Read Online Rubbed Out (A Memphis BBQ Mystery) by Riley Adams - Free Book Online
Authors: Riley Adams
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was the source of the attraction.”
Lulu gave a hooting laugh. “Mercy! No! Absolutely not. Even if he was interested, there’s no way I’d train another man. I’m too old. Not after all these years.”
The Graces laughed. But more than likely, they agreed with her.
“Besides,” said Lulu, “I know why John was hanging out with the Graces.”
“It wasn’t because of our charm and beauty?” asked Evelyn.
“I’m afraid not. I think he wanted to keep an eye on Reuben. If he’d been harassing Reuben, like Sharon was saying, then maybe he was looking for a good time to make trouble here at the festival.”
Cherry said, “That weasel! Telling us he doesn’t like conflict. Skipping out on us because he was so sensitive . A bunch of hooey!”
“Wait. I’m confused,” said Flo, squinting her eyes and studying Lulu. “So are you saying that John hung out in our booth to sort of scope out the area? Then hefound a chance to take Reuben out with a butcher knife? Doesn’t that seem kind of extreme?”
“Not to mention risky,” said Evelyn. “What if Reuben had seen him?”
“I’m wondering if maybe he did see him,” said Lulu. “Remember in the excitement of the fight? I thought that Reuben seemed to recognize someone or seemed like he was going to say something before he stopped. Maybe he’d spotted John before John slipped away.”
“Like I was saying,” said Evelyn, “risky.”
Cherry said, “You know, maybe he wasn’t really planning on murdering Reuben. Maybe he simply wanted to get back at him on a real simple level.”
“You’re right, Cherry,” said Lulu. “What if John planned some other kind of mischief for revenge? Maybe he was planning on ruining his barbeque by pouring something into the cooked meat. There’s lots of things he could have done on a much smaller scale.”
“Or maybe,” said Evelyn, “he did kill Reuben. Because he sure has done a disappearing act now.”
Lulu said, “But isn’t it funny that he came by to see us after the murder? He acted like he didn’t know what had happened.”
“Because he was pumping us for information,” said Evelyn. “Remember how curious he was about what the police were saying and how we’d found the body and all? He was on a reconnaissance mission so he could protect himself better from being discovered.”
“Yeah, and smooth things over with us so we weren’t still mad at him. Mad people might start putting two and two together and wondering why he cut out of there while that fight was going on,” said Flo.
“I say he’s dirty,” said Cherry, viciously poking at the barbeque. “And Lulu, let’s plan on showing up at his house real soon. I want to surprise him, all right.”
“Maybe surprise him enough to shoot y’all in his foyer,” drawled Evelyn.
Lulu said, “I was thinking more that we would go to his house and park in front of his neighbor’s house and wait for him to come outside. I’d rather talk to John in full view of the outside world. Just in case.”
Derrick came by the booth with the twins.
Lulu gave them all a hug. “Girls,” she said, “how about if I take y’all around the festival for a while? I haven’t had a chance to really see what all is out there.”
Coco said, “Can we see the singing contest?”
“There are judges and only the best singers keep from getting booted off,” said Ella Beth. “And the audience gets to help choose!”
“Sure thing. It sounds like a lot of fun. Maybe we can buy some slushies to drink while we watch—it feels like it’s starting to really heat up,” said Lulu.
Evelyn said, “By the way, Derrick, you know I’ve been operating as official hostess here at the Graces’ booth. We’ve had a heap of people…personal guests, of course…come through here and they’ve raved overthe tee shirts. I’ve heard so many nice things said about them.”
“Me, too!” said Flo. “Everybody has said how clever they are and how much they love
Lulu gave a hooting laugh. “Mercy! No! Absolutely not. Even if he was interested, there’s no way I’d train another man. I’m too old. Not after all these years.”
The Graces laughed. But more than likely, they agreed with her.
“Besides,” said Lulu, “I know why John was hanging out with the Graces.”
“It wasn’t because of our charm and beauty?” asked Evelyn.
“I’m afraid not. I think he wanted to keep an eye on Reuben. If he’d been harassing Reuben, like Sharon was saying, then maybe he was looking for a good time to make trouble here at the festival.”
Cherry said, “That weasel! Telling us he doesn’t like conflict. Skipping out on us because he was so sensitive . A bunch of hooey!”
“Wait. I’m confused,” said Flo, squinting her eyes and studying Lulu. “So are you saying that John hung out in our booth to sort of scope out the area? Then hefound a chance to take Reuben out with a butcher knife? Doesn’t that seem kind of extreme?”
“Not to mention risky,” said Evelyn. “What if Reuben had seen him?”
“I’m wondering if maybe he did see him,” said Lulu. “Remember in the excitement of the fight? I thought that Reuben seemed to recognize someone or seemed like he was going to say something before he stopped. Maybe he’d spotted John before John slipped away.”
“Like I was saying,” said Evelyn, “risky.”
Cherry said, “You know, maybe he wasn’t really planning on murdering Reuben. Maybe he simply wanted to get back at him on a real simple level.”
“You’re right, Cherry,” said Lulu. “What if John planned some other kind of mischief for revenge? Maybe he was planning on ruining his barbeque by pouring something into the cooked meat. There’s lots of things he could have done on a much smaller scale.”
“Or maybe,” said Evelyn, “he did kill Reuben. Because he sure has done a disappearing act now.”
Lulu said, “But isn’t it funny that he came by to see us after the murder? He acted like he didn’t know what had happened.”
“Because he was pumping us for information,” said Evelyn. “Remember how curious he was about what the police were saying and how we’d found the body and all? He was on a reconnaissance mission so he could protect himself better from being discovered.”
“Yeah, and smooth things over with us so we weren’t still mad at him. Mad people might start putting two and two together and wondering why he cut out of there while that fight was going on,” said Flo.
“I say he’s dirty,” said Cherry, viciously poking at the barbeque. “And Lulu, let’s plan on showing up at his house real soon. I want to surprise him, all right.”
“Maybe surprise him enough to shoot y’all in his foyer,” drawled Evelyn.
Lulu said, “I was thinking more that we would go to his house and park in front of his neighbor’s house and wait for him to come outside. I’d rather talk to John in full view of the outside world. Just in case.”
Derrick came by the booth with the twins.
Lulu gave them all a hug. “Girls,” she said, “how about if I take y’all around the festival for a while? I haven’t had a chance to really see what all is out there.”
Coco said, “Can we see the singing contest?”
“There are judges and only the best singers keep from getting booted off,” said Ella Beth. “And the audience gets to help choose!”
“Sure thing. It sounds like a lot of fun. Maybe we can buy some slushies to drink while we watch—it feels like it’s starting to really heat up,” said Lulu.
Evelyn said, “By the way, Derrick, you know I’ve been operating as official hostess here at the Graces’ booth. We’ve had a heap of people…personal guests, of course…come through here and they’ve raved overthe tee shirts. I’ve heard so many nice things said about them.”
“Me, too!” said Flo. “Everybody has said how clever they are and how much they love
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