by Jessica Beck
I’d forgotten all about the T-shirt I’d borrowed from the crew at Napoli’s. “Sorry about that. I needed something clean in a hurry.”
“It’s not a problem,” Ellen said as she stared at me for a full second, and then she added, “So, Thomas Hart was your dad.”
“He was,” I said. “I’m sorry for your loss. Actually, I’m kind of surprised that you came into work today after what happened last night.”
She sighed, and then Ellen offered a weak shrug. “There was nothing I could do at home, and the quiet there was driving me crazy. Morgan could be a real thorn in my side since I’m a cop and he’d been in jail for what seemed like forever, but he swore that he’d changed in prison, and I’d been looking forward to getting to know him all over again. Somebody owes me for that, you know?”
“I promise you that neither my mother nor I had anything to do with what happened to your brother last night.”
Ellen didn’t seem to be all that impressed with my word of honor. “I understand that the chief of police is investigating the murder,” she said.
“He’s a good man,” I answered. “He’ll find your brother’s killer.”
“If you believe that, then why are you and your friend digging into Morgan’s death?”
“What have you heard?” I asked. Normally, folks I just met didn't come right out and ask such a blunt question about my unofficial investigations with Grace.
“Angelica and I go way back. She told me exactly why you wanted to talk to me.” Ellen looked at her watch, and then she added, “My relief is waiting in the wings, hoping I’ll take some time off to give her some time behind the desk. Why not give her the chance to earn some of her pay today?” Ellen turned and called out to a much younger woman. “Denise, I need a break. I’ll be back in five.”
As the new officer approached us, she said, “Take your time, ma’am. I’ve got it covered.”
Ellen didn’t smile. “Like I said, five minutes should do it.”
As the three of us walked out of the precinct to a row of benches in front of the station, Ellen said, “That woman has been itching to replace me since she got here last month straight out of the academy.”
“That kind of enthusiasm can be draining, can’t it?” Grace said with a weary smile.
“Oh, yes,” Ellen said as she looked at Grace. “That sounds like the voice of experience.”
“I’ve got someone under me who’s dying to move me out,” she admitted.
“How are you handling it?” Ellen asked.
“Let’s just say that for the moment, I’m keeping her busy with things she’d rather not be doing. Sooner or later, she’ll either quit, or she’ll learn about cause and effect.”
“I wish I could do something like that, but I don’t have the authority to set up her work schedule.”
“Sorry about that.”
“No reason to be sorry; it’s not your fault,” Ellen said, and then she turned to me. “I should tell you up front that I don’t approve of civilians getting involved in active police investigations.”
“Neither does my boyfriend, usually,” I said.
“Excuse me for saying so, but why should I care what your boyfriend thinks, one way or the other?”
“Normally you shouldn’t, but he happens to be a special investigator for the state police.”
Ellen looked surprised by my claim. “And he doesn’t mind this time?”
“Not only that, he’s taking vacation time to help us out,” I said.
The officer looked around as she asked, “If he’s working with you two, then where is he right now?”
“He’s following up on other leads.”
Ellen thought about that, and then she shrugged. “Fine. There was a reason besides friendship that I agreed to see you. You spoke with my brother not long before he was murdered. What did he want to talk to you about?”
Could I just blurt out that he’d been trying to blackmail me after what the woman had just told us about his promise to reform? Then again, did I have the gall to lie to her about something so important? In the end, I decided that, no matter how painful it might be for her to hear, she deserved the truth. “He was trying to blackmail me. I’m sorry.”
Ellen looked as though she might cry, but after a moment, it passed. “You weren’t responsible for it, and on the face of it, neither was I. I wish I could say that finding out that my brother’s promises to me were lies surprises me, but I have to admit that I’m not all that shocked. Go ahead, you might as well give it all to me in one pop.”
I explained his blackmail plan to Ellen, and she interrupted me before I could finish. “What proof did he have that your father was responsible for Blake’s death?”
“The main thing was a letter my father wrote to Blake just before he died. He was angry with your brother, and he threatened him.”
She thought about that for a few seconds, and then she asked, “And you saw this letter with your own eyes?”
“Not me,” I said, and after taking a deep breath, I added, “He showed it to my mother.”
“She was with you at the donut shop when Morgan approached you?”
“No,” I said. “The two of them spoke later.”
“Let me guess,” Ellen said. “My brother tried to put the touch on her as well.”
“That’s what it sounded like to me.”
“How did your mother react?”
“She told him that she wouldn’t be blackmailed. Then she slapped him and she stormed off,” I said, feeling a twinge of pride in my mother, knowing what the outburst must have cost her.
“Or so she says,” Ellen said.
“I don’t have any reason to doubt her,” I insisted.
“Relax, I’m not accusing her of anything.”
It was time for me to ask a question. “Did Morgan say anything to you about what he was up to?”
“I may be working a desk at the station, but I’m just as much a cop as any detective on the police force is.” It was clear that she had a bit of a chip on her shoulder about that.
“I wasn’t implying anything. I just thought that blood might be thicker than water.”
“No way. The force is more of a family than my brother ever was to me. Just because I let him bunk in my spare room didn’t mean that I was willing to put up with any of his foolishness. If Morgan were still alive, I’d throw him out on his ear right now. He didn’t even make it a week out of prison, six lousy days was all that he had on the outside before he got in trouble again.”
“He was staying with you?” I asked. “Is there any way that we could look through his things? I know it must sound ghoulish, but it might help us find out who killed him.”
“Your Chief Martin already searched his room, and so did I.”
I wasn’t all that surprised that the chief had inspected Morgan’s room before we could get to it. Despite our past differences, I believed that the man was a good cop who just got in over his head sometimes. “Did either one of you find anything significant?” I asked.
“That I’m willing to tell you? No.”
“We understand how you must feel,” Grace said. “We’re just trying to help.”
“Did they search his computer?” I asked.
“Morgan was a real Luddite. He hated the things, and he wouldn’t know how to turn one on, let alone use it for anything.”
“What if he needed something done that used a computer?” I asked.
“Morgan was big on finding people who did things for him. He was proud that no matter what the situation, he ‘knew a guy’ who could take care of whatever he needed for him. It was all very old school behavior.” Ellen looked from me to Grace, and then back at me again. “Ladies, I may not approve of what you’re doing, but I understand your motivation.”
“Is there any place that your brother liked to hang out?” I asked. “Can you give us anything?”
Ellen shook her head. “I wish that I could, but Morgan mostly kept to himself. So
rry.”
“That’s okay,” I said. “Again, I truly am sorry for your loss. I didn’t care for your brother, but he didn’t deserve to die that way.”
“I just wish that I could believe that,” Ellen said after a moment’s pause, “but I’m afraid that he might have gotten exactly what he had coming to him in the end.”
Crescent Express
These aren’t necessarily what you expect when you think of donuts, but I love playing with doughs stocked in the freezer section of our grocery store. I made crescent rolls for our family dinner one night, and thought, why not deep-fry these? It took some work to get them just right, but I’m happy enough with the instructions to share them now. You have to fry these well past the appearance of them being finished, and the crust is definitely a darker shade of brown than you’d expect if you were baking them. For another option, you could bake them in your oven just as you normally would, but keep the fillings. We especially like the bits of melted chocolate goodness in the chocolate version.
INGREDIENTS
Crescent roll dough, 1 can (I like the 8 oz. pack)
Canola Oil for frying (the amount depends on your pot or fryer)
ADDITIONS
The space to add fillings inside the crescent roll is small, so don’t get too carried away! A tiny amount, around 2 teaspoons, is usually enough. Some of our fillings include cut strawberry pieces, dehydrated pineapple chunks, fresh apple bits, and even mini semi-sweet chocolate chips!
INSTRUCTIONS
This couldn’t be simpler. Start the oil heating, then open and unroll the crescent dough. Add the filling of your choice, roll up as usual, but be sure to pinch the ends so the filling doesn’t escape during frying. If baking, see the directions for the proper length of time and temperature (375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes works for me). If you are frying, cook in hot Canola oil (360 to 370 degrees F) 1 1/2 to 3 minutes, turning halfway through. This is an art-form, and may take some time to get just right. The first time I did this, I started taking them out at 1 1/2 minutes, and then every thirty seconds until I was satisfied with the result!
Yield 8 Crescent Expresses
Chapter 7
“Well, that was a whole lot of useless,” Grace said after Ellen went back inside the police station. “I was hoping for more.”
“Grace, you know as well as I do that not every lead we get is a solid one. Morgan had to be doing something besides trying to blackmail my family in the six days since he was out of prison.”
“You’re right, but how are we possibly going to learn what he was doing?”
“Well, we can start by looking under every rock in Union Square that we can find,” I said as I glanced at my watch. “But not today. I need to get home and clean up before Jake comes over.”
“I just wish that we had something good to share with him,” Grace said.
“I feel as though we’ve made a good start,” I said. “Don’t forget, this is just the beginning of our investigation.”
“Well, we can’t take too long. There’s too much at stake.”
“I agree with you, but we’re doing the best we can,” I said. “Let’s just hope that Jake had more luck than we did today.”
Judging by the vehicle already pulled into my driveway, my boyfriend was already waiting for us at home when we got there. So much for sneaking in and getting cleaned up before he could see me in the rough shape that I was currently in. I’d done my best to repair the damage from my time on the roof at Napoli’s, but I knew that I hadn’t been all that successful when I looked in the Jeep’s rearview mirror before I got out.
“Do you want to go my place and grab a quick shower there?” Grace asked. “You’ve still got a change of clothes over there, remember?”
I’d forgotten all about leaving clothes there, though I remembered Grace’s outfit in my closet upstairs. “That would be great,” I said as I readjusted my mirror, only to see Jake standing behind the Jeep with a huge grin on his face.
“Thanks, but it appears that it’s too late for that now,” I said as I got out.
Jake kissed me soundly after wrapping me up in his arms. “Hey, stranger,” he said. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’m a mess,” I said as I tried to at least tuck my hair behind my ears.
“Really? You look beautiful to me,” he said.
“Now I know that you’re a big fat liar,” I said. “I look dreadful, and I fully realize just how much I desperately need a shower right now.”
Jake released me and then he took a step back, looking me over from head to toe. “Lady, you need to replace that defective mirror of yours, because I don’t know what you’ve been looking at.”
Grace laughed. “If I didn’t know it before, I realize it now. This one’s a keeper, Suzanne.”
“That’s what I keep telling her,” Jake said with a laugh. He was in an extremely good mood, and I hope that my company had something to do with it.
From the front door, Momma asked, “Are you three going to stand out there gabbing all evening, or does anyone want to eat?” Then she got a closer look at me. “Suzanne Hart, have you been crawling around in the dirt?”
“Just the opposite, as a matter of fact,” I said with a smile.
“I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean,” Momma said with a cryptic look on her face.
“I was on the roof over at Napoli’s this afternoon,” I admitted.
“What were you doing up there?” Jake asked.
“It’s a long story. Momma, do I have time to take a shower before we eat?”
“Even if you didn’t, I’d find a way to make the time. By all means, go clean yourself up.”
I kissed her cheek. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. In the meantime, I’ll entertain your guests.”
“Why don’t you sing for them?” I suggested.
“What?” she asked.
“Well, I know that I’d personally find that pretty entertaining,” I answered with a grin.
“Oh, go on,” she said.
I turned to Jake. “Can our updates wait until after we eat dinner?”
“As a matter of fact, I’d prefer it,” he said.
I thanked him, and then, as I disappeared upstairs to clean myself up, I paused a moment to take it all in. I felt loved by everyone gathered there. I didn’t have any siblings, but Grace was better than any sister I could have ever imagined, and though Momma was stern and could be tough at times, she was perfectly suited to me. As for Jake, whenever I was with him, I felt as though I belonged.
Family could be gathered together at any time, in any place, and bloodlines had nothing to do it. What mattered most was that there was love, and safety, and acceptance, all around me.
Murder might have been the cause of the get-together, but it didn’t detract from the spirit of love that existed in my home.
“Oh, that’s much better,” Momma said as I came downstairs after a quick shower and a change into clean clothes. I’d had to scrub rather hard at a spot on my elbow that the asphalt had marked, but it had finally come clean, too.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I think she looked great before,” Jake said.
“That’s just because you’re hungry,” Grace said. “Susanne, your mother wouldn’t let him eat until you were back downstairs with us.”
“Grace Gauge, you know that’s not true,” Momma said. “I even offered him a snack while we waited.”
“I’m just teasing you,” Grace said as she hugged my mother. Momma had stepped in when Grace’s parents had died years ago, and the two of them had a close relationship in their own right that had nothing to do with me.
Jake added, “Besides, I wasn’t about to dull my appetite with cheese and crackers when I knew what was on the menu.”
“What are we having?” I asked Momma as we walked into the dining room. No surprise, she’d set the table with some of her formal china. Any meal could be an event with my mother, after all.
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br /> “Nothing all that special. I just threw something together,” she said with a grin.
I smelled the air, and caught the unmistakable aroma of her pot roast. “Wow, that is heavenly.”
“I found a new recipe for slow cooking a roast in one of my mysteries,” my mother said with a grin.
“Well, I can’t wait to try it,” Jake said.
“Please, everyone sit. I’ll be right back.”
“Do you need any help in the kitchen?” I offered.
“No, thank you. I’m fine.”
After Momma was in the kitchen, Jake looked at me and asked, “Does she usually get her recipes from mystery novels? Not that I’m complaining, but it seems like a rather odd combination to me.”
“Culinary mysteries are a strong niche in the cozy field she loves,” I said. The only reason I’d known that was because of the lecture I’d been given on the same topic from Momma when she’d switched from craft-related cozies to her current trend of reading what she called foodies. She’d even read a series based on a donut shop, of all things. I’d picked one up once to browse through, but I usually don’t check out too many mysteries myself. I had to admit that the recipes looked pretty good, though, and I thought about trying a few for my customers the next time I was searching for something new to offer my clientele at Donut Hearts.
After we gave thanks for the meal, Momma dished out our plates. The roast was so tender it fell apart at first contact with my fork, and I could smell the bay leaves and thyme as I dished a little of the gravy onto it. The carrots were perfect, and the tiny new potatoes popped open like gifts to receive the butter I added. This wasn’t the time to skimp on the extras, and I was a true fan of real butter, not some oleo substitute chock full of chemicals.
Taking a small serving of each offering, I put the forkful of food in my mouth and the flavors exploded. After I dispatched the first bite, I said, “I don’t know how your mystery was, but this recipe is fantastic.”