Murder is a Family Business (The Alvarez Family Murder Mystery series) by Haven Heather

Author:Haven, Heather [Haven, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Published: 2011-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Elvis Has Left The Building

I leaned back against the double doors again and looked at my watch. It was nearly eleven-thirty, and I was famished. Cramming the phone in my jeans, I decided to return to the diner. If the food was half as good as the coffee, I’d be happy.

Crossing the threshold, I felt once again I had stepped back in time. Earlier that morning, I had vaguely noticed all the red vinyl and shiny chrome. Now Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes” blared over miniature jukeboxes at each booth, as well as strategically placed ones on the shiny, red countertop. I gazed at the panoramic view of the sparkling, sun-drenched ocean through the long row of windows at the rear of the diner. It looked as if you could reach right out and touch forever.

This was a “fun” diner, I realized, and that’s why I returned. Heading for the counter, I noted business was brisk for just one waitress and a short order cook. I sat down on a stool that had the least amount of cracked red vinyl and picked up the menu.

“No use you looking at that, honey,” said the large, gregarious waitress costumed in a Pepto-Bismol pink uniform, as she meandered over to me. Above her abundant right breast was a pocket holding a starched green and white embroidered hanky that flopped out in every direction. Dyed carrot red hair, somewhat contained by a beaded, jet-black hairnet, was topped with a matching pink cap. She added the final blast of ambiance to the place. She was perfect.

“Half of it we don’t have,” the woman continued from behind the counter. “I don’t know why we keep those around,” she gestured to the menu and then took it out of my hands. “It’s much faster if I tell you.” She leaned a calloused elbow, which was connected to a flabby upper arm, onto the counter and began her recitation.

“The meatloaf with gravy and cranberry-apple pie are the stars today. Other than that, it’s sandwiches. They’re okay but not great. The best is the turkey. Let me recommend the meatloaf. Nobody makes it better than Hank. And the mashed potatoes are good, too.” She leaned in and dropped her voice, “Stay away from the vegetables. Hank likes to cook them six to seven hours beforehand, so they’re pretty awful.” Her voice went back to its normal volume. “We don’t do fish. Hank doesn’t like fish. You want fish, go over to Barbara’s Fish Trap. She’ll do ya.” She smiled at me, and her whole face lit up. Her green-grey eyes twinkled when she spoke, and her face was unlined and youthful. I liked her instantly, despite the nauseatingly pink uniform.

“Whatever you say...” I leaned closer to the name embroidered on the pocket right below her maverick hanky. “...Maggie.” I smiled back at her. I watched her write and throw my order onto a Lazy Susan set up half in and half out of the kitchen, in the opening of a pass through.

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