"Me too," Boner said. "I can't wait to see what's on the menu tonight."
I gave him a warning look. If I was going to use any 'meat' I sourced myself, it was going to be served at Angel's Rest, not here. Kayla and Dave were innocent. I wanted to keep it that way. I had enough accessories to murder without adding them to the list.
"It's going to be amazing," I said, giving Kayla a smile. She'd worked for another restaurant in the city before I hired her to work here, an establishment where she never would have been promoted or her skills recognized.
If there was anything I hated, it was unrecognized and unappreciated talent. With her in the kitchen, the place was going to thrive. And so was she.
Dave was one of the original staff, but he also wasn't given much responsibility until now.
He'd shown me what he could do, and I gave him the chance. I knew he'd take it and run with it. People usually did when you let them.
"No pressure," Kayla said with a laugh. Her eyes widened as if she was intimidated, but I knew she was up to this, and so did she.
It didn't hurt to have a bit of humility though. I'd met plenty of arrogant chefs. I didn't want one working for me. I sure as hell didn't want to become one. Yelling at my staff and belittling them. That wasn't the way to get the best out of people. No, I preferred to respect the people I worked with. They gave it back, most of the time.
Like always, the memory of Gina rubbed hard against my mind. Anger, disappointment, and wariness haunted me every time I thought about her.
I liked Kayla and Dave, but I was going to be keeping a close eye on them. If either of them was working with the enemy behind my back, they'd be on the menu.
"I need to get back to Angel's Rest to get lunch sorted," I said reluctantly.
That restaurant would be closed for dinner so I could be here tonight, but I had reservations for a handful of customers. Some sort of corporate work lunch they wanted me to cater.
I hoped like hell I hadn't bitten off more than I could chew, trying to run two restaurants. At some point, I'd have to trust someone to take over the kitchen at Angel's Rest, but not today. Today I wanted to cook to get my mind off tonight's grand opening. There was always a chance no one would turn up, in spite of all the bookings. It would suck if, after all the work we'd put in, I fell on my face.
I didn't want to do that to my staff. They were all relying on me for their wages, their livelihoods.
"It's going to rock," Boner told me. My thoughts must have been written all over my face.
"I hope so," I whispered.
If it didn't, we could let off steam afterward.
CHAPTER 2
HARLOW
"Hey," Cass greeted as I stepped through the door into the office. His brow creased.
"What is it?" I asked, looking down at the laptop open in front of him.
"I was looking into Hans Getzoff," he said. His eyes flicked toward the screen.
"The detective who's looking into the death of Solomon Danforth and Granger Fairfield. What did you find?"
"Nothing new," he said with a shrug.
"But?" I prompted.
Reluctantly he continued, "They seem to have connected a few deaths with one killer. Some guy named Carl disappeared around the same time as Fairfield. Apparently he was into all sorts of shady shit, but they couldn't prove it."
I nodded slowly. I was well acquainted with Carl. Boner and I dispatched him together.
"I was thinking," he said, sitting back and pushing his hair off his forehead. "Should we send them some information?"
I tossed my bag down on the desk.
"What, like my name and address?" I knew he hadn't meant that, but I couldn't resist teasing him.
