by Joanne Fluke
“I’m with you,” Cammy said. “The only thing is, I have to be careful not to gain weight.”
“Because Lee likes you thin?” Andrea asked.
“He does like me thin, but that’s not why. At this point I’m not really caring a lot what Lee thinks.”
“Why’s that?” Andrea leaned forward, waiting for Cammy’s answer.
“Because I’m tired of being treated like dirt, and the nice stuff he buys me isn’t worth that. You were there for some of it today, and Lee toned it down a little for you. It gets a lot worse when we’re alone.”
Hannah reached out and patted her hand. “That’s abuse, you know.”
“But ... all he did was insult me.”
“It’s still abuse,” Andrea told her. “Hannah and I have a friend who was always getting injured. When she had a black eye, she said she’d run into a door. And when her arm was broken, she claimed she’d fallen down on the ice. She finally admitted to Hannah that her husband did all those things to her.”
Hannah knew Andrea was talking about Danielle Watson, and she took up the story. “She told me it started out gradually. Her husband would get mad at her and insult her. He was always sorry later, and he’d apologize and be really sweet for a while. He’d even buy her gifts and flowers.”
“That’s what Lee does!” Cammy looked concerned. “Whenever he’s really nasty to me, he’ll tell me he’s sorry and buy me a really nice present.”
“Their marriage would go along just fine for a while, but then it would start again. He’d find fault with her for no reason and slap her around. When he calmed down, he’d apologize and surprise her with a new outfit or a piece of jewelry or something else he thought she’d like. She loved him so she forgave him. The big problem was that each time he lost his temper, the abuse would escalate.”
“That’s awful!” Cammy gave a little shiver. “Did your friend leave her husband?”
“She didn’t leave, but he ended up dead.”
Lynnette’s eyes widened. “She killed him?!”
“No,” Hannah answered. “Somebody else did, and for a completely different reason. But anybody who knew about the abuse thought she did it. She was the prime suspect in the murder investigation.”
Cammy took another sip of her coffee. “Well, I don’t think I’ll stick around long enough to find out if Lee’s going to start hitting me. I was thinking about leaving him anyway. I thought it would be so much fun traveling with the band, but it’s not.”
“That’s exactly what I thought,” Lynette said. “And then Buddy and I had that thing going for a little while. I was hoping that if I was around all the time, maybe we could get back together. But that didn’t work.”
“I told you it wouldn’t. Buddy didn’t want any attachments to anybody. I found that out early on.”
“How early?” Hannah asked, jumping into the conversation. And then, when Cammy looked at her in consternation, she added, “I mean, when did you first meet Buddy?”
“I met him when he auditioned for the band.”
“Both of us did,” Lynnette added. “We were there because of Eric.”
“We went to school with him,” Cammy told them.
“Eric came into the doctor’s office where I worked,” Lynnette explained. “He recognized me right away and we started talking while he was waiting for the doctor to see him. That’s when he mentioned that his parents had been killed and his brother was going to start a jazz band for him.”
Cammy added, “Lynette called me, all excited, and said that Eric had invited her to sit in on auditions for a keyboard player. And she told me that Eric said I could come along, too. So I did, and that’s when we met Buddy.”
“Was that when you dated him?” Andrea asked Lynette.
“No, not then. He went out with Cammy first.”
“That lasted a total of three nights,” Cammy said with a laugh. “And then he moved on to Lynnette.”
“And you moved on to Lee,” Lynnette reminded her, and then she turned back to Hannah and Andrea. “Cammy’s been with Lee for as long as Cinnamon Roll Six has been in existence.”
Hannah watched Cammy closely as she asked the next question. “You said Lee bought you presents. Do you know where he got his money?”
“Sure,” Cammy said. “Their parents set up a trust. If they died, the kids inherited. But Eric was only twelve at the time and Lee was twenty-one, so they named Lee as executor until Eric reached legal age.”
“So you think that Lee is using Eric’s half of the inheritance to buy things for himself?”
“I don’t know that for sure. Lee never said how much money there is. I think there’s plenty. You ought to see the home theater setup Lee has at their condo. It’s on Lake Harriet and it’s a real showplace. Lee bought them a speedboat, a Harley, and a Jag. Eric doesn’t spend much, but Lee’s going through money so fast it’ll make your eyes swim.”
“Does Eric know that?”
“Yeah. Eric says it’s okay with him as long as he can live with Lee at the condo. He’s got that brother thing going with Lee. And ... I don’t know ... maybe because Eric’s always looked up to Lee, he thinks Lee loves him back.”
“But you don’t think Lee does?” Hannah got right to the important question.
“Maybe Lee does, and he thinks he’s doing the right thing. And maybe he doesn’t, and he’s taking advantage of Eric because he has control of the money for another two years. Whatever.”
“Can you think of any reason why Lee might have killed Buddy?”
“I really couldn’t say for sure.”
“But I can.” Lynnette spoke up. “ Cammy’s too loyal to tell you this, but Lee was jealous of the fact she dated Buddy before she wound up with Lee. Every time Lee drinks a lot after a performance, he accuses her of flirting with Buddy.”
“But I didn’t flirt with Buddy!” Cammy insisted. “Buddy was just a friend ... sort of. Lee’s a late sleeper so Buddy and I used to meet for breakfast in the morning. He’d tell me all his problems, and I’d tell him mine. It was almost like a brother and sister thing. And before you ask, Lynnette,” she turned to her friend, “we never talked about you. Buddy didn’t bring it up, and neither did I.”
“But you talked every morning over coffee?” Hannah asked.
“Over tea for me and coffee for Buddy, but yes, we talked every morning.”
“Did Buddy ever tell you he was worried about anything?” Hannah held her breath, waiting for the answer.
Cammy thought for a moment. “Yeah. Buddy told me he was worried about something that happened to him in Seattle. And he said that if anybody ever found out about it, he’d have to leave in a hurry.”
“Did he tell you he was leaving the band?”
“Yes, he told me.”
“Do you have any idea why he was leaving?”
“I have an idea, but I don’t know if I’m right.”
“Tell me,” Hannah said, leaning closer.
“I think it had something to do with the woman who came to the show at Club Nineteen. I saw Buddy backstage with her after the performance, and he looked really upset. I just grabbed my purse, that’s what I came backstage to get, and left before Buddy could see me. I didn’t want him to think I was spying on them, you know? And then, the next morning, right before noon rehearsal, Buddy told Lee that he was leaving the band.”
“Did you ask Lee why Buddy was leaving?”
“Yeah, but he said he didn’t know, that Buddy wouldn’t tell him.”
“How about Buddy himself? Did you ask him?”
“Sure, I did. I figured that since we were such good friends, he might tell me. But all he’d say was that it was personal.”
“Did you ask him if the woman had anything to do with it?”
“No. I figured I’d been nosy enough. I thought I’d wait a couple of days and then I’d mention it casually.”
“Did you?” Andrea asked, leaning forward expectantly.
“I didn’t
have the chance. Buddy never met me for breakfast again. And he ... well, there’s no other way to say it ... Buddy avoided me. It was like he didn’t want to be alone with me anymore.”
“Let’s talk about the woman,” Hannah told her. “Can you describe her for me?”
“I can try, but you’ve got to understand that the lighting’s not very bright backstage. And they were standing a ways away.”
“But you said you saw that Buddy was upset, so you must have seen his expression.”
“Actually ... no. His face was in the shadows. I saw his hands and he was clenching his fists. That’s how I knew he was upset.”
“How about her?”
Cammy shook her head. “She was standing with her back to me. All I can tell you about her is that she had dark hair, and she was shorter than Buddy. That’s all, Hannah. I’d tell you if I could, but I don’t know anything else.”
Hannah bit into her herb-encrusted, center cut pork chop and gave a little sigh of pleasure. It was tender, succulent, and flawlessly seasoned, exactly what she’d grown to expect from any of Sally’s entrees.
“How is it, dear?” Delores asked, forking some of her wild salmon.
“Incredible, exquisite, and totally delectable.”
“I think you’re describing my entree, not yours,” Andrea said with a smile. She’d almost finished her slow-roasted chicken with sherry cream sauce, and now she was eating some of Sally’s perfectly cooked vegetable medley. “Mine’s the best.”
“No, mine is,” Michelle insisted. “I just love Sally’s duck with crispy skin. And these Stuffin’ Muffins she serves with it are incredible.”
Delores flipped up the corner of the napkin covering Michelle’s personal bread basket. “You didn’t tell us that Sally gave you four!”
Michelle looked perfectly innocent. “Didn’t I mention that? Goodness gracious! Let’s pass them around.”
All of them laughed, including Michelle.
“You’re a piggy, Michelle,” Delores accused her youngest daughter, as she took a muffin from the basket.
“I’ll say she is!” Andrea commented, taking her muffin and passing the basket to Hannah.
“Didn’t I mention that?” Hannah repeated, still smiling as she took the last muffin. “I don’t know what they’re teaching theatre majors now at Macalester, but you didn’t fool us.”
“Not even for a second,” Andrea said, breaking open her muffin and buttering it. “That Goodness gracious! was really fake. I think you’d better take another acting class next semester.”
For a few minutes everyone was silent, concentrating on their food. Andrea finished first, and put down her fork, then Hannah and Michelle did the same. They waited for their mother to finish.
At last Delores put down her silverware and smiled. “That was just excellent. It always is.” She turned to Michelle. “That muffin was simply delicious.”
“Yes, it was.” Michelle agreed. “Why do you think I tried to keep them all for myself?”
Andrea turned to Hannah. “You need to get the recipe from Sally. These would be perfect at Thanksgiving. Maybe it’s an easy recipe that even I could make.”
“Maybe,” Hannah said, doing her best not to sound doubtful.
“I know you don’t think I can bake, but you liked those Double Puffs I made for Mother’s cookie exchange, didn’t you?”
“I liked them a lot. They were great cookies.”
“I thought so, too,” Michelle added quickly.
“Simply marvelous, dear.” Delores reached out to pat her daughter’s hand. “They were the hit of the afternoon. Everyone loved them. You know how we trade cookies afterwards, don’t you?” She waited until her daughter had nodded, and then she continued. “Before we left the community center, five different ladies came up to me and offered to trade any other cookie they had if I’d give them your Double Fudge Drops in return.”
“Really?” Andrea asked, looking very pleased.
“Really. And of course I turned all the offers down. And then I went home and I ate every one of them myself.”
Hannah watched as Andrea flushed pink with pleasure. Her pleased smile was so luminous, it made Hannah smile, too. Delores didn’t compliment her daughters that often. When Hannah had called her on it once, she’d said that she expected her daughters to be competent young ladies who did everything well, and if she had no criticism, that was a compliment in itself. Now, suddenly, all that had changed. Hannah liked this new, softer side of her mother. She wasn’t sure what had caused it, but she hoped it wouldn’t change back.
“I’ll ask Sally for the recipe,” Hannah promised. “And if you think you can’t do it alone, I’ll be glad to help you make them.”
“What recipe do you want, Hannah?” Sally asked, arriving with their coffee just in time to hear the comment.
“Stuffin’ Muffins. Andrea wants to bake them for Thanksgiving.”
“No problem. I’ll run a copy and you can have it. It’s so easy, even ...” Sally stopped when Hannah gave her a warning glance. “I shouldn’t say it. It’s not that my sous chefs are dumb. It’s just that only one of them knows how to bake.”
Hannah smiled. She knew that what Sally had been about to say was, It’s so easy, even Andrea can do it. Thanks to Sally’s quick thinking, she’d stopped in midsentence and then implied that her sous chefs couldn’t bake!
“Speaking of baking, my other chef tried a new cake this afternoon.” She turned to Hannah. “You were there, as a matter of fact.”
Hannah was puzzled for a moment, but then she remembered Sally’s two thumbs up gesture. “Was that the Pucker Up Lemon Cake?”
“That’s right. I tried a sliver a few minutes ago and I liked it a lot, but I’d like a Swensen family opinion.”
“I’ll order a piece for dessert,” Delores offered. “Lemon’s my second favorite flavor ... after chocolate, of course.”
“You don’t have to order it. I’ll send a sample piece to the table.”
“And we’ll all taste it,” Hannah promised, not even bothering to check with her mother and sisters. She knew they were all in agreement that any sweet treat that came out of Sally’s kitchen was bound to be wonderful.
STUFFIN’ MUFFINS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
4 ounces salted butter (1 stick, 8 Tablespoons, ¼ pound)
½ cup finely chopped onion (you can buy this chopped or chop it yourself)
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup chopped apple (core, but do not peel before chopping)
1 teaspoon powdered sage
1 teaspoon powdered thyme
1 teaspoon ground oregano
8 cups herb stuffing (the kind in cubes that you buy in the grocery store—you can also use plain bread cubes and add a quarter-teaspoon more of ground sage, thyme, and oregano)
3 eggs, beaten (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground is best)
2 ounces (½ stick, 4 Tablespoons, pound) melted butter
¼ to ½ cup chicken broth (I used Swanson’s)
Hannah’s 1st Note: I used a Fuji apple this time. I’ve also used Granny Smith apples, or Gala apples.
Before you start, find a 12-cup muffin pan. Spray the inside of the cups with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray OR line them with cupcake papers.
Get out a 10-inch or larger frying pan. Cut the stick of butter in 4 to 8 pieces and drop them inside. Put the pan over MEDIUM heat on the stovetop to melt the butter.
Once the butter has melted, add the chopped onions. Give them a stir.
Add the chopped celery. Stir it in.
Add the chopped apple and stir that in.
Sprinkle in the ground sage, thyme, and oregano.
Sauté this mixture for 5 minutes. Then pull the frying pan off the heat and onto a cold burner.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 8 cups of herb stu
ffing. (If the boxed stuffing you bought has a separate herb packet, just sprinkle it over the top of the mixture in your frying pan. That way you’ll be sure to put it in!)
Pour the beaten eggs over the top of the herb stuffing and mix them in.
Sprinkle on the salt and the pepper. Mix them in.
Pour the melted butter over the top and mix it in.
Add the mixture from your frying pan on top of that. Stir it all up together.
Measure out ¼ cup of chicken broth.
Wash your hands. (Mixing the stuffing is going to be a lot easier if you use your impeccably clean hands to mix it.)
Pour the ¼ cup of chicken broth over the top of your bowl. Mix everything with your hands.
Feel the resulting mixture. It should be softened, but not wet. If you think it’s so dry that your muffins might fall apart after you bake them, mix in another ¼ cup of chicken broth.
Once your Stuffin’ Muffin mixture is thoroughly combined, move the bowl close to the muffin pan you’ve prepared, and go wash your hands again.
Use an ice cream scoop to fill your muffin cups. If you don’t have an ice cream scoop, use a large spoon. Mound the tops of the muffins by hand. (Your hands are still impeccably clean, aren’t they?)
Bake the Stuffin’ Muffins at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes.
Yield: One dozen standard-sized muffins that can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Hannah’s 2nd Note: These muffins are a great accompaniment to pork, ham, chicken, turkey, duck, beef, or ... well ... practically anything! If there are any left over, you can reheat them in the microwave to serve the next day.
Hannah’s 3rd Note: I’m beginning to think that Andrea can actually make Stuffin’ Muffins. It’s only April now, so she’s got seven months to practice. I’ll let you know how she does right after Thanksgiving dinner.
Chapter Fourteen
“This is the lemoniest cake I’ve ever tasted!” Delores exclaimed, and Hannah could tell that her very proper mother was dangerously close to smacking her lips in appreciation.