Tomato Basil Murder: Book 7 in The Darling Deli Series (2 page)

“Would you like to set up a showing?” the realtor asked. “The seller just lowered the price, so it would probably be smart to move quickly. I’ve got a feeling that this house won’t be on the market for much longer.”

“I’m not sure.” Moira hesitated, not wanting to waste the time of the pleasant woman who sat across from her. She did want to see the house, but wasn’t sure she would be able to find a way to afford it, even with how well the deli was doing right now.

“Taking a look won’t hurt,” the other woman said with an understanding smile. Her eyes flickered with sudden recognition. “Say, aren’t you the woman that owns the deli across town?”

“That’s me.” It always surprised her when someone recognized her from the deli, though she loved knowing that so many people enjoyed the fresh, healthy foods she sold. “Moira Darling, owner of Darling’s DELIcious Delights.”

“Well, let’s see what we can do for you. We can start with you seeing the inside of the house and a tour of the property, and if you like it we can go from there. I heard about your house burning down. I’m very sorry about that.”

“Thanks. I wish the insurance company would hurry up and finish their investigation. I guess it’s taking them a lot longer than usual, since the police determined the fire to be arson.” She knew the man who set the fire had been the same one who had kidnapped her a few weeks before, but he was already being investigated for multiple felonies; she doubted that her house fire was high on the priority list of any investigator, not when the man was facing murder charges.

“I’m sure you’ll get the insurance money soon enough,” Madeline assured her. “And when you do, wouldn’t it be great to have a perfect house to spend it on?”

Unable to resist the other woman’s optimism, Moira agreed to meet her at the stone house on Sunday. She wished that David would be back by then, but if she liked it she could always see it again with him along. She’d want Candice to get a chance to look at the house too, but since her daughter was planning on spending all day Sunday with her father, that would have to wait.

Thinking of her ex, she realized that he was supposed to arrive in Maple Creek in just a few hours. Candice was meeting him for dinner, and David wouldn’t be back from his trip for a few more days, so it looked like she was on her own tonight.
Unless I want to call Denise or Martha,
she thought.
Maybe we could grab dinner at the Grill.
The Redwood Grill was the wonderful steakhouse that Denise ran.
That actually sounds like a great idea. I could use some time out with my friends.

A few hours later, she slid into the booth at her regular table across from Denise. The Grill was busy, as it was most Friday nights, but the other woman’s highly efficient staff made sure things were running smoothly.

“How are you?” she asked her friend. “It’s been a while.” Since her house had burned down, Moira hadn’t had much time for social visits.

“Oh, I’m been fine. Busy, you know,” the tall redheaded woman replied. “I’m glad we both had time for this. Did Martha say when she would be here?”

“She shouldn’t be much longer. She told me her book club got done at seven, and she would head over right after.”

“I hope she doesn’t mind if we order an appetizer without her—I’m starved,” Denise admitted. “You’d think that working in a restaurant, I’d never go hungry, but my hostess for the first shift called in sick and I covered for her. Between that and checking in on our new chef, I haven’t had time for more than a quick bite since we opened this morning.”

“I know how it is,” Moira assured her. “When you’re the boss, sometimes you’ve got to do everyone’s job all at once.” She took a sip of her water, then added, “Tell me about your new chef. Did Lorenzo leave?”

“No, he just asked for a reduction in hours,” the other woman explained. “His wife just had a baby, and he wanted to be home more. The new chef’s name is Annalise, and she just got out of culinary school. She has phenomenal references, though, and even though she’s relatively inexperienced, she has yet to make a dish that’s anything other than mouthwatering. Don’t tell her I said that though, one thing she doesn’t need is more strokes for her ego.”

“Hearing your stories always makes me glad my deli is on the small side,” Moira admitted. “I’m not sure I would be able to organize as many people as you do or deal with so many conflicting personalities. I love the fact that my employees are really more like family.”

“Well, sometimes
I
envy
you
. I wish my employees cared about the Grill as much as yours care about the deli. While most of them are hardworking, they’re in it for the paycheck. Lorenzo and Annalise are the only ones that truly seem passionate about their work, and sometimes that passion does more harm than good.” Denise sighed and drained the last of her water, then waved a young waitress over to take their appetizer orders.

By the time Martha joined them, the two friends were digging in to the blooming onion and guacamole and chips they had ordered to tide themselves over. Just a few weeks ago, Moira might have opted for a salad or another healthy option, but the stress of losing the house and worrying about Candice seemed to have sucked away a few extra pounds.
One unhealthy meal with my friends won’t hurt my waistline any,
she decided.

“What is
that?
” Martha asked as she sat down, staring at the blooming onion.

“An onion, dipped in sweet garlic batter and deep fried,” Denise said. She grinned. “Otherwise known as a heart attack waiting to happen, but what’s the fun if you never live a little?”

Martha, a stick-thin woman with mousy brown hair, gave the dish a dubious glance as she sat down next to Moira. With her brother in jail and her sister dead, she had lost more in the past year than even Moira had, and she admired her friend for managing to keep her life together despite everything she had been through.
None of us are the type to give up easily
, she thought, gazing fondly at her two closest girlfriends.

“So what’s new in your life, Moira?” Denise asked once Martha had gotten settled. “Have you settled into that apartment yet?”

“I don’t think it will ever feel like home,” she replied. “But at least it’s a place to call my own. I’m glad that I don’t have to impose on Candice any longer.”

“Speaking of Candice, how is her candy shop coming along?”

“She’s been working really hard to get it ready.” Moira told them. “She’s got everything left over from the toy store torn out, and is just about ready to have new flooring installed. She does need some help coming up with a name, however, so if either of you have any good ideas, I can pass them on.”

“It looks like we could just tell Candice ourselves,” Martha said, nodding towards the front of the restaurant.

Moira spun around to see her daughter talking with the hostess. Standing a few feet behind her was Mike Thomson, her ex-husband and Candice’s father. He looked the nearly the same as he had two years ago, other than the fact that his skin was darker, tanned by the Californian sun, and his blond hair had been shaved down from the thick locks that she remembered to a short, nearly military cut.
Maybe he started going bald,
she thought, amused by the prospect.

Mentally berating herself for not guessing that this was there her daughter would choose to go out to eat with her father, she turned back to her friends. She hadn’t told them that Mike was coming back to town yet, and it looked like she had put it off for long enough.

“I didn’t know she was going to be here,” she admitted with a sigh. “She’s spending the evening with her dad.”

“Oh, that’s Mike?” Martha asked. She had met him a few times when her older sister Emilia used to babysit Candice. “I didn’t recognize him with the haircut.”

“Your ex?” Denise asked. “Does he visit often?”

“No, this is the first time he’s seen Candice since she graduated from high school,” Moira replied. “I’m glad for her sake that he decided to fly out, but I would rather avoid him. Too many bad memories.”

“What does David think of Mike being around?” Martha asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Well… I haven’t told him,” she admitted. “Candice just told me he was coming this afternoon. David won’t be back until after Mike leaves, anyway.”

“Do you think he’d be worried about you spending time with your ex?” her friend asked.

“David isn’t the jealous type.” Moira considered for a moment. “Mike is, but he has a girlfriend out in California, according to Candice. I doubt he would care either, if he knew about David.”

“They’re coming this way,” Denise said. “I hope Ashley doesn’t seat them next to us.”

Luckily, Candice, Mike, and the waitress walked right by them without a glance. Candice was too busy talking with her father to notice the three women, for which Moira was grateful. Now if she could just get through the rest of the dinner without being forced to somehow find the energy to talk with her ex-husband, her weekend would be off to a good start.

She managed to avoid her ex-husband only until breakfast the next day, when he walked straight into the deli while she was chatting with a customer at the register. The fact that Candice wasn’t with him meant that he was there for only one reason: to talk to her.

“I’m amazed by what you’ve accomplished,” he said once she had finished ringing up the customer. “It’s a cute place.” He leaned against the counter, the sleeve of his shirt riding up to casually expose a fancy gold wristwatch.
It looks like he finally found the success that he wanted
, she thought. What must he think of her, still living in the same town in a tiny apartment?

“Thanks,” she said grudgingly. “How’s life out west?”

“Fun.” He grinned. “I haven’t even seen snow since I moved out there. Southern California has the best weather.”

“I think I would miss not having all four seasons like we do here.” She didn’t know if she was trying to convince him or herself more. One of the points of contention in their marriage had always been her reluctance to move away from her home state. While it was true that she couldn’t imagine living somewhere it didn’t snow, she couldn’t help but think it would be nice not to have to deal with below zero temperatures and five-foot-deep snow drifts for three or more months out of the year.

“Candice said the same thing,” he told her. “I admit I was disappointed when she told me she was going to start a business around here, instead of moving out to Cali with me. But then, she always did take more after you.”

Moira pressed her lips together, resisting the urge to point out that if he had actually been around for the better part of Candice’s childhood, then she might have taken more after him. All of the self-help books that she had read had said that it was best for children if estranged parents maintained a good relationship. Sometimes it wasn’t easy to stay civil, but she was determined to do what was best for Candice.

“How is your girlfriend doing?” she asked instead, trying to move the conversation away from their shared past.

“We broke up,” he said, shrugging. “I thought it would be a good time to travel—get out of Cali, revisit the past a bit. Catch up with Candice.”

“Well, it’s nice that she gets to spend some time with you. I know she’s missed you these last few years.”

“I meant to fly back for a few days last summer, but I just had too much to do at work.” He shook his head. “I’m honestly amazed what my little girl has accomplished. I’m going to try to find the time to visit again in a few months, once her candy shop is up and running. Remember when she wanted to be a firefighter?”

“I remember,” Moira said, unable to help a smile. “She loved putting out the bonfire we had every year on the first day of summer. I have to say, I’m glad she’s pursuing a different path. I don’t know how I’d stand it if she had such a dangerous career.” She sobered as she remembered the inferno that had engulfed her house. She was grateful that her daughter would be running a business instead of putting her life on the line to put out fires.
Not that being a business owner is always much safer,
she thought, thinking of her own adventures over the past few months. Hopefully Candice wouldn’t have quite such an eventful experience with her own store.

“I’m sorry about the house,” her ex-husband said, watching her face carefully. She was always surprised at how well he could read her, even after being divorced for a decade. “I was completely stunned when Candice told me. I’m glad you’re both all right.”

“Thanks. We were both lucky. Even my dog is okay.” Moira attempted a smile. “If you get a chance, feel free to drive by and take a look at what’s left of it. The investigation is ongoing, but when they finish up I’m thinking of selling it. The damage is bad enough that I’d have to rebuild the entire house, and it just wouldn’t be the same.”

“I’ll swing by when I leave here,” he said. “Take care, Moira.” Glancing around once more at her deli, he lifted his arm in a wave goodbye and left. Moira stood at the register for a moment, surprised by how well their conversation had gone. Then she glanced at the clock and, realizing the time, headed back into the kitchen to get started on the day’s special.

Starting with a tomato sauce base, she added vegetable broth, a few diced garlic cloves, and a splash of olive oil to the pot, then turned the burner to medium. While the soup base heated, she pulled a bundle of fresh baby spinach leaves out of the vegetable crisper drawer in the fridge and began to chop them roughly. Once she had a few cups ready to go, she dumped it into the base, which was now simmering. She knew from experience the spinach wouldn’t take long to cook, so she hurried to add the cheese and mushroom-stuffed tortellini, which had been handmade by a local farmer. Within minutes, the soup was simmering away and Moira’s work was nearly done. It was a simple and quick recipe that was also mouth-wateringly good. Topped with shredded white cheddar cheese and paired with a toasted cheddar and tomato sandwich with fresh spinach leaves, it made a hearty and delicious meal.