Claire spied a couple of large grills pumping smoke beside the tent and pulled on Roger’s arm. “I want to say hi to Leon first.”
She spotted the large black man holding a plastic cup of beer in one hand and a long barbecue fork in another. He wore a tall white chef’s hat and a jaunty red-checked apron stretched across his rounded belly. He grinned and posed as someone took his photo.
Claire couldn’t help laughing as she approached. “I didn’t know you did the cooking, too, Leon.”
“Claire!” He stepped out from behind the grill and gave her a big hug. He pulled back and nodded to Roger. “Roger, my man. I’d shake your hand, but I see they’re full of one of Claire’s creations.”
Roger acknowledged Leon’s greeting, then said, “I see the gift table, so I’m going to drop this off. I’ll be back.”
While he walked away, Leon handed his fork to a young man and took off the hat and apron. “I was just posing for some shots we’re going to put in our catering brochure. Hell, I don’t know nothing ’bout birthing ribs, to misquote that famous movie, but these talented young people do.”
He clapped a hand on the young man’s shoulder. Then he leaned down to say quietly to Claire, “Thanks for lining up this gig for me. I’ve already talked to three people here about bringing our barbecue operation to their next party.”
“That’s great news, and I was happy to do it. Charley loves barbecue, so it was a natural fit. Have you met him yet?”
“Sure have. Nice man. Takes after his sister.” Leon nudged her with his elbow. “Speaking of which, Condoleza loved that basket you made her. Earned me some nice brownie points.” He puffed out his chest and waggled his eyebrows.
Claire smiled. “And I’m sure you took advantage of those brownie points.”
Leon guffawed and gave her a salacious wink. “You bet I did!”
“And I need to thank you, too, for the information you gave me. It was very important in solving the case, and in helping my brother keep his business from going under.”
“Always glad to help a fellow businessman, especially one related to a good friend.”
Roger returned and put an arm around Claire. “I’m parched. Let’s go find the beer keg.”
“It’s up on the porch.” Leon pointed. “And last I saw, your bro’ was there, too.”
A woman Claire recognized as his restaurant manager waved to him.
He held up a ‘just a minute’ finger. “Looks like I’m being called to duty. That uppity woman’s got me fetching and carrying for her.”
Claire and Roger said their goodbyes and moved toward the trailer. They said hello to Dave and Ellen and Brittany and Vince as they passed both couples. They were sitting at picnic tables and digging into ribs, chicken, beans, and slaw heaped onto sturdy disposable plates. Baskets of cornbread and rolls and wire condiment holders with sauces, butter packets, salt and pepper sat on each table. Leon’s catering business seemed well-organized, and people were raving about the food.
After mounting the steps to the trailer porch, Roger filled two plastic cups with beer at the keg and handed one to her. They gently tapped the glasses so as not to spill the precious contents, and drank deeply. Claire leaned on the railing and looked out over the much larger gathering than was present at the opening. She sighed in contentment.
Just then Charley came out of the trailer, talking with the Executive Assistant to the Development Officer from Glen Eyrie Castle whom Claire had delivered her gift basket to on Saturday. Jessica followed with a tall, thin, middle-aged man. Claire recognized him from the photo on his assistant’s desk as being the Development Officer. Charley gave Claire a hug and introduced Roger and her to the man.
He pumped her hand enthusiastically. “So I have you to thank for that wonderful gift basket I received from my employees this morning. I can’t wait to start using all those grilling rubs and spices.”
Claire smiled at him and his beaming assistant. “I’m so glad you liked it.”
The man sniffed the fragrant smoke coming from the grills and rubbed his hands together. “Smells like some true experts are working the fires here, though.”
“Get yourself some food,” Charley said. “I’ll be along to keep you company after I talk to my sister.”
While the two Glen Eyrie representatives headed for the serving line, Claire turned to Charley and raised an eyebrow. “So, is their being here a good sign?”
“An excellent sign,” Charley said. “We shook hands this afternoon on a deal for my stable to provide trail rides on the castle grounds. He’s going to write up a contract and send it over tomorrow.”
Roger clapped a hand on Charley’s back. “Excellent news indeed!”
“Oh, Charley, I’m so happy for you.” Claire gave him another hug, then hugged Jessica, who had been hopping with excitement behind him.
After returning Claire’s hug, Jessica hooked her arm in one of Charley’s and beamed up at him. “I’m so proud of him. He kept his cool and negotiated a really good deal for us. Then he topped it all off by inviting them to come to this birthday barbecue—the perfect invitation for a man who loves barbecue. That was the coup de grâce.”
Charley beamed back at Jessica, basking in her praise. Claire caught her eye and gave her a thumbs-up then ladled on more praise herself. “Before you know it, Charley, you may need to start making expansion plans! See, I told you that you were the one in the family with the business smarts.”
He smiled. “Maybe you’re right. But you’ve been a huge help, Claire. Thank you.”
“Anything for my little brother.” She meant it, but she also realized that she didn’t need to keep trying to rescue Charley. He could manage just fine on his own.
“Now, if you could just get that Tom Lindall off your back,” Roger said, “your life would be perfect.”
Charley laughed. “Life’s perfect, then. I called Tom after negotiating the Glen Eyrie deal to let him know that I’d be happy to juggle my Garden of the Gods trail ride schedule, even reduce it or stay off certain trails, to suit him. Then, while he was in a good mood, I broke the news to him about Vince coming to work for me. He took it pretty well, considering. Said he knew the attraction was Brittany, because he’d seen the two of them together.”
The news surprised Claire. “That was certainly nice of him.”
“Well, as he said, he’s had lots of staff come and go over the years that he’s been managing Peak View Stables, so he can handle it.” He took Jessica’s hand and headed for the stairs. “And now I have one more thing to show you before we get some chow. Follow us.”
Claire glanced at Roger, who shrugged, then the two of them walked behind Charley and Jessica into the barn. Once they reached the rear, they heard the clopping of a horse’s hooves and the murmur of two voices. A horse neighed softly.
Jorge walked into the back of the barn from the pasture, leading Gunpowder. Nancy sat in a saddle on top of the horse. Both of them were whispering sweet nothings to the horse—and to each other, Claire suspected.
When Jorge saw them, he said, “Whoa” to Gunpowder, who stopped placidly. Jorge waved the group over.
“When did ICE release you?” Claire asked him as they approached.
“Saturday,” Jorge replied and blushed.
Claire wondered why he was blushing, until Charley laughed and added, “Yeah, and the sneak didn’t tell me until this morning that he was out.”
Atop Gunpowder, Nancy smiled. “You wouldn’t begrudge us our honeymoon, would you?”
“Of course not,” Charley said. “I was just worried about Jorge.”
“Sorry I didn’t call you,” Jorge said. “I had other things on my mind.” His gaze at Nancy was full of love.
Jessica laughed and winked at Nancy. “I wonder what!”
Roger put an arm around Claire’s waist and whispered in her ea
r, “Well that’s one honeymoon we know went well.”
Charley rubbed Gunpowder’s neck. “And how’s my favorite horse?”
“As you know, I have been working with him all day with Nancy’s help,” Jorge said. “He didn’t already know her scent, but he still accepted having her on his back. And with Hank gone, he’s calmed down a lot. I think we can try him on a trail ride tomorrow, as the rear vaquero’s horse.”
“That’s great news!” Charley rubbed Gunpowder’s forehead. “You ready to hit the trail, fella?”
As if he knew what Charley was saying, Gunpowder nudged him with his head and gave a soft whinny. The ‘killer horse’ had truly been redeemed.
“You two ready for some chow?” Charley asked Jorge and Nancy.
“Soon,” Jorge said. “We will put Gunpowder in his stall first.”
“How about you?” Charley asked Roger and Claire.
“I thought you’d never ask,” Roger said. “My stomach’s been growling since we arrived.”
They all laughed. Charley looped an arm around Jessica’s waist and headed for the barn door. “Time for some of this Leon guy’s barbecue then. I hope it’s as good as you say it is, Claire.”
“Oh. it is. Leon may drive a hard bargain, but he never disappoints.” She followed with Roger, smiling to herself. Yes, all was right with the world.
the end
Neil Groundwater
About the Author
Beth Groundwater writes two mystery series for Midnight Ink, the Claire Hanover series and the RM Outdoor Adventures series. This book is the third book in the Claire Hanover gift basket designer series. The first, A Real Basket Case, was nominated for the 2007 Best First Novel Agatha Award after it was published in hardcover. Beth lives in Colorado and enjoys its many outdoor activities, including skiing and whitewater rafting. Contrary to what some readers think, she does not have a gift basket business of her own, but she enjoys creating gift baskets for family, friends, and charity auctions. Beth loves speaking to book clubs about her books in-person or via speakerphone or Skype. To find out more, please visit her website at bethgroundwater.com and her blog at bethgroundwater.blogspot.com.
A Real Basket Case
Beth Groundwater
Feeling neglected by her workaholic husband, forty-something gift basket maker Claire Hanover joins an aerobics class. In a moment of weakness, Claire agrees to let charming aerobics instructor Enrique come to her house to give her a massage. She realizes she has made a deadly mistake when Enrique is shot and killed in her bedroom and her husband, Roger, is arrested for the murder.
Determined to clear Roger’s name and save her marriage, Claire sets out to find the real killer, encountering drug dealers, jealous ex-girlfriends, and angry cops along the way.
978-0-7387-2701-1, 312 pp.
To order, call 1-877-NEW-WRLD
Prices subject to change without notice
Order at Llewellyn.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
To Hell in a Handbasket
Beth Groundwater
Gift basket designer Claire Hanover is reluctantly enjoying a spring ski vacation with her family in Breckenridge, Colorado, when a bloodcurdling scream cuts the frigid air. Claire is appalled to find the sister of her daughter’s boyfriend, dead on the slopes. Others assume the girl’s death was an accident, but Claire notices another pair of ski tracks veering dangerously into the victim’s path. To protect her daughter as incriminating clues surface, Claire unravels a chilling conspiracy.
978-0-7387-2702-8, 312 pp.
To order, call 1-877-NEW-WRLD
Prices subject to change without notice
Order at Llewellyn.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
3 A Basket of Trouble Page 25