by Liz Mugavero
Chapter 60
Two weeks later
“I think the ovens should go here,” Char insisted, making a note on the piece of paper she and Patricia hunched over at Stan’s kitchen table. “She needs space. That way, there’s room here for the refrigerator and you’re not eating into counter space.”
Patricia inclined her head in agreement. “Okay,” she said. “I can live with that. As long as we have marble counters. When she gives tours and classes, she needs a classy kitchen.”
“Tours and classes?” Brenna murmured to Stan. The two were at the counter, each with two mixing bowls going. They were down a baker, and the orders were backing up. This rainy, chilly Saturday morning was all about catching up before the day’s big plans. And spending time with people they loved.
“I guess she’s adding that to my offerings.” Stan smiled. “It’s fine. She’s been much better. Actually asking me what I want. So I let her order the pastry cases from her person. Life’s too short. My shop’s opening. We’re all still here. That’s all that matters.”
“Yeah.” Brenna sobered.
“How’s Scott doing?” Stan asked quietly. She’d relived the moment in the church every night since, knowing how close they’d both come to serious injury or death. When Francie made the split-second decision to turn the gun on herself, she could’ve easily shot one or both of them, too.
“He’s devastated. Definitely taking it personally.” Brenna dropped batter onto a cookie sheet. “I know he understands on a logical level it wasn’t his fault, but he feels like he let Monica down. He’s not even sure he wants to stay in that line of work.”
Monica Chang hadn’t survived that horrible night in the church despite the best efforts of the emergency responders. Francie thought she’d knocked Scott out with a paperweight from Pastor Ellis’s office, but dazed and bleeding he’d still been able to call for help before he tried to take Francie out himself. Jessie, however, had already been en route. With Captain Quigley, who hadn’t been in town to keep an eye on her, but to help figure out who really killed Eleanor. The Trumbull family, Tony’s second cousins, had put the pressure on to keep things quiet while they investigated, but Jessie had been relieved to find out no one was trying to cover anything up. Quigley had publicly suspended Jessie to take the heat off all of them, but had been working with her behind the scenes.
“Scott’s a hero and he should know that,” Stan said.
“Hear, hear,” Char called from the table. “What a brave man you have there, Brenna.”
“Maybe someday he’ll be ready to hear that,” Brenna said. “But not now.”
Patricia, uncharacteristically quiet, squeezed Char’s hand across the table. “Char’s right. He tried his best for that poor girl.”
The front door opened and the sound of stampeding dogs and laughter filtered down the hallway. Jake entered the kitchen, followed by Caitlyn and Kyle holding hands. Eva rode on Kyle’s shoulders. The dogs raced excitedly around them, dodging between legs.
“The house is adorable,” Caitlyn announced. “And it’s right near Izzy’s. We’re totally getting it. Thanks for taking us over, Jake.”
“Anytime.” Jake came over and wrapped Stan in a hug. “They’re a lot faster than us,” he joked. “Two weeks back together and they’re buying a house. In Frog Ledge, no less.”
Stan poked him in the chest with her spatula. “Hey, we’re not in a race. I think we’re doing just fine.”
“You guys are our role models,” Caitlyn said. “And I love it here. Especially now that I’m getting a job at Izzy’s bookstore. My dream job, no less. And working for you, too, of course,” she added hurriedly, looking at Stan. “And the schools are great. Eva’s looking forward to making some new friends.”
“And y’all need more restaurants,” Kyle drawled. “Perfect place to open a vegan, organic eatery, don’t you think?”
“I love restaurants,” Char said.
“Especially that kind,” Stan added.
“Plus, we needed the house. For the dog,” Caitlyn said.
Char pressed a hand to her heart. “You’re gonna make me cry. Adopting Cooper is the nicest thing you could do in Francie’s memory.” She blinked away tears. “I’m sorry. I know she was troubled, but I’m just so sad for her. Now, you finish those cookies,” she said briskly to Stan. “We have to get to Jessie’s party.”
Tonight, they were celebrating Jessie’s promotion to sergeant, the direct result of her hard work and dogged determination to do whatever was necessary to solve this case.
“You’re right. Going back to the B&B to change.” Kyle kissed Caitlyn. “Be back in an hour to pick you up.”
Jake grinned. “Jessie hates us for this, you know. But the pub’s all decorated and ready to go. The whole town will be there.”
“Hey, you don’t get promoted every day,” Char said with a shrug. “She’ll have to deal with it. Just like your momma over here, getting all mad at her surprise engagement party.”
Patricia blushed. “I was not angry. You just didn’t need to do that, is all.”
They’d partied last night, too, at the B&B. A decidedly smaller, but much happier engagement party so Patricia and Tony could celebrate together. Patricia was moving back into Tony’s house this weekend. With the suspicions about him cleared up, the wedding was back on. Stan thought it might be time to get to know him a little better.
Brenna stuck the last two trays into the oven and set the timer. “I’m going to get ready. I’ll see you later at the pub,” she told Stan. With a wave to everyone, she slipped out the door.
Char stood. “I’m going, too. Have to pick out my outfit and make sure Raymond’s dressed. See you soon!” She blew them a kiss and followed Brenna out the door.
When Stan, Jake, and her mother were the only ones left, Patricia looked at Jake. “Do you have it?”
Jake nodded.
“Have what?” Stan asked distractedly, checking the cookies through the oven door.
“This,” Jake said.
She turned to find him holding a hand-carved, bone-shaped, red wooden sign with the word STAN’S carved into it in yellow.
“To match your walls,” he said, referring to the sunny yellow color she’d decided on for the shop. “And to make sure everyone knows the place is yours. From your mother and me.”
She felt tears well up and spill over, and all she could do was hug them both. Tight.
“I’ll put it upstairs for you,” Jake said, taking it from her. “Until the shop’s ready for it.” He kissed her cheek and left the room, then poked his head back in. “Almost forgot, this was in the mail.” He handed her a postcard. “No name, though.”
She took it, turning it over in her hands. The front of the postcard was a brilliant beach scene, with a mountain she didn’t recognize in the background. On the back, it said Sunset over Ahmed beach, view of Mount Agung, Bali.
Bali? Her gaze drifted to the four words scrawled in the white space: “You taught me well.”
Richard. She broke into a grin. It felt like the last scene of The Shawshank Redemption.
She looked up to find her mother watching her. “Glad he didn’t need to skip bail to get there,” she said softly. “I really didn’t want to be out two million dollars.”
Stan’s mouth dropped open. “You . . . you bailed Richard out?”
Patricia nodded. “I knew he didn’t do it. Of course, I knew Tony didn’t do it, either. Well, I was ninety-eight percent sure,” she amended.
Stan linked arms with her mother and walked her out of the kitchen. She thought it might not be so bad having her whole family here in town.
RECIPES
Blueberry Biscuits
1½ cup wheat flour
⅔ cup oatmeal
¼ cup flaxseed meal
1 cup blueberries
½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
½ cup water
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix well.
Using a cookie scoop, drop tablespoon-size amounts of mixture onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes.
Cookies may be dehydrated for a longer shelf life.
Vegetable Beef Crackers
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
½ cup shredded carrots
2 ounces of vegetable beef (or beef only)
baby food
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¾ cup water
2 cups wheat flour
1½ cups white flour
Combine all ingredients in bowl, adding flours last. Mix until well blended.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 minutes.
Roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness and cut out shapes using mini cookie cutters of your choice.
Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cookies may be left in oven after baking (while oven cools down) to harden for a crunchier bite.
Yields about 35 cracker-size cookies.
Parmesan Cheese Bones
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Mix all wet ingredients. Add flour and remainder of dry ingredients, and mix well. (About 2 minutes in a stand mixer.)
Roll out dough to -inch–¼-inch and cut into 2-inch or 3-inch bones.
Convection bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Treats may be dehydrated for a longer shelf life.
Coconut-Carob Cookies (makes approximately 18 cookies)
1 cup oat flour
½ cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
⅔ cup water
¼ cup carob chips
Combine all ingredients except for carob chips. Using a cookie scoop, drop batter onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
While cookies are baking, slowly melt carob chips. This can be done in the microwave, heating carob in 10- to 20-second intervals or on the stovetop using a double boiler on low heat. Carob can be thinned out with a drop or two of vegetable oil to help with desired consistency.
Once cookies are done and have cooled, drizzle melted carob over the top. No pastry bag necessary; this can simply be done with a spoon and a light hand. Allow a few minutes for carob to harden and then feed to drooling doggies! Cookies can be dehydrated prior to topping with carob for a longer-lasting shelf life.
Recipes courtesy of The Big Biscuit, Franklin, Massachusetts.
Acknowledgments
This is always my favorite part of writing the book—saying thank you to all the people who’ve helped get it to the finish line, in one form or another. So thank you to all the readers, who make this writing life possible. To my agent, John Talbot, for creating this series with me—can you believe we’re on book five? John Scognamiglio, my editor, and the whole team at Kensington, thank you for making the books even better, and for the fabulous covers!
I’m lucky enough to have a neighbor in law enforcement, although he may not feel so lucky when I start asking him questions. A huge thank-you to Officer Chris Worchel for answering all my questions about how to handle murder at a dinner party without suspecting me of illicit activities.
I’ve made so many special friends on this writing journey, and I’m grateful for every single one of them. Most especially my besties, the Wicked Cozy Authors—Jessie Crockett / Jessica Estevao, Sherry Harris, Julie Hennrikus / Julianne Holmes, Edith Maxwell / Maddie Day, and Barbara Ross—what would I do without you on this crazy journey? I’m thankful every day for you (and all your alter egos!).
And Sherry, thank you for always being my first editor, even when I’m under the gun and you’re on deadline, too. You’re amazing.
My close-to-home writing and art group was instrumental in helping me hammer out the nitty-gritty details of this book during our Sunday sessions, so thanks to Kim Fleck (for that and so much more—see below!), Dacia Jackson, and Shari Randall for helping me keep my creativity going!
Of course, Vanessa Sealy from The Big Biscuit in Franklin, Massachusetts, must be thanked for always testing out thoughtful, yummy recipes for these books. The dogs and cats love them and we hope your pets will, too.
I always name a couple of animal rescue angels in these pages. This time we’re giving a schnoodle shout-out in honor of Scruffy to the Miniature Schnauzers & Friends Rescue out in California. Schnauzers/schnoodles are near and dear to my heart, and this place does great work for these guys—as well as other schnauzer mixes. Check them out at msfr.org. My other shout-out is to the Starfish Animal Rescue group, which is doing amazing work in rural Kentucky saving animals from the many high-kill shelters out there. They’re at starfishanimalrescue.com, and they rock.
Thanks to my own family, furry and human—thank you for putting up with me while I wrote this book amidst two major life changes, especially Cynthia and Doug Fleck for their unwavering support.
And Kim, I know you probably won’t remember this next time I’m in Book Jail and next to impossible to deal with, but I appreciate everything you do for all of us. As the backbone of Brand Fearless, you keep us alive on social channels, and at home, you make everything better. Thanks for keeping things afloat and being the best partner anyone could ask for. Love you always.