♫The waiting is the hardest part♫
♫Every day you see one more card♫
♫You take it on faith, you take it to the heart♫
♫The waiting is the hardest part♫

High Stakes
Chapter 21

          “Tell me what it is that makes Miss Steak so special,” I began.  I figured a few generic questions would get the conversation rolling.

          Seva smiled and replied, “It’s a combination of things, really, but one single goal:  perfection.  We choose the best ingredients, the finest meats, and everything is prepared and served to the most exacting standards.”

          I’ve never been able to resist a woman of uncompromising principles.  For some reason, however, they are almost never attracted to me.  I was pleased with how this conversation was progressing, though, so I was hopeful.  I pressed on.  “I have to admit I’ve only heard of your restaurant very recently.  Why don’t you advertise?” 

          “I have always been convinced that a satisfied customer is better than any advertisement.  We primarily rely on word of mouth for our business.  Our customers tend to return, bring their friends, who bring more friends, and before you know it we’re busy every night.”

          I was impressed, but not entirely convinced.  “Wouldn’t you like to see your face on a billboard?  I know I would.  It could say ‘steak your claim’ or something like that.” 

          Seva pursed her lips and was quiet, as though visualizing her picture on the billboard I’d described.  “It’s not exactly the image I’m after,” she finally said.  “It’s not that we don’t do any advertising, though.  We’re involved in a number of community events.  In fact, Miss Steak is a sponsor for this weekend’s food festival.  You really ought to come if you’re still in town.  It’s quite an event.”

          “Or how about ‘the stakes are high at Miss Steak’?” I yipped, undaunted by her rejection of my first suggestion.  Her expression darkened, and I suspected that she had moved on in the conversation.  Too bad, I still had more slogans in mind.  I was fairly sure she had mentioned the food festival, a topic I’d planned to visit anyway.  “I heard you were having some rather special menu items for the festival.”

          Her good-natured smile returned and she replied, “Indeed we are.  A shipment of Kobe beef is arriving tonight, as a matter of fact.”  Her eyes danced with excitement.

          I rubbed my head as in my mind I heard the echo of the earlier conversation behind her closed office door.  “Tonight, you say?  Hmm.  Tell me, how are you planning to prepare the meat?”

          She hesitated for just a fraction of a second before she replied.  “My plan will be a surprise,” she murmured, her gaze drifting off over my shoulder.  “It will be a wonderful surprise.”

          I was instinctively suspicious.  Something was about to happen, and I wasn’t going to miss it.  So now I, too, had a plan:  stake out.

Chapter 22

          I was practically skipping back to my office.  A real stake out!  The anticipation was delicious.  I wondered if I’d have enough time to make the necessary arrangements to do it properly.  I had a nagging feeling that this case was close to breaking wide open and I didn’t want to jeopardize the investigation by being inadequately prepared.  I was scouring my bookshelves for my tattered copy of “Detecting for Dummies” when I was overcome with a powerful sense of déjà vu.  It might have had something to do with a breathless Samantha bursting through my door, sobbing and shouting, “Mr. Lyle!  Mr. Lyle!”

          “Come in,” I said gently, and handed her a tissue.  “What’s the matter?  Is Sinty okay?”

          “Yes, she’s fine.  That’s why I’m here,” she replied, blowing her nose loudly and handing me back the soggy tissue.  I cringed, let it drop, and scratched it under the rug.

          “I’m sorry, I must have missed something.  You’re here because she is doing well?  You don’t get too many return appointment invitations, do you,” I mused.

          She scowled at me and took a deep breath.  She raised her voice an octave and I found myself with an irresistible urge to cover my ears.  “She needs to get out of the hospital NOW.  She should be at home.  I can take better care of her.  The stupid doctors won’t release her.  You have to help me get her out.  Are you listening to me?  Take your paws out of your ears,” she demanded.

          “I can hear you just fine,” I assured her.  “What do you want me to do?  Why can’t you just sign her out A.W.O.L.?”

          “A.M.A., and I can’t, because they still have a guard posted at the door.  She’s a victim of an unsolved crime, as you might recall.”

          “I could give Lucky a call.  I’m sure he can remove the surveillance if that’s really what you want, but you should keep in mind that her attackers might return to finish what they started,” I reminded her.

          She shuddered and seemed to physically banish the idea.  “No,” she insisted.  “I don’t want to talk to any more police.  I just want to take her home.”

          “I’d love to help you.  I really would,” I said.  “It’s just that I’m really busy right at the moment and I’m not sure I have the time.”  My tail began wagging uncontrollably and Samantha scowled at me again.  It was clear I couldn’t hide my excitement, so I felt compelled to offer her an explanation.  “I’m planning a stake out.  I ran into those suspicious-looking dogs you told me about at Miss Steak today and I heard them discussing something that was supposed to happen tonight.  So I’m really sorry,” I said, trying my best to sound sincere and slow the frantic wagging, “but I can’t help you today.  Can we get her out tomorrow after lunch?”

          Samantha’s face unexpectedly broke into a wide grin and she grabbed my foreleg tightly with her paw.  “I have a better idea.  You’ll help me free Sinty and I’ll help you with your stake out.  You need an insider on the job.  You need me.”

          “I appreciate the offer, Samantha, but this is no place for civilians.  You could get hurt.  I’m sorry, but I just can’t take that risk.”

          “You don’t have to.  I will.  I assume all responsibility for my safety.  No excuses.”

          I shook my head and declared, “No, I have one more excuse.  I have lots of work to do to prepare for the stake out.  I simply don’t have the time.”

          She eyed me dubiously and said, “What kind of preparations, exactly?”

          She’d caught me off guard.  I was sure that I’d need some sort of surveillance equipment and maybe monitoring devices but all of these things were hiding out in dusty corners of my mind at that particular moment.  All I could think of was food.  The word “snacks” popped out of my mouth before I could produce a more considered response.  Samantha’s eyes grew wide and she licked her lips.  “Snacks?  Are you kidding me?  No problem.  I’ve got you covered.  Come help me with Sinty and I’ll bring you a whole pot of little cocktail weenies.”

          There was no way this could work.  No way at all.  I scratched my ear and tried to think of the kindest way to refuse her.  “The kind with the grape jelly sauce?” I finally asked.  I rationalized that I at least had to have all of the pertinent data before I could make an educated decision.

          She reached up and scratched my chin.  “The best you’ve ever tasted,” she crooned.

          I sighed and headed out the door.  “What are you waiting for?” I asked her.  “We’ve got work to do.  Let’s go save Sinty.”