Be My Valencrime

by Amy M. Reade

  “I’m glad to know you’ve caught Suzanne’s killer. I assume he did it because he was afraid she would recognize him and be able to identify him to police?”

  “Exactly,” Bill said. “He attacked you for the same reason. He knew you had seen him in the bar that night.”

  “I think he must have been in line waiting to use the restroom. That’s the only thing I can think of. I didn’t even recognize him. It was too dark in there.”

  “Well, he recognized you.” Unspoken words hung in the air. Lilly was lucky to be alive.

  There was a knock on the glass window of the shop. Lilly looked up and smiled when she saw Noley standing there, holding up a paper bag. That meant homemade muffins.

  “Bill, Noley’s here. I’ll catch up with you later. Thanks for everything,” she said. “I owe you.”

  “You could never repay me,” he said with a laugh.

  Lilly opened the door to let Noley in, then locked it again. She started the coffee maker in the office while Noley unpacked her bag. There were two ham and egg breakfast sandwiches, along with blueberry muffins. They were Lilly’s favorite.

  They gabbed for a half hour, until it was almost time for Lilly to open the shop for the day. Lilly told her all about what had transpired the day before and everything Bill had told her just minutes earlier.

  Noley sat dumbstruck. “How come you didn’t call me last night?”

  “I was so tired, I just couldn’t. Plus, I knew we would talk today. And I have more news.” She told Noley about her phone call with Hassan.

  “He’s bringing lunch in today.”

  “I’m so happy for you. And Harry and Alice and Hassan, too,” Noley said. “It sounds like everything has worked out.”

  Just then Lilly’s phone buzzed with a text. She looked down. It was from Harry.

  She said YES!

  Lilly couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face.

  “Well,” she said. “It may not have been the perfect Valentine’s Day engagement that Harry hoped for, but there’s going to be a happy ending. We have an engagement party to plan, after all.”

  THE END

  Lilly’s Macaroni & Cheese

  12 oz. macaroni, uncooked

  6 T. butter

  6 T. flour

  3 c. milk

  12 oz. grated Cheddar cheese

  Salt and pepper

  Seasoned breadcrumbs

  Prepare macaroni according to package directions. Drain.

  * * *

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.

  * * *

  Add flour, whisking to make a roux. When flour is incorporated, cook, whisking constantly, for one minute. Gradually add milk and whisk until combined and smooth. Cook until mixture begins to thicken. Add cheese and whisk until mixture is smooth. Add cooked macaroni to mixture and stir to coat.

  * * *

  Pour entire mixture into greased 3-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle top generously with breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes.

  Lilly’s Zuppa Toscana

  1 lg. onion, diced

  1 lb. sweet or hot bulk Italian sausage, depending on your heat preference (a mix also works)

  3 lg. potatoes, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  4 c. chicken broth

  1 c. heavy cream

  3 c. baby spinach

  Salt and pepper

  In a Dutch oven cook onion and sausage over medium heat, breaking up sausage with a spoon until crumbly, until onions are soft and sausage is no longer pink. Add potatoes, garlic, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.

  * * *

  Reduce heat and simmer for 12-14 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Stir in heavy cream and bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir spinach gently into mixture. Serve with Italian bread and olive oil for dipping.

  Butterscotch Pudding

  ½ c. brown sugar

  2 T. plus 2 t. cornstarch

  Dash salt

  2 c. milk (do not use skim)

  2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

  1 T. butter

  1 t. vanilla

  In a medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add milk and egg yolks, whisking to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking and stirring for 2 more minutes or until mixture is thickened.

  * * *

  Remove pudding from heat; add butter and vanilla and stir until butter is melted.

  * * *

  Divide pudding into four ramekins and press plastic wrap on the surface of each to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled.

  Keep Reading!

  Want more of Lilly and the folks of Juniper Junction? Read on for the first chapter of The Worst Noel.

  THE WORST NOEL

  The Juniper Junction Holiday Mystery Series: Book One

  Preview of THE WORST NOEL

  Lilly awoke hours before dawn to the sound of her alarm clock going off. She flung her hand in the general direction of the nightstand to find the snooze button and stop the incessant ringing, but only succeeded in knocking the clock to the floor.

  “Ugh,” she groaned. She leaned over the side of the bed and clawed the floor, trying to reach the clock. When she found it, she turned it off and sat up groggily, wiping sleep from her eyes and yawning. Barney, the family’s Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, lifted his shaggy, brindle-hued head and stretched across the foot of the bed.

  “I hate Black Friday,” she said to Barney. The biggest shopping day of the year brought a level of anxiety that gave her nightmares the other three hundred sixty-four days. She peered into the bathroom mirror before heading downstairs. Her brown hair was tangled from sleep and her eyes, normally bright hazel, were hooded and sported bags.

  She needed coffee and lots of it. She went downstairs to find that the kids had left the kitchen light on all night again. “Good,” she muttered to herself. “I was hoping to give the electric company a nice fat check for Christmas.” She switched off all the lights but one and started the coffeemaker. Before long the kitchen was filled with the aroma of ground Arabica beans and Lilly’s senses started coming alive.

  After showering, dressing, and grabbing a quick breakfast, Lilly poured herself a travel mug of coffee and slipped out the side door without making a sound. Normally Barney followed her downstairs for breakfast, but it was too early for him.

  The car didn’t even have time to warm up during the short drive to Juniper Junction Jewels. Lilly drove along Main Street, smiling at the Christmas lights that hung from the shop fronts and the street lamps. She loved this festive time of year. And since this was Colorado, there were several inches of freshly-fallen snow on the ground to make the lights seem even prettier. At the end of the block, she swung her car around the back of the row of shops and pulled into one of the parking spots allocated for her jewelry store. Each store got two parking spots so employees wouldn’t have to go searching for spots when Main Street got really busy, as was often the case in the upscale Rocky Mountain resort town.

  It was so early the plows hadn’t even been out yet, so Lilly stepped carefully when she got out of the car. Shifting her shoulder bag from one arm to the other and holding her coffee, she reached for the doorknob at the back of the shop.

  It was unlocked.

  Lilly’s stomach lurched; her body stiffened. This was a shop owner’s worst nightmare, made even more horrible when the shop sold precious stones, expensive gems, and custom jewelry. Lilly turned the knob slowly and pushed the door open, peering around it to make sure there was no one waiting for her in the back room.

  She didn’t see anyone, so she closed the door softly behind her and set her bag and coffee down on her desk. She had been the last one to leave Wednesday afternoon and the shop had been closed for Thanksgiving Day; she shuddered to think that the shop had been unlock
ed for thirty-six hours. She wracked her brain trying to remember locking the door behind her on Wednesday, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t remember setting the alarm, either, but that obviously hadn’t gone off because the alarm company had her home number and her cell number.

  Quickly walking over to the vault where she kept her inventory when the store was closed, she stopped short when she saw that the door to the vault was slightly ajar. She put out one finger to push the door open a bit farther; wave after wave of nausea swept over her when she saw that one of the sliding shelves that held the jewelry had been moved. She stepped into the tiny vault and pulled the shelf out a bit further—there was a necklace missing. A pearl necklace. She frantically pulled out all the other shelves in turn, not daring to breathe until she satisfied herself that nothing else had been taken. She backed out of the vault and strode to her desk, where she leafed quickly through the papers littering the top. Nothing else seemed to be missing.

  She pushed open the sliding barn door that led to the interior of the shop.

  Lilly prided herself on making Juniper Junction Jewels a homey, rustic place that looked like someone’s living room. As such, the lighting inside the store was provided mostly by lamps set strategically around the shop rather than cold, sterile fluorescent lights.

  She turned on the lamp closest to the office. She didn’t notice the body lying on the floor behind one of the glass cases until she tripped over it.

  To order your copy of The Worst Noel, click here!

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  About the Author

  Amy M. Reade is a cook, chauffeur, household CEO, doctor, laundress, maid, psychiatrist, warden, seer, teacher, and pet whisperer. In other words, a wife, mother, community volunteer, and recovering attorney.

  She’s also the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Juniper Junction Holiday Mystery series, The Libraries of the World Mystery Series, The Malice Series, and three standalone books. She lives in southern New Jersey, but loves to travel. Her favorite places to visit are Scotland and Hawaii and when she can’t travel she loves to read books set in far-flung locations.

  Her days are split between writing and marketing her books, but uppermost in her mind is the adage that the best way to market a book is to write another great book.

  PRAISE FOR AMY M. READE

  The Worst Noel: “This is such a light and fun holiday mystery that I just could not put down! I am hooked and can’t wait for the next one! It reminds me of the books they made into movies on the Hallmark movies and mystery channel.” From Amazon reviewer

  Dead, White, and Blue: “I really enjoyed this book and how the characters evolved. As a mother of two boys, I could relate to the teenage characters in the book and the story line kept me interested in turning the next page. A fun read and would highly recommend!” From Amazon reviewer

  Trudy’s Diary: “The narrative of present-day Daisy alternates with nineteenth-century Trudy after she starts reading Trudy’s diary, and it kept me reading late into the night. The plot, full of twists and turns, and the memorable characters made for a fascinating read. I love mysteries and loved this one! I highly recommend it.” From Amazon reviewer

  Secrets of Hallstead House: "Thank you, Amy, for taking me to a new place and allowing me to imagine." From Phyllis H. Moore, reviewer

  The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor: "If you're a fan of ... novels by Phyllis A. Whitney, Victoria Holt, and Barbara Michaels, you're going to love The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor by Amy M. Reade." From Jane Reads.

  House of the Hanging Jade: "House of the Hanging Jade is a suspenseful tale of murder and obsession, all taking place against a beautiful Hawaiian backdrop. Lush descriptions of both the scenery and the food prepared by the protagonist leave you wanting more." From The Book's the Thing

  House of the Hanging Jade: "I definitely see more Reade books in my future." From Back Porchervations.

  The House on Candlewick Lane: "As in most gothic novels, the actual house on Candlewick Lane is creepy and filled with dark passages and rooms. You feel the evil emanate from the structure and from the people who live there ... I loved the rich descriptions of Edinburgh. You definitely feel like you are walking the streets next to Greer, searching for Ellie. You can feel the rain and the cold, and a couple times, I swear I could smell the scents of the local cuisine." From Colleen Chesebro, reviewer

  Highland Peril: "This is escapism at its best, as it is a compelling mystery that whisks readers away to a land as beautiful as it is rich with intrigue." From Cynthia Chow, Kings River Life

  Murder in Thistlecross: "Amy Reade’s series has a touch of gothic suspense, always fun, and this particular entry has the extra added attraction of the old Clue board game (later a movie that was equally delightful) wherein the various suspects move around the castle and the sleuth has to figure out who killed who, how and where." From Buried Under Books