Chapter 9: Opportunity

Three months later, Kitty received a large manila envelope in the mail from her former divorce lawyer, Drake Carlson. Former, of course, since her divorce from Carlo Rossetti had been settled when he was killed while trying to murder her.

The county didn’t bother with a formal autopsy since half his brains were splattered on some rocks high above Cedar Grove. Nobody claimed his remains, so the county buried him in a pauper’s grave.

Inside the large envelope was a short note from Drake and a sealed inner envelope.

“Kitty, the inner envelope contains the private investigator’s notes and photographs proving Carlo’s infidelity with Shirley LeConte. The negatives are inside as well. I recommend you destroy everything, as now you have no need to keep or use them. I hope you will invite me and Mrs. Carlson to your wedding. Best wishes, Drake.”

After some discussion, Kitty and Allen decided to find Shirley and give her the “evidence” envelope. They decided that she shouldn’t worry over humiliating pictures of her getting out in the world.

When she opened the door to them, Shirley seemed both frightened and sad.

“I’m sorry, but what do you want?”

“Can we come in for a minute?”

She gestured to a threadbare couch, the only furniture remaining in her tiny apartment. A couple of cardboard boxes were stacked near the door.

“You’re moving out?”

“I have to; I’m being evicted.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Carlo had a bad reputation in this little town; I’m paying the price for it. I need to go down to COS or Denver and look for work.”

They understood the acronym for Colorado Springs, the city down below them east of the mountains. Kitty thought quickly.

“Shirley, can you cook?”

“Actually, I can. My ma taught me before she died; simple stuff, mostly. I don’t do very much cooking now since my Daddy left.”

“You’re on your own?” asked Allen.

“That’s right, now that Carlo’s dead.

“I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but would you like to work for me in my diner, as a cook?”

“Wait, what? Your diner burnt up, I thought.”

“I’m rebuilding it, and my cook is going to have a baby. I want her to teach you how to work the kitchen and make the kind of dishes my customers expect. Louise would have some income until she gets too swollen to work, and you would have some income as well while you learn from her, if everyone agrees.

“Starting with you, Allen. What do you think?”

“You’re telling me you want to hire your late husband’s affair partner?”

“Exactly. She’s young and strong and needs a job, and I blame Carlo more than her for what happened. I’m convinced that Shirley was not the first woman he betrayed me with.”

“Now I want to dig his ass up and kick him in the balls.”

“I don’t think that’s wise, Shirley. Allen, what do you say?”

“If you have the capacity to forgive Shirley, I won’t stand in the way. It does make good sense for your business.”

“Oh, you wonderful man, mnph!”

Kitty plastered him with several ardent kisses.

“Hey, where’s MY kiss?” asked Shirley.

“Don’t push your luck, Missy.”

“I’m sorry, Kitty, there’s still a problem. They are fed up with me here and want me out. Today. I don’t have a place to go; there just aren’t many rentals for a single woman in this little mountain town.”

“Hmm. Is your phone still on?”

“Nope. Haven’t been paying the bill for a while.”

“Shoot. OK, let’s put your boxes in Allen’s truck and go back to our house. I need to talk to Louise anyway.”

“Louise? It’s Kitty. I have a proposal for you. Don’t be silly, I know you’re already married. Lou, would you like to make some money while you’re being pregnant?”

She pulled the phone handset away from her ear so her loud squeal wouldn’t hurt her hearing.

“Calm down! Here’s the plan. I need you to coach your replacement for me; teach her to cook the way you do, diner style. That way, when the restaurant is back in business, you can be resting at home while your little one gets fully cooked. Then you can nurture him while he’s tiny and needy. How does that sound?

“Yeah, I figure something like six hours a day, working together in your kitchen. I think you’ll get along. She’s young, only 19 or 20?”