in her hands and a designer tote slung over her shoulder. A look of genuine pleasure spread across her face when she saw Kate sitting up on the couch. “You’re looking much better! I’ll bet you’ll be up to eating this now.” She held up the dish. “I brought a quiche over for you to try. All that protein should help build you back up.”

  Abby looked a little flustered and pressed her hands against her ample bosom. She looked over at the kitchen counter, where Paul had set her ceramic pot.

  Renee’s sharp eyes followed Abby’s gaze. “What’s that?”

  Kate tried to smooth the waters before they became troubled. “Abby just brought over a pot of soup. Doesn’t it smell wonderful?”

  Renee looked down at the pan in her hands, and her face fell. “I suppose I can take this back home for Mother and me.”

  “Don’t be silly!” Kate said. “Leave it here. We’ll have your quiche along with the soup. It sounds like a delightful combination, and I know we’ll enjoy it.”

  Looking somewhat mollified, Renee set the pan on top of the stove, then came back to join Kate in the living room. A yip came
from her tote, and she opened it to let Kisses come out and perch on her lap.

  “I’ll be on my way now,” Abby said. She walked across the room and bent to peck a light kiss on Kate’s cheek. “You’ll be in my prayers.”

  “And you in mine. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness.”

  When the front door closed behind Abby, Renee cocked one eyebrow up and looked at Kate. “That soup does smell heavenly, but the quiche is brain food. I’m trying to help clear your mind and get those little gray cells back up to speed ASAP.”

  “That biscuit was great as an appetizer,” Paul said, “but all those good smells are making me hungry.”

  “Why don’t we go ahead and eat now?” Kate said. “Would you like to join us, Renee?”

  “I don’t mind if I do. I made two quiches and left one at home, so Mother has something to eat. Actually, it looks like we’ll be eating at home a lot more these days.”

  Kate and Paul glanced at each other and looked back at Renee. “What do you mean?” Kate asked.

  Renee sniffed and rubbed her finger on the spot between Kisses’ ears. “You know how much I enjoy taking my meals at the diner, but I’m not sure how long I can continue to do so. Have you heard what’s been happening there?”

  Kate caught an ominous tone in Renee’s voice. “You mean about the rash of illness going around?”

  “Illness, my foot. It’s outright negligence that caused the whole mess. I called LuAnne as soon as I got wind of all the talk about food poisoning, and she confirmed it. She’s absolutely distraught, but that doesn’t make things any better. What were they thinking, serving tainted food to half the town?”

  Kate smiled at Renee’s exaggeration, although she had to admit the results could have been much more widespread.

  “It isn’t good,” Kate replied. “All it would take is one call to the health department. If they got wind of all that...” Her voice trailed off and her eyes widened. “What would happen then? Would they close the restaurant down or just issue a warning?”

  “I’m not sure,” Paul said. “And I hope we don’t find out. LuAnne has enough to worry about without that.”

  Kate looked back at Renee. “Are you still eating there?”

  The older woman pushed back a strand of her blonde hair. “Only after LuAnne swore to me that they had disposed of the contaminated food and that everything she serves from now on will be absolutely fresh.”

  A grimace twisted her lips. “Even then, all I could bring myself to order for lunch was a plate of toast and a hard-boiled egg. I figured those would be safe enough.”

  Kate shook her head, feeling sympathy for both women. There seemed to be no easy solution for this situation. “Paul tells me J.B. will be out of the picture for the time being.”

  Renee lifted her chin. “Serves him right! Hoist on his own petard, if you ask me. Maybe this will teach him to keep a closer eye on food temperatures and proper kitchen procedures.”

  Kate brought forth the same concern she had voiced to Paul earlier. “How will LuAnne manage now that she has to cook as well as supervise everything else?”

  “She thinks she still has things under control. She’s cutting the menu way back. Says she’s just going to have one or two items instead of the full array Loretta always offers.”

  Renee shifted Kisses in her lap and ran one hand down his back. “But even so, the diner is hardly up to its usual standard. From what I saw earlier today, the clientele—what’s left of it—isn’t impressed.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Kate didn’t make it to church the following morning. It wasn’t often that she missed a worship service because of illness, and it made her Sunday morning feel disjointed.

  She had gotten out of bed at her usual early hour, ready for an invigorating shower. Halfway to the bathroom, her legs felt wobbly, and a wave of exhaustion enveloped her, though she had just finished a good night’s sleep.

  “It’s okay,” Paul consoled her when she told him she didn’t think she would be able to go. “Everyone misses a Sunday occasionally—even the minister’s wife.”

  “I know, but it just isn’t like me.” Kate’s dejection showed in her voice. “My stomach isn’t upset anymore, and my thinking has cleared up, thank goodness. Yet right now I feel about as energetic as a damp dishrag.”

  “But you’re getting stronger by the day. And you know, Katie, you tend to ask too much of yourself. Just give yourself the grace you’d extend to anyone else, and take time to heal.” Paul grinned and gave her a wink. “We really don’t expect you to be Superwoman, you know.”

  “That’s a good thing,” Kate told him. “My cape isn’t back from the dry cleaners yet.”

  Paul chuckled at her joke and finished getting ready. After he left, Kate carried a couple of pillows out to the living room and made herself comfortable on the couch, with an afghan spread over her legs. Her intent was to study her Bible while church was in progress. She could at least fellowship with the rest of the Faith Briar congregation in spirit, even though she couldn’t be with them in person.

  Despite her plan, Kate’s eyes grew heavy, and she spent most of the time Paul was gone drifting in and out of a light doze.

  Paul had thawed one of the frozen meals before he left for church and placed it in the oven on Time Bake, telling Kate she wouldn’t have to lift a finger to do any of the lunch preparation. The tantalizing smell tickled her nostrils, and she knew she would have a hearty appetite by the time he got home.

  “READY TO EAT?” Paul asked when he walked in the door and set his Bible on the coffee table.

  “More than ready. I’ve been smelling that luscious aroma the entire time you’ve been gone. I feel positively ravenous! Who made it, and what’s in it?”

  Paul looked at a label that had been taped to the foil covering. “Joseph’s Coat casserole from Martha Sinclair. Look, she even included the ingredients: ground beef, green beans, corn, peas, and mashed potatoes. Sounds like a colorful version of shepherd’s pie.” He pulled it from the oven and dished up helpings for them both.

  The dish proved to be every bit as delectable as it had smelled. As soon as it was cool enough to eat, Kate dove in with relish and in no time was polishing off the last bite.

  “That was absolutely delicious!” She gave a contented sigh. “I can’t wait to sample the rest of those meals. And we’ll be clearing out a little space in the freezer.”

  Paul laughed and shook his head. “Not exactly. Phoebe West and Betty Anderson said they might stop by with more meals.”

  “Oh my goodness. I never cease to marvel at the generosity of our Faith Briar family.”

  “It’s their way of showing how much they love you.”

  “I know. God really blessed us when he brought us to Copper Mill.”

  “Let me clear the dishes away.” Paul reached for Kate’s plate. “Then I think I’ll see if I can catch forty winks. After a morning of preaching and a good meal, I can see why a Sunday-afternoon nap became a tradition.”

  The doorbell rang while he was on his way to the kitchen.

  “Were you expecting anyone?” Kate asked.

  Paul scratched his head. “A couple of people at church said they might stop by after lunch. I was hoping I’d get to take that nap before they started showing up, but I guess it isn’t meant to be.” His wide smile told Kate he wasn’t put out in the least at the idea of company.

  He stacked the dishes in the sink and opened the door to admit Livvy and Danny.

  Danny stopped at the door to talk to Paul, but Livvy breezed past the men and crossed the living room to where Kate was resting. “We missed you this morning. I was hoping you’d feel well enough to be there today.”

  Kate sighed. “I’m just not bouncing back as quickly as I expected to. Whoever thought I’d still be lazing around after a full week? But from what Paul told me yesterday, a lot of people are in the same boat.”

  Paul and Danny walked over to join them. “Bob Anderson was there t
his morning, though,” Paul said.

  Kate’s eyes flared open wide. “Really?”

  Paul nodded. “Apparently he was taken ill Friday evening. He said he spent a miserable night and was still feeling pretty rocky when I stopped by to see him yesterday, but once he started feeling better, he snapped out of it pretty quickly. I’m hoping the rest of the weekend’s victims will be on the mend soon.”

  “That doesn’t make sense. If they’re getting back to normal that fast, why haven’t I?”

  The creases between Paul’s eyebrows deepened. “Good question. It seems like it’s hit you a lot harder than anybody else. I questioned Bob pretty thoroughly. He was still feeling a little shaky but wasn’t complaining of dizziness or loss of memory.”

  “So why do you think I’m still having problems?” Kate tried to make her tone light, but the quaver in her voice betrayed her concern.

  She saw the barest flash of alarm in Paul’s eyes before he answered. “I don’t even want to think about it being something truly serious. But I do think that if you don’t feel greatly improved by tomorrow morning, we’d better plan another trip to the doctor. I’m afraid I’ve let you down by taking this too lightly and not getting you in to see someone before now.”

  Kate murmured a tentative agreement. He might be right. She felt somewhat relieved at the idea of getting a firm diagnosis so her concerns could be put to rest. On the other hand, what if it turned out she did have something serious? Or her earlier assumption was correct about being poisoned, perhaps maliciously?

  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Remembering the verse from the sixth chapter of Matthew, she pushed the niggling doubt from her mind. She could worry about that tomorrow, if it even proved to be necessary by then.

  “I whipped up some brownies when we went home for lunch.” Livvy indicated the pan Danny still held in his hands. “I knew you were stocked up on casseroles, but I thought you could use a little chocolate therapy.”

  “Blessings upon you. Just the thought of them makes my mouth water. Are they cool enough to cut?”