"She did," I said. "Judge McLain and Dr. Frederick have been suspended and are under investigation; odds are good both of them will end up in jail."
"Not to mention Faith," Molly said. "She deserves it. I can't believe she was going to hurt those kids!"
"I know," I said.
"What about those poor people at the home?" Molly asked.
"Marcie Auckland has been calling on her network to help the residents find representation and hopefully recover their rights… and at least some of their assets. I'm not sure if they're closing the home or if it'll be under new management."
"Where are the residents in the meantime?"
"The administrator has been fired," I said. "They've got a skeleton crew coming in to take care of things, and lots of oversight, but it's going to take a while to sort out."
"Sounds like it," Alfie said. "A bad business."
"It is," I said. "How are the kids doing?"
"June and Ethan? Doing okay, it seems. They're out in the barn," Molly said. "Now that it's all out, they've told us everything they were up to."
"Anything new?"
"They confessed to a bit of experimentin'," Alfie said. That explained the cigarettes and beer cans. "But mainly they were tryin' to raise awareness of ranchers and farmers who mistreat animals. I can't say I disagree with 'em, but they can't go around paintin' barns and lettin' folks' livestock run free."
"We talked to the farmers and ranchers," Molly said. "They'll be willing to let it ride as long as the kids come back and fix the damage."
"And write apologies," Alfie added.
"So no charges," I said.
"No charges," Molly said. "Thank goodness. And I need to tell those two dinner is about to start, come to think of it," she said.
"I'll go tell them," I said.
"Thanks. I'll round up the other kids," Molly said.
As Tobias popped the cap off a Shiner Bock and joined Alfie and Edward, I let myself out the back door and headed for the old red barn close to the house. Ethan and June were just inside the door, heads close together, deep in conversation.
"Hey," I said.
They jumped, and June let out a squeak.
"Sorry to scare you," I said.
"It's okay," June said, crossing her arms. "I think we're just still a little freaked out."
"I am too, frankly," I said. "It was pretty terrifying."
"Why would she do that?" June asked.
"Who knows? People do strange things," I said. "By the way, I hear you worked things out with your folks."
"Sort of," Ethan said, grimacing. "We have to meet here, now, at least for a while."
"And we have to apologize and paint over all the barns," June burst out. "These people are being horrible to animals! And we're supposed to make nice with them?" There were tears in her eyes.
"June, we've got to do it," Ethan said.
"I know," she said. "But it's so wrong. What about those poor animals?"
"I get it," I said. "I feel the same way; it doesn't seem fair, in some ways."
"It doesn't."
"But just because you have to repaint some barns, that doesn't mean you have to stop making your voices heard."
June crossed her arms. "How else are we supposed to protest?"
"Write letters to the editor," I said. "Start a Facebook group. Grow your organization... get other kids to join, and maybe they can influence their parents. Volunteer for PETA. Maybe learn about animal husbandry from someone like Peter, and then find some way to educate ranchers and farmers about different practices. Heck," I said. "Maybe you could set up some talks at the school's FFA. I'm sure Peter would be happy to come in and talk about his farming practices."
"Or you," June pointed out. "You take care of your livestock."
"I do," I said.
June bit her lip. "I heard about you losing a baby goat in the storm. Did you ever find her?"
"I did," I said.
"Is she okay? Is she back with her mother?"
"Actually, she's been adopted by a retired couple who named her for one of the goats in Heidi. She's got the run of the whole house. I told them they could keep her."
"They have a house goat?" June asked, her face lighting up. "That's hilarious."
"I know, right? At any rate," I said, "I'm supposed to call you in for supper. It's ribs."
"I'm vegetarian," June said.
"There's potato salad, too."
"With bacon in it," June pointed out.
"All right. There's pecan pie, then," I said.
"Pecan pie?" June asked. "My favorite!"
"I brought two, so there will be plenty. Let's go!"
The two teenagers followed me into the house, where everyone was already gathered. Alfie had put a huge platter of pink, smoky ribs on the table, Molly had added a giant bowl of potato salad, studded with parsley and glistening with oil, and the long table was filled with smiling faces. On the counter, two dozen boiled eggs waited to be colored, and one of Quinn's mazanec breads was on the breadboard next to the toaster.
"We may never have to eat again," Tobias said as we sat down at the crowded table.
"If only that were the case," I said as I reached for the bowl of potato salad and smiled as Edward got about half a cup of barbecue sauce stuck in his beard while everybody laughed. Despite the tragedies of the last week, I could feel the mending within Molly's family, and some new threads being formed between newcomers Edward and June and the Kramer clan.
I put down the potato salad spoon and reached for the ribs, feeling a wave of gratitude for the blessings of life in Buttercup.
"Don't forget to save room for pie," Tobias reminded me.
"There's always room for pie," I said as I helped myself to three or four of Alfie's ribs. As I surveyed my full plate and the laughing faces at the table, I felt a deep satisfaction well up inside me. I might not have the biggest bank account on the planet, and it might be a lean couple of months on Dewberry Farm as the crops recovered from the storm. But if family and friends were the measure, I was the wealthiest person I knew.
More Books by Karen MacInerney
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The Dewberry Farm Mysteries
Killer Jam
Fatal Frost
Deadly Brew
Mistletoe Murder
Dyeing Season
Wicked Harvest (Fall 2019)
The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries
Murder on the Rocks
Dead and Berried
Murder Most Maine
Berried to the Hilt
Brush With Death
Death Runs Adrift
Whale of a Crime
Claws for Alarm
Scone Cold Dead (Summer 2019)
Cookbook: The Gray Whale Inn Kitchen
Blueberry Blues (A Gray Whale Inn Short Story)
Pumpkin Pied (A Gray Whale Inn Short Story)
Iced Inn (A Gray Whale Inn Short Story)
The Margie Peterson Mysteries
Mother’s Day Out
Mother Knows Best
Mother’s Little Helper
Tales of an Urban Werewolf
Howling at the Moon
On the Prowl
Leader of the Pack
Recipes
Dewberry Farm Shrimp and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Quesadilla Filling
Ingredients:
1/2 pound medium shrimp, unpeeled
4 ounces goat cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Fill a medium saucepan half full of water. Bring to a boil and add shrimp; stir once, and cook for three minutes. Drain and set aside until cool, then peel shrimp and chop coarsely. In a medium mixing bowl, combine goat cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper and shrimp.
Verde Sauce
2 pounds fresh tomatillos
2 cups yellow onions, minced
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon fresh jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
Pinch of sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
Place whole tomatillos in a sink full of hot water and allow to sit for 15 minutes while skins loosen. Remove skins. Put tomatillos and remaining ingredients in a large, heavy stock pot. Bring water to a boil. Lower heat. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Puree in small batches in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Assembly
1 recipe Quesadilla filling
8 flour tortillas
4 teaspoons butter, divided
1 cup Verde Sauce
Lay four flour tortillas out on a countertop and place one fourth of filling on each tortilla. Spread filling evenly over the entire tortilla and place one of the remaining tortillas on top of filling. Press firmly. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Melt one teaspoon butter in a medium non-stick pan over medium heat. Place one quesadilla in skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Hold in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve. Repeat with remaining butter and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into quarters with a pizza cutter. Serve with salsa verde.
Note: Use extra verde sauce for enchiladas or as a dip for chips!
Dewberry Margaritas
Ingredients:
Dewberry or Blackberry Puree
2 pints fresh dewberries or blackberries
1/4 cup sugar
Juice of 1/2 lime
Lime Sugar
2 cups sugar
Zest of 3 limes
1 lime wedge
Margaritas
2 cups tequila
1/2 cup triple sec
1/2 cup sugar
2 limes
Ice
Directions:
For the puree: Add the berries to a medium saucepan with the sugar and lime juice. Cook over low heat, covered, 20 to 25 minutes. Strain using a fine mesh strainer, pressing the berries to extract as much juice/puree as possible. Place in the fridge to cool completely.
For the lime sugar: Mix together the sugar and lime zest. Use a piece of lime to moisten the rim of each margarita glass, and then dip in the lime sugar.
For the margaritas: In a blender, add 1 cup of the tequila, 1/4 cup of the triple sec, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the juice of 1 lime. Fill the blender with ice and blend until smooth. Then add as much blackberry puree as desired, 1/3 to 1/2 cup.
Pour into 4 rimmed glasses and serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients for the other 4 glasses.
Quinn’s Blue Onion Mazanec
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package instant dry yeast
6 1/2 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
10 fl oz lukewarm milk
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 egg plus one egg yolk
1 tbs water
Directions:
Mix the package of yeast with the lukewarm milk in a small bowl. Add a pinch of sugar and stir gently, then cover with a kitchen towel and let stand until the mixture is frothy (about 5 minutes). While yeast is proving, soak raisins in boiling water until plump, then drain and set aside.
Cream together softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add in egg yolk, salt and vanilla extract, then mix until mixture is smooth and creamy. Add yeast mixture and mix again. Add flour in three portions until completely combined. Add raisins and mix with the dough hook attachment for about a minute, until a soft dough forms. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray and let rise in a warm spot for at least an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, remove from the bowl and shape it into a ball, smoothing out the surface. Place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with a kitchen towel. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350 and whisk an egg with about a tablespoon of water in a small bowl. When dough has risen (about a half hour), remove towel and brush loaf with the egg wash, then sprinkle generously with the sliced almonds. Bake for 45 – 55 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom. If the loaf begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil to prevent it from burning.
Let cool, then slice and spread with butter and your favorite jam.
Buttercup Pecan Pie
Ingredients:
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup white corn syrup
3 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp white vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly, except the pecans. Add the pecans and pour in the mixture into an unbaked pie shell. Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 25-30 minutes. Testing for doneness with a knife inserted in the center. Pie is done when knife comes out clean.
Pie Crust (makes one two-crust or two one-crust pie shells)
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup plus 2 tbsp shortening
4-5 tbsp ice-cold water
Directions:
In a medium size bowl, combine the flour and salt, then cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two forks. Sprinkle water 1 tbsp at a time until all flour is moistened, taking care not to overwork. Shape into a ball and roll out on floured surface.
German Potato Salad
Ingredients:
3 cups diced red, Yukon Gold, or new potatoes (peeling optional)
4 slices bacon
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup apple cider or white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool.
Put the bacon in a cold skillet, then turn to medium-high heat. Fry until browned and crisp, turning as needed. Remove bacon from the pan and set aside.
Add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and parsley. Crumble in half of the bacon. Heat through, transfer to a serving dish, and crumble the remaining bacon over the top. Serve warm.
Alfie’s Smoked Pork Ribs
Ingredients:
6 pounds pork spareribs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons garlic powder
5 tablespoons pan drippings
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cups ketchup
3 cups hot water
4 tablespoons brown sugar
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup wood chips, soaked
Directions:
Clean the ribs, trimming away any excess fat. In a medium bowl, stir together the white sugar, 1/4 cup salt, ground black p
epper, paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Coat ribs liberally with spice mix and place the ribs in two 10x15 inch roasting pans lined with foil, piling two racks of ribs per pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees and bake uncovered for 3 to 4 hours, or until the ribs are tender and nearly fall apart.
Remove 5 tablespoons of drippings from the bottom of the roasting pans and place in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in pan drippings until lightly browned and tender. Stir in ketchup and heat for 3 to 4 more minutes, stirring constantly, then mix in water and brown sugar. Season to taste with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, adding water as necessary to achieve desired thickness.
While sauce is cooking, preheat grill for medium-low heat.
When ribs are ready to grill, add soaked wood chips to the coals or to the smoker box of a gas grill (I put soaked chips in a “bowl” made of aluminum foil and place it on the burner beneath the grate). Lightly oil grill grate. Place ribs on the grill two racks at a time, making sure not to crowd them. Cook for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
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