by Laura Childs
Capers groaned.
“Was that a yes?” said Theodosia.
“Yes,” said Capers.
“Good.” Theodosia stood up and clicked off the recorder on her phone. Five seconds later it rang. It was Tidwell again, talking a mile a minute, rocketing questions at her.
Theodosia listened for a few moments, and then said, “It’s over. Percy Capers’s wagon overturned and he was pitched out into the street.”
That put an end to Tidwell’s rant. “Is he hurt?”
“I imagine he could use an ambulance,” said Theodosia. “And an armed guard. The man’s dangerous, after all. He killed Edgar Webster.”
“Capers did?” Tidwell started squawking like an angry crow. “Capers told you that?”
Theodosia glanced around. Duke had gone back to tend to the horses. “Full confession,” she said. “Caught on tape.”
“What else?” said Tidwell. “What else is Capers saying?”
Capers twisted abruptly. Quick as a snapping turtle, one hand shot out and closed hard around Theodosia’s ankle. With an iron grasp and a sharp yank, he wrenched her leg out from under her.
Theodosia crashed to the pavement with a bone-jarring thump.
“Gotcha!” Capers hissed malevolently. “Now give me that phone!”
That was when Aunt Acid stepped in, cool as you please, and hit him in the face with a shot of her pepper spray. “Take that!” she cried. “Don’t you dare mess with my favorite tea lady!”
“Owwwww!” were Capers’s final words.
27
The ambulance showed up some two minutes later. Tidwell rolled to the scene in his Crown Victoria five minutes after that. He stomped around, grumbling like an angry bear and looking generally unhappy.
But Tidwell was smart enough to listen patiently as Theodosia and Harlan Duke filled him in as best they could. Tidwell asked a few questions, then got Elliot Kern on the phone and related the complete Percy Capers story to the museum director. Elliot must have thanked Tidwell profusely or said something highly complimentary, because he suddenly became a little more human.
Theodosia, meanwhile, had called Max. “It’s all over,” she told him with a long sigh.
“Not quite,” said Max. “Drayton’s just finishing up with the last tour.”
Theodosia had to chuckle. He didn’t know. Of course, he didn’t know. “I didn’t mean the tour,” said Theodosia. “I meant the whole murder-mystery thing.”
“What!” Max screeched.
“Tell you what,” said Theodosia. “I’ll explain everything to you real soon. If you and Drayton walk over to Church Street, we’ll swing by and pick you up.”
“Pick us up?” said Max, sounding confused. “Pick us up in what?”
“In a hay wagon,” said Theodosia.
• • •
Theodosia was as good as her word. Ten minutes later, she and Harlan Duke clip-clopped down Church Street to where Max and Drayton were waiting for them. Somewhere along the line they’d picked up a frantic Delaine, who was now sitting in the back of the wagon, cradling her feisty little aunt.
“You expect me to ride in that?” said Drayton when he saw the wagon.
“Hop aboard,” said Duke, “for the tea shop express.”
Drayton clambered on board, looking a little nervous. “We’re really going to the tea shop?”
“Tidwell’s going to meet us there,” said Theodosia.
“We’re having tea?” asked Aunt Acid. “Oh, joy.”
• • •
And they really did have tea. Drayton bustled about preparing pots of chamomile and black plum. Haley, in her apartment upstairs, heard the commotion and came shuffling down to help. She laid out cups, saucers, and plates, and then warmed up a batch of cherry scones.
By the time Detective Tidwell had arrived, the whole sorry story had been spilled, mopped up, and retold.
“I can’t believe I’m in the clear,” said Max.
“You were always in the clear,” said Tidwell. He was seated at the head of the table in one of their ample captain’s chairs. “Thanks to Miss Browning here.”
“Did you get in touch with Charlotte?” Theodosia asked him.
Tidwell nodded. “Yes. And I managed to speak with Roger Greaves, too. Needless to say, he was very much relieved that his business partner’s killer has finally been apprehended.”
“We have to contact Cecily Conrad, too,” said Theodosia. “I think she was fairly convinced it was someone from the museum who killed Webster and then came after her. She just wasn’t sure who.”
“Percy Capers,” Drayton spat out. “He probably figured Cecily knew something. That’s why he went after her.”
“Probably,” said Theodosia. “And Capers was trying to scare everybody else off, too. Tossing that flaming bottle through Charlotte’s window, roughing up Bill Glass.”
“Throw up a big smokescreen,” said Max. “Go big or go home.”
“Or go to jail,” said Tidwell.
Theodosia passed a scone to Tidwell, and said, “When you question Capers, I hope you squeeze him like a Florida orange. In fact, when you question him, I wouldn’t mind being there.”
“Really, Miss Browning,” said Tidwell. He was pretending to be perturbed but not doing a very good job of it. He beetled his brow and forced a stern look on his face. “Haven’t you meddled enough? And then to engineer that wild hay-wagon chase through the Historic District? My goodness. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Theodosia lifted her teacup and smiled serenely. “Film at eleven?”
FAVORITE RECIPES FROM
The Indigo Tea Shop
Sausage and Gnocchi Soup
½ lb. sweet Italian sausage (ground, not links)
2 cups water
1 package vacuum-packed gnocchi (Bellino or Vigo)
2 cups beef broth
1 can (14 oz.) Italian-style stewed tomatoes (chopped, not drained)
½ cup Parmesan cheese (fresh grated)
COOK sausage in large saucepan until browned. Add water, gnocchi, beef broth, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, or until gnocchi float to the top. Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan. Yields 4 servings.
Prosciutto and Fig Tea Sandwiches
6 slices white sandwich bread
Butter
Fig jam
Prosciutto, 6 thin slices
1 pear, peeled and sliced thin
SPREAD 3 slices of bread with butter and 3 slices with fig jam. Layer prosciutto and pear slices on the buttered bread, then top with the fig jam slices. Slice off crusts and cut into triangles. Yields 12 small sandwiches.
Green Tea Donuts
1¼ cup flour
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. matcha green tea powder
2⁄3 cup oil
½ cup buttermilk
1 egg
½ tsp. white vinegar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and green tea powder in a bowl. In another bowl, combine oil, buttermilk, egg, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fill a greased donut pan about two-thirds full and bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Add your own frosting or glaze. Yields 12 donuts.
Cream Cheese and Strawberry Tea Sandwiches
1 loaf date nut bread
Cream cheese, softened
Strawberries, hulled and sliced
SLICE date nut bread and spread each piece with cream cheese. Arrange sliced strawberries on top and serve open-faced.
Church Street Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 cup p
eanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. vanilla extract
PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees. Combine butter, peanut butter, both sugars, and eggs. Mix in flour, baking soda, and vanilla. Drop by the teaspoonful onto a greased baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are set. Yields 4 dozen cookies.
Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 cup blueberries
PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl beat eggs, gradually adding sugar. Continue beating and pour in oil and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture, gradually incorporating sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into a greased muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.
Chicken and Green Goddess Tea Sandwiches
6 slices whole wheat bread
Green goddess dressing
Chicken, cooked and sliced
Avocado, pealed and sliced thin
Salt and pepper
SPREAD each slice of bread with a thin layer of green goddess dressing. Arrange chicken slices on 3 pieces of bread. Top the chicken with avocado slices, then salt and pepper to taste. Top sandwiches with the remaining 3 slices of bread. Trim off crusts and cut into triangles. Yields 12 tea sandwiches.
Haley’s Honey Scones
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. butter, cold and diced
¼ cup sour cream
4 Tbsp. honey
1 cup cream, plus 3 Tbsp.
Sugar
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly, then stir in sour cream. In a small bowl, mix together honey and 1 cup of cream. Add cream mixture to flour mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out to about ¾ inch thickness. Using a circular cutter, cut out scones. Places scones on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Use a pastry brush to coat the tops of scones with the extra 3 Tbsp. of cream. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Devonshire cream or whipped cream. Yields about 16 scones.
English Tea Bread
1½ cups dates, chopped and pitted
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
1½ cups boiling water
1 egg, lightly beaten
2¾ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, chopped
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Place dates, sugar, salt, and butter into a bowl. Pour in the boiling water and stir. Set aside to cool. Once cool, mix in the egg. Stir flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Add the date mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Mix in the vanilla extract and walnuts. Pour batter into a greased 9” x 5” loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in pan before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. Slice and spread with cream cheese or wrap in foil and store in refrigerator.
Chutney Crescents
½ cup butter (1 stick)
1 small package cream cheese (3 oz.)
1 cup flour, sifted
½ cup chutney (prepared)
1⁄3 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and cream cheese together. Beat in flour until dough forms a smooth ball. Wrap in aluminum foil and chill overnight. Remove dough from refrigerator 30 minutes before using. Roll dough out to 1⁄8-inch thickness and cut with round 3-inch cookie cutter. Place a small spoonful of chutney in the center of each round. Fold over and gently press together. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for about 15 minutes. When cooled, roll in mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon.
Cherry Banana Bread
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 jar maraschino cherries (10 oz.), chopped with juice
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs and bananas. Blend in flour and baking powder. Stir in cherries and juice. Pour batter into 3 small, greased loaf pans and bake for about 45 minutes. Yields 3 small loaves.
TEA TIME TIPS
FROM Laura Childs
Sherlock Holmes Tea
Dim the lights, throw on a dark green tablecloth, and make your tea table look as British as possible. That means decorating with a stack of books, a magnifying glass, and brass candlesticks. Copy and enlarge pages from a Sherlock Holmes mystery to use as placemats and use plaid or herringbone napkins. If you can add a Sherlock Holmes hat, so much the better. You’ll want to serve currant scones or oat cakes with lemon curd and jam, hearty roast beef and cheddar cheese sandwiches, and strong black tea. (Note: Mystery book clubs, this is for you!)
Russian Tea
Delicious Russian Caravan tea sets the theme here. This traditional blend is usually served with heartier savories, so consider blinis with cream cheese, dark bread with eggplant spread, potato dumplings, and beet borscht. For dessert, cakes and small pastries fill the bill. And don’t forget the sugar, since Russian Caravan tea is often drunk with two or even three cubes.
Ming Tea (without the Murder!)
Make this an occasion to pull out all your chinoiserie—your blue and white dishes, Chinese figurines, and Chinese teapots. Decorate your tea table with paper fans or even a bonsai or penjing. Serve miniature egg rolls, a Chinese chicken salad, and steamed dumplings. And remember, Chinese black tea is always more authentic when served in small tea bowls.
Van Gogh Sunflower Tea
For this afternoon tea, your table should resemble a painterly still life. Think an enormous vase of sunflowers, yellow dishes and napkins, and a wooden bowl heaped with oranges. Van Gogh postcards are readily available in gift shops, so they make perfect invitations. There are also van Gogh tea towels and teapots to be had. Serve sunflower seed scones, cream cheese and roasted red peppers on brown bread, and ham and apple slices on French bread. Choose a light Formosan oolong for your tea, and pipe yellow frosting into sunflower designs on chocolate cookies.
Floral Tea
This tea table calls for a floral tablecloth, floral patterned dishes, and masses of flowers in vases. Start with a quiche accented with edible flowers, and move on to egg salad tea sandwiches on whole wheat bread as well as ricotta cheese mixed with bits of orange and spread on hearty white bread. Serve a delicate chamomile tea and don’t forget sugar swizzle sticks or orange sticks covered with chocolate. If you can have your Floral Tea outdoors—in the garden or on the patio—so much the better.
French Tea
Elegance is the watchword here, so set your tea table with interesting textiles, fine china, and cut glass. Add candles and put on some soothing music. Cream scones are always a delicious starter. Your tea sandwiches might include crab salad on croissants, brie cheese and strawberry jam on baguettes, and cream cheese and sliced cucumbers on whole wheat bread. Serve a lovely Ceylon black tea, and don’t forget the macarons or chocolate truffles for dessert.
TEA RESOURCES
TEA PUBLICATIONS
TeaTime—A luscious magazine profiling tea and tea lore. Filled with glossy photos and wonderful
recipes. (teatimemagazine.com)
Southern Lady—From the publishers of Tea Time, a magazine with a focus on people and places in the South as well as wonderful teatime recipes. (southernladymagazine.com)
The Tea House Times—Go to theteahousetimes.com for subscription information and dozens of links to tea shops, purveyors of tea, gift shops, and tea events.
Victoria—A magazine including articles and pictorials on homes, home design, gardens, and tea. (victoriamag.com)
Tea in Texas—A magazine highlighting Texas tea rooms and tea events. (teaintexas.com)
Margaret Thornby’s Tea & Tea Room Talk Magazine—A magazine covering tea news and tea shops in Britain. (teatalkmagazine.co.uk)
Fresh Cup Magazine—A magazine for tea and coffee professionals. (freshcup.com)
Tea & Coffee—A trade journal for the tea and coffee industry. (teaandcoffee.net)
Bruce Richardson—This author has written several definitive books on tea. (elmwoodinn.com/books)
Jane Pettigrew—This author has written thirteen books on various aspects of tea and its history and culture. (janepettigrew .com/books)
A Tea Reader—an anthology of tea stories and reflections by Katrina Avila Munichiello.
AMERICAN TEA PLANTATIONS
Charleston Tea Plantation—The oldest and largest tea plantation in the United States. Order their fine black tea or schedule a visit at bigelowtea.com.
Fairhope Tea Plantation—A tea plantation in Fairhope, Alabama.
FiLoLi Tea Farm—An up-and-coming Mississippi tea farm about ready to go into production. (filoliteafarm.com)
Sakuma Bros. Farm & Market—This tea garden just outside Burlington, Washington, has been growing white and green tea for more than a dozen years. (sakumamarket.com)
Big Island Tea—An organic artisan tea from Hawaii. (bigislandtea.com)
Mauna Kea Tea—An organic green and oolong tea from Hawaii’s Big Island. (maunakeatea.com)
Onomea Tea Company—A nine-acre tea estate near Hilo, Hawaii. (onomeatea.com)