Chapter 3 - THE SABOTAGE
Two weeks passed. Leo was a revelation in the kitchen. He had a natural palate, an instinctive understanding of heat and timing, and a relentless work ethic. But peace is fragile when a narcissist is scorned.
Marcus made bail. Facing ten years for grand larceny and embezzlement, his career was over. He was blacklisted from every restaurant in Boston. And he blamed Leo.
It was a Friday—the most important night of the year for The Azure Room. A famous international food critic, known for destroying restaurants with a single review, had booked a table for 8:00 PM.
At 3:00 PM, the chaos started.
Leo walked into the main walk-in refrigerator to pull the veal stocks. He stopped dead. The air inside the cooler was warm.
"Ms. Hale!" Leo shouted, sprinting into the dining room.
Margaret ran into the kitchen. The Freon lines to the main refrigeration unit had been deliberately slashed. The massive, $15,000 inventory of fresh seafood, premium meats, and delicate sauces had been sitting at room temperature for hours. It was completely spoiled.
Margaret checked the alley camera. The lens had been spray-painted black at 6:00 AM.
May you like
"Marcus," Margaret whispered, her face pale. "He's trying to ruin us. We have to cancel the reservations. We have to close."
"No," Leo said, his voice ringing with sudden authority. "If you close tonight, the critic will write that The Azure Room is failing. We don't close."
