Death of an Italian Chef

by Lee Hollis

  Chuckie jumped out of the cruiser first and opened the back door on Hayley’s side, menacingly shoving the gun at her and ordering her and Tilly to get out of the car.

  Herrold raised her hand to shield her eyes from the blazing sun, making sure there were no cars approaching from either direction, before ordering Hayley and Tilly to start marching down the trail. Herrold and Chuckie followed close behind, Chuckie pointing the gun straight at their backs, ready to shoot if either one of them tried to make a run for it.

  They were heading for the swampy marsh. There was little doubt in Hayley’s mind now what the plan was. Herrold and Chuckie were going to shoot them, and then somehow weigh them down with heavy rocks so they would sink deep down to the bottom into a watery grave. She had to do something fast to save herself and Tilly.

  But what?

  Think, Hayley, think, she told herself.

  “This way, off to the right,” Herrold ordered.

  They were leaving the park trail, heading deeper into the woods, farther from any sign of civilization. Just over the ridge was the marsh, Hayley guessed.

  As they plodded along, Tilly suddenly tripped over a tree root sticking out the ground and hurtled forward, landing facedown in the dirt.

  Herrold sighed, annoyed. “Get up.”

  Hayley looked up ahead. There was a large white pine in front of them, its long branches waving in the light breeze. She noticed one branch with its bluish-green needles and baseball-sized cones hanging in front of them, about twenty feet ahead.

  Chuckie bent down, grabbed Tilly’s arm, and roughly hauled her to her feet, pushing her ahead of them. “Keep going,” he snarled. “We’re almost there.”

  Hayley spun back around and marched at a clip ahead of them until they were near enough to the tree where Hayley could snag the swinging branch in her hand and pull it forward as she kept walking. She stretched it as far as she could, bending it back farther and farther, slowing her pace until Herrold and Chuckie were right behind them.

  Then, with her free hand, she placed it on top of Tilly’s head and shoved her down. “Tilly, duck!”

  They both dropped down to their knees as Hayley released her grip on the branch. It snapped back violently, whacking both Herrold and Chuckie in the face.

  “My eye! My eye!” Chuckie screeched after a pinecone nailed him in the face.

  “Run!” Hayley yelled, seizing Tilly by the hand and dragging her through the woods behind her toward the marsh. Hayley knew she had only bought them a few precious seconds, and they had to make the most of it because Herrold and Chuckie still had possession of a firearm.

  They arrived at the marsh in just a few seconds and stood at the water’s edge. There was nowhere else to go. They could hear twigs snapping and brush rustling as Herrold and Chuckie chased after them.

  Hayley squeezed Tilly’s hand. “Take a deep breath, Tilly.”

  “What?” Tilly gasped.

  “Trust me,” Hayley said, snapping off a hollow weed and guiding Tilly into the swampy marsh until they were waist-deep. Pulling Tilly down with her, they both submerged beneath the water, alternately using the hollow reed, the top of it just above the swamp’s surface as a makeshift breathing tube. They remained there for what seemed like an eternity, taking turns breathing through the reed until finally Hayley, slowly, inch by inch, raised her head above the water, just until her nostrils were slightly above the surface where she listened intently.

  A wave of relief washed over her when there was no immediate sign of Herrold and Chuckie, at least near where they were hiding. A couple birds squawked. There was a splashing sound, probably a duck, not far away. And then, she heard faint voices. She poked her head up farther until she was standing. She reached down and pulled Tilly up out of the water with one hand while signaling her to keep quiet by pressing a finger to her lips. Tilly nodded and they both stood in the middle of the marsh, shivering from the cold, listening.

  The voices, which sounded like Herrold and Chuckie, grew fainter and fainter, as if they were heading away from them, which meant it was probably safe for Hayley and Tilly to head back to the trail and to the main road, where hopefully they might be able to flag down a tourist or park ranger.

  Trudging out of the marsh, Hayley and Tilly retraced their steps until they found themselves mercifully back on a paved road. The police cruiser was still parked off on the side next to the trail.

  That was a good sign.

  Hayley and Tilly walked along the side of the road, hoping to hitch a ride with the first car that came along, but it was about twenty minutes before Tilly spotted a vehicle approaching.

  She pointed excitedly. “It looks like the park ranger!”

  She waved her arms frantically as the vehicle approached, but as it got closer, coming more sharply into view, it turned out not to be the park ranger truck, but a police cruiser!

  “No!” Tilly wailed. “It’s them! They found us!”

  Tilly made a break for the woods, but Hayley remained firmly planted in the middle of the road, facing the vehicle down as it approached.

  “Tilly, wait!”

  The squad car slowed to a stop just a few feet from Hayley and Officer Donnie jumped out.

  Tilly collapsed in a heap on the side of the road.

  Hayley wanted to kiss him, she was so relieved to see his face. “Donnie, what are you doing out here?”

  “Don’t tell Sergeant Herrold, but the chief’s car has a GPS system installed, and all I had to do was use this app on my phone to track it. I just had to know who she was all the way out in the park with, because Earl knows how much I care for Vanessa, and it would be a betrayal of our friendship if he’s been going behind my back—”

  “I can you assure you, Donnie, the sergeant is not out here with Earl. You have nothing to worry about. But trust me when I tell you, you and Earl both just dodged a bullet. Actually, we all have today.”

  Officer Donnie had no clue what she was talking about.

  Tilly rushed forward and grabbed Donnie around the neck and planted a big, wet, sloppy kiss on his lips. “Thank you, Donnie, you saved our lives! You’re a hero!”

  Donnie made no move to extricate himself from Tilly’s unexpected embrace. “I did? How?”

  “We’ll explain everything on the way back to town,” Hayley said. “But let’s please just get out of here. And radio someone to head over to the Seagull House! They’ll find Nurse Fredy alive and well in the basement!”

  Another puzzled look from Donnie.

  Hayley hurried to the safety of the squad car as Donnie assisted Tilly, who was limping, exhausted by her terrifying ordeal. Even though Donnie remained clueless about what had happened to them, it didn’t matter because Hayley could tell that he was more than happy to take any credit they were willing to give. In Officer Donnie’s mind, being called a selfless hero was long overdue and well deserved. He even had a pretty damsel in distress on his arm to complete the picture. For him, it had turned out to be a pretty great day. And his huge crush on Sergeant Herrold didn’t seem so monumental and all-consuming anymore.

  Chapter 38

  When Hayley had announced on Facebook that tonight would be the last night Chef Romeo’s would be open for business before closing for good, she had not expected such an outpouring of support. They had to shut down online reservations because there were so many requests, the sheer volume threatened to overload the website.

  Or at least that was what Liddy had told her.

  Liddy wasn’t exactly a key member of the Geek Squad when it came to her tech prowess. She had just been making her wishes clear, saying time and time again, “It makes no sense to close when you’re this popular and the restaurant is making so much money!”

  Hayley agreed, but this business did not belong to her, and with the legal owner now deceased, she could not see how it could remain her responsibility to keep it going.

  “So you change the name to Hayley’s House of Pizza, make a few tweaks to the menu, an
d I guarantee you people will come,” Liddy argued before they opened the doors to the public at Chef Romeo’s one last time. “I know Kip Massey, who owns this building. He owes me big for getting his asking price on his lake house last month. I’m sure I can get you a sweet deal on the rent.”

  “Liddy, I know you mean well, but enough is enough. I can’t run a restaurant. I already have a full-time job,” Hayley said.

  “Yes, one you’re bored with as you’ve told me and Mona time and time again. This could be the big change you’re looking for. I have never seen you with more energy, ever since you temporarily took over this place.”

  Nurse Fredy’s sister, Christy, who was finishing setting a nearby table with some silverware and wineglasses, spoke up. “Please, Hayley. This job has been a godsend. Fredy has convinced me to extend my stay. He’s trying to talk me into enrolling in nursing school so we can work together at the hospital. But I’m going to need to earn money to pay for it. Besides, I told you, back in Honduras I got a degree in business administration, so I could help you out with the books!”

  “That’s kind of you to offer, Christy, I really appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm, but—”

  There was a pounding on the front door.

  Liddy sighed. “See, they can’t even wait until five o’clock for us to open. This is the sign of a successful business!”

  “It’s two minutes past five. You’re late unlocking the door,” Hayley said, shooting Liddy a withering look. “And that’s just Mona banging on the door. You know how she gets when she’s hungry and her blood sugar drops. Watch out!”

  Liddy circled around the hostess station and unlocked the door. She swung it open and Mona was the first to charge in, Randy following close on her heels.

  “What kind of place are you people running here?” Mona bellowed as she tramped toward her favorite table in the back. “The early-bird special only lasts until six-thirty!”

  “Maybe if you hadn’t quit on me, Mona, you would have made sure we opened on time.”

  “Look, I make no bones about it: I have zero interest in having to stand around listening to impossible-to-please out-of-towners complain about everything!” Mona barked. “I like to be the one complaining!”

  “Truer words were never spoken,” Liddy cracked, before turning to Randy. “It’s nice to see you out of bed. How are you feeling?”

  “Strong enough to devour a full portion of the chicken Parmesan,” Randy said, beaming, following behind Mona to their table.

  Instead of hiding out in the kitchen to supervise, Hayley had decided to hang back to greet her first rush of customers. She was surprised to see Officer Donnie and Nurse Tilly, Donnie looking dapper in a suede brown jacket and open-collared shirt, Tilly pretty in a demure floral-print dress that accentuated her nicely curved hips. They pranced into the restaurant, holding hands.

  “You two look very nice tonight,” Hayley remarked.

  “Thank you,” Tilly gushed. “I have never seen Donnie look so handsome, have you?”

  “Not in recent memory, no,” Hayley said, smiling. “Are you two . . . ? Is this a . . .”

  They both looked at Hayley expectantly.

  “Date?”

  Donnie and Tilly exchanged knowing glances and then erupted in giggles, like they were sharing a secret joke between just the two of them.

  Donnie was the first to nod in the affirmative. “Yes. Our first date.”

  “Well, we’ll try to make it special,” Hayley said, turning to Liddy, who had just come back from dropping menus off at Mona and Randy’s table. “Liddy, would you show Donnie and Tilly to that nice private table near the fireplace? It’s a special occasion.”

  “Right this way, please,” Liddy sang, grinning, winking conspiratorially at the happy couple, going way overboard as usual.

  Hayley was not surprised that Donnie and Tilly had become romantically involved. In her opinion, they made the perfect couple. And it certainly helped when Donnie had bravely swooped in and single-handedly rescued them from a brother-and-sister team of treacherous killers. At least that was the scenario that had settled in Tilly’s mind and Hayley had no intention of disavowing her of that exaggerated impression.

  Not as long as it brought the wide-eyed nurse and the loyal, young police officer together.

  Luckily, Donnie’s relationship with his best buddy Earl was already on the mend. Once Donnie had become aware that Sergeant Herrold and Chuckie Rhinehart were siblings and had been behind the murder of Chef Romeo, he had wasted no time putting out an APB to the entire New England area so the state police could be on the watch for them.

  As it turned out, Officer Earl, who Donnie feared had been sneaking around with the object of his affection, was at the time on his way back from Ellsworth. He had taken the afternoon off to pick up a pair of blue and purple pearl-drop stone earrings, retail price $7.50, at Walmart, and had them gift-wrapped so he could present this little token of devotion to his paramour Sergeant Herrold before his rival Donnie got a similar idea into his head.

  The APB came over Earl’s radio just as he was crossing the Trenton Bridge onto the island and passing Herrold and Chuckie, who at that exact moment were speeding out of town in the chief’s cruiser. Earl turned his car around and gave chase until the fugitives were stopped by a roadblock set up across route three near the Home Depot in Ellsworth. They were currently sitting in a cell at the Hancock County jail awaiting arraignment. Earl made sure everyone knew that he had kept the receipt for the earrings from Walmart so he would be able to get a full refund, or at least a store credit.

  Soon Chef Romeo’s was packed with patrons, and the madness continued unabated for the next four hours. Hayley powered through the night, ignoring her aching feet as she toggled back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen, making sure everything was running smoothly.

  When there were only a smattering of customers left a few minutes past nine, including a google-eyed Donnie and Tilly, who fed each other forkfuls of a tiramisu they were sharing on the house, Hayley finally took a break, plopping down at Mona and Randy’s table, where they were enjoying a post-dinner shot of Chef Romeo’s personal favorite, sambuca.

  Nurse Fredy strolled over to the table, in a white linen shirt and khaki dress shorts, looking particularly relaxed and handsome.

  “Fredy!” Hayley exclaimed. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “Alive?” he said with an arched brow.

  “Yes!” Hayley cried.

  “Thank you for looking after my niece. She considers you family now, Hayley. We both do.”

  “Are you dining alone?” Randy asked.

  Fredy smiled. “Why, yes I am. I just came for a little pasta and to watch my niece in action.”

  “Well, please, sit down,” Randy offered, a bit too enthusiastically. “Mona and I would love to have you join us!”

  Mona was blissfully chewing on a piece of garlic bread when she heard her name mentioned. “Huh? Oh, yeah, sure . . .”

  Randy excitedly moved over so there was room for Fredy to grab a chair and sit down next to him on the same side of the table.

  “I want to thank you for giving Christy a job here, Hayley. We’re both very grateful,” Fredy said.

  “She’s a rock star! And believe me, we’re all grateful to see you safe and sound!”

  “Thank you,” Fredy said, before turning to Randy. “It’s nice to see you outside of the hospital, looking so handsome and healthy.”

  “You’re too sweet,” Randy cooed flirtatiously, as he impulsively reached out and gingerly touched the top of Fredy’s hand with his own.

  “Randy got some wonderful news today,” Hayley quickly interjected.

  Fredy turned to him. “Oh?”

  “I did?” Randy asked, perplexed.

  “Yes. Now that Sergeant Herrold has been arrested, the Bar Harbor police department is shorthanded, so Randy’s husband Sergio, the chief, is flying back from Brazil early. He’ll be home tomorrow!”


  “Yes, thank you for reminding me, Hayley,” Randy said through gritted teeth, nonchalantly removing his hand from Fredy’s. “I’m very happy about that.”

  There was an awkward pause.

  Except for Mona snickering.

  “I can’t believe we’re almost done, all of this is finally going to be over,” Hayley said, glancing around the busy restaurant, before grabbing the last piece of garlic bread from a red basket on the table and shoveling it into her mouth.

  “It doesn’t have to be,” Randy reminded her.

  Hayley threw her head back, laughing. “Will you stop already? I told you, I know nothing about running a restaurant.”

  “Come on, Hayley, you’ve told me at least a dozen times while sitting at my bar that having your own restaurant has always been a dream of yours.”

  “Yes, but I was at a bar. People say a lot of things when they’re drinking alcohol,” Hayley argued.

  Mona sat back in her chair and folded her arms. “Your kids are grown up and gone and living their own lives. You know Bruce would be supportive. Are you really the last person around here to notice just how much you seem to enjoy doing this?”

  Randy leaned forward, locking eyes with Hayley. “Why should you just sit in an office and describe food when you can actually be the one to create it by running your own place?”

  Hayley laughed. “Because I’m way beyond such a major career change at this point in my life!”

  Mona, Randy, and Fredy, along with Liddy, who had wandered over to the table, all stared at her skeptically.

  None of them were buying it.

  And deep down, neither was Hayley.

  Chapter 39

  Hayley’s eyes fluttered open. The early-morning sun was already beating through her bedroom window. Yawning and stretching, she rolled over to see a large suitcase next to the door.

  It belonged to Bruce.

  A smile crept across her face.