A Sneeze to Die For

by Teresa Trent

  “ Wow, it’s amazing how quickly she found out.” Marty said.

  “Correct.”

  “Well I can deal with Mrs. Martin-Ortega. Even though we have some ridiculous reviews out there, it is not true, and we have delivered the services that they ordered. It wouldn’t stand up in court, so she can put her justified outrage to bed.”

  Nora had to admit she admired how Marty was not at all bothered by the situation. She had known all along that the discount was not a fair shake for them but didn’t have the presence of mind to do what Marty very easily decided.

  “Why didn’t you tell me all of this was going on?”

  “I don’t know.” Nora sounded like an unruly child.

  “Has Tuck shared anything with you about his investigation?

  “I’m not too happy with your nephew right now.” Marty’s eyes widened.

  “Did you have a fight?”

  “Has he ever mentioned an old girlfriend from college named Sasha?”

  Marty put both hands over her mouth in amazement. “Sasha? Let me think.” She bit her bottom lip. “He’s got the family looks, so you have to know he had several girlfriends during college.”

  “Well, Sasha LeClaire was one of them and is ready to pick up where they left off. I caught her trying to snuggle up to him in the hallway.”

  The lobby door opened, and Val smiled when she saw Marty. “Well I don’t know if you’ve heard it or not, but I’m officially fired with bad references from Moore Foods. Please tell me you have an opening here. Did you look at my application yet?”

  “Not yet, but heard about it,” Marty answered and then looked to Nora.

  “You’re hired.” Nora said surprising herself.

  Val jumped. “I am?” She turned to Val and repeated her question. “I am? That’s great. I promise you will not be sorry. Besides that, when I quit over at Moore Foods, I left a bunch of nasty reviews on the business rating site. What they did to you guys is bordering on illegal. I’ll tell you, those guys are like the food mafia. There is nothing I’d put past them.”

  Marty ran over and put an arm around her old friend. “When can you start?”

  “How about today? I just know there are so many things you can make better around here. It will be just like the old days. This is so exciting.”

  Marty and Val walked away from her arm in arm. After Marty’s kind words just moments ago, she knew she could handle Val’s presence a little better now. If nothing else, it would give her more time to deal with the boatload of trouble she seemed to be constantly working through. Yes, having Val around was a good thing.

  Chapter 25

  W

  Nora returned to the conference room to see if there had been any updates on Catpurnicus the runaway cat. Camille Martin-Ortega stood with a pink bling encrusted cellphone up to her ear.

  “I think we need an APB or whatever it is you police people do. This cat is worth thousands of dollars …. No sir, this is not stolen property, it’s a cat … arghhh.” With a punch of a manicured fingernail she hung up on whatever poor soul she had tangled with at the police department.

  “No luck?” Nora asked.

  Camille’s eyes narrowed. “Do I look like I have the world’s most famous cat back in its cage? No luck.” She then began to mutter to herself. “I should have hired security. I should have booked a hotel that provided security … and massages … and a free bar ….”Marty entered the conference room and was clearly excited that they had hired Val. “Isn’t it great. I just left Val with Wiley. She’s trying to get to know the place all over again. She knows Wiley from the old days and they’re talking about ways to promote the restaurant.” A little late to the party, she took in the mood of the room. “Everyone is still out looking for that cat?”

  “Yes,” Nora answered before Camille could add any other negativity to the situation.

  Doug Lindstrom also entered his eyes searching the room. “They sent me after the cat carrier.”

  Nora jumped. This could be the end of the exhausting search, and a chance for the convention guests to return to the hotel. “Have they found him? Is he okay?”

  “Don’t know. They just wanted to be able to crate him if they did find him,” Doug answered.

  “That’s too bad. I’m surprised the owner would ever take her eyes off an animal that valuable.”

  “At least we can keep this quiet, hopefully. Thank God, there are no reporters left to cover the conference,” Camille said.

  Nora bit her lip, trying to find a way to break this to the convention organizer gently, “Well, actually there is a reporter here. After the first one was … died, a second one showed up.”

  “Just like cockroaches,” Marty added.

  “Are you kidding me?” Doug said sounding tired.

  “Oh my God. How did the second reporter even find out about Mr. Shaw?”

  “I was trying to do some research on Alan Shaw to find out what magazine he had been working for. I ended up calling Rick Stephenson at a magazine that Alan had submitted several articles to.”

  “Are my ears burning?” Rick Stephenson stepped into the conference room. “I was going to try to interview that mystery writer, but it seems the hotel is empty.”

  “We have a missing grand champion cat on the loose,” Camille said, her haughty fashion immediately putting him in his place.

  “Sorry to hear about that. So, when is this cat search going to be over? I have some pretty interesting theories on Alan Shaw’s death and I want to interview this hotel full of suspects before they all head back to multiple cats.”

  Doug stepped forward, “Why do you want to interview Evangeline?”

  “And you are?” Rick asked.

  “A friend.”

  “Well, friend. I always like to start at the beginning and that is where Alan was.”

  Marty shook her head in confusion. “He fell down the elevator shaft. It’s a terrible thing, but hardly worth an investigative report.”

  Camille’s head cocked to the side. “Can we even be sure that Mr. Shaw fell? What if he was pushed?”

  Marty switched at the air at her hand as if pushing away Camille Martin-Ortega’s theory. “Murder? Murder at the Tunie? I don’t think so.”

  “Yes, well we can talk about this thing or I can go out and investigate it. I think I’ll just walk around and see who I can interview.” Rick gave a half-hearted wave and with long strides left the conference room.

  Doug lifted the cat carrier. “I’d better get going. I’d hate to be responsible for missing the rescue of His Highness Catpurnicus.” Doug nodded and stepped back out into the lobby.

  “We should go, too” Marty said. “Let’s not leave Dominic at the front desk for too long. He’ll be teaching Val had a set up ghost traps.”

  “Excuse me?” Camille asked. “Am I to understand you have ghosts here too?” Her phone began to ring.

  Nora squeezed her shoulder, “Of course not!”

  As they made a quick exit to the front desk, Dominic was busy telling a story to a distracted guest, “I’m sorry for mentioning Dominic and his ghost traps. Here I am back at work and I’m already causing problems. You really have been someone I could rely on during this time. You were so consistent and professional about everything that I barely felt like I was upstairs. I really appreciate that.”

  “Marty, I need to tell you something.”

  “What?” From the look on Marty’s face she didn’t have any idea Nora had been hanging on by a thread. “I might have purposely hidden Val’s application.”

  “Why?”

  “It sounds silly now, but maybe I was a little jealous.”

  Marty stopped and turned to Nora. “Are you serious?”

  Nora looked at the carpet.

  “I have news for you, red. No one could replace you.”
/>   “Thanks …”

  “You have set up a wonderful conference. The first conference in the history of our partnership.”

  “What about Ms. Martin-Ortega’s insistence on a discount based on the fake reviews? Do you think we should even consider it?”

  “Why would we do that? A review is simply an opinion that can be factually inaccurate, a point proven by Mr. Shaw’s reviews.”

  “I know. I totally agree with you on that.”

  “Good. Besides that, you had them all retracted.”

  Nora sighed. “Then he went on to write a magazine article that I’m still trying to get retracted.”

  “That little weasel spent a lot of time tearing us down. People like that should be arrested.”

  “I just have to wonder if he made somebody angry enough to push him down an elevator shaft?” Nora said, reasserting her theory of murder.

  “Now, if you are finished with all this confession, let’s go check on Val.”

  “Yes let’s. I need to talk to Uncle Wiley, anyway.”

  Nora had to find out what he had been up to and why Wiley had left Cesar with so much responsibility. When she and Marty entered the bustling kitchen, Wiley was looking into the walk-in freezer. Val was busily writing something down on a pad of paper.

  “Uncle Wiley may I speak to you for a moment?” Nora asked.

  Wiley led her to the rear of the kitchen and turned to her. “I figured you’d be coming in here, eventually.” He rubbed the back of his neck gingerly.

  “You figured right. Word is that you were huddled together with none other than my unreliable half-brother last night. Then you mysteriously disappeared. I don’t know which part of that alarms me more. Are you making plans with Corey or you possibly returning to your old ways?”

  Wiley held up a bony hand. “I’ll be the first to admit that this whole convention thing has made me want to take a drink or two, but God willing I haven’t done it yet. I think the worst is probably over for us.”

  “Meaning what? How can the worst be over? We still don’t have a reliable supplier. Did you know Moore Foods fired Val?”

  “I heard that. When I used to work for Jumbo Jim, Moore Foods was Johnny on the Spot. Now that I’m working for their competition I’m like a bad first date. No calls, no letters. But not to worry, Nora dear, I’ve got it under control.”

  There was a knock on the door that opened to the alley. “Excuse me I have a delivery for Wiley McArdle.”

  Wiley’s chest puffed up, “That’s me. I’m Wiley. Bring it on over here.”

  The man rolled four boxes on a dolly over to Wiley. He handed him a shipping list. Wiley look through it carefully.

  “Aha. Looks like everything’s here. I’ll sign for it. Excellent work, my man.”

  The man in his crisp sky-blue uniform wasn’t from Moore Foods. She walked around the box to see the logo. Brockwell industries was printed on the side. Uncle Wiley was ordering food through the warehousing operation of Brockwell Industries? Didn’t he understand how dishonest Corey Brockwell could be? Even though Nora was a young woman, she felt the flush of rising blood pressure.

  Wiley’s cockily crossed his arms as he grinned at the driver. He had solved the Tunie’s delivery problem, but did he have to consort with the devil to do it? “You can just put those boxes over there. Any more?”

  The direct the driver nodded. “Yes sir.”

  “Thanks so much. I’ll be sure to tell your boss what an outstanding job you’re doing.”

  As soon as the driver left Nora tore into Wiley.

  “Are you kidding me?”

  Before Wiley could answer Marty and Val walked in. Marty was obviously giving Val the fifty-cent tour.

  “And check out the improvements we’ve in the kitchen for the hotel. We don’t want to brag but our little restaurant has become one of the hot spots of Piney Woods.” Val looked around at the shiny stainless-steel counters and the busy employees of the kitchen.

  “Is it always this hot in here?”

  “Just wait until we really start cooking,” Wiley answered with a gleam in his eye. He might be getting up there, but he still had a little flirt in him.

  Marty’s eyes fell on the boxes in the corner. “Excellent Nora. Did you get it straightened out with Moore Foods?”

  Before Nora could answer Val answered for her “Those boxes are not from Moore.”

  “Which is just what we were about to discuss, Marty. Wiley here has decided to take it upon himself to go into business with Brockwell Industries. This came from the big warehouse. I didn’t even know that they had wholesale food orders over there.”

  Wiley held up a hand to stop Nora before she launched into another speech about going behind her back. “Up to now they haven’t. I spoke with Corey last night about the monopoly our food wholesaler had in Piney Woods and how they can decide the fate of a restaurant. He agreed it was unfair and had food shipped in overnight. He’s setting it up so that we get all the food through him. And, it’s cheaper to boot.”

  Val clapped her hands together in excitement. “What an excellent idea, Wiley. Man, will they be angry over at Moore Foods. Jumbo Jim just lost his stranglehold over you guys and his reason to slip them a little extra to put the screws to you.”

  “Good job, Wiley,” Marty added.

  Nora couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Didn’t anybody else in this kitchen realize what a terrible idea it was to go in business with Corey Brockwell? She had spent the better part of the last six months avoiding the man and now they would cross paths every week in the form of boxes full of food.

  “We can’t accept this food.”

  “Why not?” Val asked. “Wiley has figured out a way around the poor treatment you’ve been receiving. I think it’s just short of genius.”

  “Because this food comes from Corey Brockwell. No good will come of it. Every time I’ve had anything to do with this man, it’s turned out badly.”

  Val opened her mouth in surprise. “Corey Brockwell is your brother? I didn’t know Mr. Brockwell and his wife had another child?”

  “They didn’t.”

  Val’s eyes widened in surprise.

  Marty stepped forward with her arms folded. “Nora, I know you have problems with Corey, but this is not a personal emotional decision. This is a business and in business sometimes you have to work with people you don’t necessarily like. Wiley made the decision and frankly our problem is solved. End of discussion.”

  Wiley nodded and beamed at Val. She had another convert to her side and hadn’t even tried. Nora threw her hands up in the air and walked out of the kitchen. The decision to acquire a new wholesaler had been made, and she had very little control over it.

  Chapter 26

  W

  Nora was still angry later that evening when she sat down to dinner with Evangeline Cartwright and Doug Lindstrom. Max had come up with the ingenious idea of showing the movie version of the Broadway play Cats, and most of the convention crowd was in the banquet room watching the musical.

  “So, no luck on finding Mr. Catpurnicus?” Nora asked.

  Doug sighed, “No, sadly. We all split up and searched the entire town. I think he caught the Greyhound bus to Dallas.”

  Evangeline smiled, “So sad, really. His owner is beside herself. It just goes to show you the value some people put in their animals.”

  “The stud fee for animal like that is at least $1500 a pop, my dear. Catpurnicus is not just a beloved pet, but an income stream for that woman,” Doug said.

  Caesar came to the table with three fresh green salads. “Where is Mr. Tuck tonight?”

  “He should be on his way back from Lubbock. “Nora said flatly, unrolling her napkin and placing it on her lap. She was starting to feel he might have truly been an innocent victim of Sasha LeClaire’s advances. At least
she hoped that was the case. “Of course, Miss Nora. Of course.” He quickly took their orders and exited the dining room.

  “So much has happened in the last few days. We have a dead reporter, a missing grand champion cat, and now a second reporter. Whoever said small towns were boring?” Evangeline joked.

  “Speaking of a second reporter, “ Doug said to Evangeline. “He wants to interview you.”

  “Really? I have to be honest with you. All of this just makes me uncomfortable.”

  Nora picked at her salad, “I’m surprised he isn’t here tonight. He was pretty hot on the trail. Now that it’s just us, I need to share something. He thinks Alan Shaw was murdered.”

  Evangeline gasped.

  “What would lead him to such a conclusion. I thought it was an accident?”

  “There is obvious breakage in the wood around the elevator. I wouldn’t want this to get around, but the police think it was murder,” Nora said. Evangeline seemed to grow rigid the more they discussed Alan Shaw’s death.

  “What about that little librarian woman?” Doug asked. “Is she being questioned?”

  “Yes, she is one of the suspects.”

  Caesar came out and picked up the salad plates to replace them with their meals. They continued their conversation as soon as he was out of earshot. “She’s the only one in town with any kind of a motive. No one else even knew the guy. I think she might be one of those nutty super fans.”

  “I can’t believe that,” Evangeline said. “My fans are usually very nice people. It’s the thriller writers who get all the wackos.” Nora scratched her temple. Someone who was pre-meditating murder would want to have a method that was foolproof. Alan Shaw could have survived that fall long enough to be rescued. If the hotel hadn’t been empty before the convention guests arrived, he might’ve survived and been able to tell the world who pushed him.

  Nora was surprised to see her sister standing behind her.

  “Lucy? What are you doing here?”

  “Just trying to track you down and make sure you haven’t got yourself stuck in anymore elevators, sis.”