It's Murder at the Buy-Right

21

Iggi's barbecue was nothing short of celestial. It was mouthwatering. The fact that her sister always cooked enough to feed an army only made Daisy Ann happier.

"Maybe Deke will let me store some of this in his freezer," she'd joked as Iggi and Vern helped her carry the leftovers to her car.

"It would hold all this," Vern said.

He was in a good mood.

Daisy Ann had jumped at the suggestion that she take all the leftovers home.

Vern was allergic to them.

Poor Iggi had to start from scratch with every meal. But Daisy Ann had no time to waste feeling sorry for her little sister. Through the years, if Vern had been a leftover-aholic, Daisy Ann would have starved.

"Be sure to make Deke at least one sandwich," Iggi said, waving good-bye.

"Maybe one," said Daisy Ann, "but you know I'll begrudge him every last bite."

Iggi and Vern laughed. There was more than a morsel of truth in Daisy Ann's words.

***

Driving to work Monday morning, Daisy Ann skidded off the road. She swerved to miss a large black snake slithering across the pavement. She jerked the wheel hard to right the car and very nearly lost control. Luckily, she righted it in time to veer back into her lane as an oncoming vehicle rounded the curve she was entering.

Her nerves were shattered. She steered the car off the shoulder and sat there until her breathing slowed, and her hands had stopped shaking.

Tick off one of my nine lives, she thought.

After several minutes, she cranked the car.

Slowly, she drove to the store. Anyone following behind her would have thought that Granny was out for a Sunday drive. She was running a few minutes late.

It didn't matter though. She'd packed several bowls of barbecue for Deke. That would take the growl out of her boss.

She turned into the parking lot. Deke's car was there. The man was never late.

She made her way into the store, struggling not to drop any of her load.

"Deke," she yelled. "Sorry, I'm late. Deke! Deke! Iggi made barbecue! I've brought you some."

That was strange. There was no answer.

Unless he was holed up in the toilet, she didn't know where he could be.

"Maybe out back at the dumpster," she muttered.

It took her a moment to deposit the many bowls of frozen cue on the counter. She wandered to the back, calling out.

There was an air of hollowness about the store. It felt empty. Vacant.

A shiver skittered up her spine.

"Deke Dewitt! You get your sorry self out here! This ain't funny!"

Nothing.

She opened the toilet door. 

Empty.

She searched out back. 

Deserted.

There were only a couple of places left.

The echo of her scream bounced like a rubber ball inside the empty store. She'd all but fainted when she opened the door to the back storage and saw Deke's limp body lying on cement floor.