The Billionaire Chef Page 8

  “I don’t care for her,” Vera said, her guarded French accent showing through. “She’s too…” Vera paused to search for a word, which Hannah provided.

  “Fake.”

  “Yes.”

  “I agree.” Hannah looked over at her friend. “I’m hungry. Want to get something?”

  Vera glanced to Hannah and gave an odd smile. “You just tasted fifty different dishes.”

  Hannah shrugged. “Tasted, not swallowed. Now I’m hungry.”

  Vera shook her head and laughed. “Thank you, but no. I’ve got to call the studio and make sure everything is good for tonight’s show.” She smiled and said, “A producer’s work is never done, it seems. By the way, Jazlyn wanted me to say hi for her.”

  The mention of Jazlyn Karas made Hannah smile. Like Vera, she too was a suspect during her aunt’s, Vera’s mother Julia’s, death. Like Vera, Hannah cleared her, and in the end, made her a friend as well. “How is she doing? I caught the show several times. She does an amazing job.”

  “Jazlyn is good in front of the cameras. Before the show airs though…” Vera made a gesture as if her head exploded. Dropping her hands back to her side, she added, “She’s nervous, but you are correct. She does a good job, and you’ll be happy to know, she’s changed quite a bit. She’s been seeing a young man for three months now. And only him.”

  “Wow, sounds serious.” Hannah noticed the gleam on Vera’s face and considered it. “What about you with your big old grin?”

  “Always a detective. Do you remember Malcolm?”

  Hannah’s face lit up. “The security guard? The cute one?” She reached out and gave Vera a gentle bump on the arm. “Congratulations. I told you he liked you.” She glanced back towards Louie. “And what does Dad have to say about it?”

  “They get along. Both like sports. Both like food. You know, they’re guys.”

  “Is he going to…?”

  “It’s too soon to say, but he told me he loves me, which is so good, because I feel the same.” Vera looked over to Hannah. “You’ll get to meet him again tonight. He came with us. He’s out fishing today. I think he gets enough of this kind of thing back home.”

  The glow on Vera’s face warmed Hannah’s heart. Her friend’s care for her love was obvious. She wondered if talking about Hymn, it showed on her face in the same manner.

  Hannah reached over and hugged her friend. When she let her go, she heard someone call her name.

  “Hannah! Hannah, over here!”

  Looking down the room, she saw her grandparents waving to her. Several hours passed since they all were together, and she beaconed them to her.. When they reached the two women, Hannah made introductions and Vera extended the invitation to dinner to them as well. The elder Starvling's agreed. Afterward, Vera made her goodbyes and headed over to talk with her father, before exiting the floor.

  “How’d your judging go, Sweetness?” Papa Jay inquired. Scanning her over, he added, “You look plumb tuckered out. You ain’t had spit for sleep.”

  “I’m just hungry, that’s all. I could use something to eat.”

  Gran put her hands on her hips and gave her granddaughter a sharp look. “You’re going to get as big as Buster someday if you don’t watch yourself. Didn’t you just eat like a hundred dishes? We were going to watch, but Old Grumpus here got caught up tasting all the fish dishes three rooms down.”

  “Didn’t get to them all. Just about thirty or so.” He crossed his arms and frowned. “Only about ten were worth keeping down. I’m telling you right here and now, Sweetness, peaches and fish is a combination from the nether regions of Satan’s derrière.”

  Gran rolled her eyes. “How would you know what that’s like?”

  “Cause I’ve lived with you for an eternity.”

  “Oh, hush you.” The elder woman reached out and smacked Papa Jay’s arm before pulling him in for a quick smooch kiss. “You taste fishy.”

  “That’s cause I’m an old sea scalawag. A Navy man, through and through,” he said with a grin and a wink to Hannah, which caused her to smile.

  “Anyway, Mr. and Mrs. Flirty, I judged fifty or so, but it was only a taste. Otherwise, my belly would be full. So I’m hungry.”

  Papa Jay thumbed toward the door. “Well, let me go get that man of yours if he’s aroused. I’ll be back down in a jiffy.”

  “I’ll get him, Papa Jay,” Hannah insisted.

  The elder Starvling refused. “Nope, I got it, Sweetness. You’ve been workin’ all day. I’ll get him. ‘Sides, there’s a fella we ran across who wants to talk to you. Your Gran’s all hot and bothered to give him the once over again, so she can take you to him.”

  “Oh, shush you. Stop being jealous,” Gran said, pawing at the air with one hand. “You’re just jealous because he’s nice and handsome and rich…”

  “And pushy and annoying,” Papa Jay added.

  “Humph,” offered Gran, as she linked her arm with her granddaughter’s and guided her toward the rear of the room. Hannah peered over at her grandmother, and studied her as they exited into the hall and toward the stated room.

  “What are you up to?” Hannah asked with noted suspicion in her voice.

  “Nothing. The man is annoying, but I like to tease your grandpa is all. But this man did seem eager to meet you and I promised an introduction. So as long as we have a moment, what can it hurt?”

  “You’re not trying to set me up are you? Cause you’ve met Hymn and…”

  “Heavens no, dear.” The snoop gave her granddaughter a smile. “I know who you are marrying. Now, I just have to get something other than food in that tummy of yours.”

  Hannah squeezed her grandmother’s arm. “Patience, Gran, one step at a time.”

  “I’m seventy four, dear. Patience and time are no longer my friends.”

  The two came to the room and entered as Gran continued to explain to Papa Jay and her encounter with the man.

  “Anyway, he read your friend’s article about you. What’s his name?”

  “Louie Woolridge. You’ll meet him on-board tonight, if you and Papa Jay are up for it.”

  “Of course, sounds romantic.” She grinned. “You think they have any empty cabins aboard?”

  “You’re incorrigible.” Hannah redirected the conversation back on course. “Why is this guy so hot to meet me?”

  Gran shook her head. “You’ll have to ask him yourself.”

  Before Hannah could respond, Gran called out, “Lukas!” She began waving at a man who stood talking to several women. He returned the same. Not wanting to seem rude, Hannah gave an unenthusiastic wave. As they approached the man, Hannah charted him out. Mid to late forties. Crystalline blue eyes. Well kept blond hair. Charming smile. Handsome. Fit. Expensive clothes. Well dressed. Going over her mental breakdown of the man, she remembered encountering him the first day she arrived. Checked into the hotel just before us, she noted. Drove high priced sports car.

  The man then sized Hannah up and offered a hand to her. Gran made introductions. “Hannah, Mr. Lukas Grimm. Lukas, this is my granddaughter, Hannah Starvling.”

  “Pleasure to meet you,” Lukas said as they shook hands. “I was hoping to find you here. Perhaps you could join me for coffee where we could talk?”

  Accent. European. Central. Germanic. German? Austrian? Swiss? Strong handshake. Determined. Confident, Hannah calculated.

  There was an eagerness in his voice as if he were anticipating something. Hannah admitted to herself that he was beautiful. As a bonus, he smelled good. So much so, she almost shook her head to clear it. Like vanilla and musk. She knew about the rumor that such scents affects people, in particular women. Glancing over the man, Hannah analyzed everything. The obvious attention he put into picking out his clothes. The shine of his shoes. How he groomed himself, and his choice of cologne, all told her volumes about the man. Lukas Grim was an urban hunter. Confident and ego driven, he chose every detail of his life. Controlled every aspect of his world. I wonder what you
are hunting for today, Hannah pondered. Was she not otherwise taken with Hymn, there might have been a superficial interest. Still, as stunning as he was, Hymn floated back into her head when she looked at Lukas.

  “Any other time I’d love to ---”

  Lukas interrupted. “I understand its rather sudden.” Taking a moment to study Hannah, he smiled again. “Let me explain. My intention is business.” He then turned to Gran. “When I met this lovely lady and her husband, they said the most wonderful things about their granddaughter.” He looked at Gran through a toothy smile, “When they mentioned your name, I thought to myself, it must be fate. As it turns out, I was hoping to meet with you. So it is all, how do you American’s say, fortuitous?”

  “Fortuitous,” Hannah repeated in a stoic manner.

  He produced another broad smile. “Usually, I approach things more professionally, but seeing you now, well, how could I resist not extending an invitation to someone called Sweetness?”

  Hannah mustered up a charming, but serious smile. “It sounds wonderful, but I doubt I’ll be able to make it today. Unfortunately, I already have other plans. I have a friend who was in an accident yesterday and I must go see him. I’m afraid I can’t take you up on your invitation. Some other time, perhaps?”

  “Accident? I see. Is he okay?”

  Hannah’s mind clicked into gear. He said is ‘he okay,’ she thought. He knew Elias to be a male, she considered. She also noted that he stiffened a bit at the word ‘accident’. He didn’t ask what happened. Only if HE was OKAY. Knowledge or assumption. He did listen in on their conversation. Now, she wondered if the man’s interests lay with her, or was he somehow connected to it all? She decided to bait him with details.

  “He’s alive, but he took a nasty fall from a window in this hotel. I’m not sure whether it was accidental… or deliberate… but I plan on finding out.”

  “Yes, I believe I heard something about that. I overheard a young man talking when I arrived. That is a shame,” Lukas commented.

  “Yes, it is.”

  Lukas nodded toward the elder Starvling. “Your grandparents say when you want to find out something, you never stop until you get answers.”

  Gran looked at him with a big smile. Hannah could already tell that she too caught onto his reference mistake. She was asking the same question. How did he know that the friend was a man?

  Lukas interrupted Hannah’s thoughts. “But do not worry. They did not reveal too many of your secrets.”

  Hannah gave another charming smile. “Oh, what did they reveal?”

  “Well, if it is not too improper to say, you are a former United States law enforcement officer who became a chef. Now, you are a detective of sorts. You are…” He tapped his chin with his index finger. “How did he put it? Tenacious with a ‘T’. Yes, I think that is how your grandfather put it. And you do not give up without a fight.” He thought for a second more before adding, “Oh, and you are available.”

  “I am not a practicing detective. I work as a culinary consultant.”

  “My error, I apologize.”

  “No need for that.” Hannah cleared up. “But for now, that friend is in the hospital, and I need answers, so if you’ll excuse me.”

  “Of course,” Lukas said, the disappointment obvious in his voice. “Listen, I know we cannot talk today, but perhaps I could be of some help to your investigation later.”

  Hannah shifted her weight. She eyed the man with suspicion. “How so?”

  “I, too, have a background in law enforcement. My first career was as an investigator with the Swiss military. I could call you later at the hotel? We can arrange a time to meet.”

  “I don’t know what my schedule is going to be like,” Hannah said, ill at ease with his insistence.

  “I understand,” Lukas replied with another charming, sympathetic smile. “Perhaps tomorrow, or the next day then?”

  Hannah felt more and more uncomfortable. His eyes darted around and he looked straight at her. His smile was gone, replaced with a serious look. He looked over to Gran.

  “Ms. Starvling, could I have a moment alone with your granddaughter?”

  Gran said nothing, but her eyes moved from the man over to Hannah. After a second, the culinary detective bobbed her head once in agreement. Gran agreed, but added as she pointed to a nearby booth. She spoke in deliberate, short, sentences. “I’ll be just over here. With my phone. Calling Jayland. To tell him where we are. So he’ll know.” After a brief glare at Lukas, she stepped away. Hannah caught onto her grandmother’s threat to Lukas and she was glad for it.

  Once the elder snoop was at a distance, Lukas peered at Hannah. “It is imperative to me that we talk,” he insisted. “Is there anything I can do to convince you to meet with me?”

  Hannah went into analytic mode. Under normal circumstances, she would have sent the man packing. She took in his eyes, his face, and his body language. There was more to his insistence than simple interest in her. It went beyond that. Something about the case intrigued him. He wanted to keep up with her, so she decided to let him. In turn, she would keep up with him.

  Still, there was more to this. Something in his face told her he was serious. He knew something. Logic told her to dismiss him. Gut instinct said otherwise. She chose to follow the latter.

  “Is there something you know? Something you’re not telling me?”

  Lukas shook his head and took a slow look around the room. “I would prefer we not discuss anything here.” Glancing past Hannah, he seemed to see someone he recognized. “How about the day after tomorrow?” he asked with an intent tone.

  Hannah was not sure what he was up to, but she could not afford to miss the opportunity to find out what the big mystery was about.

  “Okay,” she agreed. “Leave a number at the reception desk. I’ll get in touch when I can.”

  Lukas nodded. His face was serious before. Now, it relaxed into another smile. “I will schedule it. I hope everything turns out as it should with your friend.”

  “Thank you,” Hannah replied. With that, Lukas left, heading toward the exit. On his way out, he gestured to Gran, letting her know he was through.

  Gran, having watched the whole exchange, now showed curiosity on her face. “What the heck was that all about?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but I put him off until the day after tomorrow. He seemed pretty anxious, so by then…”

  “He’ll be bursting at the seams to tell you everything. Sweet plan.”

  Hannah grinned. “Should be, I learned it from you.” She leaned over and gave her grandmother a kiss on the forehead. “Come on now, let’s find our men. Burgers on me.”

  “I’ll have that fudge instead,” Gran said as the two exited the room.

  Chapter Nine

  After finding Hymn and Papa Jay in the lobby, fresh from a ride down in the elevators, Hannah suggested they grab something quick. She had something she needed carried out that afternoon. The sleuth also expressed a need to do something she would explain as soon as they had settled in. In truth though, she felt guilty. All she wanted was to have a few minutes alone with Hymn before all of them headed to dinner on the yacht. The four ended up at Star Burger, a fast food chain with an impressive and quick franchise record.

  After placing orders, Hannah found a booth to discuss Elias’ change in condition, and to update the case. When it arrived, she dove into the food. Though she consumed it in a ravenous manner, she complained about how it failed in comparison to its source. “They killed your burgers, Papa Jay,” she commented. Popping the last of her fries in her mouth, she added, “And your taters.”

  Hymn gave a quizzical look. “You own Star Burgers?”

  Papa Jay shook his head. “Nope, I owned Starvling Diner. That’s where they came from. Big northern outfit bought me out, turned it into a chain. That’s how I got the money to send Sweetness to that fancy smancy cooking school. Left us with a decent enough retirement too.” Holding up one of the French fries, he studied
it for a second. “Can’t say much for my legacy, though.”

  Gran gave a harsh look. “Oh shush. Michael and Hannah are your legacy. They turned out perfect.” She looked at Hymn smiling. “Besides, you never know. There’s still time for more.”

  Papa Jay leaned over to Hymn but motioned toward Gran. In a low voice, he said, “Remember, son, DNA, it’s built in.” He then looked at his granddaughter who eyed the front counter menu. “Remember that before you make any crazy decisions.”

  Hymn glanced over at Hannah as she and Gran talked of ordering more. A smile crept across his face. “Will do, sir,” he replied.

  After ordering several small, fried lemon and apple pies, Hannah explained her plan.

  “We have some things we need to do, including checking in on Elias,” she thumbed to Gran, “and checking out his and Janine’s room.”

  Gran’s eyes perked up and her attention focused on Hannah. “We? As in you and me?” she said, gesturing between herself and her granddaughter.

  “As in you and me.”

  Hannah smiled at Gran, causing her grandmother to return the same, but one riddled with excitement. Keeping the older gumshoe out of her love life proved itself as an impossibility. Hannah’s only remaining option was to distract the woman with the case and tap into her talents as an investigator.

  Papa Jay gave another concerned frown. “That might be dangerous. What if whoever did this sees y’all there? If they catch you two snoopin’ around, they might not take kindly to it. Send you both out the window. Just like Elias.”

  Studying Hannah, Hymn added, “Do you have some way of protecting yourselves?”

  “You mean other than her fancy moves?” Gran made a mocking martial arts hand move.

  “We’ll be fine.”

  “I never considered cooking to be a dangerous business,” Papa Jay said. “Knew I should have packed my weapons.”

  “You haven’t fired those things in half a century,” Gran scolded.