Murder for the Halibut

by Liz Lipperman

  Ray nodded. “And once Charlese finished the champagne, she poured herself a glass of Beau’s Scotch in the tainted glass, then headed for the theater to confront her cheating husband.”

  “I can’t help but admire Emily a little,” Lola said. “Two big powerful men—Beau and her uncle, and three, if you count Goose—came at her intending to hurt her in some way, and she managed to take them out.”

  Jordan smiled at her friend and mouthed, Thank you for that. It was just the right amount of humor to whittle away some of the guilt she felt for not being able to help Emily. After all she’d endured—the horrible living conditions in Colombia and the humiliation she’d suffered because of Beau—she’d figured out a way to survive. At least until the pain had become so overwhelming, she couldn’t deal with it anymore.

  But the reality was that in Emily’s quest for revenge on Beau, two innocent people had also died. And even if Goose wasn’t totally without blame, he still didn’t deserve to die the way he did, either.

  Jordan decided she wasn’t there to judge—Someone way more powerful than her had that job. For now, it was enough to know that Emily was finally at peace.

  CHAPTER 24

  The gang was subdued while they waited in port to go through Immigrations and Customs, the final step of their Caribbean cruise. Given everything that had happened aboard the Carnation Queen, this vacation was one Jordan would never forget.

  They collected their bags, cleared Customs, and hailed a taxi back to the hotel in Miami. Since the flight to Dallas was scheduled for early the next morning, they planned to have a quiet dinner in the hotel restaurant and then hang out for a few hours in the piano bar. But first, the women were going to take a trip to the facility where Mary Alice Goosman lived. As it turned out, that part of Goose’s story was not a lie.

  The plan was to tell Mary Alice in person why Goose would no longer be coming to see her. Not that she’d understand, but they’d talked it over and decided it was the least they could do. Ray had received information from Orlando about the nursing home where Goose’s wife resided and had even managed to get his hands on Goose’s other orange and blue plaid shirt before the cops came on board and went through his stuff. They intended to leave the shirt with the woman in the hope it might bring her comfort in some small way.

  After everyone was settled in the hotel, the three women set out to find the nursing home twenty miles from their hotel, according to the concierge. In the taxi on the ride over, they decided Jordan would do the talking, and Rosie and Lola would act as backup.

  The taxi pulled up to a large building, the front yard of which bloomed with more flowers than Jordan had ever seen in one place other than a botanical garden. She took it as a good sign since she’d imagined an Alzheimer’s facility as being dark and ominous-looking, with screaming patients and foul odors.

  They hopped out of the car and instructed the driver to wait. Silently, they strode up the walkway just as George Christakis sauntered out of the building. His face lit up when he saw them.

  “What are you doing here?” Jordan asked, confused. George didn’t even know Goose.

  “One of the security cops from the ship told me about Goose’s wife. I had a few hours to kill before my flight leaves for New York, and I thought I would run by and give her my condolences.” He lowered his eyes but not before Jordan saw a tear threaten to spill over.

  Jordan turned to the others. “Can you guys give us a few minutes? There’s something I want to say to George.”

  Rosie nodded and led Lola to the bench in front of a gorgeous display of yellow and blue flowers.

  Jordan grabbed George’s elbow and walked with him to a waiting cab. “I haven’t had a chance to tell you how sorry I am for your loss, George. I know how much Emily meant to you.”

  He sniffed before the beginning of a smile crossed his face. “I loved her like a daughter, and I’ll miss her terribly. I had no idea her pain was that deep. I’m grateful that you offered her friendship, because she didn’t make friends easily.”

  “It was hard not to like her.”

  “I know. Well, I guess this is good-bye. I can’t tell you how glad I am to have met you, Jordan McAllister. Just thinking about you makes me smile.” He reached out and took her in his arms. “My offer is open for you to come to New York and visit any time you want. You can stay with Jeremy and me just like Emily did.”

  “I’d like that,” she said, knowing it would probably never happen. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

  “The pleasure was all mine, my dear.” He slid into the backseat of the cab and shut the door.

  Jordan watched the cab drive away before heading over to where Rosie and Lola waited.

  “He is such a nice man,” Rosie said. “Too bad he’s already spoken for.”

  “Most of the good ones are,” Lola said, shaking her head. “Come on. We’d better get in there and get this over with.”

  Jordan opened the door slowly, wishing there was some way they could get out of this but knowing it was something they had to do.

  Once inside, they were greeted by a nice-looking older woman at the front desk who directed them to the administrator’s office. There they were met by a tall, slender middle-aged woman who introduced herself as Nancy Lockhart.

  “We’re friends of Mary Alice Goosman’s husband,” Jordan explained. “Unfortunately, we’ve come with bad news for her. Goose was killed on the cruise ship this week.”

  Expecting the woman to be surprised, maybe even a little upset, Jordan was confused when she didn’t even react.

  “We already know. George Christakis was just here.” She smiled. “What a lovely man. He explained what had happened and assured us that he would be taking care of Mary Alice’s room and board as long as she’s alive.”

  Jordan stared, unable to speak. Why would George get involved with a woman he didn’t even know? She was about to ask that question when Rosie beat her to it.

  “Why would the famous celebrity chef do that? He doesn’t even know her.” Rosie had the same unbelieving look on her face as Jordan knew she must have on hers.

  “He said he was friends with the woman responsible for Goose’s death and explained she had also been killed on the ship,” the administrator said. “Apparently, he and his son will inherit this woman’s money. Mr. Christakis felt since Goose could no longer take care of his wife, it was the least he could do in the other woman’s name. He said there were extenuating circumstances involved, and despite the fact that his friend had taken Goose’s life, she had been a fair and decent person. He felt sure she would be pleased with the way he was spending some of her money.”

  Jordan choked up. She’d been dreading coming to see Goose’s wife because she’d have to tell her Goose was never coming to visit her again. But she also hated knowing without Goose’s financial support, Mary Alice would have to be transferred to one of those facilities that her husband had lied, cheated, and stole to keep her out of.

  “Can we see her?” She was still fighting to hold back tears.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Her moments of lucidity have almost completely disappeared. I sat with her a little while ago and explained that her husband won’t be coming to see her anymore. How much of it she comprehended, we’ll never know.” The administrator stood. “She seems to have gone into a shell and won’t talk to any of us. A visit from all of you might confuse her more. I hope you understand.”

  Jordan blew out a relieved sigh. “Of course. Thank you so much for telling us about her.” She handed the women Goose’s blue and orange plaid shirt. “Give this to her when you think it’s best. She may remember that she gave it to him. Maybe it’ll bring her some comfort.”

  “Thank you. I know she’ll be glad to have it one day—just not today.”

  With nothing further to say, the three of them walked out the door and climbed into the cab.

  The mood was very somber that night at the hotel. During dinner Jordan brought the men up
to speed on their visit to the nursing home. Ray admitted to having had a conversation with George Christakis that morning, after hearing Emily’s story. He’d planned on giving him only the basics, but when the New York chef heard about Goose’s wife, he’d taken a special interest.

  What Christakis had ended up doing for Mary Alice—and for Goose—went above and beyond, but it didn’t surprise Jordan. She’d known from the moment George had sneaked the mint under the table after the horrible sweetbread incident that he was an extraordinary man. Emily had been lucky to have him in her life. And just as he’d taken Emily under his wing, the man had made sure that Mary Alice Goosman would live out the rest of her life in comfort.

  The next morning they boarded the plane to Dallas. Rosie switched seats with Alex so he could sit next to Jordan. Since he would have to go back to playing FBI in another day or two, Jordan intended to make the most of what little time they had left.

  Snuggling closer, she asked, “How long will you be able to stay in Ranchero this time?”

  He pushed back the hair that had fallen over her eye. “Oh, I don’t know. Two or three years maybe.”

  She straightened up and faced him. “You didn’t quit your job, did you?”

  He laughed. “Not hardly. I got promoted.”

  “Oh my God! You definitely deserve it, but how will that keep you in Ranchero for a few years?” She almost hated to ask, worried his next words would burst her little bubble of hope.

  “You’re now looking at the assistant head of field operations for Texas.”

  She twisted around to hug him. “Congratulations, Alex. What exactly does that mean as far as where you’ll live?”

  “That’s the good part. I asked for and received permission to stay in Ranchero in that little house I rented earlier this year. I love it because it has so many great memories.”

  He winked and Jordan felt her face flush. The small house on the other side of town did hold fond memories, especially the bedroom.

  “Since I will be traveling most of the time anyway, they decided the hour’s drive to Dallas wouldn’t be so bad. Starting tomorrow I will officially be a Ranchero resident—and not a minute too soon, I might add.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I forgot to tell you the best part. I belong to the Italian American Foundation, and every year they have a huge weekend-long festival where members from all over the world get together to party. This year they chose Plano as the locale.”

  “When is it?” Jordan was getting excited now.

  “At the end of August when the Texas heat hopefully won’t kill those old guys from Italy. I’ve attended the festival only once before since most of them take place in Europe, and I’m more than a little excited about it. One of my great-uncles from Palermo is coming.”

  “It’s wonderful that you’ll have your own place then, but you could have stayed with me, you know.”

  He smiled. “I do know, but I’m not sure you have enough room for three houseguests.”

  She looked confused. “Three? What are you talking about?”

  He squeezed her shoulder. “My sister Kate works for a group of lawyers who represent the organization. She’s been given the assignment of overseeing the entire festival, from preparation to final cleanup.”

  The thought of finally meeting Alex’s sister both excited and scared Jordan. What if Kate hated her? Knowing how close Alex was with all his sisters, Jordan feared Kate’s disapproval would be the kiss of death for her and Alex’s relationship.

  “Wait a minute. You said three houseguests. You and Kate make two. Who else?”

  “Oh, did I forget to mention that my mother is coming with Kate and that she’s dying to meet you?”

  RECIPES

  ANNIE ROTH’S PIGS IN THE BLANKET

  (My mother’s famous recipe: Not for beginning cooks) Yields 12–15 stuffed cabbage rolls

  1 tablespoon butter

  1⁄2 cup finely chopped onion

  1 pound ground beef

  1⁄4 pound ground pork

  2 large eggs

  2 teaspoons salt

  1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

  1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

  1⁄2 cup cooked rice

  1 large head of cabbage

  6 cups tomato juice

  2 cans (10 3⁄4 ounces each) tomato soup

  Preheat the oven to 350° F.

  In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter and sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

  In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce. Add the rice and the onions and mix well. Set aside.

  In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove the core from the cabbage: cut around it with a paring knife and then use the tip of the knife to gently dislodge the loosened core and pull it out. Place the entire head into the pot of boiling water, cored side up. Boil for 3 minutes or until the outer leaves are slightly translucent and pliable. Remove the cabbage from the water and peel off the outermost leaves. If necessary, use the paring knife to cut the leaves away from the head. Then, put the head back into the water and boil for 2 minutes more or until the next layer of cabbage leaves is translucent and pliable. Once again, remove the cabbage from the water and peel off the outer leaves. Repeat this process until you have all the leaves you need.

  On a flat work surface, lay out one cabbage leaf lengthwise and spoon about a 1⁄4 cup of the meat mixture onto its center, adjusting the amount according to the size of the leaf. With the hard-stem end of the leaf facing you, flip first one long side of the leaf and then the other toward the middle to partially cover the meat mixture. Starting from the hard-stem end, roll the leaf away from you to create a compact bundle. Use toothpicks to keep the leaf closed, if necessary. Repeat the process with the remaining leaves until all the filling is used. Place the “pigs” in layers, seam side down, in a Dutch oven or a large greased casserole dish and, if desired, top them with some of the leftover cabbage leaves, coarsely chopped.

  In a medium bowl, mix together the tomato juice and the tomato soup and pour over the pigs. The mixture should almost cover them. Cover the dish and bake for 21⁄2 hours or until the cabbage is tender and the meat is cooked. Serve with mashed potatoes using the red sauce as the gravy. Cabbage rolls freeze well before and after cooking.

  • • •

  TROPICAL MANGO VINAIGRETTE

  Yields 2 cups

  1 mango, peeled and sliced (For strawberry vinaigrette, substitute 6–8 strawberries.)

  2 packages (0.7 ounce each) dry Italian dressing mix

  3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  3⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar

  2 large ice cubes

  Place the first four ingredients in a blender and pulse until the mixture is smooth. Add the two ice cubes, one at a time, pulsing after each addition until the ice is mostly pulverized, about 1 minute total. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

  • • •

  SINFULLY SWEET CHOCOLATE KAHLÚA BROWNIES

  Yield: Approximately 20 brownies

  3⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa

  1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

  2⁄3 cup melted butter, divided

  1⁄4 cup boiling water

  1⁄4 cup Kahlúa

  2 cups granulated sugar

  2 eggs, lightly beaten

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour

  1⁄4 teaspoon salt

  1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

  1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

  Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine the cocoa and baking soda. Stir in 1⁄3 cup of the melted butter. Add the boiling water and Kahlúa, stirring until well blended. Stir in the sugar, beaten eggs, vanilla, and the remaining 1⁄3 cup of butter, then the flour and salt. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips, and pour the batter into a greased 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking
pan. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the brownies are firm and begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

  • • •

  ROSIE’S CHICKEN STIR-FRY

  Pollo Fino Revuelto

  Serves 6

  1 cup baby carrots

  10 tablespoons butter, divided

  1 package (16 ounces) sliced mushrooms

  1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  1 cup orange pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

  1 cup yellow pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

  1 cup onion, cut into bite-size pieces

  1 cup celery, cut into bite-size pieces

  1 cup fresh sugar snap peas

  1 bottle (11.5 ounces) Thai peanut sauce, divided (I use Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce)

  3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

  2 tablespoons flour

  2 tablespoons cornstarch

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon black pepper

  6 cups hot cooked rice

  In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender crisp. Drain and allow to cool. Cut the carrots into bite-size pieces and set aside.

  In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter and sauté the mushrooms for 7 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

  In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and add the orange and yellow peppers, onion, celery, and sugar snap peas. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce over the vegetables and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender but still crunchy. During the last minute of cooking, add in the carrots and mushrooms. Remove the vegetable mixture to a bowl and keep warm. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.

  In a large bowl, combine the chicken, flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce. Toss to coat.

  In the large skillet, heat 1⁄4 cup of the olive oil. Add the coated chicken, breaking up any pieces that stick together. Stir-fry for 4 minutes or until chicken is brown on all sides and cooked through.

  Pour the remaining peanut sauce into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 20 seconds. For each serving, place approximately 1 cup of the cooked rice on a plate and drizzle 2 tablespoons of the warm peanut sauce over it. Place approximately 1 cup of the mixed vegetables over the rice and top with approximately 1⁄2 cup of the cooked chicken. Drizzle 2 additional tablespoons of peanut sauce over top.