by Sandi Scott
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Stay cozy,
Sandi
About the Book Cover
One cold morning my husband went out and got coffee for us it only took a few minutes. When he came back I had to leave shortly to go to the store. As I was getting into my jeep I heard small little meows. I looked under my jeep and my husband's truck. I didn't see anything, but I still heard it. So I listened again and heard it from my husband's truck. I opened the hood and looked. Right by the engine I saw white fur, only problem the poor baby was stuck. It took me a little while, but I got her out. She probably climbed in to get warm. She was only about 8 weeks old. Her poor pads on her paws were melted. I helped her heal in time. She is so smart, beautiful and loving. That was 9 years ago. Molly is a bright star in our life's since.
PREVIEW: Charlotte Murder
The following is a preview of Charlotte Murder, the prequel to the Seagrass Sweets Cozy Mystery Series.
CHAPTER ONE
“ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?” Ashley asked her friend Patty LaFontaine, owner of The Southern Bird catering company.
“I'm ready,” Patty responded. “Well, I think I am. I can't believe the time has finally arrived to buy our food truck. It has been ages since we first started talking about this venture.”
“I know,” Ashley said. “And after I lost all that money during the summer festival, I thought it was going to take even longer. I didn't think I'd be able to add anything to the truck fund for a long while, after all, I wasn't completely sure I'd be able to cover all my own expenses.”
“I am glad the bank was able to verify that the charges to your account were fraudulent so that you got the money back,” Patty said. “That was a hard time for you with everything that happened, including another murder.”
“That’s true but look where we are now.” Ashley shook off the bad thoughts. “Let's go buy ourselves a food truck! C'mon, Dizzy ... time for a drive!”
The dozing Labrador-hound mix jumped up and did her version of a happy dance at Ashley's words.
“She does love to ride in the car, doesn't she?” Patty laughed affectionately. “You’re a silly girl Dizzy!” Patty grabbed the leash from the hook by the back door and clipped it to the excited dog's collar while Ashley turned off the lights and then locked the door behind them. Ashley and Patty climbed into the catering van they shared and headed for Vagabond Vittles, the food truck dealership they'd explored several months earlier.
“Vagabond Vittles,” Patty sniffed a little contemptuously. “That's such a ludicrous name. Why would you ever name your business something so silly?”
“That name certainly catches your attention and sticks with you,” Ashley giggled. “Besides, they have the reputation as the best in the whole region, so I guess they get to call themselves anything they want!”
Patty shrugged. “Do you have the checklist Smoke Daddy and Ryan helped us compile? Trying to remember everything we need in the truck is a bit intimidating to me.”
“Yes,” Ashley responded. “Look in the front pocket of my tote bag, the list should be in there. We can go over it one more time to be sure we haven't overlooked anything.”
Patty reached behind Ashley's seat and pulled the soft leather bag into her lap. “I love the teal color of this bag, and the copper accents are beautiful.” She peered into the large front section of the bag. “Ah, here's the list. Let's see what we're looking for.”
Patty studied the list for a moment before continuing. “Okay, I guess we can probably assume that all of the units will meet the state requirements since Vagabond Vittles custom-makes them for use here in Texas. Just in case, though, this says we need a waste water retention tank 15% larger than the potable water tank, hot and cold pressurized running water at the sinks, and a three compartment sink plus a separate sink for washing hands.”
“Yes,” Ashley replied. “I remember reading on their website that the basic requirements were standard in all of the units. It's the options we'll need to be sure about. Didn't we decide we'd need an 18-foot truck?
“Yes, we did,” Patty said. “And I have a 24-inch flat-top griddle, a four-burner stove with an oven, a stainless-steel refrigerator with a freezer, and a sandwich preparation station on the list. We added two deep fat fryers to the list, although I'm still not completely convinced we need those. Neither of us regularly prepares fried foods and I don't expect to change that any time soon.”
“I know,” Ashley agreed. “But there are some yummy desserts, like fried ice cream, that could fit well at some venues. Having the fryers already in the truck when we start just makes sense instead of having to retrofit them later.”
Patty sighed. “This is true. Anyway, the rest of the list is about counters, shelves, tanks, and doors,” she folded the list, putting it back in Ashley’s tote as Ashley pulled the van into the lot in front of Vagabond Vittles' sales office and turned off the ignition.
“Deep breath,” Ashley teased. “We've waited a long time for this moment, so let's do our best to relax and enjoy it. It's time to become food truck entrepreneurs!”
Putting Dizzy back on her leash, Ashley walked with Patty over to the business office. Realizing that the sales people were involved with other customers, they decided to walk around the lot to check out the display trucks. They had looked at most of them several weeks earlier, but now they noticed some new styles had been added.
“Look at this one, Patty,” Ashley called. “I love the design on the outside. Somehow, it reminds me of both Paris and Seagrass at the same time! And it looks like everything inside is stainless steel, which would make cleanup so much easier.”
“It is pretty,” Patty agreed, “but I bet you that extra paint job is pricey! Still, it never hurts to ask. I wonder if anyone in the office is available yet? I'll go check while you walk Dizzy around a little more.”
Soon Patty rejoined Ashley, accompanied by a middle-aged man she introduced as Cal, the owner of Vagabond Vittles. Ashley shook his hand and waved her hand around the lot. “There are so many different models, sizes, arrangements, and options,” she said. “I don't even know where to start! I thought we were so prepared with our checklist, but... what can I say except, wow!”
Cal laughed, nodding his head. “The new models can be a little overwhelming. But if you've already created a wish list, you've probably given this decision a lot of thought, so I'm betting you have a better plan than most of the folks I see. What do you ladies envision for your truck? Are you planning to do on-site food preparation, or will you prepare the food at a home base and just heat and serve from the truck? Where do you expect to take the truck, and what types of food will you be serving?”
With a smug smile, Patty whipped out the list she and Ashley had been reading over in the van. “Well, we were thinking that we need these appliances, at the least. We'll probably do most of the preparation in our commercial kitchen, but we'll also need to prepare some things on-site.” She handed him the list, and he scanned it, nodding.
Ashley added, “We want to specialize in French food. Most of the time, we'll do simpler, more rustic dishes, but there might be times when we'll be serving complex ‘fancy’ foods, too.” She made air quotes to indicate that she wouldn't necessarily choose fancy to describe the foods. “We'll have baked goods and French desserts as well, some of which will need to be kept cold. We have arrangements with both of the local wineries for some of their events, and we're hoping to connect with some a little farther away. We'll also use the truck at the community events, like the fall festival, where we've been using a pop-up tent until now.”
“Hmm... since you'll be doing more than heat-and-serve, you definitely need a truck and not a cart.” Cal mused. And it sounds like you'll be serving directly from the truck, rather than preparing the food and taking it into a venue's dining area, so you'll want a good bit of space. I'd recommend an 18-foot truck, at least. Let me show you one I think you'll like. Keep in mind that we custom build these units, so we can make any changes you think would work better for you.”
Cal led them to a bright red truck with a large serving window, topped by screens and a colorful awning. “Now, I think this one has the perfect design and layout for your needs. I'd recommend a different exterior color—maybe a royal blue—to fit with the classier picture most people have of French food, but that's an easy fix.”
Opening the door, Cal waved them inside. “This unit has a 24-inch flat-top griddle, a four-burner stove, a 54-inch three compartment sink that should accommodate pretty much any size pot or pan you'd use, and a 12-inch sink for handwashing. There's a 30-gallon fresh water tank and a 47-gallon waste water tank. It also comes with a 12,000-watt diesel generator, so powering the upright fridge with freezer, the stove and griddle, and the two extra 50-pound stainless steel fryers you wanted is no trouble.”
“I love it!” Ashley exclaimed. “The brushed aluminum on the walls gives it a little touch of elegance, and we could have an awning made that would show off our logo—when we finalize that design! What do you think, Patty?” She glanced at her friend who was slowly turning in a circle with a thoughtful look on her face.
“The arrangement is very efficient for two people,” Patty agreed. “One person standing at the stove or at the griddle can easily reach all the utensil storage areas, and either person could get to the refrigerator, freezer, or sink without getting in the way of the other. It might be a little close for more than the two of us, but for most of our events it's just us anyway, so that shouldn't be an issue.” She looked around once more. “I like it, as long as we can get it in something other than fire engine, shout out loud red.”
“Let's go to the office where we can sit down to work out the details,” Cal said, “and have a glass of iced tea or a cup of coffee while we talk.”
“That sounds good,” Ashley said, following him out of the truck and toward the small building at the back of the lot.
“Please, make yourself comfortable.” Cal waved the ladies to the chairs in front of one of the desks. “Would you like tea or coffee? We also have bottled water, and there might be a soda or two.”
“Some water would be nice,” Ashley said. Patty agreed, and Cal excused himself to get the drinks. While they waited, the women looked at the pictures of food trucks on the wall, each showing Cal or one of his staff members, they assumed, being served at the window.
“Here you are.” Cal offered the bottles to Ashley and Patty. “Now, let's get down to those proverbial brass tacks. The unit you looked at is our Rio Grande Roamer. Was the equipment in the model all you need, or do you still want to add the two deep fryers?”
“Well,” Patty said, “I still don't think we need the fryers, but my partner makes a good point about having them installed now instead of later, should we change our menu. The only thing I can think of to change is the outside color.” Patty looked at Ashley, a question in her eyes.
“I agree,” Ashley responded. “I think what we saw is pretty much perfect, other than the red color. To be honest, I actually like the red; I think you are correct, though, about it not really matching up with the average person's idea of French food.”
Cal keyed in some numbers on his calculator. “All right, that model, as a new build equipped just like you want, is going to be $119, 950 plus the taxes. If we finance it in-house, I can offer you a 60-month loan with a 4% simple interest rate. At $143,940 altogether, that would make your payments around $2,399 a month.”
Hearing a gasp, Ashley glanced at Patty, whose eyebrows were disappearing into her hairline in shock. “Wow! That's a lot more than when we were looking at trucks a couple of months ago,” Ashley exclaimed. “Like, maybe $40,000 higher, or even more.”
“Yes, the prices are rising quickly,” Cal said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Starting a food truck business is a popular idea right now, so they are getting more expensive. The only way we can keep up with the demand is to run our production line 24/7, and that means a lot of overtime pay until we can get enough people trained to split into another shift.” He looked between the partners and then stood up slowly.
“Is there a less expensive alternative to custom-built?” Patty asked.
“Well we do sometimes sell the models on our lot, and I should have one available in another week or two. It's pretty much the same as the one you looked at, except there are only four shelves in the storage area instead of five. The model truck has been driven to some trade shows to let potential customers see what we can offer, but there's not been any food prepared or served out of it. It has about 3,000 miles on it, and is a couple of years old, so I could let it go for...” Cal flipped open a folder, looked over the papers there, and did some calculations. “I'd have to get $105,000 for it.”
Cal watched Patty and Ashley for a moment, then he stood up. “Listen, why don't I step out for a few minutes and let you talk it over? I understand that this is a major investment and that it looks to be more than you were expecting. Talk it over, then give me a shout and we can talk some more.”
Cal stepped around the desk, picked up his bottle of cold tea, and went back out onto the lot. As soon as the door closed behind him, Patty exploded.
“$140,000! That's at least $50,000 more than what we expected! And if Cal's right about the popularity of the business path, the trucks will cost even more if we wait. But I don't think we can pay another $1,400 a month, on top of the lease on the kitchen and food costs!”
“I know I can't afford that,” Ashley said. “Not right now, anyway. Of course, with the extra income from having the truck, I might be okay, but we don't know for sure how long it will take for that part of the business to build up.”
Disappointed, Patty said, “I guess we should go out and tell Cal that we won't be buying a truck from him today—or in the foreseeable future.”
Ashley nodded, and they moved outdoors to find the friendly business owner. He watched them approach and sighed.
“Let me guess — you've changed your mind, right?” Cal asked. Before either of them responded, he raised his hand. “Or rather, the price changed your mind for you. I wish I could offer you a better deal. I like what I've heard about your plans today, and I hate that I can't make it work for you.”
“And we understand, too,” Ashley said with a sigh. “You're running a business here, not a charity, and you certainly can't give your products away at a price that puts that business at risk. We’re disappointed, but we'll just have to figure out another way to make this happen.”
There was a short pause before Cal spoke again. “Look, I don't usually recommend this, but, like I said, I'd like to see you get your truck. There's a resale lot a few miles from here. Their reputation isn't all that high, but you might be able to find something there that will work. Just be sure that you have it checked out by a third party — the appliances, the tanks, and the engine. Barney Smerna, the owner of New Again Van and Truck Resales, doesn't quite cross the line into outright scamming anyone, but he will definitely take advantage of any opportunity to unload a vehicle for more than it's worth. Stand firm with him and insist on that inspection, though, and you should be fine.”
“Thank you, Cal,” Ashley said. “We appreciate the information. We'd love to order our truck from you. Maybe we can do business with you when we're ready to expand again.” She winked at him and then shook his hand. Patty snorted and thanked the genial man as well.
“Okay Dizzy,” Ashley reached down to ruffle the fur on Dizzy's head. “Time to explore a new place. Let's go for a ride.” Dizzy almost pulled the leash from Ashley's hand in her excitement to ge
t back into the catering van.
After Patty pulled the van out of the lot Ashley asked, “What do you think? Should we check out the possibilities at the used truck lot? Or should we just wait until we can save enough for the new one?”
Patty didn't answer immediately, she was focused on the road in front of her. Ashley could see in her friend’s reflection in the windshield the evidence of deep thought on Patty’s face. Finally, Patty said, “I think we should go over there and see what is available. If we don't feel comfortable with a used vehicle, we can still choose to keep saving and come back to Vagabond later. I know we're both eager to get this started, and I think we'd always wonder what might have been unless we check things out.”
“You're right,” Ashley agreed. “There's no harm in stopping and looking around, after all there's no commitment in just looking.” She took a deep breath and then nodded in determination. “Okay, let's go then. Before we do, though, do you mind if we swing by the cottage? I'd like to grab the charger for my phone. The battery's getting a little low, and I'd rather not have it die on me.”
“That's fine,” Patty replied. “It's not like an extra 10 or 15 minutes is going to make a difference in the price — or will it?” She laughed lightly.
“Great!” Ashley grabbed her phone and dialed the number for Ryan, her boyfriend and recent roommate. “Hey, hon! How's your day going?”
“Um... well... it's okay,” Ryan stammered. “A couple of those calls — you know the kind — from people who really have no idea how their computer works. What's up?”
“Well,” Ashley answered, “Patty and I just left the truck sale lot. Between the time we last checked and today, prices on the vehicles have gone up way outside our budget. The owner there suggested a resale lot that we're going to check out, but we're on our way to the house so that I can pick up my phone charger. Do you need us to bring anything?”
