A Chili Death: A Classic Diner Mystery Read Free Page B

rock-bottom prices.  Quite a few of us bought land from him.”
    My dad spoke up.  “Did any of you have your titles searched at the courthouse when you made the purchases?”
    Moose shrugged.  “I don’t believe so.  As I remember it, it was just a cash-and-handshake deal.”
    My father looked exasperated.  “Did you at least have the transfer of ownership registered at the clerk’s office?”
    Moose looked angrily at my dad.  “How could I possibly remember that from all those years ago?  I’ve lived a full life since then, boy.”
    Martha touched her husband’s shoulder.  “Calm down, Moose.  Joseph is just trying to help us determine if we should be concerned about this.”  Nobody in the world called my father Joseph except my grandmother.  I still called my parents Mom and Dad, but Moose and Martha had always insisted on being called just that, even when I’d been a toddler.  Neither one of them had cared for the grandfather/grandmother monikers.
    “I’m perfectly calm,” Moose said dismissively.  He tapped the document with his index finger as he added, “Something’s got to be done about this.”
    “I know a lawyer in Lenoir we could get to look into the legality of this,” my father said.
    “We could always call Rebecca,” I chimed in.  I was having second thoughts about not interrupting her conference.  This was, in a very real way, life and death for me and my family.
    “Joe, Victoria, there’s no offense intended, but I aim to take this to the top,” Moose said gravely.
    “Are you going to call the governor?” Greg asked.  Rumor was that the state’s highest elected official and Moose went way back, but I’d never been able to discover if it were true, or if Moose had just started the rumor himself for his own entertainment.
    My grandfather shook his head.  “No, I’m going to need somebody higher in authority than that.  I’m calling Holly Dixon.”
    My grandmother immediately bristled beside him.  “There’s no need to do that, and you know it.”
    He took her hands in his.  “Martha, I told you a long time ago, there was never anything between Holly and me but simple conversation.  We need her now, and there’s no reason not to call her.”
    “I saw what I saw, and I know what I know,” my grandmother said.
    “Hang on a second,” Greg said.  “Are we talking about Judge Dixon?”
    “Who else could we be discussing?” Moose asked.  “She was Holly to me before she ever dreamed about becoming a judge.”
    “She dreamed about being Mrs. Moose Nelson before she ever thought about going to law school,” my grandmother said sharply.  Clearly, she was actually jealous of the woman, even after all of these years.
    “Then I won’t call her,” Moose said with a sigh.  “We’ll manage to get through this without her.  I didn’t disrespect you then, and I won’t do it now, Martha.”
    My grandmother looked at him a few moments, and then she took his face in her hands and planted a solid kiss on his lips. 
    “What was that for?” he asked her.
    “For the gesture, and the sentiment.  Now, go ahead and call her.”
    Moose looked at her as though she’d just started speaking French.  “Say again?”
    “Call Judge Tart.  If she can help us, I’m not above asking for it.”
    “Go on,” I said, “Call her before Martha changes her mind.”
    He glanced at the portable telephone I was shoving toward him as though it were radioactive, but he refused to take it.  “Let’s all just take a deep breath and think about this for a minute.”
    “We don’t have time,” I said.  “If we lose this place, we all know that a part of our family’s going to die with it.”
    “You’re right,” Moose said.  “Somebody give me a phone book.”
    Instead of answering his request, Martha kissed him once again. 
    “I’m not even going to pretend to know what that one was for,” Moose said.
    Martha started to tell him when she saw me smiling.