by B R Snow
At least that’s what came out of his mouth. I knew that what he was actually thinking was that he’d love to get Josie in the backseat of a Mercedes.
“Yeah, cars have been very good to me,” Dirk Sinclair said. “But lately, I’ve started to get into restaurants.”
“Really?” I said, nodding my head.
I was about as interested in that fact as I was in who was winning the baseball game.
“Yes,” he said. “In fact, last night I met with a young chef about running one of my restaurants in Florida.”
“What?” I said, suddenly a lot more interested in what Dirk Sinclair was saying.
I grabbed the sides of my chair with both hands to stop myself from grabbing him by the throat. I looked across the table at Josie who was squeezing her fork. Then the fork literally folded in half. Josie glanced down at it in her hand, then set it down and pushed it away. I casually reached across the table and pulled her knife toward me. I moved it a safe distance away then looked at Josie who was giving Dirk Sinclair the death stare.
“That’s interesting news,” my mother said. “Who is it?”
“She goes by the name Chef Claire,” he said. “Apparently, her food is amazing.”
“Chef Claire?” my mother whispered.
“Yes, do you know her?” Dirk Sinclair said.
“Why, yes. As a matter of fact I do,” my mother said.
I’m not sure if she knew it or not, but my mother was about to be facing a major decision. She might be in love, but this guy was messing around with our ability to eat great food.
“Is her food as good as everyone says?” he said.
“Well,” my mother said, glancing back and forth at Josie and me. “What do you girls have to say about Chef Claire’s food?”
“I guess it’s okay,” Josie said, shrugging.
“Yeah, I’d say fair to middling,” I said, unable to maintain eye contact. “Oh, great. Our lunch is here.”
We all sat back as Millie arranged our plates in front of us. She made sure we were all set and then headed back to the kitchen. I cut Chloe’s burger into small pieces and set it down on the floor. I waited for her to get started and then focused on my lunch.
Rule number one; feed your animals first.
I picked up my burger, then stopped and looked across the table when a thought popped into my head.
“Hey, wait a minute. You didn’t even order,” I said to my mother.
“I called it in earlier, darling,” my mother said, dipping her spoon into a bowl of clam chowder.
She was having trouble maintaining eye contact as well. I knew she knew that if Chef Claire left to go work for her new boyfriend, Dirk Sinclair would forever remain on Josie’s and my list of the most hated people in the world. But for now, it appeared to be a risk my mother thought was worth taking. She reached across the table and held one of his hands while she spooned clam chowder into her mouth with the other.
I looked at Josie, and we both stared at the chowder-fueled love fest playing out in front of us.
We ate lunch in relative silence, and Dirk Sinclair simply insisted on picking up the check. We thanked him and got ready to leave.
“So, I guess we’ll see you Saturday night,” my mother said, going for a lighthearted tone.
I glared at her. Josie scanned the table, ostensibly for her keys. Personally, I think she was looking for the knife.
“Should we bring anything?” my mother said, forcing a smile at me.
“No, I think we’re all set. We’ll have tons of food, some music, a full bar,” I said.
“Your death certificates,” Josie whispered.
“What was that, Josie?” my mother said.
“Nothing, Mrs. C,” she said, flashing my mother a quick smile.
“Well, it was certainly nice to finally meet you, Suzy,” Dirk Sinclair said.
“Yeah, same here,” I managed to get out.
And then he spread his arms wide. I stared at them and then looked at him.
“Too soon for a hug?” he said.
“Absolutely,” I said, extending my hand.
“It was great meeting you, too, Josie,” he said, extending his hand toward Josie.
She stared at his hand, then shared a brief handshake with him.
“See you around, Dirk,” Josie said, zipping her jacket.
“This was wonderful,” my mother gushed. “And I think it’s only the first of hundreds of wonderful meals we’ll be sharing together.”
I glared at my mother. Without actually having to come out and say it to my face, she was telling me that she had made her choice.
I nodded, and then Josie and I headed for the door with Chloe leading the way.
Okay, Mom. Have it your way.
Game on.
Chapter 19
If our lunch with my mother and her smarmy, chef-stealing scoundrel for a boyfriend could be considered quiet, dinner was like watching a silent movie in a morgue. At least that’s how Freddie, our local medical examiner, described it.
I had to agree with him. It looked like we were going to make it through the entire meal in total silence, which would be a first. The mood in the kitchen was tense with everyone afraid to speak and run the risk of waking the eight-hundred-pound elephant in the room.
Or maybe since the loss of Chef Claire and her food was the top-of-mind topic, maybe the elephant was in the fridge.
I’d completely forgotten that we had invited Freddie to dinner until he’d knocked on our door at seven sharp. Chef Claire and I ran into him earlier in the week when we were grocery shopping, and she’d mentioned that she was making a roast dinner tonight. When Freddie turned melancholy in Aisle 7 and mentioned how roast dinners always reminded him of Sunday nights with his parents, who were both now deceased, we did what friends do and invited him to join us.
But despite the mushroom and horseradish stuffed beef roast and two trays of perfectly roasted garlic and rosemary vegetables, Freddy could be excused for wondering if he’d made a mistake accepting our invitation. It wasn’t anger that filled the kitchen. The mood was more sad than mad, and it reminded me of a frigid, windblown February morning where all you could do was hunker down and try to survive until things started to warm up.
If Freddie had been looking for melancholy, he’d come to the right place.
“So Freddie,” I said, desperate to hear anything other than the swordplay of Josie’s silverware. “What’s going on in your world?”
“Not too much,” he said, glancing around the table as if checking first if it was okay for him to respond. “It’s been pretty quiet this week. And that’s fine with me.”
“I’d keep my phone turned on if I were you, Freddie. Things could change in a hurry,” Josie said, glancing at Chef Claire.
“Geez, Josie,” Chef Claire said. “You’d think I killed a dog. Let it go.”
“I can’t help it,” Josie said. “I feel so betrayed.”
“You’re unbelievable,” Chef Claire said, pushing her plate away.
“It’s one thing for you to leave. But how could you leave to go work for that smarmy creature? I had to take a shower when I got home from lunch today.”
That was true. She did. But not because of anything Dirk Sinclair had done. Josie had been so upset by the news about Chef Claire she’d lost focus at lunch and had ended up with burger juice up and down both arms and a handful of ketchup-soaked French fries inside her sweater.
I was still trying to understand the science of how she managed to pull that off.
“How could you do that?” Josie repeated.
“Because it’s the only job offer I have at the moment and winter is fast approaching,” Chef Claire said, getting up from the table to remove a chocolate chip cheesecake from the fridge.
“What job are you talking about?” Freddie said.
“I’m going to Florida to be head chef and manager of a restaurant outside of Orlando,” Chef Claire said, cutting a large wedge of
cheesecake and sliding it in front of Josie.
It didn’t solve her problem with Josie, but it was a good start.
“Good for you. That’s great,” Freddie said, digging into his dessert.
“Are you out of your mind?” Josie said, glaring at Freddie.
“What?”
“What’s great about it?” Josie said, maintaining her stare.
“I don’t know,” he said, shrugging. “Maybe because she’s a chef who likes warm weather and it sounds like a great opportunity. I would have thought you’d be happy for her as a friend instead of being so selfish.”
Wow. I’m not sure I’d give Freddie any points for knowing when to keep one’s mouth shut, but I had to admire his courage.
“What did you call me?” Josie said.
Freddie stared back at her and maintained eye contact even as her glare narrowed and turned dark.
“I called you selfish,” Freddie said. “Why don’t you try to stop thinking about your stomach for five minutes and start thinking about what’s best for one of your good friends?”
“Nobody ever talks to me like that,” Josie said.
“Well, maybe it’s time somebody started,” Freddie snapped.
I watched the death stare play itself out and almost laughed when I considered the irony wrapped up in the problem of trying to find someone to perform the examination of the body if our local ME got killed in our kitchen.
Josie slowly chewed a mouthful of cheesecake and stared off into the distance. Eventually, she did what she always did. She set her fork down and looked at Freddie.
“You’re right,” she said, nodding her head. “I’m being selfish. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, taking another bite of cheesecake. “It happens.”
Josie stood and hugged Chef Claire.
“I’m sorry,” Josie said. “It’s just that I’m going to miss you so much.”
“I know,” Chef Claire said as she patted Josie’s back. “And?”
Josie sighed.
“Okay, maybe I’m also going to miss your food a bit,” Josie said, sitting down to resume her attack on the cheesecake.
Chef Claire laughed and gave Josie another brief hug before sitting down at the table.
“So tell me all about this new restaurant,” Freddie said.
“Don’t push your luck, Freddie,” Josie snapped.
Another round of tense silence followed before Josie burst out laughing. I shook my head at her and helped myself to a second slice.
“The restaurant’s okay,” Chef Claire said. “From the photos, it looks a little rundown, and the menu needs a total makeover, but Dirk said he’s willing to put the money into it.”
“Dirk Sinclair?” Freddie said.
“Yes,” Chef Claire said. “Do you know him?”
“A little,” Freddie said. “I bought my last car at his dealership. And I just saw him the other day when I was downriver. He was having lunch with who I assumed was his girlfriend. They were all over each other in the restaurant.”
“You mean my mother, right?” I said.
“What does your mother have to do with this?” Freddie said, frowning at me.
“It wasn’t my mother who was with him?” I said.
“Suzy, I’ve known your mother for over a decade. If she had been there, I think I would have recognized her.”
“So who was he with?” Josie said.
“Some hot young blonde in her twenties,” Freddie said, refocusing on his cheesecake. “Good looking with big, well, I could probably go on, but I think you get the drift.”
“Yeah, we got it,” I said.
“Your mom is going to be devastated,” Josie said.
“Yeah, she is. We need to tell her,” I said.
“There you go again with that collective we thing,” Josie said, laughing. “Nice try.”
“You’re right, I need to tell her,” I said. “How the heck do I do that?”
“Very slowly and from a safe distance,” Josie said.
My mom and I may argue and battle with each other on a regular basis, but we would run through fire for each other if necessary. And unless Dirk and my mother had an understanding about dating other people, he’d crossed the line with this one.
Nobody messes with my mom.
“Dirk’s about to experience a world of hurt,” I said.
“It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy,” Josie said.
“I thought you decided to let it go,” Chef Claire said.
“With you, yes,” Josie said. “Him, forget it. He’s managed to steal you away, and now he’s messing with Suzy’s mom. And because of him, I ended up with French fries in my bra.”
“What?” Freddie said, perking up immediately.
“It’s a long story,” Josie said.
“I’ve got time,” Freddie said.
It turned out Freddie didn’t have time because his phone started buzzing.
“This is Freddie… What? … Geez, I’m right in the middle of cheesecake that’s bringing tears to my eyes… Okay. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”
Freddie ended the call and slid his phone back into his pocket. He stood up and glanced around the table.
“I need to run.”
“What is it?” I said.
“There’s a little problem down at John’s place. Actually, the problem is at the dock.”
“Who is it?” I said.
“Did I say it was a person?” Freddie said.
“I doubt if they’d call you if a tree had fallen in the park,” Josie said.
“Yeah, you’ve got a point there. It’s Captain Bill. It looks like he was drinking all day, and for some reason, he decided to go onto the boat.”
“And?” I said, glancing at Josie.
“He did a header off the dock and ended up getting wedged between the boat and one of the pilings.”
“He’s dead?” I said.
“Yes, hence the call,” Freddie said.
I stood up and grabbed my car keys.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Freddie said.
“To have a look. What else?” I said.
Josie hopped up out of her chair and grabbed her coat.
“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll just stay here and clean up,” Chef Claire said.
“You mind keeping an eye on Chloe and Sluggo?” I said.
“Not a problem,” Chef Claire said, giving Freddie a quick hug. “I’ll see you Saturday, Freddie.”
I waved goodbye and raced out the door with Josie close behind. We climbed into my SUV and managed to beat Freddie to the scene. We spotted John talking quietly with Detective Abrams from the state police at the front of the dock and wandered toward them. Detective Abrams gave us a quick wave then headed down the dock toward the boat. Freddie arrived, parked, and then hustled past us with a quick wave.
“What are you two doing here?” John said.
He looked bewildered and completely worn down.
“Freddie was having dinner at our place when the call came in, and we just thought we’d swing by to see if you needed anything.”
Despite the gravity of the situation, John glanced back and forth at us and laughed softly.
“You guys are something else,” he said.
“We like to think so,” I said, forcing a smile. “So Captain Bill fell in and drowned?”
“It looks that way. I just spoke with Millie from the Water’s Edge, and she said Captain Bill was so hammered she had to cut him off around five. Then he went to the liquor store and bought a bottle of Scotch. Nobody saw him after that until somebody discovered his body.”
“Who found him?” Josie said.
“Gladys Robertson,” John said.
“The name sounds familiar,” I said, then looked at Josie. “Do we know her?”
“Yeah, she has the two black labs. Dexter and Daisy,” Josie said.
“Oh, sure,” I said. “She’s a nice woman.”
“Yeah,” Josie said. “And they’re great dogs.”
“Ladies, please,” John said with an edge working its way into his voice. “Mrs. Robertson was walking her dogs when they must have picked up the scent. She said they dragged her down the dock to where the body was.”
“That must have been traumatic for her,” I said. “And probably the dogs as well.”
“Not as traumatic as it must have been for Captain Bill,” Josie said.
“Well, sure, that goes without saying,” I said
John, out of patience with us, exhaled loudly.
“Look, I would love to stand here and chat, but if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot to take care of at the moment.”
“Sure, we understand,” I said, rocking back and forth on my feet to beat back the cold.
“If you’re going to insist on hanging around, please stay away from the scene and let the police and Freddie do their thing.”
We both nodded and then John starting to walk down the dock.
“Hey, John,” I said.
“What?”
“How’s the renovation going?”
“That’s the weird thing,” he said, walking back toward us. “We should have everything wrapped up on Saturday morning. And if that’s the case, the plan is to head out first thing Monday morning. Captain Bill only needed to hang in there a few more days.”
“And now you need a new captain,” I said.
“Yes, I do,” John said. “Unfortunately, I don’t have anyone I can find on such short notice, so I’m going to have to do it.”
“You?” Josie said.
“Yeah, and in case you can’t tell, I’m not very happy about it. There goes my trip down the St. Lawrence to the Atlantic and then to Florida along the coastline.”
“Duty calls, huh?” I said.
“Yeah, duty, all my creditors, and my bank,” he said, laughing. “Okay, I’ll see you Saturday. And do me a favor and try to keep your snooping to a minimum tonight.”
“We’ll do our best,” I said.
“Yes, that’s what I’m afraid of.”
He waved and headed off.
“I’m beginning to think that boat is cursed,” I said.
“Cursed enough to call off our visit on Saturday night?” Josie said, bouncing up and down from the cold.
“You know I can’t do that,” I said, shivering. “Are you positive it’s only September? Man, it is freezing.”
