Page 14 of Suddenly Beck

‘A runner,’ Jesse replies angrily, his temporary amusement evaporating.

‘What?’ I frown in confusion.

‘He’s done a runner,’ Jesse repeats. ‘He packed up and skipped town. No warning or anything. He just sent mum a message saying he’s not coming back and that he’d posted the keys to the restaurant through the letterbox.’

‘Fucking tosser,’ I mutter darkly. ‘I never liked him much anyway, but it was mum’s decision who ran the place. I stopped going in after…’

‘I know,’ Jesse cuts in softly. ‘We all did, it was just easier to ignore it after Dad was gone, but the fact is, we all contributed to this mess.’

‘What mess?’ Scott’s gone,’ I reply. ‘I say we celebrate. Ding dong the witch is dead and all that jazz.’

‘You’re mixing up your musicals.’

‘Whatever, the point is he’s gone, problem solved,’ I say mentally dusting off my hands. ‘Good riddance.’

‘Beck…’ Jesse says quietly, and I know there’s more he’s not telling me.

‘What?’ I ask suspiciously.

‘The truth is, he fucked the restaurant over big time. He’s practically run the place into the ground. He fired most of the staff, and he’s been cooking the books and skimming off the top. He changed Dad’s signature menu… I mean he’s been using frozen food for fuck’s sake, when Sully’s was always known for its fresh, locally sourced produce.’

‘Are you shitting me?’ I frown. ‘Sully’s is practically an institution around here; it’s always been known for its signature seafood dishes. Dad won awards for those.’

‘I know,’ Jesse agrees. ‘But Mum found fish fingers in the freezer.’

I can’t help it, I laugh incredulously. ‘Please tell me you’re joking.’

‘I wish I could,’ Jesse sighs, and I can almost see him shaking his head. ‘But that’s not even the worst of it.’

‘It gets worse than fish fingers?’ I ask.

‘Yep.’ He smacks his lips on the word. ‘Mum hired a new chef.’

‘Oh, well.’ I frown trying to understand his line of thought. ‘Don’t we need a new chef? Surely that’s a good thing?’

‘You’d think, wouldn’t you?’ Jesse hums. ‘But she hired some complete random who wandered in off the streets.’

‘Sorry, you’re going to have to back that up for me.’ I frown. ‘I’m a bit slow this morning.’

‘It’s not morning,’ Jesse sighs. ‘I thought we covered this.’

‘Jesse,’ I warn.

‘Some random guy just happened to be in the restaurant when she found out Scott wasn’t coming back. Apparently, he said he could cook and would help her out if she wanted. She just gave him the job then and there; she didn’t even look at his CV or have him checked out or anything. He could be a pyscho murderer for god’s sake.’

‘I seriously doubt it, this isn’t Hot Fuzz you know,’ I reply dryly. ‘Are you absolutely sure?’

‘Yeah,’ Jesse confirms. ‘You know my new veterinary nurse, Laurel? Well, she’s friends with Rachel who’s one of the waitresses at the restaurant. Rachel was there when this all went down and told Laurel, who told me.’

‘Well, it’s good that you’re not getting it third hand then,’ I snort. ‘Have you actually spoken to Mum about this?’

‘I can’t get hold of her,’ Jesse answers in frustration. ‘But I’m worried Beck, Mum’s still struggling to adapt to life without Dad, and now Scott’s screwed her over and pissed all over the legacy Dad left behind. I just don’t want some random opportunist or cheap con artist taking advantage. For all we know the guy she hired isn’t even a trained chef.’

‘I’ll talk to her,’ I soothe him. Jesse’s always been a worrier, and it’s always been me he’s come to.

‘Okay, good.’ He blows out a relieved breath. ‘I’d do it, but I’ve been in surgery all afternoon. Mrs Anderson’s Pekinese had a tumour removed, and she’s reacted badly to the anaesthetic.’

‘Mrs Anderson or the Pekinese?’