Death of a Wicked Witch by Lee Hollis

Author:Lee Hollis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2020-04-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

The next day during her lunch hour, when Hayley pulled her Kia up in front of the small house on Ledgelawn Avenue that Ted and Trudy had rented shortly after moving to town, she spotted a “For Sale” sign taped to the side of Trudy’s food truck, Wicked ’Wiches.

As she got out of her car, Ted emerged from the truck in a loose-fitting dirty T-shirt and scruffy jeans, carrying a box full of sub rolls, deli meats, wrapped cheeses, and wilting vegetables. He promptly tossed the food into a giant rolling trash bin he had borrowed from the Bar Harbor Solid Waste Facility. He turned to head back inside the truck when he noticed Hayley.

“I know what you’re going to say,” Ted said. “What am I doing wasting all that good food?”

“The thought did cross my mind,” Hayley said. “But maybe it’s because I’m a little hungry, like always.”

Ted wiped the sweat on his forehead away with his arm. “The Food Pantry only accepts canned goods for donations. They don’t take perishables, and I have to get this thing cleaned out and washed before I show it to any potential buyers.”

Hayley nodded sadly. “Whoever ends up with it will sure have a tough act to follow. Trudy’s sandwiches were some of the best I ever tasted.”

“She was a real talent,” Ted said. “I thought about holding onto the truck, but...” His voice cracked. “I don’t cook, never have, and I already have a job at the church, so what’s the point?”

“I understand,” Hayley said. “Can I help?”

“No, thank you,” Ted said. “I’m just about finished. I got a potential buyer coming around at two to take a look at it. Fingers crossed he makes an offer.”

“Do you know if he’s thinking of keeping it as a food truck?”

Ted shrugged. “Beats me. He can strip it down and use it to haul wood for all I care. I just want it out of my sight. I can’t look at it anymore.”

Hayley stood on the sidewalk awkwardly, not sure how to respond.

Ted suddenly realized how callous he sounded and added, “It’s just a constant reminder that she’s no longer here. The memories are too painful, I guess.” He paused a moment, thinking to himself, and then a lightbulb seemed to go off above his head. “Hey, I hear you’re a whiz in the kitchen, why don’t you take it off my hands and start your own business? I’ll give you a really good deal.”

“Oh, no,” Hayley said with a laugh. “Not me! I could never do what Trudy did. It’s way too much work. And I lack the kind of drive and ambition it would take to make an enterprise like this a success.”

“I get that. Sometimes I felt Trudy was more married to this truck than she was to me. Which is probably why I don’t mind getting rid of it,” Ted said absently.

Hayley waited for him to expound on his last statement but he didn’t. He just turned around and went back inside the truck.

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