Grilled Rye Murder: Book 16 in The Darling Deli Series by Patti Benning

she also added a bit of Worcestershire sauce to give the roast even more flavor. For fresh herbs, she decided to go with rosemary, basil, and oregano. Last but not least, she added just enough beef broth to partially cover the roast. Once the meat was done cooking, she would pull it apart and add more broth to turn the pot roast into a delicious and hearty stew.
    “I’m definitely not going to be losing any weight today,” she said as she put the glass top on the slow cooker. “Between quiches for breakfast, this pot roast stew for lunch, and whatever I end up grabbing for dinner, I might even gain a few pounds.”
    “No worries, Ms. D. Our food isn’t that unhealthy,” Dante replied. “It’s all cooked here, so at least you know what’s in it. I can hardly eat anymore at big chain restaurants that start with frozen food.”
    “There is something to be said for knowing where your food comes from and what’s in it,” Moira agreed. She thought of Zander, and how passionate he had been about farming and being involved with the community, and felt a rush of despair. Not only had she lost a friend, but he had also been one of her most trusted sources for fresh produce. What would happen to everything he had built now?
    Once the deli had officially opened for the morning, Moira spent most of her time hovering around the cash register, waiting for the mysterious kid that had missed her yesterday to return. It wasn’t until nearly noon when he finally showed up. Her shift almost over, the deli owner had ducked back into the kitchen to look through her mail when Dante poked his head through the kitchen doors to tell her that there was someone there to see her.
    The kid’s age was impossible to tell. He could have been anywhere from twelve to fourteen, and was sorely in need of a haircut. But when he approached the register, she knew right away that he was the one.
    “Are you Mrs. Darling?” he asked.
    “Well, I’m not married, but yes. You stopped in yesterday about Hazel?”
    He nodded. “I’m Adam. She was my dog, and I just wanted to know how she was doing. Did you keep her? Did she have her puppies?”
    “She had six wonderful, healthy puppies. I didn’t keep her myself, but my fiancé’s sister took her. She’s very happy and spoiled now.”
    “That’s good.” Adam beamed. “I know you probably don’t want me to, but is there any way I could see her one more time? I miss her, and she probably misses me too.”
    “Well… I’ll see. I’ll have to ask the lady who owns her now, okay? If you don’t mind me asking, why are you asking about her after all this time? It’s been almost a year.”
    “I didn’t want to before, in case my dad saw me hanging around here. I told him that she ran away, and he’d be mad if he found out I was lying. He wasn’t a very good guy, but he’s gone so now I don’t have to worry about it.”
    “Oh… I’m sorry.” The deli owner wasn’t quite sure what to say. A parent leaving was never a good thing… was it?
    “It’s ‘kay,” the kid said with a shrug. “My mom got a new job, and we moved into town, and she even said I could get another dog if I want, as long as it’s fixed this time. I thought I’d see if you wanted to keep Hazel. But if she’s happy, I don’t want to take her away.”
    “She is happy, but I’m sure it would be okay if you visited her.” An idea was beginning to form in Moira’s mind. Adam was looking for a dog… and Flower was looking for a home. It was too good of a coincidence to ignore, but before mentioning anything to the kid, she knew that she needed to check with his mother. “Where does your mom work, Adam? I’d love to stop by and talk to her about something.”
    “Oh, she runs D’s Donuts. It’s right down the street, you can almost see it from here.”
    “I know where it is,” she said with a smile. The donut shop had opened up a few weeks ago, wafting tantalizing smells down the street. Although she