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

was at the festival where it happened.”
    Brody seemed like he wanted to say more, but at that point they heard Morty’s voice calling him, searching for equipment. He thanked them for the drink and headed back over to his booth, leaving the women staring after him.
    “What do you think?” asked Cherry in a low voice. “Could the ex have done it?”
    Flo snorted. “The ex always wants to do it. But how many actually act on it? Maybe our friend Brody wants to focus attention on someone else for a change. He’s got to know that he’s a main suspect, considering he was in a huge fight with the victim a few hours before he showed up dead.”
    “Yeah,” said Cherry glumly, staring into her empty beer bottle, “but that also describes me, too.”
    Lulu said, “I think we’ve just increased our suspects by one. Maybe by two, depending on this teenager. Is Reuben’s child nineteen or thirteen? If he’s older, maybe hefelt resentful and did it himself. Which would be a very sad thing.”
    “Even kids have been homicidal,” reminded Flo, absently patting her beehive hairdo.
    “Sure, but not very often,” said Cherry. “We should find out more about those two.”
    “And more about John and Tim the waiter,” said Lulu with a sigh. She filled them in on what Derrick and the girls had shared with her. “We have our work cut out for us.”
    “Where should we start?” asked Cherry.
    “Where should I start, you mean?” asked Lulu ruefully. “ You need to be getting your samples out for the judges. I believe I’ll help close down the restaurant tonight and give Ben and Sara a break.”
    Cherry said, “And ask Tim a few questions while you’re there, I’m guessing?”
    “Exactly. I won’t have a chance otherwise. I can’t pull a waiter aside when the restaurant is as busy as it is,” said Lulu. “We’d have another murder on our hands then because Ben and Sara would have my head.”
    *   *   *
    Even after closing, there was still a very busy feel to Aunt Pat’s. The staff swept and vacuumed, removed tablecloths, and wiped down tables. Ben was cleaning in the kitchen and Sara was working on the books in the office. They both looked beat.
    “Why don’t y’all go ahead and scoot on off home,” said Lulu to Sara. “I can finish up the accounts and the kitchen in a jiff.”
    Sara frowned. “Are you sure? You’re spending a heap of time at the festival, and I know you took the girls around today. Don’t you want to go turn in yourself?”
    “You know, I kind of miss my Aunt Pat’s time. It’s hard to go from spending all day here to no time here at all. No, y’all go on home and I’ll lock up. Give the twins and Derrick a kiss for me,” said Lulu.
    Sara wasn’t going to argue with her, especially as worn out as she was. She quickly collected her pocketbook and Ben, and they left in a hurry.
    Most of the staff was leaving, too, so Lulu was quick to pull Tim aside before he made his way to the parking deck. “Tim, can I talk to you for a few minutes in the office?”
    He followed her in and sat at the table in the room. “I’m sorry—did I do something wrong?”
    Lulu quickly shook her head. Tim Gentry’s face had a perennially anxious expression on it, and she didn’t want to make it any worse. He had very dark hair that appeared dyed to her, as if the worry had turned him gray prematurely. He was lean, almost gaunt.
    “No,” Lulu said, “you’ve been a great worker since you’ve joined us, Tim. I guess that’s been…let’s see…”
    “About four months,” said Tim. “And I’m grateful for the job,” he added quickly, again getting that strained crease around his lips.
    Lulu quickly got to the point to avoid making the man any more anxious. “I was curious about a connection of yours, actually—someone we saw you with recently that we didn’t know you knew. A man named Reuben Shaw.”
    What little remaining color in Tim’s face quickly vanished and his shoulders slumped