Fat Tuesday Fricassee by J. J. Cook

do anything. In particular, don’t repeat this to anyone.”
    â€œWe won’t,” Miguel promised. “Get back with us as soon as you can, huh?”
    â€œI can’t promise anything. This is some serious stuff you’re throwing at me on my day off—and during carnival. I’m not even sure how to check on the commissioner, but I can ask around about Frolick. I don’t know him that well. Still, I find it hard to believe he’d move Phillips’s body away from the crime scene.”
    â€œI’m glad someone isn’t afraid of the Mistics of Time.” I looked at Miguel and smiled.
    â€œI’m not saying I’m not afraid of all the crazy secret societies. And I’m not doubting what you think happened, Zoe. I’ll take a look at it—but not at the ghost of Old Slac. I’m not a ghost hunter.”
    Patti went to join her husband, putting her arm around him. I knew he hated her being with the police department. I was sure it was for reasons like this. He was a lawyer and had expected her to be one, too. She’d confided that a friend’s death in college had changed her career path.
    â€œWhat do you think?” I asked Miguel.
    â€œI think she has a healthy fear of people wanting to kill her. I think you should copy her.”
    We started back to his car. I’d left Ollie and Uncle Saul cooking at the diner.
    I stopped walking and put my hand on his chest. He’d left his suit coat at the diner and was wearing a thin white shirt.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with you? You’ve acted weird ever since I told you about the ball. I can’t believe you’re that scared.”
    He took my arm, and we started walking again. “When I got out of college, a friend of mine was asked to join one of the secret societies. We both thought it would be fun. He told me he was going to an initiation of some kind. We weresupposed to meet the next day and talk about it. He didn’t show. I learned later that his body was found in the bay.”
    â€œThat’s terrible. Was it the Mistics? I hope not.”
    â€œI don’t know. My point is that they don’t fool around. You definitely saw something you weren’t supposed to. I don’t want them to find you in the bay, too.”
    I put my arms around him and hugged him tight. After his wife’s death, I should have realized he might be more than usually nervous that I could be killed, too.
    Not that I
wasn’t
worried about it. I was just more worried about what had really happened.
    â€œI understand. We’ve given it to Patti now. She can handle it. I need to concentrate on my food truck, anyway.”
    He kissed me. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t being supportive, Zoe. I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”
    â€œThanks. Let’s go back to the diner and see what’s going on with Uncle Saul and Ollie, shall we?”
    - - - - - - -
    I had no idea how much food the two men could make in the short time that we were gone. Uncle Saul had finished the lemon filling and started on some icing for the sweet biscuit bowls. Ollie was letting the pork fricassee cool before putting it in the refrigerator. He was sampling a MoonPie when we got back.
    â€œThese are exactly the right consistency,” he called out when he saw me. “You didn’t make enough, but the ones you have are really good.”
    â€œIt would probably be hard to make enough MoonPies for a whole day,” I reminded him as I stashed my bag in the office. “How did the fricassee turn out?”
    â€œI took some out for you.” He handed me a small plastic container. “Tell me what you think.”
    I tried it. It set my mouth on fire. “You added chili peppers to it?”
    â€œSure. We all need some spice.” He patted his flat stomach. “It’s good for you.”
    â€œHow did the meeting go with Detective Latoure?” Uncle Saul