Mozzarella and Murder

by Patti Benning

  “I would love to come,” Nonna said. “If we go as late as October, well… I might stay there for a few months on my own after the grand opening.”

  Ellie put down her spoon, surprised. She knew that her grandmother had been thinking about renting or leasing one of the condos in the retirement community where her friends were, but she hadn’t known that her grandmother was thinking about it for this coming year. It would be odd to be in the big house alone over winter, but she thought that it would probably be better, certainly safer, for her grandmother to be somewhere warm and pleasant, somewhere without three feet of snow on the ground.

  “Okay. I think it would be wonderful for you. I’d miss having you here, of course. How long do you think you’d stay for?”

  “I’m not sure yet. I haven’t really made up my mind. Are you sure you would you be okay all alone here, though? I won’t go if you don’t want me to.”

  “I’m sure I would manage,” Ellie said. “I have Shannon and Russell, and the animals. And the pizzeria, of course. Maybe I could fly down around Christmastime and visit you if you stay that long.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Nonna said. She smiled. “I’m so excited for all of this. Before we left, I was beginning to feel as if my life wasn’t going anywhere. I thought I would just keep doing the same things day after day until I died. I know it’s a little bit dark, but it’s the truth. Now, I feel like there’s so many possibilities ahead of me. Thank you. I think the trip was really good for me.”

  “I’m glad,” Ellie said. “I enjoyed it as well. I’m glad I got the chance to go with you. Even with everything that happened. I don’t think I’ll ever forget our trip.”

  After their pleasant lunch, the two of them got back in the car and Ellie drove toward the Pacelli house. She took her time as they wound down the coastal road, enjoying the beautiful scenery. Maine was just as gorgeous as Florida, but in a different way. It felt wilder, somehow, and it was easy to imagine the landscape as it would have been before people began living there.

  As they neared their house, she slowed. There was a truck that she didn’t recognize in their driveway. When she saw the dark form move slowly around the side of the house, her pulse quickened. Something was definitely wrong. Gripping the wheel tightly, she glanced at her grandmother. Nonna was looking out the side window, and hadn’t noticed anything yet.

  “Can you get my cellphone out of my purse?” she asked her grandmother as she sped up.

  “Sure, dear,” Nonna said, reaching down to the bag on the floor.

  Ellie pressed on the gas, and sped toward the house, hoping to catch the intruder unawares. She saw the person reach up and try one of the windows on the side of the house. Thank goodness she kept them locked. Many people in the small town didn’t bother locking their doors and windows, something that Ellie had never understood.

  A second later, the intruder looked over his shoulder. He must have seen them coming, because he began to hurry back toward the truck. He managed to get it started and was pulling out of the driveway by the time Ellie was close enough to see the license plate. She saw only the first couple of letters before he was too far away. For a moment, she was tempted to follow him, but knew that it was a bad idea. Her last car chase had ended with her wrecking her own vehicle, and she wasn’t eager to repeat the experience.

  “What the world was that about?” her grandmother asked.

  “I don’t know,” Ellie said, frowning. “Let’s go in. I’m going to call Russell.”

  She took the call to her room, not wanting to frighten her grandmother. By the time she had Russell on the phone, she was beginning to doubt what they had seen. Had someone really been trying to break into the house? It seemed almost unbelievable—it was broad daylight, after all—but she simply didn’t have any other explanation for what had happened. She had seen the person try to get inside the window for goodness sake.

  “Ellie, I want you to be careful,” he said once she had related the story to him. “You’re the one that found Samantha’s body. It’s possible that her killer might be after you for some reason.”

  “How would anyone know that I found the body?” Ellie said. “My name wasn’t in the paper, and I certainly haven’t been going around telling the town. Rose is the only person I talked to about it.”

  “That’s a good point.” He fell silent, and she imagined him frowning at his desk. “Has your grandmother said anything to anybody?”

  “Of course not… Well, she did tell her swimming class about Marlowe’s new phrase.”

  “I’ll look for any connections our victim might have had to the people in that class. Ellie, please be careful. We know this person is willing to kill, so don’t take any chances, all right?”

  “I won’t,” she told him. “I promise.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  *

  “I’m not going in to work today.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “What if the man that tried to break in comes back?” Ellie asked. “How can I leave you alone here without worrying about you constantly?”

  “I can take care of myself,” Nonna said. “I can call the police just as well as you can. Ellie, what are you going to do? You can’t just never leave the house again.”

  “Nonna—”

  “Dear, I am an adult. I can take care of myself. I know you’re trying to protect me, and I do appreciate that, but you can’t stay here all day, every day. What are you going to do tomorrow? And the day after?”

  “Fine,” Ellie said, sighing. “I’ll go to work, but I’m going to keep my phone on me all day. If someone even drives past the house too slowly, I want you to call Russell, and then call me. Keep all the doors and windows locked. Don’t even put Bunny out while I’m gone. I’ll let her out right before I go, and remember, I’ll be back early to pick her up for her vet appointment. Keep yourself safe, okay?”

  “Okay, okay,” Nonna said. “Go to work, dear. Have a good day, and don’t worry about me.”

  “You know I’m going to,” the younger woman said. She hugged her grandmother. “And Nonna, if someone does show up, don’t do anything rash, okay? Everything in this house is replaceable. You aren’t.”

  “That’s very sweet of you, dear. I’ll be careful, I promise. I may be old, but I’m not ready to go yet.”

  When Ellie left the house short while later, she made a quick call to Russell to let him know that her grandmother would be home all day. She was relieved when he promised he would keep an eye out for a call from her, and that he would be ready to drive over at a moment’s notice. She just wished that she had been a little bit quicker, and had managed to see the man’s entire license plate. She was glad that he hadn’t managed to break in before she got home, but it also meant that whatever he was after, he still hadn’t gotten it.

  Ellie normally enjoyed her time at work, but today, she couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety. She kept checking her phone, even though she knew that she would have heard if it went off. It was going to be a long day, but she knew her grandmother was right. She couldn’t spend the rest of her life at home. She would just have to trust that things would turn out all right.

  The pizza of the week was a white cheese and rosemary pizza. It had fresh rosemary mixed into the crust, and diced garlic under the gooey cheese. It was a recipe that the newest employee, Pete, had come up with. She was continually impressed with all her employees’ creativity, and their willingness to participate in every facet of the pizzeria, not just working shifts and clocking out. When she opened the second pizzeria, she hoped that she would be just as lucky with the employees that they would hire in Florida.

  It was an unusually busy afternoon. The first customers walked in not long after she unlocked the doors, and she ran back and forth from the kitchen steadily after that. It didn’t help that the rosemary pizza took longer to make, since it had a special crust, and it was the most popular pizza by far. She was so busy trying to get everyone’s orders out on time th
at she almost didn’t recognize the young man whose order she was taking. She thought that he looked somewhat familiar, but it took her a moment to place him. When she caught the whiff of chlorine from his hair, she realized that he was her grandmother’s swim instructor.

  “Can I have a personal-size rosemary pizza and a bottle of soda?” he asked. “That will be for here.”

  “Sure thing. Cash or card?” she asked.

  “Card,” he said, reaching into his wallet.

  She was secretly pleased. She had been hoping to get his name, but didn’t know how to ask without raising suspicion. She had only ever seen him from a distance before. According to her grandmother, the instructor had left part way through the class. That would have given him plenty of time to drive to the Pacelli house when they were out at lunch and try to break in. She didn’t know why he would be involved in the murder, but it seemed like too much of a coincidence to ignore.

  She took his card and memorized the name on the front. Brent Swan. She knew that she might just be grasping at straws, but at least she would have something new to share with Russell.

  While Brent was waiting for his order, Ellie heard the employee door open and shut. She passed Rose on the way back to the kitchen—she was going to take Brent’s pizza out of the oven, and Rose was coming out to the register to clock in. When Ellie came back out, she found Rose and the swim instructor engaged in conversation.

  “Sorry,” her employee said. “We were just talking about Samantha. I can go take over in the kitchen if you want.”

  “Oh, did you know her?” Ellie asked, handing the pizza over counter to him.

  “Yeah. She was my ex,” Brent said. “We were still pretty close, even after we broke up. It was horrible to hear about her.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Ellie said automatically as her thoughts raced. This man, the swimming instructor who’d overheard her grandmother talking about Marlowe’s new phrase, happened to be the pet sitter’s ex-boyfriend—and the only real suspect that Russell had.

  “It was very unexpected,” Brent said. “I keep forgetting that she’s gone, and when I remember, it’s a shock all over again.”

  “I’m sure it is. She seemed like a wonderful young woman.”

  Ellie waited until he was settled outside on the patio with his food before going back into the kitchen to make the call to Russell. The sheriff needed to know about this, and as soon as possible. With luck, Samantha’s killer would be behind bars before the day was over.

  CHAPTER TEN

  *

  Ellie left Papa Pacelli’s early to pick Bunny up for her vet appointment. The Kittiport Veterinary Clinic was a small building just outside of town, near the White Pine Kitchen. She had been there only once before for the dog’s yearly exam. Unfortunately, they didn’t see birds. The exotic animal clinic was down in Portland—an hour’s drive away. She would be taking Marlowe in sometime the next week, when she had more time.

  Bunny was normally excited to go everywhere, but that morning she seemed to know that she was on her way to the vet’s office. Ellie sighed when the little dog refused to move out the front door. This happened every time they went to a vet. Ellie always wondered what she did to give their destination away. She had yet to figure it out.

  Eventually, after a little coaxing, they were on their way. Bunny pouted on the passenger seat next to Ellie. After everything that she had been through, her owner felt bad making her go through another traumatic experience, even if it was for her own good.

  “I don’t know why you hate vets so much,” Ellie said. “You won’t even be getting any shots this time. He’s just going to look you over, and send you on your way home. If you’re lucky, there might even be some treats involved.”

  The papillon’s ears perked up at the word treat. Ellie chuckled. At least the little dog still had her appetite.

  There arrived a good fifteen minutes early for their appointment. Ellie sat in the waiting room with the dog on her lap. There was only one other person there—an older woman with a beautiful golden retriever. Bunny was wiggling with excitement at the sight of the other dog. Ellie wished that she knew more people in town with pets. Back in Chicago, she had set up playdates for Bunny with other people who owned little dogs. In Kittiport, however, she didn’t really know anyone that she could do that with. At least the dog seemed to have an affectionate, if peculiar relationship with Marlowe. The bird enjoyed tossing pellets out of her cage for the dog to eat. Then again, the bird also enjoyed shouting “bad dog” at the most random times, which scared poor Bunny half to death.

  “Bunny?”

  “That’s us,” Ellie said. She set the dog on the floor, and they walked toward the exam room. Bunny whined and walked slowly with her tail tucked between her legs, looking more pitiful than ever. When they got to the room, Ellie lifted her onto the cold metal table. The dog was shaking.

  “It’s okay, sweetie,” Ellie said. To the tech, a young woman with dyed black hair and a nametag that read Alaina, she said “I don’t know why, but she does this whenever we come to the vet’s office.”

  “A lot of dogs are scared of us. They don’t like all the strange smells here. We’ve seen her before, correct?”

  “Yes, once. I moved here last year from Chicago. I’m sure you had her records transferred over.”

  “Yep, it looks like we did. Well, she’s up to date on her shots. Why are you here today?”

  “I don’t know if you heard, but a woman was found dead a few days ago. That was my pet sitter. She passed away while watching my animals, and they were left without food and water for a few days. I just wanted to bring her in to make sure that everything is going okay. She lost a little bit of weight while she was there, and has seemed a little bit down since I got her back.”

  “How has she been acting differently?” the tech asked, pulling out her stethoscope and reaching for Bunny to hear her heartbeat.

  “She’s been a little bit clingier, and I think she’s more anxious about certain things. She still loves food, so at least that hasn’t changed.” She waited silently while the tech listened to her dog’s heartbeat, then checked her teeth, eyes, and ears.

  “Well, she looks okay to me. The vet will be in shortly to give her a once over. It may be a few minutes, since he’s with another client. There’s a jar of treats on the counter. Feel free to give her a few if you think that would help calm her down.”

  Ellie helped Bunny off the cold table and down to the floor. They sat silently for a few minutes, Ellie passing her a treat every now and then. Before too long, there was a soft knock at the door.

  “Come on in,” she said. The door opened and in walked an elderly man. Ellie recognized him as the same person who had examined Bunny last time. “Hi, Dr. Morgan.”

  “Hello, Ms. Pacelli,” he said as he went over her file. “So, I hear you’re the one that found our poor Samantha?”

  “Yes. I’m very sorry about her.”

  “Me too. She was a nice girl,” he said. “I was sad to hear about her passing.”

  “The whole thing was terrible. I feel bad for the animals too, trapped like that with no one to feed or water them.”

  “And poor Bunny here went through that. Let’s take a look.”

  Ellie put Bunny back up on the table and waited while the vet looked her over. Bunny stood still, cowering as he poked and prodded her with his hands.

  “Well, everything checks out. Her temperature is normal, there’s a healthy color to her gums, and I don’t feel any lumps or bumps. She’s underweight, but I’m sure you’re working on that. According to her file she was a bit overweight last time she came in.”

  “Yes. I’ve been feeding her a little extra to help get her weight back up.”

  “Make sure you don’t overdo it,” said. “She’s a little dog, so every ounce makes a difference.”

  “Okay. I’ll be sure to keep an eye on it. I’ll have to tell my grandmother to quit feeding extra once she’s back up to normal.”<
br />
  He chuckled. “Ann has quite a big heart, doesn’t she?”

  “Yes, she does.” She had forgotten that the vet knew her grandmother. It really was a small town.

  “Well, you’re good to go. Don’t worry about stopping at the front desk on the way out. I made sure to tell them that this appointment is on the house.”

  “Oh, really?” Ellie said. “Thank you, but why?”

  “Well, I have a date with your grandmother tonight.” He smiled. “A woman like that, I want to make sure I’m on her good side.”

  So, this was her grandmother’s mysterious date. No wonder she hadn’t recognized the name. She knew the vet only as Dr. Morgan, and hadn’t had a clue that his first name was George. She fought back a smile as she carried the dog out. Her grandmother, dating. What was the world coming to?

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  *

  Back at home, Ellie let Bunny get settled in before she approached her grandmother. “Well, it was a pleasant vet visit,” she said casually. “Dr. Morgan let us go without charging us.”

  “Oh, did he?” the older woman said.

  “Yep.”

  Her grandmother sighed. “He told you about our date, didn’t he?” she asked.

  “He sure did. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to go on a date with the town’s veterinarian? I think that’s wonderful.”

  No, it’s embarrassing,” her grandmother said. “I haven’t gone on a date since your grandfather passed away. This is nothing serious. I don’t want you getting your hopes up. It’s just dinner. I only said yes because I would have felt bad saying no. His wife passed away the year before Arthur did.”

  “I think it’s sweet that you’re going to dinner with him. He seems like a nice man.”

  “I guess it’s part of my new plan to experience life more,” her grandmother said. “The trip to Florida made me realize that I still have lots of options.”