Chef Lucas Tried to Throw Henry Out of the Kitchen — Then the Manager Showed Him the Signature on the Wall
Chapter 4 — The Recipe Book
Henry looked toward the pastry station.
“Where is Margaret’s recipe book?”
Elaine frowned.
“The leather one?”
Henry nodded.
For decades, the original Bell family recipes had been kept inside a thick brown notebook.
It wasn’t valuable because of the paper.
It was valuable because Margaret had written everything by hand.
Small notes.
Corrections.
Measurements.
Comments in the margins.
Elaine looked toward the locked office.
“It should be in storage.”
Henry’s eyes remained on Lucas.
“Should be?”
Elaine retrieved the key.
They opened the storage cabinet.
The recipe book was gone.
Elaine checked twice.
“It was here.”
Lucas crossed his arms.
“Maybe somebody moved it.”
Henry looked at him.
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Have you ever seen it?”
Lucas hesitated.
“Once or twice.”
Elaine immediately looked at him.
“You told me you never used the old recipes.”
“I don’t.”
Henry picked up the photograph Rosa had sent.
“Then how did Margaret’s torte become your signature dessert five years before you worked here?”
Lucas’s face changed.
“That’s a common recipe.”
Henry nodded.
“Then you won’t mind if we compare them.”
“Compare what? The book is missing.”
Henry stared at him.
“Exactly.”
Then one of the line cooks spoke from behind them.
“I saw Chef Lucas with it.”
Everyone turned.
His name was Daniel Ruiz.
He had worked there for three years.
Lucas stared at him.
“Be careful.”
Daniel swallowed.
Then continued.
“About six weeks ago.”
“Where?” Elaine asked.
“In the office.”
Daniel pointed toward Lucas.
“He was taking pictures of the pages.”
