Spoiled Rotten Read Free Page B

show up this morning. We pick up other supplies on a daily basis so I thought I’d get it while I was here.”
    â€œDoes that happen often?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYour order doesn’t get delivered?”
    â€œIt happens. A truck breaks down, the order is misplaced or isn’t large enough for delivery. And sometimes the chef merely forgets to call it in after a long night.”
    â€œYour chef’s name is?” His pen was poised in mid-air.
    â€œDaniel Chapin.”
    â€œHow do you spell that?”
    â€œLike the composer only with an a .” I started to spell it for him. “C-H-A …”
    The detective cut me off. “Thanks. I got the rest of it. Is he at the restaurant now?”
    â€œNo. He didn’t come into work today.” I wanted to vent, but now probably wasn’t a good time.
    â€œAccording to Superior Meats’ office answering machine, someone from your restaurant called last night around midnight. We traced the number. The message was cut off. Do you think he was putting an order in?”
    â€œProbably, although it sounds a bit late, I guess it varies from night to night. I’m not usually there at that time.”
    â€œYou must have some idea.”
    â€œOkay, I’d say any time after nine o’clock, after the dinner rush was over. He’d know what we needed for the next day by then.”
    â€œAnd do you know what time he finished work last night?”
    â€œNot at the moment, but I can look it up on the signout sheet.”
    â€œThank you, Ms. Walker, just one more question. Were you familiar with Mr. Anthony Vieira, the owner of Superior Meats?”
    â€œCall me Liz, and how do you mean familiar? ”
    â€œHow well did you know him?”
    â€œI know his employees called him Mr. Tony and I avoided him when I was in the store. He gave me the creeps.”
    â€œThat seems to be an opinion expressed by others,” he said. “However, what I meant was did you have more than a business relationship with him?”
    â€œPerhaps, Detective, you should say what you mean and certainly not.” I got the feeling he was being purposely obtuse.
    â€œThat’s all for now, Ms. Walker, but I would like to ask you a few more questions. I can meet you at your restaurant later this afternoon if that’s all right. Would that be convenient?”
    I was fairly convinced it didn’t matter if it was or not. “Fine by me, but I don’t even know what’s happened yet.”
    â€œA body was found early this morning by one of Superior Meats’ employees. We assume it’s the owner of the store, Anthony Vieira.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, assume? ”
    â€œWe can’t be sure it’s him until we get a positive DNA identification. The body was unrecognizable.”
    I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer, but I couldn’t help ask the question. “How unrecognizable?”
    â€œHe was butchered and his body parts wrapped up in parcels with the initials W.W. on them. Those would be same as your restaurant’s, wouldn’t they?”

chapter two
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    I was dying to tell Rick the news, but when I called him from the market he was too busy to talk. Detective Winn had deliberately tried to shock me with the gory news of Mr. Tony’s demise, and then, seeing that I might faint, asked Louise to get me a glass of water. She dragged a stool from behind the counter for me to sit on and hovered over my shoulder. The detective apologized for his bluntness and reminded me he would come to the restaurant later that day for an “ah, more private,” interview. Louise huffed at the suggestion she was being nosy, and, crossing her arms in front of her, didn’t budge. The policeman shook his head tiredly and left.
    By the time I returned to Walker’s, I was spilling over with excitement. Unfortunately, Daniel still hadn’t appeared for his shift, making