Dead Men Don't Eat Cookies (13 page)

“Livie?” Jason nudged Olivia’s arm with his elbow while holding a large pan in both hands. “If you don’t want your share of this meatloaf, I’ll take it.”

“Hand it over,” Olivia said. “My brother, the human vacuum.” She was pleased to hear Alicia giggle.

“I wish I had a brother,” Alicia said.

“No, you don’t.” Olivia softened her jab with a grin.

After the tasters had marked their score cards, Ellie said, “I can’t stand the suspense. What’s the verdict?”

“Very tasty, sweetheart,” Allan said.

“Yes, dear, but does it taste anything like Pete’s meatloaf?” Ellie’s gaze fell on Alicia.

“Well . . .” Alicia took a second bite and closed her eyes as she chewed. With a decisive nod, she said, “Your husband is right, Ellie. It tastes great, but it isn’t Pete’s recipe. Too much tomato sauce, which overpowers the subtler flavors. The meat tastes similar, though. Did you use finely chopped shallots instead of onions?”

An enthusiastic yap from the dining room entrance seemed to support Alicia’s analysis. Either that, Olivia thought, or Spunky could smell the meatloaf and was angling for a taste.

Ellie beamed. “I did indeed, Alicia. How clever of you.”

Olivia had begun to catch on. Crystal, Alicia’s mother, had
mentioned what a skilled baker her daughter had become. Clearly the girl had a gift for discerning subtle taste differences. Ellie, whose own special skills included understanding people, was using Alicia’s talents to draw her out, get her talking . . . perhaps to relax her enough to discuss more painful memories?

Alicia appeared more comfortable with each sample meatloaf that made its way around the table. The second experiment, Alicia decided, had too much garlic in the meat. The tomato sauce on the third meatloaf tasted too sweet, and the fourth was closest in taste to Pete’s recipe except the sauce wasn’t sharp enough. “By any chance, did you use regular mustard in the sauce?” Alicia asked. When Ellie nodded, Alicia said, “I thought so. Pete does use regular mustard in some dishes, but I’m almost positive he uses Dijon mustard for his meatloaf sauce. I’ve wondered if he sneaks in a pinch of horseradish, too. He won’t share his recipe with anyone, not even Ida.”

“I’m confused,” Olivia said. “Ida has served Del and me lots of extra meatloaf. She always tells us that ‘the cook made too much,’ and Pete wants to get rid of the leftovers.”

When Alicia laughed, she looked like a carefree teenager. Her light brown eyes sparkled as she shook her long, chestnut hair. “That’s a little game they play. I figured that out right away.” She relaxed against her chair back. “I always wanted to work at Pete’s Diner. I was so happy to get that waitressing job, I came in early my first day. I wanted to learn everything as fast as possible because . . .” Alicia lowered her gaze as if she felt shy sharing information about herself. “Well, because I want to be a cook. Not just any cook, but one of the best. I want to open my own restaurant someday and specialize in desserts. My dad taught me how to make decorated cutout cookies. We were going to open a bakery together when I . . .” Alicia stared down at her hands. “When I got old enough,” she finished softly.

“Hey, there’s no time like the present,” Maddie said. “After dinner, I’ll be heading back to the Gingerbread House
kitchen for some evening cookie baking. How about joining me for a couple hours? I can drive you back here before Ellie and Allan start nodding off.”

“Gosh, I’d
love
that.” Alicia looked toward Ellie. “Would it be okay? I wouldn’t stay too late.”

With a wistful sigh, Ellie said, “Oh, if only my own children had been so solicitous.”

“Hey!” Olivia protested.

“Yeah, hey!” Jason said.

“I was only teasing, dears,” Ellie said. “Alicia, I would like you to be back no later than eleven, so we won’t have to worry. Worrying is so exhausting. However, I will give you a key, in case all of you lose track of time. Creating decorated cookies can have that effect.” She scraped back her chair and stood. “Now that we’ve finished our dinner, shall we have coffee and dessert in the living room? Alicia, would you help me clear the table?”

“Sure.” Alicia sprang to her feet, nearly toppling her chair backward. Olivia felt sad as she watched Alicia’s eager response to Ellie’s firm, yet attentive mothering. Remembering her conversation with Crystal in the band shell, Olivia suspected that Alicia was more used to harsh criticism.

While Ellie and Alicia carried soiled dinnerware to the kitchen for washing, Allan led the others to the living room. “Winter is coming, no doubt about it,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Make yourselves at home, while I stoke the fire.” Spunky plunked down in front of the fireplace. He knew from past experience that a lit fire meant warmth, and he intended to claim the best spot.

Jason settled on the sofa next to Dolly. “Want me to head out and chop down a tree for firewood, Allan? We wouldn’t want the womenfolk to freeze.” Dolly jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, which made Olivia like her enormously. “Hey,” Jason said. “You’ve got a strong arm, for a girl.”

Dolly turned her back on him and asked the group, “Does
anyone know what Ellie is up to? Because it looked like she planned that whole dinner scene pretty carefully.”

“Ellie’s ways are often mysterious,” Maddie said. “And convoluted . . . which is probably why I love watching her in action. I’m never quite sure what she’ll do or say next. I wish she’d gotten Alicia to talk about her boyfriend. He’s the one who got her fired from Pete’s Diner this morning, right?”

“Kurt?” Jason snorted. “He’s such a loser.”

“You know him?” Olivia’s eyebrows shot up. “How? And why didn’t you say something?”

“You didn’t ask, Olive Oyl. Jeez. And I know him because Struts fired him sometime back. Kurt claimed he was an experienced mechanic. We’d lost a couple guys in the previous months, so Struts decided to give him a chance. Big mistake. He didn’t know a piston from an air filter.”

“Wow,” Dolly said.

“I know, right?” Jason said. “Boy, was Kurt ever mad when Struts canned him. I followed him out to make sure he didn’t damage anything. I don’t know why he thought he could fool Struts and me. You just had to look at those scrawny shoulders and arms to know he wasn’t a mechanic, but Struts likes to give people a chance to prove themselves.” Jason socked Dolly’s shoulder, and she socked him back harder. “See? Dolly is lots stronger than Kurt, and she’s a girl.”

“By which you mean
woman
, right?” Dolly’s voice had grown a sharp edge.

“Uh, right,” Jason said. “Slip of the tongue. No offense intended.”

Olivia was impressed. Her brother might be salvageable after all. Barely. “Does anyone know what Kurt actually did that got Alicia fired?” Olivia asked. “I’m having a hard time believing Pete would blame her for her boyfriend’s behavior.”

“For once, I know the answer to that, or at least part of it,” Allan said as he lowered to his knees in front of the fireplace. “As it happens, I stopped in at the diner at about six a.m. for
a cup of coffee, so I witnessed the whole episode. Pete unofficially opens up early, you know, for folks who need to be at work by seven.” Allan paused to light the fire. “There, that ought to do the trick. Nothing like a fire when the wind starts whistling. Now where was I?”

“Allan, we all know about Pete’s concern for early risers,” Olivia said. “The question is, why were
you
even out of bed at six a.m., let alone having breakfast at the diner? Has a ‘morning person’ taken over your body?”

Allan’s laugh filled the room. As he lumbered to his feet, Olivia couldn’t help thinking of her own tall, thin dad, who’d been Allan’s physical opposite. Prone to absentmindedness, her ornithologist father had understood the language of birds. He’d perceived their personalities, much the way Olivia saw cookie cutters almost as little people. Allan, on the other hand, was a shrewd businessman and only slightly taller than Olivia’s five foot seven, with a hefty build and a booming voice. Like her father, however, Allan was kind.

“Your mother thinks I should exercise more,” Allan said. “Something about my chakras being out of whack.” He ran a beefy hand through his thinning hair. “Haven’t a clue what that means, but it’s usually a good idea to do what Ellie tells me to. Besides, I do spend most of my day hunched in front of my computer. Creating Internet businesses is fun, but it can be intense. So now I get up early in the morning and run around the park a couple times. I figure I deserve a cup of coffee after that. And a nap, if Ellie doesn’t catch me at it.”

“You were going to tell us how Alicia’s boyfriend got her fired?” Olivia reminded him. In his own way, Allan could be absentminded, too.

“I sure was,” Allan said. “Quite a scene. Pete had just opened the diner, and there were a few customers. Alicia was the only waitress on duty. She was about to take my order for coffee . . . okay, plus a cinnamon roll, which I needed for energy, but keep it under your hats. Anyway, this Kurt fellow barged in and yelled for Alicia. Gave me a chill, I have to admit.”

“Was he armed?” Maddie asked.

Allan chuckled. “Armed with attitude, maybe. I didn’t see any sign of a weapon, and he looked to me like there wasn’t much muscle to him. When Alicia came out of the kitchen, the kid huffed and puffed at her about how she didn’t have any right to break up with him. By then, he sounded more whiney than dangerous. Pete heard the commotion and barged out of the kitchen looking like a prizefighter, which, of course, he used to be.”

“Wish I’d been there,” Jason said.

“I wish I
hadn’t
been there,” Allan said. “Kurt came on strong. He accused Pete of taking Alicia away from him, which was dumb. He said to Alicia, ‘Come on, baby, let’s get out of here.’ Alicia told him not to be an idiot, and that’s when it got really wild. Kurt gave Alicia a look, sort of disdainful and calculating. Then he said to her, ‘So this is the guy you’ve been sneaking around with behind my back. A cook! And you said
I
was too old for you. You must really be desperate for a sugar daddy.’ I’ll never forget those words.” Allan shook his head.

“I’m surprised Kurt is still alive,” Maddie said.

“I have to admit, I expected bloodshed and broken bones.” Allan pushed to his feet and stretched. “I’ve never seen Pete so angry. He grabbed the little pip-squeak by his upper arm, dragged him to the door, tossed him out of the diner, and yelled after him that he’d better never come back. Then Pete turned around and told Alicia that Kurt had to stay away for good or he’d have to let her go. He said he couldn’t afford an employee with a dangerous boyfriend.”

“That doesn’t seem fair,” Dolly said. “It wasn’t Alicia’s fault he came to the diner. She did break up with him, after all.”

“I can see both sides,” Olivia said. “Maddie and I couldn’t afford to have someone dangerously volatile show up at The Gingerbread House. It’s bad for business. What if he hurt a customer?”

“But Pete blamed Alicia, too,” Dolly said. “She didn’t deserve that.”

“I suspect that was more for show.” Olivia hoped that was true. Pete was known for his soft heart. “Customers witnessed the whole scene. Pete had to make it clear he was serious about keeping Kurt away from the diner. Otherwise, word would spread all through town that Pete’s Diner wasn’t a safe place to be.”

“Hey, wait a minute, I’m confused.” Maddie ran a hand through her red curls, which expanded like sprung coils. “I just found out this evening that Kurt was arrested for taking a swing at Pete, but Alicia was fired this morning.”

Dolly folded her long, lean legs into a pretzel and leaned her elbows on her knees. “I might be able to help clear up the confusion,” she said. “Polly stopped by Struts & Bolts this afternoon. I’m amazed by how much gossip she manages to pick up, given how busy she is with the homeless shelter.”

“Polly has her sources,” Olivia said. “Plus those powerful binoculars.”

Dolly snickered. “No kidding. Anyway, Polly was looking for a used beater to cart folks around to job interviews, so Struts assigned me to take her out on a couple test drives. Polly talked up a storm. Ida had called and told her about Kurt getting thrown out early that morning, so Polly kept an eye on Pete’s with her binoculars. She saw Kurt hanging around the diner off and on. He stayed out of sight and never went inside, at least not through the front door.”

“Wait a minute,” Olivia said. “If Kurt never went inside, how and when did he try to slug Pete?”

Dolly shrugged one strong, shapely shoulder. “Polly said she couldn’t actually see the back door, but she did watch Kurt enter the alley behind the diner.”

Jason stretched his arms toward the ceiling and yawned, as if he were bored. As he lowered his arms, the left one landed gently around Dolly’s shoulders. “You womenfolk make everything so complicated,” he said. “There’s a simple explanation.”

“Oh
really
,” Dolly muttered as she slid out from under Jason’s arm.

Jason took the rejection in stride. “Well, think about it. The diner kitchen opens into the alley, right? Maybe Pete noticed Kurt hanging around and finally figured he had to fire Alicia to get rid of Kurt for good. Kurt, being a hothead, probably fumed for hours and finally confronted Pete and took a swing at him. Which was dumb, of course, because Pete could have killed him with one blow.” Jason’s grin hinted that he relished the thought. “Pete isn’t like that, though. He just called the police.” Jason gave Olivia a look of brotherly disdain. “It’s simple logic, Olive Oyl. I’m surprised you didn’t ask Del to explain this to you.”

When Dolly’s fingers curled into a fist, Olivia felt intervention might be a timely idea. “Del is pretty busy right now,” she said, lowering her voice. “As you may remember, we did discover what might be the remains of Alicia’s father. A deputy from Twiterton is pinch-hitting for Del at the moment, so he’s probably the one who arrested Kurt.”

Jason shrugged. “Oh. Okay. Sorry.” Dolly’s fingers relaxed.

“I suppose Pete might change his mind and rehire Alicia once he calms down,” Allan said. “He does have a soft spot for feisty ladies.” Allan paused a moment, as if he were listening for footsteps. “I wonder why those two are taking so long in the kitchen. Probably talking nonstop. At any rate, I’ve told you everything I can remember. What struck me most about this Kurt kid was his entitled attitude. Alicia reacted like an exasperated ex-girlfriend. Funny thing is, Kurt looked a lot older than her.”