Stitches In Crime Box Set, Books 4-6 by ACF Bookens

Author:ACF Bookens [Bookens, ACF]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Andi Cumbo-Floyd

8

As soon as Santiago and Mika came in the door, he said, “Your dad said you needed some help with the food.”

I nodded. “Actually, he is just giving me a way to tell you that’s Melvin Smith.”

Santiago spun his head back toward the door he had just come through. “That man is not old enough to be Melvin Smith.”

“It’s his son, I expect,” Lucille said. “Melvin and Lee were friends as children.”

Santiago sighed. “So the afternoon just got a whole lot more complicated?”

Mika groaned.

“Seems so,” I said as I walked over and gave each of them a hug. “Now, if only Ace Watkins showed up, we’d have representatives from three of the families involved.”

“Funny you should say that,” Santiago said as he grabbed the plates and napkins and headed toward the front door. “Your dad just invited him over.”

I groaned. “Lucille, any brilliant ways to stretch food for four to food for nine?”

“Oh, we can figure something out. Next trip, take these beers, will you?” she said to Santiago.

“Got it.” He walked out the door and returned for the beer. “This will hold them a bit. Be right back.” He picked up the two cold six-packs Lucille had pulled from the fridge.

“Now, let’s see what we can add to this meal,” Lucille said as she opened the fridge again.

Mika and Santiago made trips in and out with various trays and utensils, and within a few minutes, Lucille had made a relish tray with pickles, olives, and a pile of capers that I had bought on a day I was feeling adventurous about pasta. Then, we piled hamburger buns on a plate for those who wanted sandwiches instead of plain barbecue. A bowl of baby carrots finished off the meal, and I felt like at least people would have enough to fill their bellies before they left.

We carried the rest of the food out and set it on the folding table Santiago had set up by the side of the porch. Ace Watkins had arrived, and he was sitting on the swing beside Homer. It was kind of a quaint sight, those two older men swinging away like school kids.

As soon as we declared the meal ready, the men insisted we go first, those Southern manners at work again, and Lucille and Mika and I helped ourselves to full plates before perching on the side of the porch, where Santiago soon joined us. We all ate quietly for a while, and the food was delicious. The brisket was smoky and tender, and the hushpuppies were the perfect blend of crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Apparently, the scent was so enticing that even my cat, Beauregard, decided he needed to check it out, and for a bunch of “animals are animals” types, these old men sure loved watching a cat eat barbecue from a fork.

Soon, though, the food was gone – all but the capers, which I could completely understand since I hadn’t even been able to bring myself to cook with them – and everyone had complimented Mr.

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