Chicken Pesto Murder: Book 5 in The Darling Deli Series (2 page)

“I will if I see her,” she promised her daughter. “I’ll be back in a few hours.” She grabbed her purse, bade her daughter a final goodbye, and opened the front door just as David reached the porch. She took his arm when he offered it, and the two of them made their way down the steps to his car.

“So, tell me about this case you just finished,” she said as the waiter walked away. She sipped the glass of merlot, enjoying the smooth, rich flavor. The waiter had suggested it to go with the sizzling cut of steak she had ordered, and she had once again been impressed by how well the staff at the Redwood Grill knew their stuff.

“Oh, it was a corporate spying case,” he said. “Nothing big, but I saved my client a few thousand dollars.” He grinned. “Not quite as fun as some of the cases I’ve worked on with you. It was mostly a lot of background checking various employees, and following people around for hours every day.”

“No wonder I haven’t seen you much this week,” she said. She worked odd hours on occasion, but it was nothing compared to the hours that David sometime worked. She didn’t know when he found time for sleep, not with the amount of time he spent driving around and tailing people. “And I wouldn’t say my cases have been
fun
exactly… more like terrifying.”

“Hmm… maybe fun wasn’t the right word,” he said. “I think ‘exhilarating’ is the word I was looking for. None of my other cases have been as
exhilarating
as the ones you’ve gotten me involved with.”

“That may be true,” Moira replied with a laugh. “Still, I can’t say I’m sorry that it’s been quiet lately. Business is doing phenomenally well. I’m actually thinking of extending the hours that the deli is open for.”

“Really?” he asked, leaning forward with obvious interest in his blue eyes. “That’s great news. Are you thinking about doing breakfast hours?”

“Yes.” She sighed. “But I’m not completely sure about it yet. I would need to come up with a whole new menu, find a few new suppliers, and would have to split about twenty extra hours a week between the four of us,” she said, referencing herself, Dante, Darrin, and Candice. “It would mean more work, at least for a while.”

“You would probably get quite a few new customers, though,” he said. “Especially if you served coffee along with something easy to eat on the run, like muffins or quiches.”

“Quiches?” Moira raised her eyebrows. “That’s actually a great idea. I was thinking of doing some sort of breakfast sandwich, but I think quiches would be even better. I could put different ingredients in each day, and I could even do mini ones to make them even easier to eat on the run.”

“Quiches it is, then,” he said with a laugh. “It sounds like you’ve got it all planned out already.” He paused to take a sip of his own wine before he asked, “How is Candice’s search coming along?”

“Not well,” she admitted. “She just hasn’t been able to find a place as nice as that little toy shop, and Henry still hasn’t gotten back to her.”

“That’s odd.” David frowned, his brow wrinkling in consternation. Henry was an old friend of his—an avid fisherman prone to taking unexpected trips to his cabin up north. “It really isn’t like him to be out of touch for so long.”

“Do you think something might have happened to him?” she asked tentatively.

“Well, his granddaughter still insists that he’s fine,” he told her. “And it’s not unusual for him to disappear for a while, it’s just that he’s always told me before.” He shook his head, as if trying to clear bad thoughts from it. “I’m sure he’s fine. He should be back soon, and when he is, I’ll remind him to talk to Candice straight away.”

“Thanks.” Moira gave him a quick smile. “It would mean the world to her if she could buy, or even lease, the toy store and turn it into a candy shop. I hope she can be all set up before summer is over.”

“Me too,” he said. “I’ll do what I can to help.” They both looked up when the waiter appeared, pushing the dessert cart ahead of him. David traded a glance with her, and then ordered two lava cakes.
I’ll need to buy a bigger belt if I keep this up
, Moira thought, but it was worth it. Not much could compare to good food and good company on a warm spring evening.

Once they had finished the scrumptious melted chocolate cakes, Moira excused herself, wanting to make a quick run to the restroom while David brought the car around. She kept her eyes peeled for Denise on her way back through the restaurant, finally spotting her friend chatting with an elderly couple seated at a small table. Not wanting to interrupt, she kept her distance until the redheaded woman had finished her conversation. Moira caught her eye and gave a small wave, and her friend glided over to her, weaving gracefully between tables and busy wait staff.

“It’s wonderful to see you again, Moira. How was your food?” she said after giving the deli owner a quick hug.

“Amazing, as usual,” Moira replied, grinning. “And as usual, I ate way too much.”

“Nonsense,” Denise said with a laugh. “You can’t have too much of a good thing.” A sly smile appeared on her face. “Are you here with David?”

“Yes.” She tried to ignore the blush that she felt rising in her cheeks. “We got together to celebrate a case of his that he finished up the other day.”

“I see.” Her friend’s eyes danced with amusement. “You two enjoy your evening. I’ve still got a few more hours before we close for the night, and then I have to go meet with my husband.” Her lips pursed at this, as if even mentioning the man left a bad taste in her mouth.

“How are things with him?” Moira asked, lowering her voice so the conversation would stay between the two of them.

“Better, I suppose. At least we’re on speaking terms.” She sighed. “I think that this time apart has actually been good for us. With me so busy here, and him running the other restaurant by himself, we haven’t really had time to argue.”

“That’s good. I hope you two figure things out. At least you have something that you’re both passionate about,” the deli owner said. “You both are phenomenal at running restaurants.”

“Thanks.” Her friend gave her a grateful smile. “I can’t imagine how you run your little place all on your own.”

“Oh, I have help. My employees are amazing, and my daughter has been helping a lot with the business aspects of it. I don’t know what I’ll do when she moves away,” Moira said. “That’s not to say that I’m not glad that she’s following her dreams, of course, but I’ll miss her.”

“Of course you will. It’s never easy when they leave home.” Her friend gave her another quick hug. “I should be getting back to work. Have a nice evening, Moira.”

“You too, Denise.” She watched as her friend walked away, and then realized that she had left David waiting for longer than she should have. Feeling somewhat guilty for having been so distracted by Denise, she hurried through the restaurant and pulled the heavy doors open.
She was surprised to find herself walking into an argument. David and, of all people, Detective Fitzgerald, were standing face to face. She had never seen David look so angry before. No, actually she
had
, but only once, and that had been when he had saved her from the most recent madman who had tried to kill her. David was right; her life had been exhilarating lately.

Their conversation cut off when she stepped outside, and she hadn’t been able to catch what they were saying. A few people were standing nearby, watching the argument with expressions ranging from amusement to fear. Both men looked over at her as she approached.

“David?” she said. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” he said, his voice oddly strained. He gave Fitzgerald one last glance, and then turned towards her. “Sorry, I didn’t have a chance to get the car yet. Luckily we didn’t park too far away.”

Is he going to act like nothing weird just happened?
Moira wondered, staring up at him for a long moment before glancing over towards the other man. The detective was standing still with his jaw clenched, glaring at
her
, for some reason. He didn’t say anything, and Moira didn’t want to address the issue with so many onlookers present.

“Let’s go,” she said to David, eager to get to the privacy of the car where she could ask him what on earth was going on. He followed her, his face still tense. It was strange to see the normally relaxed private investigator so worked up.

“What was that about?” she asked once she had slipped into the passenger seat and had shut the door firmly against the night.

“We were just having a discussion that got a little heated,” he said shortly. “Sorry, I don’t often lose my temper.”

“What was the discussion
about?”
Moira asked, knowing that she shouldn’t pry, but unable to hold back her curiosity.

“I’d rather not say,” David said after glancing at her. She was surprised to see that he looked embarrassed, although she wasn’t sure whether it was the fact that he had lost his temper or the mysterious subject of the argument. He paused at a stoplight and patted his pocket. “Darn it, I must have left my wallet there.”

“We can go back and get it,” she said. He thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. “No, we’re almost back to your house. I’ll drop you off, and then stop back on my way home.” He still seemed a bit unsettled by his encounter with the detective, so Moira changed the subject.

“Thanks for taking me out to dinner,” she said. “I had a really nice time, and I even got to see Denise right before I left. She’s doing well; I’m really glad we’ve become friends.”

David also seemed ready to forget about the argument and they talked about inconsequential topics until they reached her house. Moira realized that she felt more comfortable with David than she had with any of the other men she’d halfheartedly dated since her divorce and smiled at the private investigator as he walked her to her door.

“Thank you for another lovely evening, David. I really enjoy our… dates.” She hesitated over the last word, not wanting to scare him off.

“No thanks necessary. I also enjoy myself thoroughly on our dates.” He said the word more confidently than she had, and she smiled again. He continued, “we will do this again, yes?”

“Oh, yes.” Moira was delighted and after a quick peck on his cheek, went inside. She had high hopes for this relationship, but she was happy he also wanted to take it slow.

Moira carefully stabbed a toothpick through the center of the last sandwich that she had made for Detective Fitzgerald’s retirement party, then reached for the plastic wrap that would cover the platter. She and Candice had made over a hundred small sandwiches total, arranging them according to type on a few large plates. There was corned beef and swiss, honey-glazed ham with tomato and lettuce, and cold chicken breast with sharp cheddar cheese. She had also made a small plate of vegetarian sandwiches, knowing that at least a few of her regulars who were bound to be at the party would appreciate them.

She hadn’t seen the detective since the unfortunate encounter at the Redwood Grill and she hoped that whatever had happened between him and David would have blown over by now. David still wouldn’t tell her what the argument had been about. She had convinced him a few days ago to go with her and Candice to the detective’s retirement party, but had spent the last few hours worrying about whether or not she had made the right decision in getting him to come. She hoped that whatever they had argued about hadn’t been serious, and that the festive atmosphere would help to soothe any hard feelings.

“I found the dress, but I couldn’t find the shoes you wanted,” Candice said as she came in through the deli’s front door. She was carrying a dark green dress draped over her arm and a pair of black shoes in her hand. “I hope these will do.”

“Thanks, sweetie. They’ll be fine.”

Moira had been planning on wearing black slacks with a pale pink blouse to the party that evening, but the day had turned out to be unexpectedly nice—almost seventy degrees and sunny, to boot. It had been months since she had worn one of her nice summer dresses, and she so rarely had an occasion to really dress up that she decided not to waste her chance. Her daughter had been kind enough to run back to the house and pick the clothes up for her, since they were planning on going straight to the party from the deli after they closed.

“Did you get in touch with David?” her daughter asked.

“Yes, he said that he would meet us there. I guess he has something to do first; he’ll probably be a few minutes late,” Moira replied. “Which means we’ll have to bring the sandwiches in on our own.”

“I’m sure someone else will help us. Pretty much the entire police station will be there,” the young woman pointed out.

“That’s true,” the deli owner said. “Oh, have you heard from Adrian? He’s welcome to come too, you know.”

“I think he’s got something else going on.” Candice’s brow creased. “We haven’t really been talking as much lately.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” She had noticed that Candice and her boyfriend were growing apart over the last few weeks, but she had hoped that the two would remain friends. The young man definitely had a mind for business, and had been doing a lot to help Candice prepare for opening and running the candy shop.

“It’s all right,” her daughter replied. Her face brightened. “I’m young and single, and about to go to a party where half the town will probably turn up. Things could be worse.”

They only spent another hour at the deli before Moira decided to call it a night and close a bit early. It was an unusually slow evening, and if someone was just dying for a sandwich they could always come to Detective Fitzgerald’s retirement party and get a free one. She took a few minutes to change into the dark green dress in the deli’s bathroom and fix up her hair, then she and her daughter loaded the sandwiches into the back of her car and left. The party was being held in the event space that took up most of the Town Hall’s sizable basement, and it was only a few short minutes away from the deli.

Sure enough, a nice young officer met them at the door and offered to help bring in the platters of sandwiches. Moira balanced one of the large plates against her hip, and held the door for her daughter and the officer as they carried the others in. Relieved that they had managed to get all of the sandwiches inside in one trip—and without dropping any—she locked her car and followed the younger couple into the building and down the narrow stairway to the lower level of the building.