Chapter 4

Murray’s Diner had been around since the 1970s. The Formica lunch counter and the swivel barstools reflected the era of its inception. Bacon, eggs, grits, hash browns and the occasional omelet made up the limited, but delicious and quick breakfast fare. BLTs, ham sandwiches, chicken tenders and Murray’s famous Reuben were the favorites of the lunch crowd…especially the Reuben. Darla Pettigrew, a big-boned, 55-year-old waitress sliced cabbage with a chef’s knife behind the lunch counter. She always wore her hair up, which did nothing to compliment her thick, dangling cheeks that resembled Richard Nixon’s jowls. Her cheeks jiggled slight