Drop Dead Chocolate (17 page)

“Isn’t this nice?” I asked, trying to put the best face on it I could.

“It’s really quaint,” Grace chimed in, trying to support me.

From the expression on Kelly’s face, it was clear she wasn’t buying it, though. “What a dump. Do you think the food is even safe to eat here?” It was obvious that she didn’t care what the people there thought about her.

“I know that it’s not the Ritz,” I said, a massive understatement. “Why don’t we think of it as an adventure?”

“I just hope I survive it,” she said.

As we sat down, a brunette waitress barely out of her teens with
LULU
stitched on her apron approached us. “Sweet Pea?”

I had to have misunderstood her. I knew that some waitstaff in the South liked to use “Honey,” and “Darlin’,” but I wasn’t certain I’d ever been called “Sweet Pea” before.

“Ya’ll want three?” she asked, as though we were all hard of hearing.

Then I got it. “Three sweet teas sound great. What’s the special today?”

Lulu smiled. “We serve a mean veggie plate,” she said, then added, “This place doesn’t look like much, but the food is good and the service is friendly.” She said the last bit with a wink, and I felt myself warming to her. I turned to Kelly and Grace and asked, “Shall we place ourselves in Lulu’s capable hands?”

There were two nods, one enthusiastic and one quite a bit more reluctant, and Lulu left to get us our food.

“Any bets on how much of what we get is fried?” Kelly asked.

“No takers there,” I said. I wanted to talk to her about Cam, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to bring it up. I was still trying to think of an angle that wouldn’t enrage her when Grace beat me to the punch.

“I understand that you and Cam were meant for each other,” she said. If I’d said it, there was no way I would have been able to utter those words without laughing, but Grace had delivered the line with exactly the right amount of class.

“It’s true,” Kelly said softly. “He was my soul mate, and now he’s gone.”

I couldn’t believe it. Somehow, with one line, Grace had gotten through Kelly’s defenses. That was just one more reason I was such a big fan of my best friend. When it came down to it, she was excellent at getting to the heart of what motivated people.

I said, “We really do hate what happened to him. That’s why we’re digging into his murder. Is there any way you could help us? It could mean the difference between success and utter failure.” Even as I said it, I hoped that I hadn’t spread it on too thick.

Kelly studied me for a moment as I did my best to mimic Grace’s appearance of sincerity. A friend of mine had once told me that once she’d learned how to fake being sincere, the rest was easy. She’d been joking, at least I hoped she had, but it was important to get Kelly’s trust if we were going to get anything out of her.

Kelly frowned at the tablecloth and said, “You’re just trying to save your mother.”

“I’m not denying that,” I replied, “but in a way, that sort of puts us on the same side. We both want Cam’s real killer brought to justice.”

Kelly looked up from the tablecloth and stared straight into my eyes. “Unless your mom is the one who killed him.”

This was going downhill fast. Maybe I should have let Grace handle the interview after all. Everything I said seemed to be skewed in a way that made Kelly angry.

I looked at Grace, and she knew without a word what to do next.

“How about me, then? I’m not biased,” she said. “I honestly just want to find out who killed Cam.”

“No matter who did it?” Kelly asked, not taking her eyes off of me for a second.

“No matter who,” Grace said, and I trusted that she was telling the truth, so there was no reason that Kelly shouldn’t. I had to believe that Grace didn’t suspect my mother, but there were no outward signs that was true, and if she had killed the mayor, Grace wouldn’t flinch in trying her best to bring her to justice. I honestly couldn’t say if I felt the same way. After all, she
was
my mother.

“Okay, how can I help?” Kelly asked as Lulu came back to our table. As our waitress passed out the food, she said, “You get a better deal if we do this family style, so I took the liberty to save you a few bucks. There should be plenty enough for everybody.” Lulu passed out three empty plates and then gave us stocked platters overflowing with sweet potatoes, sautéed broccoli and zucchini, cooked carrots, and corn. The only fried thing we got was okra, something I really loved.

Lulu left the table for a second, came back long enough to top off our drinks, and then gave us some space. She was getting a generous tip, no doubt about it, no matter what the quality of the food. I would take a pleasant server and average food over excellent cuisine and a rude waiter any day.

We dished food onto our plates, and I noticed that Kelly took some fried okra, too. I kept the observation to myself, though. It was time for me to fade back and let Grace take the lead in the questioning.

I was beginning to wonder if she was going to say anything, but after ten minutes Grace finally asked, “Since you knew Cam better than anyone else, can you think of anyone who might have wanted to kill him?”

I was having second thoughts about bracing her so quickly, though. It was risky asking her in the middle of our meal, but I realized that Grace was right. If we waited until we were finished, we might never get the chance.

Kelly speared a piece of okra, ate it, and then said, “It’s a lot tougher being mayor than most folks realize. There were a handful of folks who resented the way Cam did his job, and he’s been threatened more than once over things he’s done for the good of the town.”

“Do you have anyone in particular in mind?” I asked. I knew that I’d promised to keep my mouth shut, but I’d failed epically.

“Do you mean besides your mother?” Kelly asked.

Grace shot me a warning glance, but I didn’t need it. Any more questions were going to have to come from her, and as tough as it was, I was going to do my best to keep my mouth shut from here on out.

“Of course she does.” Grace took a sip of tea, and then said, “We heard that Uncle William was unhappy with him.”

Kelly nodded vigorously. “He wanted to triple the size of his arcade. Can you imagine what an eyesore that would have been? Cam had to look out for the good of April Springs, and when he said no, William flipped out. I heard him threaten Cam myself.”

“You were actually there when it happened?” Grace asked.

Kelly looked uncomfortable with the question, and finally admitted, “Not face-to-face, but I was in the other room.”

“We need more than that,” Grace said, the sympathy clear in her voice. “If we confront William, we need details that will show him that we’re telling the truth.”

Kelly scowled and said, “I’d been visiting Cam in his office, and I was in his private restroom, when William came storming in. I’m guessing that he didn’t even know that I was there.”

“Then how can you be certain that you heard it right?” Grace asked.

“The door was ajar, and besides, William was pretty intent on threatening Cam with physical violence. He was yelling loud enough so that I would have been able to hear him even if the door had been shut.”

I’d known William a long time, and I couldn’t imagine the circumstances where he’d threaten anyone, especially by yelling. Now was not the time to share that opinion, though, and I knew it.

“Is there anyone else that comes to mind?” Grace asked. “It’s important.”

After a few moments to think, Kelly said, “You should try Hannah James.”

“Is that about the land Cam bought beside her?” I asked. I knew I should have been quiet, but I couldn’t resist butting in after all. I was going to have to learn some serious self-restraint. I just wasn’t sure how.

“How did you know about that?” she asked me, her food on her plate now forgotten.

“Hannah told us herself,” I said.

Kelly looked smug as she asked, “Did she happen to mention she said she’d shoot Cam before she’d let him spoil that land?”

“You heard that, too?” Grace asked. I had to wonder how many of the mayor’s conversations Kelly had been privy to. Had anyone been aware of her presence in his office besides the two of them?

“No,” she conceded reluctantly. “Cam told me later, but I know that it was true. He bought that land to build a house for us to share together after we got married.” Kelly started crying then, a soft sob that seemed to fill the air around us. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t talk about this.”

With that, she got up and rushed out the door.

I started to stand, but Grace said, “Leave her alone, Suzanne. She’s done talking to us.”

“We’re just giving up?” I couldn’t believe Grace didn’t want to go after her, too. “What about the condos Hannah told us about? Kelly was lying.”

“Please, those were crocodile tears,” Grace said as she waved a hand in the air. “She was looking for a way to get away from us, and the second she found one, she bolted. Kelly wasn’t about to say another word to us.”

I settled back down into my seat as Lulu approached our table and asked, “Is there anything wrong?”

I smiled at her. “No, everything is fine. Our friend is just a little emotional lately.”

Lulu nodded. “I’ve got a friend just like that. She treats a greeting card commercial on television like it’s some kind of Greek tragedy.” She looked at our plates and then asked, “Can I bring you some dessert?”

“No, we’re good. Just the check, please,” I said.

“How was it all?” she asked.

“Excellent. You were right to recommend it.”

She looked pleased by my acknowledgment. “I’m glad you liked it.”

As she slid the check across the table to me, she added, “Come back anytime.”

“The next time we’re in town, we will,” I said. “Thanks for making us feel so welcome here today.”

I studied the check, figured out a nice tip, took the cash out of my wallet, and headed to the register. Lulu was there waiting on us.

“I thought we already said our good-byes,” I said with a smile.

“Otis is in the back, so you get me again at the cash register.”

I handed her the money and the check, and she started to give me the change, when I said, “Keep it. The rest of it is for you.”

“Thanks so much,” she said as she slid the tip into her apron pocket. “I hope you have a nice afternoon, and that your friend feels better soon.”

“We do, too,” I said.

Once we were outside, I looked in my wallet and counted my money. After a second, I turned and asked Grace, “Did I just give her a twenty or a fifty?”

“I didn’t see,” Grace asked.

I checked my wallet again, and sure enough, I saw that I’d grabbed the wrong bill. Lulu’s tip was quite a bit more substantial than I’d planned, but I couldn’t exactly go back in and tell her I’d made a mistake.

I didn’t have to. Grace and I were still standing there when Lulu rushed out. “That tip was too generous,” she said as she offered me a twenty back. “Don’t think I didn’t appreciate it, though. It was nice to meet you. You managed to brighten up a pretty dreary day.”

I felt like a heel taking it, and in the end I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. “No, that’s not fair. It’s for you,” I decided rashly. After all, the mistake had been mine, not hers.

“Sorry, but I can’t do it,” she said, smiling, still holding the twenty out to me.

I finally took the bill back and said, “Thanks, I appreciate your honesty. Lulu, if you’re ever in April Springs by eleven in the morning, come by my donut shop and I’ll fix you up with whatever you want, on the house.”

“You own Donut Hearts?” she asked.

“I do. Have you ever been there? I’m sorry if I don’t remember you, but we get a lot of customers there.”

Lulu grinned. “I came once on my day off, but I don’t blame you for forgetting me. The place was jammed with customers, and I saw a sign about a dollar deal you were having. Do you do that often?”

I remembered Emma’s mistake placing an ad once, and the crowd that had descended on my shop like a plague of locusts. “Just the one time,” I said. “It just about killed us, but we managed to live through it.”

“I can’t imagine doing it even once,” she said. “Well, I’d better get back in there. Otis will dock my pay if I’m out here too long.”

“Thanks again,” I said, waving the bill in the air.

“Hey, we working gals have to stick together.”

“That was nice,” Grace said after Lulu was gone.

“It was more than that. I know how hard it must have been for her to do that.”

“She’s our kind of people,” Grace said. “So, what’s next for us?”

I looked at my watch and realized that by the time we got back to April Springs, it would be time to eat dinner. “Momma and I are having leftovers tonight, but you’re welcome to join us.”

“Thanks, but Peter’s supposed to call, and I don’t want to miss it,” she said.

I wasn’t about to argue with that. As we drove back toward April Springs, I said, “Cam surely had more than his share of enemies, didn’t he?”

“And that’s just the ones we know about so far,” she said.

“My goodness, do you think we’ll keep finding them?” The thought troubled me, not just because of the mayor, but because of the additional suspects we’d have to eliminate until we found the real killer.

“It wouldn’t surprise me one bit. Where’s our list stand at the moment?”

“Well, besides jilted Kelly,” I said, “There’s rebuffed William from the arcade; poor Harvey, who says he paid Cam off but can’t prove it; next-door neighbor and mortal enemy Hannah; and the chief’s not-so-lovely ex, Evelyn.” I hesitated a moment, then added, “Say what you will, but I refuse to put Momma’s name on the list.”

“I never would have asked you to,” Grace said. “You know I didn’t mean what I said to Kelly, right? There’s no circumstance imaginable that I can see your mother killing Cam Hamilton.”

I shook my head. “I know she didn’t do it myself, but that might not be how it seems to the police. Jake firmly believes that anyone, and he means anyone, can be backed into a corner where committing murder looks like the only option you have.”

Grace shivered a little as I said it. “I hate to think that’s true. What a way to live your life.”