Barbecue Can Be Deadly by Ryan Rivers

Author:Ryan Rivers [Ryan Rivers]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Partners in Crime Press LLC
Published: 2021-10-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter twelve

Jenny’s hatchback wasn’t parked in front of the Cherry Blossom. I suspected Duncan was still joyriding after terrorizing Aviva Ernst.

“What’s the rush?” Levi called after me. “Let’s debrief, plot our next move.”

I turned, now walking backward. “I’m out of moves. Jenny needs the truth about Duncan. Then she needs to offload this café. Perhaps there’ll be money left to enroll her in culinary school. That’s the best place for her.”

Levi flattened his lips. “You need a script rewrite, soften your line delivery.”

I stopped and took a cleansing breath. “I’m sorry we didn’t find better answers to your museum questions, but fun and games are over. This is a family matter. Jenny is too trusting; never finds the fault in people.”

“Those are admirable qualities.”

“Not when it causes self-destruction. Jenny excels with these cloudbursts of inspiration, but she eventually gets drenched in rain and big brother has to step in with an umbrella.”

“Has she asked you for help?”

“No… but she will.” I pulled the door open with more force than intended, eliciting a strangled jingle from the bell above.

Jenny dropped the rag she was using on the counter. The café was empty, so we wouldn’t have an audience.

“Where are the flowers?” Her eyes darted from me to Levi.

Oops. I’d forgotten about her text. “I’ll go later,” I said, losing some of my momentum.

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll take care of it.” And then, a beat later said, “I need to talk to you.”

Her comment sidetracked me. Talk to me? About what? Jenny pushed through the swinging doors into the kitchen, my cue to follow.

“Well... I need to talk to you.” So there.

“I need to eat.” Levi raised himself into a swivel chair and grabbed a laminated menu. “Too many choices.”

“I’ll be back,” I said.

“Here’s my proposal,” Levi said. “We each order our first choice, and then go halfsies. Two meals for one.”

“Fine.”

“You good with onion rings?”

“Perfect. Discs are easier to hurl at you.”

“Meh, I’ll just stick with fries...”

I stepped into the kitchen and found Jenny in the walk-in storage closet, her arms crossed. The closet was a little dark, the dim fluorescent light struggling to illuminate the rows of cardboard boxes lined against the wall.

“You first,” she said. It was difficult to see her facial expressions, but her tone was terse.

“Were you driving your car this morning? Outside the mayor’s house?”

“You already texted me that question. Next question.”

My fists clenched. “Where is your car now? Did you let Duncan take it?”

“He’s making a bank deposit for me and then getting some groceries. Eggs were popular this morning.”

“What do you know about this Duncan?”

“This Duncan is a friend, who supports my choices and who runs the occasional errand.”

“I’m sorry about the flowers. And I support your choices, the good ones.

“I’m not doing this with you.” She moved to leave.

“This? What is this?”

She spun around. “This passive-aggressive attitude, about my move here, about the café. It’s all so... sanctimonious. Particularly coming from you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Ma called this morning.

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