by Kate Bell
“Well, perhaps he didn’t know how to do the Heimlich maneuver?” I suggested. It seemed reasonable to me.
“Don’t you dare take that killer’s side of things!” she said. “Now eat!”
I almost snorted at that. She thought it was better to take her side? Without thinking about it, I threw the bowl of bread pudding in Martha’s face. She blocked it with the hand holding the knife and screamed. I slid to the right and jumped to my feet, but Martha was fast and she knocked me to my knees.
I managed to get a hold of the wrist of her hand holding the knife, but she shoved me and I lost my balance, falling to the floor. Martha was strong and taking the knife away from her was proving difficult. We rolled around on the floor between the coffee table and the sofa while I stared at the tip of that knife. I needed room to move, but I was blocked in. I began screaming, hoping the neighbors would hear. I knew the Smiths weren’t home, but I was hoping someone would be in hearing range.
“Shut up!” Martha bellowed and put her free hand on my throat and squeezed. She was breathing hard but showed no sign of weakness.
It had to be her non-dominant hand on my throat, but she still had quite a grip. I needed to check into weight lifting. I pulled my head back as far as I could, but I couldn’t get away from her. “Let go, Martha!” I squeaked.
“I told you to eat the bread pudding while it was still warm!” she said and managed to move her body on top of mine.
I breathed in as deep as I could. Her weight made me feel like I was going to suffocate. “Get off!” I forced out.
“I don’t know why you have to make this so difficult,” she panted and tried to break her knife-wielding hand free from my grip.
I couldn’t believe this little old lady was putting up such a fight. “Maybe if you would have read my blog on grief, you could have found a more constructive way of handling things,” I suggested when she lost her grip on my throat.
“I’m handling it just fine, dear,” she grunted and pulled her knife hand free.
I closed my eyes and screamed as she pulled the knife back and plunged it toward my chest. Suddenly the weight of her body was gone, and I heard her scream.
I opened my eyes and saw Detective Blanchard holding Martha by the scruff of the neck with one hand. His other arm was wrapped around her waist.
“You just calm down, Martha,” he said and took a few steps back, still holding onto her.
She screamed again and started crying. “That woman attacked me!” she said, pointing her finger at me.
“What?” I said coughing and trying to get to my feet. “Are you crazy?”
“Hold still, Martha,” he said and wrestled the knife out of her hand. Martha quit struggling then and sobbed loudly. The detective reached with one hand into his pocket for his cell phone and hit speed dial.
“Are you all right? Do you need an ambulance?” he asked me.
“No, I’m fine,” I said, shaking myself. I sat back on the sofa, breathing hard.
Detective Blanchard placed the call for backup while I caught my breath. I stared daggers at Martha as she sobbed loudly. And to think, I had felt sorry for her in her grief.
I looked at the detective. I owed him one. A big one.
Chapter Nineteen
I was sitting at a corner table at the Center Street Cafe, waiting for Detective Blanchard. He came through the door and his broad frame briefly blocked out the morning sun. I had invited him there for breakfast as a thank you for saving my life. It wasn’t much, but it was all I had to offer him. That and I planned on baking him a pie later. The day before had been the first time I hadn’t baked a pie every day since right before my husband’s funeral. The day before the funeral, I had been tied up in knots with grief and realized that people would be coming to the house afterward and I needed to serve them something. I baked sixteen pies that day, well into the early morning hours. I had needed something to keep myself busy, and that filled the bill.
I smiled at him as he took a seat across from me.
“Good morning,” he said with a relaxed smile on his face. It was a nice change.
“Good morning, Detective Blanchard,” I replied.
“Please, call me Alec,” he said. This was the most personable I had seen him since we had met.
“Alec, I really just wanted to say thank you for saving my life,” I said. “I know this isn’t much of a thank you.” I blushed at the absurdity of trying to thank someone for saving your life with breakfast.
He chuckled. “I’ve never gotten breakfast as a thank you before. It’s totally unnecessary, but much appreciated.”
“And I’m going to bake you one of my famous pies and bring it by later. I’m thinking apple blueberry. How does that sound?” I asked, glancing from my menu to him and back again. I was suddenly feeling shy for some reason.
“That sounds wonderful!” he beamed. “The truth is, I was wondering when I would get to taste one of your pies. The talk all over town is that they’re the best around.”
“Really?” I said and felt myself go pink again. “I had no idea that I had a reputation.”
“Indeed you do,” he said with a grin and turned to his menu.
“How did you happen to come by at that moment? If you hadn’t, I shudder to think what might have happened,” I said and took a sip of my coffee. The coffee here at the café wasn’t fancy, but it was caffeinated and I had to respect that.
“I had my suspicions about Martha. I was coming by to talk to you. I wondered if, in your highly inappropriate investigations, you had heard anything that might prove I was right,” he said, looking me in the eye. “I heard you screaming, and fortunately, your door was unlocked.”
“What kind of suspicions? I swear I hadn’t thought of her as a suspect at all, especially with her old and feeble act she always put on.” I was still stunned that she was the murderer.
“She was there the morning of the crime, which honestly didn’t mean a thing to me at the time. But it seemed that everyone I interviewed had had some contact with her afterward. At first, I thought it was just a small town, and also because she had seen Henry dead on the floor. Everyone seemed to want to comfort her, and I didn’t think much of it. But the more I heard about her going to other people and asking questions, the more I thought there might be something there. I’m just sorry you came so close to being her second victim.”
I nodded, taking this all in. “I guess it’s good I’m not a detective then. I am dumbfounded. So, did Martha tell all?” I asked. I wanted to make sure she didn’t hold out on anything.
“She did. She’s a bitter little lady,” he said and chuckled. “I’ve seen a lot of things in my twenty years of being a detective, but nothing like this. I really didn’t want to believe it, but once I saw her with a rather large knife poised over you, there wasn’t any denying it.”
I sighed and sat back in my seat. “I’m just glad it’s over. I feel bad that poor Henry had to die though.”
“It’s a shame. It always is when someone is murdered,” he said. “I think I’m going to have the veggie omelet.”
“I think I’ll have the same,” I said. He sat back, and we looked each other in the eye. His were bright blue. Mine are green. He was a handsome man, and I was glad I was no longer public enemy number one to him. I wondered if he was single and a twinge of guilt washed over me. I had no need of a man. No one could replace my husband. We were perfect together and any relationship I might have started would only end in frustration when another man couldn’t measure up to Thaddeus. Because no one could. It was impossible.
Still, the thought floated across my mind.
Like culinary cozy mysteries?
Rainey Daye is a cookbook author who’s temporarily moonlighting as a waitress at Sam’s Diner. At least, she hopes it’s temporary. But when murder’s on the menu in the small town of Sparrow, Idaho, she’ll find herself in enough hot water to make soup. When handsome Detective Cade Starkey arrives on the scene, will it be
love at first sight or will Rainey’s recent nasty divorce keep her from true happiness?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P9TLZKN/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Like Halloween mysteries (without a paranormal element)?
In Pumpkin Hollow, Halloween is celebrated all year long with Halloween themed shops, a haunted house, and more fun attractions. When Mia Jordan returns to her hometown to work in her parent’s candy store, and her neighbor is murdered, she’s on the case to find the killer. Along the way, she’s reacquainted with an old classmate, Officer Ethan Banks, who has more than a passing interest in her.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HMF7D79/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Like mysteries with pets?
Gracie Williams has no desire to catch a killer, but when her faithful canine, Sophie, sniffs out a dead body, Gracie reluctantly finds herself on the trail of a killer. Fortunately, Gracie has her friends, Aggie and Bernie along to keep her out of trouble.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0717B466T/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Author’s Notes
Wow! Allie and Lucy had an adventure trying to figure out who the killer was, didn’t they? I love Allie’s sense of humor and her charm. She’s serious about finding the killer, but she has so much compassion on people who’ve lost loved ones.
I chose apple pie as the star dessert for this book because it reminds me of my grandmother—my mother’s mother. She was a tiny, feisty woman that didn’t let anyone push her around. I can remember going to her house and having a slice of her homemade apple pie. It was wonderful. I also loved the feeling I got when I entered her front door. Grandma loved me and I knew it. There’s just something about the warmth that surrounds my memories of her. Oh, how I miss her!
Don’t forget to check out the recipes at the end of this book. And, if you’d like to receive updates on the next Kate Bell and Kathleen Suzette book, follow me!
https://www.facebook.com/Kathleen-Suzette-Kate-Bell-authors-759206390932120/
amazon.com/author/kathleensuzette
Classic Apple Pie
7-8 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 Tbsp. butter, cold and divided
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/3 Cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon set aside
1/3 Cup brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon set aside
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
2 unbaked piecrusts
Preheat oven to 425
Roll out one piecrust and fit into 9” deep-dish pie plate. Cut second piecrust into strips and set aside.
Place apple slices in a glass bowl and toss with flour, sugars and spices. Stir in lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes so sugar can draw out the juices.
Pour apple slices into bottom piecrust. Thinly slice 3 tablespoons of cold butter and distribute over top of apples.
Lay strips of piecrust across the top of the pie in a lattice pattern and crimp edges of top crust to edges of bottom crust.
Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and brush over top of pie. Mix teaspoon of reserved sugar with ¼ teaspoon of reserved cinnamon and sprinkle over pie.
Cover pie loosely with foil, place on a cookie sheet to catch drips and place in oven. (You can spray underside of foil with non-stick spray to keep it from sticking to pie). Bake 10-12 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil to allow the crust to brown and continue baking 10 more minutes.
Apples will be soft when pierced with a fork. Serves 8 people.
Dutch Apple Pie
1 unbaked piecrust
Filling
8 cups peeled and sliced apples
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400. Place rolled out piecrust in 9” deep-dish pie plate.
Toss all filling ingredients together and place in pie plate. Apples should mound up in the middle.
Using a medium bowl, place all topping ingredients except for the white sugar and cinnamon into the bowl. Mix the ingredients with a mixer or with your hands until butter is incorporated. Sprinkle evenly over top of pie. Mix white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top of pie.
Transfer to oven and bake 45-55 minutes until topping is golden brown. If topping begins to brown too much, loosely cover with foil. Place on cooling rack.
Sour Cream Apple Pie
1 unbaked piecrust
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened
Preheat oven to 425. Place piecrust in a 9” deep-dish pie pan.
In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons flour, sugar, salt, egg, vanilla and sour cream. Add apples and toss to coat. Layer mixture evenly in piecrust. Bake 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine remaining flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
At the end of 15 minutes, remove pie from oven and reduce heat to 350. Evenly sprinkle crumb topping over pie. Return pie to oven and continue baking 30-40 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Killer Bread Pudding
2 cups half and half
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cardamom
1/3 cup white sugar, 2 teaspoons reserved
pinch of salt
5 cups cubed sweet egg bread such as brioche
4 eggs, beaten
Spray a 4-6 cup baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
Mix beaten eggs, half and half, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
Place cubed bread into baking dish. Pour egg mixture over bread and let sit for 1 hour. Combined reserved sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over pudding.
Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until custard is set but a little wobbly and edges of bread are browned.
Can be topped with more half and half.
Two Perfect Piecrusts
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white sugar
1 cup cold butter
¼ to ½ cup cold water
Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a fork until butter resembles large crumbs. Add cold water, starting with ¼ cup and adding until dough is consistency that can be rolled out.
Divide dough in half and roll out on a flour-covered surface, trying to keep surface an even thickness. Place in a 9” pie plate and fill with your favorite filling. Roll out top crust and place on top of filling, crimping the edges of top and bottom crust.
Enjoy!
Trick or Treat
and
Murder
A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery
by
Kate Bell
Kathleen Suzette
Copyright © 2016 by Kate Bell. All rights reserved. This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination, or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.
Tabl
e of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Author’s Notes
Killer Caramel Apples
Jack O’ Lantern hand pies
Lemon Chess Pie
Old Fashioned Custard Pie
Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls
Chapter One
“No monsters are out tonight, Daddy shot them all last night,” I sang to myself as I pulled up to the Halloween Bazaar. I had taken liberties with the song in honor of the season. I parked my car and got out. There were only two cars in the Methodist Church parking lot, and that surprised me. It was just after two o’clock in the afternoon and I thought the place would be bustling with people decorating the place and getting ready for the kids to show up in Halloween costumes.