A Pizza to Die For (8 page)

“Maybe,” I said.

As we got into Maddy’s car, she asked, “Is it terrible that I’m beginning to wonder if she’s going to take over the pizzeria?”

“I’ve been thinking about the exact same thing,” I admitted. “She doesn’t look the type to me. Does she to you?”

Maddy shrugged. “Who knows? Most of the people who know me outside of Timber Ridge would be amazed that
I’m
working in a pizzeria.”

“You’re more than an employee, and you know it,” I said as we drove.

“Co-owner?” she asked with a grin.

I had to laugh at the way she’d asked. “Not in your wildest dreams. Would you be happy with ‘valuable assistant manager’?”

“I’ll have to be, won’t I?”

“You bet,” I said with a grin of my own.

“Okay, I’ll take it. Will you have business cards made up for me, or should I do it myself?”

We were both joking, but I didn’t want her teasing about it with Greg and Josh. “Let’s just keep this promotion between the two of us, okay? We can’t afford to make waves right now.”

“Sis, I would never do anything to alienate the guys.”

“I know that,” I said, though I wasn’t entirely sure that it was true.

As we neared the downtown area, it was time for a decision. “What should we do next?”

I glanced at my watch. “I hate to break it to you, but there’s no time to talk to anyone else. I need to make two batches of dough this morning, one to use fresh, and one to freeze. Our inventory was completely wiped out yesterday, remember?”

“I’m not about to forget,” she said. “My feet are still killing me.”

“That’s what comes from not wearing sensible shoes,” I said. I was a big fan of tennis shoes, and I’d been trying to get Maddy to work in them as well, all to no avail.

“Maybe so, but I look good, and that’s worth a little extra pain every now and then, to say nothing of the tips I get when I look especially nice.”

“If you say so.”

As we drove to the Slice, I said, “Nathan told us that his niece doesn’t want to do anything but stay there with him, but Gina doesn’t exactly look like the stay-at-home type, does she?”

Maddy frowned. “Now that you mention it, she does look as though she’d fit in better in Charlotte or New York than in Timber Ridge.”

“I hate to break it to her, but if she’s serious about being around her uncle and getting to know him, she’s going to have to get used to our quaint little town.”

“I give her a week,” Maddy said.

“Before she gets bored out of her skull and leaves?” I asked.

“No, until she breaks down completely. You know what, Eleanor? It might be fun to watch.”

“Have I ever told you that you’ve got a mean streak, Sis?” I asked.

“I’m not being particularly cruel. I made the transition myself, so I’m in a position to know,” Maddy said.

“We’ll see,” I said as we parked in back of the promenade. “She might just surprise us both.”

I actually enjoyed living in our town and running the pizzeria, though I knew there were plenty of people who didn’t like where they lived or what they did for a living. I had a house I loved, and I was my own boss, which made me the toughest employer I’d ever worked for, but it gave me a sense of permanency in the world that I had always craved. The other reason I stayed in Timber Ridge was much less practical. Joe and I had started A Slice of Delight together, and every time I walked through the front door, I still expected to see him there, waiting to wrap me up in one of those bear hugs he always loved giving me. Joe would have loved the weather we were having now. Autumn was by far his favorite time of year, and for the umpteenth time, I wished he was there to enjoy it with me one more time. I didn’t have him beside me any longer, but I did have more memories than I could count, and a sister by my side who truly loved me.

She’d admitted to me once that she’d been looking her entire life for what I’d found, and I was grateful for every moment I’d spent with my husband.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Maddy said as we walked through the shortcut toward the promenade. “Thinking about Joe again?”

“Is it that obvious?” I asked.

“Just to people who know you.” She looked down the promenade as we came out onto the wide swath of brick pavers. “Tell you what. Let’s go over to Paul’s Pastries and see what kind of goodies he has for the season before we get started.”

I thought about my expanding waistline, and then I put it far from my mind. “I’m game if you are.” On an impulse, I started running toward the bakery. “Race you there. Last one pays.”

Maddy began laughing as she ran, and I felt the burden of my deep thoughts desert me. It was a day for joy, a day filled with sunshine, both inside our hearts and out in the real world, and I wanted to savor every moment of it. Whenever murder visited Timber Ridge, it reminded me of just how important it was to hold onto every precious moment that came my way, to cherish it, and then to file it away to enjoy again at another time.

“Are you two drunk this early in the day?” Paul asked as we raced inside his store, laughing the entire time. The aromas coming from the back were even fattening, but I didn’t let that stop me from inhaling the ambrosia deeply.

“On life, maybe,” I said. “What’s good today, Paul?”

The tall and lanky young man smiled at me. “That’s like asking me who my favorite kid is, if I had children, that is.”

I looked in the display and saw that something new had been added to his offerings. “What’s that?”

He pulled one out and showed it to me. “I’m kind of proud of this. It’s a pumpkin muffin with cinnamon nutmeg glaze and a few sprinkles thrown in just for fun. Would you like one?”

“We’ll take two,” Maddy said.

“Each, or all together?”

For some reason, the question made us both giggle, and I said, “Two total.”

As I paid for our treats—despite winning the race—Paul said, “There’s something I want to tell you, but I don’t know how to say it without sounding like I’m heartless. I’m sorry that man had to die, but I hope it keeps you in business. Any word about what they are going to do with it?”

“Not a clue,” I said, in total honesty. I truly had no idea, and it hadn’t even occurred to me to ask Nathan earlier. After the discussion I’d had with Maddy on the drive over, I couldn’t see Gina running it; but then again, I’d been wrong before. “Thanks for the treats.”

“You’re most welcome,” he said.

As we made our way to the Slice, I couldn’t help myself and reached in to pinch off a bit of one muffin.

“Hey, no fair,” Maddy said. “If you’re going to eat yours, I want mine.”

I looked at my watch. “We’ve got a little time, and the sun feels really warm today. Why don’t we go get a couple of coffees and eat these out here?”

“That sounds great. I’ll be right back,” she said as she started back to Paul’s. Then she stopped abruptly.

“What’s wrong?”

“No more sneaking bites. Agreed?”

I pulled my hand out of the bag and nodded. “Okay, you win. But if you’re not back in three minutes, all bets are off.”

She hurried into the bakery, and I found a nearby bench where I could enjoy the sun.

I must have closed my eyes, because the next thing I knew, someone was blocking my light.

“That was fast, even for you,” I said.

“I hadn’t realized you were expecting me,” a familiar voice said.

I opened my eyes to find Art Young—our well-dressed local shady character—standing there looming over me.

I started to stand as well, and Art said, “Please, I didn’t mean to interrupt your leisure time. I know how little of it you manage to get.”

He was a slim man, with light blond hair carefully styled, and he had an air of civility about him, despite all the rumors of his shady activities I’d heard recounted. We’d formed an odd friendship over the years, though no one else seemed to understand it, including Maddy.

“It’s fine,” I said as I moved over on the bench. “Join me.”

Dapper as ever, Art brushed at the bench with his gloved hand before sitting down.

“I understand you’ve had a bit of trouble,” he said. “I just this moment got back into town, so forgive me for not coming by sooner.”

“It’s okay. I’m not directly involved in the murder investigation,” I said.

He shook his head. “I know you are not that naïve, Eleanor. When a competitor dies, the second person the authorities look at is the person with the most to gain financially.”

“I’m curious. Who’s the first?”

“Love interests: wives, girlfriends, mistresses. There’s more passion there, and murder can be a very spur-of-the-moment event. Has our esteemed chief of police spoken with you yet?”

“Briefly,” I admitted. Some of the glory of the day was fading under the reality Art was offering, but it was counsel I needed to hear.

“He’ll be back soon, I have no doubt about that,” he said. “Is there anything I can do?”

I was about to say no, and then changed my mind. “As a matter of fact, there is.”

Art looked surprised by my response, and there was a hint of pleasure in his expression as well. “Just name it, and if it is in my power to grant, it is yours for the asking.”

“Maddy and I have decided to look into the murder ourselves so neither of us gets steamrolled by the police,” I admitted, something I wouldn’t say out loud to many folks in Timber Ridge.

“A wise precaution,” Art said.

“I’ve been wondering about the murder victim. There could be lots of reasons he was killed besides trying to wipe out my pizzeria.”

Art started ticking off the fingers of his gloved hand. “Love, money, revenge, protection, all these things come to mind.”

“We’re looking into a few of those ourselves, but we don’t have any contacts in the area that Judson Sizemore comes from. Do you know anyone in Chastain?” It was a town twenty minutes from Timber Ridge, the place where the Sizemores had lived. It amazed me that Nathan had been located that close to his brother and yet had still been estranged from him all those years. Then I realized that there are more distances in life than could be seen on a map.

He nodded. “I have several acquaintances there,” Art admitted.

“But no friends?”

His smile was a wry one. “Eleanor, I can count my friendships on one hand, with fingers left over.” He looked at me covertly, and then added softly, “I hope I can include you in that list.”

“You know you can,” I said, meaning it.

He smiled with an air of satisfaction. “I’m sure many people in our community wonder about that.”

“Let them,” I said. “I don’t submit my friendships for their approval, and I don’t expect them to consult me about theirs, either.”

He stood, brushed the seat of his pants lightly, and then said, “That’s good to hear. I’ll be in touch.”

“Don’t go to any special trouble,” I said. “Just ask around when you get the chance.”

He looked down at me. “How many times have you asked for my assistance with anything?”

I thought about it for a moment, and then admitted, “I can’t remember ever asking you for a favor before.”

“Because you never have,” he said. “Our balance sheet leans heavily in your favor, so any opportunity I can get to even things out is always welcome.”

“I don’t put my friendships on a scale, Art. That’s not what it’s about as far as I’m concerned.”

“Of course not,” he said quickly, clearly chastened by my comment. “Just know that I am thrilled to do this favor for you.”

He looked behind me and said, “Good morning.”

Maddy nodded. “Morning.”

There was an awkward silence for a moment or two, and then Art left us with a wave of his hand.

“I still can’t believe you are friends with that man,” Maddy said as she handed me a cup of coffee.

“Do you honestly want to have that conversation again?” I asked.

“You know what? I really don’t. Today is too pretty to spoil.” She looked at the bag in my hand. “Now, are you going to hand one of those over, or am I going to have to take it from you?”

“Don’t be so grabby,” I said with a smile as I gave her a muffin. “There’s plenty for both of us.”

I’d taken my first bite when I heard a pair of high heels clicking up the promenade toward us.

Why did I have a sudden premonition that this wasn’t going to be someone I wanted to talk to?

I turned to find Gina Sizemore approaching with a look of anger plastered on her pretty face.

It appeared that I wasn’t going to get to enjoy my treat after all.

Chapter 6

“G
ood morning, Gina,” I said as she neared us. “How are you today?” Because of the expression on her face, I decided to stand when I greeted her. It wouldn’t do to be caught unable to flee, though I hoped it didn’t come to that.

“Stay away from my uncle,” she said flatly.

“You can’t be serious,” I said. “You heard what he said. He’s our friend.”

Her face screwed up into a deep frown, and her attractiveness took an instant nosedive, at least in my mind. “You both tricked him, and you know it. I won’t have you harassing him anymore, do you understand?”

“We never harassed him,” Maddy said, her voice matching Gina’s state of agitation. She decided to stand as well, and the three of us were faced off like gunfighters in the Wild West.

“I heard what you were talking about when I got there. Why were you grilling him about my brother? It’s none of your business, and now he’s upset about your involvement in the case. He sent me here to tell you that he never wants to see either one of you again.”

“We didn’t kill Judson,” I said a little louder than I should have.

“The police believe you both are suspects. Would you care to deny that?” There was real anger behind her glare this time.

“I have no control over what the police think,” I said. “Your uncle didn’t suspect us when we spoke this morning. What changed his mind so quickly?”

I had a hunch what the answer was, but I wanted to see if Gina was brazen enough to admit her part in his shift.

“Do you honestly have the nerve to ask me that? I’m in town to finalize the arrangements for burying my brother.”

“You don’t seem all that torn up about losing him,” I said, and instantly regretted it. I’d let her anger spill over onto me, and I didn’t like what the woman was bringing out in me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, and I apologize for it.”

She wasn’t in any mood to receive it, though. “Forget it. I had a message to deliver, and I’ve done that. Be warned, I’m deadly serious.”

“So are we,” Maddy said.

Gina turned and left, her heels clicking away as she moved.

“Wow, that was impressive, wasn’t it?” Maddy asked me after she was gone.

“What, how quickly she managed to change Nathan’s mind about us, or the manner in which she just attacked us?”

“Both.” She reached down, retrieved her muffin, and then took another bite.

I couldn’t eat mine. Gina had sucked the last bit of joy out of it for me. “Are you ready to get started on prepping for pizza?”

Maddy had finished her muffin by then, and she pointed to mine. “Aren’t you going to finish that?”

“You can have it,” I said. “I just lost my appetite.”

She took mine and had a healthy bite of it as we walked over to the Slice. “I wouldn’t want to offend Paul, would I?”

“No, we can’t have that,” I said as I unlocked the door and let us in. After I had it bolted behind us, I made my way into the kitchen. I had a lot on my mind, but making pizza dough would help relieve some of the tension.

As I started measuring the flour and yeast, Maddy said, “Don’t forget, we need more sauce, too.”

I glanced at the clock and realized that I was going to have to work really quickly if I was going to get everything prepped in time for our opening. I might even have to take a few shortcuts to do it.

Maddy started to talk as she chopped vegetables, but I had to focus on what I was doing.

“I’m sorry,” I said, “but I really have to concentrate on this. We can talk later, but right now, I need to work.”

“That’s fine with me,” she said.

After a minute, Maddy reached over and flipped on the radio. “This is okay, though, isn’t it?”

“It’s fine as long as you don’t turn it up any louder,” I said. That was a distraction I could at least live with.

“I could always make the sauce myself,” Maddy said as she finished her prep work. “I’ve watched you a hundred times.”

I was about to decline when I realized that it would make my life easier if she pitched in. I was normally a bit of a control freak in my kitchen, but this was no time to quibble.

“Okay, but on one condition,” I said.

She smiled. “You name it.”

“No ad-libbing on the recipe. If it says two tablespoons of something is needed, that’s what you add, no more and no less. If you can’t agree to that caveat, I’ll do it myself.”

“I promise. I’ll follow your directions to a tee,” she said.

“Then knock yourself out,” I said.

“Could you taste this?” Maddy asked me forty-five minutes later. I’d just finished punching the second batch of dough down, so I set it aside to rest with its mate.

I grabbed a spoon, tasted a bit of sauce, and then nodded. “Hey, that’s really good.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

I laughed. “Don’t act so surprised. I knew all along that you could do it.”

“Then why did you wait so long to let me try?” she asked.

“You know me, I’ve got to be in charge of everything. I’ve had a hard time letting go of things since we were kids.”

“Eleanor, it’s okay to delegate now and then.”

I smiled at my sister. “You’re absolutely right. I’ll try to lighten up a little.”

“Can I take a stab at that pizza dough tomorrow?” she asked.

“Don’t push your luck,” I said, “or I’ll have you make the sauce every time we need it.”

“It’s not nice to threaten your favorite sister,” she said with a smile.

“You’re my
only
sister,” I reminded her.

“Then I’ve got to be your favorite, don’t I?”

“Just don’t get too carried away with that status. By definition, you’re also my least favorite sibling, too.”

Maddy grinned at me. “Hey, it never hurts to ask.”

We had a line waiting for us when we opened the Slice, and it was going to be just me in the kitchen and Maddy out front. I was understaffed and I knew it, but most of the time we were able to handle the crowds, and it helped my bottom line not to have an extra person on the payroll when the four of us could handle the jobs we needed to get done.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t going to be one of those times.

I helped Maddy seat the first twelve customers, including our loyal fan, Karen Green. “It’s good to see you, Karen,” I said.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” she said as she smiled broadly at me. “It’s a beautiful day out, isn’t it?”

“I couldn’t say anything about how it is outside right now,” I replied. “I’ve been in the kitchen for hours.”

“You really should take time to enjoy all this,” she said as she looked around the crowded pizzeria.

“That’s the trouble. I either have time on my hands with nothing to celebrate, or I’m too busy working to appreciate what I’ve got.”

“I know exactly what you mean. I either have money and no free time, or the absolute reverse.”

“Then we should make a pact to enjoy it more,” I said. There was something a little odd about Karen, but then again, I could say that about most of my customers, friends, and family, too, if I was willing to admit it.

“Oh, I do, believe me. Coming here gives me the greatest joy in my life.”

“If we’re your greatest joy, then trust me, you need to get out more,” I said as I winked at her. “See you later.”

“You know you can count on me,” she said.

I disappeared into the kitchen, and Maddy soon brought back the first round of orders. As she gave me the slips, she asked, “What were you and Karen talking about just now?”

“This and that. I was just making time to stop and smell the roses,” I answered as I got out the first dough ball and started knuckling it into the pan. “Why?”

“It’s probably nothing,” Maddy said, “but she gave me the oddest look when I took her order.”

“She’s never been conventional, has she?”

Maddy shook her head. “That’s not it. It was almost as if she expected me to thank her for something.”

I waved a free hand in the air. “If we try to figure out our customers’ motivations, we’ll both go stark raving mad and not get a bit of work done all day.”

“You’re right,” Maddy said.

“Can you handle the front by yourself until reinforcements arrive?”

She grinned at me. “Do I have any choice?”

“We could always hire someone else to come in and give us a hand when we need it,” I said.

“Are you crazy? We’re barely surviving as it is. We don’t need anybody else on the payroll. I can handle this mob if you can.”

“Just keep the orders coming,” I said. “I’ll bring them out as they’re ready, so that will save you some steps.”

“See? We already have a system worked out. See you soon,” she said as she disappeared back out into the dining room.

I kept glancing at the clock as things hit a lull, but it seemed to move so slowly that I didn’t think Greg would ever show up. The kitchen door finally opened, but instead of Greg, Bob Lemon walked in.

“You’ve got the wrong sister,” I said as I slid a pizza onto the conveyor. “I know you passed Maddy on your way in.”

“Is she ever going to let me off the hook for what I said?”

I shrugged. “With Maddy, you can never tell.”

Bob shook his head sadly. “If you don’t know from being her sister all your life, I don’t have a prayer.”

I considered his options, thinking about the past men in Maddy’s life, and how she’d reacted to them when they’d transgressed, at least in her mind. In the end, there was just one thing the forgiven all had in common. After due consideration, I finally said, “Bob, the only plan I have involves a great deal of begging and groveling on your part. Are you up for it?”

“That depends,” he said. “I’m still not entirely certain that I was wrong in saying what I did to her.”

My laughter must have alarmed him, because before I could contain myself, he asked, “Eleanor, did I just say something funny?”

“With that attitude, you’ve got your work cut out for you. When did right and wrong ever figure into arguments between men and women? Seriously, think about it. You’re a smart man. I know you’ll see it if you just try hard enough.”

He nodded reluctantly. “Okay, I see the logic in what you’re saying. What should I do, bring her candy and flowers?”

“Come on, think outside the box. That’s so conventional, and we both know my sister isn’t that easy,” I said.

“So, you’re saying I should go more along the lines of something like filet mignon and a new car?”

I just shook my head, wondering how this savvy and successful attorney could be so wrong. “You’re nowhere close. The only thing I can think of that will get you back in my sister’s good graces is an honest and sincere apology. She’s not interested in vehicles and pricey steaks.”

“I’d rather buy her a car,” he said reluctantly.

Maybe he was finally getting it. “Don’t you think she knows that? Hey, you asked me for my opinion. It’s up to you whether you take my advice or not. I’m washing my hands of the whole thing.”

“I just wish that I could, myself. Well, here goes nothing.”

He was heading for the door when I yelled, “Stop. She doesn’t have time for an apology right now. In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re buried in customers at the moment. The only way you can help is to grab an apron and pitch in.” Things had picked up again quickly.

Bob shocked me by grabbing one of the aprons hanging on a hook by the door.

It was time to give him a graceful way to back out. The attorney didn’t owe
me
an apology for anything. “I was just kidding.”

“I’m not,” he said as he doffed his suit jacket and put the apron on. “I’ve got an hour I can give you. Should I take orders out front with Maddy, or work back here with you? I’m handy with a knife, if you need anything chopped.”

“I think the best thing you can do is keep out of her way right now,” I said. I looked around for something he could do, and spotted the dirty dishes waiting for me in the sink. “If you’re serious, you can wash those. That would be a big help.”

“Ah, that’s something I’m well qualified to do, trust me. I worked my way through law school washing dishes at a steakhouse chain. I’m a real wiz at it.”

“Then knock yourself out.”

I turned back to the next pizza I was making, and as soon as I had it on the conveyor, I grabbed a finished one and cut it for delivery.

“I’ll be right back,” I said.

Bob just nodded, intent on filling the sink with warm, soapy water.

I delivered the pie to Maddy, who frowned as she accepted it. “Where did he go? Don’t tell me he snuck out the back. What a coward.”

“No, Bob’s still here. As a matter of fact, he’s back there washing dishes right now,” I said.

She looked at me as though I’d just claimed to be the new queen of England. “What’s he really doing, Eleanor?”

I wasn’t about to get involved any deeper than I already was. “If you don’t believe me, go look for yourself. You can work the kitchen while you’re back there, and I’ll finish waiting on tables until Greg gets here.”

“I have half a mind to take you up on it.”

I took my apron off and tossed it to her. “Find the other half, then. I’ve made a decision. We’re trading.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she said as she gave me her own apron.

Before Maddy could leave, I asked, “Who hasn’t paid yet?”

“Tables three and seven. Four gets the pepperoni, one is waiting for their check, which is in your apron pocket, and nine needs refills on their sodas.”

I processed all of that, and then I got to work. I was better in the kitchen, but I needed practice up front nearly as much as Maddy needed it in back. We changed off every now and then to keep things fresh, but neither one of us wanted to make a habit of it. We were both out of our comfort zones with this alternate arrangement, and neither of us was afraid to admit it.

I was waiting for the next pizza to show up, but when it wasn’t forthcoming, I decided to go see what was holding it up. To my surprise, I found my sister and the attorney together in a warm embrace.

Bob grinned at me and said, “She forgave me.”

“I couldn’t help myself,” Maddy explained. “He looked so cute in that apron, up to his elbows in suds.”

“Yes, we’re all adorable here,” I said as I untied her apron. “Now we’re changing back.” I gave her the apron, took mine back, and cut the pizza that was waiting on the far side of the conveyor. As I did, I had to reach in and pull two more out of the oven to keep them from burning since they were stacking up.