Free Hope Callaghan - Garden Girls 05 - Eye Spy by Hope Callaghan Page A

part-time waitress, was there, too.  She was running back and forth like a chicken with her head cut off. 
    Gloria rolled up her sleeves and headed to the pass-thru window.  “How can I help?” 
    Dot looked up from the fryer.  She swiped a long strand of hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear.  “If you don’t mind, can you make the rounds with coffee and ice water?”
    Dot didn’t wait for an answer.  Instead, she grabbed the pot from the burner, shoved the full coffee carafe in Gloria’s hand and disappeared.  Gloria set the coffee pot down, grabbed a spare apron off the hook by the door and slipped it over her head.  She picked the pot back up and headed to the front.
    She wandered from table-to-table refilling coffee cups and picking up empty plates.  Carl Arnett and Al Dickerson were in the corner.  They both had empty coffee cups.  Gloria headed to their table.  She refilled their cups and Al looked up.  “Dot put you to work, huh?”
    “I offered,” Gloria answered. 
    Carl spoke up. “Heard Ruth’s staying out at your place,” he said.
    Gloria nodded.  “For a few days.”
    Al leaned back in his chair as Gloria grabbed his empty soup bowl.  “That’s a shame ‘bout Kenny,” he said.
    Gloria raised her eyebrows.  She didn’t want to let on she knew anything about Kenny.  Maybe Al heard something Gloria hadn’t. 
    Al went on.  “Yeah, my cousin, he works in some kind of intelligence agency there in Lansing.”  Al lowered his voice.  “He heard they were bringing down a big drug cartel here in this area and they were about to take down the ringleader.”
    Al had Gloria’s undivided attention.  She heard they already had the drug ringleader and were looking for the middle-man now.  She didn’t mention that to Al or Carl.  Instead, she said, “You don’t say…”
    Carl wiped the edges of his mouth and threw the napkin on top of his empty plate.   “They need to get the riff-raff off our streets.  Can you imagine what this is doing to our property values?”
    Gloria had the exact same thought.  She nodded.  “I know!  I better get back to work,” she said.
    By the time she refilled all the coffee cups and water glasses, the place started to empty out.  She wandered back into the kitchen where Dot was stacking plastic containers full of pickles and tomatoes inside the refrigerator.  She spied Gloria carrying an empty coffee pot.  “Thanks for helping out!”
    Gloria untied the aprons strings and lifted the apron over her head.  She hung it back on the hook where she’d found it.  “You know I don’t mind.” She eyed Dot.  “I have to say, though, doing it every day - day in and day out, would wear on me after a while.”
    Dot shrugged.  “You get used to it.” She changed the subject.  “How are you and Ruth surviving each other?”
    Gloria picked up her purse and fiddled with the clasp.  “Not bad.  She’s no problem.  But she’s chomping at the bit to get back to work.”  That was an understatement.
    Dot shut the refrigerator door.  “Maybe we need a Garden Girls meeting.  We can put our heads together like we did when someone got poisoned here at the restaurant.”
    Gloria nodded.  It was true.  The girls were great at helping Gloria solve her mysteries. 
    Back at the farm, Gloria found Ruth in the kitchen.  At the table.  Glued to the monitor.  She didn’t look up as Gloria let herself in.  She probably hadn’t even heard her.  An earbud was firmly planted in each ear.  But she did notice Gloria. 
    “They think its Kenny,” Ruth whispered.
    Gloria’s stomach grumbled.  She hadn’t eaten yet, except for the donut.  She pulled roasted turkey, sliced cheddar cheese and a jar of mayo from the fridge and spread them out on the table.  Next, she pulled a loaf of bread from the bread box and a knife from the silverware drawer.  “Are you hungry?”
    Ruth shook her head.  “No. I ate a little while ago.”