Undercover in Venice Beach by Melody DeBlois

Author:Melody DeBlois [DeBlois, Melody]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Beach Read; Beach Community; Restaurateur; Food; Frustrated Attraction; Humor; British Detective; Newspaper Woman; Espionage; Mystery; Secrets; Soldie
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2021-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

What crowding thoughts around me wake,

What marvels in a Christmas-cake!

~Helen Maria Williams (1759-1827)

Audrey sat down for a second and looked around the Tea and Poetry. Just for tonight, the staff would treat the homeless to a superb meal on an upscale block. The plan was for Audrey to work the tasting bar. Do-gooders were on hand to wait tables while Liam and his crew catered food fit for royalty. This big bash was happening in a community where talk circulated of building a wall to keep out the urban campers.

“Greed, that’s what we have right here in Venice Beach,” Uncle Johnny commented that morning as they set up cafeteria tables. “Our neighborhood is now ‘Silicon Beach,’ home to Snapchat and Google.”

“Don’t large companies mean more jobs?” Liam asked with his foot in his mouth.

“Tech money is dirty money,” Uncle Johnny shot back.

Audrey rolled her eyes. “Don’t get him started, Liam.”

In her mad hunt for another subject, she discovered the gifts under the tree. “Uh-oh. One of our guests might get itchy fingers.” Her glance landed on the new packages, and a shiver flew along her shoulders. “Where did we get the gifts from Mama?”

“I can explain,” Liam said. “Last night, the temperature dropped. In my hunt for a blanket, I came across these on the shelf of the closet. I apologize if I overstepped. I shouldn’t have fetched them without asking.”

Uncle Johnny kneeled at the tree. “Monroe started in January and picked up Christmas gifts throughout the year.”

Lucy got down and caressed each foil-wrapped box, tweaking the bows, checking the tags. “It’s like Mama’s only in the next room getting ready for tonight.”

“She might have suspected she wouldn’t be around to deliver them.” Liam couldn’t seem to keep from saying all the wrong things this morning.

Uncle Johnny looked up over his glasses. “Now what do you mean by that crack?” And the bard’s parrot followed with an encore.

“I don’t know,” Liam said. “Maybe the wrong sort—”

“Mama could have had a premonition,” she suggested before Liam set her uncle off with more of his assumptions. Lately, he’d been full of conjecture. She’d only egged him on by voicing her unease a few weeks ago. He’d been uptight ever since.

And Uncle Johnny’s cheeks had reddened as bright as Rudolph’s nose. “Time for me to get out of here for a spell.”

“Just so you’re back for the Midnight Service,” she called with a laugh.

“Sorry, no. I won’t be going this year.”

“What?”

“Y’all go on without me.”

“Mama wouldn’t—”

The phone rang in the entry, and her uncle, being the closest, answered. “Hello?” His hand encircled his throat as he listened to the caller, and he reached into his hip pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. While wiping his forehead, he turned and studied Audrey like she’d grown donkey ears. He muttered something she couldn’t hear.

He set down the receiver, his eyes iced over.

“Uncle Johnny, what is it?”

“Nothing.” His face had gone white. “Wrong number.”

“Are you all right?”

He zipped up his windbreaker. “I need a run to clear out the cobwebs.

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