Down Home and Deadly

in trouble. Again. And after I had just been bragging to myself about how good I was doing. “Excuse me, y’all. I’ll go get your food and then get back to my tables.”
    As I walked away, Harvey muttered, “Hippie troublemaker.” I glanced back at him, but he was stomping away. I remembered what I’d told Elliott on our trip to Jonesboro . It really was odd that suddenly everyone was talking about Bob’s flower - child past.
    I found Marco , who looked relieved when I suggested that he trade Bob and Wilma’s table for one of mine.
    Later , when I laid the ticket on Bob’s table and turned to go, Bob touched my arm. “Jenna, I know you’re helping your sister out here, but do you think there is any way you could work some at the club?” His humble tone touched my heart. “Lisa’s so upset that she can’t really do much work.”
    What was her excuse before? I bit my tongue to keep the words from coming out. Mama always told me you shouldn’t kick a man when he’s down. And Bob was so down, he was practically subterranean.
    “To be honest,” Wilma said softly , “Lisa’s so sad and upset that she’s taken to her bed.”
    Well, then. If Lisa wasn’t going to be at the club pretending to work, I’d be glad to help out. “Carly just hired a new waitress , so I was planning to cut back on my hours here anyway, Bob.” I stuck my pad in my apron pocket. “I can work if you need me. I’ll stop by tomorrow and pick up a key.”
    Carly was just grabbing her keys to head out the door when I finished the noon shift. As we walked out together , I told her about Bob asking me to work.
    “Would you mind if I cut my hours back so I can help Bob out?” I glanced over at her. “Be honest.”
    “No, of course not. I don’t blame you at all.” She stopped beside her car. “But are you sure you’re not letting your sympathy put you back in a bad position?”
    I shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I just feel so sorry for them.” I stopped. “You know I’ve really enjoyed working at the d iner. More than I ever thought I would.” I opted for total honesty . “But I guess I didn’t realize how much I’d miss the club.”
    “I understand. Of course you miss it.”
    “By the way . . . ” I glanced around to make sure no one could overhear me. “I found something else out today that I need to tell you.”
    “What?” She looked around the crowded parking lot.
    I lowered my voice. “Remember the other day when Marco was talking about how broke he was and how much it cost for his school?”
    She nodded.
    “Well , today Bob said that Lisa fired Marco for stealing from the cash register at the club.”
    Carly gasped. “I can’t believe that.” She shook her head. “He seems so trustworthy. Are you sure this isn’t another of Lisa’s ‘stories’?”
    “I’ll ask Gail if she knows what happened. If anyone would know, she would.”
    “Let me know what she says.”
    *****
    Dave
, the personal trainer and weight room manager,
was working the desk when I walked into the health club. When he said Gail didn’t come in until three, I headed back to the pool room. After some relaxing laps, I was about to head for the sauna, when the steamed - up glass doors opened and Gail walked in.
    “Hey, girl, Dave said you’re looking for me.”
    “Guilty as charged.” I grabbed a couple of towels and wrapped one around my hair and another around my body. “Do you have a minute to talk?”
    She nodded. “Sure. My shift doesn’t start for another ten minutes. What’s on your mind?”
    I sat down in a white deck chair and waved her to the one beside it. Déjà vu. Just call me Amelia. I hoped I hadn’t motioned Gail as imperiously as Amelia had me a few days ago.
    When we were seated, I smiled at her. “I need to talk to you about Marco .”
    Her eyes widened. “Why? What about him?” she asked. She looked so alarmed that I faltered. Had I been wrong about Marco ?
    “Bob mentioned that he was fired from the club for stealing. Is that right?”
    She relaxed in her chair and snorted. “That’s the excuse Lisa gave. But it isn’t true.”
    “Can you tell me what happened?”
    “Not to speak ill of the dead or anything , but J.D. was a jerk. And Lisa just followed him around like a puppy dog. I know it made Bob sick to watch them.”
    “What do you mean? I thought Bob liked him.”
    “Ha. No way. Bob couldn’t stand him. Actually, that’s what started the whole thing with Marco . I heard Bob