Octogenarian Offing by Thomas Rebecca

Author:Thomas, Rebecca
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-12-12T00:00:00+00:00

The next day, early evening... Tuesday, July 15, 2015

“Thanks again for coming with me for an early dinner here,” I say. She is all dolled up for me again. Red frilly top, pants so tight I don’t know how she put them on, and red hot stilettos. Wow.

“It will have to be a quick one. We have plans after this, remember?” Angelica says. Maybe she’s all dressed up for the Murder Club meeting and Tyson Goldberg instead of me. Perhaps she’s trying to make me jealous. I wonder if she’s trying to see if I care that she’s interested in someone else.

“Going on another date with Tyson soon?” I say casually, acting like I’m happy about it.

“Maybe,” she acts coy.

That tells me she doesn’t have a date set up with him. I smile, knowing I’m a pretty good detective. Angelica, I’ve got you all figured out. You may be dating the surfer lawyer, but you’d rather be dating me. Why else would you come out to dinner with me last minute? I knew she’d do it. She’d do anything for me. I look around the restaurant, or should I even call it that? It’s a rundown dive that serves alcohol with all-you-can-eat chili fries. Our server comes with the menus, drops them quickly, and leaves. “Remember why we’re here,” I whisper to Angelica, but no one’s around us. The place is pretty empty, and it's dinner time. There are just two old men laughing and drinking beer in the far corner.

She nods, winks at me, then whispers, “I’m Catwoman to your Batman, Blackie.”

I remember that Catwoman was a hot bad girl. Yes, that suits Angelica. The server returns. She’s a woman in her thirties with shocking red hair wound up in a messy bun. She wears a crisp white shirt and a nametag that reads, Rose. “What can I get for you?” she asks with a try at a smile.

“Rose, that’s a pretty name for a pretty woman. Tell me, Rose, what’s good here?” I ask.

“People order the guacamole burger a lot,” she says with dull interest.

“Is that what you eat here?” Angelica asks her.

“Oh no! If I have to eat here, I eat a salad or the steamed vegetable plate,” she retorts quickly.

“Are you a vegetarian, then?” I ask her.

“No. I eat a good burger with the rest of them. I shouldn’t have said what I did. The food here is fine,” she says nervously, looking behind her to see if anyone caught what she said.

“I’ll have the steamed vegetables and hot tea to drink,” Angelica tells her.

“I guess I’ll press my luck and order the guacamole burger and water with lemon.”

She writes down our orders and prepares to leave, but I say, “Rose? Before you leave, could I ask you something?” She nods and stands still, waiting. “The owner, Andrea Howard, what is she like?” Rose hesitates and looks around again to see if anyone is listening. I know she is ill at ease, so I explain, “Andrea

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