Free Rubbed Out (A Memphis BBQ Mystery) by Riley Adams

been busy. But then he said that he was tired of ‘living his life like this.’ Then that other guy, Reuben I guess, pulled him off by the arm to talk somewhere else.” Derrick shrugged. “That’s all I heard.”
    Lulu gave him a quick hug. “That’s very, very helpful, Derrick. You were very observant to have seen and heard all that.”
    Peaches’ blue eyes grew wide. “Are you investigating another case? Gran always talks about you being a gifted detective.”
    Lulu clucked. “Well, I wouldn’t say that. I wouldn’t say I was investigating or anything. I’m just poking around, checking things out.”
    “Is that because Cherry is in trouble?” asked Derrick, concerned. “I don’t think she’s really a serious suspect, but she did have an argument with that Reuben,” said Lulu.
    “Sounds like he was arguing with absolutely everybody,” said Peaches. “Maybe it’s not such a bad thing that he’s not around anymore.”

Derrick and Peaches were off to explore more of the festival, and Evelyn offered to drive the twins back to the restaurant since she was leaving. Lulu decided she’d stay put at the booth and visit for a while. Morty, Buddy, and Big Ben arrived at the Graces’ booth, so there was suddenly a lot of activity…and hugging. Morty and his friends comprised the Back Porch Blues Band, and now in their eighties, they’d had a relationship with both Lulu and Aunt Pat for decades. They were loyal regulars at the restaurant and played on the screen porch there quite a bit, too.
    “I hear there’s some cooking to be done,” said Buddy. “Maybe there might be some eating, too?”
    “What I can’t figure out,” said Big Ben, “is why the best cook at the whole festival isn’t cooking.”
    “Shoot,” said Morty, “you know that wouldn’t be fair, Big Ben. If Lulu were to start cooking up Aunt Pat–style barbeque, the other guys wouldn’t even have a shot at winning. It all has to be fair, you know. Besides, the rules say that professional cooks can’t compete.”
    “I hear there’s trouble afoot, too,” said Big Ben in what he apparently thought was a whisper. “I know if Lulu is on it, then the case will be sewn up in no time.”
    “I bet Pink is kicking back and relaxing, knowing that Lulu is on the case,” agreed Buddy.
    Lulu sighed. “Y’all are sweet, but I have a feeling Pink is probably hoping I don’t get involved. You know how trouble always springs up when I do.”
    “Sure enough,” said Buddy, “but the mysteries end up getting solved, don’t they?”
    She couldn’t really argue with that.
    “So we’ll mosey on next door and I’ll introduce Big Ben and Buddy to Sharon and Brody,” said Morty. “And if we happen to hear anything that might be a clue, we’ll hand it over.”
    “I sure do like the idea of being a spy,” said Buddy. “I could use that kind of excitement in my life right now. Life has been kind of on the stale side lately.”
    Big Ben, on the hard-of-hearing end of the scale, bellowed, “What’s that?”
    “I said life was boring,” hollered Buddy.
    Morty snorted. “I doubt that. You’ve got a lady friend.”
    “Well, that’s right. But it seems like we do the same stuff all the time. Wave at cars on the front porch. Eat the free samples at the Costco. Go to the early bird specials at the cafeteria.” Buddy shrugged. “We’re in a rut.”
    “What you need to do,” said Morty, jabbing his finger in the air, “is to shake things up a little bit.”
    Buddy made a face. “Sure, that all sound s like a wonderful idea. But you know how it is when you get into a rut. In some ways it’s sorta comfortable there. It takes a bunch of effort to mess with a routine. Bunches of effort. And I’m an old guy.”
    “It doesn’t have to take too much effort,” said Lulu. “Our Derrick squired Peggy Sue’s granddaughter around the festival. You should see if Leticia would join you later after you’re done cooking. Y’all don’t go to