Death in Wine Country (Wine & Dine Mysteries Book 5)

by Gemma Halliday

  According to her, apparently Kellen had not, as Morgan had feared, been angry enough to divorce him. She had decided it best "not to bother Mommy and Daddy" with the knowledge of his thefts, instead sweeping it under the carpet in true blue-blood manner. Whether Morgan had confessed to just stealing or the entire crime of having cheated on his wife with her sister as well, I didn't know. Though I could guess that one of those sins would be more easily forgiven than the other.

  As we nibbled on the artisan cheese and sipped our wine, Ava piped up beside me. "Did you ever hear back from Animal Control about their plans for Dante?"

  Carrie nodded. "Yes! Actually Tripp was able to convince them not to put him down."

  "Oh, that's wonderful!" Ava said, clapping her hands together. "Is he back home?"

  "Oh no," Bert cut in. "No, we've learned our lesson." He shot a loving glance toward Carrie. "Wild animals are not for us."

  "At least no more wild than this guy," Carrie joked, giving Barkley's head a pat as he snoozed at her feet in the soft grass. "No, we sent Dante to a wild horse sanctuary up near Redding. He'll be well cared for and happy there."

  "Oh, that sounds lovely," Ava agreed.

  "Speaking of Tripp," David cut in. "Did we ever find out what it was he was burning in the fire pit here?" He gestured toward the cozy blaze beside us, staving off the early evening chill as the sun set.

  I nodded. "The police picked Tripp up shortly after Nolan's arrest. He was heading toward Reno."

  "With the duffel bag full of cash," Ava added. She knew because she'd been with me the morning after, when Grant had come over and told us all about it.

  "So he was running," David deduced.

  "Yes, but not for the reasons we guessed. It turns out," I started, retelling the story Grant had given us, "Tripp had been sleeping with Harper. At least, three months ago he had been. She'd dumped him as soon as her riding lessons ended, and he hadn't seen her again until she showed up in Sonoma for Carrie's party. Tripp spotted her downtown with her sister, Kellen, just like he told me."

  "However, he'd left out the part where, after Kellen left, he'd approached Harper and they'd renewed their acquaintanceship…back at his trailer," Ava added. "If you know what I mean."

  "Then," I continued, "he said that the following day, Harper showed up at his trailer again, this time asking him to hang on to a duffel bag for her."

  "The money you gave her," Carrie said, turning to Bert.

  Bert had the good graces to at least look sheepish.

  "Tripp claims he didn't know what it was, but Harper said she needed to keep it safe somewhere."

  "Only, then Harper died," David supplied.

  "Right. That night. And, naturally, Tripp got curious and looked in the bag. Once he saw it was full of cash, he panicked. He said he was worried that with his past history—"

  "Being arrested for the death of his last girlfriend," Ava added.

  "—that the police would immediately start looking in his direction as Harper's killer. And now he had a mystery bag of cash."

  "If I were Tripp, I think I'd be feeling nervous too," David admitted.

  "Ditto," I agreed. "He said he went through his trailer and grabbed anything that tied him to Harper. Including a couple items of clothing that Harper had left behind."

  "So, it was Harper's clothes he was burning here," Carrie commented, gesturing to the fire pit again.

  "It was. He figured even if the ashes were found here, it would point to a killer in her social circle and not at him. Only when he realized later that someone had broken into his trailer—"

  Ava did some innocent whistling.

  "—he became paranoid again. He snuck into Carrie's house to go through Harper's things and make sure there was nothing that pointed to a connection between them."

  "Which is when you found him," Bert said.

  I nodded. "I guess my arrival scared him away."

  "Too bad it hadn't scared Nolan away as well," David said, referring to the conk on the head I'd received that day.

  "Truly," I agreed.

  "But if Tripp was innocent of killing Harper, why did he run?" Carrie asked, sipping her wine.

  I shrugged. "According to Grant, Tripp's fear and paranoia got the best of him. He thought he'd take the money Harper had left behind and go start over somewhere new."

  "Not like he was leaving a lot behind," Ava noted.

  "Did Grant bring any charges against him?" David asked, swirling his wine in the bottom of his glass before downing the last sip.

  I shook my head. "Tripp didn't know where the money had come from, and he wasn't the one who extorted it from Bert in the first place. Really, the only crime he committed was breaking in here that night—"

  "Which we're not pressing charges for!" Carrie piped up. "How could we when he saved Dante?"

  "—and destruction of property," I finished. "But burning a couple of silk charmeuse blouses isn't a crime."

  Ava winced. "Maybe it should be."

  I grinned. "At least he left her handbags alone," I reasoned.

  "And the money?" David asked. "In the duffel bag?"

  "It was returned to Bert," Carrie said.

  "Correction," Bert piped up. "It was returned to Carrie." He shot her another sheepish grin. "Where it belongs. From now on, Carrie is in charge of this family's finances."

  Carrie put a hand on her husband's arm. "What's mine is yours," she said softly.

  The two shared a look, and I suddenly felt like we were third, fourth, and fifth wheels. Clearly she'd forgiven her husband, even if she was too savvy to ever quite forget.

  "Well, I hope it puts a dent in your financial problems," Ava added, grinning at the couple with just the slightest hint of envy in her eyes.

  Carrie nodded. "It will help. And we've decided to downsize a little and live a bit more frugally until all the debts are paid off."

  "Oh, I hope that doesn't mean you'll have to sell this place," Ava said, glancing around at the beautiful acreage.

  "I don't have the heart to do that," Carrie admitted. "Especially not now that Sandra's working here. Actually, we thought we'd hang on to it and rent the rooms out as a B&B. If we can entice enough Wine Country weekenders to use it, the extra income will go a long way to getting us solvent again."

  "That is a fantastic idea," David Allen said, pouring himself another glass of Chardonnay. I could see the wheels turning in his head, his own mother's estate lying dormant at current.

  "Isn't it? It was Carrie's idea," Bert said, putting an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Beauty, compassion, and brains—how did I get so lucky?"

  "Well, at least somebody's love life panned out," Ava said, and I could tell she was still thinking of Nolan.

  "Cheer up," Carrie told her. "Our first weekender is coming at the end of the month." She got a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Lord Shamus Whelmsbottom."

  Ava gasped. "The baronet who lost his fortune and became a private eye to track down his long lost sister who ended up in a coma after Stormy Winters pushed her down a flight of stairs?"

  "The one and only!" Carrie told her.

  David snorted and leaned in to me with a mock whisper. "She does know these people are all actors, right?"

  I waved him off. "As long as Lord Whelmsbottom isn't a homicidal maniac, let her have her fun."

  David shook his head as he sipped his glass of wine. "Well, what I want to know is, whose baby was Harper pregnant with?"

  I shrugged. "That we may never know. Harper had been seeing Tripp, Nolan, and her brother-in-law, Morgan."

  "One thing Nolan had been apparently honest about was Harper's love of men," Ava mused.

  Carrie shook her head, a sad look on her face. "I guess I never really knew her."

  I put a hand on her arm and was trying to come up with something comforting to say to that when Sandra walked up again, this time with a tray of chocolate cupcakes that instantly served to lighten everyone's mood.

  Sandra passed th
em around, but when it came to me, I politely refused.

  Carrie turned a shocked expression my way. "Emmy Oak. I have never seen you turn down dessert before."

  I felt a blush creep into my cheeks. "They look lovely, but I've actually got to get going."

  "So soon?" Bert asked, and to his credit I actually detected a note of disappointment in his voice. I was beginning to think I might have had the man pegged wrong. Or maybe Carrie was just becoming a good influence on him.

  "Sorry, but I have a…prior engagement."

  "This wouldn't happen to be an engagement with a certain detective, would it?" Carrie asked, a note of teasing in her voice.

  Even as the heat in my cheeks burned, I felt a smile growing on my face along with it. "Possibly," I hedged.

  "He's taking her to Silvio's tonight," Ava told them.

  "Wow," David said, an unreadable expression behind his eyes. "Things must be getting serious."

  I waved him off. "It's just a date."

  At a fancy restaurant. With a hot guy. Who was an excellent kisser.

  "Well, have fun," Carrie said as I got up and grabbed my purse.

  "Oh, trust me," I countered, feeling that smile turn into a full-fledged cat-that-planned-to-take-the-canary-home grin. "I intend to."

  RECIPES

  Wine Marinated Stuffed Mushrooms

  25–30 mushrooms (cremini, baby portabella, or white)

  For the marinade:

  1 cup red wine

  1 cup olive oil

  ¼ cup honey (or agave nectar if going vegan)

  ¼ cup balsamic vinegar

  2 garlic cloves minced

  1 tablespoon chopped sage

  1 tablespoon chopped thyme

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon pepper

  For the stuffing:

  2 shallots chopped

  1 garlic clove minced

  1 stalk celery finely chopped

  1 tablespoon chopped sage

  1 tablespoon chopped parsley

  ½ cup breadcrumbs (can be gluten-free)

  ½ cup grated parmesan (or soy or nut-derived vegan cheese)

  ½ cup olive oil

  Mushrooms absorb liquid, so it's best to wipe them clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. Once your mushrooms are clean, remove the stems, chop, and set them aside. Place the mushrooms in a glass dish or bowl, gills side up.

  Whisk together the marinade ingredients, then pour marinade over the mushrooms and let sit for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours.

  In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat. Add in celery, garlic, shallots, and chopped mushroom stems, and cook until shallots are translucent. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add in sage, parsley, breadcrumbs, and half of the parmesan cheese.

  Arrange mushroom caps on a greased baking sheet. Stuff mushroom caps with filling, then bake in a preheated oven at 400° for 15–20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and top with the rest of the parmesan cheese. Return to oven until the cheese gets melty and mushrooms are soft, about 10–15 more minutes.

  Makes 25–30 mushrooms.

  Tip!

  These can me made the day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake!

  Wine pairings:

  Best served with a robust red like a Zinfandel, Syrah, or Cabernet. Some of Emmy's suggestions: Ravenswood Zinfandel, Titus Zinfandel, Tensley Syrah.

  * * *

  Seared Wagyu Steak

  Wagyu steak cuts

  1 tablespoon butter (optional)

  sea salt to taste

  pepper to taste

  About Wagyu:

  Wagyu is a Japanese breed of beef cattle. The "Wa" means Japanese, and "gyu" means cow. These animals have more intra-muscular fat cells, which creates more marbling and gives the meat a soft texture and consistent flavor throughout. Wagyu is generally thought of as one of the more sought after types of beef and is usually quite expensive.

  How to purchase and prepare Wagyu:

  In most cases, Wagyu will not be available in your local grocery store. If it is—you're in luck! If not, there are several companies that sell Japanese Wagyu or American Wagyu (limited to two varieties of Wagyu cattle, raised in the US) online and ship it frozen to your door. If you're in the US, American Wagyu will likely be less expensive to obtain.

  To defrost: Place the cuts you're planning to cook in your refrigerator for up to 48 hours to allow them to fully defrost. Try to defrost for the minimum time needed to maintain maximum freshness. Once defrosted, take the meat out of the refrigerator and allow to rest until it comes to room temperature, usually 15 to 30 minutes depending on thickness.

  To cook:

  Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Trim a small amount of fat from the outside edge of the steak, and use this to grease the pan for the purest flavor. If you prefer, you can use 1 tablespoon of butter instead.

  Season your steak with a little salt and pepper. Sear the steaks in the hot pan on each side: for a more rare cook, sear 3–4 minutes, for medium 4–5.

  For medium-rare, an internal meat thermometer should read 130 degrees. Slightly less for more rare or higher for medium.

  Remove the steaks from the pan, and allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into them. This allows the meat's fibers to relax, widen, and reabsorb the juices.

  Wine pairings:

  Best served with a robust Cabernet or a bold Malbec. Some of Emmy's suggestions:

  Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, Rare Earth Cabernet Sauvignon, Trapiche Medalla Malbec.

  * * *

  Prawn, Garlic & Chili Linguini

  6 oz linguini pasta

  2 teaspoons salt

  1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

  5–6 oz medium prawns, peeled and deveined

  ½ teaspoon anchovy paste

  1 garlic clove minced

  ¼ cup white wine

  1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  14 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes

  2 teaspoons finely grated parmesan

  juice from ½ lemon

  ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

  Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the salt and linguini and cook until pasta is very al dente—approximately 8 minutes. Reserve some of the cooking water.

  Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add prawns and cook just until they turn from translucent to opaque, no more than a minute. Add in the red pepper flakes, anchovy paste, white wine, and garlic. Stir well, then add in the tomatoes, lemon juice, parmesan, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, and let cook at medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

  Add the cooked linguini to the pan, along with ½ cup of pasta cooking water and parsley. Toss gently until the sauce thickens and it coats the pasta.

  Shortcuts!

  If you don't like deveining your own prawns, or are in a hurry, you can buy pre-prepared, deveined prawns. If prawns aren't available, any size shrimp will work in this recipe!

  Wine pairings:

  Best served with a Sauvignon Blanc to pair with the garlic or a Riesling or light Rosé to complement the spicy tomato sauce. Some of Emmy's suggestions: Oak Grove Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, Twomey Sauvignon Blanc, Ruhlmann Riesling.

  * * *

  Blueberry Lemon Bread with Lemon Icing

  ½ cup butter

  ¾ cup sugar

  2 eggs

  ½ cup light cream or milk

  1 ½ cups flour

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 lemon, zested and juiced

  1¼ cup blueberries

  1 tablespoon flour

  ¼ cup powdered sugar

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour or spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

  In mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Then add in eggs, milk, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

  In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and stir just until
combined. Do not overmix.

  In the empty dry ingredients bowl, toss the blueberries with a small amount of flour. Then fold the blueberries into the batter, taking care not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

  Bake 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan, and place on a cooling rack.

  While the bread is cooling, create the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar and remaining lemon juice until smooth. A hand mixer or wire whisk works best.

  When the loaf is completely cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top and let it set.

  Tip!

  Coating the blueberries with flour before adding to the batter prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.

  If using frozen blueberries, no need to thaw them first! You may just need to add an extra 10 minutes of cooking time for your loaf.

  If needed, cover the loaf loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking, to keep the top from getting too browned.

  Wine pairings:

  Best served with light Champagnes, or if serving early in the day, pair with the Irish coffee recipe below! Some of Emmy's suggestions: Santa Margherita Brut Rosé, Honey Bubbles Sparkling Moscato, Lucchetti Spumante Rosé Champagne.

  Irish Coffee

  1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

  1 teaspoon light brown sugar

  1 jigger (1½ oz) Irish whiskey, like Jameson

  Heavy cream, slightly whipped

  Preheat your mug by filling it with hot water, then emptying it.

  Add the sugar to the mug, and pour the hot coffee over it, filling until the mug is about ¾ full. Pour in the whiskey. Top the drink with the whipped cream, pouring it gently over the back of a spoon to create a thick foam.