Gourmet Holiday Murder: Book 6 in Papa Pacelli's Pizzeria Series Read online

  “It looked closed,” Ellie said. “But if it’s still open, we can stop on the way back, if you want.”

  The tree farm was busy; Ellie guessed that people were taking advantage of the nice weather and getting their tree before it turned freezing again. She didn’t blame them—it was nice not to have to wear gloves and a winter coat just to stay comfortable.

  A young woman who looked young enough to be in high school approached them as they got out of the car. “Hi! My name is Miranda. Do you guys know what kind of tree you’re looking for today?”

  Ellie looked towards her grandmother, who nodded firmly and said, “Yes. I always get white pine.”

  “The white pines will be down that path and to the right,” the young woman said. “You can recognize employees by our red and green striped hats. Any one of us will be happy to assist you in cutting down and loading up your tree. Any of the trees available in areas marked with silver tinsel are available for sale.”

  Ellie offered her arm to Nonna, and the two of them set off down the path, picking their way carefully around patches of slushy mud. It wasn’t long before they found themselves in a field of small white pines, varying in size from about four feet tall to well over their heads.

  “What size should we get?” Ellie asked. “Do you think it would be best to get something small, since it will probably be only the two of us?” She wanted a huge tree, but it was her grandmother’s house and she didn’t know how much the older woman would appreciate the mess and needles from a large tree.

  “Didn’t I tell you?” Nonna asked. “Your father responded to my email. He says he might stop by on Christmas Eve for the family dinner.”

  “Dad?” The pizzeria owner blinked. She hadn’t seen her father in twenty years. They had sent emails back and forth occasionally, but she had always gotten the feeling that she was a part of his life that he would rather put behind him.

  “He didn’t seem very certain in his email,” her grandmother said. “But you know how it goes… he might show up, he might not. I want everything to be perfect just in case he does.”

  “Right, we’ll get a big tree, then,” Ellie said. “One as big as we can fit in the living room.”

  After twenty damp minutes, she and Nonna agreed that they had found the perfect tree. It was tall and full with a straight trunk, and in Ellie’s opinion was everything a Christmas tree should be. She ran her fingers across the long, soft needles. They were just as she remembered from all of the Christmases she had spent at her grandmother’s house as a child, so unlike the short, sharp needles that fell from the trees her mother had always chosen.

  “We’ll take this one,” she told the first tree farm employee she saw.

  Before long, the tree had been cut down, shaken, and bundled up on top of her car. It looked huge on top of the vehicle, and Ellie hoped it would make the trip home without falling off. She tested one of the ropes gingerly. It seemed to be tied on well enough. She would just have to remember to take the turns slowly. It was beginning to dawn on her that she was going to have quite the job getting it in the house on her own.

  She remembered her promise to her grandmother just as the small corner store came into view. She slowed down carefully and turned into the empty lot. She pulled up close enough to the building to read the sign on the window. We moved! New Location is Located at the Corner of Barton St. and Marsh St.

  “I’m sorry,” she said to the older woman. “Do you want to go find the new shop?”

  “It’s all right.” Nonna sighed. “I had such good memories there with your grandfather. It won’t be the same in a new building.”

  Ellie gazed at the For Sale sign for a moment before pulling away from the building. With how well things had been going at the pizzeria lately—not counting the murder—it was easy to think about expanding the restaurant. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself, though. Maybe one day she would open a second pizzeria, but right now it would be best for her to focus on what she already had.

  They got back to the Pacelli house with the tree still firmly attached to the roof of the car and none the worse for the trip. Ellie helped Nonna inside, then began the task of making room for the tree in the corner of the living room by the fireplace. She had already brought the stand and the tree skirt up from the basement, so all that was left to do was move an end table and a lamp out of the way, and lock Bunny in the office so the little dog wouldn’t try to escape while she was wrestling the tree in through the door.

  Armed with a pair of gloves and a knife to cut the ropes, she propped the front door open and went out to the car. After a few minutes spent hacking through the knots, she pulled the tree down from the car and stood it up. So far so good.

  After a few attempts to carry it, she ended up dragging the tree up to the front steps and through the door. With the netting still on, it was an easy enough fit. The most difficult part was getting it to stand up straight in the stand. With Nonna’s help, they managed eventually, and at long last it was time to cut through the net and admire the tree in its full glory.

  “It fits in here perfectly,” Ellie said. “Though we might need to take a bit off the top for the star.”

  “I don’t know, it might fit,” Nonna said. “Do you want me to make hot cocoa before we get started on the decorations?”

  Over the next few hours, Ellie was almost able to forget about Nathan’s murder. With hot cocoa, Christmas music, and the sharp pine scent of the tree they were decorating, it was hard to think of anything but the coming holiday. She felt happy, but also felt guilty about her happiness. A man was dead, and here she was, singing along to “Jingle Bells” and standing on tiptoe to put an ornament on one of the higher branches.

  He won’t ever get to do any of these things again. That thought sobered her. It was too late to save Nathan Bidwell, but she would do everything in her power to help him get justice.

  Feeling less cheery, but more determined, Ellie forced her focus back on the task at hand. She didn’t know how many more Christmases she was going to have with her grandmother, and she wanted to make the most of every second while she could.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  * * *

  “What are you going to do about the pizzeria renovation?” Shannon Ward asked as she pulled out of her friend’s driveway.

  Ellie, who was digging through her purse to make sure she had all of her coupons, sighed. “I don’t know. It doesn’t feel right to hire someone else so soon after the original contractor was killed, but at the same time, I can’t ask my employees to work in a freezing kitchen for weeks. That plastic keeps the snow out, but it doesn’t work for insulation. We really need the new window to be installed as soon as possible.”

  The pizzeria was opening later that morning for the first time since Tuesday, and Ellie knew it would not be a fun day. The combination of it being a Saturday, and the restaurant having been closed for so long meant that they were bound to be busy. The kitchen was sure to be freezing even with all of the ovens running. She had considered bringing a space heater with her when she went in for opening, but there wasn’t anywhere to put one where it wouldn’t be a tripping hazard. They would just have to make do for now, but the sooner the window was installed, the better.

  “I can ask James if he can handle it,” Shannon suggested.

  “No, no, don’t bother him with that,” Ellie said. “I’m sure he’s got a lot of other things on his plate.”

  “I don’t think he’d mind. He’d probably even do it for free. I mean, you’re my best friend and you’re dating his brother. You’re practically family.”

  That was exactly what she did not want. Mixing business with Russell’s family didn’t seem like a good idea. She had seen firsthand how easily things could implode when you mixed your business and personal life. She didn’t want to make that mistake again.

  “I think I’ve already got someone in mind,” she told her friend. “I really don’t want to ask James for anything else. He’s always been so nice to me, even after all of the crazy stuff I’ve dragged you into.”

  Shannon snorted. “What do you mean ‘dragged me into’? I was a fully willing participant in our adventures, thanks very much. Speaking of crazy stuff… have you spoken to Karen recently?”

  “Not within the past week, no. Why?”

  “I was just wondering if she heard about what happened to that poor man. She already thinks the two of us are trouble magnets. I wouldn’t be surprised if this scared her away for good.”

  Karen was a psychologist that worked in Benton Harbor, a small town down the coast from Kittiport. She had begun a cautious friendship with Ellie and Shannon after the three of them had been held in a room together by a crazed murderer. Being held at knifepoint had proven a unique bonding experience, and the three of them had gotten together for lunch once or twice a week since.

  “I’m sure she’ll read about it in the paper sooner or later,” the pizzeria owner said. She sighed. “I suppose she should hear it from me first. I just know she’s going to freak out. It’s nice that she cares, but she must realize I don’t get involved in this stuff on purpose. Telling me to be careful won’t help. I’m already careful.”

  “I’m not sure if careful is the right word to describe you,” Shannon smiled. “Where’s that pepper spray Russell bought you?”

  “On top of my dresser,” Ellie admitted. “I put it there when I switched purses, and forgot to start carrying it again. But that doesn’t mean I’m not careful… I just haven’t got into the habit of carrying it with me yet. Plus, who’s going to have time to dig around in their purse if they’re getting attacked?”

  “I think you’re supposed to put it on your key chain,” her friend said. “Anyway, we should probably decide where we’re going first. Who are you shopping for today?”

  “I need to get something for my grandmother. That’s the priority right now. She’s done so much for me, and Christmas is the perfect opportunity to show her how much I appreciate everything. If we have time, I’d like to get a small gift for each of my employees as well, plus something for Russell.”

  “Russ is on my list, too. He should be easy enough to shop for if we can find a fishing store. I need to find something for James, as well as some of the gals at the paper. Do you want to start by looking around some of the antique shops? You might find something for your nonna there, and I’m sure I can find some things my coworkers would like.”

  “Sure, sounds like a plan.”

  Christmas shopping in northern Maine was a far cry from Christmas shopping in Chicago. Ellie trusted Shannon to know where all of the good shops and hidden gems were in the neighboring towns. With only a few hours until she had to get to the pizzeria, they didn’t have long, but if she could find the perfect gift for even one person on her list, she would be happy.

  The first antique shop they stopped at was tiny and dark, with case after case of expensive-looking jewelry. A mink coat was hanging on a stand near the register. Ellie looked at the price tag and winced.

  “They don’t make fur like this anymore,” said a voice. She and Shannon both jumped. Sitting in a chair against the wall was an older man that neither of them had noticed.

  “Can I help you ladies with anything?” he asked, rising slowly with the aid of a cane. “A necklace for a mother, perhaps?”

  “I’m looking for something for my grandmother,” Ellie said. “She doesn’t really wear much jewelry, besides her wedding ring.”

  “Well, take your time looking around. If you’d like to see something in one of the cases, let me know. I have to go get the keys from the back room.”

  “All right,” she told the man. “Thanks.”

  She and Shannon walked around the dimly lit store, talking in whispers as they pointed out neat pieces of jewelry to each other. Ellie wasn’t sure what exactly she was looking for, but was certain she would know it when she found it. She wanted to get a truly special present for her grandmother. She owed the woman so much, it seemed almost impossible to find something that would express her gratitude.

  “This is where James got my engagement ring,” Shannon told her in a low voice. “He knew how much I love old items with stories, so he thought I would appreciate something from here more than a brand-new ring. He was right, of course.”

  “You two are so lucky to have each other,” Ellie whispered back. “Not many people are as happy as the two of you are, especially not after they’ve been married to their high school sweetheart for almost twenty years.”

  “He’s a special guy,” her friend agreed. “And the love of my life.”

  Ellie felt a surge of envy towards her best friend. She would love to have a relationship as good as Shannon’s was with James. Someone to grow old with, someone to depend on when things got rough, someone to share all of her happiest moments with…

  “What about this?” Shannon asked, startling her out of her thoughts.

  “What?”

  “Right there, next to that bracelet. Do you think your grandmother might like it? I know you said she doesn’t really wear much jewelry, but this could have personal meaning to her. Like her wedding ring.”

  “You’re right.” Ellie gazed into the glass case for a long moment. “Shannon, I think you’ve found the perfect gift for Nonna.”

  With only one person crossed off their list, Shannon and Ellie made their way to the next antique shop after Ellie purchased the gift for her grandmother. There was still more that she had to do to complete it, but she felt better knowing that the puzzle of what to get the older woman had been solved.

  As they shopped, they talked. Even though both women got to make their own schedules, for the most part, they were usually both too busy, so it was rare for them to be able to spend this much time together without one of them having to run off to do something.

  “What are your Christmas plans?” Shannon asked as they strolled down the fishing aisle of a sports store together. They were looking for something for Russell now, which was easier said than done since Ellie knew next to nothing about fishing. She had a date with him the next night, and could ask him if there was anything he wanted then, but would prefer his gift to be a surprise.

  “Nonna and I are going to have dinner together on Christmas Eve. My father might join us. On Christmas Day, I don’t think we’re going to do much besides exchange gifts and take a well-deserved break.”

  “Your father?” her friend asked. “You haven’t seen him for what, over twenty years?”

  “Right. I saw him once after the divorce, and that’s it. The last time I saw him, he would have been around my age.”

  “Wow,” Shannon said. “It’s going to be interesting if he comes. I hope he does, it would be nice for the two of you to catch up.”

  “Do you have any plans for Christmas, or are you and James just staying around the house and doing your own thing?” Ellie asked, changing the subject as smoothly as she could.

  “My sister Sara is coming over,” her friend said. “Do you remember her? She’s two years younger than us. We didn’t really get along when we were younger, so you might not have seen her much. Russell will be coming over on Christmas too, unless he finds some excuse to work.”

  “I’m sure seeing her will bring something back, though I can’t really say that I remember anything about her offhand,” Ellie said. “Now what in the world should I get your brother-in-law?”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  * * *

  They managed to find gifts for Russell while they were out, but by the time they had paid for their purchases and walked back to the car, it was time for Ellie to head to work.

  As she splashed through the slush in the parking lot, she tried not to look too closely at the spot where Nathan’s body had been found. It didn’t feel right to pretend that nothing had happened and proceed with business as usual, but she didn’t know what else to do. She would never understand how someone could so casually and cruelly take another person’s life. It made her sick to think about, so she focused instead on getting the pizzeria up and running again.

  Inside the kitchen, it wasn’t as cold as she had feared it would be. Of course, it was warmer out today than it would be for most of the week; they were due for another cold front to roll in this evening, and this one looked like it would be there to stay.

  The plastic in the kitchen had protected the appliances, and it was easy enough to mop up the floor, but after days of being closed, a light coat of dust covered the tables and booths in the dining area. Armed with a rag and a bottle of cleaner, Ellie scrubbed the room from top to bottom. She didn’t want to give any of her guests a reason to avoid the pizzeria; by now, it would already be well known that a man had been killed on the premises. She could only hope that not too many of her customers were scared away by that.

  With the cleaning finished and a good hour to go before it was time to open, the pizzeria owner decided to put together a new pizza of the week to give her customers something to stop in and try. She enjoyed doing seasonal pizzas, but was stumped by what to put on a pizza for Christmas. There weren’t any veggies that were in season in winter in Maine. It’s not like I can put mistletoe on a gingerbread crust and call it a pizza, she thought. Actually, a gingerbread crust sounds good. Maybe I could do some sort of special holiday dessert pizza. She shook her head, trying not to get distracted. She needed to come up with some sort of holiday-themed pizza before Papa Pacelli’s opened. It was time to experiment.

  “It smells great in here,” Rose said as she pushed in through the employee entrance forty-five minutes later. “What is that?”

  “It’s a ham, fig, and ricotta thin-crust pizza,” Ellie told her. “I just pulled it out of the oven. I thought it could be our special for the coming week. We need something to boost people’s spirits after the murder.”