by Eryn Scott
According to Stuart, Jessie hadn’t been at the scene at all. And while the lipstick had been hers, he claimed it must’ve fallen from his pocket, being one of the things she’d asked him to hold on to for her. Whether or not he was telling the truth or just protecting Jessie was something they hoped would become clear during the court proceedings.
The four of them shook their heads. “Hotheaded teenagers,” Suze said, her face etched with regret.
Paul wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Watch it, old lady. You’re starting to sound crochety.”
Suze wrinkled her nose. “I’m three months older than you two.” She pointed to Luke. “He’s the old man.”
Luke put his hands up in defense. “I’m sorry I was such a hyper kid that my mother didn’t want to risk putting me in school too early. And that I’m lucky enough to be blessed with a summer birthday.”
Suze made a gagging noise. “Get over yourself, Fenton. We already remembered that today’s your birthday.”
He laughed, but the smile was quickly replaced by a deadpan expression. “You did? I thought …”
Suze and Paul turned to glare at Hadley.
“Didn’t you tell him?” Paul asked.
Hadley’s cheeks heated up as she remembered. “Oh, right. Whoops.” She cringed. “It’s been crazy in my brain lately. I forgot.”
Luke blinked, still lost. “Forgot what?”
“We’re going to Seven Stones to celebrate later,” Paul said. “I’ll see you guys there after I meet with McKay.”
“I’m going to hitch a ride into town with PJ,” Suzanne said to Hadley, elbowing Paul playfully.
It was a gesture Hadley would never have thought twice about before, but this whole secrecy business was making her paranoid.
Suze seemed to catch Hadley’s inquisitive glare because she added, “I want to check on Leo. He’s been hanging out at the sheriff’s office more than he’s been at home lately.”
Paul nodded. “Poor guy. He could use the support.”
Hadley chewed on her bottom lip as they waved and walked away, sure Leo had been getting more support from the town than he could ever imagine.
Luke leaned in as Paul’s truck pulled away, leaving them alone. “Last time I saw him, the man was balancing three casseroles from the quilting society.”
Maybe she was feeling particularly emotional because of the move. Or maybe it had to do with feeling like the third wheel all week since she’d figured out Paul and Suze’s secret. But hearing Luke call out Suze’s odd behavior made her want to hug him.
“Right?” she said, turning to face him. “Something’s up with those two.” She pressed her lips into a thin line.
“Oh, for sure.” He nodded. “I don’t think they could be anymore obvious about it, honestly.”
Hadley blinked up at him. Had Luke figured it out too?
He opened his palms. “They’re going to get me a surprise birthday present.”
The laugh that spilled out of her served to vent most of her pent-up frustration. Luke smiled, obviously pleased with himself for getting such a reaction out of her.
He took a step back toward his own truck. “Well, I’ll let you finish up here, then. You probably need time to wrap my present.”
Hadley shook her head as she chuckled and waved goodbye to Luke. He was right, actually. She hadn’t wrapped it yet. But she still wasn’t sure how to wrap the new baseball cap she’d bought him to replace the dirty, red one. Maybe she could put it in a gift bag, instead. Snapping her fingers, she headed back inside.
“Now I just have to find where we put the box with my gift bags in it.” She bit her lip as she thought.
A warmth spread through her as she closed the door and walking into the living room. Sunlight from the beautiful sunset streamed in through the huge picture windows covering the A-frame house.
Ansel and Marmalade were curled up together in the overstuffed chair she’d haphazardly shoved against the sliding glass door to make room for the couch.
“Home sweet home,” she said out loud, letting the words reverberate through her chest.
Recipes
Both of the following recipes are created by Marisa McClellan, creator of Food in Jars.
Honey-Sweetened Peach Chutney
Makes 8 half pints
4 pounds ripe yellow peaches (about 8-9 cups once peeled and chopped)
1 medium yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2 cups golden raisins
1 3/4 cups red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups honey
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (any color is fine)
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
zest and juice of 1 lemon
Cut peaches into quarters and remove pits. Pile peaches into a large, heat-proof bowl.
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Once it boils, pour the water over the peach quarters. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes, until the skins wrinkle and pull away from the fruit. Peel the skins away and chop the peaches.
In a large, non-reactive pot, combine the peaches, onion, raisins, vinegar, honey, mustard seeds, ginger, salt, red chili flakes, and lemon zest and juice.
Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring regularly, at a brisk simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the chutney thickens, darkens, and the flavors start to marry.
While the chutney cooks, prepare a boiling water bath canner and sufficient jars.
When the chutney is finished cooking, funnel it into prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool.
Once jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals. Sealed jars can be stored on the pantry shelf for up to a year. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
Peach Lavender Jam
Makes 7 half pints
4 pounds ripe yellow peaches (about 8-9 cups once peeled and chopped)
4 cups of sugar
4 tablespoons powdered pectin
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds (make sure you’re using culinary grade lavender)
Cut peaches into quarters and remove pits. Pile peaches into a large, heat-proof bowl.
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Once it boils, pour the water over the peach quarters. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes, until the skins wrinkle and pull away from the fruit. Peel the skins away and chop the peaches.
Prepare a boiling water bath canner and sufficient jars.
Place the chopped peaches in a large, non-reactive pot. Measure out the necessary sugar and whisk the pectin powder in to combine. Add the pectin-spiked sugar to the fruit and stir to incorporate. Add the lemon juice and stir again.
Place the lavender buds into a stainless steel tea ball or bundle them up in a length of cheesecloth (tie it tightly so that the lavender doesn’t escape). Tuck the lavender packet into the pot with the fruit.
Once the sugar has started to dissolve and the peaches look very juicy, put the pot on the stove over high heat. Bring the fruit to a boil and reduce the heat to medium high. Let the jam bubble vigorously for 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly.
As the fruit cooks down, use a potato masher to break up the bigger peach pieces. This gives a better texture and will prevent fruit and jelly separation later on.
The jam is finished when it has reduced in volume by at least one-third, is visibly thicker, and looks quite glossy.
Turn off the heat under the jam, remove the lavender packet, and stir the jam for a few moments off the heat. Funnel the jam into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
When time is up, remove jars from canner and let cool on a folded kitchen towe
l. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated. All sealed jars are safe for shelf storage.
Visit Marisa’s blog and website, Food in Jars, for tons of recipes, tips, product reviews, and links to her books.
A Sweet Death
A Stoneybrook Mystery
1
Hadley James flipped the sign on the jam kitchen door to Closed and pulled her wool sweater tight around her shoulders. The wind threatened to bite through her layers, proving fall had settled over the valley—if one needed more evidence than the blanket of oranges, yellows, and reds covering the foothills. The low clouds dimmed what little sun there was, adding a layer of haze to the air.
Instead of hopping on her bike and pedaling home, however, Hadley turned onto Main Street. She had one more stop to make that afternoon. As she walked, the wind ruffled the pages of the newspaper in Mr. Jacobson’s lap where he sat on a bench a few yards in front of her. Even though the temperature made her wish she’d brought a jacket, it was the headline of his Cascade Ridge Chronicle that turned her blood to ice.
It sat in huge block letters along the top of the page.
MISSING TEEN FOUND DEAD
A shiver wound around Hadley, one that had nothing to do with the dropping mercury. The county had been abuzz about the eighteen-year-old boy who’d gone missing last week in the larger city twenty minutes north. It appeared things hadn’t ended well.
“A real shame,” Mr. Jacobson said, startling Hadley.
She glanced over at him, realizing she’d stopped walking to stare at his paper.
She raised her hand to her chest. “It’s just awful,” she said, moving to sit next to the octogenarian. “Have they caught the person responsible?”
The old man shook his head. “Article says McKay’s got his deputies on it. As of now it sounds like it’s connected to a drug ring. Just glad we don’t have to worry about things like that down here.”
Hadley sighed. She knew their small town wasn’t perfect, but it was nice to know they didn’t have kids disappearing and showing back up dead.
“Paul heard anything about the case?” Mr. Jacobson asked, referring to her twin brother, a local deputy sheriff.
“If it happened up north, no. McKay rarely lets him get involved in much outside of Stoneybrook.”
“Another shame, if you ask me. That brother of yours should run the whole county.”
Placing her hand over Mr. Jacobson’s, Hadley smiled. “He’d love you for saying that, but I think he’s content down here.”
Sheriff Mark McKay—or M&M as the locals called him—had always been as ornery as he was wide. Hadley guessed some of his sourness might have to do with being in charge of the whole of Grande County. She was glad her brother didn’t have to deal with that stress.
“We’re happy to have him.” Mr Jacobson nodded as Hadley stood.
She waved and moved in her previous direction up the street, reminded of her current errand. Her twin brother was the reason she was out in the biting wind in the first place. Their birthday was only a week away, and she still hadn’t gotten him a present.
To be fair, she normally didn’t put something so important off until this late, but she knew exactly what she was going to get him and exactly where to get it.
In years past, Paul’s gift had required much more time and thought, but this year was a breeze. For twins who were so close, there had been a few occasions when one or the other had grossly misread hints the other had dropped about gifts, resulting in awkwardness all around. To avoid any more instances of someone going way bigger—or way smaller—with their gift than the other, they’d devised a theme system to keep them on the same page. Last year’s theme had been transportation—Paul gave Hadley her pink bike, complete with a basket, while she’d given him new seat covers for his truck. This year, the theme was sweets—they tried to balance the years, positioning a simpler theme in between two more extravagant ones.
This being one of those small years, Hadley had planned to pick up a box of Paul’s favorite chocolates from the local candy shop. A pink sign touting candy and fudge hung just under a blue-and-white awning at the end of Main Street, across from Hadley’s preferred coffee shop. The awnings were a Stoneybrook staple, and each business had its own color to match with the white stripes. Bright colors ran the whole length of downtown.
Hadley had always wondered if the decorations might look tacky elsewhere, even dated. But matched with the smart brick buildings, and the gorgeous hanging baskets the local floral society kept going year-round, the awnings only added to the cute, quaint atmosphere of the small town.
A bell jangled, signaling Hadley’s arrival as she pushed her way inside and out of the blustery weather. Along with the warm air of the shop, the sweet smells of chocolate, caramel, and taffy curled around her, beckoning her forward.
“Good afternoon,” called a voice from the back kitchen.
Even though the words were a greeting, the morose tone with which he delivered them made Hadley’s shoulders sag in sadness.
Dennis Larson, Hadley thought, his name akin to a groan. A wave of guilt washed over her for thinking of him in such a negative manner.
It wasn’t Dennis’s fault he was so depressing—necessarily—but the man seemed more miserable than any person she’d ever met. A perpetual frown sat on his pinched face, and his shoulders hunched so much that his posture almost looked like the top of a question mark. For someone who owned such a bright, happy shop, Dennis was in a constant state of gloom.
Hadley forced a smile when he walked out from the candy kitchen.
“Hi there, Dennis.” She clenched her teeth tight in an effort to keep her grin in place since seeing the man’s miserable expression made her feel like frowning.
“Hadley.” He dipped his head forward. “What can I do for you today?”
She unclenched her teeth. “Oh, I hoped I could get some of your caramel and marshmallow chocolates for Paul, but I’m not in a hurry; I can wait until Miranda gets here.” Hadley checked her watch. It was just a few minutes to three.
While tourists often entered the shop during the day, Stoneybrook natives waited until the afternoon when the high school let out. That’s when Miranda, a local senior, took over the front of the house, so Dennis could go make candy for the last few hours of the day. The young woman, as sweet as the candy she sold, offered a lovely contrast to Dennis’s sullen attitude. Most of the town concurred he was better behind the scenes.
At Hadley’s mention of Miranda, Dennis’s face fell. A minute ago, she would’ve sworn no person could look sadder, but he managed the feat. The sight made her want to wail.
“Miranda’s not coming,” he said in a clipped, almost angry way.
Hadley blinked. “You didn’t fire her, did you?” Her hand flew up to cover her mouth. She hadn’t meant to be so crassly candid.
But Dennis didn’t seem offended. Instead, he placed his hand on the counter, calming down. After a moment, he shook his head.
“Did she quit?” Hadley asked, quieter this time.
“She was supposed to be here an hour ago.” His gray eyes flashed up to meet hers. “She has early release on Fridays, but still hasn’t shown.”
“And you called her?” Hadley took a step forward, worry pushing her toward him.
“I called six times. She’s not answering.” The brief bout of anger she’d witnessed ran its course, and Dennis settled back into his normal mode of deep depression. The bell rang behind Hadley, but being too focused on what Dennis had just told her, she didn’t acknowledge the new customer.
“Huh,” she said. “That doesn’t sound like her. Did you tell Paul?”
“Tell me what?” Paul asked.
Hadley whirled around to see her twin brother standing just inside the sweet shop front door.
“Miranda didn’t show for work today,” Hadley said, pushing her dark hair out of her face—the only physical feature the two of the
m shared.
If the locals hadn’t known the James kids since they were born, most of them wouldn’t believe the two were related, let alone twins. Her brother dwarfed her, standing a foot taller than her respectable five foot five. His height, matched with his dark, full beard, had led to their high school friends nicknaming him Paul Bunyan, after the mythical lumberjack. As his best friend, always by his side, Hadley had earned the less flattering moniker of Babe, after the blue ox.
To this day, she reached a new level of irritation each time someone compared her to the blue bovine.
Paul cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Miranda is actually what brought me in here.” Hadley’s brother looked away from Dennis and back at her. “Wait, why are you here?”
Hadley’s face flushed with heat. “Uh ...”
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “You wouldn’t have left my present until the last minute, would you?”
She sputtered. “Certainly—I definitely … yeah.” At the admission, her gaze dropped to the floor.
She knew a week wasn’t last minute for most people, but she and Paul were planners and usually had their gifts picked out for weeks, if not months, before the day.
Paul’s loud laugh pulled it back. “You’re too easy to tease, Had. I haven’t gotten yours yet, either. Sweets year is a cinch.”
Hadley smiled, relieved for a moment. Until she remembered what Paul had said just a few moments ago.
“Wait, you’re here because of Miranda?” She stepped forward, clutching at her brother’s wrist. “Is she okay?”