Cannoli Cafe Mystery Series Boxed Set

Chapter 1-1

Chapter 1

“Where’s my spaghetti?” yelled Don Martini, an old man in the Knights chess club. It was the usual Tuesday night routine for the Knights to set up at their favorite spot, the Cannoli Cafe.

At the empty table next to him, a new triangular table sign bore the description:

A cozy local spot, the Cannoli Cafe features small plates of Italian favorites along with its signature dessert—cannoli dripped with divine chocolate sauce.

“Coming right up, Mr. Martini!” Nicole smiled across the room as she answered the crotchety man.

“You’re lucky the professor is so nice to you, Don,” said Max, his opponent for the evening. “You don’t deserve it with your grumpy attitude.”

“And what exactly does she profess, how to make spaghetti in meat sauce?” He jerked his head back as he let out a hearty laugh. The other men of the Knights stopped their games and looked up.

“Go try to make it yourself then!” Max commanded. Don’s face contorted at his competitor’s remark. Max continued, “Nicole is very accomplished. Don’t you remember her as a little girl? Always studying and working hard.”

A couple of the men reacted by saying, “Oh,” “Yeah,” and “That's right!” in the background.

“As a matter of fact, she just took over the cafe after a very successful career in the chemical industry,” Max said as he moved his rook, putting Don’s king in jeopardy. “Check.”

“What? How did an engineer wind up making my spaghetti? And what does that have to do with professing?” Don squeaked out of the tight spot on the board. All the men glared at Don and he started to feel the heat.

Nicole approached the table with a tray full of spaghetti bowls. The men looked up with eager grins. She carefully set down a bowl in front of each gentleman and placed fresh parmesan cheese shakers in the middle. When she got to Mr. Martini, she noticed he looked a bit sheepish.

Nicole was used to such banter and took it in stride. She calmly remarked, “If you must know, I enjoy teaching engineering part-time. I love working with college students. That’s the professor part of me.” She paused and then added, “But running this cafe is now my full-time gig. And I want to honor Bernadette.” Everyone looked solemn as she mentioned the former owner’s name. Bernadette had a soft spot for Nicole and bequeathed her the cafe.

Suddenly, the front door opened. Nicole brightened once she saw her childhood friend, Lia. The mood in the cafe also lifted instantly. “Enough about me! Mangia, gentlemen!”

“That means eat, Don,” quipped Max.

“I know what it means. And, checkmate!”

Nicole expected an argument to ensue so she promptly made her way back to the front counter as Lia sat on one of the front stools. “What will it be, old friend? Cappuccino with cinnamon on top?”

“Yes, and…”

“Cannoli?”

“Of course!” Lia laughed. “And just a little bit of spaghetti, please? Just a taste. And what is the secret, pray tell? I usually crash after having carbs but I don’t with your recipe.”

“Years ago I taught Bernadette a secret. If you make spaghetti in meat sauce using a pressure cooker, you don’t have to drain the pasta water and you keep all the nutrients as a result. She had been making it that way ever since. It has certainly kept this place in business, that’s for sure!”

“You figured out how to engineer spaghetti. Only you would pull that off!” The women chuckled as Nicole made a cappuccino for each of them. Then she took two cannolis out of the glass case behind the counter. She carefully drizzled the special chocolate sauce over each one and handed Lia a plate and fork. She also put a small cup of spaghetti in front of her.

They looked at each other with warm smiles and clinked their mugs. “Congratulations, dear friend, on your new venture!”

“Thank you, Lia!”

“So how is entrepreneurship treating you?” Lia asked before she eagerly returned her fork to her cup of spaghetti.

Nicole set her mug down and said, “Well, I’m still trying to adapt to my new life. I’m starting to realize how much I was missing out. All I used to do was work. I would stress about production schedules, contaminated product, and big oil accounts.” She sighed after being reminded of her old life. “Focusing on making spaghetti and cannolis has been a pleasant change, but I’m still trying to get used to it. And it is hard to wrap my head around why I’m here.”

Nicole’s eyes glistened as she thought about her old mentor and friend, Bernadette. While Bernadette was not university-educated, she had a keen business sense and wisdom like no other. Nicole learned a lot from her and often sought her advice as she navigated the male-dominated waters of engineering and industry.

“I’m just glad you’re back in Rosewood finally. Maybe it’s time to settle down?” Lia asked with an eyebrow raised. She had finished her spaghetti quickly and was enjoying her hot cappuccino. As she sampled the filling of the cannoli she remarked, “Mmm, so good!”

“Ah, look who’s talking, Ms. Accounting Practice!” Nicole was referring to the fact that Lia opened up her own accounting practice and was doing quite well in town. They both shared the trait of being hard workers. “Besides, maybe I’m getting too old?”

“Thirty-five isn’t too old these days…” Lia began, before they saw Dean outside the cafe. “Speaking of which…”

“You know I have an old soul, though. And don't get any matchmaking ideas,” Nicole cautioned as Dean approached the door.

Nicole painfully thought of her history with Dean. He had been in love with her in high school, but Nicole had kept him at an arm’s length due to her studies and also her fear of getting too involved. Dean eventually married someone else right after college, but his wife passed away not long after due to illness. Now Dean was also back in town, something Nicole wasn’t quite prepared for.

Dean opened the door and shouted, “Nicole, quick! It’s your aunt!”

Nicole and Lia exchanged glances and grabbed their coats. Nicole shouted to the kitchen, “Susie, I have to go. Take over for me!”

Dean closed the cafe door behind them and said, “I parked across the street. Let’s go, I’ll explain in the car.” Perhaps if he were a stranger, Nicole would have been more apprehensive about jumping into his car. Despite the awkwardness over the years, though, Nicole knew Dean was a good guy no matter what. Lia automatically went for the back seat so that Nicole could sit in front.

Dean pulled the car out on the street. Breaking the local speed limit, he said, “We have to get to the hospital. Your Aunt Lucia had a heart attack, probably triggered by the stress of Frank Tanner being murdered in her restaurant tonight.”