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  Steaks and Suspects

  Day and Night Diner, Book 3

  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

  Josslyn Rockwell rested a tray of jelly caddies on table four and sighed. It was ten minutes till eleven, and she was just about to close her section down for the night, but clearly, the man who had decided to ignore the large CLOSED sign that was blocking the tables, had other plans. The Day and Night Diner was open 24/7, and they’d only just recently adopted the policy to close down the back half of the diner at eleven p.m. to prepare it for the inevitable rush of customers who would arrive in the morning. Joss supposed that it wasn’t really even a policy so much as a way for the staff to try to contain the customers to a smaller area so there was less to clean up. She couldn’t blame the man for anything other than not reading the CLOSED sign. Deciding that her bad mood wasn’t anyone else’s problem, Joss put on a smile and went over to the table where a single man sat; three decent-sized cardboard boxes piled on the chair beside him.

  “Hey, there. Welcome. Let me grab you a menu,” Joss said, noticing the man didn’t have one on his table.

  “I’m good. I think I can guess what’s on the menu. I know diner food pretty well. Let me guess; you have breakfast all day, greasy burgers, and fried fish?”

  Joss was taken aback by the man’s abrupt greeting but didn‘t miss a beat. “Actually, we do have all of those things, but we also serve a great quiche, and a thick and wonderfully marbled Ribeye steak. We like to think that we can cater to all palates.”

  The man looked up. “I apologize. Perhaps we should start over. Hello. I’d love a menu, thanks,” he said, putting down the papers he’d been holding.

  Joss left the table, returning a moment later with a menu. “I’m Joss. I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you started off with something to drink while you look over the menu?”

  “Coffee. I think I’m going to need a lot of coffee,” the man replied, gesturing to the boxes.

  “Coffee it is.”

  Carrying an empty mug and a carafe of freshly brewed coffee, Joss rested them both at the end of the table.

  “Normally, we pour the coffee, but with all your stuff, I’d hate to pick now to decide to be clumsy and spill it everywhere. Do you mind if I just leave it?” Joss asked, looking at the various papers and photos strewn on the table.

  “That will be fine. I think I can manage. I’m going to hold off on food for a bit, though, if you don’t mind. I’ll call you over when I’m ready.”

  “Not at all,” Joss said, hoping her ‘I had a long day face’ wasn’t showing.

  Joss observed the man carefully for a bit before realizing that it was more likely that he’d need the coffee carafe to be refilled before actually ordering any food. She wondered what exactly it was that he was doing. He was going back and forth between looking sad and angry, maybe even a little perplexed. He’d flipped through the same two photo albums more times than she could count and found herself more and more curious as time went on. Finally, after about forty-five minutes, Joss went back over to the table.

  “Can I get you more coffee? Or, if you’ve decided on something to eat, I can get the order put in.”

  The man looked around the diner.

  “I’m sorry. I hope I’m not bothering anyone. I thought you were open all night. Is the kitchen closing or something?”

  “No. You’re good. You’ve just been here a while, and I wanted to check on you.” Joss gave a gentle smile, trying to get a glimpse of what the man was looking at.

  “Right. Sorry, so you’re just doing your job. Forgive me. I’m a little out of sorts,” he said.

  “Is everything okay?” Joss asked.

  “To be completely honest, no. It’s been a day.” He sighed, closing one of the albums.

  “I hear ya. For me too.” Joss nodded, seeing the name Isa handwritten in calligraphy on the front of the album. “What’s your name?”

  The man looked up at her with an odd look on his face. “Christopher.”

  “Well, Christopher. It might be a little unconventional, but I specialize in hard days. If you want to talk about anything, just think of me as a friend,” Joss offered.

  “I’m not sure this is going to be your thing.” Christopher gave a light chuckle.

  “Oh? Try me,” Joss challenged, feeling confident.

  “My mother just died, and I’m looking for the best photos I can find to put out at her funeral.”

  Joss blinked a few times, speechless.

  “Wow. I’m so sorry for your loss. I suppose you were right, though. That definitely isn’t in my wheelhouse. I didn’t mean to be nosy.”

  “You’re fine. I’m sure it’s not a common occurrence around here or anything. Listen, if you want to get me a steak, medium, with a baked potato and broccoli, I’ll get out of your hair. I’ll take it to go.” Christopher went back to his photos.

  “Feel free to stay all night. There’s no rush. Your meal is on the house, by the way,” Joss said, knowing Luke would have done the same thing.

  “Nonsense. I’m a paying customer.”

  Joss walked away, feeling more awkward than she had in a long time. Not only had she put her nose where it didn’t belong, she probably made the poor man more uncomfortable than he already was. She handed the order slip over to Garth in the kitchen, and went back to work, trying to find something to busy herself with. It wasn’t long before she noticed Christopher starting to pack up his things.

  “Please tell me you aren’t leaving because of me. I promise you can stay. It’s no trouble at all.” Joss said, wondering how silly she sounded for basically begging him to stay.

  “I think I finally have what I need, but what I don’t have is money. I’m a mess. I left my wallet at my mom’s storage unit when I was there to get these boxes. I thought I had some cash on me, but it seems I was wrong. I might have a checkbook in my truck. If you give me just a second, I’ll run out there.” Christopher looked frazzled.

  “I already said it was on the house,” Joss reminded him.

  “No. I’ll be right back,” he said, leaving his boxes on the table and dashing outside.

  Joss took the to-go box from the service window and packed it into a bag with some plasticware, napkins, and included cream and sugar for the coffee she’d poured for Christopher to take with him. Just as she was finished, he came back into the diner.

  “I found my checkbook, but of course, I don’t have anything to write with. Do you have a pen I can use?”

  Joss pulled a pen from her apron pocket, passing it to Christopher.

&
nbsp; “How much?”

  Sighing, Joss gave him the price. She knew he wasn’t going to accept a free meal, and she could appreciate that.

  “Here. Oh. You do take checks, don’t you?” Christopher asked, looking panicked all over again.

  “Not really.” Joss tried not to laugh. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “I insist. I’ll leave this here, and if you can’t deposit it or something, just keep it and I’ll be back in as soon as I can to pay cash. I’d say I’d be in tomorrow, but I have some things to take care of for the funeral, and I don’t live in town and….”

  “Don’t worry,” she repeated. “Everything is okay. Here’s your food, and I even threw in a little something extra. I hope you like chocolate cake.” Joss passed the bag to Christopher, reluctantly taking the check, and gave a little wave as he left the diner.

  Chapter Two

  “Look what the cat dragged in,” Luke said, scrunching his nose.

  “What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve been here for an hour already,” Joss replied.

  “I wasn’t referring to the time of your arrival. More like, it looks like something literally dragged you.” Luke looked Joss over.

  “Well, that’s really great. I thought I put myself together rather well after working last night and then having to come back in again this morning. I even put makeup on.” Joss bent down, trying to get a look at her reflection in the door of the microwave. “Oh, well. I don’t even feel bad about it.”

  “You shouldn’t. I was just teasing. I know you and Becky were supposed to switch shifts for the week. I’d look the same after only a few hours of sleep,” Luke agreed, getting back to the sizzling bacon on the grill.

  Joss didn’t mind; for the most part, anyway. She knew that things happened and people had lives outside of the diner, even if that wasn’t always exactly true for her. Granted, she had a few friends, and a new relationship with Ryan, the man she’d been crushing on for longer than she cared to admit. Aside from that, her life was the diner, and for Joss, that meant she did what she had to do to help, even when that meant only getting three hours of sleep.

  “I just wish she tried calling Tyla or Dina first. I can’t function working double shifts six days a week for very long, and I have a feeling that whatever is going on in her life is going to start keeping her away from work more often.”

  “Why wouldn’t she call you first? Everyone relies on you. They know you’re good for it, and that you literally never say no. Of course that means you’re going to be the first person someone calls when they need help out of a jam. Boundaries are a beautiful thing, Joss. Now, do you mind if I go to my office and eat? I’m starving.” Luke grinned.

  Joss glared at her boss, trying to find the perfect response to his attempt at humor. Instead, she raised her coffee mug, threatening to throw it at him.

  “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Jeez, no need to be so violent so early in the morning. I already ate, but you look like you could use something. How about I make you a porkchop sandwich?” Luke suggested, already pulling a thick pork chop from the cooler.

  “Please. I’ll take whatever you make.” Joss nodded, getting back to her customers.

  Joss didn’t have much time to think about what she looked like, how tired she was, or even what her porkchop sandwich tasted like. It was like the flood gates had opened. The only two people working that morning were Joss and Luke. To be honest, they were the two best staff members to have when things got busy. They worked together like a well-oiled machine. They rarely spoke, just sort of knowing what the other needed. Joss would run to the back, dropping something off for Luke so he didn’t have to leave the grill, and Luke would deliver food to a table if he saw Joss was too busy to get it there before it began to get cold. The morning raced by, and for a sleepy Joss, that was the best thing that could have happened.

  Just as the lunch shift was starting and Dina was set to arrive, the diner was silent. Joss sat quietly rolling silverware and drinking her fourth cup of coffee for the day. The slow creak of the diner’s door snapped her out of her daze.

  “Ryan. Hi!” Joss said, looking up.

  “Hey.” Ryan grinned, closing in on Joss at the table and leaning down for a quick hug. “Don’t let Luke see,” he joked. “I’m sure you don’t have any desire to have him give you a hard time today. How are you?”

  “Tired.” Joss yawned, as if on cue. “I’ll be okay, though. Have a seat. What can I get you?”

  “Actually,” he said, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. “I’d like to order a couple of things to go.”

  “Oh.” Joss tried not to show her disappointment. She enjoyed it when Ryan came in to see her and liked to have the extra time with him.

  “I planned on coming in for lunch today so I could see you, but then my sister called me in a panic. I’ve been at her house all morning and decided to come here and bring some lunch back with me.”

  “What happened? Is she okay?” Joss asked.

  “Her basement flooded. There’s about four inches of water and about four hundred boxes of her stuff that she needed help moving.”

  “Four hundred?!” Joss exclaimed.

  “No. Not really, but it sure felt like that.” Ryan chuckled.

  “Let me get your orders in so Luke can get started, and then you can tell me more.”

  Ryan handed Joss the paper with the orders already written down.

  “There are three meals here. You guys hungry?” Joss joked, jotting the orders down on an order pad for the kitchen.

  “Get this. Rachel and I are lugging boxes up from the basement, putting some in her kitchen, the bathroom, the porch, anywhere with no carpet, when we hear a knock on the back door. It’s this woman asking questions about Rachel’s neighbor.”

  “So you ordered her lunch?” Joss wasn’t understanding.

  “Well, yeah. She saw us soaking wet, boxes everywhere, and asked what was going on. After we explained everything to her, she just offered to help. Do you believe it? The woman just walks in, gets her hands dirty, and helps us finish getting everything out of the basement.”

  Joss, being the skeptic that she was, didn’t believe it.

  “Who is she?”

  “Her name is Lilly. She was looking for Rachel’s neighbor. I guess she grew up in the house or something. The neighbor wasn’t home, and she came over to ask if we knew anything about her or when she’d be home.”

  “Just to be clear. A stranger came knocking and you let her in, but not until she told you she wanted to know where the woman next door was and when she’d be home.”

  “You make it sound way worse than it is.” Ryan frowned.

  “Do I, though?” Joss tilted her head. “Sounds like she was casing the neighborhood, and you let her walk right in. You guys are prime candidates for a robbery.”

  “Oh, please. Don’t always assume the worst in people. She helped us out. I don’t think a robber would have gone through all of that just to see what valuables Rachel might have. You watch too many movies.”

  “If you say so,” Joss said, feeling unsure, but not in the mood to keep going.

  “I get it. I guess it’s a little unheard of, and from your point of view, I can see where it might seem a little sketchy. Lilly was nice. She helped us out a lot, and Rachel bought us all lunch.”

  Joss turned toward the kitchen just in time to see Luke piling the to go boxes on the service window.

  Opening each box, Joss read the paper Ryan had given her, making sure the orders were right.

  “Monte Cristo with curly fries, Tuna melt with onion rings, and a grilled cheese on Rye with a side of fruit. Sound good?” Joss asked, showing the contents to Ryan.

  “Sounds and looks great,” he said, passing her some cash.

  Joss cashed Ryan out, promising to call him after she got home for the day. She got back to work, struggling to get the story about Lilly out of her mind.

  Chapter Three

  Joss stood on the bottom
step, looking around.

  “They did a great job. I’d never have known there was any water in here at all.”

  “They did amazing. I truly thought that everything was just going to be ruined forever. I mean, I know it still needs work, which is something I was hoping you might be able to help me with.” Rachel stuck out her bottom lip, begging.