Bedeviled Eggs Read Online Free PDF Page B

soon, Arthur,”
Suzanne responded. Gazing into the cafe, she saw that another table had come avail able. Springing into
action, Suzanne rushed over and began clearing it off, vowing to one day hire a
full-time busboy— one who didn’t have to be in school during their busiest hours.
    Then two more groups
poured in, Petra hit the bell sig naling for a pickup, and the phone rang. When it
rains, it pours!
     
     

Chapter Four
      “You grab the phone,”
said Toni, “I’ll take care of the rest.”
    “Bless you,” Suzanne
murmured, speeding into the Book Nook and grabbing the phone. “Cackleberry Club,” she answered brightly.
    “It’s Gene,” said a
raspy, male voice.
    Rats.
Gene Gandle, the annoying reporter-slash-sales guy from the Bugle.
    “Is this for take-out?”
Suzanne asked in her most professional-sounding voice, hoping Gene would take the hint that she was too busy to talk.
    “No, it’s for print,
Suzanne. I’m not interested in plac ing an order. Inquiring minds want to know what
happened at your place last
night.”
    “Gene, we’re swamped.
I don’t have time...”
    Gene plowed ahead
anyway. “Give me a few minutes,” he wheedled. ‘Talking over the phone is a lot easier than my coming
over and interviewing you in person. Think about it, do you really want a
reporter asking questions about last night’s murder in front of your
customers?”
    “Who says I’d give an
interview?” Suzanne’s demeanor dropped a few degrees colder than frozen. “I
have nothing to say to the
press, so stop badgering me.”
    “You want me to put
that in the newspaper?” Gene asked. “Sounds awfully suspicious, like you’ve got some thing to hide. How do
you think readers will react? Or your customers?”
    Suzanne gritted her
teeth and stared at a needlepoint on the wall that said, My disposition is subject
to change with out notice. “Are you trying to blackmail me?”
    Gene’s voice was silky
smooth now. “Not in the least, Suzanne. Just trying to cobble together a
plausible story. I already talked with a few of your customers from last night. Your read dating
folks.” He gave a sort of snort. “Now I’d like to get your view of things.”
    Suzanne
hesitated. Truly, Gene Gandle was a boorish clown.
    “I’m on deadline,”
Gene said, pressing.
    “Today’s
Monday. The Bugle doesn’t come out until Thursday.”
    “I like
to get a jump on things,” said Gene. “Just play fair with me, okay?”
    Suzanne’s eyes darted
around, looking for some sort of excuse or escape. Anything to get her out of this
conversa tion.
It came in the suddenly blessed form of Sheriff Roy Doogie, walking into the cafe and
plopping himself down heavily
at the counter.
    “Can’t talk now, Gene,”
Suzanne told him. “The sheriff just
arrived.”
    Speeding
into the cafe Suzanne grabbed a pot of coffee out of Toni’s hand and slipped
behind the counter. She put a large white ceramic coffee mug in front of Doogie and poured out a steamy
cup of coffee. Then she placed a knife and fork on top of a blue gingham napkin
and set a glass of fresh ice water beside it. Doogie reached for the glass and gulped the water down immediately.
    As he
wiped his lips with his sleeve, Suzanne said, “Find any evidence out there, Sheriff?”
She had to know, she couldn’t wait!
    Doogie gave a
surreptitious glance around, then nodded.
    “Really?” Suzanne was
suddenly heartened. Maybe there was a plausible explanation for last night. Maybe Doogie would actually solve the case!
    Then the pass-through
door slammed open and Petra called out, “You want something, Sheriff? I saw you grub bing around out back
and figured you might have worked up an appetite.”
    “Anything you got is
good,” said Doogie.
    “Anything?” Suzanne
asked, lifting an eyebrow. Usu ally
Doogie was picky beyond belief.
    “Eggs Momay is good,”
spoke up Doogie. ‘Taters if you got ‘em.” Doogie hadn’t earned the moniker “bottomless pit” for