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  Pancakes and Pleas

  Day and Night Diner, Book 1

  Gretchen Allen

  Summer Prescott Books Publishing

  Copyright 2019 Summer Prescott Books

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication nor any of the information herein may be quoted from, nor reproduced, in any form, including but not limited to: printing, scanning, photocopying, or any other printed, digital, or audio formats, without prior express written consent of the copyright holder.

  **This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to persons, living or dead, places of business, or situations past or present, is completely unintentional.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Also by Gretchen Allen

  Author’s Note

  Contact Summer Prescott Books Publishing

  Chapter One

  The Day and Night Diner was full of life even before the sun rose. For Josslyn Rockwell, every morning began the same way. She’d arrive at five-forty-five, just before her shift began, taking over the responsibilities of the overnight waitress, Becky. Joss would make sure that there was some extra coffee brewed, that the tables were cleared and set, and that her boss, Luke, wasn’t napping in his car. Like she always said, just another normal day.

  “How was last night?” Joss asked, emptying a bag of coffee grounds into a filter.

  “Pretty decent actually. A huge bus came through full of cheerleaders that were on their way to a competition or something. They came in at like, three and every single one of them ate something, and man, did they eat well. They tipped well, too.” Becky grinned.

  “Awesome!” she exclaimed, high-fiving her coworker.

  “Do you want me to stay for a little while until you get situated?” Becky asked.

  Joss looked around the diner. She saw a few people, but most of the tables were empty. That’s how it usually was until exactly six o’clock hit.

  “I’m probably okay. Where’s Luke?” Joss asked, portioning out some butter cups for the inevitable morning rush.

  “Good question. He should be around here somewhere. He didn’t come in until about five, mumbled something about paperwork, and I haven’t seen him since. Luckily we’ve only had a few customers.” Becky poured her tip jar into her purse, coins and all.

  “So, you did all the cooking, cleaning and serving? Hopefully that’s not a tell of how my day will go.” Joss sighed.

  “Garth was here most of the night cooking.” Becky shrugged and hoisted her purse over her shoulder.

  “Ya know you can cash your tips in here, right?” Joss asked.

  “I know. I just like it better this way. Makes me feel like I always have money on hand. Just reach in and see what I come up with.”

  “Weirdo. You’re gonna have a stiff neck carrying that heavy thing around all day.” Joss shook her head and set out a few coffee mugs on the counter.

  Just as Becky walked into the kitchen so she could leave out the back door, Luke came out of his office grumbling, and two of her regular customers came in through the front door.

  “Joss.” Luke gave a nod and brushed past her in a haze.

  Luke Prior was a great cook, a good man, an okay business owner, and a barely passable boss. He opened the Day and Night Diner twenty-five years previous and had done very well for himself over the years. The diner was well-known and well-loved by just about everyone in the quaint little town of Lemon Bay. Open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the diner offered something for everyone. Luke took special care of police officers, veterans, senior citizens, and town employees. Like Joss always said, he was a great cook and a good man, the rest left something to be desired.

  “Morning, Jack!” Joss greeted one of her regulars. She took the newspaper from him, and gestured for him to have a seat at his regular table where his coffee sat waiting for him.

  “How goes it?” Jack asked. “I’ll have my bagel this morning, thanks.”

  “All is well in my corner of the world. Thanks for asking. Blueberry bagel grilled, coming right up.” Their interaction was the same every morning.

  “Joss. Hello,” Hazel Hadley said quietly, heading to her favorite table.

  “Hi, Miss Hazel. Having your usual today?”

  “Please. And if you don’t mind passing me the obituaries…” Hazel began, eyeing Jack.

  Every day was the same with these two. They rarely spoke, and when they did it was because someone else was around and they didn’t want to make themselves look awkward. They saved that part for Joss. Jack brought in the newspaper, passed it off to Joss, but always tucked the obituary section in his jacket. She didn’t know if he did it because it was his favorite section of the paper, which she hoped not because that was super creepy, or if he did it just to give Hazel a hard time.

  Joss chuckled and played along. She poured Hazel her mug of coffee and went over to the counter, pulling apart the newspaper. “Gee. I can’t seem to find it. Is there another section you want?”

  “Very funny. I’ll wait.” Hazel gave Jack her best side eye and poured some sugar into her coffee, grumbling away under her breath.

  Joss shook her head and looked between the two customers. She couldn’t help but notice the sly grin on Jack’s face. For what it was worth, it seemed like these two enjoyed their odd friendship.

  “I’ll go get started on your breakfast,” Joss said, talking to both of them.

  Coming around the corner and up the two steps behind the counter, Joss made her way into the kitchen. She wasn’t sure why she thought Luke would be in there waiting for an order to cook. Peering out the small window on the kitchen door that led outside to the parking lot, she saw Luke in the front seat of his car, happily puffing away on his trademark cigar.

  Of course, she thought to herself. Scolding herself for giving Luke too much credit. If nothing else, she could thank him for abandoning her so often that she was able to learn the ropes of the restaurant business all on her own. Joss could cook and wait tables mid-breakfast rush all by herself. The lunch shift got a little tricky when she was on her own, but more often than not a second waitress was on schedule right before the busiest part of the afternoon began.

  Joss pulled out a blueberry bagel from the pantry behind the main kitchen area, slathered it with butter and dropped in on the already warm grill. She took two slices of precooked bacon and one sausage link and placed them on the back of the grill to warm slowly while she worked on Hazel’s eggs. She requested them to be “fried perfectly over-medium with absolutely no brown spots, and if the egg is broken, I’ll send it back. Along with a slice of sourdough toast, not too light and not too dark”. Not only could Joss recite the order word for word but chances were, she could also make it with her eyes closed. Despite everything, she loved her quirky customers, and she loved her job.

  Chapter Two

  “Twenty-four and twenty-five.” Joss counted back the customer’s change.

  “Thank you. We loved everything and will definitely be back.”

  Joss had just served a younger couple that she hadn’t recognized. When that happened, she always tried hard to make conversation and learn more about the customers. She figured, if they liked the food and the service, and if they are ever in the area again, they will be more likely to come back. It wasn’t as though Joss didn’
t try hard to make everyone happy, but Lemon Bay wasn’t exactly a booming metropolis. She’d lived there her entire life and so had pretty much everyone that came in to eat at the diner. Of course, she wanted them to be happy too, but there were plenty of times over the years when they’d had a bad experience and still came back again. It was all about loyalty in a town like Lemon Bay.

  “Glad to hear it. We look forward to seeing you again!” Joss waved to the couple as they left. Her wave turning into a hello to the woman that entered moments later.

  “Joss. You have to sit. We need to talk.” Bridget was frantic, hair all over the place and mascara streaking down her cheeks.

  “Are you okay?” Joss asked, coming around to meet Bridget at the counter.

  “I don’t know.” Bridget flopped down on a stool.

  “What’s going on? Were you crying? Are you hurt?” Joss looked Bridget up and down.

  “No. It’s not me. It’s much worse than being hurt. She was murdered. She was murdered, and I just know it!”

  Joss’s eyes scanned the diner, noticing the looks they were getting. She didn’t want to tell her friend to be quiet if she was serious about murder, but coming to the diner to tell her about it seemed like a poor choice compared to going to the police. Although, sometimes Bridget was known for her theatrics.

  “What? Who? And keep your voice down before you cause a scene.”

  “Danielle Perry,” she whispered.

  “Danielle? What are you talking about? I just saw her yesterday.” Joss thought back to the previous morning when Danielle had come into the diner with some of her coworkers from the hospital after their overnight shift.

  “I’m sure you did, but she was found dead last night. Dead. Do you believe it?” Bridget’s tears were flowing.

  “I’m so sorry,” Joss said, trying to console her. Growing up Joss, Bridget, and Danielle had all gone to school together and played on the same basketball team. Bridget and Danielle had stayed close while Joss went her own way over the years.

  Joss didn’t want to ask the about the gory details while she was at the diner. It was a sensitive situation, and with how upset Bridget was, it would likely make it worse if Joss asked questions.

  As if Bridget had read her mind, she spoke. “They found her in the bushes in her backyard, right under her balcony. Her own house. Who does something so awful?” Bridget sniffled.

  “Who’s they? Who found her?” Joss whispered.

  “The cops. They got a call from her parents saying they hadn’t heard from her, and asked them to do a welfare check. They ended up getting into her backyard through the fence gate that was left open and found her there.”

  “How do you know all of this?” Joss asked.

  “Emily told me. I took Ralphie around the block after the dog park, and she was driving by. She stopped me and told me all about it.” Bridget wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

  “So, it really was murder? Someone killed her?” Joss asked, gently putting her hand on Bridget’s shoulder. Emily was Danielle’s neighbor, so it made sense that she’d have seen what was going on.

  “I sure think so. The cops didn’t say anything, other than it was under investigation and they were leaning toward natural causes. They believe she fell from her balcony. At least, that’s what Verona told me.”

  Verona Price was Lemon Bay’s Chief of Police. Joss found it highly shocking that Verona would have said anything to Bridget at all. Unless it was to humor her or tide her over for a bit until more information came to light. Everyone in Lemon Bay knew that Bridget liked to talk and didn’t mind telling random strangers her life story and everyone else’s while she was at it. Just because Verona told her something, didn’t mean it was the truth. Officer of the law or not, Verona knew better.

  “We don’t know the facts yet. It’s devastating news. Danielle is a lovely woman and no matter what happened she didn’t deserve to be taken so soon. If there is anything I can do to help her family, please, keep me in the loop. I know we weren’t that close anymore, but still. I loved her like a sister at one time in my life.” Joss reminisced.

  “Was,” Bridget said.

  “Was what?” Joss raised a brow.

  “She was a lovely woman. I can’t imagine what her parents are feeling right now. And Robbie. Oh, my gosh. Robbie. What if he doesn’t even know yet? Do you think I should tell him?” Bridget’s eyes were wide.

  Robbie was Danielle’s boyfriend. Unless he was listed somewhere as someone to call in case of an emergency, he really may not know what happened yet. If the police thought it was an accident, they may call him, but if Bridget was right and it was murder, it was possible that he’d not yet been notified. Granted Joss and Danielle hadn’t been close in recent years, she knew that Danielle’s parents weren’t fond of Robbie, so they might not have him on their list of people to call. More likely, he was on the top of their list of people that could have killed her if that was really the case. Joss didn’t want to get too far ahead of herself. Information that came from Bridget wasn’t always accurate, so she would wait until she read the paper or heard more on the news.

  “I don’t think you should put that weight on your shoulders. Robbie probably already knows and is dealing with some hard things right now. My shift is just about over if you want to chat for a little while longer. We can go to my house or something,” Joss offered.

  “That sounds really nice. Thanks,” Bridget said, wiping her eyes again.

  Chapter Three

  Joss groaned, responding to the knock on her front door. It was her day off, and she’d been hoping to enjoy it alone. The days that she didn’t need to wake up at four am were the best ones as far as she was concerned. Looking at the clock that hung on her pale-gray living room wall, Joss forced herself off of the couch and to the door.

  “I brought cheesecake,” Tyla said the moment the door opened.

  “What are you doing here so early?” Joss asked.

  “I said, I brought cheesecake.” Tyla passed by, heading straight for the kitchen.

  “So, something is wrong then I take it?” Joss asked, knowing her best friend well.

  “Yes. Well, I don’t know. There’s probably a killer on the loose but then again, would they really stick around the area, just like, waiting to be caught?” Tyla stood with the door open, staring into the fridge.

  “Ummm. Hi, Tyla. It’s so good to see you,” Joss teased. “What’s this about a killer?”

  Joss knew that whatever Tyla had to say was most likely going to be accurate. After all, she was dating Austin Price, brother to the Chief of Police in Lemon Bay.

  “Get this.” Tyla poured herself a glass of milk. “Chocolate syrup?” she asked, eating her cheesecake at the same time.

  “In the cabinet to the left,” Joss answered, knowing how quickly Tyla could lose her train of thought.

  “The minute you called to tell me that Bridget came in, I started trying to figure out a plan for why I needed to see Austin. I stopped at his house this morning after my shift was over to see if he knew anything. I left my favorite book there; in case he ever asks why I showed up out of the blue… Anyway, Verona was there. She left just a few seconds after I got there but right before I left, Austin must have told me four thousand times to be careful. He said to watch my surroundings and to never go anywhere by myself. So, naturally, I came right here.”

  “He said it was definitely murder?” Joss stress ate, and today was no different. Cheesecake at eight am, yes please.

  “Not technically, but he might as well have. You know Verona would never tell little old me what was really going on.” She lifted a forkful of the decadent, raspberry pistachio swirl cheesecake to her lips.

  Joss could appreciate Tyla’s attempt at humor even in a dark situation. Verona and she had never gotten along, not when they were rival ballerinas, not when they were both out for homecoming queen, and most definitely not when Tyla started dating her brother. They had an interesting relationship and were
civil for Austin’s sake.

  “Don’t make assumptions then. You sound like Bridget,” Joss said matter-of-factly. “When was the last time you heard of a murder in Lemon Bay? I mean, come on. It’s a pretty slim chance.”

  “So, then, Danielle’s death was an accident but I should watch out because that same accident could happen to me, too? Be real, murder is a scary thing, but it’s certainly possible. What if it was? What if there really is someone in town that killed her? What if we knew them?” Tyla eyed the last slice of cheesecake.

  “Eat it.” Joss nudged the box closer. “Okay, so let’s be careful then. Let’s agree not to go anywhere alone.

  Tyla nodded. “Who do you think it was? If it was someone we know, I mean.”

  Joss tried to ignore the morbidity of the question, but if she were being honest with herself, she had thought about it already. Even before Tyla arrived.

  “How do you answer something like that? I’ve known Danielle for the majority of my life. I know her parents, her boyfriend, her coworkers. It’s too hard to just assume it was one of them.”

  “Speaking of coworkers, you heard she recently got a new job?” Tyla mused.

  “Yes. I met her new coworkers the other morning after they worked an overnight at the hospital. They all seemed nice.”

  “So, you didn’t know any of them?” Tyla pressed.

  “I know what you’re getting at, and I don’t know why you are like this. Let the police do what they need to do. Verona will take care of it.”

  “Fine.” Tyla sulked.

  Before the talk of murder could take over their day, the women were interrupted by a knock on the door.