2 A Deadly Beef Read Free Page B

phone went to voicemail, though. 
    "She’s
not answering," I said, and then turned to Moose.  "Sorry, but
we’re going to have to wait until four when she shows up."
    Moose
looked at his watch in disgust.  "Victoria, that’s nearly
ninety minutes."
    "What
else can we do?  As good as he is, Greg can’t take the orders, make
the meals, and then ring everyone up at the register, too."
    "Don’t
worry about me.  I can handle it," my husband said, but there was a
distinct lack of confidence in his voice as he said it.
    "It’s
impossible, and you know it.  I’m not even going to ask you to
try," I said.
    "Hang
on.  Let me make a call," Moose said as he headed for the dining
room.
    I
didn’t think he’d have any more luck than I had, but knowing Moose,
he might actually have a number for Jenny that I wasn’t aware of.  I
knew that the two of them were friends, but to what extent, I didn’t have
a clue.
    "We’re
all set," Moose said thirty seconds later when he came back into the
kitchen.  "She’s on her way."
    I was
a little hurt by his instant success.  "How did you manage to track
Jenny down when I couldn’t find her myself?"
    Moose
looked surprised by my question.  "You told me Jenny wasn’t
answering her phone."
    "Then
who did you call?"
    "Your
grandmother," Moose admitted.
    "I
thought she was retired from the diner life for good this time," I said.
    "She’s
always willing to lend a hand; you know that, Victoria.  Besides, Martha
gets bored sometimes, and coming in to work the front every now and then is good
for her."
    "If
you say so," I said.
    Martha
was there to take my place in less than ten minutes, and I kissed Greg goodbye
before my grandfather and I left the diner. 
    "Take
care of yourself, Victoria," Greg said softly.  "I don’t
know what I’d do without you."
    "You
don’t have to worry about me.  I’ll be fine," I said,
happy to have someone like him concerned about my safety and wellbeing.
    Moose
was snagging a quick kiss from Martha when I walked out into the dining room,
and it was too good an opportunity to tease him to pass up.  "Come
on, Moose, are you going to investigate with me, or are you going to just hang
around the diner kissing Martha for the rest of the day?"
    "Hold
your horses.  I’m coming with you," he said as he gave his
wife one last peck before we headed out the door.
    I
never looked forward to investigating murder, but the task still seemed to fall
at my feet anyway.  If I were being honest about it, I’d have to
admit that there was a part of me that enjoyed the puzzle aspects of tracking
down a killer, but I was always aware of just how dangerous what we did was to
our lives. 
    One
mistake would be all that it would take for either one of us to come to a bad
end, and that thought was never far from my mind when we went in search of a
killer.
     
    The
day was glorious, one of those autumn moments that made the foothills and
mountains of North Carolina so wonderful to experience, and something I never
grew tired of.  Though the leaves were mostly gone from the trees, there
were still a few stragglers holding on until later, and they flickered and
danced in the wind as it passed them by.  We’d had our share of
chilly weather so far this season, but at the moment, we were enjoying sunny
days and cool evenings.  It was my favorite time of year, and not even
Wally Bain’s murder could steal all of the pleasure that I took in the
season.
     
    "How
do you like driving Dad’s truck?" I asked Moose as I buckled my
seatbelt. 
    "It
was mine in the first place, remember?"
    I’d
been in an accident in Moose’s truck, and it had been declared beyond
repair by the insurance company, as well as the only mechanic in the county
that my grandfather trusted.  My dad had taken the opportunity to sell my
grandfather back his old truck for a single dollar bill.  It was an old
Ford pickup that he hadn’t driven in years, but it was still nicer than
the one I’d