by Jinty James
“I thought it was a good excuse in case anyone saw me go to her room last night,” Jenna admitted. “I only sleep with one pillow.”
“Did you take my phone?” Suzanne asked.
“Yes.” Jenna nodded. “I overheard you and Maddie talking in the kitchen about a suspect list – I’d come down to get some orange juice. I hid around the corner and when you left the kitchen, I grabbed your phone. When I saw that you hadn’t singled me out on your list, I left it by the staircase. You were supposed to think that you’d dropped it,” she finished wryly.
A noise at the front door alerted them that someone had arrived. The deputy went to the doorway.
“We’re in here,” he shouted down the hall.
Detective Edgewater appeared, along with another deputy.
“Catch me up, please,” Detective Edgewater said, studying Jenna.
As the deputy briefly updated the detective, Maddie wondered if Detective Edgewater would reproach her and Suzanne for “helping”.
“Maddie here was the one who realized what was going on,” the deputy finished up. “If it wasn’t for her chasing after the suspect, she might have gotten away.”
“And where were you while the suspect made a run for it?” Detective Edgewater enquired, a frown on his face.
The deputy flushed. “I was on the phone talking to my wife.”
Detective Edgewater harrumphed, then turned to Maddie and Suzanne. “I’m glad you two are okay. And Trixie, of course.” He looked keenly at Maddie. “You are, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Detective Edgewater,” Maddie replied. “We’re fine.”
“Good.” He looked pleased.
He and the other deputy escorted Jenna outside. The soccer mom had begun to sob again, as if realizing the enormity of her situation.
The deputy left too, now that there was no longer a murderer at large, after thanking them for the delicious vegan food.
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes.
“Well, everyone.” Autumn clapped her hands. “Maybe we should wrap things up now. It’s certainly been an eventful weekend.”
Everyone nodded.
“Mrrow!”
Trixie’s assent broke the somber mood.
“Perhaps we could go around the room and mention a positive thought or feeling we’ve experienced this weekend. I realize that might sound callous, and it’s certainly not meant to be in the light of Hailey and Jenna, but this is your workshop too, ladies.” Autumn smiled at them.
Everyone nodded, even Maddie and Suzanne.
“I’ll go first,” Autumn said brightly. “I’m glad I hired Maddie and Suzanne – and Trixie, of course – to do the catering. They’ve been a big help.”
Everyone smiled and clapped, although Maddie suspected most of the applause was for Trixie.
“May I go next?” Edith raised her hand.
“Of course, dear,” Autumn encouraged.
“After finding out about my grandmother’s past a few years ago, I didn’t want the same thing to happen to me.” Edith swept a hand in front of her, indicating her clothes. Maddie realized they didn’t seem as shapeless and drab as usual. “But after talking to Linda—” she smiled at the older woman “—I realized I shouldn’t let my grandmother’s past dictate my future. So tomorrow I’m going clothes shopping and buying clothes I want to wear, not clothes I think I should wear. And maybe I’ll get my hair cut, too.”
“Wonderful, Edith.” Autumn clapped and beamed.
Maddie joined in the applause, wondering what sort of outfits Edith had in mind. Whatever they were, she hoped they made Edith happy.
“This weekend has reinforced my decision to get a cat,” Brenda said. “My ex-husband wouldn’t allow me to have a pet. But now I’m single, I can do whatever I want – and I definitely want a cat.” She smiled at Trixie.
“Mrrow,” Trixie said in approval.
Everyone clapped.
“After talking to Edith—” Linda nodded to the girl, “I realized that there wasn’t anything I could do to make my father stay married to my mom. And that his leaving wasn’t my fault.”
“Yes!” Autumn smiled and cheered.
There was a pause. Everyone looked expectantly at Maddie and Suzanne.
“Oh.” Maddie looked down at Trixie, nestled in her arms. “I’m so grateful Trixie came into my life a little over a year ago. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” That was the absolute truth.
“Yay!” Autumn led the applause.
“And I’m so happy Maddie is my best friend – and Trixie, of course.” Suzanne grinned at the duo. “It’s exciting at times being their friend – and I wouldn’t want anything to be different.”
More cheers and applause.
The workshop wound up, with Edith, Brenda, and Linda swapping phone numbers and promising to meet up in a week. Since they all lived either in Seattle or on the other side of it, it was easier for them to get together.
“We’ve got a lot of dishes to do before we can go home.” Suzanne pulled a face.
Maddie sighed. “I think this is the downside to catering jobs.”
“Yep,” Suzanne agreed. “But the good news is we made some decent money and—” she lowered her voice and whispered “—you used a new spell and stopped a killer from getting away.”
“Shh!” Maddie scanned the room but nobody seemed interested in their conversation.
Trixie jumped off Maddie’s lap and ran over to Autumn.
“Mrrow.” It sounded like Trixie was saying goodbye.
“Goodbye, Trixie.” Autumn bent down and stroked the Persian. “Thank you for being so kind to me this weekend.”
“Mrrow.” To Maddie, it sounded like, “You’re welcome.”
“Everyone, before we depart, I must tell you something. Trixie has inspired me to create a brand-new workshop called—” Autumn paused dramatically “—Freeing the Feminine Feline Within.”
“Ooh!” Brenda looked excited.
“I’ll have to design it, but I think this might be my best workshop yet! It will be all about how to think and feel with your senses, just like cats do. How to live in the moment, embracing positivity of course, and how to sense the vibrations in the room, just like cats do.”
“Are you sure Autumn doesn’t have any magical powers?” Suzanne whispered to Maddie.
Maddie smiled slowly. “Maybe she does, but she doesn’t know it yet.”
“Or maybe she needs a familiar like Trixie to find her,” Suzanne suggested.
“Mrrow!”
The End
I hope you enjoyed reading this mystery. Sign up to my newsletter at www.JintyJames.com and be among the first to discover when the next book in this series is published!
Have you read:
Spells and Spiced Latte - A Coffee Witch Cozy Mystery - Maddie Goodwell 1
Visions and Vanilla Cappuccino - A Coffee Witch Cozy Mystery - Maddie Goodwell 2
Magic and Mocha – A Coffee Witch Cozy Mystery – Maddie Goodwell 3
Enchantments and Espresso – A Coffee Witch Cozy Mystery – Maddie Goodwell 4
PINEAPPLE COCONUT BALLS recipe on the next page in US and Metric measurements!
Pineapple Coconut Balls Recipe in Metric Measurements
40G DRIED PINEAPPLE
Water (to soak the pineapple)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
6 teaspoons desiccated or shredded coconut
2 teaspoons coconut flour (may need a smidge more)
Soak the dried pineapple for 2 hours in a bowl. Use enough water to just cover the pineapple.
Drain the water twice using a sieve once the pineapple has plumped up.
Whiz the pineapple, maple syrup, coconut, and coconut flour in a food processor until the pineapple is blended well and the mixture comes together. You may need to use a little more coconut flour to make the mixture stick together.
NOTE: You may still have some hard bits of pineapple or coconut in the balls (if you use shredded co
conut) no matter how well you whiz the mixture. And you may get some coconut stuck in your teeth! (Suzanne did!)
Roll into 6 balls.
Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Best eaten day made.
Pineapple Coconut Balls Recipe in US Measurements
3 OUNCES DRIED PINEAPPLE (approx. – when it plumped up it measured ¾ cup)
Water (to soak the pineapple)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
6 teaspoons desiccated or shredded coconut
2 teaspoons coconut flour (may need a smidge more)
Soak the dried pineapple for 2 hours in a bowl. Use enough water to just cover the pineapple.
Drain the water twice using a sieve once the pineapple has plumped up.
Whiz the pineapple, maple syrup, coconut, and coconut flour in a food processor until the pineapple is blended well and the mixture comes together. You may need to use a little more coconut flour to make the mixture stick together.
NOTE: You may still have some hard bits of pineapple or coconut in the balls (if you use shredded coconut) no matter how well you whiz the mixture. And you may get some coconut stuck in your teeth! (Suzanne did!)
Roll into 6 balls.
Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Best eaten day made.
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Also by Jinty James
Maddie Goodwell
Spells and Spiced Latte - A Coffee Witch Cozy Mystery
Spells and Spiced Latte – A Coffee Witch Cozy Mystery
Visions and Vanilla Cappuccino
Magic and Mocha
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Enchantments and Espresso