The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star

“Raylene!” Miss Dare cried. “Why, I never in the world would have guessed I’d meet you here! What a coincidence! So it’s your pulled pork. It was so good—I should have guessed.”


“You two know each other, it seems,” Charlie said.

Miss Dare nodded, smiling. “Raylene—but I don’t think you were Riggs, then, were you? You went by the name—”

“By my married name,” Raylene broke in quickly. “I’m using a . . . a different name now. Are you and Mr. Hart doing a show here?”

“You haven’t seen the fliers and advertising?” Lizzy asked. “The Dare Devils will be performing at the Watermelon Festival this weekend. The whole town has been looking forward to it for months.”

“Raylene has been staying over in Monroeville,” Myra May explained. “This is her first day on the job.”

“And how do you two know one another, Lily?” Charlie asked curiously. “Texas? The West Coast?”

“Florida.” Miss Dare smiled. “We met in Tampa, where Raylene was the chef at one of the local hotels. In fact, she’s the one who introduced me to pulled pork. When was that, Raylene? Two years ago? Three?”

“About that,” Raylene said. To Charlie, she added, “My . . . husband was taking flying lessons from Mr. Hart, and I spent a lot of time at the airfield, watching. Miss Dare and I struck up an acquaintance. She used to tell me about her flying adventures—she’s led quite a life, it turns out. Once, we went to see a movie where she’d done some stunt flying, and she told me how the scenes were filmed. Why, she even took me up in her airplane.”

Miss Dare laughed. “I was trying to entice you into taking flying lessons, too. You seemed like such a natural. And you knew a lot about airplanes, too. Even Mr. Hart said so.”

“I knew about airplanes because of my husband,” Raylene replied. “Me, I’m a natural cook. The only wings I know anything about are chicken wings.”

“Well, we’re glad you’re cooking here,” Lizzy said diplomatically. “And I’m sure that Myra May and Violet are thrilled.”

“Oh, you bet,” Myra May said, with emphasis. Under her breath, she added, “Eat your heart out, Euphoria.” Lizzy laughed, glad to see that Myra May was feeling good again.

But Charlie was wearing a puzzled look. “What I want to know,” he put in, “is how Miz Riggs knew that Miss Dare was asking about pulled pork before she knew it was on the menu here at the diner.”

“She did?” Raylene’s dark eyebrows went up and her mouth quirked with amusement. “Oh, for heaven’s sake. Now, isn’t that just the funniest coincidence? It’s grand when it works out that way, isn’t it?”

Lizzy blinked, remembering what Donna Sue had said about dreaming of her mother’s grits and sausage casserole and finding it at the diner for breakfast. She could imagine a coincidence like that once. But twice? Still, what else could it be?

Charlie got up. “Excuse me, ladies. I saw the latest Mobile Register on the newspaper rack out front. I’m going to get a copy.” He stepped away from the table.

Miss Dare leaned forward, frowning as if she had just thought of something. “Raylene, I’ll be here in Darling for a couple of days. I’d sure like it if we could get together. You know, catch up on what’s been going on. Could we maybe do that?”

“That would be swell,” Raylene said. “I’m here at the diner during the day. I haven’t located a house yet, but Violet found me a little cottage at the Marigold Motor Court, out on the Monroeville Highway. I’m in Number Four. It’s not fancy, but it’s clean and the price is right.”

Miss Dare nodded. “Sure. I saw that place when Charlie drove me into town this morning. I could give you a call and see if you’re there before I come out.”

“There’s no phone,” Raylene replied. “But I’ll likely be there when I’m not here.” She smiled. “I’d better get back in that kitchen, or there won’t be any supper.” She turned and went back to the kitchen just as Charlie came back with the Register under his arm.

Lizzy, Charlie, and Miss Dare were leaving the diner when they heard the roar of a motorcycle and Deputy Buddy Norris brought his Indian Ace to a stop at the curb. Behind him on the motorcycle was an athletic-looking girl, tanned and freckled, her brown hair cut in a boyish bob. She wore tight denim pants and a red short-sleeved shirt with the words Lily Dare’s Dare Devils in white printed on the back.

“Oh, there you are, Lily!” she cried, jumping off the motorcycle. “Say, when I get a little more money, I’m going to buy one of these motorcycles for myself. It’s almost as much fun as flying!” She gave Buddy a comradely poke in the arm. “It was nice of Deputy Norris to give me a ride from the airfield. He really knows how to fly a motorcycle.”

“Hello, Mabel,” Miss Dare said coolly. “So you and Rex got in okay? No problems with the plane?”

“Mabel?” Buddy Norris glanced at the girl, obviously confused.