This is the fourth chapter in our fictitious story called Secrets Under The Sizzle set in Treeville Ohio. Did you miss the previous chapters? You can find them here.
On Marco’s final evening in the kitchen, Marsha had recently left for a Restaurant Market run to gather necessary items for an upcoming morning brunch. Meanwhile, Jeff was savoring a sumptuous meal of lobster and wine. However, he couldn’t ignore the disapproving expression on Marco’s face. Understanding that there was unspoken tension lingering in the air, Jeff resolved to confront the underlying issue head-on. With determination radiating from his expression, he rose from his seat and squarely faced Marco.
“Is there something you want to say?” Jeff asked, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and frustration. Marco hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts before responding.
“Well, that lobster was actually set aside for a catering order,” Marco explained, his tone gentle but firm. Jeff’s face flushed with anger, his voice growing louder as he asserted his position.
“Well, I am one of the owners, and I can eat what I want, when I want,” Jeff retorted defiantly. Marco sighed softly, attempting to diffuse the escalating tension.
“Oh, Jeff, I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just pointing it out because you asked,” Marco replied, his words laced with understanding. But Jeff’s frustration got the better of him, and he impulsively gave Marco a shove.
“You think you know everything!” Jeff exclaimed, his voice filled with exasperation. In an unfortunate turn of events, Marco lost his balance and accidentally hit his head on the door jam. The room fell into stunned silence as Jeff watched, wide-eyed and surprised, as Marco crumpled to the ground.
“Stop being so dramatic,” Jeff exclaimed, his frustration evident as he observed Marco’s motionless form. Concern quickly washed over him when he realized that something was gravely wrong. Hastily, Jeff carefully rolled Marco over, only to be met with the sight of his vacant, unseeing eyes. Panic set in, and without hesitation, Jeff reached for his phone. Instead of dialing 911, however, he frantically dialed Bob’s number, hoping for some guidance or assistance in this dire situation.
“Bob, get over here to the restaurant as soon as possible!” Jeff urgently instructed, his voice filled with a sense of urgency. Bob, taken aback by the sudden request, questioned, “What do I tell Taylor?” Jeff quickly responded, “Tell her we’re going for a midnight cosmic bowling session.” Confused but willing to help, Bob complied and made his way to the restaurant, arriving around 11 PM.
To his surprise, Jeff had already wrapped what appeared to be a lifeless body in an old tablecloth. Bob’s curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn’t help but ask, “What is this?” Jeff, with a solemn expression, corrected him, “It’s not ‘what,’ but ‘who.’ It’s Marco.”
Bob, shocked and bewildered, blurted out, “What is it with you and chefs?” Jeff, growing increasingly frustrated, snapped back, “That was years ago, and Butch had it coming! We agreed not to bring that up again, remember?” Bob, attempting to diffuse the tension, tried to reassure Jeff, “Well, I thought it was a one-time thing. Are there more incidents I don’t know about?” Jeff vehemently denied any further incidents, stating, “No! Now, where are your bowling balls?” Confused, Bob questioned their purpose, to which Jeff clarified, “No, we’re not actually going bowling, you dufas. We’re going to wrap him up with another old tablecloth and add the bowling balls for weight.” Thankfully, Bob’s strong build allowed him to effortlessly lift heavy objects. In a rush they lift the wrapped up body into Bob’s large matt black Ram 1500.
Impressed with Jeff’s thorough planning, Bob remarked, “Wow, you’ve thought of everything. Where are we dumping the body?” Jeff, maintaining a sense of secrecy, replied, “Just get in the truck. I’ll tell you our destination once we’re on the way.”
Amidst the night’s shadows, a solitary witness observed the peculiar conduct, yet refrained from alerting the authorities.
Read on. Chapter 5 is here.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental
