Breakfast Pizza Murder

by Patti Benning

  “I would love to,” her grandmother said. “I’m so happy that you and Russell are getting married. I think you make a terrific couple. He’s a good man.”

  “I know,” Ellie said. “He’s amazing. When I first moved to Kittiport, I thought my life had been ruined, but as it turned out, my life is now better than ever.”

  Miami had no shortage of bridal shops. Ellie was overwhelmed. She had no idea what she was looking for. She didn’t have an image in her head of the perfect dress; she figured that she would know it when she saw it.

  After a couple of hours, she was beginning to get tired of the whole experience. They had only made it to a handful of stores, and she had tried on only a couple of dresses. She was just about to suggest that they give it up for the day, when they walked into a store called Sheri’s Bridal Boutique and her eyes landed on the dress that she knew right away was the one. It was a gorgeous ivory color, with a modest train and real pearls embroidered across the chest. The price tag made her bite her lip, but she wanted it nonetheless.

  Her grandmother waited outside the dressing room while she tried it on. Ellie twisted and turned, looking at herself in the mirror. The dress made her look almost like someone else. Someone regal and poised, and not at all the mess that she usually felt.

  “What do you think?” she asked, leaving the dressing room at last.

  “Ellie… it’s perfect.”

  After finishing their shopping, Ellie dropped her grandmother back at her condo, then returned to the hotel. She was still thinking of the one purchase that she had made that day. Her grandmother had been right. The dress was perfect. She had no regrets about buying it. It would take a couple of weeks for the shop to make the adjustments that she needed and ship it to her home, but she could wait. It would be worth it.

  When she got to her hotel room, she was surprised to see someone standing in front of the door. It was Sandra.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked, unlocking the door with her key card. “Come on in. What’s wrong?”

  It was obvious that the other woman had been crying. She stepped into the hotel room after Ellie, wringing her hands. “There’s something I want to tell you,” she said. “I should have mentioned it before, but after the whole fiasco with the police, I was afraid to bring it up.”

  “Go ahead,” Ellie said. She felt a rush of worry. Was Sandra about to confess some involvement in the crime?

  “Remember when I dropped the plates? It happened because I was panicking. I saw Joe in the pizzeria, and I was worried that he had come there to find me. He wasn’t a good man, and I did a lot to avoid him after the breakup. I should have told you then. If I had, he may not have died. If I had told you the truth, you probably would have asked him to leave, and you would have noticed that something was wrong before it was too late. It’s my fault he’s dead.”

  Ellie breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s it?” she asked. Realizing how insensitive she must have sounded, she added, “I’m sorry. I know this must be hard for you. I don’t blame you for not saying anything, you couldn’t have known.”

  “That’s also why I left early,” Sandra continued. “I thought he was waiting for me to get out of work. I know I should have said something to you instead of just leaving. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I understand if you need to fire me.”

  “Yes, you should have told someone you were leaving, but I think considering everything that happened, we can overlook that. This has been an intense week for everyone. Let’s all just start fresh once the pizzeria reopens, okay?”

  “I just wanted to explain everything to you. Linda didn’t say anything, but I could tell she thought I might have been involved with Joe’s death for a little bit. I figured if she thought that, then you probably did too.”

  “I know you didn’t,” Ellie said. “Thank you for telling me. You should go home and try to enjoy these days off from work. We’ll need you recharged and ready to go when the pizzeria reopens.”

  “Thank you,” the other woman said. “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused.”

  “This whole thing is a mess,” Ellie said. “Clean slate, remember?”

  She gave the other woman an encouraging smile as she left, making sure to lock the door behind her. The dead man’s connection to Sandra was puzzling. It couldn’t be a coincidence. It made her think that Russell’s theory that someone wanted to shut down the pizzeria was wrong. Sandra may be innocent, but someone still may have attacked Joe because of her – someone who wanted to protect her. But who?

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  * * *

  “Thanks for meeting me here,” Ellie said. Linda, Sandra, and Maria were all seated at a table in the pizzeria. Ellie was standing in front of them, feeling happier than she had since her shopping trip with Nonna a couple of days ago. It was the first time any of them had been in the restaurant since the discovery of the body the week before. “I have good news.”

  “Don’t keep us waiting,” Linda said. “What’s going on?”

  “The detective on the case called me and said that we are free to reopen,” she said, grinning. “They haven’t found any indication that anyone at the pizzeria was involved in Joe’s death, and there is no reason to keep us closed down any longer.”

  “That’s amazing,” Sandra said. She was beaming. She looked a lot happier than she had when she had visited Ellie at the hotel a couple of days ago. “I’m so glad. When are we opening again?”

  “How about tomorrow?” Ellie said.

  It was settled. Tomorrow would be the grand re-opening. Ellie decided not to make a big deal about it, however. She didn’t want people to focus on the fact that the restaurant had been closed, or to ask too many questions about why. She would simply send an email to the people on the restaurant’s email list letting them know that it would be open tomorrow at eleven. After that, they would just have to hope for the best. She was glad that she had been able to stay the extra few days. It would be great to see the restaurant open again. She would be able to go home guilt-free, and focus on what lay ahead of her.

  She called Russell later that evening. He was happy to hear the news, but didn’t seem as thrilled as she was.

  “I want you to be careful,” he warned. “We still don’t know exactly what happened. Don’t take any chances, okay?”

  “I’ll be careful,” she promised. “I’ll keep my eyes open for anything suspicious. I’m so happy, though, Russell. I’m glad that I’m going to see the pizzeria reopen before I come home.”

  “I’m happy for you too.”

  “Are the animals doing well?” she asked.

  “They are,” he said. “Bunny has been following me around the house constantly. I think she misses you, though. She keeps going up to your room and scratching at the door.”

  “Well, I’ll be back soon,” she said. She almost told him about the wedding dress; it was on the tip of her tongue, but she refrained. It was supposed to be a surprise, and it would be well worth it when he saw her on their wedding day.

  “Let me know how it goes,” he said. “I wish I could be there too.”

  “I will,” she said. “And so do I. I’ll see you soon. I’m planning on flying back the day after tomorrow. I should be back in Kittiport by noon.”

  She packed her suitcase the next morning, too excited about the restaurant’s reopening to relax. She felt carefree and happy, as if the last few days hadn’t happened. Even though she was in Florida, it hadn’t been much fun being completely alone in the city. Her grandmother had been busy with her friends, and she hadn’t wanted to intrude again. She had visited the beach, and had checked out some of the city’s attractions, but found that she kept wishing Russell was there to enjoy it with her.

  She got to Papa Pacelli’s an hour early and made sure that everything was ready for the opening. She didn’t know what to expect. While she tried to be realistic, it was difficult not to get her hopes up. She desperately wanted to leave Linda and the Florida crew a successful restaura
nt, not one on the verge of being shut down.

  Linda and the others arrived not long after she did. She was relieved to see Maria; she had been worried that the young woman might have decided to quit after the debacle the week before. It would have been difficult for Linda and Sandra to run the restaurant by themselves while searching for and then training a new employee.

  They opened the doors at eleven, then Ellie settled in to wait. She was surprised when it didn’t take long for them to get their first customer. As soon as he walked out the door with his pizza box, all four of them cheered.

  After that, business picked up. While it wasn’t anywhere near as busy as it had been the day of the original opening, there was a healthy flow of customers.

  Looking out over the store, happiness swelled in her chest. She had done it. Only time would tell whether the second pizzeria would make it in the long run, but for now, things were looking good.

  “Hey, Ellie,” Linda said, calling out to her from the door to the kitchen. “The three of us are about to put a pizza in the oven for lunch. What toppings do you like?”

  “I’m happy with anything,” Ellie said. “Make whatever you’d like.”

  “Just look at this,” her friend said, shaking her head in amazement. “It’s amazing. This is busier than my old restaurant ever was. It’s sad to see it so different, but it’s also good to know that it’s getting a second chance.

  “I’m so glad that we met,” Ellie said. “And I’m glad that we were able to reopen the pizzeria before I left. I’m going to feel a lot better about going home now that I see this.

  “I just wish the police would hurry up and solve the case. I don’t know if I’ll feel comfortable working here by myself.”

  “I know,” Ellie said, frowning. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to tell you. I wish I could help, but there’s nothing I can do. Just keep your eyes peeled and trust your instincts if something feels off. Don’t forget to lock the doors every evening, and don’t let anyone work late on their own. It’s not worth the chance of someone getting hurt.”

  Business picked up as the evening approached, and Ellie had a feeling that Linda was going to want to hire another employee sooner rather than later. This would be a lot for the three of them to run on their own for any period of time.

  Ellie did her part by bussing tables, letting the others handle the more complicated tasks on their own. She had just begun clearing a table that had been recently vacated by a family with three children when Sandra approached her, looking nervous.

  “Ellie? Or should I call you Ms. Pacelli while we’re here?”

  “Just call me Ellie,” she replied. “We’re friends, and besides, it would feel odd to be addressed as Ms. Pacelli by someone my own age.”

  “Okay, well, Ellie, I just wanted to tell you that I saw Joe’s mother go into the Chinese restaurant across the street. I don’t know what she’s doing here, but is it all right if I work in the back for a while? I really don’t want to see her, not after everything that happened with him. She’s just so overbearing, and –”

  “That’s fine,” Ellie said, hardly paying attention to the other woman’s words. Her eyes were glued to the Chinese restaurant across from them. It couldn’t be a coincidence that Joe’s mother was across the street. What were the chances that out of all of the Chinese restaurants in the city, she would happen to choose the one right across from where her son’s body had been found?

  “Tell Linda that I’m taking a break. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Okay.” Sandra shot her a questioning look, which Ellie ignored. She already knew she shouldn’t get involved, but she couldn’t resist something like this. Russell would do the same thing if he were there.

  Russell’s an experienced and trained law enforcement professional, she thought. It’s not the same thing. She shook her head, forcing the doubts from her mind. She wasn’t doing anything dangerous. She would be in a public restaurant, just a few dozen yards away from her own store. At the first sign of anything wrong, she would simply leave. Besides, she had her cell phone with her. She patted her pockets make sure it was there. She would be perfectly safe. There was nothing to worry about.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  * * *

  She entered the Chinese restaurant, trying to look as casual as possible. It didn’t matter; no one was there. She frowned, looking around. She didn’t see any sign of Joe’s mother, or Tai, or her aunt. The restaurant was completely empty, without a single patron.

  This place really is having some trouble, she thought. Considering how busy the pizzeria was, she was surprised no one was in the Chinese restaurant. It made her feel a little bit bad for the restaurant’s owner. She knew just how much one could care about a business, especially one that they had raised from the ground up. It must be heartbreaking to see a restaurant fail. She hoped desperately that she never had to experience that with the pizzeria. She had put so much into it, and she didn’t know what she would do without it.

  “Can I help you?”

  She jumped, startled by the voice. Tai’s aunt had come out of the kitchen without her noticing. She heard a sudden swell of voices from behind the closed door. It sounded like arguing.

  “Um, yes,” she said, forcing herself to act as if she hadn’t heard anything. “I’m just here for dinner.”

  The other woman sighed. “You don’t have to eat here just because you opened a business across the street. I appreciate the gesture, but the last thing I want is pity.”

  “It’s not just a gesture, I promise. I want to eat here.”

  “You didn’t even touch any of the food last time.” The woman frowned at her. “What are you doing? I’m not selling the building, if that’s what you want. I’m not interested in becoming part of a chain.”

  “What? No, I don’t do that –“ Realizing that was exactly what she had done with Linda’s little shop, she backpedaled. “The pizzeria was a special circumstance. It’s only the second restaurant I own, and I’m not planning on opening any more for a long time.”

  “If you really want to eat here, just take a seat wherever you want. I suppose I shouldn’t drive away the first customer we’ve had in hours.”

  Ellie chose a booth near the door. The other woman gave her a menu. “Sorry, I don’t think I got your name.”

  “Li Qin,” the woman said. “Your name is Eleanora, right?”

  Ellie nodded. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry if I offended you somehow.”

  “I didn’t mean to be rude,” the other woman said. “I just have a lot on my mind, and losing even more business to you is just salt on the wound. Between trying to keep this restaurant from going under and keeping an eye on my niece, I’m stretched thin. I should never have agreed to take her on, but my sister helped me move here twenty years ago, and I owed her this much.”

  “I thought she was here to help you out?” Ellie said, puzzled. Tai had made it sound as if she was doing her aunt a favor, not the other way around.

  “No,” Li said. “Not at all. I won’t get into family matters, but she’s a troubled young woman. Her parents finally put their foot down and told her she had to move out, so here she is.”

  Ellie blinked. Tai had seemed so cheerful and friendly when she had spoken to her.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know.”

  Li waved her hand, a gesture that announced that the subject was closed. “What can I get you?”

  “The same thing I had last time,” Ellie said. “Thanks.”

  “Coming right up,” the other woman said.

  She went back into the kitchen, leaving Ellie in the dining area alone. The more she spoke to Li Qin, the more she doubted that she had anything to do with the murder. But there was a connection between the restaurant and the man’s death. Why else would Joe’s mother be there? Could Tai have something to do with it? It was hard to imagine the bright, cheery girl as an accomplice to murder, but maybe that was just a façade the girl put on. If her aunt
was right, there was something else beneath the young woman’s surface.

  The door to the kitchen slammed open and a furious elderly woman stomped out. “I told him time after time that you were trouble. The police might be fooled by you, but I’m not.”

  “Mrs. Brigham, don’t say that,” Tai said, following her closely. “We loved each other.”

  “That’s not what he told me,” the woman snapped. “He was planning on dumping you. You had something to do with this, and you’re going to pay for it. My son might have had his issues, but I loved him. You just wait, the police will be knocking on your door before you know it.”

  The woman jerked open the door and stalked out. Tai followed her, not registering Ellie in the slightest. The young woman had a dangerous look on her face. Ellie watched through the window as she hung back, watching Mrs. Brigham walk away. After a moment, she followed, vanishing from Ellie’s line of sight.