Killer Crust (A Pizza Lovers Mystery)

by Chris Cavender

  He told Frank, “You’re going to make this right.”

  “I wouldn’t if I could, but it’s out of my hands anyway. Jack Acre is in charge now. I had a little influence with George, but I don’t have any with Jack. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if he fired me as soon as the competition is over.”

  “What about keeping you on out of loyalty to your brother?” Anna asked.

  “What do you think? George never showed any to the rest of us, and I’m sure he would have been shocked to think that any of his employees had any for him once he was gone.”

  “So that’s it, then,” Kenny said with disgust. “We’re on our own now.”

  “You could still win this fair and square if you put your mind to it,” Frank said.

  “Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”

  “You never know,” Frank said as his phone rang. He took the call. “Yes, sir. I understand. I’ll be right there.” After Frank hung up, he said, “That was my new boss. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

  “Put in a good word for us when you see him,” Kenny said.

  Frank just laughed. “I’m not sure that would be in your best interest.”

  After he was gone, Anna said, “Kenny, I’m not about to take that kind of behavior from you. You can’t treat me that way.”

  Kenny looked surprised by her outburst. “I don’t know why not; I always have in the past. If you don’t like it, you can always quit.”

  “It’s closer to coming true than you might think,” she said.

  “You can posture all you want to, but I’m not too worried about that ever happening.” He looked past her and made eye contact with me. There was real anger in his voice as he asked me, “How long have you two been sitting there?”

  “We just got here a few seconds ago,” I said.

  “Were you eavesdropping on our private conversation?” Kenny asked pointedly.

  “Why do you ask? Did we miss something juicy?” Maddy asked him with a smile.

  Kenny just shook his head and threw his napkin down on the table. “I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. Come on, Anna. We’re leaving.”

  His assistant made no move to leave, though. “I’m staying.”

  “I told you that we’re going,” Kenny said, much more forcefully this time.

  “Go if you want. I’m hungry,” she answered, not budging an inch.

  Kenny stood, and then walked away without another word.

  Anna looked at us and said, “I’m sorry about that. Kenny gets really testy when he’s hungry.”

  “Then I totally understand why he’d storm out of a restaurant before he’s eaten. That makes perfect sense,” Maddy said with a smile. “Judging by the way he acts, he must be hungry all of the time.”

  Anna grinned at my sister’s response. “Why am I making excuses for the man? He deserves whatever he gets.” She looked around, and then added, “This is just awful, isn’t it?”

  “I don’t know,” Maddy said as she studied the room. “I think it’s all pretty grand if you ask me.”

  “I wasn’t talking about the restaurant. I meant the murder,” Anna explained, not getting my sister’s humor at all.

  “Ignore her, Anna. She’s just teasing you,” I said. “We both knew what you were talking about.” This was the perfect opportunity to see just how much she knew, and how much of it she was willing to share with us. “That was a rather intense conversation you both were having with Frank Vincent a few minutes ago, wasn’t it?”

  Anna shrugged. “I knew you were sitting there longer than you claimed, but I wasn’t about to say anything to Kenny. It turns out that my boss is just a big fat crook. I had no idea that he’d bribed Luigi. To be honest with you, I want nothing more to do with the man, but it appears that we’re stuck here, at least for now, so I really don’t have much choice.”

  “Why’s that?” Maddy asked, though we both knew the answer to her question.

  “We tried to leave, but the police chief wouldn’t let us. He said that we were all suspects in the murder, and that we couldn’t go home for at least three days. I’m going to stick it out with Kenny while we’re here, but after that, I’m gone.” She added quietly, “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell him that I said that. I want to see the look on his face when I actually quit.”

  Kevin hadn’t given us any kind of deadline, but I imagined it was the most he could stretch things before folks got fed up and left anyway. What else could he do, lock everyone up?

  “We’d never rob you of that,” Maddy said with a wicked grin. “As a matter of fact, if it’s not too much trouble, let me know when you plan to tell him so I can see it myself.”

  “I’ll try,” Anna said, lighting up just a little.

  “Does the police chief have a reason to suspect the two of you of murder?” I asked, hating to break the joy of the moment. “If Kenny bribed Luigi, something might have happened between them. Did they have some kind of falling-out?”

  “Like I said, I don’t know anything about that,” Anna said quickly. “I just do what I’m told. Kenny is the one pulling all of the strings.”

  “Do you know exactly what kind of deal he had with Luigi?” I asked. “Was it some kind of trade-off, or did Kenny pay him off with cash?”

  “You know everything that I do about it. I can’t believe how careless Kenny was, talking that way in a crowded restaurant. He’s usually much more discreet.”

  “Well, they weren’t exactly trying to keep their voices down, were they?” I asked. “Are you sure there’s nothing else you can tell us that might help?”

  “Are you two investigating the murder?” Anna asked.

  “Let’s just say that we’re asking a few questions here and there,” I answered quickly before my sister could acknowledge what we were really up to.

  After a few seconds, Anna leaned toward us and said, “All I know for sure is that he and Kenny cooked something up together, but I don’t have any of the details. I don’t think that there’s anything written down about it anywhere, either.” She let out a sigh, and then said, “I’m afraid that I’m not going to be of any help to you at all. I don’t have any proof of any of it other than my suspicions.”

  It was interesting to learn that Tina Lance was closer to the truth than I’d realized when I’d first heard her claim. “Anna, could you try to get us something more concrete?” I asked. I lowered my voice, and then said, “Anything you could do to help us would be great.”

  “I’m not sure if I can,” she said with a shrug. “Knowing Kenny, he could do a lot worse than just fire me, if you know what I mean.”

  “But you’re going to quit working for him soon anyway, right?” Maddy asked.

  “Hang on,” I said to my sister. “We don’t want her to take any chances on our account.” I turned back to Anna and explained. “We understand your position, but if you stumble across anything, keep us in mind.”

  “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try,” she said.

  I was watching her eyes, and they suddenly widened. I checked the source of her sudden anxiety, and I saw Kenny standing in the doorway. He was gesturing to her to join him, and he didn’t look as though he was going to take no for an answer.

  Maddy said softly, “You don’t have to go just because he wants you to; you know that, don’t you?”

  “At the moment, I really don’t have much choice,” Anna said. As she started to leave, she turned back to us and asked, “Please don’t say anything to anyone about what I said before; I’m begging you.”

  I didn’t want to make her any promises that I might not be able to keep, but she was honestly afraid. “We won’t breathe a word of any of it if we have any choice in the matter.”

  It didn’t seem to ease her fears any.

  She hesitated a moment more, and then Kenny barked out loudly, “Anna.”

  She left us quickly, and Kenny shot us a look of triumph just before they left the restaurant together.

&
nbsp; “Is she really afraid for her life?” Maddy asked once they were gone.

  “She didn’t actually come out and say it,” I reminded my sister.

  “Did she have to? We need to get her away from that man.”

  I understood my sister’s sentiment, but we had a job to do. “Maddy, she’s a grown woman. She can do whatever she wants to do.”

  My sister studied me for a second as our server approached, and then asked, “When did you get so cold, Sis?”

  I frowned, and then said, “I’m not, but we have to watch our step. We’re in the thick of this too, remember?”

  “It’s not likely I’ll forget,” Maddy said as the young woman reached us.

  “We’ll do what we can for her, but we can’t let it hurt our investigation.” I hated coming off sounding so cruel, but I meant it. Maddy and I were trying to find a killer. If we could help Anna get away from Kenny we would, but it couldn’t be our top priority.

  “May I start you off with beverages and an appetizer?” the waitress asked once she was at our table.

  “You may,” Maddy said. “We’ll start with the artichoke and spinach dip, and a pair of Cokes.”

  “Very good,” she said, and then quickly left us.

  “When did you start ordering for the two of us?” I asked my sister with a smile. I was happy that the earlier frost was out of her voice now.

  “You can choose your own entree, but I want that dip, and I wasn’t about to order it just for me. Is there a problem with the soda?”

  “No, actually, that all sounds good to me,” I said. “I’m not finished talking about Anna yet, though.”

  Maddy waved a hand in the air as though shooing away a pesky fly. “It’s okay. I get it. You’re all about the crime-busting these days.”

  “If you believe that that’s true, then you don’t get me at all anymore,” I insisted. “I don’t want anything to happen to Anna either, but Kevin’s not letting anyone go anywhere at the moment, remember? Besides, Kenny needs Anna by his side if he’s going to have the slightest chance of winning this competition, especially now that it’s going to be a fair fight. She couldn’t be any safer than if she were in protective custody. Anyway, we can keep an eye on her, but we can’t protect her around the clock.”

  “You’re right about all of that,” Maddy said as she pushed her menu aside and looked at me. “I’m sorry. I’m frustrated by the situation, but I know that I shouldn’t be taking it out on you. I guess I just hate the idea that we’re involved in another murder. What is it about us, Eleanor? We seem to attract this kind of behavior no matter what we do these days.”

  “I’d prefer to think of it as though we’re dragged into these random incidents against our will,” I said. “Otherwise, I’d have to believe that there’s something we’re doing to cause all of this, and that’s something I just can’t bring myself to accept.”

  “I agree; it’s not a pleasant thought to consider.”

  Our server brought our drinks and the dip, and then took the order for our entrees.

  Once she was gone, Maddy took her first bite of the dip, and then let out a contented sigh. “This is truly amazing.”

  I tried some, and found that it was as delicious as she’d described. “You know what? We should make this.”

  Maddy laughed. “Are you kidding? Do you know what we’d have to charge our customers for this kind of appetizer?”

  “I didn’t mean that we should put it on the Slice’s menu,” I explained. “I was saying we should try to make it at my house sometime.”

  “I can’t imagine how much trouble it would be,” she said. “Besides, if we really want it, we can always just come here and order it.”

  I had to laugh. “As long as you’re buying, I’m game.”

  Maddy grinned at me. “Don’t worry about that. After all, I’m engaged to an attorney, remember?”

  “So we’ll let Bob buy.”

  “Why not? He derives a great deal of pleasure in showering me with the things that I want. Who am I to deny him of that experience?”

  “Wow, from the way you put it, you’re practically a humanitarian.”

  “I do what I can, however little it might be,” she said with a smile.

  We had nearly finished the dip, and Maddy was debating about ordering more, when our entrees came. I had a wonderful salmon dish, while my sister had brisket that disintegrated the second her fork even got near it.

  It felt funny signing the check with only our room number, but Gina had been serious about comping our meals, and I wasn’t going to say no. Like Maddy, I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, especially when it all turned out so nicely for us.

  “I don’t know about you,” I said as we walked out into the lobby, “but I’m too full to just go back to our room yet. Do you have any interest in walking around the grounds a little first?”

  “It’s awfully chilly out, and besides, aren’t you worried that there’s a murderer on the loose?” she asked.

  “No more than usual,” I said. “We can’t let fear keep us from living our lives.”

  “You’ve got a point,” she answered. “Sure, why not? Let’s grab our jackets first though, okay?”

  “I know it’s technically winter, but it was still pretty balmy outside the last time I checked,” I said. “Let’s at least try it without our coats first.”

  “Admit it, Eleanor. You’re just afraid that if we go back to our room, we’ll go in hibernation mode, aren’t you?”

  “The thought crossed my mind,” I said. “Come on, we’re made of tough stock. Let’s brave the elements.”

  We walked outside, and I felt as though we were almost in daylight instead of the surrounding darkness of the hour. The parking area for the resort was well lit, and it was easy to see everything to the edge of the property, though the light dropped off dramatically as it was absorbed into the thicket of surrounding trees.

  I was admiring the layout when Maddy grabbed my arm and whispered, “Eleanor, look over there.”

  “Where?” I asked. I tracked her gesture, and that’s when I spotted three men standing on the edge of the light, one of them just barely out of the shadows.

  “Who is that with the twins?” I asked as I spotted our competitors from Raleigh.

  “I’m not sure,” Maddy said. “I can’t get a clear look at him.”

  I kept looking, but whoever the man was, he was keeping in the shadows, almost as though it was intentional. One of the twins handed him a thick padded envelope, and the next second, the man in the shadows took it and was gone.

  “Let’s go after him,” I said as I started toward them.

  “I’ll take the shadow man, and you take the twins,” Maddy said, clearly eager for the hunt.

  “No, it’s not safe. We’ll brace the twins together,” I said. “Besides, the man they were talking to is probably long gone.”

  “Are we certain that it was a man?” Maddy asked as we hurried toward the twins.

  I thought about what I’d seen, and how much my mind had filled in, and I finally admitted, “I can’t say without a doubt one way or the other. Can you?”

  Maddy shook her head. “No, I never got a real good look. What are we going to say to these two?” Maddy asked as we neared them.

  “I don’t know about you, but I feel like the direct approach,” I said.

  As we walked up to the men, who were still in deep conversation, I said loudly, “Who were you just talking to, and why were you giving him an envelope? Is there a chance that you were paying someone off, gentlemen?”

  They looked startled to see us. One said quickly, “What are you two up to, and what in the world are you doing out in the cold without jackets?”

  “We don’t owe you any explanations, and we know what you were up to the second we walked outside,” Maddy said.

  “You only think you know what you saw,” one twin said as he stepped closer to us. “You need to drop this if you know what’s good for you.”r />
  “Is that a threat?” I asked.

  He seemed to consider his answer carefully, and then he just shook his head. “Think of it more like a friendly warning.”

  I looked at Maddy. “Did he just seem all that friendly to you?”

  “I thought he was a little icy myself,” Maddy replied.

  “We’ve had enough of your comedy routine to last us a lifetime,” the other twin said, and they started back toward the hotel.

  We followed them closely, and they finally stopped and faced us. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “We’re cold,” I said, pretending to shiver. “Going inside suddenly sounds like a good idea to both of us right now. Would you guys care to join us by the fireplace? We can have a nice friendly chat about what just happened before we all go talk to the chief of police together.”

  For once I wasn’t bluffing, but they weren’t buying it anyway. “We’ll pass. Right, Reggie?” he asked as he glanced at his twin.

  “Right, Todd,” the other said.

  “Wow, I didn’t even see your lips move that time,” Maddy said. “How do you even tell each other apart?”

  They each considered commenting on her sarcasm, but decided to remain silent as they headed for the elevator.

  “Should we keep following them?” Maddy asked me.

  I thought about it, but I doubted that we’d be able to do much good. Chances were good that they’d just lock themselves in their room, especially if they knew that we were on their tails. “No, they know that we saw them, and what they did, even though we don’t really know what they were up to. Right now, that’s the best we can do. Let their imaginations fill in the rest.” I rubbed my hands together, and realized that I had gotten cold outside. “Let’s check out the fireplace after all. I could use a little radiant heat right about now. How about you?”

  “It sounds great to me,” she said.

  The fireplace was exposed on two sides, so Maddy and I found soft, comfy chairs on one side and settled in. The crackling of the wood as it burned, the earthy smell of the fire, and the weaving of the flames calmed me enough to almost put me to sleep.

  I was more exhausted than I’d realized.

  The next thing I knew, Maddy was shaking me awake. I started to protest when she put a finger to my lips. Instead of fighting her off, I nodded, pulled her hand gently away, and then looked to see what she’d found so fascinating that she’d had to rouse me from a welcome little nap.