“Patrick is too,” Tori said. “They released Patrick last night and he returned to Montgomery Hall. Mrs. O’Brien and Patrick both insist they understand why he was arrested because of the evidence Chad planted and are as relieved as I am that Ava’s killer was apprehended. I knew I stopped having the fall balls for a reason, and it’s all coming back to me now.”
“You mean people have died at your parties before?” Carlita gasped.
“Let’s just say each one has involved some sort of drama.”
“So it’s safe to say we’ll be invited to another party next year?”
Tori chuckled. “You can bet on it.”
Chapter 23
Carlita juggled the warm casserole dish and tin of freshly baked bread, and rapped on Elvira’s back door. She caught a small movement out of the corner of her eye and then the door swung open.
“Hello Carlita.” Elvira eyed the dish. “Is this my ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ dish?”
“No. It’s a thank you for your information, which helped us solve Ava Torrez’s murder.” She held the dish out. “It’s a family favorite - angel hair pasta, tossed in fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil. I also have a loaf of Italian bread, fresh from the oven.”
“Thanks. I can’t wait to try it.” Elvira lifted the lid on the corner of the dish, closed her eyes and took a big whiff. “I’ve been dying to hear what happened ever since you left the message that an arrest had been made in Ava Torrez’s murder.”
“I talked to Tori Montgomery earlier today. Chad Olsen confessed to Ava’s murder, thanks in part to the fingerprints on the drink cups.”
“What about the thefts at Montgomery Hall?”
“The owner of Beachy Bargains Pawn Shop in Hilton Head positively identified Chad Olsen as the person who brought in two of the antique weapons that were stolen from Montgomery Hall.”
“Chad thought he was being clever, selling out of town, and that Tori would never find out. He may have gotten away with it if not for Ava finding a weapon in his room and threatening to report him, which is why he killed her.”
“Chad is also the one who damaged the front gate and attacked Byron. He was sneaking one of the stolen weapons from his room to put in his car when Byron came out to lock up. Chad panicked when he saw Byron. He snuck up behind him and whacked him on the back of the head.”
“He sounds like a bad person. Mrs. Montgomery needs to do a better job of screening her employees,” Elvira said.
Carlita cleared her throat. “You might do the same.”
“We are,” Elvira said. “Dernice is under strict orders to run background checks on all new employees.”
“Uh-huh. That’s like the fox guarding the hen house. I better head back home.”
“Wait,” Elvira said. “Have you found a tenant for my old unit? If not, one of my new security employees is looking for a place to live. He’s a former undercover FBI agent.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. The last thing I need is to have a former cop living under my roof. It’s bad enough they’re on my doorstep all of the time.”
“It was only a suggestion. Now that I have a proven track record for helping solve crimes, keep me in mind the next time you need help.”
“I hope there won’t be a next time.” Carlita let out a heavy sigh.
Mercedes was waiting for her mother inside the apartment. “Where did you run off to?”
“I took a garlic and pasta dish over to Elvira’s place to thank her for the clues that helped us solve Ava’s murder. Why?”
“Vinnie called while you were gone. He’s coming to Savannah for Christmas and he said he has a surprise!”
The end.
The Made in Savannah Mystery Series Continues!
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Mrs. O’Brien’s Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
5 cups mashed, boiled potatoes (could be reduced to 4 cups)*
1/2 cup sour cream
2 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound ground lamb (We substituted ground chicken. You could also use ground beef or turkey.)
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes with juice, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup peas (frozen or fresh)
1 cup Irish stout beer (such as Guinness(R))
1 cube beef bouillon (we used chicken bouillon)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (optional) *
1 tsp. liquid smoke (optional) *
Directions:
-Stir cooked potatoes, sour cream, cream cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper together in a bowl until smooth.
-Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add ground lamb (or meat). Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour off excess grease and season meat
with salt and black pepper to taste.
-Add stewed tomatoes with juice, onion, and carrot into meat mixture; Stir and simmer until vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add peas; reduce heat to low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes.
-Add one teaspoon of liquid smoke to meat mixture. Mix thoroughly.
-Heat beer in a saucepan over medium heat; add (beef) bouillon cube. Cook and stir beer mixture until bouillon dissolves, about 5 minutes.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a separate pan over medium-low heat. Whisk flour into butter until it thickens, about 1 minute.
-Stir beer mixture and Worcestershire sauce into flour mixture until gravy is smooth and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir gravy into meat mixture and simmer until mixture thickens, at least 5 minutes.
-Set top oven rack roughly 6 inches from the oven broiler and preheat the broiler. Grease a 9x12-inch baking dish.
- Pour (meat) mixture into the prepared baking dish.
-Spoon mashed potatoes over (meat) mixture, covering like a crust. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and paprika evenly over mashed potatoes.
-Broil in the preheated oven until the crust browns and the cheese is melted, 4 to 5 minutes.
-Cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
NOTES:
We thought the smoked paprika added little flavor to the original recipe.
We added liquid smoke to the meat and it gave it a nice smoky flavor.
Next time, we’ll reduce the amount of mashed potatoes to four cups. We thought the layer of potatoes was a little too thick. (But if you love mashed potatoes, five cups would work )
Merry Masquerade in Savannah: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series Book 8) Page 16