Savage Sourdough

by Mildred Abbott

  “I still think we should’ve done that first.” Mom sounded skeptical.

  “Priorities, my love.” Barry dusted off his hands. “The glass can wait till tomorrow. I put enough duct tape on it yesterday that not a bit of cold air is getting through.” He joined us at the table.

  Watson gave a pathetic whimper.

  I looked down to see his pleading brown eyes looking up at me. “I’m safe, buddy. You can be with Barry.”

  He hesitated, then scurried happily to Barry’s chair, sparing me another glance halfway. It looked like he was going to be fine after all. I’d miss him being my shadow.

  “Speaking of priorities”—Barry kept his eyes on me as he leaned forward and occupied both hands on the world’s best belly rub for Watson—“the Garble sisters left town today. Right after I got their autographs.”

  “They sold you their shops?” No more Garbles! It was almost too good to be true.

  “Yep, disgusting amount I had to pay too, but they sure did.” He beamed. “Pretty soon you’ll have Verona and Zelda on one side, and Noah and Jonah on the other. Perfection.”

  I managed to smile and nod. “Yes, that really will be… perfection.” Apparently too good to be true was spot-on.

  Mom cocked a knowing eyebrow, and the corner of her lips twitched. Thankfully, she changed the subject. “I took Officer Jackson’s wife a casserole today. With him in the hospital and her alone with the kids, I figured it’s the least we could do.”

  It had been two days since Spencer and Robin had been taken to jail. I’d asked Branson about Officer Jackson’s condition that morning, but hadn’t had an update since. “Any change?”

  “Yes, from the tests they did today, they don’t think there’s any brain damage and they expect him to make a full recovery, though it’s going to be slow going.” Mom touched her fingertips to her throat. “I just can’t imagine it. It’s horrible that their parents were murdered, but for those two to be so willing to kill other people who had nothing to do with it, makes them just as bad.”

  Spencer and Robin had shot Officer Jackson as he was heading away from my house, ensuring they wouldn’t be interrupted.

  “The casserole wasn’t exactly the least we could do.” Barry sat up from petting Watson. “The Jacksons rent their house from us. They won’t be paying rent until he’s back on the force, no matter how long that takes.”

  There was a knock at the door, and Watson lost his ever-loving mind, running at full speed through the kitchen into the living room so fast that he lost his balance on the hardwood floor and crashed into the front door. It didn’t faze him in the slightest as he continued to growl and bark.

  I hurried to him and knelt beside him. “It’s okay. You’re fine, sweetheart.” Maybe almost back to normal wasn’t quite where we were at yet. I raised my voice. “Come on in. It’s unlocked.”

  Despite my arms around him, Watson’s growling increased as the door opened. Everything changed as Leo stepped inside. Watson stiffened, his eyes widened, and I swore I felt a shudder of pure ecstasy. He glanced into the kitchen, clearly looking at Barry and then back at Leo. I released him, and he bashed into Leo’s legs like he was the long-lost corgi savior.

  “I think with you and Barry in the same house, Watson might truly be in heaven.” If any dog deserved that, it was him.

  Leo placed several large bags on the floor and knelt in front of Watson.

  “Just wait till he sees all the treats I brought for him.” Katie paused in the doorway on her crutches, unable to get in around Watson and Leo blocking the path. She looked over at me, her smile fading from the Watson and Leo reunion. “And what do you mean it’s unlocked? You should have five more deadbolts installed, not be leaving the door unsecured.”

  “I knew you two were coming.” I laughed, then followed it up with a shrug. “Plus, if people can pick the lock while we’re sitting in the kitchen, what good do locks do anyway?”

  Katie nodded toward Watson. “He was trying to tell us.”

  Yes, he had been.

  Leo scooted over, making room for Katie while never losing contact with Watson. He looked up as Mom and Barry came into the living room. “Oh, hey! I didn’t know you all were here.” He gestured toward the bags he had brought. “I would’ve ordered more food to go. Since Habanero’s won’t let Watson eat with us there, we brought it to him.”

  “No, no, no.” Mom shook her head emphatically as Barry came over and joined Leo, fawning over Watson, sending my little hero into ecstasy. “You kids need your alone time. Plus, we promised the twins they could get into the shops tonight. They want to take measurements.”

  Leo looked at Mom, puzzled. “The shops?”

  Still patting Watson, Barry smiled at Leo. “Yep. Verona and Zelda are going to take Opal’s old place, and Noah and Jonah will move into Lois’s.”

  “Oh! That’ll be… fun.” Katie smirked but managed to sound genuine.

  Mom swatted at Barry. “Come on. Let’s leave them alone. Though I hate to tear you away from Watson.” She pulled me into an embrace that lasted even longer than usual, and I breathed her in. Then she did the same to Leo and Katie. Barry followed suit seconds later.

  With empty Habanero’s containers littering the kitchen table, I leaned back and pressed my hand to my stomach. “Good Lord. Who knew almost getting killed would give a person such an appetite. Most of the time we eat there, I walk away with leftovers.”

  Leo chuckled. “Actually, Fred, if anyone should know about the after-nearly-getting-killed appetite, I’d think it would be you.”

  “Good point.” I sighed. “This one, though, felt a little more… personal.”

  “You’re not kidding.” Katie nodded in agreement, but despite the heaviness of what she’d been through, she sounded brighter. Actually, despite having thought for a few seconds she was giving up when Robin and Spencer had been in the kitchen, she seemed to have turned the corner. She’d never been sullen as a rule, but even with her being in physical pain, I’d never seen Katie happier or calmer than the past two days. It was like she’d been set free. “But that’s the last thing I want to talk about.” She motioned toward two more bags on the counter I hadn’t noticed, which remained unopened. “Would you get those, Leo?”

  With a grin that looked like trouble, he wordlessly stood and got the bags.

  “Why do I feel like you two are up to no good?” I waved a pointed finger between them.

  “Because that’s exactly what we’re up to.” Katie opened the first bag, looked inside, and then began to pull out a couple of loaves of bread, several lemon bars, and a huge Ziploc bag filled with scores of Watson’s favorite all-natural dog bone treats. “Well, these are definitely good. But”—she moved to the other bag—“we made a quick stop by Rocky Mountain Imprints on our way to Habanero’s and got a gift for each of you.” She held up a vibrantly purple hoodie with a corgi sitting on a stack of books emblazoned in white on the front. “I know you already have one with the Cozy Corgi logo on it, but you chose brown. Imagine that. I thought you needed something better.”

  I groaned. “You and Percival will never give up about my earth tones. They look good on me. Redheads always look good in earth tones.” I angled toward Leo for support.

  “Oh, no!” He held up his hands. “There’s been enough attempted murder in this kitchen lately. I’m not getting between you two on this topic. Plus, you’ve seen what I wear for work. I have no fashion sense.”

  Yes, I had seen what he wore for work. And he looked just fine in his park ranger uniform.

  I kept that thought to myself, though.

  Thankfully, Katie distracted me. “And we have one for Watson.” She withdrew a smaller version of the sweatshirt, this one in a bright cobalt blue.

  “Okay, I have to admit, that is adorable.” I shook my head. “But you have met Watson, right? If we tried to put that on him, there would be nothing attempted about the triple murder that would ensue.”

  “You forgot about o
ur secret weapon.” Katie pointed to Leo. “But if Watson resists, even the slightest, I’ll never suggest it again. It’s just that I would really love our hero to be the first image on the new Cozy Corgi Instagram account.”

  I would’ve sworn I heard wrong. “I thought you believed that no one working hard enough has time for social media.”

  “While that’s true”—her tone grew a little more serious—“Sammy was always after me to set up an account. Thought it would be good for the bakery. I figure I should probably take her advice.”

  I didn’t quite know how to respond to that, so I didn’t. Instead I looked down at Watson, who’d situated himself directly between Leo’s and my chairs. “We can try.”

  We all moved to the living room, and Leo knelt with Watson by the fire while I got Katie’s phone ready to snap a picture.

  To my complete shock, either it was a night of miracles or Leo truly did have magical powers when it came to corgis. While Leo slipped the doggy sweatshirt onto Watson, my grumpy little man looked like he couldn’t be happier.

  Leo managed to situate him so Watson’s back was partially toward me with the Cozy Corgi logo showing. As a reward, he gave Watson one of the large dog treats Katie had brought and quickly stepped away. “Better do it quick, Fred.”

  “Watson, look over here, buddy.” As I spoke, Katie snapped her fingers over my head.

  Watson whipped his head around, the dog treat firmly clenched in his teeth, and I snapped the picture.

  Before I could check to see if it was any good, he dropped the treat, and hurried toward me with a bark.

  I handed the phone back to Katie and held out my arms to Watson. “What is it? Want to give momma a hug?”

  He let out another bark, one that was most definitely not an affirmation, then gave a hop, and pounded both of his front paws on my knees with another bark.

  “Fine, you little grouch. That’s clear enough.” I slid my fingers under the hem of his sweatshirt, and before I could do more than give the slightest pull, Watson scuttled backward and ripped himself free from the clothing. He snorted, gave a body shake, and retrieved the dog treat, then curled up by the fire—on the opposite corner he’d occupied during the photo, clearly just to be obstinate.

  Katie burst out laughing so hard that she snorted. She caught her breath, and thrust the phone toward me. “You’ve got to see this. It’s absolutely flawless.”

  I took the cell and turned it so I could see the screen. Leo peered over my shoulder.

  He chuckled. “That really is spot-on.”

  My heart melted. The picture truly was perfection. The scene had been set, the beautiful fireplace in the background, the Cozy Corgi logo was crisp on Watson’s back against the blue of the sweatshirt. He looked over his shoulder with the dog bone in his mouth as if he was a model born for the camera—if models held dog bones between their teeth. But his eyes were narrowed and glaring at the camera, or more accurately, his momma holding the camera, completely filled with disdain.

  I laughed so hard tears rolled down my cheeks, and I clutched the phone to my heart. I was going to have it printed and framed, and I’d give it a place of honor on the mantle.

  Katie Pizzolato

  There is one character in the Cozy Corgi series that is based on a real-life friend. Katie Pizzolato. From Katie’s personality, looks, likes and dislikes, all were fashioned either directly from Katie herself or though her input during character creation. During the planning stage, I’d already figured out exactly who Winifred Page would be. I knew Katie would also be a character, but after the real Katie and I discussed how the character Katie would be, she went from a one book cameo to Fred’s new BFF. In addition, the Cozy Corgi bookstore I’d mapped out suddenly became a bakery combo. Talk about kismet and perfection.

  Spoiler alert: the major difference between on page Katie and real life Katie? The serial killer parents are pure fiction.

  Katie, thank you for your friendship, your faith in my art, your support of my career, and for giving of yourself, quite literally, to the success of the Cozy Corgi series. Fred and Watson are so lucky to have a Katie in their lives—and so am I. So much love to you, my dear!

  Love,

  Mildred, Fred, and Watson

  Katie’s Sourdough Bread recipe provided by:

  2716 Welton St Denver, CO 80205

  (720) 708-3026

  Click the links for more Rolling Pin deliciousness:

  RollingPinBakeshop.com

  Rolling Pin Facebook Page

  Sourdough Starter Recipe

  Sourdough Starter

  Takes about Five days.

  Day One: Create the starter.

  Using a glass container, mix 1 cup of water with 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour. Mix well and cover with plastic wrap and put somewhere with a consistent room temperature (around 70 degrees)

  Day Two: Feed the starter.

  Mix starter with 1 cup of water and 1 ½ cups of flour. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in spot with consistent room temperature of around seventy degrees.

  Day Three: Feed the starter.

  You should see bubbles forming in your starter.

  Divide in half and dispose of half (or share with someone).

  Repeat day two instructions.

  Day Four:

  Repeat steps from day Three.

  Day Five:

  Repeat steps from day Three.

  Sourdough Bread Recipe

  Ingredients:

  6 2/3 cups of Bread Flour

  2 ½ cups warm water

  1 Tablespoon plus 2 ½ teaspoon of yeast

  1 Tablespoon plus 2 ½ teaspoon of salt

  1 Cup of Starter

  Directions:

  1.Place yeast and water in bowl and mix well and set aside. The yeast will start bubbling.

  2.When bubbles form add flour and starter. Then add salt last. Mix well until dough forms. Knead well for 8-10 minutes.

  3.Place in bowl coated with oil for pan spray. Cover and set in warm place until doubled in size.

  4.Turn out onto floured surface and divide into desired sizes. Cover with plastic and let rest for 45-60 minutes.

  5.Deflate dough and roll out into desired shapes and place on parchment-lined sheet pan.

  6.Let rest and rise for 30 minutes until almost double in size.

  7.Bake in 400 degree oven for 12-20 minutes or until golden brown.

  About the Author

  Reading the Cozy Corgi series is pretty much all you need to know about Mildred. In real life, she’s obsessed with everything she writes about: Corgis, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods. She’s not obsessed with murder, however. At least not at her own hands (nor paid for… no contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in her personality. Having Fred and Watson stroll into her mind was a touch of kismet.

  Website: Mildredabbott.com

  Author Note

  Dear Reader:

  Thank you so much for reading Savage Sourdough. If you enjoyed Fred and Watson’s adventure, I would greatly appreciate a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Please drop me a note on Facebook or on my website (MildredAbbott.com) whenever you like. I’d love to hear from you.

  I also wanted to mention the elephant in the room… or the over-sugared corgi, as it were. Watson’s personality is based around one of my own corgis, Alastair. He’s the sweetest little guy in the world, and, like Watson, is a bit of a grump. Also, like Watson (and every other corgi to grace the world with their presence), he lives for food. In the Cozy Corgi series, I’m giving Alastair the life of his dreams through Watson. Just like I don’t spend my weekends solving murders, neither does he spend his days snacking on scones and unending dog treats. But in the books? Well, we both get to live out our fantasies. If you are a corgi parent, you already know your little angel shouldn’t truly have free rein of the pastry case, but you can read them snippets of Watson’s life fo
r a pleasant bedtime fantasy.

  And don’t miss book five, Scornful Scones, coming April 2018. Keep turning for a sneak peek at the cover.

  Much love, Mildred

  PS: I’d also love it if you signed up for my newsletter. That way you’ll never miss a new release. You won’t hear from me more than once a month, nobody needs that many newsletters!

  Newsletter link: Mildred Abbott Newsletter Signup

  Acknowledgments

  A special thanks to Agatha Frost, who gave her blessing and her wisdom. If you haven’t already, you simply MUST read Agatha’s Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series. They are absolute perfection.

  The biggest and most heartfelt gratitude to Katie Pizzolato, for her belief in my writing career and being the inspiration for the character of the same name in this series. Thanks to you, Katie, our beloved baker, has completely stolen both mine and Fred’s heart!

  Desi, I couldn’t imagine an adventure without you by my side. A.J. Corza, you have given me the corgi covers of my dreams. A huge, huge thank you to all of the lovely souls who proofread the ARC versions of Cruel Candy and helped me look somewhat literate (in completely random order): Ann Attwood, Melissa Brus, Cinnamon, Ron Perry, Rob Andresen-Tenace, Kelly Miller, TL Travis, Jill Wexler, Victoria Smiser, Patrice, Lucy Campbell, Rebecca Cartee, and Sue Paulsen. Thank you all, so very, very much!