locally made. They have twenty flavors daily and rotate the offerings.â She put the menu down.
âHey, Suz, howâs it going?â A young man with a sunny smile, tie-dyed shirt, and well-worn jeans came to the table. His almost-shoulder-length dark brown hair was tucked behind his ears.
âNoah, Iâd like you to meet Kelly Jackson. Sheâs managing the Redwood Cove Bed-and-Breakfast for a while.â
âNice to meet you.â A cloud passed over his face. âAny news on Ruth?â
âSheâs out of intensive care,â I said.
âGlad to hear it.â Noah pursed his lips and took out a pad and pen from his back pocket. âWhat can I get you ladies?â
âIâll have two slices of the Apprentice,â Suzie said, âand a pot of tea.â
I read the menu. The Apprentice pizza listed roasted garlic sauce, mushrooms, tomatoes, chicken, and caramelized onions all topped with fresh basil.
âAny suggestions?â I scanned the choices.
He cocked his head at me. âYou might want to try the grilled portobello mushroom burger. Like nothing else on the planet.â
The description of Noahâs burger won me over. Organic mushroom caps marinated in balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary, among other wonderful seasonings. Toppings included grilled red onions, avocado, spinach, tomatoes, and pepper jack cheese. A seasonal green salad came on the side. âBurger it is, and Iâll have tea, as well.â
âGot it.â Noah went to a side bar and came back with a wide array of organic teas from New Way Tea Company.
âYou wanted to know about my meeting with Bob.â Suzie put the tea bag into the pot that had whizzed to our table in record time.
âPlease.â I placed my purple napkin in my lap and pulled my notebook from my fanny pack.
âBob came over because he wanted to review the details for the chocolate and wine festival one more time. His thoroughness was legendary.â Her smile was a quiet one, not the usual bright burst Iâd become accustomed to. âWe also help with breakfast baking when your inn is as full as it is now. We were discussing pastry choices. Bob was conscientious about having new offerings for the guests.â
âI talked with the wine merchant, Phil. He said the same thing.â
âBob worked hard to build a loyal clientele.â
âDo you know where Bob was before he met you or where he was going afterward?â
âNo, we didnât talk about it.â
âWhat time did he meet with you?â
âIt was eleven. Speaking of the festival, I need to show you where some of the food is going to be stored and give you a couple of keys. Would tomorrow morning work?â
âIt should. I donât know the routine at the inn yet to feel comfortable setting a time right now. Iâll give you a call in the morning.â
âSounds good.â
A waiter arrived and placed food on the table. Suzieâs pizza had mounds of mushrooms; thinly sliced caramelized onions dripped over the sides of the slices. My burger was a riot of color accompanied by a vibrant green salad on the side.
Suzie was a local. Sheâd know about the Silver Sentinels. I wondered how she felt about them. âThereâs a group of senior citizens called the Silver Sentinels.â I sipped my tea. âDo you know them?â
âYes. I think theyâre a nice group of old folks looking for something to do.â
I poured myself more tea. Should I say something about their belief that Bob was murdered? If rumors were going around, sheâd probably heard them. Maybe others besides the Sentinels had the same thought. It was worth asking. âThey believe Bob was murdered. What do you think? Have you heard anything?â
âMurdered?â Melted cheese dripped from her pizza onto the plate as she held it still. âNo, I havenât heard anything like that. Who do they
Catherine Gilbert Murdock