Sadie was the first to notice Molly approaching with their dinners. Two additional waiters were following close behind. When the 72-ounce sirloins were placed in front of Sadie and Timothy, they dwarfed the 10-ounce prime rib dinners belonging to Dora and Lilly.
Timothy gave Sadie a glance that looked a lot like the cat who had just swallowed a canary.
Thinking to herself Sadie brooded, He has no idea what I can do when I put my mind to something. She already had a plan of attack and was sure she’d finish her steak within the hour time limit.
Having watched several food competitions on TV, something her Pop loved and they both found them hilarious, she knew to cut her steak into little bites. It would give her a real advantage. This was because thin slices of steak were more tender and easier to chew and swallow, thus giving her a better time with consumption. Thankfully, with this specific challenge, consuming the accompanying potato and coleslaw were NOT a part of the requirement.
A few diners were looking their way and Sadie hoped she could ignore the stares and focus on her steak dinner. On the other hand, Timothy was eating up the attention and waved to the curious diners. Molly placed a large metal bucket next to Timothy and another beside Sadie.
Lilly started to ask what they were for but then mouthed a silent, “Oh, barf buckets!” Dora nodded and grinned. Molly restated the rules and reminded Sadie and Timothy that if, at any point during or immediately after the contest, a competitor regurgitated any food, he or she would be disqualified. Setting the timer for one hour, she told them to begin.
Immediately, Timothy cut a huge piece of his sirloin and stuffed it in his mouth. Chewing like a maniac he cut another large piece of meat and swallowed it before Sadie had a chance to eat a single bite. Following through with her eating strategy, she cut her steak in half and then began slicing up small thin slices. She took her first bite as Timothy started in on his fourth.
Grinning from ear to ear O’Cleary mocked, “You’re done for Ms. Sunshine. You might as well throw in the towel. I’m already miles ahead of you in this race.”
“You might be the hare but the tortoise won in the end, detective.”
“Ha! That race wasn’t just an hour long. You better speed things up or you’ll be paying $65 for your steak dinner.”
Sadie had already finished the slices she cut previously and didn’t stop to respond to his last comment. She thought the steak was delicious and very tender. She ordered it rare, so the sirloin was super easy to swallow. O’Cleary made the mistake of ordering his beef well-done, thus it was tougher and harder to chew. He was averaging 10 chews to every swallow and she only needed one or two chews to get the steak down. She had already caught up to him and was starting to push past. He was drinking a lot of wine and water with his meat. Not wanting to fill up on liquids, Sadie limited her liquid intake to just one sip for every 10-15 bites. Oh, how she wanted to win this challenge!
Dora and Lilly were savoring every bite of their dinner. Neither were passing on the baked potato, which Lilly smothered in huge globs of sour cream and butter. The conversation had died when Timothy and Sadie started going neck to neck, but the fun was still in the air and everyone was enjoying their evening.
After 30 minutes, Sadie was a little over halfway finished with her steak and going strong. Timothy was just about six bites behind but was noticeably slowing down. He took a few seconds to put his knife and fork down and stood up to stretch. Jumping up and down, hoping his steak would slide into his big toe, he glanced over at Sadie. He had to admit she was knocking him sideways. Her sense of fun really appealed to him. Seeing that she wasn’t losing any steam, he returned to his seat and cut himself another huge bite. Sadie observed his fresh start and thought he looked like a chipmunk every time he stuffed a giant piece of steak inside his mouth. Cute! He’s so cute! chuckled Sadie.
Suddenly, she started to cough. A piece of steak went down wrong and she had to put her own knife and fork on the table to catch her breath. Dora was ready to give her the Heimlich, but Sadie waved her friend off, recovering within seconds. Wiping her mouth on a napkin, Molly came over to investigate, making sure there wasn’t a piece of meat lodged in the linen. This gave Timothy a chance to pull ahead, but with ¾’s of his steak consumed and only 15 minutes left on the timer, he was starting to look green around the gills.
Smiling at her competitor, Sadie picked up where she had left off. Her stomach was definitely full, but she wasn’t experiencing any sense of nausea. Dora and Lilly were amazed with her progress. Cheering her on they both encouraged, “You’ve got this, Sadie. You can do it. You can finish that steak!”
Timothy was just as competitive as Sadie and decided to stuff even bigger bites of meat into his mouth. Unfortunately, this attempt to speed ahead was his downfall. Not only did his technique take longer to chew and swallow, but his bites required more liquid to wash it all down. He was feeling way beyond full and a few bouts of gagging didn’t help the sick feeling giving birth in his stomach. For a second his eyes rested on the bucket sitting to his right. I can’t toss my cookies in front of these ladies. How would I ever get a date with Sadie if I actually upchucked in her presence? Besides, Mary would never let me hear the end of it. Dora too, for that matter. He pushed another bite of sirloin into his mouth and willed himself to chew and swallow.
With only 3 minutes left on the timer, Sadie’s tummy felt like a vice. There were still eight pieces of meat to get down and her mouth didn’t want to open. An eighth of Timothy’s steak remained. Looking up, and chewing as fast as she could, she noticed O’Cleary had stopped eating all together. He was sweating profusely. His face had a strange look and his eyes were glazed over. She feared the worst for the poor man.
Sure enough, Timothy suddenly bolted to his metal bucket while she fought to eat her second to last bite. O’Cleary was trying his best to keep things down but just as she placed the last bite of steak inside her mouth, he blew. The sound alone made Sadie gag. Her stomach churned. Swallowing hard and hoping her dinner would stay put, she looked away. Unfortunately, Timothy belched again and it was the trigger that sent her flying to her personal receptacle. Sadie’s victory that night was short lived, and ended with her own head in a metal bucket.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Ashland Calls
Sadie paid the bill while Lilly called a taxi. Timothy was still feeling sick, so Dora drove him home while Sadie followed behind in his vehicle. Dora then shuttled them back to their hotel. Even though two steak dinners ended up in a metal bucket, Sadie was happy she had attempted the Sayler’s challenge. Pop would be proud of me, or at the very least, greatly amused.
When the best friends finally made their way back to their room, Lilly informed Dora she had a message waiting for her at the front desk. “They called our room to let us know. It sounds pretty urgent.” Lilly was already dressed in her light blue PJ’s. Dora left for the Lobby while Sadie took her turn in the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, she wasn’t surprised to see her peaked complexion. Always practicing a positive mindset she pointed at her reflection and said, “Nothing a good night of sleep won’t cure.” She brushed her teeth while heating the water for her shower.
After a quick 3-minute rinse, Sadie stepped back into the bedroom and found Dora sitting on their bed. “Who sent you a message, dearie?”
“Mayor Phibbs! You know I’ve been assisting the Ashland police with a suspicious arson case for months, right? Well, the Mayor expressed in his note that I was needed down there tomorrow morning. I guess there’s been a break in the case. Sorry ladies! It looks like you’re on your own tomorrow. I’ll try to be back in Portland by tomorrow night. I want to try another one of those 5-Star restaurants. Turning to Sadie she asked, “Have you picked our next restaurant?”
“I sure have! How does an evening of Tapas sound?”
Lilly clapped her hands, “Oooh, I’ve always wanted to partake in a Tapas meal!”
Sadie smiled at her enthusiastic friend and continued. “I Googled 5 star r
estaurants and Andina, on Glisan Street caught my eye. The place has great reviews and is mentioned as one of the best Peruvian restaurants in Portland. I made 7 pm dinner reservations. Oh, and ladies, instead of wine we’re all going to order a really cool Latin cocktail.”
“Honestly, Sadie,” Dora remarked, “you have an iron stomach! I can’t believe you’re already thinking about cocktails so soon after your recent bonding experience with Timothy. Upchucking a gigantic side of beef really laid him low, but you look fine, except your complexion is kind of pale.”
“Hey, even though we fell into a murder investigation, I don’t want us to lose sight of why we came to Portland in the first place.” Sadie protested. “Fun, good food, and an incredible Garden Show is still at our fingertips. While you’re investigating arson in Ashland, Lilly and I will do some shopping, and attend a culinary class that incorporates edible flowers into yummy meals. I can’t wait to get some new recipes!”
Dora was sorry she’d have to miss the unique cooking-seminar, but was also hopeful this call back to Ashland would solve her curious arson case for good. The McCall House, a beautiful historic B & B had burnt to the ground a few months back, and it wasn’t due to faulty wiring. Arson investigators discovered accelerants at multiple points of origin. Gasoline produces a yellow or white flame with heavy black smoke and both firefighters and neighbors were adamant the smoke was very black the night of the fire. Those who were interviewed also remarked how quickly the fire spread, another indicator of arson caused by accelerants.
The ladies went to bed early knowing they had a full day ahead of them. I sure hope O’Cleary and Mary continue to update us on the progress of this investigation, mused Sadie. Spending more time with that handsome Irish detective is very appealing. Slipping into the bed sheets, Sadie reviewed everything she could remember about Ashley Sweetwater and the suspicious Justin Coin. With thoughts spinning inside her head, it was at least an hour before she drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER TWELVE: Award Ceremony
Dora was up at 5am and gone before Lilly and Sadie even got out of bed. Since the culinary class wasn’t until 10, they decided to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then explore the fun booths selling garden art at the Convention Center. Zachary’s scholarship ceremony was scheduled for 2:30pm and the ladies were excited to see their former student finally receive his just due.
A bit concerned over Zachary’s stressful state the previous night, Sadie convinced Lilly they should check on him before heading down to breakfast. Room 212 was just a few doors past their own room, so it wasn’t out of their way by much. Sadie rapped on the door 3 times and waited. “Maybe he didn’t hear me, I didn’t knock very hard.” She tried again but with more force the second time.
“He’s probably had his breakfast already. Let’s get ours now and search for him at the Convention Center,” Lilly suggested. Sadie thought she had a good idea and led the way to the elevator. While they were waiting for a ride down to the Lobby, Zachary opened his door and waved to the ladies. Lilly and Sadie hurried back, ignoring the ding from the arriving elevator.
Zachary looked like a bus hit him. Not only was he slouched over with a bad case of bed hair, but by the looks of his wrinkled clothes, Sadie was sure he had slept in them. “Thought I heard a knock on my door,” he mumbled. “I’ve had 10 hours of sleep but I’m still exhausted. I wonder if I’m coming down with a bug. My energy level is really low and I’ve been having horrible headaches the past two weeks. They seem to be getting worse. Maybe that’s the reason I don’t have any zip in my step.”
Sadie reasoned Zachary had a lot on his plate. From what she could observe, working for Professor Drainer was not an easy task. Added to his tension was the death of an old flame and the knowledge he was a murder suspect. Sadie wasn’t surprised he was anxious and overtired, and fighting stress headaches.
Lilly suggested he see a doctor if his headaches continued or got worse. She offered him two aspirin and he took them with thanks. “We’re heading down for breakfast and then over to the Convention Center. We’ll be at your award ceremony cheering you on this afternoon.” Managing a sheepish smile, Zachary yawned and said he was going back to bed. “Be sure you ask the front desk to give you a wakeup call, you don’t want to miss your honors today,” smiled Lilly. Zachary nodded and closed the door as the ladies made a second attempt to ride the elevator to the lobby and have some breakfast.
It was past 9 when Lilly and Sadie made their way through the main entrance showcasing the grandeur of the Portland Garden and Patio Show. Sadie directed Lilly to the fun booth of darling garden art she had noticed the day before. Both ladies purchased a sweet garden Gnome. Sadie also nabbed a cute pie-shaped sign for her vegetable garden. It read, “Mr. McGregor’s World Famous Rabbit Pie Recipe.”
Arriving at the culinary class early turned out to be a blessing for the pair. The Professor in charge of the lecture needed help, so she asked Sadie and Lilly to assist during her presentation. Happy to oblige, the women chopped and stirred organic vegetables while the Professor suggested colorful edible garden flowers to compliment healthy meals. Every attendee was gifted with eight recipe cards and walked out the door with a few tasty samples of the prepared dishes. Thanking Sadie and Lilly for their help, the Professor presented them with several flower seed packets to use in their own summer gardens.
Leaving the classroom, Sadie almost tripped over Detective O’Cleary. Mary Pointman was beside him and they both looked as if they were deep in thought. Sadie was the first to speak. “What’s up, detectives?”
Timothy avoided eye contact with her but Mary replied, “We just finished interviewing the surveillance guard who was on duty the night Ashley was electrocuted.”
Without warning, a familiar onset of uncomfortable heat made its presence known. Sadie groaned inside her head as the ascent of inexplicable warmth commenced. Within seconds, her entire face transformed itself into a red-hot chili pepper and sweat managed to flood every one of her pores.
Lilly noticed Sadie’s sudden discomfort and spoke up, “Did you watch the surveillance videos monitoring each entrance? We still don’t know how Ashley got into the building after hours.”
Timothy looked at Lilly, still avoiding Sadie’s gaze, who in turn was ignoring all eye contact from the handsome detective. Her body had already erupted hot lava all over the place and her sweaty body was forming water droplets in her hair.
“Lilly,” he began, “Detective Pointman and I spent most of our morning watching videos of every entrance into the Convention Center. You can imagine how entertaining that was, right? Anyway, at 7:05pm every video went dark. The guard, Bob Smith, must have switched the cameras off. We’re not sure if it was intentional or a mistake. He has a past history of drinking on the job but says he joined AA a year ago. He claims he’s been sober for just as long. He didn’t notice the cameras weren’t recording until the next day when he reported back to work.”
Unable to reason, speak, or listen to the outside world Sadie grumbled to herself, honestly, my body betrays me at the most inopportune times! I think God gave women hot flashes to remind them of His ultimate power and control. Only He can turn down my internal furnace, I know that. I also know He loves me, but He sure has a strange way of showing it. Ha! I wish hot flashes weren’t a part of His refining process.
O’Cleary finally set aside his embarrassment from the night before and glanced over at Sadie. He was startled by her wet hair and bright red complexion but wisely refrained from making any comments. Sadie still had her head down so she missed his smile and wink to Lilly.
“We’re heading over to the food court to get some lunch,” Lilly quipped, “then to our student’s award ceremony.” Sadie felt the lava slip back into the feverish volcano so she fluffed her extra damp hair before speaking. “Dora’s down in Ashland working on an arson case but should be back by dinnertime. Please keep us up to date on your investigation.”
Embarrassed by her own personal heat wave, Sadi
e left the detectives to their sleuthing and quickly made her way to the food court with Lilly panting at her heels. Hopping on the escalator, Sadie had a moment to collect her thoughts before Lilly, pushing past a family of four, was by her side. “Honestly Sadie, you don’t have to be so self-conscious when Dot Flash makes an appearance. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s natural,” soothed Lilly.
“Is it natural to look like you’ve been swimming laps in February while still on dry land?” Sadie lamented. She was sure Timothy would never ask her out now. Who wants to date a wet fish or a drooping daisy? Facing Lilly she confessed, “I’m so irked! Throwing up my steak dinner wasn’t as embarrassing as turning red as a poppy and sweating so much my hair dripped like a bloomin’ April shower. At least Timothy and I were tossing our cookies together last night.”
Passing through an intriguing exhibit of outdoor garden lights, Lilly was surprised Sadie didn’t stop to admire the many different hanging luminaries made from repurposed spinning wheels, colored bottles, silverware, and even tea cups. She especially fancied the chandeliers made from twisted willow branches.
Lilly realized Sadie had deeper feelings for Detective O’Cleary than she was letting on. Thankful for her happy marriage and that dating was a thing of her past, she rubbed Sadie’s back. She knew sometimes it was best to remain silent and let chocolate do the mending.
Arriving at the food court, Lilly let Sadie pick her poison. Of course her friend needed chocolate, so Lilly wasn’t surprised when she found herself in a French bakery. Giving in to temptation, they both ordered a hot chocolate and an extra large piece of chocolate cheesecake. Focusing on the rich dessert set before them, the friends enjoyed each other’s companionship, but in silence.
About 10 minutes before the scholarship ceremony, Sadie was ready to put her humiliating moment in the past. The chocolate cheesecake had been good medicine. Squeezing Lilly’s hand she said, “Thanks, Dearie, I needed that.” Together the teachers headed to the main lobby and found seats near the platform. Zachary was already there, sitting next to three other young adults.
Belly Up in the Koi Pond Page 7
