Spaghetti, Meatballs, & Murder

by Beth Byers

  * * * * *

  Daisy and I walked back to the cottage, and I dumped the bags on the bed. I had never spent more money in a day except for the day I’d bought the Forrester. I fed the puppy and examined my look in the mirror. I was wearing a favorite pair of jeans and a funky t-shirt, but I knew I had better change. An outside jazz festival next to the beach meant wind, dampness, and a chill that would sink into bones and make the event miserable even if the music was amazing.

  It might be approaching Fall and the days might still be pretty warm, but it wasn’t that warm outside. I dressed for winter with a long-sleeved shirt, a new pretty cardigan and then topped everything with my blue coat. I put on boots that laced up and looked amazing with my jeans. Somehow my call center widened butt look good in those jeans and the boots accentuated that even more. I had fun with my makeup, trying to avoid going full glam even though it was so fun when you did.

  Finally, I added a pretty scarf that I’d found in a little yarn shop. They had a knitting circle for ‘all levels’ and I’d taken the information. I was going to go even though I could not knit and had never wanted to knit. It didn’t matter…I wanted friends and connections in this town.

  My mind was wandering as I walked. I had loved Jenny’s Diner and had already renamed it in my head. The decoration ideas were brewing and I’d even found a cake plate. It had been perfect as though someone had crafted it straight out of my imagination. I should probably shop around for my diner given this was my dream and a huge investment. But I wasn’t going to. If I could make Jenny’s happen, I’d wire transfer the money tomorrow. Going inside had felt like coming home. It even had the glass cabinet of my dreams. That display cabinet was missing my cake plates and trays of cinnamon rolls, cookies, and muffins, but I could fix those things so easily.

  I glanced over to the diner as I passed it. It was lovely. I stopped to take stock again and felt hope rising even higher in my heart. The building was bricked and there were bay windows on either side of the double doors. It had been created with the artisanship that came from earlier times. Both of the bay windows had little tables that were a little more private than the rest of the diner. I could envision wood flooring instead of the linoleum that hadn’t aged well. Maybe some…but a loud squeal broke me out of my thoughts. I glanced around, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from.

  Oh my…no! A car was coming right at me. More instinct than reason had me jerking back. I fell yanking Daisy, by her leash, onto my chest as my head hit the ground. I heard a shriek and a crunch, but my head was ringing too much from where it had slammed into the cement, so I wasn’t sure what was happening.

  Whines filled the air, and it took far too long to realize it was Daisy and tuck her close to my chest. I could feel her kisses and the wriggles of her body and thought she must be ok. It was then that I tried and failed to push myself up. I rubbed my forehead and then tried again. My elbow and rear were aching, and the puppy was pawing at me. This was a beach town where the speed limit was 20 miles an hour. I’d eat my new coat if that car hadn’t been going at least twice that. Maybe three times.

  “Are you all right?”

  I rubbed the back of my head again and looked up to see Mattie. I lifted my hands, noted they were bloody, but used them to check Daisy over.

  “I think so,” I said slowly and then added, “Just banged up a bit.”

  I tucked my hair behind my ear and realized my hand was bleeding.

  Mattie took me by the arm and hauled me up making me yelp.

  “Are you sure you’re ok?”

  I nodded and then said, “Yeah. I just…it was so sudden, and I got freaked out.”

  The door to the car finally opened and a young man stepped out. He couldn’t be much past high school. He was pale from the accident, but he didn’t look towards me. He had almost killed me and Daisy, and he didn’t even meet my eyes or try to apologize. Instead, he cursed and kicked his car as if it were somehow responsible for him speeding. My eyes narrowed and fury was firing through me, lessening the pain.

  I waited to see if he would turn, but if anything, he deliberately didn’t. He slowly turned the other way. In an act of pure, deliberate ignoring.

  My eyes narrowed, and I stepped forward, almost tripped, and then shouted, “What is wrong with you?”

  “Woah, lady,” he said, finally turning to hold up his hands. He backed up as if I were the one in the wrong.

  “You almost killed me,” I shrieked, pushing my hair out of my face and seeing my bloody hands again. “You almost slaughtered my puppy.”

  “Hey now,” he said backing up further and looking around for support.

  I glanced around too, checking to see if I were being totally irrational, but I didn't know these people and they were gawking silently. I had almost been killed. I had every right to be furious. How dare he act like I was the crazy one?

  “What were you thinking?” I started towards him again, but Mattie grabbed my forearm. I yelped.

  “Rosemary,” Mattie said gently. “You better not.”

  “I am going to kick some sense into his stupid, reckless, harmful, damaging, irresponsible head,” I swore and then almost whimpered, “Ow.”

  “Calm down,” Mattie said, jerking her head to the side as a cop car pulled to a stop. A moment later an ambulance arrived.

  “I am…” I struggled to find a word for my fear and shock and then finished lamely, “not very happy.”

  I looked at the cop as he approached. His face was calm. He was an older man with a gray mustache and an athlete’s build.

  “What happened here?”

  “He almost killed me speeding through town like a fool.”

  “I heard,” the cop said. “Are you all right?”

  “No,” I shouted, but not at the cop, at the kid. “No. I am not all right.” My new boots were scuffed, my puppy was afraid, I was bruised up, and I hurt.

  “She’s bleeding on her hands. And her arm is messed up,” Mattie told the cop.

  “Get her on over to the ambulance. I’ll take care of this,” the cop said. He walked towards the kid like they’d done this before.

  I went grumbling and found my new sweater had a hole in it. Seeing that hole made my eyes tear up, but my palms were bleeding and the blood had gotten onto the sweater as well. It wasn’t just an EMT in the ambulance. There was a nurse and the doctor from the tiny clinic as though they didn’t have enough business to stay behind. It made it easier though, I got a prescription for pain pills right there on the sidewalk and my hands and elbow wrapped up.

  “This is weird,” I told Dr. Jane. She was a few years older than me with black hair pulled back into a bun and no makeup. I liked her instantly because she was as mad about the accident as I was. She had spent most of the time wrapping me up muttering about idiot children who shouldn’t be allowed to drive and she checked Daisy over too.

  “Isn’t it?” she asked. Her face had been serious, but she flashed me a grin. “You were lucky. You have good reflexes and instincts.”

  “She’s moving here, Janey,” Mattie said. “She hasn’t said what’s she’s up to, but Simon already asked her out.”

  “Did he? Is she…hmmm…Mattie…wine night?”

  “For sure,” Mattie agreed. “She’s definitely wine night material.”

  “What?” I really had hit my head hard or they were good enough friends that they didn't need to speak so others could follow.

  “For sure,” Mattie said. “Tomorrow night. Not it.”

  “Not it.”

  They turned and looked at me in unison. Their heads tilted as one and then they said, “Her place.”

  “What?”

  “Your place. Tomorrow. After work,” Mattie said. “It’ll be perfect.”

  “Wine, pizza, dessert.” Dr. Jane looked at me as if I should have known.

  “For sure,” Mattie added. “Your place. Mine is a hovel that you can’t see until after you love me. Her’s has teenagers. Your plac
e. Wine. Pizza. Dessert. Gossip.”

  “Can I drink wine and have these?” I asked, waving my prescription. I hoped that was agreement enough. My head was pounding.

  “It’s a bad idea,” Dr. Jane said. “But I won’t stop you. No driving though. For now, you better take these.”

  She turned to the nurse and had them hand me some ibuprofen and a muscle relaxer.

  “This ambulance is crazy,” I told her shaking my head. This would never have happened in Gresham or Portland.

  “Welcome to Silver Falls,” Jane winked.

  “If this pain doesn’t get better in a couple of days, you come in and get an x-ray,” I blinked at the switch back to professional and glanced at my phone. The screen was broken and my teeth ground in renewed fury.

  Mattie followed my gaze and said, “Oh man. You’ll have to go to Lincoln City to get a new one. Or wait until one gets delivered.”

  I glanced back at the kid, my eyes were narrowed in sheer, unadulterated rage and my murdered phone had re-ignited the injustice of it all.

  “I’ll get one sent to me,” I sighed. It was nearly seven, and I had a date. I downed the pills Dr. Jane gave me without water, brushed off my butt, and made sure I could walk without limping too bad. Mattie took my bloody sweater and gave me hers. It was a gray knee-length thing that worked for my outfit—not as well—but it was ok. And it wasn’t bloody.

  “Good enough,” Mattie said.

  “Good enough is good enough I guess,” I said. “I gotta go.”

  I took a moment to pull down the sleeves on my sweater to cover the bandages and put my coat back on. I ran my fingers through my hair, and said, “Tomorrow. My place. Wine. Pizza. Dessert. Doc, you’re gonna have to keep me alive cause I’m drinking and probably taking those pills too.”

  She grinned and Mattie said, “See you.”

  * * * * *

  I walked up to Simon with my heart in my throat. Daisy was tripping beside me, charming every passing child, but his slow smile was what warmed me up and calmed me down after being so angry. Though, I kind of thought the muscle relaxers were helping as well.

  “Hello there,” he said. He lifted a basket and held out his arm.

  I had to pause to enjoy the sheer gentlemanliness of the gesture before I tucked my hand into his elbow and let him lead the way to the blanket. He’d already laid one down and it was towards the side of the park, out of the line of foot traffic and was surrounded by enough people who knew him that it was clearly a spot the locals knew to grab.

  “This is fun,” I said, dropping his elbow to settle onto the blanket and forcing my face to hide the pain of sitting on the ground. There was a graying black lab already laying on the blanket and the puppy Simon had adopted was tucked next to the older dog. His head lifted as Daisy skipped over and they touched noses before Daisy dared to face the big dog. The old black lab was calm enough and mature enough to simply look at Daisy and lay his head back down.

  Simon handed me a thermos cup from his bag. It was one of those insulated grocery store bags, and I was pretty sure I was smelling fried chicken.

  “Did you name him?” I asked, grateful for something that eased us into conversation and out of awkwardness.

  “Duke,” he said.

  I snorted and he looked up.

  “You don’t like Duke?”

  I grinned, couldn’t hold back a laugh and then said, “Meet Daisy.”

  His laugh was a low chuckle and I enjoyed it immensely.

  I took a grateful sip from the cup he’d given me and grinned even wider when I tasted the Irish cream in the coffee.

  “Ooh,” I said. “Lovely.”

  “I wasn’t sure,” he replied, “So I have cocoa too if you’d prefer something else.”

  “This is perfect,” I said, flashing back to the near-miss with the car and feeling grateful for something that would help me relax and maybe dull the coming aches.

  I couldn’t help but notice how many people were looking our way. I felt the side-long glances and wondered if this was just what it was like to live in a small town? Were they looking at me only because of him? Or was it something about me that was catching their attention? No, they were just taking note of their friend and neighbor. These people were talking amongst themselves like long-term friends, and they didn’t blink twice at the people who were more likely tourists.

  “How was your first day in Silver Falls?” He asked, ignoring the people around us.

  “Um,” I said, thinking for a second and then saying, “Mostly good. Very surreal. It’s pretty weird to be starting a new life.”

  I didn’t want to dwell on the near-miss, I’d rather focus on how lucky I’d been to get away with a few scratches and an unscathed puppy. I tucked my loose hair behind my ear. Even with Mattie’s careful styling and products, my frizzy red hair had broken free from confinement. Or maybe that was just the accident. I didn’t care. The moon started to rise and the music was almost as amazing as the food. Given my company and surroundings, the day ended up being almost perfect after all.

  Chapter 4

  “Well, well, well,” Zapphirah said as I walked into the diner. She was in her late 60s, had worked at the diner since it had opened, and spent the entirety of everyday harassing every single person who came into the diner and knew her. She even gave the tourists a fair amount of sass but seemed to be able to get away with coming off like a grandma. Her white hair had been dyed a brilliant red and faded to pale pink with white roots which looked awesome. Given that the only reason she wasn’t retired was that she was too spiteful to spend her days relaxing, she worked exactly how she wanted and it didn’t matter one bit that I owned the diner now. It had been a few weeks since I bought the diner and we’d started working together, but Zapphirah hadn’t stopped given me constant sass. “Doesn’t the new sign look fancy.”

  Zapphirah’s tone said the new sign was comparable to a dead rat on the sidewalk. Her glance back at the new flooring and recovered booths said that she thought those might be on par with some sort of foot fungus.

  “I think it looks nice,” I said brightly as if it wasn’t the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The words 2nd Chance Diner were painted where Jenny’s had once been.

  I took off my coat and scarf and grinned as I looked around. The diner had been closed for 3 days during the week while new flooring had been installed and the booths had been recovered. The diner walls had been a pale green, and it was now a pretty soft grey with watercolors from local artists on the walls. The new curtains were all that I’d ever wanted for the diner.

  I hadn’t changed the layout, so people still came into a long display case of desserts, a counter and stools in from the glass cabinets let the lone diners stare at the baked goods while they ate. The end of the counter ended in a wider dining area with another 20 tables and booths and then a backroom for parties.

  “Looks real nice, Rose,” Az, our cook, said from the other side of the order window. “Real, real nice.”

  “Doesn’t it?” My voice was a squeak of excitement, and he grinned at the sound which was all too familiar to a mouse on helium.

  Az was a brilliant cook. He’d learned my recipes and adjusted them to make them even better. He was a huge man, at least 6’5, nearly as dark as night, with deep, kind chocolate eyes, and the best set of dreadlocks I’d ever seen. Plus he had a Jamaican accent which made me want to listen to him call, ‘Order up’ all day long. To be perfectly honest though, I wasn't sure I’d ever hate anyone calling out ‘Order Up’ in my diner. Every time someone ate in my diner—especially with my recipes—it cemented that my dream had come to life. I walked to the backroom, put up my scarf and coat, told Daisy to lay down in her bed, and went into the kitchen with my apron on.

  “I was thinking,” I told Az, “We could do a competition next Sunday for the Spaghetti and Meatballs. Jenny’s classic versus my version. Have like a multi-course meal for a flat fee and make a party of it. Maybe free drinks, minus the alcohol….
maybe specialized, extra expensive desserts…”

  I started prepping chicken fried steak while he moved so fast I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to match him. The first customers were coming through the door. It was only 6:00 am, and it was mostly locals who came for breakfast given that the high season had ended and the few tourists in Silver Falls also intended to sleep in.

  “I think this place is your thing, little love,” Az said through his thick accent. “You wanna have a competition and compare recipes, you do it. Might be fun.” His voice was deep as dark chocolate as was his skin, his eyes, and his hair. He had an accent that sounded like rapids in the river all rumbly and fantastic. He’d pulled his dreadlocks back into a ponytail while his beard was cut close to his chin. He was the favorite of my staff, and I hoped he’d never leave.

  “You sure you want to call her, little love, Az,” Zapphirah said from the window. She slapped a ticket down and said, “Order in. She could be satan’s mistress. She might be planning to fire us all now that Jenny can’t stop her.”

  “Or I could be awesome,” I suggested and Zapphirah snorted before she walked away in her beige orthotic shoes, light blue uniform dress, and her giant chunky jewelry.

  “Now, don’t mind Zee, luv,” Az said. “She’s all lemon juice and vinegar. She’s not so bad under all that…anger and meanness.”

  I grinned at him and then went to the front with Daisy tripping behind me the moment I left the kitchen to her bed near the hostess stand.

  “Hello,” I said as the doorbell rang and looked up to find Simon and Jane.

  “Hello there,” Simon said. His gaze roved over my face and body but lingered on my smile which made him essentially intoxicating.

  I was the boss, right? Right! I sat with Simon and Jane for breakfast and ignored Zee’s sideways comments about it. Jane and Simon were cousins, but they acted a bit more like brother and sister. I felt like I’d built this great set of friendships since I’d moved and I was still going to the knitting circle at the end of the month. I was just letting things roll with Simon and I had to admit I very much liked how and where they were going.