Unmerited Favor: The Compassion and Peril of Mercy ( Un missable Series Book 2) Read online

  One day, Jack had an emergency that forced him to leave the Bistro for several hours. On this day, one of the Bistro’s regular customers and quasi friend of Kimberly’s, Tami Schroder, a domestic abuse survivor, straightforwardly told Kimberly her story. When Tami noticed some telltale signs of understanding on Kimberly’s part, she suggested Kimberly contact Wendy Stevens, Tami’s former counselor, in San Diego. Kimberly seized the opportunity to call Wendy and schedule a meeting with her, since she had a trip planned with Jack for a short week vacation and trade show in San Diego the following week.

  Upon arrival, Kimberly claimed she was going to do some sight-seeing, since Jack had informed her that his business meetings at the bar with a couple of guys attending the trade show had been prearranged and would be private. During the first and only in-person meeting, Wendy clearly outlined the cycle of domestic abuse to Kimberly, beginning with isolation from friends and personal finances, leading to emotional abuse, and ultimately ending with physical abuse and sometimes murder. Kimberly quickly recognized the dilemma and cycle she was caught in and agreed to weekly phone sessions with Wendy as opportunities presented themselves, with regard to Jack’s fluctuating schedule.

  It was during one of those phone sessions, after Kimberly’s separation from Jack, that Wendy had given her the advice to forego interest in the Bistro for their home. Jack, knowing at the time the Bistro was more valuable to him than their home, took the bait enthusiastically and had Kimberly sign off on the business while he quitclaimed the home to her. Now, eighteen months later, Kimberly is ecstatic she followed Wendy’s sage advice as she watches Jack’s trouble concerning the Bistro continue to unfold in the media.

  Kimberly phones Wendy and thanks her for the wise counsel Wendy gave her nearly two years ago.

  Wendy tells Kimberly, “You are so welcome, dear. However, there is absolutely no way I could have foreseen any of Jack’s current problems. I’m just glad I gave you good advice, and that someone as sweet as you is not dealing with the vicious reporters.” She smiles to herself, knowing she is responsible for Jack’s not-so-subtle business destruction.

  “I know you couldn’t have known,” Kimberly replies. “I just don’t know what I would do. Jack seems totally out of control of his own life.”

  Suddenly, Wendy feels the rush of controlling another, recognizing it for the first time in her life, and now she understands Mark’s obsession with the power of controlling another person. However, Wendy also realizes that she prefers to remain anonymous in that control, unlike Mark.

  Wendy finishes the call with Kimberly. “I’m so pleased your life is going well. It was really good to hear from you, and please don’t hesitate to call if you ever need anything else.”

  As they end their phone conversation, Wendy fully recognizes the brilliance of infecting Ricardo while dining at the Bistro on Union Street. She is thrilled that she could simultaneously destroy Ricardo and Jack, affecting both his reputation and his emotional well-being. Wendy appreciates the irony of Jack being out of control, bursts into near hysterical laughter, and then becomes giddy with self-satisfaction.

  Back in San Francisco, as the construction continues on the restaurant, everything is beginning to take an enormous toll on Jack’s dwindling finances and his patience. The media continues to annoy him by broadcasting progress reports on the botulism patients and updates of their ongoing lawsuit filings. Finally, in an effort to avoid any more unwanted press, Jack begins to decline all requests for comments or interviews, citing slanted and unfair reporting on the part of the media. A young up-and-coming news reporter and daughter of one of Jack’s regular customers, Lindsay Parker, convinces Jack to allow her to do an in-depth series on him, his Bistro, and the newly remodeled restaurant that will be opening as the Castaway Grill. The series of interviews appear to Jack to go well, as Lindsay outlines his vast experience, from his culinary education at the Cordon Bleu Academy, to graduating top of his class, to his initial experience at the best hotels in San Francisco, and then finally to opening the Bistro on Union Street. The Bistro received rave reviews initially and continued to amass countless dining awards over the years. After watching the series by Lindsay Parker that puts a positive spin on Jack, he finally begins feeling things might be changing once again for the better. As it’s been nearly two months since the initial botulism reports, the local media has begun to move on to more recent and relevant stories, and things appear to be getting back to normal.

  However, additional disappointments begin to arise when Jack contacts his chef, kitchen, and server staff to ask them to return to work, only to find most of them have gone to work for his competitors with absolutely no interest in returning to the new Castaway Grill. Nearly everyone he speaks with expresses feeling that his or her career had been harmed along with Jack’s by the botulism outrage. The few returning employees notice immediately the Castaway Grill will be opening significantly understaffed for the anticipated crowds. Jack acknowledges to his staff they are most likely correct, but given the difficulties over the last couple of months, Jack asks for their support and best effort with the new opening.

  As anticipated, the crowds are larger than ever before, partly because of Lindsay Parker’s food series and partly because of a morbid curiosity about the botulism. The chef, kitchen staff, and servers do the best they can, but each of them knows the opening could have gone better. Several food critics attend the opening and their reviews are mixed. Each compliments the chef and kitchen on the quality of the food prepared for the new menu and the unique methods of infusing unlikely ingredients for an amazing culinary experience. However, the restaurant critics also give lackluster reviews for the service, which seems a fair critique, given the small number of staff. The most disappointing part of each review, bar none, was the mention of botulism in comparisons of the Castaway Grill with the Bistro on Union Street. Reading the reviews the next morning, Jack becomes furious, as he realizes any endeavor of his in the San Francisco culinary industry will forever be haunted by the botulism scandal at the Bistro on Union Street.

  In that moment of total frustration, Jack contacts every news station in San Francisco and announces a press conference at the Castaway Grill for that evening, an hour before the Grill’s scheduled regular opening. Jack goes into the restaurant early and dismisses his minimal staff.

  “I know you all would like to help, but I called this press conference, and I need to do this on my own. I need to show these assholes just how great a chef I can truly be.”

  The staff grumbles at the loss of pay for the night but reluctantly leaves Jack personally preparing most of the items on the new menu. Having completed and arranged all the dishes prior to the scheduled press conference, Jack puts on his chef’s jacket and places his chef’s hat on the table with the food arrangement. Stepping up onto a chair just behind the table, he sticks his head through the noose dangling over one of the newly remodeled rafters. Using the table, he knocks over his chair and hangs himself.

  When the press begins to arrive at the Castaway Grill, the first reporters find Jack’s body hanging behind an elaborately arranged table of exquisite food. To the reporters’ dismay and horror, Jack had pinned a note to the chef’s hat sitting in the middle of the food table.

  It reads: “Here is your latest scandal. Be sure to give yourselves credit for causing this scoop. I’ll see you all in hell. —Chef Jack Taylor”

  CHAPTER 3

  BOTULISM FALLOUT

  Lindsay Parker is among the first group of reporters to arrive for the scheduled press conference, and one of the first to see Jack’s body hanging from the rafter, despite her coworkers’ attempts to shield her from the sight. Lindsay instantly loses all emotional control and breaks down, sobbing and hyperventilating, disbelief and horror etched on her face.

  A coworker, Pete Armstrong, a grizzled news veteran of twenty-plus years, takes her outside the Castaway Grill, grabbing a bottle of vodka
and a couple of glasses from behind the bar on the way. As Lindsay continues to sob, Pete patiently pours one shot at a time for both of them. Reporters continue to arrive for the scheduled press conference only to find out Jack has committed suicide.

  A short time later, the San Francisco police arrive, and the reporters are removed from the Castaway Grill, crime scene borders are established, crime scene tape is placed, and a press area is established by the patrol officers initially responding to one of the reporter’s calls to 911. Cynda Perkins, a San Francisco police inspector, arrives about twenty minutes later, along with the forensics team.

  Cynda reads Jack’s suicide note and grumbles slightly under her breath, “What a pathetic loser.” She rolls her eyes and then samples several of the items on Jack’s food table. Cynda tells the forensic team, “What a loss. This stuff is really good.”

  Several of the team members smile and nod, then one of them tells Cynda, “This is the restaurant that had the botulism problem a couple of months ago, so if you start to feel sick you might want to go to San Francisco General. They know what to look for now.” Cynda’s eyebrows shoot up and she spits her mouthful of food into a nearby garbage can while everyone laughs.

  “You guys are a bunch of assholes,” she announces, then goes outside to interview several reporters. She determines all their accounts are the same: Jack Taylor called a news conference for four thirty this afternoon; when the first group of reporters arrived around four fifteen, they found Mr. Taylor hanging from the rafters, and since there was no movement in the rope or his body, it was clear to everyone he was deceased. Cynda asks one of the reporters she knows fairly well, “Who is the young woman Pete Armstrong is comforting with copious amounts of vodka? What’s her story?”

  The reporter replies, “That’s Lindsay Parker, the reporter who aired that recent positive food series on Jack Taylor and the Castaway Grill. Apparently, Lindsay’s father was a good friend of Jack’s, and that’s why she got the scoop. I think she knew Jack pretty well, so it’s probably hard on her.” Cynda thanks him and walks over to speak with Lindsay.

  Cynda introduces herself. “Hello, Lindsay? I need to ask you some questions.”

  Pete stands, putting Lindsay behind him, and says, “Inspector, could you please wait to question Lindsay?”

  Cynda shoots him a glare and says, “Mr. Armstrong, please don’t interfere with my investigation.”

  Pete incredulously says, “What investigation? Everyone can plainly see this was a suicide—except the San Francisco Police Department, apparently. Can’t this wait, for Christ’s sake?”

  Cynda, not amused by Pete’s candor, shoots him another go to hell glance and tells him, “No, it can’t wait, Pete. I have a lot of shit on my plate and want to wrap this up quickly.”

  Lindsay reaches forward and pats Pete on the leg, saying, “It’s OK. I’ll be fine.”

  Pete glances back at her, shoots a disgusted look at Cynda, and then moves out of her way.

  As Cynda interviews her, Lindsay watches her colleagues racing around, trying to get the story out, or at least get a shot of some live coverage by the six o’clock deadline. Cynda asks all the basic questions of Lindsay: name, date of birth, occupation. All the while, Lindsay continues to wonder why her colleagues are circling like vultures. Then come Cynda’s specific questions about her relationship with the deceased.

  Lindsay starts to explain, “Jack is…sorry…was a friend of my dad’s for the last fifteen years. I’ve known him since I was ten years old. Jack and his ex-wife, Kimberly, would spend a lot of time with my parents and vice versa. After Jack and Kimberly’s divorce, Jack mostly spent time with Dad here, when it was called the Bistro. Apparently, my mom irritated Jack by refusing to not speak with Kimberly during and after the divorce, so Dad and Jack decided it was best to just hang out at the Bistro—”

  Cynda interrupts and asks, “Is Kimberly still around?”

  Lindsay says yes and then gives Kimberly’s address and phone number to Cynda. They speak briefly about Jack’s recent problems in the food industry and Lindsay’s food series, and then Cynda asks, “Do you know of any reason why Jack would kill himself?”

  Lindsay begins to cry a bit, then forces herself not to. “Other than his troubles with the Bistro and my colleagues berating him, I can’t think of any reason.”

  Cynda thanks Lindsay for her time, walks back into the Castaway Grill, and tells her colleagues she is heading over to give the death notification to Jack’s only known relation, his ex-wife, Kimberly Taylor, in Pacific Heights.

  Kimberly is cooking when her doorbell rings. As she looks out the window next to the front door, she notices a well-dressed, middle-aged woman. Kimberly wipes her hands on a hand towel and then opens the door.

  Cynda Perkins introduces herself. “Hello, I’m police Inspector Cynda Perkins. Are you Jack Taylor’s ex-wife?”

  Kimberly nods. “Yes. Why?”

  Cynda sighs. “May I come inside?”

  Kimberly gives her a puzzled look, then steps aside and makes a sweeping motion with her right hand, gesturing for Cynda to enter. “Can I get you anything, Inspector Perkins? A glass of water, Coke?”

  Cynda replies, “No, thank you. I don’t have much time. Your ex-husband, Jack Taylor, committed suicide this evening by hanging himself in his restaurant prior to a scheduled press conference. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Kimberly abruptly sits at the table in the kitchen, stunned by the news. After a moment, she looks up at Cynda and says, “Thank you, but Jack and I have been divorced for some time, and we didn’t speak much after the divorce.”

  Cynda asks, “Is there anyone else to be notified of Jack’s death?”

  Kimberly shakes her head slowly and replies, “No. Jack’s parents are gone, he was an only child, and we didn’t have any children. Do I need to do anything as far as funeral arrangements are concerned?”

  Cynda shrugs. “I guess that is up to you.”

  Kimberly nods. “I’ll have to deal with his apartment, I guess, but I’m not going near his business. I signed off on that during our separation and divorce years ago.”

  Cynda smirks a little and says, “I’m sure no one would blame you for that right now. I’ll need to get into Jack’s apartment. Can you help with that?”

  Kimberly says, “Jack always kept a spare key in the electrical box outlet by his front door. If you lift the lid and check under the rubber you’ll find the key.”

  Cynda asks, “Do you mind if we search his apartment for any necessary paper work?”

  Kimberly shakes her head. “I don’t think I have any say, since we aren’t married any longer.”

  Cynda asks, “Do you have any idea why Jack would kill himself?”

  “No. At least, not any concrete ones. I would have never expected Jack to commit suicide. The only reason I could come up with is that Jack’s life was out of control, what with the botulism problem, and Jack has always been a control freak. Perhaps he couldn’t handle not being in total control.”

  After Cynda leaves, Kimberly calls Wendy to tell her Jack committed suicide. Wendy sounds almost as shocked as Kimberly was when she found out. Wendy asks many questions, and Kimberly gives her as many details as she knows.

  Jesus, Wendy thinks, this is even better than I expected…I killed two for the effort of one. This time, Wendy senses a thrill coupled with excitement she never knew existed. Thinking about how easy it had been leads to a euphoric sensation, which Wendy enjoys so immensely it frightens her a little.

  The next day, Cynda knocks again on Kimberly’s door, and she is let inside. Cynda asks Kimberly, “Did you know Jack had a million-dollar life insurance policy, and that you are the primary beneficiary?”

  Kimberly replies, “He did, but that’s an old policy. Jack changed the beneficiary to the business during our divorce.”

  Cynda says, “Appare
ntly not. I spoke to the insurance company this morning, and they assured me the only beneficiary on his policy is you.”

  “That can’t be,” says Kimberly. “Jack was insistent he was changing the beneficiary. Besides, he committed suicide and that voids the policy.”

  Once again, Cynda corrects Kimberly, saying, “The period of contestability where a suicide would matter is two years from the origination date of the policy, which, in this case, passed years ago. You had no idea Jack kept this policy?”

  Kimberly shakes her head disbelievingly. “None whatsoever. Are you telling me I’m going to receive one million dollars from Jack’s life insurance policy?”

  Cynda says, “It appears so. Do you know if Jack had a will for the rest of his assets?”

  “I have absolutely no idea. He never wrote one when we were married…”

  Convinced there is nothing weird going on between Jack’s sudden death and Kimberly, Cynda thanks Kimberly for her time once again and then gives her the information on the policy, saying, “Jack wanted you to receive this money rather than his creditors. Enjoy it. It’s all tax-free, you know.”

  Kimberly smiles sadly and says, “I would never have expected any of this from Jack.”

  To which Cynda replies, “People never cease to amaze me the longer I’m in this job.”

  Kimberly decides to turn on the television to see how the press is handling Jack’s death. Almost immediately, she sees a story promo run for an exclusive look into his life, business, and death by Lindsay Parker. She notes the time and writes it down, so she will remember to watch the program, hoping little Lindsay will do some excellent reporting on Jack.

  Kimberly is interrupted by a phone call from Wendy, who asks how she is doing with Jack’s tragic death.

  Kimberly tells Wendy, “I’m fine. It’s a little sad that Jack chose to take his own life, but I guess that’s what he wanted. Thank you for asking.” They chat a little bit more, and then Kimberly exclaims, “Oh, Wendy! I almost forgot to tell you. Jack had a million-dollar life insurance policy when we were married and didn’t change the beneficiary like he threatened, so I’ll be receiving a million dollars tax-free in a few days.”