Free Dos Equis by Anthony Bidulka Page A

in the short
    time they’d had, was damning enough to convict her for Jane’s murder. They suspected the gun she used to kill herself would
    end up being the same one she used to kill Jane. Motive? Jane must have discovered that Lynette killed her own mother. A
    mother killer. No one on the street that day was sad that Lynette Kraus was dead too.
    It all should have felt right. Millie suspected Hilda’s death was murder. She’d hired Jane to look into her prime suspect,
    Lynette Kraus. Jane did what she was asked. She found out the truth. She was killed for it. The murderer met with the ultimate justice: her own death. Case closed.
    But Jane hadn’t closed the case. Instead, she’d called me, asking for help. That wasn’t the action of an investigator who’d
    wrapped things up. And there was the little matter of my Tom Ford man. I knew the cops were beginning to think that either I was wrong, or by some bizarre coincidence, I just happened to interrupt a break-in in progress which had nothing to do with
    the dead body lying on the floor. Possible? Of course. Probable? Oh come on!
    So I pounded away at the elliptical and pressed hateful iron until the sweat soaked through my clothing and began to obscure my vision.
    It was over. So why didn’t it feel over?
    Saskatoon has more than three hundred restaurants. This is quite a few for a city with a population under a quarter million.
    Despite the riches of restaurants, Sereena maintains that the only time to try different restaurants is when you’re out of town.
    When at home, you should stick to three or four that you really like. Visit them often. Get to know the staff and management. Tip outrageously. This practice ensures you great service, great food, and a great experience every time. Plus, every now and then, you got a free aperitif or dessert thrown in. I have found her advice to be sound.
    Colourful Mary’s was one of my “three or four” places. At first, I supported it because it was the only eating establishment in town owned and operated by an openly gay couple. I did this despite my experience that—surprisingly—“gay-owned” does
    not necessarily equate with three-star, Michelin Guide quality. Either the food isn’t very good, the prices are too high, or the ambiance is too raunchy, too trendy, or both. Not to say there’s anything wrong with raunchy or trendy, but you’ve gotta have the culinary goods to back it up. Colourful Mary’s blends the cultural gastronomy of the Ukrainian/First Nations backgrounds of the two owners, Marushka and Mary. It has turned out to be an unlikely but unbeatable combination.
    Adding to the unique mixture of restaurant and bookstore, and the varied and distinctive menu, Colourful Mary’s is also
    famed for the owners’ predilection for redecoration and reinvention. Every change in season or Mary’s mood, brings a decor
    rebirth to the restaurant. Over the years, the place has been a rustic Alpine chateau, an African sanctuary, a medieval castle, and Aunty Em’s kitchen from Wizard of Oz . Yet, no matter what the place looks like, stepping inside is like visiting the home of your favourite (eccentric) aunt: you feel welcome and wanted, and you know you won’t leave until you’ve been well fed.
    This time, I walked into the perfect antidote for the chilly weather. Wandering through the front door was as if I was entering a tent belonging to a Maharajah. The colours were dark and rich, with plenty of gold and silver highlights. The floor was
    littered with cushions and metal urns. There were fantastic armoured pieces, and fanciful chauris (whisks), ankushas (sticks used to goad elephants), and swords. The walls were draped with thick fabrics that seemed to embrace you with promised
    warmth as soon as you entered into this foreign land. It was the splendour of a princely Indian court. As always, the staff was dressed to fit the theme. The most splendid costumes were the vintage saris worn by Collie Flower and