She picked up the phone. “Good evening, Detective. How are you?”
“One hundred percent better than I’ve been the last couple of days. Sorry I haven’t called, but I’ve really been sick. I caught some kind of a flu bug from my kids and the bathroom and I have been best friends ever since I last saw you. I finally felt well enough to come into the office this evening only to find out there’s been a rash of homicides in the area, so nothing has been done on the DeLuca murder case. Makes me crazy, because one of the basic things we’re taught is the first twenty-four hours are the most important in solving a case like this. The chances of ever solving it go down every hour after that. So I’m way behind the eight ball on this one.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. I have to admit I was kind of surprised when I hadn’t heard from you, but maybe I can help you. I’ve found out a few things I think you need to know. I wish I could stay and help you on this case, but I have a feeling I need to get back to Cedar Bay. Do you have a few minutes?”
“Of course. What have you got for me?”
She spent the next half hour telling him everything she’d found out, who she felt the suspects were, what Mike had found out about Elena and Tina, about Nico’s background, and ended by relating her conversation with Dirk about the investigation he had conducted at Donatella’s request of Chef DuBois and Bill Hossam. When she was finished, there was a long silence on the other end of the line.
“Mrs. Reynolds, do you have a background in law or police investigative work?”
“No, but my husband is the sheriff of Beaver County, and I’ve been able to help him solve a couple of cases. That’s one of the reasons that Sophie, the new owner of Mangia! Mangia!, wanted me to stay for a few extra days.”
“Your husband’s a very lucky man to have you help him, if what you’ve told me about this case is any indication.”
“I don’t think he’d agree with you. He would prefer it if I never got involved in any of his cases again, and he certainly wasn’t happy about my involvement in this one, but things kind of happened, and for better or worse, here I am. As a matter of fact he made me promise I’d keep Rebel, my ninety-five pound boxer, and my gun with me at all times.”
“Seems to me you’ve done a heck of a job identifying the suspects. Let me see if I can sum it up. I believe you’ve told me about five people who might have had reason to murder Donatella. At this time I don’t think there’s enough evidence on any of them to make an arrest. I suppose what I need to do now is see if they have alibis for where they were between ten and midnight the night she was murdered. The coroner’s report said Mrs. DeLuca was murdered during that time frame.”
“That would sound right. I remember when we found her she was wearing the same dress she’d worn to the dinner party, and she left Mrs. Marchant’s home about 9:30 after the dinner party.”
“The lab report indicated that Donatella’s fingerprints were the only ones on the knife. Evidently it was her own chef’s knife, but if Nico did it, it probably could have come from the restaurant, however I’m more inclined to believe it was from her home.”
“I agree. The morning we found her Sophie mentioned she thought she’d seen that knife on a previous occasion in Donatella’s kitchen. Looks like maybe someone wanted to show the irony of a chef being murdered with a chef’s knife.”
“Thanks for all your help, Mrs. Reynolds. It would have taken me days to do what you’ve done in a period of just two short days. Now I need to figure out what to do next. Do me a favor and give me a call before you leave town, and would you let Mrs. Marchant know I’ll probably be visiting the restaurant in the next day or so? By the way, tell your husband I agree with him. I definitely think you should keep that big boxer and your gun with you. If you were my wife, it would be the first thing I’d tell you to do.”
“Thanks, Detective. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m glad I could help you.”
“By the way, I hear the restaurant is really doing well and there are some killer new dishes on the menu. Tell Mrs. Marchant I’ll probably schedule my visit around lunchtime, so I can try them.”
Kelly laughed. “I’ll tell her to reserve a special place for you, but you better call first. If today was any indication, there won’t be any walk-in seating for a long time. I’d hope it would hold true for the foreseeable future, but the public being as fickle as it is, that probably won’t happen. Good night, Detective.”
CHAPTER 25
After finishing up with Detective Masters, Kelly returned to the front of the restaurant. There still wasn’t an empty table in the dining area, and from the loud voices coming from the bar, she knew the bartenders would shortly have to start refusing service to a few of the customers. She looked over at the table where Bill Hossam and his party had been. There was no sign of him, and it looked like the table had been reset to accommodate new diners.
Will this day and night never end? I agree with Carlotta. I’ve never been so tired!
She glanced at her watch and saw that it was already 9:30. Enough. I need to prepare the deposit for the pickup tomorrow morning by the armored car service and do some other paperwork. I probably won’t get out of here for at least another hour. Wonder how the kitchen staff is holding up.
Kelly walked to the back of the bar. The bartender handed her a leather pouch with more receipts for the evening. She picked up a similar one from the reception desk. “Carlotta, I need to do some paperwork in the office. It looks like that’s the last of the seating. I just glanced out the window next to the front door, and I didn’t see a line, so I think the worst is over for tonight. I’d appreciate it if you could come in about half an hour early tomorrow. You, Sophie, Nico, and I need to decide what we’re going to do about staffing. See you in the morning.”
She took the pouches back to the office and put them in the floor safe, then she walked to the kitchen. “Nico, where’s Sophie? I wanted to tell her that Carlotta, you, Sophie, and I need to have a meeting tomorrow morning about staffing. We may have to start without you if you’re tied up with that television interview.”
“Sophie was exhausted, so I told her to go home about half an hour ago. I think she personally chopped a hundred pounds of vegetables. The staff usually does all the chopping, but it was all they could do to get out the new dishes in a timely manner. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her.”
“How are you and the staff holding up?”
“We’re all tired. Mitch is scheduled to be here in a few minutes to talk to me about the television show, but it’s so noisy here in the kitchen I think I’ll have to meet with him in the alley, right outside the back door to the kitchen. If you hear voices while you’re working in your office, it will just be us.”
“Good luck. I’m off to figure out how the restaurant did today and prepare some checks for Sophie to sign for the vendors, as well as paychecks for the staff. Donatella kept a big file on both, so I should be able to figure it out.”
“See you later. I’ll let you know what happens about the show after I talk to Mitch. Keep your fingers crossed.”
“Will do.”
I just remembered I promised Mike I’d call him tonight and knowing him, he’ll be frantic if I don’t. Better get that out of the way before I do anything else.
“Hi Mike. Sorry to call so late, but it’s really been a zoo around here. I can’t remember being this tired, but I have some good news. Detective Masters called. He’s been really sick and off work for the last couple of days, and that’s why he hasn’t called. I wondered why I hadn’t heard from him. He was very frustrated that nothing had been done on the case while he was gone. Evidently there were several other homicides in Portland, and since he was out sick, no one worked on the DeLuca murder case. I’m ready to come back home to Cedar Bay, so I told him everything I knew. I hope you don’t mind, but it doesn’t make any sense for me to stay here any longer.”
“Are you kidding? That’s the
first thing you’ve said in a long time that I totally agree with. Believe me, Lady and I will be more than happy to have you back home.”
“Sorry, Mike, I didn’t hear you. I’ve got to go. I hear a lot of yelling going on in the alley outside my office door, and I’ve got to check it out.”
Rebel heard the noise too and was already standing by the rear door that led to the alley, hackles raised, growling, and looking at Kelly as she reached for her gun and threw open the door leading to the alley.
Chef Pierre DuBois was standing in the alley with a wide-eyed half-crazed look on his face. He was holding a small pistol in his hand. The big dog acted from instinct. No command was needed or given. The moment the door swung open he instantly assessed the situation and lunged at Chef DuBois, biting the lower pant leg of his black and white checked chef’s pants and forcing him to stagger backwards, nearly knocking him to the ground. At almost the same moment Hank appeared out of nowhere, wrapped one arm around Pierre’s throat, and with his other hand, knocked the pistol out of his hand.
“Get him off, get him off of me! I hate dogs! Get him off!” Pierre yelled.
Kelly trained her gun on Pierre. “Chef, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do. If you don’t answer my questions, I’ll tell the dog to attack, and I promise you he’ll tear your leg off before he’s finished with you. Do I make myself clear?”
Everyone started talking at once. “Nico and I were just standing here in the alley talking and he…” Mitch said. “He said he was going to kill me,” Nico said in a halting voice with fear written all over his face. “Get the dog off…” Pierre screamed.
“Everyone be quiet. Rebel, on guard! Chef, I’m not releasing him until everyone has had a chance to talk.”
“Kelly,” Mitch said, “the chef walked up to us, and I never suspected a thing was wrong until I saw the gun in his hand. I asked him what was going on. He told me he was going to kill Nico just like he killed Donatella. He said if he couldn’t have the television show, no one else was going to have it.”
Nico interrupted, “It was like something out of a scary movie. He was talking like a totally deranged person and in a voice with no trace of a French accent about how he’d always hated Donatella and her restaurant. He said one of the staff here at Mangia! Mangia! had called him and tipped him off that Mitch and I were meeting in the alley, and that it was a good thing he paid some of my staff to keep him informed.”
“Chef, answer this question or the dog will do whatever it wants to you. Believe me, if I give the attack command, you won’t live to see tomorrow. Did you kill Donatella DeLuca?”
“Get the dog off, he’s about ready to bite me! I can feel his teeth on my leg. Get him off me. Please! I’ll tell you what you want, just get him off of me.”
“I think I asked you a question. I’d like the answer.”
“Yes. I killed her,” the chef said in a high-pitched quivering voice. “She threatened to tell everyone I wasn’t French, and then on top of that she got the television show. Yes, I did it, and she deserved it. She was a cruel, mean, conniving woman who was always out to get me.”
“Rebel, stand down. Hank, why in the world are you here? I don’t understand.”
Hank had released the choke hold he had on Pierre but was carefully watching every move that Pierre made, which wasn’t much with Rebel standing just inches from him and staring at him in an obviously agitated state. He looked over at Kelly and said, “I live above my print shop, which as you know is just a few doors down the street from Mangia! Mangia! Every night I do some breathing exercises and open the window that looks out over the alley. I noticed someone wearing white and sneaking down the alley, trying to stay in the shadows. I realized it was Chef DuBois in his white jacket walking towards Mangia! Mangia!
“I saw something glinting in his hand and thought it looked like a gun. I don’t think I even had a rational thought after that, I just reacted. I was afraid something bad was going to happen to Sophie. I ran down the stairs and into the alley. I’ve had a lot of martial arts training, and I can follow almost anyone without them knowing I’m right behind them. I followed him and listened to him scream at Nico that he was going to kill him. I was afraid if he sensed I was behind him, he would fire the gun out of a reflex action and kill Nico or Mitch. Fortunately your dog attacked when you threw open the door, and it provided an opening for me to get my arm around his neck and make him drop the gun he had in his hand.”
Kelly and the men were suddenly aware of police cars coming towards them from both ends of the alley. Within seconds, Detective Masters was standing next to Kelly. “Kelly, I’ll take over. I assume this is Chef DuBois,” he said, motioning toward the chef who was wearing his chef’s uniform. “Since you’ve got your gun pointed at him, my guess is that you may have just made my life a little easier by solving the DeLuca murder case. Might I be right?”
“Yes, you’re absolutely correct. He just admitted he killed Donatella, and he was going to kill Nico. We all heard him say it.” Rebel stood next to Kelly, still growling. She put her hand on his head, letting him know she wasn’t in danger. He stopped growling but backed up against her leg as close as he could get.
Detective Masters looked at Chef DuBois and said, “Chef, where you’re going you won’t need those fancy checked pants, so that big piece missing out of the bottom of your pant leg isn’t going to be a big deal. Kelly, I’ve worked with police dogs for years, and it looks like a dog took a large bite out of the chef’s pants. Did your dog do that?”
“Yes, that’s right, but you told me you weren’t going to come to the restaurant for a day or two. Why did you show up now, and why did you come to the alley?”
“That sheriff you’re married to called me as soon as you hung up on him. He asked me to check on you and said you heard yelling coming from the alley. I was on my way to Le Toque to talk to Chef DuBois anyway, so I was very close. From the looks of things, seems like you handled everything on your own.” He turned to Mitch, Nico, and Hank. “I need to take a statement from each of you. Give me a minute, and I’ll get back to you.”
He directed two of the policemen who were with him to handcuff the chef. After he was handcuffed they put Chef DuBois in the back seat of the police car, and it pulled away.
“They’re taking him to the station and booking him for murder and attempted murder. I see a lot of people working in the kitchen. Is there somewhere other than in the alley where I can talk to all of you?”
“Let’s go into the office. It’s quieter there and we’ll have some privacy. We still have a lot of diners and people at the bar in the front of the restaurant, so I don’t want to take you in there,” Kelly said
Forty-five minutes later Detective Masters closed his notebook and said, “Sounds like you’ve told me everything. I’m sure you’re all exhausted after a day like today. Go home and get some sleep. I have your contact information if I need to speak further with you and thanks for all your help. I need to go to the station and make a report, but if you think of anything else, give me a call.”
“Nico, I’ll call you tomorrow about the show. Think about the offer and see if it’s something you’d like to do,” Mitch said as he walked out of the office and down the hall to the front of the restaurant where the valet had parked his car.
“Are you all right, Nico? I can’t think of a more stressful day,” Kelly asked.
“I’m fine, but I sure want to find out who called Chef DuBois and told him Mitch was here. I told the staff I was meeting him in the alley, because it was too noisy in the kitchen. I have no idea who did it, but it darn near cost me my life. Make no mistake, that person will be gone by tomorrow.”
“I understand, but you might want to wait a day. This has to be one of the most grueling days you’ve ever spent, and that’s something you might be able to put off.”
“Don’t think so,” he said grimly as he walked out the door in the direction of the kitchen.
CHAPTER 26
After the meeting with Detective Masters had ended, Kelly, Rebel, and Hank walked out of the office. “Kelly, let me walk you home. I know you’ve got that big guy with you, but I’d feel better knowing you and Sophie are safe in the house with the alarm system on and the dogs in there with you,” Hank said, looking worried.
“After everything’s that’s happened tonight, I’m not going to turn down your offer. Thanks,” she said in a shaky voice.
They crossed the street to Sophie’s home and Kelly knocked on the door. Sophie opened it, obviously having recently gotten out of the shower. A towel was wrapped around her head, and she wore a thick white terry cloth robe.
“Hank, what are you doing here at this hour?”
He looked at Kelly. “Do you want to tell her or should I?” Hank asked.
“I will. Better sit down, Sophie. This might take a while.”
She told Sophie everything that had happened from the time Detective Masters had called her to when he’d left to go to the station and write up his report on Chef DuBois. “Hank is a hero. He risked his own life to save Nico’s life. He was worried something might happen to you when he saw the chef in the alley headed towards your restaurant. I thought you should know.”
“Mon Dieu,” Sophie said as she walked over to Hank and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Thank you so much. I don’t know the English words to even begin to tell you what I’m feeling. If it hadn’t been for you, who knows what would have happened. How can I ever thank you?”
“How about saying you’ll have dinner with me at your restaurant?”
She laughed. “Chéri, I would love to, and I can even promise you that I can provide a good bottle of champagne to go with it!”
Hank opened the door and turned to Kelly. “I think that dog’s a keeper. Sure made my job easier. Might want to think about giving him a little treat. Night ladies.”
Murder in the Pearl District (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 5) Page 11
