“You killed her?” DeeDee yelled. “What sort of a psychopath are you? This room is like some sort of horror movie.”
“Yes,” Jerry sneered. “And you, stupid woman, are now the star of the show. I don’t need a caterer. I need you to die. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you’d left Dana’s house when the party was over, killing you wouldn’t be necessary, but unfortunately, now it is.”
From his vantage point just outside the room, Al saw Jerry take a knife from inside the top drawer of his desk. He pointed it at DeeDee, who was trembling with fear. Despite that, her voice remained strong and defiant. Al admired her courage.
DeeDee challenged Jerry. “Why did you kill her? She was a good woman.”
Jerry slashed the knife through the air in the shape of an X. “I’ve spent half my life trying to get out of the slums, and the other half making a new one for myself. Do you know how hard that was? Do you?”
DeeDee, her back to Al, flinched as Jerry took a step toward her. He grabbed her arm, the knife touching her chest. Al saw the door of the closet behind Jerry edge open, and ducked back out of view into the hallway.
“I’m sure that must have been very difficult for you,” DeeDee continued, “but it wasn’t Dana’s fault.”
“I didn’t want anyone to know what I came from,” Jerry went on. “I had no choice but to kill her, just as I have no choice now, but to kill you.”
Al momentarily stepped away from his hiding place just in time to hear Jake’s voice take over. “Let go of her, or I won’t be responsible for what I’m about to do to you.”
Al knew Jake’s gun was pressed into Jerry’s spine. For a split second, Al caught Jake’s eye, and gave him a silent nod. DeeDee, who had been facing away from Al the whole time, didn’t turn or know that he’d ever been there. Within seconds, Al had let himself out of the house and was walking back down the driveway toward the car. He knew Jake had it under control and before long, because of the anonymous phone call Al was getting ready to make to Chief Hewson, the police would take over. Jerry would be charged with murder and attempted murder. As for what happened between Jake and DeeDee, that was up to them. All Al could do was make sure that the conversations they had with each other from that moment forward, were off the record.
Al climbed into the SUV and spoke into his microphone. “Jake, Ima gonna borrow DeeDee’s car for the rest of the day. I gotta go see ‘bout somethin’. Catch ya’ later.” Without waiting for a response, he tore the microphone off his collar and removed both his earpieces, turning all the devices off. Then, he pressed stop on the recording machine that he’d left sitting on the passenger seat of the car. Placing the equipment in the glove compartment, he pressed 911 on his phone.
Minutes later, Al was headed away from Jerry’s house in the direction of the ferry. Spotting a flower store on the way, he screeched to a halt and walked inside.
“Biggest bouquet ya’ got,” he grinned at the clerk. “Roses. I’ll take ‘em all. And can ya’ make it snappy? Ima bustin’ to see my girl.”
Chapter Eighteen
The way Jerry was holding the knife against her chest, DeeDee knew the only barrier between her and certain death was the thin wool sweater she was wearing. As her life flashed before her eyes, thoughts of her children rushed through her mind, and she wished she could tell them one last time how much she loved them. Her only regret was she hadn’t made up with Jake. Now he’d never know that she’d loved him too, because she’d never told him, not even once.
And then, suddenly, there he was. The moment she saw Jake step out of the closet, gun in hand, DeeDee almost collapsed with relief. His flashing blue eyes signaled to her that she was safe, and everything was going to be okay.
“Drop the knife, Jerry,” Jake instructed, his jaw set in a straight line.
Jerry gave DeeDee a venomous look before letting the knife fall to the floor. Jake motioned with his head for DeeDee to step out of the way. Then he shoved Jerry against one the walls in the office and clipped handcuffs around his wrists, while at the same time keeping his gun pointed at Jerry’s back.
“Go downstairs, DeeDee,” Jake instructed her, “and wait for the police.”
Sirens were already audible in the distance, and by the time DeeDee stumbled into the kitchen in a daze, the first of several squad cars was pulling up in the driveway. It wasn’t long before the house was swarming with police officers and emergency medical services personnel.
The paramedic team homed in on DeeDee, checking to make sure she was all right. They were equipped to deal with life-threatening injuries, which made it very clear to her just how lucky she’d been. Then Chief Hewson and another officer sat down to take her statement, making her go over every detail of the events of her meeting with Jerry. Her head was spinning, trying to think straight, all the time looking around, desperately trying to locate Jake. At one point, she heard his voice in the hallway, but by the time she’d finished with Chief Hewson and stood in the doorway to look for him, the only person she recognized was an angry Jerry McGee, who was being led out of the house by two officers towards a waiting police van equipped with bars on the small back window.
She remembered that Al was waiting in the street in her car, and wondered if he knew what was going on. There was no way he could have missed the commotion, but something in the back of her mind told her that an ex-gangster and a house full of police officers shouldn’t mix, which probably explained his absence. Picking up her purse, she wandered outside, leaving her pile of Deelish paperwork still sitting on the kitchen table. If this is what her business had brought her to, she wasn’t sure if she ever wanted to cater another party again.
“DeeDee?” She froze when she heard Jake’s voice, and turned in slow motion. This was the moment when they should have raced into each other’s arms, and lived happily ever after. Instead, DeeDee fainted in a heap onto the yellow bricks.
“You were in shock, DeeDee,” Jake reassured her, when she came to. She was lying on the sofa in her house on Bainbridge Island, with no recollection of how she’d gotten there. “I brought you home after you fainted, but you were in a dazed condition and lapsed in and out of consciousness. Don’t even try to stand up. Just lay there and rest.”
“Where’s Al?” DeeDee murmured, trying to work out if the events of the day had been a dream. Unfortunately, the memory of Jerry holding a knife against her chest was all too clear for it to have been a figment of her imagination.
“He told me he was going to borrow your SUV to take care of something,” Jake explained. “That’s all I know. I brought you home, and I’ve been waiting for you to wake up.”
Tears filled DeeDee’s eyes. “I’m so tired,” she mumbled. “What time is it?”
“Time you had something to eat,” Jake said, patting her gently on her arm. “I’m going to warm up some soup for you, and make sure you’re okay before I go.”
“Oh.” She wasn’t sure what else she had been expecting.
“To walk Balto,” Jake continued, his eyes twinkling. “I take it he hasn’t been out since this morning. When we got here, he practically knocked me over.”
“That’s just a sign of his affection,” DeeDee said. “Will you take Red as well? He’s Al’s dog, the one out there in the yard.”
Jake nodded. “Yes, but first things first.” He strode out to the kitchen, and DeeDee heard a clattering of dishes, followed by the chime of the microwave oven. When he returned, he helped DeeDee sit up, and spoon fed her tiny sips of broth until the entire bowl was empty. While he was feeding her, he explained how the events of the last few days had unfolded. He started from when Al had contacted DeeDee at his and Roz’s request, to the plan he and Al had come up with to trap Jerry.
“The entire thing was recorded by Al,” Jake explained, “but he’s missing in action right now, with Jerry’s taped confession of how he murdered Dana probably still in your car. Yours and my statements and the fact that Jerry tried to kill you today were enoug
h for the police to arrest Jerry in the meantime. I don’t think he’s going to be a free man for a very long time.”
“Jake, I—”
“Ssh, drink this.” Jake held a small glass of water to DeeDee’s lips. Only when the glass was empty did he allow her to speak.
DeeDee looked into his eyes, and saw her soul mate staring back at her. He really was her rock, her hero, the man who had proved his devotion to her despite her shabby treatment of him.
“I love you, Jake Rogers,” she said, moving her face closer to his. “I can never expect you to forgive me for what happened between us, but please know this…”
Jake leaned in. “What, DeeDee?” he whispered.
Her eyes searched his, and she could see the hurt, the longing, and the unwavering devotion he had for her, in that one short glance.
“I’m so, so sorry.” Her lips rested on Jake’s for a brief second before she pulled away again. “Thanking you from the bottom of my heart seems inadequate, after everything you’ve done for me, but it’s all I’ve got.”
“Your thanks? Or you heart?” Jake’s face still hovered tantalizingly close.
“Both. Can you forgive me enough to try again?”
This time, when Jake’s lips met hers, she lost herself in his embrace. The rest of the words would come later.
*****
In an effort to keep herself busy and try to forget the traumatic events of the day, DeeDee ran a dust rag over the top of the mantel, shaking her head at the layer of dust that had settled there. Maybe, she should think about hiring someone to clean her house on a regular basis. On the other hand, if she wasn’t so busy with her work at Deelish, she’d have plenty of time to do her own cleaning. Either way, she berated herself for letting her housekeeping duties slip so low.
Her love life, on the other hand, was looking up. Jake’s gracious reprieve had given her a second chance to show him how much she cared, and she’d made herself a promise she wasn’t going to blow it this time. The thought of being with him again had already transformed her outlook about the future, and her heart soared when she looked out the window and saw Jake, Red, and Balto approaching the house, fresh from their walk on the beach.
Jake took his boots off when he entered.
“Any sign of Al yet?” he asked, nearing her with his arms outstretched.
DeeDee wriggled out of his hug. “Don’t start that, or I won’t get anything done. Have you noticed how I’ve let the house go?”
Jake raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think I care about whether you vacuumed or not? I’m far more interested in knowing if we’ll have the place to ourselves later.”
DeeDee laughed. “I’m pretty sure we will. I have news for you. I think Al’s met someone.” She winked. “A woman.”
Jake scratched his head. “How the heck did he manage that? There’s obviously something I’ve missed.”
“I called Cassie while you were gone to let her know the murderer had been caught,” DeeDee explained, “since she spent the day with me after Dana died until Al arrived. She was happy with the way everything had turned out, but she sounded distracted. Anyway, Cassie was telling me that she’s been asked to fill in for the restaurant critic at The Seattle Times while the regular writer is taking a sabbatical. I offered to go to dinner with her, if she needed a companion. She doesn’t. She told me she already has a date.” DeeDee beamed at Jake, who looked at her with a blank look on his face.
“Sorry, but you’ve totally lost me, DeeDee. Is that supposed to mean something? And what’s that got to do with Al?
“Al’s been acting kind of weird ever since he met her the first night at my house,” DeeDee said. “He bought new clothes and had a secret meeting with a friend, but he wouldn’t tell me who it was.”
“Aha,” Jake said, sitting down on the sofa. He patted the seat beside him, and DeeDee sat down next to him. “And you put two and two together and got fifty, am I right?”
“Yes,” DeeDee giggled, snuggling into him. “Cassie sounded so…exhilarated, is the only way I can describe it. I’m sure it’s Al. I’m so excited. Those two are going make a great couple.”
“And what about the two people closer to home, sitting right here on the sofa?” Jake asked as he kissed her forehead, while his face turned solemn. He reached inside his pants pocket, and removed a familiar gold band entrusted with diamonds. DeeDee gasped. “You found it? I searched the yard on my hands and knees for hours looking for that ring.”
Jake chuckled. “So did I.” He held it out to DeeDee. “Will you?”
She held her breath. “Will I what?”
Jake’s blue eyes melted into hers. “Will you wear this ring, as a sign of our love…and promise not to throw it at me the next time we have an argument?”
DeeDee’s pulse quickened. “I will.” She held out her hand, and Jake slipped the band onto her finger.
“Oh, and by the way,” he said casually. “I’d planned to ask you something on New Year’s Eve, but I never got the chance.”
DeeDee paused, watching Jake smiling at her. “Well?” she asked as she prodded him in the ribs. “What is it?”
Jake leaned back and stretched. “It’s a birthday surprise. I spoke to Roz, and she said there’s no need to ask you, but you’ll love it.”
“Jake? Are you serious? My birthday is almost three months away. Please, you have to tell me now.” DeeDee poked him again. “I’m warning you. Tickle alert.”
Jake folded his arms and grinned. “You’ll have to do better than that, and I have something besides tickling in mind.
THE END
RECIPES
SAVORY SEAFOOD CHEESECAKE APPETIZER
Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups cracker crumbs (I like Ritz.)
¼ cup melted butter
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (If you can’t find this in the normal seasoning and spices section of your market, you can probably find it in the seafood section.)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (I prefer freshly grated, but if time is a problem, feel free to use grated cheese which is in the refrigerated section of your market, but I’m not a fan of the ones that are not refrigerated.)
Filling:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter (Yes, unsalted is much better for cooking, because you can adjust the amount of salt to your taste, and I think the seafood in this recipe definitely makes it a bit salty.)
¼ cup shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
24 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs (I use jumbo.)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. dry sherry
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
1 cup lump crabmeat
1 cup chopped cooked shrimp (Since they’re going to be chopped, you can use smaller shrimp, which are less expensive.)
2 six oz. cans chopped clams, drained
Lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Non-stick cooking spray
Directions:
Crust:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the cracker crumbs, parsley, melted butter, Old Bay seasoning, and Parmesan cheese in a medium sized bowl. Spray a 9” x 13” pan with a non-stick cooking spray. Press the cracker crumb mixture in the bottom of the pan and set aside.
Filling:
Melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the shallots and garlic until the shallots are soft. Set aside to cool. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add the eggs and mayonnaise, thoroughly mixing together. Stir in Old Bay, sherry, Worcestershire, and parsley. Gently fold in the seafood and the shallot-garlic mixture. Put the mixture into the springform pan over the cracker crust, gently smoothing the top with a spatula.
Cook for 55-65 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Turn off the oven, open the door, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for
30 more minutes. (This helps to prevent cracks.) Remove from oven and let cool until ready to serve. Cut into 1 ½ - 2 inch pieces. Garnish with the lemon wedges and parsley. Enjoy!
NOTE: This is rich so don’t make the pieces too big. Your guests can always have seconds!
CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU CAKE
(TAKES A BIT OF EFFORT, BUT WORTH IT!)
Ingredients:
Cake:
2 cups sugar
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs (I use jumbo.)
1 cup milk (Use regular. This is a rich dessert, and it needs regular milk.)
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract (Please don’t use imitation. There really is a difference.)
1 cup boiling water
Non-stick cooking spray
NOTE: If I’m tight on time, I’ve been known to use a simple chocolate cake mix. Your choice.
Brushing liquid:
¾ cup brewed coffee
¼ cup Kahlua or coffee flavored liqueur
Mascarpone Filling:
2 ½ cups mascarpone cheese
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Dusting Powder:
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 9-inch round baking pans with cooking spray.
Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir in the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Using an electric mixer and medium speed, beat for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water and mix until thoroughly blended. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Candy Canes & Corpses Page 78