Buzz Off (36 page)
Authors: Hannah Reed
Ben had stopped up ahead at the same spot as before, alert and ready, but for what?
“Ben,” I screamed when I saw Ray take off after me. “Attack!”
Ben perked up, totally ready, but he didn’t move.
“Ben, help!”
Nothing. For all he knew, this was one of many simulations, a pretend assault to test his ability to follow orders precisely. What had Hunter told me? That Ben wouldn’t attack without the proper command, and even then, only if it came from him.
Damn!
Damn!
Just then, my flip-flopped right foot hit a dip in the earth and twisted. Down I went between two hives, giving Ray enough time to catch up.
“Where is it?” he wanted to know. I knew exactly what he meant: the journal.
“Someplace where you’ll never find it,” I said.
I stayed on the ground. Ray trained the gun on me. “I’ll kill you if you don’t tell me.”
“You’re going to kill me anyway.”
Ray grinned. It wasn’t pretty. “It should have been you with your face in the water instead of that other woman. I screwed up once, but I won’t this time.”
I remembered standing at the window with my customers that day and the comments they had made about how much Faye looked like me.
Oh my God! He’d mistaken Faye Tilley for me!
I chanced a look at Ben. He still waited by the trees.
“Most of it went as planned,” Ray couldn’t help saying, sounding proud.
“Like what?”
“I have the hives. That’s what’s most important.”
“Where are Manny’s beehives?” I asked.
“My parent’s farm out on Highway E. And I’ll get yours, too. Good thing I phoned in the fire alert or those idiots would have destroyed your hives. The board was going to vote against you, you know.”
“All this extra trouble just to get my two measly hives? Getting greedy will do you in.”
“You always had such a smart mouth.” Ray came closer.
“What did Kenny do to deserve to die?”
“We had a bargain. He was going to be my silent partner, buy the property, since Manny was dead and Grace would be easy to convince. I would raise strong bees using Manny’s research notes. We’d take over the entire territory. Then Kenny started getting suspicious, asking too many questions about Manny’s death. When I couldn’t produce the journal, he tried to back out. But a deal’s a deal.”
“So you shot him?”
“I call it tying up loose ends. Just like I’m going to tie up this one.”
“You’re the one who sent the e-mail to the cops, trying to frame me for Faye’s murder.”
Ray smiled and I wondered why I hadn’t ever noticed before how nasty his smile really was. “After I realized I killed the wrong woman, I thought it might be fun to see you in jail. Too bad the police chief didn’t bite.”
I had been scooting backward on the ground and circling so I could see Ben, all the time thinking of command possibilities while bees flew overhead like clouds. I noticed when Ray said that last sentence about the police chief not biting, Ben had reacted by perking up even more, to extra-high alert.
I could tell by Ray’s eyes that he was tired of talking, that he was building up to the moment when he raised the gun and fired.
This was my last chance to activate the K-9 cop.
“What did you mean,” I said, “the police chief wouldn’t BITE?!” I yelled the last word at the top of my lungs. Ray looked startled and confused. “BITE!” I yelled again, not screaming hysterically like I wanted to, but trying to sound loud and commanding.
Ray had his back to Ben. He couldn’t see that the big dog was on the move. Ben came at a dead run and hit Ray like a freight train, taking him down and attaching his jaw to one of Ray’s arms. I saw the gleam of sharp teeth.
Ben stayed down with Ray as I waded into the action and came out with the gun. Unlike my fear of dogs, guns didn’t scare me. Although I wasn’t sure where the safety was. Or if it was on.
Ray kept begging for my help, the rotten creep, but even if I’d wanted to, I had no idea how to stop Ben.
Finally, I heard a voice calling from behind me, from close by the building.
“Off!” Hunter shouted, and I turned my head to see he had a gun trained our way. It was as simple as that. Ben let go. “You’re supposed to be primping for our date,” Hunter said to me.
“Something came up,” I said. “How did you find me?”
“Tracking device under your truck. I got worried about you when the truck stopped in the middle of nowhere and didn’t move.”
“That is just too sneaky,” I said, more grateful than I ever thought I’d be to discover my movements had been followed without my knowledge. “Remind me to file a complaint later.”
And that’s how I was saved by a dog and his man.
Forty-three
As it turned out, Hunter and I never did getto go out that night. The paperwork, aka the red tape, took forever, and afterward we spent time piecing together what happened. It helped that Ray Goodwin was in a talkative mood, telling so many lies as he tried to pin the illegal stuff on his ex-partner that he tripped himself up and eventually the whole truth came out.
Especially when he found out that Kenny Langley was still alive.
I guess I’m not the world’s best pulse-taker after all.
Kenny, as it turned out, wasn’t guilty of more than choosing bad friends and offering to front money for a bad business deal.
Ray, on the other hand, had:
• Made anonymous, threatening phone calls to Manny, which was a stupid way to handle a hostile takeover.
• Pulled off the robbery at the Chapmans’, stealing a camera and some cash to mislead the police, but making it obvious to Manny that he needed to hide his journal.
• Captured a large yellow jacket nest, which agitated them into attack mode, surprised Manny inside his honey house and locked him in with the nest until he was stung to death, then dragged him into the beeyard and covered him in honey to make it look like the docile honeybees had killed him.
• Decided to kill me, too, for good measure, since he was afraid I would talk Grace into giving me all the beehives. He killed the wrong woman instead.
• Hired one of Kenny’s beeyard helpers to pick up all the bees from Manny’s, but still couldn’t find the journal, which was an important part of the future of his new business.
• Sent the false tip, burglarized my store looking for the journal, and left the earring, still hoping to frame me.
• Shot Kenny when he backed out of their deal.
And for all that, Ray would spend the rest of his life in prison. Good riddance.
A week after the truth came out, I walked down Main Street to open The Wild Clover and found Grace Chapman waiting for me in the blue Adirondack chair outside the store. She hadn’t been around much since Ray was arrested.
I could understand her pain. It was one thing to lose your husband to a freak accident. It was quite another to find out he was murdered. I could sympathize with her, because I’d loved Manny, too, only in a different way than she did.
“Sit down,” Grace said, and I cautiously seated myself in the yellow Adirondack, leaving one chair between us.
I really hoped she wasn’t armed.
By some miracle my cousin Carrie Ann arrived early, greeted us as though Grace and I always sat outside the store together, and disappeared inside.
“We’ve both been through a lot,” Grace said, making a point of studying her hands instead of looking directly at me. “And it’s time to clear the air between us.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“You start,” she said, putting me on the spot.
And so I did, telling her everything that had happened along the way, starting from the day of Manny’s death through the confrontation I’d had with Ray in Kenny’s beeyard. I told her about my hopes and dreams regarding Queen Bee Honey, about how the honeybees meant as much to me as the financial end of the business. I even told her how much I had cared about her husband, and what a great friend and mentor he had been to me.
“I found Manny’s journal hidden under one of my hives,” I said, wrapping up my story. “Patti really did see him in my backyard, but he was hiding the journal to keep it safe, not visiting me in some clandestine affair.”
When I was through, Grace dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and said, “Thank you for sharing with me. The journal is yours. It was special to Manny, and maybe you can get some use out of it. And I called Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin to make arrangements to relocate the bees. They’re yours, too, if you want them.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. “Yes!” I said, leaping up and giving her a hug right where she sat, which almost resulted in both of us tipping out onto the grass.
“We’ll have to sit down and figure out the rest later,” she said, getting up as soon as I backed off. Without another glance, she headed for the front door of The Wild Clover.
The bees were mine! All eighty-one hives. Eighty-three, to be exact, including my two. The enormity of the project suddenly overwhelmed me. Could I do it alone? Run the store and the honey business?
After all I’d gone through to get Manny’s honeybees, I’d better be able to handle it.
I went inside to call my sister. We had some bees to move.
As for the rest of the story:
• Clay, for the first time in his life, honored a promise he’d made to me. Once he was released—thanks in no small part to my efforts—he put his house up for sale and moved back to Milwaukee. The only part I didn’t particularly like was that he used Lori Spandle as his real estate agent.
• The house is still on the market.
• I still avoid Mom and think Grams is the best.
• I haven’t paid Holly back yet, but she likes being a part of The Wild Clover so much, I asked her to stay as long as she wanted.
• Carrie Ann’s sober most of the time.
• Plans are under way to move the honey house, which I now own along with the rest of Queen Bee Honey
.
.
• I have a new kayak. Yellow, of course.
• Hunter and I have started spending a lot of time together.
• Ben likes to come along.
The Wild Clover
September Newsletter
September Newsletter
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL HONEY MONTH!
Notes from the beeyard:
• This year’s batch of honey has been bottled and is on the shelves!
• Our honeybees are preparing for winter.
• Watch for news about upcoming honey tastings.
Here are a few simple honey concoctions:
• Honey lemonade—stir ½ cup honey into 1 quart hot water. Squeeze in 4 lemons.
• Honey dressing for fruit salad—half honey, half lemon juice. Yogurt and cinnamon to taste.
• Caramel corn—heat ⅓ cup honey, ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter. Pour over popcorn.
• A tasty appetizer—slice of pecorino or parmigiano, slice of pear, drizzle with honey.
• Old-fashioned cough remedy: equal parts honey, lemon juice, and whiskey.
Honey Frozen Custard
The secret to Wisconsin’s famous frozen custard’s creamy texture is egg yolks and 10 percent butterfat. Here’s my take on this special regional treat.
6 eggs
⅔ cup honey
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Ice Cream Maker
⅔ cup honey
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Ice Cream Maker
Whisk together eggs and honey. Heat milk and 1¼ cups cream until almost simmering, stirring. Important! Unless you want honey scrambled eggs, make sure to SLOWLY add 1 cup of cream mixture to egg mixture, whisking. Add to pan and simmer until thick enough to coat spoon; continue to stir. Cool; chill in fridge at least one hour. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and remaining ¾ cup cream. Pour into ice cream maker, and follow those directions.
Honey Candy Bites
½ cup butter
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup honey
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups grated coconut
2 cups Rice Krispies (or Cornflakes), slightly crushed
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup honey
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups grated coconut
2 cups Rice Krispies (or Cornflakes), slightly crushed
In a large saucepan, melt butter and blend in flour, salt, honey, and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until dough pulls away from sides of pan. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and 1 cup coconut. Cool for a few minutes and add cereal. Shape into 1-inch balls, roll in remaining ½ cup coconut. Store in refrigerator.
Apple Gingersnap Crunch
This is the best! It includes sugar
and
honey.
and
honey.
1 cup gingersnap cookies, crumbled
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
4 apples, cut into chunks
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup pecans, chopped
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
4 apples, cut into chunks
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup pecans, chopped
Preheat over to 350°.
Mix cookie crumbs, ½ cup sugar, flour, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pressed. Spread half over the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking dish and pack down lightly.
Mix together apples, honey, and cinnamon. Spread in pan. Add pecans to remaining cookie mix and spread over top.
Bake 50-60 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is well browned.
Serve with frozen custard or ice cream.
Wild Grape Jam
At this time of the year, grapes are growing wild along Wisconsin back roads. They are free for the picking.
3 pounds wild grapes, a mix of ripe and partially ripe
½ cup water
1 cup honey per cup of juice (or to taste)
3 ounces liquid pectin
½ cup water
1 cup honey per cup of juice (or to taste)
3 ounces liquid pectin
Stem and wash grapes. Slightly crush in the bottom of a pan, using a fork or potato masher. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain mixture through cheesecloth. Measure juicy pulp into a saucepan and add honey. Boil for 1 minute, then add pectin. Boil again for 1 full minute.
Notes from the garden:
• Don’t forget to dry seeds from your flowers and vegetables for next year’s seed swap!
• One zinnia pod contains as many as one hundred seeds—and honeybees love zinnia nectar.
• Jalapeños are technically fruits, not vegetables.
• Use beet greens from your garden early and the beets will grow more tops.
Salsa to Die for
20 tomatillos
1 onion, quartered
2 jalapeños (or to taste)
4 Anaheim peppers
Cilantro (optional)
Salt to taste
1 onion, quartered
2 jalapeños (or to taste)
4 Anaheim peppers
Cilantro (optional)
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 425°. Roast tomatillos, onion, and peppers for 15 minutes. Put in food processor with cilantro until coarsely chopped. Add salt.
Story’s Summertime Beet Soup
1 pound beets, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 Thai chili pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
Whipping cream
Chives
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 Thai chili pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
Whipping cream
Chives
Put all ingredients except salt, pepper, cream, and chives into pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Add salt and pepper.
Cool slightly, strain, and reserve liquid from the pot; puree cooked vegetables in food processor. Combine liquid and vegetables, stir in a little whipping cream to taste. Serve warm or chilled. Garnish bowls with chives.
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