A Sheetcake Named Desire (25 page)

Burt roared in pain, and the death grip he had on the gun loosened slightly. Was it enough? It had to be.

Blood pounded in my ears, and my breath came in painful gasps as I fought to maintain my slim advantage. He bucked beneath me, twisting and turning as he tried to throw me.

He was too strong. Too crazy. Too determined. I couldn’t do this alone, I realized. I needed help.

Hoping someone would be able to hear me on the street, I shouted at the top of my lungs. “Help! Call the police! On the roof!”

Burt growled in anger and bucked again, this time hard enough to roll out from beneath me. “You stupid, stupid bitch.”

Too late, I scrambled to my feet and lunged for the gun he’d dropped. We reached it at the same time and fought bitterly for control. I yelled again, hoping someone would hear me. Praying someone would call the police before Burt could carry out his deranged plan to throw me off the roof.

He backhanded me across the face, and pain shot through my cheek and jaw. My eyesight blurred, and I staggered backward, tasting blood and trying to regain my focus. Before I could catch my breath, he slugged me in the stomach with his fist, and the air exploded from my lungs. I fell backward, gasping for air and still trying to make my eyes work.

“Get up.”

I could see the barrel of the gun again, just inches from my face. This was it, wasn’t it? The end of everything. I’d never know love again. I’d never have a family. Never own my own business or work at the thing I loved most. It was all going to end right here, at the hands of a deranged killer.

I moaned and rolled onto my side, hoping that he’d believe I was too worn out to fight any longer.

“Get. Up.”

I moaned again, sucked air into my aching lungs, and took my last shot at staying alive. With one mighty heave, I threw myself at his legs and prayed that when he shot me, he’d miss my vital organs.

The gunshot exploded in the night, and I waited for the pain that never came. I heard a loud thump, the sound of hurried footsteps, and, finally, the touch of a hand on my arm. But I was too far gone to recognize it for what it was. I screamed and thrashed away, kicking as hard as I could to keep him from getting a good grip.

“Rita! It’s all right! We’ve got him.”

I scooted backward, too afraid to trust my own ears. But very slowly, Detective Sullivan’s face came into focus. A moment later, I realized that the huge black blur a few feet behind him was a couple of EMTs working on Burt, who lay bleeding on the cement floor of the deck.

Twenty-nine

I held tightly to Miss Frankie’s elbow as we walked across the lawn after the graveside service. Behind us, Dog Leg and a handful of friends played “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” and voices rose up from all around us as one friend after another took up the verse.

To anyone watching the two of us, it would look as if I wanted to make sure Miss Frankie didn’t lose her balance on the uneven lawn. But I think we both knew it was more than that. The mausoleum was fine. Perfect, in fact. Philippe would be comfortable there. Nobody had to check it out to make sure.

“It was a beautiful service,” she said as we stepped off the lawn and onto the pavement. “Don’t you think it was?”

“It was lovely,” I agreed. “Exactly right.”

“I thought Ox’s comments were especially nice. I’m glad he’s agreed to come back to Zydeco.”

“So am I,” I assured her. I loosened my grip slightly but didn’t let go of her completely. Not that I didn’t trust her, but . . . well, you know.

“I think his little vacation did him a world of good, don’t you? It was good for him to get away from work for a few days.”

Biting back a smile, I aimed the remote at the car. “Yes ma’am, I do. He looks well rested.”

All around us, friends, relatives, and members of Zydeco’s staff made their way toward their cars. Some offered lastminute condolences to Miss Frankie. Others seemed eager to return to the land of the living. I’d been overwhelmed by the turnout and by the warm reception I’d received from almost everyone there. Okay, so a few old friends and distant cousins had questioned Miss Frankie’s decision to include me as part of the family, but nobody dared say so in front of her.

I watched Edie, Estelle, and Sparkle walking together toward the row of cars parked on the edge of the lawn, their heads down and shoulders slumped. A few feet ahead of them, Dwight scuffed toward his car, hands in his pockets, the picture of dejection. Ox, with one arm around Isabeau’s shoulders, chatted with Abe near the mausoleum. It was nice to see that Ox and Isabeau had decided to go public, but they all looked as if the past few days had taken a toll.

A few feet farther on, I spotted Quinn standing quietly to one side of the road, her arms wrapped tightly around her middle. She’d returned the cake design and we’d managed to submit our bid on time. Now all we had to do was wait for the decision. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted Zydeco to win the bid or not. All that publicity would be great for business and I’d love to see Philippe’s last design honored in a big way, but I wasn’t ready to have the business explode just yet. I could use a few months to settle in first.

Philippe’s death had been hard on everyone at Zydeco. Finding out that Burt had been responsible for everything had been another blow. He’d been a friend, and it had shocked everyone to find out that he’d been working against them for months.

I caught a shadow from the corner of my eye and turned to find Detective Sullivan—Liam—coming toward us. “Good afternoon, Miss Frankie. Rita.”

The rush of affection and gratitude I felt toward him was strong—he’d saved my life, after all, and I’d fallen a little bit in love with him as a result. “Good afternoon, Detective. Thank you so much for coming. That’s above and beyond the call of duty, isn’t it?”

He cut a glance at me and smiled. “The men and women of NOPD are here to serve the community.”

“Well isn’t that sweet of you?” Miss Frankie put a hand on his arm. “I’m glad you came. I wanted a chance to thank you in person for finding Philippe’s killer and saving Rita.”

“It was my pleasure, ma’am.”

“Have you heard anything about Burt’s condition?” I asked. “I tried calling the hospital, but they wouldn’t tell me anything.”

Sullivan’s expression sobered. “He’s fine. I didn’t take a kill shot, and I didn’t miss. He’ll limp for a while, but he’ll heal.”

I’d be fine with that, I supposed. As long as he was doing his limping from behind bars. “Were you able to get a full confession?”

He nodded. “He didn’t plan to kill Philippe. I know that doesn’t help, Miss Frankie, but he only wanted to destroy the cake. One last attempt to discredit Ox and get rid of him. One last chance to ruin Zydeco’s reputation and get rid of the competition for Dmitri Wolff. Philippe found Burt cleaning up in the rose garden, waiting for a chance to slip back into the bakery when nobody was watching.”

“You’re right,” Miss Frankie said. “It doesn’t help. He’s crazier than a pet squirrel, and my boy is dead because that lunatic wanted more money.” She fell silent for a moment, and neither of us broke the silence. After a minute, she forced a tiny smile. “You’re coming to the Dizzy Duke aren’t you, Detective?”

“I don’t think so, ma’am. That’s for friends and family.”

She wagged a finger in his face. “Don’t you even think about turning me down, young man. All of Philippe’s friends will be there. Everyone from the bakery. Cousins nobody’s ever heard of. You most certainly belong there, and I won’t take no for an answer.”

Sullivan laughed softly. “Then I’d be honored, ma’am, assuming my work schedule will allow it.”

Her smile faded, and she took hold of my arm again. “I guess I can’t ask for more than that, can I?”

He excused himself and left us alone. I watched him walk away before leading Miss Frankie toward the car. She and I still had a few things to sort out between us.

Miss Frankie’s step slowed as she watched Ox and Isabeau leaving the cemetery. “I feel horrible for suspecting that boy. I should have known he wasn’t behind all that mess.” She cut one more glance at them over her shoulder and said, “They’re sweet together, but it’s not going to last.”

“You don’t think so?”

She shook her head. “She’s too young for him. Mark my words. I give it three months, tops. But don’t worry. I don’t think their split will affect the business.”

“I’m not worried.”

With a sigh, she looked at me again and touched my cheek with her fingertips. “I’m so glad you decided to stay, sugar. I don’t know what I’d do without you. We’ll get the paperwork taken care of tomorrow.”

“There’s no rush,” I assured her. I was still struggling to take in all the changes that had occurred in my life in the past week. “We can wait a few days.”

“I’ve made an appointment with Thaddeus already. He’s expecting us at ten.”

I opened the door for her and helped her into her seat, but I paused with the door open and shot her a smile. “What are you trying to do, lock me into the partnership so I can’t change my mind?”

She looked up at me with wide-eyed innocence. “Why, sugar, you know I’d never do a thing like that. I just want to make sure you’re protected.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It’s God’s honest truth,” she exclaimed. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

She had a point, I guess. I shut her door and walked toward the driver’s side, then slid behind the wheel and started the car. I rolled down the windows to let the hot air spill out while we waited for the air conditioner to kick in. As we drove away from the cemetery, the sun burned down on us from a cloudless blue sky, and rays sparkled on the water of a nearby pond. I thought Philippe would approve of my decision to stay in New Orleans and run Zydeco, but I wondered if he’d approve of my decision to live in his house and watch over Miss Frankie.

We reached the exit and pulled into traffic. A breeze stirred in the trees overhead, bringing with it a welcome moment of relief from the heat. I wondered how long it would take me to adjust to the climate. How long it would take me to feel at home in Philippe’s house and behind his desk—or if I ever would.

As we paused for a traffic light, a woman stumbled out of a bar at the corner, and a few bars of Nat King Cole singing “Our Love Is Here to Stay” floated into the atmosphere behind her. Philippe and my song. Was it a sign? Or merely a coincidence? Miss Frankie turned her head and gave me a knowing look, leaving no doubt in my mind what she thought. And maybe she was right. I guess time would tell.

Recipes

Aunt Yolanda’s Chocolate-Banana Coffee Cake

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
⅔
cup (packed) golden brown sugar
⅔
cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 ¼cups very ripe bananas, mashed
2 tablespoons sour cream (can substitute plain yogurt)
1 tablespoon milk
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350 F. (325 if using a glass pan). Grease an 8” × 8” × 2” baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts (if desired), and cinnamon for the streusel topping. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and egg with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add bananas, sour cream (or yogurt), and milk. Mix well. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) until just blended.

Spread a little more than half of the batter in the pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the streusel, and then top with the rest of the streusel. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This coffee cake tastes great the next day and freezes beautifully. Freeze it whole or cut it into pieces wrapped in plastic and placed in a zippered freezer bag.

Zydeco Basic White Cake

Yields one 10-inch cake (3 layers)

A classic cake, perfect for any occasion. The texture makes this cake a joy to work with, and it’s amazingly versatile. Frost with buttercream or dust with powdered sugar for a great coffee cake. Split it into layers and add a filling, or serve it with berries and vanilla ice cream.

1 ½ sticks butter (real butter is always best)
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 ¼cups milk
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract (use real vanilla rather than
vanilla flavoring if you have it!)
6–8 large egg whites (approximately ¾ cup)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare 2 10-inch round cake pans by spraying with nonstick cooking spray and lining each pan with waxed paper cut to fit.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and 2 cups of sugar at high speed until lighter in color and fluffy.

Sift the salt, flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.

Mix the milk and vanilla together.

Add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients alternately to the batter, ending with the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.

Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.

Slowly add the remaining ½ cup sugar to the egg whites, and beat until stiff peaks form.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold a little of the egg whites into the batter, then the remaining whites, until just combined. Do not overmix the batter, or you’ll lose all the air you worked so hard to incorporate, and the texture of the cake will change.

Pour ⅓ of the batter into one cake pan and the remaining ⅔ into the other two pans. Bake for 25–35 minutes. (Check after 25.) Cake is done when a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in their pans for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Zydeco Buttercream Icing

Yields about 3 cups of icing

This recipe is perfect for spreading or decorating. Follow the directions to make it the consistency you need.

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened (real butter
is best if you have it)
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (use regular vanilla
extract if that’s all you have, but the clear variety
won’t change the color of your frosting)
4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar (approximately 1
pound)
2 tablespoons milk

FOR MEDIUM CONSISTENCY

In a large bowl, cream together shortening and butter with an electric mixer. Add vanilla extract. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, and beat well using medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl often to incorporate ingredients.

When the sugar has been mixed in, the icing will appear dry. Don’t worry. This is normal. Add the milk, and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Keep covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep in the refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, the icing will last up to two weeks, but you’ll need to rewhip before using.

FOR THIN ICING (SPREADING CONSISTENCY)

Add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water, or milk.

FOR STIFF ICING

Omit the butter and substitute an additional ½ cup shortening. Add ½ teaspoon No-Color Butter Flavor.

Miss Frankie’s Strawberry Freezer Jam

Yields about 5 half-pint jars of jam

Once you’ve had this, you’ll never want another strawberry jam. It’s so easy to make, too! You’ll need:

1 quart (4 cups) fresh strawberries, cut in half (Do not
use frozen berries)
4 cups sugar
¾ cup water
1 pkg (1 ¾ ounces) powdered fruit pectin

Using a potato masher or a food processor, mash the strawberries until they’re slightly chunky. Don’t puree! You’re looking for 2 cups of crushed strawberries.

Mix the strawberries and sugar together in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t skimp on this process. The sugar needs the full 10 minutes to work on the berries.

Mix the water and the pectin together in a saucepan and heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture is boiling, let it continue to boil for 1 minute.

Pour the hot pectin mixture over the strawberries and stir constantly for 3 minutes.

Immediately spoon the mixture into prepared freezer containers (glass jars), leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the containers and seal. Let stand at room temperature for about 24 hours, or until set.

Store in the freezer for up to 6 months, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Thaw frozen jam and stir before serving.

Dizzy Duke Jambalaya

Yields 4 servings 1 ½ cups each

Jambalaya is a versatile dish that can be made using many variations.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 ounces andouille, sliced into ¼” pieces
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken broth (can use fat-free and low-sodium
varieties if desired)
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (can use
no-salt variety if desired)
½ pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion, bell pepper, minced garlic, and sausage; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add rice and the next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook approximately 2 minutes. Add broth, water, tomato paste, hot pepper sauce, and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Make sure the rice isn’t sticking to the bottom as it simmers, but don’t over-stir during this stage. Too much stirring will change the texture of the rice. You can also omit the hot pepper sauce at this stage and allow diners to season to taste.

Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley and serve.