Read Online Rubbed Out (A Memphis BBQ Mystery) by Riley Adams - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Riley Adams
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ran up to hug him, you didn’t notice he was having an argument with that guy from the booth next to the Graces. Awk- ward !”
Lulu said quickly, “Coco…which man do you mean?”
“The loud one, the one that Auntie Flo had to drag us away from yesterday so we wouldn’t hear him,” said Coco.
“And Ella Beth, you gave this man a hug?”
“No, no, no. I was fixing to give Tim the waiter a hug. He plays Crazy Eights with me at Aunt Pat’s sometimes. But Derrick stopped me because Tim was having an argument with that really loud guy.” Ella Beth seemed disappointed that she hadn’t been observant enough to see they’d been arguing.
“You didn’t hear what they were arguing about?” asked Lulu.
“No. Because Coco started fussing with me about whose turn it was to sit in the front seat on the way back home,” said Ella Beth.
Fortunately, before this argument was reincarnated, they were within sight of the Graces’ booth and the girls raced each other to see who could get there first. They flew right past Derrick, who was approaching with his girlfriend, Peaches. It looked to be the perfect opportunity for her to talk to him without the twins being around.
At first glance, Peaches didn’t seem like a natural match for Derrick. The girl was lovely with long blond hair,sparkling blue eyes, and the cutest clothes. She provided quite a contrast with Derrick and his dark clothes, piercings, and tattoos. Somehow, though, the balance worked.
Peaches gave Lulu a big hug. Lulu said, “Have y’all had a good time at the festival?”
“We sure have,” said Peaches. “Derrick was sweet to buy me some food. I’m stuffed!” Her rosy cheeks dimpled in a smile.
Derrick grinned and said, “It wasn’t exactly food technically.”
“Half food, half drink? A fried Coca-Cola,” said Peaches, grinning back at him.
“What?” asked Lulu, making a face.
“A fried Coke. They said it was really just Coke-flavored batter with more Coke, whipped cream, and cinnamon on top. You wouldn’t believe how good it was,” said Peaches.
She had that right.
“Well, sugar, I’m tickled that you enjoyed it. And you go home and really scrub those pretty teeth of yours.” said Lulu. “Your grandmama will have our hides if we conspired to get you cavities. So y’all are still making the rounds here, right? Lots to do, lots to see. And no rain right now, so that’s a good thing.”
“Don’t jinx us, Granny Lulu,” Derrick said, peering apprehensively at the big clouds overhead.
“Before y’all go on your way, I was wondering if I could ask you something about yesterday, Derrick. Now,don’t get all concerned on me”—Derrick’s face had quickly clouded up as if thinking he’d done something wrong—“it’s something the girls mentioned to me about our waiter.”
“Oh,” said Derrick, nodding, “that guy with the real dark hair. He’s got to be dyeing it. What’s his name…Tim.”
“That’s right. The girls say that y’all saw him yesterday,” said Lulu.
“We did. Ella Beth was going to run up and give him a hug because they play cards together on the porch at the restaurant or something. But I stopped her because he and another guy were arguing about something,” said Derrick.
“Thanks for putting the brakes on her. Did you hear what the men were arguing about?” asked Lulu.
“Not a whole lot. Actually, I was trying to listen in because they were so focused on each other and the other guy was so mad that they didn’t even notice us—didn’t even see a little girl running at them. I thought that was weird. The other guy, not Tim, was saying that Tim wasn’t returning his messages or coming to his door.”
Lulu said, “This guy that Tim was talking to, what did he look like?”
Derrick described a short, bald man. Reuben.
“What did Tim say when Reuben…that’s the other guy, Derrick…complained about him not returning his messages?”
“Tim said he’d moved. And that he’d
Lulu said quickly, “Coco…which man do you mean?”
“The loud one, the one that Auntie Flo had to drag us away from yesterday so we wouldn’t hear him,” said Coco.
“And Ella Beth, you gave this man a hug?”
“No, no, no. I was fixing to give Tim the waiter a hug. He plays Crazy Eights with me at Aunt Pat’s sometimes. But Derrick stopped me because Tim was having an argument with that really loud guy.” Ella Beth seemed disappointed that she hadn’t been observant enough to see they’d been arguing.
“You didn’t hear what they were arguing about?” asked Lulu.
“No. Because Coco started fussing with me about whose turn it was to sit in the front seat on the way back home,” said Ella Beth.
Fortunately, before this argument was reincarnated, they were within sight of the Graces’ booth and the girls raced each other to see who could get there first. They flew right past Derrick, who was approaching with his girlfriend, Peaches. It looked to be the perfect opportunity for her to talk to him without the twins being around.
At first glance, Peaches didn’t seem like a natural match for Derrick. The girl was lovely with long blond hair,sparkling blue eyes, and the cutest clothes. She provided quite a contrast with Derrick and his dark clothes, piercings, and tattoos. Somehow, though, the balance worked.
Peaches gave Lulu a big hug. Lulu said, “Have y’all had a good time at the festival?”
“We sure have,” said Peaches. “Derrick was sweet to buy me some food. I’m stuffed!” Her rosy cheeks dimpled in a smile.
Derrick grinned and said, “It wasn’t exactly food technically.”
“Half food, half drink? A fried Coca-Cola,” said Peaches, grinning back at him.
“What?” asked Lulu, making a face.
“A fried Coke. They said it was really just Coke-flavored batter with more Coke, whipped cream, and cinnamon on top. You wouldn’t believe how good it was,” said Peaches.
She had that right.
“Well, sugar, I’m tickled that you enjoyed it. And you go home and really scrub those pretty teeth of yours.” said Lulu. “Your grandmama will have our hides if we conspired to get you cavities. So y’all are still making the rounds here, right? Lots to do, lots to see. And no rain right now, so that’s a good thing.”
“Don’t jinx us, Granny Lulu,” Derrick said, peering apprehensively at the big clouds overhead.
“Before y’all go on your way, I was wondering if I could ask you something about yesterday, Derrick. Now,don’t get all concerned on me”—Derrick’s face had quickly clouded up as if thinking he’d done something wrong—“it’s something the girls mentioned to me about our waiter.”
“Oh,” said Derrick, nodding, “that guy with the real dark hair. He’s got to be dyeing it. What’s his name…Tim.”
“That’s right. The girls say that y’all saw him yesterday,” said Lulu.
“We did. Ella Beth was going to run up and give him a hug because they play cards together on the porch at the restaurant or something. But I stopped her because he and another guy were arguing about something,” said Derrick.
“Thanks for putting the brakes on her. Did you hear what the men were arguing about?” asked Lulu.
“Not a whole lot. Actually, I was trying to listen in because they were so focused on each other and the other guy was so mad that they didn’t even notice us—didn’t even see a little girl running at them. I thought that was weird. The other guy, not Tim, was saying that Tim wasn’t returning his messages or coming to his door.”
Lulu said, “This guy that Tim was talking to, what did he look like?”
Derrick described a short, bald man. Reuben.
“What did Tim say when Reuben…that’s the other guy, Derrick…complained about him not returning his messages?”
“Tim said he’d moved. And that he’d
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