Rest in Pizza (20 page)
Authors: Chris Cavender
“I thought Nathan was unreachable,” I said, knowing that the town’s millionaire recluse answered to no one but himself.
“For most folks he is, but I have an in with him.”
I thought about my contact with Art Young, and the number and curious code he’d given me in case of an emergency. I couldn’t imagine the circumstances that would force me to use it, but it was comforting nonetheless having him just a phone call away.
“What did you discuss?” I asked.
Janet couldn’t even look at us as she spoke, instead staring down at the ground between her feet. “I was asking him for a loan to keep Cindy afloat. We were counting on the revenue from Tony’s book signing to carry us six months, maybe even a year, but we lost every last bit of it when he was murdered.”
“That had to have been hard to do,” I said sympathetically. I’d never been forced to borrow money to keep the Slice open, but I knew that if I had to, I’d find a way to do it.
“Not as hard as it was asking Tony for the money first,” Janet said.
“When did you do that?” I asked. “I didn’t think you realized that you were in a jam financially until after he was murdered.”
“We were operating too close to the edge as it was, and I wanted Cindy to enjoy her dream, and to have a little breathing space. After Tony stormed out of the Bookmark, but before he got to Paul’s Pastries, I found him on the promenade shortcut and confronted him. When I told him he should do right by his daughter even before I knew that he wouldn’t be able to host his demonstration, he laughed in my face. He said that I hadn’t told him about her all those years ago, and then he said that he’d get to know her on his own terms, with no strings attached, and nothing expected from either one of them. Oh, Tony admitted that he might help her out financially someday, but not out of a sense of responsibility, and certainly not anytime soon. We had a fight, and he went into Paul’s and continued having his little tantrum. I decided then and there that I needed another plan, and Nathan was the only person I knew with the means to loan us the money we needed.”
“And did he?” I asked.
“It took some convincing, but he finally agreed. He’s always had a soft spot for Cindy, and to my shame, I exploited it.”
“Hey, there’s no use beating yourself up about it. You did what you had to do,” I said as I patted her leg.
“Well, that’s it,” Janet said as she stood. “I had to get that off my chest. I’m sorry about everything.”
“We are, too,” I said.
Janet walked away, and I could swear I saw a lighter movement in her steps. It was as though an actual burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
“Now who’s the great inspiration?” Maddy asked with a slight smile.
“What can I say? It must run in the family.”
As we got back into Maddy’s car and headed to the Slice, I said, “That’s three cell phone alibis we’ve come up with for five suspects.”
“Most people live on their telephones,” Maddy said. “It doesn’t really surprise me all that much.”
“I suppose not. Who do they all talk to?”
“Each other, I’m guessing. Think about it, though. Just about everyone you know works at the Slice.”
“Not David,” I answered.
“No, but he’s tied up most days. You just don’t have all that much time to chat, do you?”
“It works for me,” I said. “It looks like we can strike another name from our list.”
“It’s finally getting to be manageable, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I agreed. “We might have to close early tonight so we can see if we can stir the pot a little more with the ones we’ve got left, though.”
“How are we going to do that? We have Patrice and Jessie left, and they’re in meetings for the rest of the day.”
“I don’t know yet, but we’ll figure something out.”
I would have loved to know what Kevin Hurley had uncovered so far in the case. There had to be information he was privy to that we didn’t know, but I couldn’t just ask him directly. He’d tapped me for information once, but that didn’t mean that I had the same privileges. I suspected that if I helped him enough, he’d throw a few tidbits my way, too, but if the two main suspects Maddy and I had in our sights had alibis they’d already told the police, no one had shared them with us.
Chapter 19
“H
ey, Eleanor,” Paul said as he poked his head through the kitchen door a little after one that afternoon. “I’ve got something for you.”
ey, Eleanor,” Paul said as he poked his head through the kitchen door a little after one that afternoon. “I’ve got something for you.”
“Any chance it’s a cream-filled éclair?” I asked. Paul’s pastries were addictive, and every time I saw him, it made me crave sweets.
“Sorry, I didn’t bring any goodies with me this time. This is a letter that the mailman dropped off at my place by mistake. I think Bernie’s starting to slip.”
Bernie Hildebran had been our mail carrier since we’d opened the Slice, and he prided himself on his ability to sort and deliver our mail.
“Don’t tell him that,” I said as I wiped my hands on a towel and took the letter from him. “Oh, great. It’s a bill.”
“Sorry it wasn’t better news, but I thought you might need to get it so you could pay it on time,” Paul said. He took a deep breath, and then added, “I forgot just how good this place smells. How do you take working here all day and not weigh a thousand pounds?”
“I was just thinking the same thing about you,” I said. “I’d be glad to make you something while you’re here. Just say the word. Do you have ten minutes, or do you need to get back to the bakery?”
“You know what? I should stay open until three, but I’m thinking about closing early today. Have you lost much income since you started closing for an hour in the afternoons?”
“Not enough to matter,” I said. “You’re not getting burnt-out on running your shop, are you?”
Paul shrugged. “It’s a long story. Why don’t you make me a small cheese pizza and I’ll tell you while we’re waiting for it.”
“I can do that,” I said. As Paul grabbed a stool, I got the dough and made him a medium-size pizza instead. It was the least I could do after all the pastries he’d given me over the years.
As I worked the dough, I said, “Tell me about it.”
“You know how much I love running the bakery,” Paul said. “It’s still my passion, and not practicing law when I passed the bar was the smartest thing I could have done for myself.”
“There’s a large ‘but’ hanging in the air, though, isn’t there?”
He nodded. “I’m not denying that I’ve enjoyed being single, but I’m getting tired of being all alone. Do you know how hard it is to find someone to date, let alone to marry? I have to be in bed by seven-thirty or eight every night at the latest. It doesn’t leave me a lot of options for a love life.”
“Well, let’s think about it. There have to be women around here who work on your schedule, too,” I said as I added the sauce and cheese. “Nurses, factory workers, and late-night clerks might be a good place to start.”
“If they’re out there, I’m having a hard time finding them,” he said, looking sadder than I’d seen him in a long time.
“What brought this on?” I asked as I slid his pizza onto the conveyor. “You didn’t used to feel this way.”
Paul looked around, and then said, “Don’t tell anyone; I don’t want anyone to make a fuss, but today is my thirtieth birthday.”
Now I felt bad that I’d let one of my best friends’ birthdays go by without celebrating it with him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. Happy birthday.”
“Thanks, but that’s just it,” Paul said. “Nobody knew it was my birthday but my mom. It would be nice to have someone in my life to share the milestones with, you know?”
“Don’t worry, Paul. You’re a great guy and I’m positive that you’ll find someone,” I said.
“I used to think so, but lately I’ve been beginning to wonder.”
“Tell you what,” I said. “Let me ask around for you. I have friends all over three counties. There has to be a ton of women out there we can find for you.”
Paul looked at me skeptically. “You’re not going to put out an ad or anything, are you? My pride couldn’t take that.”
“No, I’ll be discreet,” I promised. “What do you say? Should I try my hand at a little matchmaking?”
“Well, I guess it’s worth a shot,” he said as he stretched his long legs. “I’m not doing so great on my own.”
“May I tell Maddy?” I asked.
“I don’t know about that,” Paul said. “I don’t want everyone in town to think that I’m desperate, even though I am. If she has to know, I guess that’s okay, but don’t say anything to Greg and Josh. They’d never let me live it down.”
He was right on the money there. “Not a problem. They won’t hear it from either one of us. The reason I want to bring Maddy in on this is because she works the front, so she knows who’s out there better than I do.” I reached over and patted his hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll find someone for you.”
“I hope you’re right,” he said, “but you didn’t have such an easy time finding David, did you?”
I laughed. “The funny thing was that he was there all along. It just took him leaving town for me to really notice him.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Paul asked with a wry grin. He was a sweet and handsome man, and if he wanted someone in his life, he deserved the opportunity to find her.
“It should,” I said as I pulled his pizza off the conveyor. “Would you like to eat it back here with me, or should I set you up in the dining room?”
Paul frowned, and then asked, “Could you just put it in a box for me? I think I’ll eat it outside in front of the pastry shop.”
“You’ve got it,” I said. Before I boxed it up, I dug into one of my drawers and picked out a candle stub. Sinking it into the pizza, I lit it and said, “Make a wish.”
He grinned, did as I asked, and then said, “You know what? You’re my kind of crazy, Eleanor.”
“Right back at you,” I said as I grabbed a soda for him, too.
“What do I owe you?”
“It’s your birthday, Paul. It’s on the house,” I said with a smile.
“Does everyone get a free pie on their birthday?” he asked.
“No, just the folks I’m closest to,” I said. “Don’t spread it around, or everyone will want one.”
He winked at me. “You got it. Thanks, Eleanor. I don’t know how you did it, but you somehow managed to cheer me up.”
“All part of the service we provide here at the Slice,” I said.
Maddy came back a minute later to pick up a pair of toasted subs. “I’m not sure what you said to Paul, but he went in sad and came out happy. What exactly did the two of you do back here?”
I grinned. “I gave him his birthday present,” I said.
“Is that what you kids are calling it these days?” my sister asked me with a grin.
“Keep it clean, Madeline,” I said. “Paul can’t meet any women with his odd work schedule, so he’s asked us to see what we can do to help him find someone.”
Maddy rubbed her hands together and smiled. “That’s great. I just love matchmaking.”
I remembered Paul’s request, and added, “Don’t tell the guys out front. Paul was embarrassed to even ask us for help, and he doesn’t want anyone else to know what we’re doing.”
“You can trust me. I’ll be the epitome of discretion,” my sister said, her eyes sparkling.
“I mean it. This is important.”
“I understand completely,” Maddy said. “Now, who can we call?”
“I thought there might be someone at the hospital,” I admitted. “Doctors and nurses tend to have crazy schedules too, don’t they?”
“Leave it to me. I’ve already got a few candidates in mind,” Maddy said. “But I need to think about it. This is going to be fun.”
“Let’s just hope Paul thinks so,” I said.
After Maddy left to deliver the food, I took the envelope Paul had brought and put it back on my desk. Seeing it there reminded me of the mail Maddy had taken from Benet’s hotel room. It had been an explosive letter, and I wanted to read it again. As I opened the envelope, something struck me. What if the seemingly random notes on the envelope itself held more information that the letter it contained? The notes were all in what I had to assume was Benet’s handwriting, and it would make a doctor proud, it was so tough to read. In fact, it looked more like hieroglyphics at first glance than actual modern writing.
Some of the entries were mundane, a grocery list of things to buy, perhaps for one of his own recipes. There were also loads of random scribbles with various cooking- and baking-related items of all kinds, but as I studied the entries closer, I saw something that looked out of place. Instead of the common black pencil Benet had used to make the vast majority of his notes, there was one item printed in ink, and after looking at it closer, I saw that it wasn’t in Benet’s handwriting at all, but had been printed in block letters instead. It said:
Meet me alone at 2:30.
The most chilling part was scrawled just below that, though.
With distinct trailing hooks on both
S
s, it said:
S
s, it said:
See you at the Slice.
So, that was how the killer had set Benet up for murder at my pizzeria. They hadn’t just stumbled upon the chef there.
They’d set him up.
The only problem was, though, I didn’t know who had written the note, and from the printing, there was no way to tell who had.
I glanced at the wall clock and saw that we were set to close for our one-hour break in forty-five minutes. I turned on the small combination copier/fax/printer in my office and made two copies of the outside of the envelope, blowing up and darkening the setting until the lure was easy to read.
I needed it to be legible, since it was going to be the bait Maddy I were going to use to catch a killer.
I left the copies on my desk and went out into the dining room. There was just one couple there finishing up their meal.
“What’s up, Eleanor?” Maddy asked as I approached her.
“We’re closing early,” I said. “I’ll tell you why in a minute.” I walked over to the couple and smiled. “Folks, I’m afraid we have to close early today. Please accept today’s meal as compliments of the Slice.”
“We were going to order dessert, too,” the woman said quickly.
“Gladys, you know full well that we’re finished,” the man replied. He stood, and the woman reluctantly followed.
“At least let me leave a tip,” the man said graciously.
I didn’t want to rob Maddy or Greg of their tip, so I nodded once. He dropped a few singles on the table, and they left, the woman still complaining about the man’s behavior. I pitied him his situation, but what counted was that they were gone.
“Where’s the fire?” Maddy asked as I locked the door.
“We have some errands to run,” I said. I turned to Greg and asked, “Do you mind cleaning up and then locking the place after we’re gone?”
He nodded, and then added, “I don’t have a key, remember?”
“For goodness sakes, take mine,” I said, chucking my whole key ring at him. “This is important, Greg. I wouldn’t ask you to do it if it weren’t.”
“I know that,” Greg said. “Go on. I’ve got it covered. Will you be back when it’s time to open this afternoon?”
“I think so, but if we don’t make it back in time, hang a sign on the front door saying that we’re closed today, but we’ll reopen tomorrow. Got it?”
“Got it,” Greg said. “Unless you want me to come with you. I can be handy in a jam, you both know that.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “It’s going to be fine.” I put my apron in back, grabbed the copies to take with me, but left the original.
“Let’s go,” I said to my sister as I walked back out front. “We can take your car.”
Maddy nodded, and I was amazed at how agreeable she was being.
It didn’t last, though.
The second we were on the promenade and all alone, she stopped and asked, “What are you up to, Eleanor?”
“We’re going to go find Benet’s killer,” I said.
“And how do you propose we do that?”
I handed her the copies, and after reading the note, Maddy asked, “Where did you find this?”
“It was on the envelope you took from Benet’s hotel room. You’re the one who found it.”
She frowned as she studied it again. “I grabbed the letter, but we both know that I didn’t see this.”
“It was buried in the other writing,” I said. “I’m willing to bet that either Patrice or Jessie wrote it.”
“What makes you think it was either one of them?”
I shook my head. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. If someone else did it, we don’t even know about them. Kevin Hurley can track them down on his own, but I have a feeling in my gut that this is the crucial clue to what happened, and one of them is the real killer.”
“So, we’re just going to go confront them with this and see what they say?” Maddy asked.
“That’s what I was thinking, unless you have a better idea.”
She thought about it for a moment, and then said, “Not off the top of my head. Let’s go.”
As we hurried toward her car, I said, “You know we could just end up looking like a pair of fools.”
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