by Leena Clover
“I want to be thorough, Meera. I’m still going to talk to those people from Ted Junior’s list.”
“You can ask them about more than one person,” I hinted.
“That’s the plan,” he agreed. “Why don’t you take a break? You have slaved a lot over this.”
“Do you think we are close, Stan?”
“We can wait for forensics. See if they lift any prints off the gun. But I have another plan.”
He wouldn’t say more. He almost ordered Tony to make me take a break.
“Do you want to take a nap?” Tony asked as we came out of the study.
“Not a chance. Let’s go out.”
We saw another couple walking in the distance.
“That looks like Amanda.”
“And Ted Junior,” Tony said, surprised. “That’s strange.”
“Maybe she’s trying to butter him up,” I murmured.
“This is not going to end well for the Franks, is it?” Tony asked perceptively.
I shook my head.
Tony’s phone rang. It was Jeet. They had reached Dallas. They were waiting for their connecting flight to Oklahoma City.
Cristina and Jeet screamed in my ear like ten year olds. They were bursting with excitement.
“How much candy did you give them?” I joked when Sally came on the phone.
She told me she was picking out a Cowboys sweatshirt for me. Sally sure likes to shop. I was counting the hours until they got home. It was finally beginning to feel like Christmas.
Then I thought of the Franks and felt a pang of guilt.
“It’s okay,” Tony blinked. “You’ve earned it, Meera. This is your first Christmas with your entire family.”
Chapter 28
We went back in after a while. I wanted more coffee.
“Do you know what this is about?” Noah asked as soon as we entered the dining room.
“What are you talking about?”
“That cop has asked all of us to assemble in the living room.”
I had no idea what Stan was up to. I took my coffee cup with me and peeped into Ted Junior’s study. Stan was pacing the room, looking a bit nervous. He looked relieved to see me.
“What are you up to, Stan?”
Stan’s idea brought a laugh out of me.
“You think I’m being silly?”
“No, no. It’s a great way to watch everyone’s reaction. We already know who did it, don’t we?”
We looked at each other and nodded. At least, we had a fair idea. Would the killer own up to it though?
“Ask Chamberlain to round everyone up,” Stan ordered.
I skipped back to the dining room looking for the butler. He was just coming out of the kitchen.
“Can you please ask everyone to assemble in the living room, Chamberlain?” I requested. “Right away. And you stay too.”
Tony and I solicited Ryan’s help and moved the furniture a bit so that everyone could sit in one big circle. The room began to fill up. Sophia came and sat down first, stroking the cat in her lap. She looked resigned to whatever was coming up. Julie and Ryan took a seat on either side of their grandmother.
Madam Isadora and Crystal came in and sat close to each other. They looked frightened. William Derry took a seat next to them.
Ted Junior took an armchair opposite his mother. Noah sat in another chair opposite Junior, twenty feet away. Amanda sat on the edge of the circle, close to the door.
Tony and I took the remaining seats and I urged Chamberlain to sit down.
Stan had come in by then. His gaze swept across the room as he counted the people and checked them off against a list he had.
“What’s going on, Officer?” Ted Junior demanded. “What are we all doing here?”
“I want to talk to all of you.”
“Haven’t you been doing that all this time? We need a break.”
“You have been very patient, Mr. Frank,” Stan agreed. “I won’t take too much of your time.”
He took a dramatic pause.
“One of the people present here killed old Mr. Frank.”
There was a gasp and everyone sobered at once. Some faces looked afraid. Some were indignant while others were turning red.
“I don’t think that’s a surprise,” Stan went on. “We have known that all along. And I am sure every one of you guessed it. The question is who among you is the killer?”
“Couldn’t someone have come in from outside?” Julie pleaded.
Stan shook his head.
“Some people stood out. Like Madam Isadora here. She’s a fake psychic. I am sure a good look in her history will reveal some unsavory stuff. Petty theft or picked pockets, maybe. But she had nothing to gain from killing the old man.”
Madam Isadora breathed a sigh of relief.
“The same goes for Crystal. What was a pretty girl like her doing with an old rich guy? We found that out soon enough.”
Ryan looked bored. He told Stan to get on with it.
“It all came down to motive,” Stan said. “Why would someone kill the old man? Money was the obvious answer. We found a will that was straightforward. Everyone was happy with it.”
The people who knew about the second will looked troubled.
“Then we found another will,” Stan revealed. “This one gave two people a motive. Ted Junior was losing his control over the business. Did he kill Mr. Frank to stop him from doing that?”
No one spoke a word. All eyes were riveted on Ted Junior. All except one pair of eyes peered at him, trying to read his face.
Stan went on with his summation.
“The second will also affected the other son. Noah was forced to work for a living. He could have killed the old man so he continued enjoying his luxurious life.”
“That’s a baseless accusation,” Noah cried out.
Stan looked around at everyone.
“We had two solid motives. Now we needed to place them near the scene of the crime. Noah wasn’t in the living room. But Ryan and Julie vouched for him. Could they have been lying about this? Maybe Noah promised to sponsor Ryan’s band.”
“Hey!” Ryan protested.
“Where was Mr. Ted all this time?” Stan went on.
The group was completely engrossed in Stan’s speech.
“Some of you thought you saw him standing in the living room. Some of you weren’t sure. He doesn’t really have an alibi.”
“That’s not solid proof,” Ted Junior spluttered. “You can’t arrest me on such flimsy evidence.”
“You are right, Mr. Ted,” Stan agreed. “Having no alibi can’t be proof of guilt. One more person did not have an alibi.”
He turned and faced Amanda. She sat in her chair, her back ramrod straight. Her face was inscrutable.
“Mrs. Amanda Frank does not have an alibi either.”
“What?” Ted Junior argued. “You’re accusing my wife now? What was her motive?”
Stan told everyone about the agreement Amanda had signed. Amanda’s composure slipped a bit.
Ted Junior stared at his mother.
“You made my bride sign a contract? Why wasn’t I told about this?”
Amanda spoke up.
“It didn’t mean anything, Ted. I was never going to cheat on you.”
“Until you did,” Stan said softly.
Amanda’s adultery wasn’t news to most people in the room. Ted Junior was the only one who looked ashamed. Noah’s voice cut through the room.
“I want to make a confession, Officer. It was me. I shot the old man.”
“How did you do that, Mr. Noah?” Stan asked. “Care to explain?”
“It’s like you said. I saw the new will lying around. I wasn’t interested in working at the plant. I am happy fishing at the lake. I went into the study and ordered the old man to destroy the new will. We had a fight. He pulled out a gun. I wrestled with him and shot him instead.”
“Was this before you went to the games room?”
“Y
es, exactly. I killed the old man in cold blood and then played some pool with Ryan.”
“The shot was heard while you were playing pool, Mr. Noah,” Stan reminded him.
“Exactly!” Ted Junior cried. “He’s talking nonsense. I’m the one who pulled the trigger.”
Stan folded his hands and smiled.
“How did you do that? Was it something like what Noah just told us?”
“How did you know?” Junior asked. “I tried to convince Dad to scrap the new will. He wasn’t ready to listen. We had a fight.”
He looked guilty.
“It was an accident, Officer. I think the gun must have misfired. I never wanted to use it.”
My mouth was hanging open as I swung my head from Noah to Ted Junior.
“What do you think, Mrs. Amanda?” Stan asked. “Was it your husband or…”
Ryan sprang up in his seat.
“My God, Mother! It was you, wasn’t it? You were hiding in there all the time.”
Amanda looked irritated.
“It was that silly agreement. I had forgotten all about it. I went in to ask Dad if he had taken his pills. I saw it lying on the table.”
“Did he confront you about it?” I burst out. “Did he threaten to expose you?”
Amanda’s eyes gleamed.
“I didn’t give him a chance! His gun was lying on top of the desk. He liked to wave it around to impress his friends. He must have taken it out of the drawer. I picked it up and fired. The first shot went through his chest and he toppled onto the desk. It was all over in the blink of an eye.”
“Did you run out then?” Stan prompted.
“Of course not!” Amanda gave him a withering look. “I balled up the agreement and threw it in the fire. Then I opened the window and flung the gun out in the snow.”
“You had time to do all that?” Julie cried.
“It was all a blur,” Amanda nodded. “There were footsteps outside. I hid behind a book case. I heard Ryan come in and run out. I followed him out and went in the opposite direction. Everyone ran back to the room again. I joined in at that time.”
“Were you planning to retrieve the gun later?” Stan asked.
“It started snowing heavily. I knew the gun would be buried under it.”
Amanda’s confession hadn’t come as a surprise. We already knew the why. We just hadn’t guessed the how.
Ted Junior and Noah had surprised me. They had both tried to protect Amanda without a single thought to their own fate.
“You know what just happened?” I asked her. “Two men were ready to own up to a murder, just to save you. You are one lucky lady.”
“It was an impulse, alright? The old man had no business digging all that stuff up.”
“You were going to leave me?” Junior spoke in a whisper. “After all these years?”
“Of course not,” Amanda said. “I was just flirting with Noah to get your attention.”
“Did you try explaining that to my husband?” Sophia spoke up.
Her face was ashen. She was suddenly looking like the frail old woman she was.
“How do you know he wasn’t going to tear it up?” she cried in anguish. “He loved you like a daughter. He asked me to meet him after dinner. He told me it was time to let bygones be bygones. Maybe he was going to ask you what you wanted.”
We would never know what old Mr. Frank had intended to do.
There was a flurry of activity outside and a loud banging started. Chamberlain walked out slowly. A bunch of police rushed in.
Stan conferred with them in a corner and they took Amanda away.
“How did you know it was your Mom?” I asked Ryan.
“It was her scent,” he told us. “She had been trimming the Christmas tree all day, hanging up ornaments and stuff. She was grumbling she smelt like a pine forest.”
“That’s the woodsy scent you talked about?” Stan asked.
“It suddenly clicked,” Ryan said.
Crystal and Isadora had convinced William Derry to give them a ride to the bus station. They were standing in the foyer with their bags.
We left the Franks to deal with their grief in private. Stan gave us a ride home. I went in via the kitchen entrance, eager to see my grandma.
“Is it ready?” I asked. “How much time do we have?”
“About an hour,” Motee Ba said.
She was frying batches of pakoras. Pappa sat at the table sipping tea. Motee Ba pointed to two big boxes of decorations.
Tony and I started putting up a huge ‘Welcome Home’ sign. A seven foot fir stood in the window, loaded with lights, garlands and ornaments. A pile of gaily wrapped presents littered the floor around it. We worked in a frenzy, popping pakoras in our mouth as we worked.
Finally, a horn hooted outside and we all ran out. Actually, Tony and I ran out. Motee Ba and Pappa followed at a slower pace.
Dad was all smiles as he jumped out of the car and ran to the passenger side to open the door for Sally. Jeet and Cristina scrambled out of the back door and ran toward me. There was a flurry of hugs and kisses and we all went inside.
“What’s for dinner?” Pappa asked as we washed down the hot pakora fritters with spicy masala chai.
After three harrowing days, I was finally home with my family – my entire family. There had never been a better Christmas in the Patel household.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to read Christmas with the Franks.
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Many Thanks!
Author Leena Clover
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Books by Leena Clover
Have you read all the Meera Patel books?
Gone with the Wings – Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071WHNM6K
A Pocket Full of Pie - Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072Q7B47P/
For a Few Dumplings More - Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072V3T2BV
Back to the Fajitas - Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 4
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0748KPTLM
Christmas with the Franks – Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 5
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077GXR4WS/
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Keep reading for Meera’s yummy recipes like Sausage and Pepper Linguine and Chili Potato Hash.
RECIPE - Sausage and Pepper Linguine
Ingredients
2 cups sausage, sliced (use Andouille or Italian sausage)
1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp dry basil
¼ tsp dry oregano
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese for topping
1 lb linguine
Salt to taste
Fried egg for topping (optional)
Method
Boil
water in a pasta pot and start cooking pasta according to package directions.
Heat oil in a skillet.
Add the sausage and fry it until browned on all sides.
Add in the peppers and sauté until softened.
Add chopped garlic, pepper and dry herbs.
Deglaze the pan with a few splashes of balsamic vinegar.
Add in the cooked pasta and toss to combine well.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot with grated parmesan cheese on top.
Meera tops the pasta with a fried egg when serving it as a late night snack.
*makes a quick and easy meal any time of the day or night
RECIPE - Hot and Spicy Sausage Dip
Ingredients
1-2 cups chorizo (or sausage of choice)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup Pepper Jack cheese
1 cup half and half
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 cups diced tomatoes (with green chili)
¼ cup scallions, chopped
Method
Heat oil in a skillet. Add crumbled sausage and brown it. Add in the jalapenos and sauté for a few seconds.
Add chopped tomatoes and garlic powder.
Lower heat and add half and half. When the half and half is heated through, add the shredded cheese.
Stir on low heat until cheese is melted.
Switch off heat.
Mix in sour cream and garnish with scallions just before serving.
Serve this dip warm, with tortilla chips or crusty bread.
RECIPE - Chili Potato Hash
Ingredients
8 medium potatoes
1-2 red chili peppers
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp sugar
Salt to taste
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1-2 Tbsp lime juice
Method
Peel potatoes and dice them in cubes about 1 cm by 1 cm.
Heat oil in a skillet. When oil starts smoking, add the hot chili peppers. Fry for a few seconds.