Down Home and Deadly

I’m partial to her honey mustard, but the blue cheese is great, too.”
    Tiffany didn’t look at the white board , either. Carly was going to fire me if I didn’t do a better job of promoting the already - made food.
    “I’ll have a cheeseburger and fries off the menu.” Tiffany smiled at Ricky. “That’s what you want , too , isn’t it, baby?”
    “Sure is.” He patted her on the hand. “You always know just what I like.”
    I saw Amelia’s jaw muscle jump as she gritted her teeth. Was her son-in-law-to-be needling her on purpose?
    “And you, Mayor Stanton?”
    “I’ll have the chicken fried steak and gravy, mashed potatoes , and fried okra.”
    Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Finally , someone who was ordering one of the specials. Maybe my job was safe for another day.
    Later , when I set the serving tray beside their table and began unloading it , they were still discussing the upcoming nuptials.
    “We do have an image to uphold, dear.” Amelia was again speaking through gritted teeth. She was going to need dental work if she kept this up. “We can’t just throw something together , especially if your dad is going to run for the Senate.” She lowered her voice on the last three words.
    Debbie had warned me that as a waitress I would hear lots of personal business and gossip. “We’re like the furniture,” she’d said. And it looked like she was right.
    I set their plates in front of them and headed back to pick up an order for another table. I got busy with my other tables but stopped back by to see if they needed refills.
    Ricky pushed to his feet just as I approached. “I’m going to go out and see if I can help the guys,” he said as he threw a couple of ones on the table and handed a twenty to Tiffany. “Do you mind handling our bill, honey?”
    She shook her head and shoved the money back to him. “Today’s my treat.”
    He glanced at her parents then back at her and frowned. “I’d rather pay for it, okay?” he said quietly.
    She glared at her mother then nodded. “Sure, sweetie.” She took the twenty-dollar bill. When he was gone, she turned to her mother. “I hope you’re happy. You ran him off.”
    Amelia’s elaborately made - up eyes widened. “Why, Tiffany, I did no such thing.”
    “You know what? I need to go. I’ll talk to y’all later.” Tiffany dropped a kiss on Byron’s forehead , and with barely a glance at her mother, stomped up to the cash register.
    Byron stood and retrieved his and Amelia’s bill. “I’m going to go on and pay , too.” He followed his daughter.
    “Well, at least she didn’t eat all of that fat-filled burger,” Amelia murmured as I refilled her glass.
    Indignant on Carly’s behalf, I protested. “That’s ground chuck—”
    Amelia waved her hand. “Never mind, dear. I need a favor.”
    “A ‘to go’ box?”
    She frowned, but thanks to one - too - many B otox treatments, only her eyes showed it. “No, silly.” She glanced at her husband and daughter and lowered her voice. “You’re so good at snooping. I need you to find out what you can about Ricky before he and Tiffany get married.” She was talking so fast and quietly , I could barely understand her. “We had her last boyfriend investigated. It turned out badly , and she was brokenhearted for a while.” She sipped her tea and lifted her hand in a lazy wave to a nearby diner. “We don’t want that to happen again,” she said to me from the corner of her mouth.
    “You know, Amelia, I’m not a PI. Can’t you just have a professional check him out, run a background check, that kind of thing?”
    She put her hand to her heart as if I’d suggested having him murdered. “No. Tiffany made us promise not to do that ever again.”
    Maybe she wasn’t as managing a mother as I thought.
    Her next words dispelled that delusion. “I’d do it anyway, but I’m afraid she would find out.” She took a drink. “But you can do it. You ask questions all the time , anyway, so no one would think it was odd.”
    Thanks a lot.
    “Besides , you know John and Seth both. They’ll tell you anything.” Ha, little did she know. John wouldn’t tell me the time of day unless he had to. Well , he wasn’t that bad, but he certainly didn’t share information with me.
    “I guess I can ask them about him. If you really want me to. But he seems like a regular guy to me. Why are you so worried?”
    “Tiffany doesn’t attract men like some girls do.” She glanced at me. “Well, look at