The Cayenne Pepper Café

Chapter 1

One morning when the sun is shining from a blue sky Betty wakes up when the newspaper "boy" delivers the daily paper.
She tries to go to sleep again but the noises from her new neighbors disturbs her so she decides to get up and make some breakfast.

This was her first night in her own apartment.
She had dreamt about a nice house where she could spend the rest of her life and she was still feeling happy after that dream.

Betty goes to work, she works in a little flower shop.
This isn't her favorite occupation but she gets enough money for her living.

The phone is ringing, Betty answers.
-Hallo Betty! I'm glad you are still alive! You know I didn't want you to move in to that neighborhood!
Betty smiles of course it's twelve o'clock mum always calls by noon.
-Hey mum! yes I'm still alive and there is nothing to be worrying about.
-But I have read in the paper about....
-Mum just don't read so much will you! Oh here comes a customer I must go bye, bye i call you later.

When she gets home in the afternoon, she has got a letter from a lawyer's office, Billy Boy & Junior.

"Dear Miss Cayenne
It is with great sorrow that I inform that your Father, Hector Cayenne, has passed away.
Before his death, he appointed our office to handle his affairs. Please call us at the number
above at your earliest convenience so that we may arrange a meeting to discuss his affairs.

Sincerest regards,

Billy Boy Junior, Esq."


My father but....he died years ago when I was a little girl.
I have to solve this out.....I'm going to mums place.

-There you are Betty! Have you already getting bored with your new neighborhood. but what has happend? Mum Alice, asks worried when she sees the expression on her daughters face.

-You have told me all these years that my father was dead and now I get a letter that says, he has passed away again!
Could you please explain this to me? Betty gives Alice the letter from the lawyers.
-Read it! Betty cries.

Alice reads the letter from the lawyers and then she sits down and remains speechless.
-Why?  Mum?  Bettty says with a demanding voice.
-I haven't told you the truth.  Hector didn't die when you were a little girl.
He kept on living in that house, I'm sorry!  I didn't want you to know.
-All these years my father has been alive and I haven't known. Why mum?  Why haven't you told me?
-He didn't want to leave the east side so I moved away by myself with you.
-He didn't want to leave...I don't understand what's wrong with the eastside? What's wrong with my dad?

-There lives the.....
-Oh they are not good enough for you. I'm living on the east side now and there is nothing wrong.
So I'm not good enough? And my father was not good enough for you.
Betty picks up the letter and turns around and runs out of the house.
-Betty please wait! Alice cries she tries to run after Betty but she has already left.

Betty wents to The Red Lion where she and her friends always meets, she wants to speak with Todd.

-Todd, Hey there!
-Betty where have you been? I have been at your place.... but you don't seem happy, what's up?
Betty gives him the letter and tells him everything. Todd reads the letter and says;
-This can't be true? Have you called that number?
-No there hasn't been time to.

-Do you want me to go with you if this is true?
-I don't know yet I'm too confused.
-And you are angry with your mum?
-No I'm disappointed I thought she was the only person I could trust.
Well I do trust you and Curt of course. But she is my mother how could she?

Betty calls the lawyers office and makes an appointment with Mr. Billy Boy Junior.
Curt comes on a visit.
-Hallo sis! How are you?
-How do you think? You know how I have wished that my father would be alive, ever since I was a little girl.
-Yes I know.

Every time I blow out the candles I wished my father would be alive. And he was alive all those years and I didn't know.
-I know! But mum could not help it. She wished she had told you earlier. But things are not so bad sis?
-Easy for you to say you have both your parents, and I have never had a chance to know my father. And now it's too late.

-Have you made an appointment with the lawyer yet?
-Yes I have.
-Do you want company when you go there?
-No I'm going alone. She regrets her words right after she has said them. She would like company she doesn't want to go alone.
-Well if you change your mind you can always call me. Bye, bye and take care sis." Curt says and hugs Betty goodbye.

Betty is early for the appointment. she sits down in the waiting-room and now she feels how nervous
 she is and how she had wished she had Curt's or Todd`s support.

The door opens and out comes a young man.

- Hello are you Miss Cayenne? He asks Betty.
- Yes I am. Betty takes his hand and shakes it.
- I'm Billy Boy Junior. You are very welcome.
Please come in and have a seat. " Billy holds up the door for her and shows her in to the office.

Billy Boy Jr. starts to talk and he shows her a bunch of different documents.
In the end he gives her a couple of pictures and keys.
"- Now you have to sign these documents and you are a rich lady Miss Cayenne. " He says with a smile.

Betty feels like she is somewhere else, this isn't happening to her she is watching it through someone else´s eyes.

She wakes up when she is standing outside the office and she hears somebody calling her name.
- Betty....Betty wake up, what happened?  Todd asks.
She shakes her head slowly and looks down in her hand. There lies a key and some pictures of the house and her father. Then she feels a cold shivering through her body.

- Are you cold? Come on we take a cup of coffee but you are not well shall we go home instead?
- No Todd I'm well it's so unreal I have a feeling of being somebody else. This is not happening.

- Hey you are shocked come on let´s go to The Tram way park they have coffee. I know you feel better after that.

Betty shows Todd the pictures of her father and the house.
- You look like him, the same hair colour and eyes. He looks nice. Where is this house?
-It's on Sergeant Pepper Road 55.

-Let's go and check it out. Todd says enthusiastic.

They arrive to Sergeant Pepper Road 55.
- Oh it's this house, I have often wondered who could live here. Now I know, my father did.
- Come on Betty let's go inside. Do you have the key?

Betty opens the door and they gets inside.
She wanders trough the rooms and it looks like her father would return any minute.

"- Todd look! It's a picture of me and my mother."
"- Yes i saw it and there is more in the bedroom.  This is a big house, what are you going to do with it?"
"- I don't know." Betty says and shakes her head.

A few days later Betty is at work and she overheard two customers.
"- There should bee a cafe in this neighborhood." says the first lady.
"- Yes a nice and descent one, not a bar, a cafe with som yummy chocolate cakes." Says the second lady.

A cafe that's an idea, why not it could happen in that big house of mine. Betty starts to make some calls.
When she leaves that night she has made the most important calls and now her plan is in progress.








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Chapter 2

Soon Betty has the first opening night for the Cayenne Pepper Café.

Todd has tried to congratulate Betty for the whole evening. Every time he had a chance somebody else took
Betty's attention. At last he takes her hand and leads her to a quiet and empty corner of the café.
"- Betty I know you're in a hurry but I want you to know I'll be there for you anytime....."

"-Yes Todd I know you don't have to tell me."
"- But i want to, the whole café is looking good and so are you. You are blossoming."
"- Thanks Todd. You are looking good too. I need to go back..."
Betty turns around and starts to walk towards the head waitress.
"- Betty please wait..".

Betty doesn't hear her attention is on the head waitress.

The Cayenne Pepper Café is a great success. And soon the papers write good reviews.
Betty is proud over her Café and enjoys seeing happy customers, and they are many.

Betty visits the cemetery and puts new fresh flowers on her Father's grave.

She sits down and enjoys the silence and meditate for a while.

When she is on her way to leave a young woman not much older than her self approaches her.
- Excuse me are you miss Betty Cayenne? The young woman asks.
- Yes I am. Betty answers and feeling a little uncertain.

- Good I'm MaryAnn Smith Cayenne. I was at Sergeant Pepper Road 55 and the Café staff told me you were here.
- How could they know? I haven't told anybody I'm going here? Betty is confused.
- Well I don't know they told me so. I'm here to put some flowers on my dad's grave, Hector Cayenne do you know where it is?
- Yes it's over there. Betty points out the grave and feels even more confused. Is this MaryAnn her sister?

- Please walk with me I'm terrified on cemeteries. MaryAnn says and looks really scared.
Betty can't answer but she starts to walk towards the grave.
- I'll understand you must be confused when I pop up like this.
When I got this letter from the lawyer's office I didn't know what to think.
MaryAnn hands over a letter from the lawyer's office Billy Boy & Junior.
Betty reads it and it seams to be exact copy of the letter she got.

- Have you been at the lawyer's office?
- Yes I have and they said I have inherit half of the Cayenne Pepper Café.
- That can't be true because my father didn't own the Café. He owned only the house.

- I think I have to go and call these lawyers.  Betty says and starts to walk toward the gates.

Billy Boy Junior don't answer the phone and that's probably because it's Sunday.
I'll have to wait until tomorrow before I know for sure.

Betty starts to look through Hector's stuff, just to see if there was another girl in any of his pictures,
or if he mentions a girl with the name MaryAnn.
She can't find anything.

Then  Betty calls her mum Alice. She is still mad at her but she needs to know.
- Did you leave Hector because he had meet another woman?

- Hector........another woman?
No, I left because the love was gone and we argue all the time.  Hector left new Haven and
moved to Simrishamn in some norther country far away.  And we lost touch with each other.
Before he left he said he never move back again. That's why I didn't tell you about him.
I didn't know he had moved back again.
I'm truly sorry that I didn't tell you earlier but I can't undo it.......I'm sorry!

- You asked me about a MaryAnn Smith........ have never heard of her, and she is in your age?
She has probably a mother who is she?

- I don't know I didn't ask her, I was so confused with her appearing at the cemetery.
- Smith..... well I see if I can figure out something. I'll check with some of my friends.

Betty works as usual from early morning to late at night at the Café. MaryAnn shows up by noon.
- Hey there sis! What's up?

Before Betty manages to answer MaryAnn goes on:
- I don't want to have that ugly cement fence around the open- air café.
It should be open so everybody could see you, or see me.
- Before you go and butt your pretty head against that wall I will tell you this:
MaryAnn this is my Café and I am going to make any decisions necessary about fences, tables or any other issue about this Café.
Do you understand?

- Do you understand what I'm saying? Betty's voice is demanding and MaryAnn nods her head,
she can't face Betty so she turns around and asks:
- Have you called the lawyer?
- Yes many times but he doesn't answer I wonder why?
The head waiter calls for Betty and she leaves MaryAnn, she starts to look around in the Café.

- Soon this will be all mine and I'm going to tear your ego down in small pieces.  Dear "sister"! 

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Chapter 3



Alice speaks to all her friends who have known her and Hector since they went to school together.
No one knows anything about a Smith or MaryAnn Smith.

Alice also speaks to Alexander her husband. They both feels there is something wrong with this story.
- Can you make Betty give you her original document from Billy Boy's office?
And she must get the original from MaryAnn Smith too.
I'm leaving the documents to my friend at the city police, he can see if they are forged.

MaryAnn keeps on coming by noon and every time she wants to do some changes in the Café.
Every time Betty tells her that she is in charge and MaryAnn has no authorities here.
- When are you going to give me my inheritance?
And if you don't I'm going to the court.  MaryAnn says rebelliously.

- You are welcome to do so. Good Luck!
By the way if you don't have anything else to do then nag on me, you can stay here in kitchen and help the waiters,  or do the dishes it's your choice.  Betty says and goes to a couple of customers with a menu.

MaryAnn was hoping for another reaction from Betty but this makes her furious.
- Who does she think she are?
I'm not going to work here, I'm only here for the money!  MaryAnn leaves in a hurry.

MaryAnn almost runs down Todd on her way out.
-Hey Betty what have you done with MaryAnn?  Todd asks Betty when he meet her in the Café.

-Nothing she was here complaining about her inheritance and mumbled something about,
going to the court and I wished her good luck that's all. Betty answers.

- I will take you out tonight we are going to a new place called Club Dante.
I'm keen on dancing and I have heard they have a great dance floor. Come on say yes!

They dance and have a really good time.

Suddenly they here a well known voice.
- Hallo sis and Todd! Here you are I have been out looking for you!
It's Maryann's voice, face and body. She is dragging Curt by the hand.

-Come on Todd let's dance! MaryAnn pulls up Todd from his chair and Todd has no chance to protest.

- Sorry Sis. I didn't mean to... Carl points at MaryAnn
She is a handful i have no chance to stop her. Carl complanes.
-So you like my "sister"?
- She is fine. But she is not real red headed.
-How do you know?
- Yesterday the roots of her hair was darker and today her hair has the same colour.
- You do pay attention to her!

- I have lived my whole life together with a sister who has thought me all I know.  Carl says with a big grin on his face.
- I can hear you are a fast learner.  Betty says and smiles back at him.

The music ends and Todd says:
-Thanks you for this dance. He starts to walk towards the stairs.
- No Todd, please one more dance. MaryAnn begs and grabs Todd's arm.
- Thank you but no. I need to sit down for a while. You can ask Carl he is more than eager.
 Todd starts to walk up the stairs towards Betty and Carl.

-I'm going to make him love ME! MaryAnn says with compressed lips and she walks towards the bar.
- He doesn't know what He's missing.  MaryAnn looks at Betty with eyes that could kill.

Betty and Todd take their leave and Todd walks Betty home.
- Look it's a fine night the stars are bright.
- Yes and there is the Venus constellation.
- The love Goddess.
- Betty I have something to confess.... I have been in....

-Shh... Todd wait a sec my phone is ringing I`ll be back.

- Ohh Venus why is it like this? She is always on the run!

It's Alexander on the phone.
- I know it's a little late to call but I have got the results from my friend Andy.
 He says that MaryAnn´s copy is forged.

 -I knew it! It was written different and by hand.
- Andy also told me that Mister Billy Boy Junior was missing, the police are searching for him.
They are going to speak with you. They want to know anything you can recall from your visit at the office that day.

Betty and Todd went together to the police station and talked with a nice policeman.
She asks a lot of questions.

Betty tries to answer them.

(This is Betty's pictures how she memorised that day.)

 Yes there where two other women in the waiting room.
A younger woman was reading a magazine and the other one i think was the secretary.
She was sitting behind the desk and wrote something.

- No I was alone with Mr. Billy Boy Junior in the office.

-Suitcases or travelling maps?
No I can't remember seeing any.

- No there was nobody in the waiting room when I left. It was empty.

Then the policeman turns to Todd.

( This is Todd's pictures how he memorised that day.)

- No I was outside the building waiting for Betty. I never went inside.

- Yes there were two women leaving the building and just immediately after Betty appeared.

-No I didn't see their faces they went the other way.

- Betty was little shocked so we went for a cup of coffee in the little Tramway Park nearby

- No I haven't seen the women after that day but somehow the younger woman seemed familiar, now when I think of it.

Another policeman walks in and sits down. He starts to talk.

- We are searching for Mr. Billy Boy Junior. We have nothing to tell at this moment.
He disappeared two days after you had been there according to his parents.
We would like to have the name of yor "sister", she who also said she did meet Mr. Boy.

- Her name is MaryAnn Smith Cayenne. I only have her Mobile number.
I don't know where she lives, I have never asked her.

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Chapter 4



After two days the police calls:
- We would like you and Mr. Todd Sky come over to the police station as soon as possible.
We need your help for identifying two ladies at Mr Billy Boy's office.

We are standing and watching through a window at four older ladies.

- Number two is the secretary from Mr Boy's office.  Betty says.
- Are you sure? The policeman asks.
- Yes I'm sure. Betty answers.

Then the policeman takes us to another room and we are watching at four younger ladies.

- I'm not sure but number four looks like MaryAnn but she has black hair, she should be red headed?
Betty is confused but then she remembers what Curt told her about MaryAnn´s hair dying.
- Todd take a look at number four.
-You are right she is MaryAnn!

- You did well both of you. You pointed out the notorious couple who has been cheating many poor people on their way. The mothers name is Rose Black and her daughter is MaryAnn Black.

I can't believe this? Betty don't know how she feels about this.

- Are you absolutely sure of this? Todd is shocked.
- Yes we are absolutely sure and the police are searching for this two ladies from many parts of this country.

This is the MaryAnn and Rose Black's story told to the police.

- We left Pleasantview when there were too many cops lurking around our apartment.
We moved to New Haven to find a peacefull place where we could be safe. Rose starts the story telling.

- This house we rented was a shed not a house, Mother.  MaryAnn says.

- But it was cheap and we couldn't afford anything more expensive we where kind of ...broke.
We needed to be at the lawyer Billy Boy Juniors office before two O'clock so we just put in all our stuff and moved on.
I needed a lawyer to get my money from Granny's inherit.

I got my documents from the lawyer Billy Boy Junior.
- You can sit down here and fill in the form I have a client coming in a few minutes,
leave the document on the desk and I will take care of it later. Billy Boy says and points at the desk.
- And my money will be at my account tomorrow?
- Yes of course. Billy answers and goes in to his office.

I sat down and started to fill in that form.

A young woman walks in to the waiting room and comes towards me.
- Hello I'm Betty Cayenne, I have an appointment with Billy Boy Junior.  She told me.
First I'm confused but then I understood she tough I was the Secretary. So I pointed at the sofa and told her:
- Oh do sit down Mr. Boy Jr. will be here any minute. My mind starts to think what on earth is she doing here?

The door to the office opens and Billy Boy comes out.
He walks towards Betty Cayenne and asks her if she is her and they shake hands.
Mr Boy show Miss Cayenne in to his office and Mr Boy thinks he closes the door.

I´m quick sometimes and I managed to keep it open just so much that I coud eavesdrop.
I wanted to know why she was here.

I listened to the whole conversation and I heard that she was going to be a very rich girl.
Then i knew what we had to do.
- Come on MaryAnn we are done here.
-Have you finished the document? MaryAnn asked.

- Yes, yes come on let's go, Hurry up MaryAnn! She can be so slow if you understand Mr policeman.
And we left in a hurry.

I had a plan and I had to inform MaryAnn.
- Listen carefully now MaryAnn. You need to dye your hair in the same colour that Betty Cayenne had and then....
- But why I don't want to be red headed! MaryAnn cried.
- Do you want to be a rich girl?
- Yes I do but....
- Then you do as I tell you!

Then I needed to get rid of that lawyer somehow .....
-Why? The policeman asked.
- So he couldn't unveil us of course!

So I called an old friend Mr Sykes, and asked if he still did flying trips to Twikkii Islands?
- Good I want to reserve one ticket to the Twikkii Islands, with be no return for my good friend Mr Boy for tomorrow morning.
Good he'll be there. Thanks and goodbye.

Then I went back to Mr. Boy's office and pretended that my money didn't deposit to my account.
He was drinking coffee so I only had to put some drugs in his coffee and make sure he drank it.

He past out and MaryAnn was right on time with the rented car.

We drove the whole night back to Pleasantview´s old airport where Mr Sykes was waiting with his helicopter.

- Goodbye Mr Lawyer now it's time for making some money.  Hahahahaaa

We did some investigation on Miss Cayenne and soon we thought we knew almost everything about her.
When we where reading about her café in the paper, we though it was time to work our plan

MaryAnn dyed her hair and we where celebrating my plan with some beer.

- I told her that soon we can drink champagne from her shoes instead of beer. We where going to be rich!!

-Then I had to go and meet Miss Cayenne at the cemetery, and make sure she thought I was her "sister".
Mother wrote that letter that was supposed to be from Billy Boy Junior.

- It was not easy. Bett...Miss Cayenne is so smart I think she sometimes looked through me and  knew I was a fraud.
I'll never try to defraud a woman again, never, men are lot easier. MaryAnn shakes her head.

- That's good thinking.
I think you are going to be very old when you get out of here and hopefully you won't try to defraud a man either.  The male policeman says.

- We have found Mr Billy Boy Junior on Twikkii Islands.
The helicopter crashed in a bad tropical storm in the jungle.

Your friend Mr Sykes was killed in the crash.
Mr. Billy Boy Junior was seriously wounded and did lost his memory.
The inhabitants found him wandering around or rather crawling around.

- Now let's see your prosecution; kidnapping, attempted murder, murder, forge of documents, attempt to blackmailing.
These are serious crimes all of them. Now it's up to the judge to decide what will happen to you.
I think you are going to stay here for a very long, long time.

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The last chapter

It's Christmas night and the stars shine bright and the newmoon winks down from a black sky.

- Betty I have tried to tell you this for a long time...

- Shh.. Todd I know. Betty whispers and puts her arms around his neck.

-" You have bewitched my body and soul"

-Hey that's my line. Todd says.
- I know Todd I mean.. "Mr Darcy".
- Okay I'm going to do this the old fashion way....

- I do!

Three months later Betty works at the café as usual a man walks up to her.
-Hello Betty how are you today?

- Oh hello Billy! I'm fine thank you.
They sit down and have a cup of blackcurrant tea as good friends do.
Billy has almost recovered from his accident.
Sometimes he gets bad headaces and he is limping a little when he walks

Billy comes in now and then to the café to have a cup of tea or take a walk and chat a little with Betty.

To be continued...