“If she had, she wasn’t going to get away with her crimes. In order to prove once and for all whether Roseanne was guilty or not, I decided to steal a cucumber from the next load she delivered and have Sgt. Murchinak’s lab compare it to the evidence found in the dead men’s throats.”
“Pretty much what I would’ve done too,” Matt said.
I didn’t know if my brother was being sarcastic or not. It had been a while since we’d had any kind of lengthy conversation.
Aunt Zoe sighed. “So that’s why you wanted Sgt. Murchinak to know you’d be calling him.”
I nodded. “I made a terrible mistake calling him from the plant. Every word I said was carried up through the heating vent to Sharon Sylvester’s office. But it worked out in the long run. She confessed to everything: setting Butch up, stealing the recipes, killing Don and Paul, and injuring Chip.” I picked up my beer and finished it.
“Wow, that’s some story, Mary,” Trevor said. “I don’t know why I was ever worried about you being in danger. You did all right.”
If he only knew.
Aunt Zoe turned to face me. “Mary, did Sharon ever say why she committed those crimes?”
“She didn’t plan to kill anybody. All she wanted to do was get even with Don Hickleman for jilting her twice, once when she was sixteen and eight years ago. When the opportunity to steal the recipes came along, she went for it. Unfortunately, Don Hickleman finally figured out Butch hadn’t stolen the recipes when he began to think about retiring and Sharon asked if he was still leaving the plant to her. He knew the only reason she’d ask that is if she’d read a copy of the will he kept in the safe. According to Sharon they had a late night confrontation that just got out of hand.”
“What about Paul Mason?” Aunt Zoe inquired.
“Anyone care for another round of drinks?” Matt asked.
“No thanks,” the three of us replied.
My stomach grumbled. Apparently the little I ate didn’t help. I glanced at my watch: four more hours till supper. “Apparently Paul had put two and two together and Sharon was afraid he’d squeal.” I slapped my forehead. “I’ll be darn. Miss Marple warned a character in a story to watch out for the ‘dyed blonde’. Guess what? Sharon Sylvester’s real hair color is auburn.”
“Really! How crazy is that?” Matt said,stretching his arms out over the table. “So who gets ownership of the pickle plant, sis?”
“Chip O’Leary, Don Hickleman’s illegitimate son.”
“Well, that ties everything up neatly, doesn’t it,” he said. “Aunt Zoe, I think it’s time to show Mary what’s in your package.”
Aunt Zoe tore the envelope open and handed me huge eyelashes. “As soon as I saw these in a magazine, I knew I had to get them for your car. You attach them to your headlights. You’re always saying how stressful driving can be. Now, everyone on the road will get a chuckle when you pass them by.”
I gave her a hug. “You’re the best.
“Hey if that’s what it takes to get a hug,” Matt said, “Wait till you hear what I have to say. I don’t think you should go back to college,Mary. With all the work that’ll be coming into my office, it’s time for me to hire some help. What would you think of joining me?”
“Why... why would you want to hire me? You know the serious mistakes I made on this case.”
Matt laughed. “You’ve proven that you’ve learned from your mistakes. Besides, I don’t know anyone else who does as good a job of snooping.”
I smiled back at my brother. He had no idea all the problems I had while he was gone, especially these past several weeks, but everything worked out in the end. Gracie was found on the steps of the police station, the living room was changed back to its original décor, I don’t have to live with a roommate anymore, and I’ve got a new job. The only thing I haven’t figured out is what to do with the two men in my life, David and Trevor. But that’s a problem that’ll keep for another day.
My Great Aunt Mame’s Refrigerator Pickles
7 cups of unpeeled thick cut cucumbers ( about 2 pounds)
1 chopped onion
2 Tablespoons of salt
Mix all together. Let stand for 2 hours. Then drain, but don’t rinse.
Meanwhile, Mix 1 cup of white vinegar and 2 cups of sugar together before adding to cucumbers that have been drained. Fill sterilized canning jars. If you wish, add I teaspoon of pickling spice. Pickles last for several months in refrigerator.
Annette’s Solar Pickles
Cut off ends of cucumbers and place in clean sterilized gallon jar.
Add:
Dill and garlic to taste
2 Tablespoons of salt
2 Tablespoons of honey
2 to 3 slices of Rye Bread
Boil:
2 quarts of water
3 cups of Apple Cider Vinegar
Cool until warm and then pour into jar. Put lid on tight. Set in full sun for 4 days and nights. **Refrigerate after opened.
Sweet Dommie Pickles
Buy 1 quart jar of small size dills—slice thinly
1 small onion thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar (if using dark vinegar need: ¾ cup of vinegar with ¼ cup of water)
Boil vinegar and sugar for two minutes and then pour immediately over sliced pickles and onions. Cool and store in a container in refrigerator.
Betty’s Pickled Veggies
1 ½ -2lbs. vegetables cut into 4-5 spears such as peeled carrots, sweet onions, cucumbers, and yellow summer squash.
3 ½ - 4 cups fruit-flavored white balsamic vinegar. Can use mango, blood orange, apricot, or black currant for flavoring vinegar).
Directions for making flavored balsamic vinegar: Combine 3 cups of white balsamic vinegar with 1 cup of fruit or nectar mentioned above.
Wash vegetables. Place in two sterilized 1 quart glass canning jars. Add 1/8 tsp. pepper and a dill sprig to each jar. In medium saucepan bring vinegar to boil. Immediately pour over veggies in jars. Cover and chill 5 days in fridge.
Mike’s Pickled Northern
Filet Northern and cut into bite size pieces—bones and all, except rib bones which will dissolve. Soak fish in salt water heavy enough to float an egg (Continue to add salt till egg definitely floats) Fish soaks in salt water for 24-48 hours. Then rinse pan and wash fish in cold water. Return fish to container used in first step. Cover with white vinegar and soak another 24 hours.
Drain. Use sterilized quart or gallon jar and layer fish and sliced onions in container.
Prepare Syrup: 1 cup water 2 cups white vinegar ¾ cups sugar and
1 Tablespoon pickling spice. Boil for five minutes. Cool syrup and add
1 cup white wine. Pour over fish. Cover and Refrigerate 3-4 days before eating.
Bart’s Pickled Brussels Sprouts
Need 4 Pint Jars
2 Teaspoons of dill
2 Teaspoons of garlic
1 Teaspoon of mustard seed
1 Teaspoon of sugar
2 ¼ cups of water
2 ¼ white vinegar
2 Tablespoons of salt
Stir all in pot and bring to boil for 5 minutes. While water boils, wash and prep 4-5 quarts of brussels sprouts (removing any brown leaves). Put in large bowl and then pour pickling broth over brussels sprouts. Cool to room temperature. Put
sprouts in sterilized jars and ladle liquid over them, leaving ½ inch space between liquid and top of jar rim. Seal with lids. Wait at least 2-3 weeks to eat. Use within 3 months or so after opened.
Suzie’s Pickled Eggs
1 dozen hard boiled eggs
2 Cups of white vinegar
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon pepper
1 Teaspoon of dry mustard or 1 Tablespoon of yellow mustard seeds
2 Tablespoons of Pickling Spice
½ of a medium onion thinly sliced
1 cup of water
Combine all, except hardboiled eggs, in large pot. Bring to boil and cook 5 minutes. Put
hardboiled eggs in sterilized jars. Can use whatever size you want. Pour hot brine over eggs. Place lids on tight and refrigerate for at least 4 days. Uneaten chilled eggs can be kept up to a month.
***Easier version of pickled eggs-Take 6 hardboiled eggs and place in jar of pickle juice left from eating pickles. Make sure eggs are covered and fit that size jar. Leave in jar for 3 days.
Barbara’s Crystal Pickles
Put 25 dill size cucumbers in brine strong enough to float an egg and cover cucumbers. Let cucumbers stand in brine 2 weeks.
Brine solution: 2 cups coarse salt to a gallon of water. To keep cucumbers covered in brine weigh down with a plate.
After 2 weeks take out of brine. Drain and wash. Cut into thin slices.
Put 2 Tablespoons of powdered alum (or piece size of walnut) in enough water to immerse slices completely in alum/water solution. Add enough ice cubes so water is icy and let stand overnight.
Next day drain and wash slices. Set slices aside in a container and proceed with the following: Place in a cloth sack: 2 sticks of cinnamon (broken) and 1 Tablespoon of whole cloves. Tie sack and add it to 1 quart of cider vinegar and 2 quarts of sugar. Bring to boil. Then pour boiling hot mixture over slices. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day take slices out of liquid, but save liquid. Wash slices and set aside as before. Then bring liquid to boil again, pour over slices and refrigerate. REPEAT this process 2 more days.
On the 4th day, put sliced pickles in sterilized jars and pour the hot vinegar solution on top of pickles. Seal jars.
Jeanne’s Dilled Green Beans
4 lbs. Fresh Whole Green Beans
½ Tsp. of Dill seed per pint jar
¼ Tsp. of crushed Hot Red Pepper per pint jar
½ Tsp. per pint jar-Whole Mustard Seed
1 clove of Garlic per pint jar
Fresh Dill Sprigs
5 cups of Vinegar
5 cups of Water
One-third cup of Canning Salt
Wash beans thoroughly; Drain: Remove stems. Cut into lengths to fit pint jars. Pack beans as tightly as possible in sterile jars. Then add pepper, mustard seed, dill seed, garlic, and fresh dill.
Combine vinegar, water, and salt. Heat to boiling. Pour boiling liquid over beans – filling to ½ inch from top of jar. Put jar lids on and screw on rings until tightened.
Process jars in boiling water for 5 minutes (start to count processing time as soon as water in canner returns to boiling). Remove jars. Set jars upright on wire rack to cool. Let sit at least a month before using.
Book Club Questions
Death of the Pickle King
What were the problems Mary needed to resolve before her brother Matt returned to the States? Did she succeed in resolving them?
Does Margaret Grimshaw offer sufficient advice to Mary whenever she seeks it?
Did you think Mary would ever decide to help Butch with his issues? Why or why not?
If you were Mary, an amateur sleuth, would you have taken on a job at the plant without some sort of backup?
When Mary first picked up gossip at work, who did you suspect might have killed Don Hickleman?
By the time this book draws to an end, has Mary’s feelings in regards to her aunt’s incompetence changed much?
Share some of the red herrings the author has sprinkled throughout the novel.
At any point in this novel did you feel Anita Crane might have killed Don Hickleman and Paul Mason? If so, what lead you to believe that?
Were you surprised to find out who actually murdered the two men and stole the company recipes?
Which character in this book was your favorite? Why?
What fact about the pickling process impressed you the most?
Death of the Pickle King Page 28