Chocolate Crunch Murder
Read Chocolate Crunch Murder Online
Authors: Susan Gillard
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Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction.
Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Copyright 2016 by
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Table of Contents
Dark tables and checkered plastic seats decorated Randy’s Burger Bar. The décor had changed since the last time Heather had been to the place, but the atmosphere had improved, at least.
“It’s that quiet, tonight,” she said and smiled at her hubby. She turned that grin on their dinner companion, Lilly Jones.
The young girl sat on the edge of her seat, swinging her legs back and forth, back and forth. She sucked on the end of her straw, drawing up the strawberry milkshake and glugging it down.
“This is a good milkshake,” Lilly said. “It’s the best I’ve had so far. Apart from the ones at your place, Heather.”
Heather insisted that Lilly called her by her first name. Whenever Lilly called her ‘aunt,' she could practically feel gray hairs sprouting at her temples.
“Yeah, you’d better say that,” Heather replied, then winked.
“I should save the rest of mine, and then you can take it home for Dave. He’ll like it too.” Lilly shifted back in her seat, and then leaned her head against the black and white squares.
“Don’t you worry about Dave, he’s had enough fattening treats to last him a lifetime,” Heather said.
Ryan snorted. “He stole my beef jerky, last night. Right outta the cupboard. I have no idea how he got in there. I swear he’s learned how to unlock doors now.”
“I told you. That dog is devious when it comes to his tummy.” Heather sighed. She took a sip of her soda and the fizz trickled down the back of her throat. “Enough about doggy Dave,” she said, “let’s talk about you, Lils.”
“What about me?” Lilly had been closed off since her father’s arrest. And no small wonder. He’d murdered and innocent woman and treated his daughter like a slave in their home.
“How are you enjoying life with Bill and Colleen?” Heather asked.
“The Foster Folks,” Lilly said, and flashed a sly grin. “That’s what I call them when they can’t hear me. They’re okay, I guess. A little boring.”
“Boring is good. Trust me.” Ryan craned his neck, scanning the restaurant for their waiter, of course.
“I dunno. They make a lot of lasagnas, so that’s okay. But yeah, I guess I just want to have a little more fun.” Lilly slurped on her milkshake.
“Well, you should come by and visit Dave. I know he misses you already,” Heather replied. “All I have to say is ‘Lilly’ and he wags his tail like crazy. I swear it’s like he’s going to take off and helicopter into the ceiling.”
“That would be a lot of fun,” Lilly said and grinned.
The waiter swept to their table and placed their burgers in front of them. A Mexican chicken burger for Lilly, a good old fashioned bacon cheeseburger for Ryan and a hamburger with guacamole for Heather.
“At last,” Ryan said and dragged the plate toward himself. “Yes, please. Cheese, check. Bacon, check.”
“Diet?” Heather asked.
“Never checking that box.” Her hubby lifted the burger off the plate and took a massive bite. He chewed noisily, and then groaned. “Okay, this place is definitely getting better.”
“I told you. If you just give Randy’s a chance to find it’s –”
Glass shattered in the kitchen, and the entire restaurant fell silent. Lilly pursed her lips and turned in her seat. Heather peered at the swinging doors at the far end of the room.
“Probably just a chef dropping a plate,” Ryan said.
Another clatter, this time, what sounded like a pot lid? The bang, roll, and wobble of metal on tiles reverberated through the room.
Jung burst out of the kitchen, the doors swinging in his wake, and strode down the center aisles.
“Hey, doesn’t that guy work at the bakery?” Lilly asked.
Heather opened her mouth to reply, and then snapped it shut again.
Randy, the owner of the restaurant, strode into the room. He rammed his knuckles on his hips and his expansive belly jostled in response. “This isn’t over yet, Jung!” He yelled.
The coupled opposite Heather’s booth put down their cutlery, shared a glance, and then stared at the overweight guy in the chef’s getup.
Randy grabbed the white hat off his head and threw it onto the tiles. “Don’t you dare walk away from me!”
“I have nothing more to say to you,” Jung replied. He’s stopped just short of the exit; cheeks flushed, and he blinked one, two, three times in a row. “Nothing. I’m tired of all the pressure from you.”
“This is ridiculous,” Randy boomed. “Come back into the kitchen and we can sit down and talk about this.” His beady eyes darted around the restaurant’s interior. His gaze rested on a few of his customer’s faces, then flickered away again. “There’s no need to disturb these lovely people. Sorry about this folks.”
“That’s exactly why I’m leaving. I won’t be bullied by you anymore. I’m not going to quit my job, so stop asking.” And with that, Jung slammed out into the Hillside evening and disappeared. The front door clapped closed, and Heather flinched.
“Quit his job?” Heather shook her head. “Why would Randy want Jung to leave Donut Delights?”
“You should ask him,” Lilly said.
Heather met the young girl’s gaze. Excitement shone from her liquid brown eyes. The light of adventure, for sure.
“No, Lilly, and I don’t want you to worry about it, either. Everything’s fine.”
“But –”
Heather raised a finger. “Don’t make me lecture you, young lady. You know I don’t like it.”
Lilly sighed and rolled her eyes – classic pre-teen gesture – then shrugged. “If you say so. But I wouldn’t trust that guy if I were you.”
“Which one?” Ryan asked, around a mouthful of burger patty and cheese. Of course, he hadn’t stopped eating regardless of the altercation.
“The chef,” Lilly said. She turned back to Randy, who’d switched from fists on the hips to idly swinging his arms by his sides. “I don’t trust him. He looks like he’s up to something.”
Ryan lowered his voice for Heather’s ears only. “Did you transfer your sleuthing gene to her?”
“Gosh,” Heather replied, “I hope not.”
Investigating has its ups, but it sure had a lot of downs. And it wasn’t fit for a ten-year-old girl.
Amy brushed the top of the glass counter and squinted at a smudge of glaze. She grabbed a napkin, then wiped up the mess, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth.
“We have to be more careful handling these donuts,” she said. “The Chocolate Crunches are dripping glaze everywhere.”
“That’s because they’re triple dipped,” Heather replied. She couldn’t help being proud of that.
The Cinnamon Nut Crunches from the week prior had given her a bright idea. A follow-up donut – a deep-fried chocolate donut, triple dipped in a vanilla glaze and topped with homemade choc-dipped hazelnuts.
“Triple dipped for triple the flavor,” Amy replied. She’d settled into her role in Donut Delights as if she’d been employed in the bakery for years. “So, I’ve been thinking.”
“Oh boy, whenever you get a bright idea I start sweating.”
“Relax, relax. There’s no need to hum a tune or anything. I’ve just realized that we’ve been eating a lot of donuts lately. Like a lot.” Amy sighed and abandoned her napkin. The glaze smudge had disappeared, granting a crystal clear view of the rows of pink, white and choc chipped lovelies below.
“Eating donuts comes with the territory. It happens to be one of the perks around here.”
“Oh, I know. I can’t get enough of them.” Amy patted her tummy. “And therein lays the problem. We walk with Dave once in a while –”
“Every day,” Heather said, raising a finger.
“Right, every day, but it’s not enough. So, uh, I’m going to buy us both a gym subscription thingy, and we’re going to start working out or doing more yoga or, I don’t know, something.”
Heather wriggled her nose. “Really?”
“Yeah, really. Come on. It’ll be good to get some exercise,” Amy said.
“All right, you’ve twisted my rubber arm. We can start working out. But nothing too strenuous, you know? I don’t want to break a hip.”
“Oh my gosh, we’re not that old,” Amy replied, and clicked her tongue.
Heather chuckled and returned to her task at the coffee machine. Eva had ordered another of her bitter black coffees. The elderly woman waved from her spot beside the sunny front window, then flipped open her handbag and brought out a weathered paperback.
Heather finished up the coffee, then carried it through to Eva’s table.
“Morning, Eva. How are you feeling today?”
“Just lovely, thank you, dear. How are you?” Eva asked, and accepted the coffee. She sipped it immediately, the wrinkles around her mouth puckering up at the bitterness. “Oh, delicious. Perfect as usual.”
“Can I get you a Choc Crunch? Everyone’s going crazy for them.”
“Definitely. I think I deserve a treat today. Maybe two treats.” Eva winked and held up two fingers.
“Anything for you,” Heather replied, then walked toward the counter. She paused along the way, checked on a couple of the tables. Everyone wore bright smiles or had chocolate coated lips.
Happiness was the order of the day in Donut Delights.
Heather stopped beside Amy and pointed at the Choc Crunches. “Eva would like two sent her table.”
“As you say, my Queen,” Amy replied, and sank into a mock curtsy.
“Stop that, you!” Heather swatted her on the arm.
“Heather?” The voice stopped all shenanigans behind the counter, immediately. “Could I talk to you for a second?”
Heather turned to Jung and put up her most encouraging smile. “Sure. What do you need to speak about?”
Jung’s gaze darted to Amy, and he flashed his teeth – it was supposed to be a grin, but it came off as a grimace. “I’d rather talk in private if that’s okay.”
“Say no more, princeling,” Amy replied. “I shall mount my steed and deliver these sustaining sweet rolls to the Duchess.”
Heather’s bestie had clearly lost the plot. Still, she couldn’t help but chuckle as Amy marched off to deliver the donuts to Eva, and join her the minute the plate hit the wrought iron table.
Jung scratched his chin, then cleared his throat. “I know you saw what happened between Randy and me, last night.”