I should’ve known something was up.
* * *
We’d barely pulled in the gravel drive when Fred told me to go get the prepared plate of food on the kitchen table and take it to Old Lady Gilroy.
“She’s itchin’ to see you,” he said.
I looked over my shoulder toward the tiny home next door. “How do you know?”
“She’s been watchin’ the house through them binoculars o’ hers for the last twenty minutes.”
Sure enough, Bernice Gilroy must’ve been seen me coming because she opened the door and grabbed my arm before I even knocked.
“Get on in here, and put down that plate.”
“Yes, ma’am. How are you?”
“Hungry, but enough about me. I hear you took down a killer.”
I gaped. “I don’t know how you get your gossip, Bernice, but that’s an exaggeration.”
She peered up at me, head tilted. “Nevertheless, you weathered the storm. You stay out of trouble for a fair while, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am, but I plan to stay out of this kind of trouble forever.”
Bernice snorted. “That will be the day.”
I grinned. “Do you need anything while I’m here?”
She eyed the plate of food, and frowned. “Are my neighbors putting me on a diet, or have they turned stingy?”
I shook my head at her outrage. “Neither, but they’re having company tonight.”
“Humph. Is that handsome detective coming?”
“I doubt it. He’s at the station doing police work.”
“Booking and grilling the killer. I watch the cop shows. I’m partial to that Mark Harmon. Have I mentioned that?”
“You mentioned NCIS.”
“Well, that’s his program. You bring your detective by sometime, and I’ll see how he stacks up to Mark. You can leave now.”
Bemused by the visit as usual, I searched my memory of the folks who’d come by the store this afternoon. Mrs. Gilroy had to have a spy who reported Lilyvale news to her, but who? Not a soul came to mind. The question was as puzzling as everything else about the ancient little woman. Someday I’d solve the conundrum.
* * *
The Silver Six, Zach and Doralee, and I gathered around Sherry’s farm table. We were seated close enough to bump elbows some, but no one complained. The atmosphere was festive, and we feasted on a cold collation of sliced and diced fruits, veggies, cold cuts, cheese, and the chicken salad that I adored. I had to learn to make this someday. This, and Maise’s fried okra of the gods.
T.C. and Amber weren’t under the table trolling for food. Too many feet to dodge. Instead, they’d curled up together under the sideboard. I was sure they’d do their Hoover imitations later.
The conversation centered on Doralee and Zach’s plans for the coming week—catching up on work for Zach, and chores and gourds for Doralee. Happy as I was not to have the case at the center of the conversation, it struck me as odd that no one mentioned it at all.
Then I knew why.
The doorbell pealed, and I jumped up to answer it since I was seated closest. Eric stood there, looking fine. He’d changed clothes. Or at least his shirt. Hadn’t it been green earlier?
“It’s customary to ask people inside,” he drawled in that wonderfully low, sexy voice of his.
“Oh, sure. Come on in.”
“Bring him in here,” Sherry called through the double doorway between the dining room and foyer. “He must be starved.”
I cringed. “This may be an official visit, Aunt Sherry.”
“Let’s call it semiofficial,” Eric said. “I am starved.”
Aster got another set of flatware, a plate, and a glass from the kitchen, and Dab carried in a wicker bar stool. He placed it by my chair at the table, but since I’d finished eating, I gave Eric my seat and took the stool. Everyone passed the platters and bowls closest to them down the table, and Eric took a sample of everything.
“I’m so happy you were able to get away from the station,” Sherry said.
“Yes, and I’m glad you caught the killer so we can go home,” Doralee added.
“If Nixy hadn’t had an inkling that Miss Boudreaux might have a set of keys to her brother’s Honda, I’d have the wrong person in jail. That smock disposal was a sticking point for me.”
“How did you come up with the two sets of keys?” Aster asked me.
“It hit me that you all have keys to each other’s cars. Then a woman in the store today said she’d dropped her key in a storm drain. Her husband was on the way to bring his extra set.” I shrugged. “I figured since brother and sister lived together, they might both have a set. And then it all clicked.”
Maise smiled. “Good going, Nixy.”
“So did Georgine call for a lawyer right away?” Zach asked. “Did Ernie step in to do it?”
“She has an attorney now, but I was able to talk with her first. She wasn’t as forthcoming at the station as she was earlier, but she cleared up a few things.”
“Like what?” Dab asked.
“She admitted to stealing Ms. Gordon’s—”
“Doralee, Detective. Now that you don’t have to keep your professional distance, call me by my first name.”
Eric dipped his head. “She took Doralee’s awl and Eleanor’s whittling knife because, and I quote, ‘Ernie needed new ones.’ She’d shoved both of the tools under the mattress, and put the extra set of keys there, too, when she came back from disposing the smock. If we’d done more than a cursory search of her room, we would have found the whittling tool and keys.”
“That’s it?” Doralee said. “She took the tools because Ernie needed new ones? She didn’t intend to kill Kim?”
“We won’t present the case to the deputy district attorney as premeditated murder, no.”
“Well, I’m relieved she never meant to frame me, but I’ve never known Georgine to shoplift. Why start now?”
“Maybe the stress of Ernie remarrying,” Zach offered.
“That or having her mind muddled by the migraine medications,” Maise said.
Doralee nodded. “Either one is as likely an explanation as anything else. I never did think she was quite right in the head.”
“Eric,” I began, “what about the diamond ring?”
“Diamond?” everyone but Zach and Fred echoed.
“Are you talking about Margot’s ring?” Doralee asked. “I remember you said she wanted Kim to return it.”
“It’s partly about Margot. I kept thinking how the ring on Kim’s body looked different. Not at all the blast of bling I’d seen since I’d met her. I figured the killer might’ve stolen her ring.”
“Miss Boudreaux did steal it. Nixy noticed she had it concealed on a chain under her clothes. Of course, we searched her room again, and we’re holding all her property, including the ring.”
“But, Eric, you confirmed there were two diamond rings in Kim’s effects.”
“There still are. Miss Boudreaux put a different ring on the body. Mr. Boudreaux has identified it as the original family ring minus the original diamond. He’d given the old ring to his sister after he married Doralee.”
“She had a new stone mounted in the old gold band,” Doralee breathed. “I’d forgotten about this, but I suggested she do that very thing when Ernie gave me that monstrosity. I even offered to pay for whatever kind of gem she’d want to use in the mounting. I didn’t know she’d followed through on it.”
“I must’ve seen the gold band when I expected to see the shiny platinum one. That’s why the ring looked dull to me.”
“That and the band had shifted on Ms. Thomason’s hand,” Eric said. “The diamond was caught between her ring and pinky fingers. I saw it when I had another look at the crime scene photos.”
“The entire situation is sad,�
� Sherry said.
“I’m sure Ernie will do all he can to get her as light a sentence as possible.” Doralee glanced at her watch. “I hate to leave our hosts with all the dishes, but we should get going.”
Aster waved off the comment. “You go. We have many hands to make light work.”
Zach turned to me. “Are you staying, Nixy, or can we drop you at your place?”
“I’ll take her home,” Eric said.
The look he gave me set butterflies fluttering in my middle.
* * *
Wags and Woofs might not have been the most romantic of venues, but no one else was there, and it worked for me. Hand in hand, we headed for the same bench we sat on last time while Amber and T.C. entertained themselves. Amber began sniffing for other dogs, then played on the ramps. T.C. got sidetracked chasing a squirrel that shot up to the highest branches of a tree and chattered at her.
I peeked at Eric’s expression. He really was handsome, and his depth of character shone in his eyes and his manner. I hoped his restful silence meant no lecturing.
“You did good, Nixy,” he said finally.
“Thank you.”
“I’m glad you weren’t in danger this time.”
“I second that, and I feel a ‘but’ coming.”
“But I trust this is the last time you’ll be involved in snooping.”
I sighed. “I’d be happy if my sleuthing days were over, but you know I can’t make that promise. Not with the Silver Six being my family.”
“Now I hear a ‘but.’”
“But for now I have an emporium to run, and new pets to get chipped.”
“And a long overdue dinner date with me.”
There were those butterflies again.
They went berserk when he kissed me.
Crafting Tips
Gourd Preparation and Painting
From Bonnie Eastwood
Hudson, Florida
[email protected]
First, establish a work area with good ventilation, and one where you can isolate gourd dust and debris. I have a studio, but a garage will do fine, or work outside.
To clean gourds, I use hot water, abrasive cleaning pads, and elbow grease. Old-fashioned copper or steel scrubbies work great, but may leave metal particles behind. The hot water is partly to soothe my arthritic hands.
While you’re scrubbing your gourds, let them talk to you and listen! Not every gourd needs to sit on a surface. They can be mounted on driftwood, suspended on rope, etc., to create wall hangings.
Once it is dry, decide how your gourd needs to be cut. I favor interesting angles, but let your inner artist guide you.
Ready to cut your gourd? Gather your supplies close to hand. Remember to wear your mask at all times, especially during the cleaning and cutting processes!
Put on your mask and drill a pilot hole. I use an electric jigsaw to complete the cut.
With a spoon, clean out the gourd innards. Gourds are set out after harvesting to cure. When you cleaned your gourd, you may have heard the dry seeds—called cucurbits—rattle inside, but they may be in a ball with the pulp. Whether the inside is papery with loose seeds or the seeds are in a solid ball, scoop and scrape with the spoon.
If you want all the fruit and seeds out, soak the gourd in water and a bit of bleach.
Sand the top and anywhere else you cut for a finished edge. Wear your mask!
Ready to paint? Anything goes! You can use acrylic or oil paints, stains, paper collage, or any medium that will adhere to the surface. No watercolors, though! Depending on the effect you want, be sure to let each application of paint dry before you layer with new colors and such. Wood burning is another great way to decorate gourds.
When the paint is dry, or you’ve finished with however you’re decorating, “coiling” is a great way to finish the top of your gourd. Yes, beginners can do this! I use pine needles from my yard, but other materials work as long as they can be woven into a circle or oval. Embellish the coil with beads, metal charms, or wood cutouts—painted, stained, or plain. Lately I’ve been making my own clay leaves to attach to my one-of-a-kind gourds, but you can buy yours. Again, let your creativity shine!
WINEGLASS PAINTING
By Colleen Thompson
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
A glass of some kind. Does not necessarily have to be a wineglass.
Alcohol. Rubbing or acetone works best.
Paint markers.
Paper and pencil.
First thing, make sure to clean your glass until it sparkles. Any streaks of oils from your fingers will hamper your success when you go to paint. After your glass is well washed, you need to rub over the surface with alcohol. This will help to ensure no oils from your hands or anything else is left on the glass. As a side note, the alcohol can be used to touch up or erase paint on the glass so long as the paint hasn’t dried.
Leave your glass to dry and move on to the paper and pencil. Here you will sketch your piece of work. This paper can then be rolled up and stuck into the glass to form a kind of guide for you as you begin to draw. If you have a steady hand and are skilled in the art of . . . well, art, then go for the freehand experience.
Before you use the paint markers, which can be bought at any art store, including Michael’s, A.C. Moore, and Hobby Lobby, there are some rules. Do not—I can’t stress this enough—do not push too hard on the glass with the marker tip. The markers are designed to slowly release paint as you glide across the glass. Pressing too hard will make them bleed, rendering the glass unusable. You can dot your glass, gently and softly, but just be aware of how much pressure you place on the end. The best designs on glass come from lines and dots. These markers cannot fill in, though, like a normal marker on paper. It just won’t work and it will leave your design with streaks. If you use acrylic paint and a brush, filling in is much easier, but more time consuming. Instead, use dots.
Let your work dry completely for about twenty-four hours so the paint has time to stick well to the glass. If you want, you may heat set the glass. This step is tricky because if not done right, the glass will shatter or it may even melt. You will need to line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and turn your oven on to 350 degrees.
DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN.
Put the glass on the cookie sheet and into the cold oven. Allow the glass to warm while the oven is heating up because this will lessen the chance of the glass shattering. Leave the glass in the oven for thirty minutes, but turn off the heat after just twenty minutes. Leave the glass in the oven, though, for another ten or so minutes.
Be careful when washing your glass and do not place it in the dishwasher. Hand-wash only.
IDA’S PEAR BREAD
You can freeze it!
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
3 cups flour
2¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 large (29-ounce) can pears, drained and finely chopped (You may use chopped pears that come in fruit cups.)
1¾ cups sugar
¾ cup oil
¼ cup milk or pear nectar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the bottom and halfway up the sides of two 8 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pans.
Toast the walnuts, and add to the flour.
In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, pears, sugar, oil, milk/nectar, and vanilla.
Add the pear mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until combined.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Wrap in foil and store overnight before cutting.
With thanks to the family of ou
r late local Pear Bread Lady, Ida Buckler.
Rest in Peace, Ida.
Nancy Haddock is the national bestselling author of Basket Case, the debut novel in the Silver Six Crafting Mysteries, as well as the paranormal novels La Vida Vampire, Last Vampire Standing, and Always the Vampire. A native Oklahoman and longtime resident of Texas with family roots in Arkansas, she now makes her home in the fascinating city of St. Augustine, Florida. A former speech pathologist and high school teacher, Nancy lives with her husband and a rescue dog named Baron in a little pink house on the beach with a fake flamingo in her front yard. Visit the author at nancyhaddock.com.
Looking for more?
Visit Penguin.com for more about this author and a complete list of their books.
Discover your next great read!
Paint the Town Dead Page 28