A Pizza to Die For (14 page)

“If I’ve learned one thing since I left town, it’s that you can’t make people feel the way you want them to, no matter how much you wish it. So tell me, who are your prime suspects?”

“Do you really want to know, or are you just being polite?”

“Trust me a little, Eleanor. I’m honestly interested,” he said.

As I finished spreading the cheese on the pizza I’d been working on and slid it onto the conveyor belt heading for the oven’s heart, I explained. “We have several so far. At the top of our list is Gina Sizemore. She’s Judson’s sister.”

“Why would she kill him? He’s family.”

I nodded. “That’s precisely the reason why. We believe that she might not want to share Nathan Sizemore’s wealth if something happens to him.” I studied his reaction to the news, and David hadn’t even flinched. “You knew he was loaded, didn’t you?”

David grinned as he nodded. “I didn’t know for a fact, but, in all honesty, I suspected as much.”

“How did you know? No one else in town had any idea.”

“Believe me, I came across the information by accident. I was researching the title to some land I was thinking about buying before I left town,” David said. “The funny thing is that Nathan’s company kept showing up on the deeds I was interested in.”

“That was supposed to be a really closely guarded secret. How did you know that the company belonged to him?”

David shrugged. “You’re not the only one in Timber Ridge with connections. Anyway, I suspected Nathan was wealthy, at least as far as land was concerned. Funny, you could never tell by the way he lives.”

I grinned. “A few days ago, he offered to buy my house, and all of its furnishings with a check,” I said, though I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to share it.

“How many pieces did you tear it into?”

“How can you be so sure that I did? His offer was for double the fair market value,” I added.

“I’m not buying it. Eleanor, you wouldn’t sell that place if he offered you your own state. That house means too much to you, and it should. You and your husband worked hard to make it happen. I can’t imagine you ever leaving it.”

“No, I can’t either,” I said, but then added with a grin, “though holding that check in my hand was a close call.”

“It wasn’t that close. I’m sure of it. So, who else has made your list?”

“Let’s see, there’s Lacy White, Judson’s former and—if she is to be believed—future fiancée. And we’ve got a man named Jack Hanks who appears to be working behind the scenes on both Lacy and Gina. Then there’s Nancy Thorpe. She’s new on the investigation, and she claims to be carrying Judson’s baby. From the sound of it, Nathan believes her.”

“Is that it?”

“Well, we’ve been considering the idea that Judson and Nathan might have had a fight over something the night in question. That would mean that Nathan killed him, but I can’t see that happening.”

“Anyone else make your list?”

“No, that’s really about it. Why?”

David shrugged. “Don’t mind me. It’s your investigation.”

“Come on, talk to me.” I knew he had an idea, and I wasn’t about to disregard it unless I heard it first and thought he was off-base.

“I was just wondering if there were any more relatives who might be in line to inherit. That would put Gina in danger before anything happens to Nathan.”

I remembered something I’d heard recently. “You might be right. Nathan told me he’s got a cousin in town, but he’s not even sure who it is. Apparently it’s some kind of family secret.”

“So you have another suspect, Cousin X.”

I nodded. “I’ll put him on the list. It’s getting hard to go outside without tripping over a suspect, the way they’re piling up,” I said. “We seem to be adding to our total, not taking away from it.”

“Don’t worry. I’m certain you two will uncover the truth.”

I made the last pizza order Maddy had given me as I asked, “What gives you so much faith in us all of a sudden?”

“Eleanor, it isn’t so abrupt. After all, this isn’t the first time you two have gone after a bad guy. Whoever it is, I’m betting that he doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Or she,” I said, reminding him that at least, so far, the majority of our suspects were women.

“Oh, yes, I can well imagine a woman being angry enough to commit murder. As a group, you seem to have a greater capacity for love, and hate, than most men are capable of.”

“You make that sound like a bad thing.”

He shook his head. “I believe that the ability to feel is one of man’s greatest achievements,” he said solemnly. David must have sensed his own serious tone. “To be honest with you, I’m a little peckish watching those pizzas fly out of here. Is there any chance you could make something for me?”

“All you need to do is ask,” I said.

He nodded. “I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve been craving one of your garbage pizzas since I left town. The only problem is, you won’t make a small one, and there’s no way I could eat a medium by myself.”

“You have two options then,” I said. “You can ask me to break my own rules and make you one, which is a possibility—but by no means certain—or you can snack on something to hold you until I get off, and then I can make a medium we can share on my front porch this evening. I had a lot of fun last night.”

“So did I.” David scratched his chin as if he was having a difficult time deciding what to do. After an elaborate act of consideration, he finally said, “Eleanor, if it’s all the same to you, I choose option two.”

“That sounds great. I’m looking forward to it.”

“So am I,” David said as he pushed off his stool.

“Where are you going?”

“You suggested it yourself. I’ve got to get something to hold me over,” he said. “I really am hungry.” With an added smile that brightened the room a little, David said, “Don’t worry, I won’t fill up. See you soon, Eleanor.”

“ ’Bye, David.” I found myself laughing as he left, wondering about the change in him that appeared to have brought out a change in me as well. I found myself humming as I worked, unaware that our plans had suddenly given me a lighter step.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take all that long for my good mood to be ruined.

The kitchen door opened, and I half hoped that David was returning.

When our chief of police walked in, the disappointment on my face must have been noticeable.

“Wow, I’ve had warmer greetings when I was serving arrest warrants,” he said.

“Sorry. I was expecting someone else.”

A little of the old Kevin Hurley slipped through his hard exterior when he said softly, “He’s a lucky guy.”

I wasn’t sure that he even realized that he’d said it aloud, and I wasn’t about to ask him about it. “What can I do for you, Chief?”

“I told Josh I needed a pizza to go,” he said. “Don’t tell me he forgot to tell you about it.”

He had, but I wasn’t about to admit that to the young man’s father. “I was just starting it. Pepperoni and ham, right?”

“That’s what I like,” he said. “How long is this going to take? I was hoping it would be ready to pick up.”

“Good things come to he who waits,” I said with a smile.

“Okay, but that doesn’t answer my question, does it?”

“Eight minutes,” I said. “You’re at the head of the line.”

“Mind if I wait here?” he asked.

“Be my guest,” I said as I threw his pizza together in record time.

As I worked, he sighed loudly and I couldn’t help noticing it.

“Troubles?” I asked

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” he admitted.

“If you want to talk about it, I’m right here.” Our relationship had been full of contradictions since the first day we’d met in high school, but I knew that Kevin didn’t have an easy life, though much of that was his own fault. He’d married Marybeth because she’d been pregnant with Josh, and they’d never had a smooth path since.

He looked tempted by the idea, but then suddenly changed his mind. “Sorry, I can’t do it, no matter how much I’d like to.”

His cell phone rang, and I heard one side of a heated conversation. I could imagine his caller as I listened to Kevin’s responses.

“No, not yet. Because I’m not ready to, and I don’t need the help. Trust me, the state police aren’t going to be able to do anything that I can’t. I’m sorry you feel that way.” After he hung up, he said, “Goodbye.”

“It sounds like Nathan’s getting impatient with you.”

“You have no idea,” he said, and then caught himself. “How did you know that was Nathan Sizemore?”

“It’s not rocket science, trust me,” I said. “Have you considered calling them in for backup?”

“I’m giving myself until November fifth,” he said. “After that, they’re welcome to the whole mess.”

“Why the delay?”

He frowned at me as he answered, “You know as well as I do why I’m waiting. If I ask for help before the Halloween Blowout, that’s all folks are going to be talking about. I can’t afford that, not so close to election day.”

“That’s right, you’re running again,” I said. His signage was nearly nonexistent, as was his one opponent in the race, a man named Jerry Klein who was known around town to lie even when the truth suited him better. “Do you honestly think Jerry has a chance against you?”

“Don’t ever underestimate what will sway the voters,” he said. “Sure, I’d love to make an arrest before Election Day, but not asking for help from the state police is the next best thing in my book.”

“Would you feel that way if Judson was a Timber Ridge native?”

He bristled at the suggestion. “Everyone gets equal treatment and protection in my jurisdiction.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” I tried to say, but he started to walk out in anger.

“Have Josh call me when my pizza’s ready,” he said as he started for the door.

“Come on, Kevin.”

He just shook his head as he left. I had to wonder if what I’d said had struck home with him. There might be two levels of justice in Timber Ridge, and he might not even be aware of it. I tried to imagine if the victim had been Shelly Steele or Amanda Lancaster, people well known and beloved in our little community. Having the victim come from out of town had to have colored his point of view a little, whether he was aware of it or not.

Three minutes later, the chief’s pizza came out of the oven, and I boxed it and cut it immediately. Carrying it out front, I hoped I could catch him outside before he got too far, so I could apologize again.

I never expected to find him still in the Slice, and being openly berated by a woman I’d never seen before in my life.

Chapter 12

“Y
ou need to find his killer,” the woman shouted. She was pretty in an understated kind of way, with a figure that was even curvier than mine. At the moment, all eyes were on her. I could see that my customers had lost all interest in their food in favor of the floor show she was providing.

Our illustrious chief of police looked trapped. “We’re doing everything we can, ma’am.”

“Well, clearly it’s not enough,” she said loudly.

I approached them and handed Kevin his pizza. “Here’s your order, Chief.”

He looked almost happy to see me as he shoved some money in my direction and said, “Thanks.”

“I’m not finished with you,” the woman shouted.

“Sorry. I have to run.” And that’s just what he did, sprinting out of the dining room at full speed.

I half expected the woman to follow but, instead, she slumped down in an empty booth and began to cry softly.

Maddy started to join me, but I waved her away. Even though I knew that my sister wasn’t crazy about the idea, she got my motion and took my place in the kitchen so I could talk to this woman. I knew Greg and Josh would pick up the slack out front without being asked, so I had some time to spare her.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Nancy,” I said softly as her crying began to ease.

She looked at me, clearly startled. “How do you know my name?”

“It’s not hard to figure out,” I said, happy that I’d guessed correctly. “You must be under a lot of stress right now.”

“You can’t even imagine it. Nathan is being so nice, but that Gina is a real shrew to be around. She doesn’t believe the baby is Judson’s, and she’s the reason he broke it off with me in the first place. She told him that I was beneath him, someone unworthy of his love. Can you imagine anyone saying something so harsh?”

I had no problem envisioning it. “It must be tough being around her.”

“She’s constantly taking shots at me,” Nancy said. “I loved Judson, and I know in my heart that he loved me.”

“But I heard he was engaged to someone else,” I said softly.

She looked at me as though I’d slapped her. “Lacy White? What a fraud. Judson never loved her. Sure, she’s nice to look at, but there’s nothing inside. That has to count for something, right?”

“It means everything to me,” I said, “but some men are hard to figure out.”

Nancy bit her lip. “He would have come back to me, especially when he found out that I was pregnant. I just know it. Someone robbed me of my chance for happiness, and this sheriff isn’t doing anything to find the killer.”

“He’s not a sheriff; he’s the chief of police,” I corrected gently.

“I don’t care if he’s the grand high marshal,” she said with a bit of irritation in her voice. “I just want him to do his job.”

“Do you have any ideas who might have killed Judson?” I asked Nancy. It might be good to get her take on the murder while I had her there, and if I was preying on someone when she was vulnerable, I was doing it for a cause that she claimed to be championing, herself.

“I can’t imagine anyone killing my Judson,” she said, softly beginning to whimper again. “He never hurt anyone in his life.”

I doubted that, but it wasn’t the most opportune time to point that out. “I’m sure you must miss him.”

“It’s as though my heart has been ripped out,” she said.

“Can I get you something to eat?” I asked.

“I couldn’t even look at food. I’ve lost my appetite entirely.”

“But you’re eating for two now,” I reminded her.

That brought another wave of fresh tears. Nice touch, Eleanor. Make the pregnant lady cry, though I couldn’t see any signs that she was with child, at least not yet. With her frame and size, it would be months before she started to show enough for people to notice. I decided to keep that little tidbit to myself.

She started to stand, and I did as well, as I asked, “Can I have one of my waiters see you home?”

“No, I need the exercise, and the cold air might be good for me.” She stopped before she left and added, “Thank you for your kindness. Besides Nathan, you’ve been the sweetest person I’ve met in Timber Ridge.”

I’d been pumping her for information, but evidently she hadn’t noticed. “Take care of yourself,” I said.

After she was gone, Josh joined me. “I don’t care what you think, but I don’t like that woman.”

“Because she was yelling at your dad in public?”

He dismissed that with a wave of his hand. “No, it’s the way she walked in here gunning for him. I have my own problems with the man, you know that as well as anybody else does, but she never even gave him a chance to explain himself.”

I was surprised to see Josh defending his father, knowing how many difficulties the two had experienced over the years, but it was refreshing to witness. Maybe Josh was finally growing up and learning to separate the man from the office.

It would be good for both of them if they could work it out, and sooner would be better than later.

Things were mostly quiet for the rest of the night, and fifteen minutes before we were due to close, I sent Greg and Josh home, much to their mutual delight.

I was in back preparing the pizza David and I were going to share when Maddy walked in.

“The front’s clean,” she said, and then she noticed what I was doing. “Sis, you read my mind. Put extra cheese on it, would you? I’m starving.”

“Sorry, but this one is to go,” I said as I finished adding the toppings. “I’m taking it home with me.”

Maddy pouted for a second. “You seriously aren’t going to share that with me? Come on, have a heart.”

“It’s for David,” I said, waiting for the onslaught of whoops of joy from my sister. I had braced myself for it, and was surprised when she appeared to take it in stride, as though I’d announced that I’d just changed long-distance carriers.

“Don’t you want to know what’s going on?” I asked her.

“No, I think it’s nice,” she said.

“We’re going to share it on my front porch as soon as I leave here,” I said, pushing her even further.

“Yes, I got that. Have a good time.”

As I slid it onto the conveyor belt, I asked, “Maddy, did I do something wrong?”

“No, not that I know of,” she said.

“Then why are you acting this way?”

“What way is that?” I knew that I wasn’t mistaking the cool tone in her voice.

“Sis, look at me.” I took her hands in mine so she couldn’t avoid me. “What’s going on?”

She just shook her head, but I wasn’t about to let go.

Finally, Maddy said, “I’m happy for you, Eleanor, believe me. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

That thought had never occurred to me. “Seriously? Do you believe for one second that David Quinton would ever cause me pain?”

“I don’t know. Is he moving back to Timber Ridge?” she asked.

“No, not that I know of. He’s extended his stay here, but that’s just until he finds a replacement for the branch manager here in town.”

“Then he’s going to hurt you when he goes back to Raleigh. You’ve had more than your share of pain. Think about how it’s going to feel when he leaves after you’ve finally started to chip the ice off your heart. I’ll be here to help you get over it, you know you can always count on me, but that doesn’t mean I’m looking forward to seeing you get hurt, and the more you see him, the greater chance there will be of that happening.”

I didn’t understand her reaction at all. I knew my sister cared about me, but sometimes the way she showed it drove me crazy. “Maddy, I thought you wanted me to see him.”

She nodded, and I saw a tear creep down her cheek. “When he lived in Timber Ridge, he would have been perfect for you. But a long-distance relationship is not going to work. You’re married to this pizzeria, and he’s got an important job there. It’s not like you two are going to see each other on a regular basis.”

I released her hands and touched the tear on my sister’s cheek. “Maddy, even if he leaves tonight, I don’t regret spending time with him. I’m not exactly sure how he’s done it, but I honestly believe that he’s helping me to finally heal my heart. Something you keep saying to me is actually beginning to hit home,” I said with a smile. “Joe wouldn’t want me to live the way I have been since he died. He believed life was for the living, and I haven’t exactly been respecting that belief, have I? I’m not saying that I’m ready to fall in love again, but I do know that I can’t keep shutting the possibility of it ever happening again out of my life. If I get a little bruised and battered finding my way back, it’s a price I’m willing to pay.”

She hugged me, and I could swear that I actually felt the love my sister had radiate toward me. “I just want you to be happy.”

“The same goes for me,” I said. I was surprised to find that both of us were crying.

When we pulled away, we wiped each other’s tears, and then we grinned at each other.

“Wow, that felt good,” I said.

“I’ve been needing a good cry for weeks, but I never had a reason.” She looked at the conveyor and saw my pizza come out. “I’ll do that for you.” As Maddy slid the pizza into a box and cut it, I turned off the oven.

“Don’t do that yet,” she said.

“Are you planning on making a snack, after all?”

She handed me the pizza and said, “Something better than that. Go on, Sis, I can finish closing up here.”

“Are you sure?” Most of the dishes were done, so I knew there wasn’t that much work left to do.

“I’ve got it,” she said as she pushed me toward the kitchen door. “Have a good evening, and give David a hug for me.”

“How about if I just tell him you said hi?” I said.

She laughed. “Do whatever you want to, as long as you just go.”

I let myself out, and then locked the door behind me. It meant so much to have my sister care about me with the depth that she did. A lot of people I knew had never experienced that kind of devotion and loyalty, and I knew that no matter what happened with the rest of my life, I’d always be able to count on her.

David was waiting on the porch for me as I parked and walked up the steps. He’d set up a card table near the rockers, and the top of it was laid with paper and plastic dishware from the grocery store.

“You just couldn’t wait to see me, could you?” I asked him.

“Sure, that’s it,” he said grinning as he took the box out of my hands. “I never got my snack, so I’m starving.”

He took a slice from the box and put it on a paper plate.

“I love the table layout,” I said as I grabbed a slice for myself.

“I decided to provide the plates and cutlery, not to mention glasses and refreshments.” He showed me the plastic champagne glasses, and filled them each with Coke.

“I hope you approve,” he said as he handed one to me.

I pretended to smell the soda as though it were fine wine, and then I took a sip. “This is an excellent year, with a light bouncy taste followed up with the slightest hint of caffeine.”

“I’m glad you approve,” he said as he took his first bite of pizza. “That was worth waiting for,” he said as he finished eating it.

“The company, or the food?”

“Why can’t it be both?” he asked. “Oh, wait. I almost forgot.” He reached into a jacket pocket and pulled out a small luminary candle. “I thought we could dine by candlelight tonight.”

“Then you’re going to need more candles than that,” I said smiling as I took another bite.

He reached into more pockets as he said, “Funny you should say that.”

As he pulled out candle after candle, I started laughing. “What happened? Did you find a sale in town?”

“What can I say? I’m just a romantic at heart.” After the candles were all lit and spaced out on the porch railing and the table, we settled into our rocking chairs and enjoyed the pizza and soda.

When we were finished, I was surprised to see that the box was empty. “We were hungry.”

“I’m glad to see that I wasn’t the only one starving. Sorry for those wolflike feeding sounds I made.”

“Are you kidding? I consider them the highest compliment.” It was easy sharing these moments with him, and I found myself amazed at how relaxed I felt.

“Then I shouldn’t have held back.”

As David collected the plates, empty plastic glasses, and spent box, I said, “I’ll get those later.”

“No, ma’am. You’ve been waiting on folks all day. I even brought my own trash bag. How’s that for being prepared?”

“It’s just about perfect.”

After he’d collected everything, he tied the trash bag shut and tossed it toward his car. After he folded the card table up and put it in his trunk, David asked me, “Can you spend a little time out here, or do you need to go in?”

I glanced at my watch. On a normal night, I would have been fast asleep in bed by now, but I wasn’t even tired at the moment. “I’ll stay out here as long as you will.”

“I think it feels wonderful,” David said, “but if you get chilly, I’ve got blankets in the trunk.”

“Wow, you really did come prepared,” I said with a laugh.

“I just didn’t want there to be any reason for you to go in,” he admitted. As we rocked in an odd kind of unison, he asked, “Can you believe that Halloween is just two days away?”

“I know. Usually Maddy and I are excited about it, but we barely remembered to put our decorations up the other day.”

“Murder must have taken some of the joy out of it,” David said.

“True, and before that, we found out that Judson was going to open Italia’s, so we haven’t been in a very festive mood lately.”

“I wonder what’s going to happen to the place now?” he asked idly.

“Who knows? Someone will probably lease the building and turn it into a store of one kind or another.”

“Buggy whips and bow ties, maybe?” David asked, the laughter full in his voice.

“How about a clothing store for pets?”

“Don’t laugh. There’s one of those in Raleigh.”

“You’re joking.”

“Not a chance. They’ve even got an Internet website where they sell their wares. I’ll give you the link if you want to see it.”

I rocked a little more, and then said, “There are a lot more opportunities in Raleigh than there are in Timber Ridge, aren’t there?”