Murder at Jade Cove (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Book 2) (18 page)

“Have you talked to Marcy
this morning?” Kelly asked.

“Yes. She called to thank
me for saving her life. She sounded much better than last night. She told me
she was going to Portland to stay with her sister until the holidays, and then
she planned on coming back to the ranch so Brandon could spend the holidays at
the home he’s always known. She said she and Brandon needed to decide what they
were going to do about everything. Since the ranch and all the money with the
exception of the insurance proceeds are Brandon’s now, don’t know exactly what
that means.”

“I’m so glad it’s over and
you can take it easy for awhile. Remember, we’ve got a lot more planning to do
for the wedding.”

“What are you talking
about? We decided when, where, and who’s going to be in it. You’ve got your
dress. What more is there to do?”

Kelly stared at him in
disbelief, shook her head, stood up, and started to walk over to the cash
register. She turned back and kissed the top of Mike’s head. “Sweetheart, I
know you think finding killers is tough. Trust me, it’s a piece of cake
compared to planning a wedding.”

“Mike,” Doc said,
laughing, “I’m a doctor and I have to tell you, you’re not looking all that
well at this moment. The next couple of months may be a very interesting time
for you.”

*****

“Kelly, the phone’s for you,” Madison
said that afternoon as she helped Roxie clean up.

“Thanks, Madison. Who is
it?”

“Don’t know. Didn’t
recognize the woman’s voice.”

“This is Kelly Conner.”

“Kelly, we haven’t met,
but I feel I know you very well. My name is Jackie Lewis. I’m Gabe Lewis’
wife.”

Kelly wasn’t sure what she
was expected to say. This was unchartered territory and a call she never
expected to receive. “Jackie, I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting you when I
was at Lewis Kennels the other day, but Angie was so helpful and the friend I
gave the yellow lab to is thrilled with the puppy.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I
love my dogs. I understand that you’re responsible for my husband being in
jail, is that correct?”

Good grief
, Kelly thought.
I’m
glad this is only a phone call and not a personal meeting. I don’t think this
is going to be pleasant
. She took a deep breath and answered, “That is
somewhat correct. I was there when your husband was arrested by the sheriff and
it’s true that I’m partly responsible for him being in jail.”

“Well, you may think this
is strange, but I’m calling to thank you. I was planning on divorcing Gabe and
had met with my attorney to start the proceedings. As a matter of fact, even
though he’s in jail, he’s going to be served with the divorce papers today.
Rather ironic, don’t you think? Anyway, from what his attorney told me when he
called and wanted money from me to bail Gabe out of jail, it sounds like he’ll
be going to prison for a long time.”

“I think that’s probably a
fair assessment. I understand Gabe is still in jail, so I gather you didn’t
arrange for him to get out of jail on bail.”

“No. After all I’ve put up
with him from one affair after another, his lies, his cheating, and his inept
handling of his business affairs, this is karmic justice. He deserves whatever
he gets. I met Marcy Black once and tried to convince her that Gabe was not the
man he told her he was. She didn’t believe me. I don’t envy her. From what I
hear, she’s suffered a lot of losses lately. It’s strange, but I feel the best
I’ve felt in a long time. I feel free and it’s a new, refreshing feeling for
me. Now I can concentrate on my dogs and the kennels. I’m even thinking of
expanding my kennel business.”

“I understood from Angie
that your dogs are your passion.”

“They are. I have three of
my own and every time a litter is born, I feel like I have new little babies. Sounds
crazy, but yes, they are my passion. Speaking of that, is there any chance you
could come out to the kennel this afternoon? I have a thank you present for
you.”

“Jackie, you don’t need to
give me anything. I’m just glad that something good is coming out of this.”

“Well, I know I don’t need
to give you anything, but I would like to thank you in person. How about four
this afternoon?”

“All right. I’ll see you
then.”
Well, that turned out a whole lot different than I thought it would.
Wonder why she was so insistent I meet her at the kennel this afternoon.

Later that afternoon Kelly
drove up the tree-lined driveway to Lewis Kennels and saw the same car that had
been at Marcy’s several days earlier, the SUV with Lewis Kennels written in
bold white letters on it. Her tires crunched on the gravel as she pulled into
the parking place in front of the office. Almost immediately Angie and another
woman walked out the door.

“You must be Kelly,” the
attractive woman said, holding out her hand. “I’m Jackie. Thanks for coming. I
apologize for my appearance. I was cleaning up one of the kennels and I’m sure
I look like a mess.” Her jeans and blue denim shirt were stained and Kelly
could see some strands of hay that had gotten caught in the long braid that
hung down her back. “I’ve got something I want to show you. Please, come with
me.”

Kelly followed her into
the yellow lab kennel where she’d bought Lucky. If possible, it seemed like
there were even more dogs than there had been a few days earlier. Jackie walked
down the center aisle to the back of the kennel and stopped in front of a wire
enclosure. Inside was the most beautiful puppy Kelly had ever seen. It sat
looking up at her with large chocolate brown eyes. Kelly knelt down and held
out her hand, palm down. The puppy gently licked it and then held its paw out
to Kelly. She took it in her hand and turned to look up at Jackie. “She’s
beautiful. I wish I had someone who needed her.”

“From what I heard, you
might just be the perfect candidate for a new puppy. I heard you have a big
beautiful boxer who’s pretty much been your guard dog. I also heard that the
boxer is becoming attached to your fiancé and you need a little more feminine
energy in your house. This little girl is a gift from me to you. You’ve done
more for me than you’ll ever know and this is one small way for me to say thank
you.”

Jackie opened the door of
the wire enclosure, walked in, and scooped the beautiful puppy up in her arms.
She turned around and handed her to Kelly. “Her dam was the best in class at
Westminster and her sire placed first in the Canadian dog show that’s on par
with Westminster. Her lineage is impeccable. She’ll make a great family dog or
she might just help you in some of the other things I hear you do. She’s one of
the smartest little dogs I’ve ever had.”

Kelly held the squirming
little yellow bundle of fur in her arms as tears started to flow down her
cheeks. “Jackie, where did you hear all this about me? This seems to be a lot
more than random guessing on your part.”

“Well, a little birdie by
the name of Sheriff Mike told me when I called to thank him for arresting Gabe.
I told him I wanted to do something for him and that’s when he told me about
you. He said to tell you it was a wedding present from him to you and no, I
refused to be paid for the dog. I just want the dog to have a good home and I’m
certain she will.”

“I’m totally speechless
and from what people say about me, that doesn’t happen very often. Thank you so
much.”

Jackie reached out her
hand and stroked the little puppy. “Have a good life, little girl.” She turned
away, her eyes glistening.

Kelly walked out the door
to the minivan where a dog bed and puppy food had been placed next to it. Angie
waved as Kelly carefully put the puppy in the dog bed and placed it in the back
seat.

Well, some days you just
never know what’s going to happen in your life and this is definitely one of
those days.
She heard a contented sigh coming from the back seat as she turned the
minivan south towards Cedar Bay.

There's a surprise following the
recipes.

CALICO BEAN BAKE

½
pound hamburger

½
pound bacon (cut in 1” pieces)

1
cup chopped onion

½
cup catsup

1
teaspoon salt

½
cup brown sugar

1
teaspoon mustard

1
16 oz. can kidney beans

1
16 oz. can butter beans

1
16 oz. can pork and beans

Preheat
oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the hamburger and bacon. Add
chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent. Place the mixture in an
ovenproof casserole dish. Stir in the catsup, salt, sugar, and mustard.

Drain kidney beans and butter beans and
add to the mixture. Add the can of pork and beans, undrained, to the mixture.
Stir mixture until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Bake for 40 minutes.
Enjoy!

MORMOR’S GRAVLAX

1
salmon filet, approximately 3 lbs

1
large bunch of dill (reserve a few sprigs for garnish)

¼
cup kosher salt

¼
cup sugar

2
tablespoons crushed peppercorns (I crush them in a small food 

processor)

1
tablespoon whole fennel seeds

Pumpernickel
bread, cocktail size rye bread, or crackers for

serving

Optional
– diced red onion, diced hard-boiled egg, capers

Remove any bones that may be in the
filet using a pair of needle nose pliers or tweezers. Cut the salmon filet in
half crosswise and place half of it, skin side down, in a flat deep dish. Wash
and pat the dill dry and place it on top of the filet. Combine the salt, sugar,
peppercorns, and fennel seeds in a small bowl and sprinkle them evenly over the
filet. Place the other half of the salmon on top, skin side up. Cover the dish
with aluminum foil. Place a pan weighted with food cans on top of the foil.
Refrigerate the salmon for two days, turning the fish every 12 hours. Baste
with the liquid that will accumulate in the bottom of the dish.

Drain the liquid and wipe the fish
clean. Using a sharp thin knife, slice the salmon filets across the grain in
long thin slices, removing the skin as you cut it. Arrange the slices on a
serving platter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve,
surround the salmon with bread or crackers and place the mustard sauce in the
center. Scatter the chopped, reserved dill, on top of the thinly sliced salmon.
You may also sprinkle the optional diced red onion, diced hard-boiled egg, and
capers on top.

MUSTARD SAUCE

¼
cup Dijon mustard

1
teaspoon ground dry mustard

3
tablespoons sugar

2
tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/3
cup olive oil

3
tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Combine the mustards, sugar, and
vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and stir in the chopped
dill. Serve chilled with the gravlax. Enjoy!

DUTCH RICHARDS KILLER CHOCOLATE CAKE

2
cups plain flour

2
cups sugar

1
teaspoon baking soda

2
sticks unsalted butter

4
tablespoons cocoa

1
cup water

2
eggs, lightly beaten

½
cup buttermilk

1
teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat
oven to 350 degrees.

Stir
together the flour, sugar, and baking soda. Set aside.

Combine the butter, cocoa, and water
in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the melted butter mixture to the dry
ingredients and mix well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Use electric
beater to combine ingredients thoroughly. Lightly grease a 9” x 13” baking dish
and dust with flour. Pour the mixed ingredients into the dish. Bake for 20
minutes. If the middle of the cake is wiggly, continue baking. Check every five
minutes. Baking time varies with ovens. Don’t over bake.

CHOCOLATE ICING

1
stick unsalted butter

4
tablespoons cocoa

6
tablespoons buttermilk

16
oz. box powdered sugar

1
teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional
– chopped nuts

Combine the butter, cocoa, and
buttermilk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Beat in sugar, vanilla, and nuts if
desired. Pour evenly over the hot cake and let cool. Enjoy!

CARAMEL OVERNIGHT ROLLS

1
15 oz. package frozen dinner roll dough

1
large package dry butterscotch pudding (not instant)

½
cup packed brown sugar