Page 19 of Deadly Sins: Gluttony
I was hungry enough to try all of it.
Cade ordered the burnt ends platter, and I went for the smoked turkey club.After we finished our meal, the waitress set the bill on the table, and I asked if I might speak with the owners.I suspected they were the two men I’d noticed earlier behind the bar in conversation.
The waitress shot me a nervous look like she worried I wanted to complain, and she said, “Was everything okay?”
“It was wonderful, and you’ve been great.I just need to ask them a few questions.”
“About …?”
“Tell them Sloane Monroe would like to speak to them about their former classmate, Gideon Belmont.”
Her face went pale, and she swallowed hard, but she did as I’d asked, and it wasn’t long before both men walked over, taking a seat across from us.
“I’m Blake, and this is Dwayne,” Blake said, thumbing in Dwayne’s direction.“What can we do for you?”
“I’m not sure if you heard, but Gideon’s sister Camille hired me to investigate his murder,” I said.
“Sheriff Briggs doesn’t need you sticking your nose in,” Blake said.
Cade leaned in, looking Blake in the eye.“That’s not for you to say.”
“And you are?”
“I’m the husband.”
“There’s no point in discussing whether I should be investigating his murder,” I said.“She asked.I accepted.That’s all there is to it.”
“I don’t see any reason why I should speak to you,” Blake said.“IknowBriggs.I don’t knowyou.”
Dwayne swished a hand through the air.“Relax, Blake.We didn’t have anything to do with Gideon’s death.Why not talk to the lady?”
Blake shook his head and leaned back, going quiet.
“We have a meeting with one of our vendors in about fifteen minutes,” Dwayne said.“Until then, go ahead and ask your questions.”
I smiled and dug right in.
“I want to discuss your role in the bullying Gideon endured in high school,” I said.
Blake stared down at the table, Dwayne bit his lip, and I gave them space, hoping one would break the silence.
“We’re not proud of what we did back then,” Dwayne said.“Truth be told, I hadn’t thought much about it until my son started getting mistreated at school.Guess you can say it put it all into perspective.What we did was wrong.I see that now.”
He sounded sincere.
But was he?
I waited, giving Blake the opportunity to chime in, but he didn’t.
One out of two wasn’t bad.
“Word is, Vince Slater’s the one who put you up to picking on Gideon,” I said.“Was he?”
“Vince is dead,” Blake spat.“And he’s been dead a long time, which means he wasn’t involved in the murder either.Why bring him up?”
“His death doesn’t mean the murder isn’t connected to him somehow.”
“Connected how?”Dwayne asked.“If you’re thinking a relative of his could be responsible, you’re wrong.Vince’s father is in a wheelchair, and his mother passed away a few years back.He didn’t have any siblings, and no other relatives in town.”
