Murder at Veronica's Diner Page 4

  Taking a small flashlight out of her purse, Alberta shined the light in Jinx’s eyes and said, “Follow me, lovey.”

  Alberta led Jinx around the left side of the diner and down the narrow path that brought them to the back. The diner was located on the corner of Main Avenue, so parking was in the front and on the right. There was another building on the left, and behind the diner was an alleyway that separated the diner from a building that faced the intersecting street, Lanza Lane.

  “If we can’t get inside the diner, maybe we’ll find some clues back here,” Alberta said.

  “Good thinking, Gram. If nothing else it’ll give us the lay of the land,” Jinx replied. “I’ve never been back here.”

  “It doesn’t look like anyone comes out here much,” Alberta said, shining her light along the stretch of the alley. “It could use some tidying up.”

  “Remember, you’re not here as a grandmother, but as a detective,” Jinx said. “So let’s detect.”

  Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to detect. All they learned was that there was a door that appeared to be a back access to the kitchen and another door that they surmised went to the bathroom. Two failed attempts to open the doors helped them easily deduce that they were locked. To the right of what they believed was the bathroom door was a window.

  “Do you think anybody could crawl through that window, Gram?”

  “Oh, Madon, I don’t think so,” Alberta replied. “Well, a kid, yes, but an adult? Maybe a woman, not one as big as Aunt Patty, but like you possibly.”

  “What about a man?” Jinx asked.

  “Someone like Sloan might be able to wrangle himself through, but definitely not a man as big as Vinny,” Alberta declared.

  “I wouldn’t describe your boyfriend as a little guy.”

  “Sloan isn’t little, but let’s face it, he’s not as big as Vinny,” Alberta said.

  “Agreed,” Jinx replied. “And don’t think I didn’t notice you didn’t freak out or deny that Sloan is your boyfriend.”

  “Lovey, I’ve learned in life that there are some things you just can’t fight,” Alberta said, smiling girlishly.

  “Like the fact that we’re not going to learn anything more out here,” Jinx said. “I mean, I’d love to try and see if I could fit through that window, but if we contaminate this crime scene any more than we have, Vinny will seriously lose his mind.”

  “Dio mio, you’re right,” Alberta agreed. “Let’s call it a night.”

  Just as Alberta was about to turn the corner, she lost her footing and fell. Luckily she was still on grass and not the pavement, so she didn’t hurt herself. She did, however, find a clue.

  “Look at this,” Alberta said, flat on the ground but waving for Jinx to join her.

  Kneeling next to her grandmother, Jinx was just as intrigued with what she saw as Alberta was. It was a figurine of a Swiss girl on a swing. What it had to do, if anything, with Teri Jo’s murder, they had no idea, but because there was a chance it could provide them with some information in their investigation, it was a clue worth retrieving.

  Jinx took out a plastic Ziploc bag from her back pocket and used it like a glove to retrieve the figurine without getting her fingerprints on it. Holding the Swiss miss in her hand with the Ziploc bag as a barrier between the girl and her fingers, Jinx smoothed out the bag, zipped it shut, and shoved the potential piece of evidence in her pocket. They were now free to leave, but couldn’t because they were standing face-to-face with the diner’s owner.

  “Veronica!” Alberta shouted. “Fancy meeting you here.”

  The diner owner looked even more worn-out than she had earlier in the day. She was still wearing the same outfit and she hadn’t attempted to freshen up her makeup. She may have looked disheveled, but she was still a boss and used to being in charge.

  “What are you doing here behind the diner?” she asked.

  It was a very good question and Alberta had a very good answer, even if it was a total fabrication.

  “We stopped by to see if you could use some company, but then we heard a noise and thought there might be looters in the back, so we came to investigate.”

  Veronica’s demeanor didn’t change a bit, and Alberta got the impression that she didn’t believe a word of Alberta’s story. But then Veronica’s expression softened and she appeared touched by their apparent thoughtfulness.

  “That’s very nice of you,” Veronica said. “I’d invite you in for a cup of coffee, but as you can see, we’re momentarily closed for business.”

  “Why don’t you come back with us and have something a bit stronger than coffee?” Jinx suggested.

  Veronica wasn’t the only one surprised by Jinx’s invite, but then Alberta realized its brilliance. Lure one of the people who was closest to the murder victim to an unfamiliar location while she’s still emotionally vulnerable and interrogate her to see what secrets she might spill. It sounded like the perfect way to spend an evening. Luckily, Veronica agreed.

  “I would like that very much.”

  “Perfect!” Alberta said. “We’ll take my car so you can relax on the ride home.”

  “I’ll text Aunt Helen and Aunt Joyce to meet us there,” Jinx added. “It’ll be a regular girls’ night, and I have a surprise for everyone too.”

  Alberta almost stopped in her tracks. They’d started the day with an unexpected homicide; she didn’t think she could survive another bombshell. When they arrived at Alberta’s house with Helen and Joyce already sitting around the kitchen table, it was revealed that Jinx’s surprise was harmless, but no less shocking.

  “It is high time that we introduce something new to our little gatherings,” Jinx declared.

  Alberta felt her chest tighten because she thought Jinx was going to suggest Veronica become part of their inner circle. How could she even think of something so severe like that, without seeking the approval of the rest of the family? No, Alberta thought, Jinx wouldn’t be so sconsid-erato .

  Jinx wasn’t thoughtless, she was being thoughtful. In a rather nontraditional way.

  “Henceforth and heretofore,” Jinx started, “I hereby banish flavored vodkas from our in-house menu.”

  “What are you talking about, Jinx?” Joyce asked. “We love our flavored vodkas.”

  “When paired with the appropriate Entenmann’s dessert, of course,” Helen added.

  “I know, but we’ve run out of new flavors to try, so we need something new,” Jinx explained.

  “We could build our own bootleg dispensary like Grandpa Joe’s brother did,” Alberta suggested.

  “His wife made him shut it down when two goats and a llama died from drinking that swill,” Helen reminded her.

  “He had a llama?” Jinx asked.

  “Doesn’t everyone?” Helen replied.

  Closing her eyes, Jinx shook her head a few times before continuing. “My plan doesn’t involve any illegal activity, just some creativity. I’ve created a new signature drink for us, and keeping with our detective personas, I’m calling it a Red Herring.”

  All the women including Veronica applauded Jinx’s revelation, and the applause only grew louder when she pulled a pitcher filled with some kind of red liquid out from the refrigerator.

  “Remember what they say,” Helen said. “Attenti alle aringhe rosse.”

  “Whoever said beware the red herring?” Joyce asked.

  “The same person who said beware of granddaughters pulling strange things out of your fridge,” Alberta said. “When did you put that in there?”

  “This morning on my way to meet you for breakfast,” Jinx confessed. “You had already left and I put it toward the back. There’s so much stuff jammed in there I knew you’d never see it.”

  “The key to a happy home is a filled refrigerator,” Alberta claimed. “Wouldn’t you agree, Veronica?”

  “I don’t know much about a happy home,” Veronica confessed. “But as a restaurateur, which is the fancy way to say that I own a diner, I concur.”


  Before Alberta could question Veronica further about the unhappy state of her home life, Jinx started pouring glasses of Red Herring for everyone.

  “What exactly is our new signature drink comprised of?” Joyce asked.

  “Vodka, prosecco, cranberry juice, some orange juice, and a splash of tomato juice,” Jinx proudly explained. “With a mint garnish to make it extra fancy.”

  “It sounds . . . complex,” Helen admitted.

  “And maybe a little too heavy on the juice,” Alberta added.

  “Also too, it’s delicious,” Joyce declared. “Try it, ladies. Trust me, you’ll like it.”

  The rest of the women took sips of their Red Herrings and the vote was unanimous, they all loved Jinx’s new concoction. Even Lola seemed intrigued. The cat bounded into the kitchen from whatever corner of the house she was investigating, jumped on the table, and circled the pitcher, purring softly.

  “It looks like your drink’s gotten the seal of approval from your cat as well,” Veronica said.

  At the sound of the woman’s voice, Lola abandoned all thoughts of trying to sneak a taste of whatever was inside the pitcher, and instead wanted to sneak a few cuddles from the stranger at the table. As usual, Lola ignored manners and decorum and leapt from the table into Veronica’s lap.

  “Lola!” Alberta cried. “That is no way to treat company.”

  “On the contrary,” Veronica said. “I’m what is commonly known as a cat lady. My little girl, Ziti, passed away six months ago. I’ve been meaning to go to the shelter to adopt another cat, but I’ve been so busy at the diner I haven’t had the time.”

  “Teri Jo told me you had a cat,” Helen said.

  Just like Lola, Helen often ignored manners and decorum. While there was nothing wrong with Helen bringing up the recently deceased woman’s name, it came without warning and shocked the rest of the them into silence. Since Veronica was their guest and the subject of Helen’s comment, the group waited for her to speak first.

  “I can’t believe she’s gone, and in such a tragic way,” Veronica said. “It seems impossible to me, I can’t figure out what happened. I only hope the police can find out who’s responsible so this nightmare can be over.”

  “Do you have any children, Veronica?”

  It sounded as if Alberta had adopted Helen’s blunt way of talking, but she only made her comment because of the way Veronica was holding Lola. The cat was cradled in Veronica’s arms and being rocked like a baby. It took a few seconds, but Veronica finally understood the reasoning behind the question.

  “No, I unfortunately wasn’t able to have children,” Veronica confessed, bouncing Lola gently in her arms. “Which is why my first husband left me.”

  “Maledire,” Alberta said. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  Smiling wistfully, Veronica replied, “It is what it is, I got over it a long time ago. But life has a funny way of working itself out.”

  “Because Teri Jo became like a daughter to you?” Helen asked.

  She hedged a bit, but Veronica finally agreed. “Something like that.”

  “I got to know Teri a little bit this past year, and she was very grateful for the job and the opportunities you were going to give her,” Helen offered.

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Veronica said. “It’s all so bittersweet right now though.”

  “What opportunities?” Alberta asked, ignoring Veronica’s attempt to change the subject.

  “I was grooming Teri to become the new manager,” Veronica reluctantly replied. “But now, well, I’ll just continue to handle most of the day-to-day operations like I’ve been doing. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to do it, though. It’s exhausting, running your own business.”

  For some it’s also exhausting staying in one position for too long. Without warning, Lola jumped out of Veronica’s arms and ran over to the front door. An unusual action even for Lola, until the women realized the cat wasn’t acting ill-tempered, she was merely curious.

  “Did you hear that?” Jinx said.

  “I did,” Alberta replied. “There’s a noise outside.”

  Just as Alberta was going to open the door leading to the backyard, Joyce shoved a broom in her hand.

  “What’s this for?” Alberta asked.

  “In case there’s an intruder,” Joyce explained.

  “So I can sweep him off the porch?”

  “No!” Helen cried. “So you can bash him in the head with it!”

  “Jinx, grab Lola so she doesn’t run out,” Alberta ordered. “The rest of you stay right behind me.”

  No one questioned Alberta, not even Veronica. They all followed her command, which was further testament of Alberta’s growing role as leader. She was also a sixty-six-year-old woman who was fully aware of her limitations. When she yanked open the door, she swatted the air with the broom and screamed.

  Once she screamed, they all screamed, including Lola, but, of course, no one knew why they were screaming since there was no one standing in front of them trying to break in.

  Alberta flicked on the lights to the backyard and they still couldn’t see anyone lurking in the bushes or even trying to get away by jumping in Memory Lake and swimming to the opposite side. Whoever or whatever made the noise was no longer there.

  “Maybe it was an animal. There are lots of deer this time of year,” Jinx suggested. “Our screaming must’ve scared it off.”

  “To be on the safe side, I’m going to stay the night,” Helen declared. “You shouldn’t be alone, Berta.”

  Closing the door and putting away the broom, Alberta scoffed at the idea. “Don’t be silly, I’ll be fine.”

  “Do I need to remind you of what happened in this town this morning?” Helen asked. “I’m staying.”

  Giving up, Alberta threw her hands in the air. “Bene! Resta se vuoi.”

  “I think it’s time I should go,” Veronica said. “I’ve had far too much excitement for one day, but thank you so much for inviting me. It was good to spend time with people who knew Teri Jo.”

  “You’re welcome to come here anytime,” Alberta said, accenting her words with a hug.

  “Come with me, Veronica,” Joyce said. “I’ll drive you and Jinx home.”

  The women exchanged good-nights, but all goodwill evaporated when Alberta and Helen were left alone in the house.

  “Attenti alle aringhe rosse,” Helen muttered.

  “Are you still talking about Jinx’s drink?” Alberta asked. “I thought it was tasty.”

  “Not that red herring, I’m talking about Veronica,” Helen clarified. “There’s something not right about her.”

  Alberta couldn’t disagree, as she had also gotten strange vibes when she was in Veronica’s presence earlier in the day. However, after spending a few hours with her and getting to know her a little better, she had dismissed her earlier misgivings.

  “What exactly are you talking about, Helen?”

  “She lied to us,” Helen said. “Teri Jo told me Veronica was never married.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Una cena con qualsiasi altro nome.

  So now there were two mysteries afoot: Who killed Teri Jo Linbruck? And why was Veronica Andrews a liar? Could the answers to those questions possibly be linked? Could a murder and a lie be connected? Or could Alberta and Jinx be imagining things in order to speed up their investigation? Grandmother and granddaughter needed a reality check, which was why they were waiting, somewhat patiently, in Vinny’s office to discuss their case.

  “I let Alberta and Jinx wait inside, Chief,” Tambra said as Vinny was about to enter his office. “I didn’t think you’d mind.”

  “Why would he mind, Tambra?” Alberta shouted. “We’ve always been like family and now we’re like colleagues!”

  “Come on in, partner!” Jinx yelled.

  “If you suddenly find yourself filling in for the meter maids, Tambra,” Vinny said, “don’t be surprised.”

  “Methinks the chief of
police protests too much,” Alberta said. “That’s from the Shakespeare.”

  “I know it’s from the Shakespeare!” Vinny shouted, slamming the door behind him as he entered his office. “I took creative writing classes in night school. I’m not just a man in blue, you know.”

  “You, um, don’t wear a uniform, Mr. D’Angelo,” Jinx commented. “And technically your sports jacket is more of a gray-blue.”

  Vinny glared at Jinx before slowly lowering his hulking frame into his well-worn chair. He folded his hands in front of him, exhaled slowly, and, much calmer, changed the subject.

  “To what do I owe the honor of this visit from you two soft-spoken ladies?”

  “Ah, Madon! You know why we’re here, and we’re not soft-spoken,” Alberta cried. “What’s wrong with you? I thought you got past being irritated by our interference.”

  “Gram meant to say ‘by our help,’” Jinx corrected.

  “That too,” Alberta said. “So why the brutta faccia?”

  “I don’t have an ugly face,” Vinny protested.

  “Jinx, give the man a mirror,” Alberta replied.

  Exasperated, Vinny stretched his neck so his head tilted from side to side and then leaned over his desk. Automatically, Alberta and Jinx leaned forward in their chairs, hoping to be on the receiving end of an early breakthrough in their case, since they were certain Vinny was going to share some confidential news. They were disappointed to learn his news was old.

  “A woman’s been murdered,” Vinny announced.

  “Another one?” both women shrieked.

  “No! Teri Jo.”

  “We already know that,” Alberta said. “That’s why we’re here, to discuss the case.”

  “That’s the problem,” Vinny replied. “There is no case. We’ve come up empty.”

  Alberta looked at the chief of police sitting across from her and marveled that a man so physically imposing could also be so emotionally vulnerable. Vinny truly had not changed much from the quiet, introspective boy she used to babysit. She needed to give him a pep talk like in the old days.