Grilled and Seasoned With Murder (A Josie Rizzo Cozy Mystery Book 1)

by J R Pearson

  Josie had never seen Petey jump. When was he ever friendly toward strangers?

  “I’m not sure if he’ll bite. He’s usually not like this with people he doesn’t know,” Josie informed Tony.

  “It’s okay. He’s cool.” Tony smiled a very amazing smile and rubbed Petey’s back. Josie looked around the room and under the couch.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Trying to find where that alien dog you’re currently petting left my real dog, tied up with duct tape.” Tony’s laugh made her smile, as it had when she was younger. Her heart fluttering was a new reaction. Tony set Petey to the side and faced her. Josie glanced down at her hands, fingers fiddling with the hem of her shirt. She was nervous. And Tony knew he was the cause of it.

  “You look good,” he said.

  “Thanks... So do you.” Josie was curious why Tony Santino was here sitting in her living room. She might have grown up with the boy Tony. But she sure as hell didn’t know who the man Tony was. A way to find out was simply to catch up. The brief small talk of catching up proved to be just that. Brief.

  Tony revealed he also had a dog, Jade, a Great Dane, and had been hopping from one auto shop to the next, repairing motorcycles.

  Josie briefly touched upon her blog and moving into her new apartment.

  They both sat in awkward silence, looking anywhere but each other. Tony had a vague idea as to how he wanted to begin. Now sitting just inches from the adorable brunette, his mind drew a blank.

  “Why are you here?” she asked. That was easy, Tony thought, and got straight to the point.

  “Jo, I need your help.”

  “With what?” she asked, incredulous.

  “The woman they found in the alley was murdered, and the cops suspect I did it.” He said. Josie’s guard instantly went up. Brad’s comment about what Tony had been doing during his absence popped into her head. Suddenly the inked barbed wire on his arms looked menacing. But If Petey could risk falling on his furry butt to jump two feet off the floor to crawl into his lap, why shouldn’t she?

  Take the risk, that is.

  Not crawl into Tony’s lap.

  “I did not kill that woman, Jo,” he insisted.

  “I heard she was seen getting out of your car.”

  “She did. Let me explain.”

  Tony had already moved into his uncle's house, and went back into the city to retrieve his motorcycle from a buddy. He was on his way out when the woman asked for a ride to Greenville. Since Tony was headed that way, he had no problem giving the woman a lift.

  "What was her name?" Josie asked. Tony shrugged.

  “I asked, but she didn’t say. Wasn’t in a talking mood." Over time, Tony had learned to pick up on people's emotions, whether someone was lying, and determine their actions. Tony hadn’t trusted anybody in his new school or the jobs he worked at. No one. He survived and managed to avoid fights, using his skills.

  "Did she even tell you where she needed to go once reaching Greenville?"

  "Not specifically," Tony frowned. "Just to drop her off wherever I was going. I was headed to Triple B's for a drink; she was okay with that, and didn’t talk for the rest of the ride."

  "Odd." Josie also frowned. Maybe the woman eventually would meet up with some friends? Beside her, Tony leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.

  “I know we haven’t spoken in some time and it’s crazy for me to ask you to get involved, but—"

  "There’s no one else that truly knows you," Josie interrupted. "Like I do."

  Tony looked away, his frown growing deeper. It wasn’t hard to guess what he was thinking. The look of a big scary dude, a troubled past, and a murderer for a father—people would have no issue pointing the finger at him. And since Tony was the last to see the victim alive, the cops would be breathing down his neck.

  Too bad for them. Josie would jump two feet off the floor to prove them wrong.

  "I'll help you."

  She prayed she hadn’t made the wrong decision.

  ***

  The next morning, Jennie texted Josie, asking her cousin if she would meet her at Sweeney's Café for a quick breakfast before work.

  One step inside the busy cafe, Josie immediately fell in love. The early-morning chatter reminded her of birds chirping in the trees, awake and full of energy. Inside, it smelled of cinnamon, oats, and fresh berries. The walls were painted a light blue, and large windows overlooked the main street.

  The additional section of the cafe had floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors leading to a patio, inviting guests to sit at wrought-iron tables and chairs. That’s where Josie was greeted by her cousin and a cup of coffee.

  "The lady with the breakfast cart will be right back. She had to restock the muffins," Jennie said. Josie noticed Jennie kept readjusting her glasses and bobbing her knee.

  "What’s wrong?"

  "It's Caleb."

  "Your detective boyfriend," Josie smiled, taking a sip from her cup. Delicious.

  Jennie rolled her eyes. "Of course you know about that." She threw her hands up, exasperated. "Who doesn’t know about me dating Caleb?"

  "Uh, polar bears in the North Pole, maybe?"

  "For now!"

  Jennie and Josie's mothers were sisters. Acting as matriarchs for both the Peterson and Rizzo families. And when Jennie's mother, Kendra, found out her only daughter was dating a high-ranking officer, Josie's mother, Gina, was the first to hear and informed the whole Rizzo clan. This also brought a hour-long lecture from Gina letting her daughter know she wasn’t getting any younger and that Gina would like to play with her grandkids while her hips were still her own and not made of stainless steel.

  "Anyways, it’s this new case Caleb is on. The body that was found last night," Jennie said. An older woman wearing a light-blue apron and pushing a small cart stopped at their table.

  "Good morning! Would you like to try our cinnamon oat muffins? Fresh out of the oven." Jennie nodded to Josie.

  "Yes, two each, please." The lady distributed the golden-brown delicacies on blue napkins featuring the café’s name in fancy writing. When Jennie and Josie were alone again, Josie told her cousin to continue.

  "Caleb is getting pressured by town officials to move fast on making an arrest." The muffins were larger then Josie had ever seen before, and she broke hers apart before popping the moist and fluffy goodness into her mouth. Bursts of spicy cinnamon and sweetened oats danced on her tongue.

  "What’s the rush? Surely they don’t want any mistakes," Josie said.

  "You’re right. But it doesn’t matter when all the evidence is leading to one individual." Jennie leaned closer. "They want Caleb to arrest Tony." Josie jerked back as if she'd been slapped. What evidence?

  "They don’t have anything on him!" Josie stopped to stuff a piece of muffin in her mouth. Unfortunately, the taste was wasted. Talking about murder while trying to eat was a horrible combination.

  "He was the last person seen—"

  "That’s not evidence. That’s just coincidence," Josie insisted.

  "Is it, Josie? Is it?" Jennie cocked an eyebrow.

  "Repeating your words for emphasis is not helping."

  "Well, listen to these words: Tony doesn’t have much time. I know you two used to be close before his father’s arrest—"

  Josie snorted. Did those town officials shake their heads and say, Like father, like son?

  "—and I can see you still care for him. And if you believe he's innocent, then so do I." That was exactly it. When it came down to it, Josie believed Tony was innocent, and if that ended up not being the case, well, she'd deal with it. Somehow.

  "What about Caleb?" Josie asked. Jennie waved her hand.

  "I know he'll do what’s right. Caleb isn’t intimated by those old farts."

  "Has he figured out who the woman was?" A name would definitely help, Josie thought. Jennie nodded and leaned closer again, not wanting to be overheard.

  "Her name was Amanda Nelson. Caleb ment
ioned something about having the medical examiner confirm it, but he could clearly see Amanda had been strangled to death." A gust of cool wind caused Josie to shudder.

  "How was it obvious? Did the killer leave behind a rope? Scarf? What did Caleb say?"

  "He wouldn’t tell me. But when he was in the shower, I went through his briefcase and found the crime-scene photos," Jennie admitted. Josie smirked at her younger cousin.

  "You’re really nosy. That’s something our mothers would do," she said. Jennie faked being insulted, smiled innocently, and continued.

  "From what I saw, there wasn’t anything seen next to the body. A close-up photo showed these big, ugly, red and purple marks on her neck." Jennie shivered visibly. "At one angle the marks looked like part of a hand."

  "So it’s possible the killer strangled Amanda…with his bare hands."

  ***

  Josie and Jennie went their separate ways. Josie drove toward the Greenville Inn, where her new job at In The Box bistro was located in a cobblestone courtyard. The bistro specialized in gourmet hot dogs, paninis, sliders, and oven-baked fries. Josie especially liked how In The Box had a gluten-free and vegan menu. Some of her readers with celiac disease or who preferred a different diet would appreciate knowing there was a place they could enjoy.

  Josie approached the restaurant and silently thanked the universe for giving Brad a job—then recommending his boss give her a chance to become a full-time employee—because the small restaurant was just yards away from the beautiful lake.

  Hot dogs and an amazing view.

  Perfect.

  By the door stood a chalkboard sign that read:

  New hot dogs for the season!

  Try our grilled pineapple and teriyaki dog!

  Beneath it someone had drawn a very realistic-looking hot dog and its toppings. Josie took a quick picture of the charming display.

  "Hey," Brad called. "Get in here. The drama has already begun."

  The bistro was just as appealing as it was outside. Industrial, exposed piping, aged brick walls where black and white photos of happy customers mingled with recent photos, and cognac wooden tables chairs filled the checkered floor. Those tables and chairs would soon be filled, once it was time to open. Brad had told Josie beforehand to wear a plain red t-shirt and jeans. Ready to start, she followed Brad behind the long serving counter.

  "Take a look around," he gestured. She did, and noticed four other people wearing red shirts (employees) who were visibly upset. A round woman whispered furiously with a thin middle-aged man. Both glanced at the front door every few seconds. A man, in his early twenties, paced beside a table, wringing his hands. The fourth, an elderly lady wearing a black apron, peered over her spectacles at a fashion magazine, oblivious to her coworker’s antics.

  "They look—"

  "Scared?" Brad said, combing a hand through his hair. “They kinda are. Sal, the owner and boss, just called and said he's on a big boat, sipping margaritas with a woman whose breasts could be used as a floatation device," Brad grimaced.

  "Hmm, sorry I missed him." Josie wrinkled her nose.

  "Yeah, he's great. He also said to expect his nephew, our now new boss, this morning."

  "Who is—?"

  The little silver bell chimed, indicating someone just walked in. Josie felt her eyebrows touch her hair line.

  "Him."

  Tony glanced around the small restaurant, then at his new employees. They seemed normal enough. Except for the kid who looked like he wanted to piss his pants. Tony ignored his quickening heart when his eyes met Josie's. He recognized the man Josie was with last night.

  "All right. Hello, everyone—" he started.

  The nervous young man tore off his name tag, throwing it to floor, then dashed out the bistro, yelling over his shoulder "I QUIT!" Josie couldn’t believe it. Where these people really scared to have Tony as their boss? A possible murderer, in their eyes? Tony was thinking the same and faced the remaining five. A humorless smile spread across his face.

  "I’m assuming you all have heard my connection to the recent murder.” He continued, not waiting for a response. “If any of you have a problem with that, now is your chance to leave."

  The elderly lady tossed her magazine aside and squinted at Tony. "I ain’t scared of you. And neither are the rest of these yahoos. Your uncle mention me?" She laid a hand on her hip. Tony's face softened a bit.

  "He did. It’s nice to meet you, Greta."

  "He tell you I require two lunch breaks instead of one?"

  "Yes. That won’t be an issue."

  "Good." She turned to the remaining employees. "If Sal trusts his nephew, then so can we. Don’t let any of that gossip nonsense fool you." Greta poked the round woman’s arm. "Pick up your jaw, Paula. Let’s get those fries in the oven."

  Paula scrambled after the feisty woman to the kitchen. The middle-aged man introduced himself as Larry and quickly turned away to uncover the toppings station. Brad thrust his hand out to Tony.

  "Brad Clifton. Actor. Part-time model. And, for the record, I don’t care for town gossip either." Tony shook Brad's hand, bemused.

  "Right." He glanced at Josie. "My uncle talked about a new employee,"

  "Yep. That would be me." Josie smiled. Despite the recent turn of events, Josie planned on doing a good job. Just because she was helping her new boss avoid getting arrested didn’t mean he couldn’t fire her for doing a sucky job.

  Tony was captivated by how her face glowed when she smiled, and stepped closer, only to be blocked by Brad.

  “I’ll show her around," Brad narrowed his eyes. "Boss." Josie didn’t like the way the two men were glaring at each other.

  Hey everybody! New hot dog topping!

  Spicy testosterone!

  "Fine. I'll leave you to it." Tony regarded Brad before walking to the back office, closing the door behind him.

  "Well, that was fun," Brad said.

  "For you." Josie frowned at him. "What’s up with the caveman act?"

  "Cave what?" He chuckled.

  "You know, puffing out your chest." Josie demonstrated and pounded her chest. "Me man," she grunted, flaring her nostrils.

  "That’s a gorilla, but I get what you mean. I just didn’t like the way he was looking at you. He needs to know if he wants to get to you, he has to go through me." Josie appreciated her friend being protective, but it reminded her of her brothers. Another reason why she’d left JewelCove.

  "How was he looking at me?" she asked. (Just out of curiosity.)

  "The same look I gave my old acting coach." Brad sighed, starring off into space. "All that man needed was a white horse, long flowing hair, and I would have been putty in his hands."

  "Your point?" Josie shook her head.

  "My point,” He flicked the tip of her nose. "Is that Tony has the hots for you and I don’t want to see you get burned."

  "Yeah, right.” Josie scoffed. She bent to store her purse in a cabinet below the register. She could feel Brad’s gaze on the back of her neck. “Nothing’s going to happen between us.”

  "I hope not. That guy is bad news."

  ***

  By noon, the bistro was packed. Inside was standing room only, and the outside tables were filled. Tony had to carry and set out picnic tables from storage. No one complained. The weather was beautiful, and the sun made the lake’s water glitter. The food posed no complaints either.

  Greta and Paula baked batch after batch of golden fries sprinkled with herbs. Sal wanted his fries baked instead of fried so his customers could taste the potato and not squishy grease. Customers appreciated the hard work and quality Sal put into the food. Pairing the fries house made fry sauce. It was similar to Thousand Island dressing but without ketchup. That was another thing. No ketchup on the premises. Nope. Nada. End of story.

  Hot dogs were grilled and put into poppy seed buns. Mini ciabatta and brioche buns for sliders. Pressed sourdough bread for paninis. Toppings were imported fresh from farms located between Greenvi
lle and JewelCove. Lemonade and ice tea were served cold and made fresh every day.

  Josie assembled a hot dog with tomato, chopped onion, sliced pickles, and mustard on checkered waxed paper in a recycled cardboard tray. She shoveled a scoop of fries next to the dog and drizzled sauce over it. The bold tomatoes and bright mustard made a beautiful presentation. Compared to Brad and Larry, she was a bit slow but credited herself for not messing up an order.

  During a lull, Josie peeked into the kitchen and saw Tony and Greta talking by the grill. This was the perfect time to pull Tony aside to discuss what Jennie had told her.

  Greta had been telling Tony stories from days of her youth—some heartwarming, some scandalous. Tony wasn’t surprised in the least that the scandalous ones involved his uncle. He felt a tickle in his right ear and glanced up to see Josie standing in the doorway. Greta's words grew muffled as Tony took in Josie’s appearance, unable to hide his grin. A few strands of hair escaped her high ponytail, her new nametag hung upside down, and patches of mustard stained her shirt.

  She looked beautiful.

  "I’m going on my break, hon," Greta said to Tony and gave him a pointed look. "I’ll be back. Maybe." She patted Josie’s cheek on the way out.

  Josie gestured to the office and they both filed into the cramped space. She took a seat in a rickety chair. Tony sat behind the desk.

  "Something on your mind?" he asked.

  "Yeah, I met my cousin Jennie this morning. She was at Triple B’s last night and is… dating Detective Evans." Tony leaned back in his chair, face darkening.

  "I hear he's being pressured to arrest me."

  "No worry. Jennie assured me Caleb would do his job right." Josie went on to explain the whole conversation between her and her cousin. "So we have a name and possible cause of death. That’s something."

  "It’s a start." Tony crossed his massive arms. Not that she noticed how muscular he was.

  "We need more information about Amanda Nelson." Josie bit her lip and pouted. Not that Tony noticed how cute she looked. Josie couldn’t ask Jennie to keep snooping in the belongings of her boyfriend, the cop.

  Who could she—

  Wait.