by Mary Maxwell
“Which one?” I asked. “It seems like they were juggling at least two or three illegal things at the same time.”
“I’m talking about the plot to kidnap Tony Hett, file a claim with the insurance company and then leave the country once the proceeds were safely in an off-shore bank account.”
“So Darren and Liz cooked up this scheme?”
“According to the emails, Liz actually approached Darren with the concept a few weeks after they started having an affair.”
“Are you kidding me? His wife’s just been diagnosed with cancer and…” I was so mad that I couldn’t finish the thought. “What a snake! How did Darren Rigby go from being a happy, content corporate executive to a heartless, soulless creep?”
“Baby steps,” Dina said. “There’s an email that Darren wrote to Liz around that same time. He told her that once he met Tony Hett and saw what a millionaire’s lifestyle was like, he decided to do whatever it took to achieve the same for himself.”
“So you’re telling me this whole thing started with greed?” I asked.
“Plain and simple,” Dina answered. “Carrie Norton told Violet about Tony’s kidnapping insurance, and then—”
“So Carrie was involved in Tony’s kidnapping and murder?” I said. “I thought she was an informant.”
“She was,” Dina said. “And she still is. Telling Violet about the insurance was a slip of the tongue after a glass of wine one night at dinner. Carrie had no way to know that Violet would innocently pass that information along to Darren and Liz. Even more, Carrie could’ve never predicted what Darren and Liz might do after they learned that the policy has a twenty million dollar payout. But once they found out about it, they started drooling as soon as they confirmed that a claim could be filed by a business partner.”
“Ah, I get it,” I said. “Darren could submit a claim because he and Tony had signed a contract for the sketchy lingerie operation.”
“That’s right,” Dina said. “Once they confirmed the policy was legit, they started working on a plan. Liz knew Dwight and Graham Rankin. Dwight enlisted Rooster. And once they’d sketched in a few details, they were off and running.”
“But why did Tony Hett call 911 if his abduction was fake?”
Dina chuckled softly. “Tony didn’t make that call,” she said. “It was Rooster. We found solid proof in his phone logs, but he also confessed to making the call after his arrest yesterday at his brother’s place in Fort Collins.”
“What about the others?” I asked. “Where did you find them?”
“Darren and Liz were trying to leave the country,” she said. “But they were just as unsuccessful with that as they were trying to file a claim for Tony Hett’s kidnapping insurance.”
“And Dwight Rankin?” I said.
“Oh, that sad little man,” Dina said. “He was arrested while replacing the faucet on a sink in one of the restrooms at the self-defense school.”
“A dedicated employee to the very end,” I said.
“Well, I don’t know about that,” she replied. “The arresting officers said he was half way through a six-pack of Budweiser at the time.”
“Sounds perfect,” I said. “Considering that Darren always wanted people to think he was the epitome of business acumen and intellectual excellence, it’s quite ironic that one of his colleagues was arrested under such dodgy circumstances.”
CHAPTER 43
My sister and I had been talking for almost ten minutes about Leo Leachman’s newest television commercial when she suddenly blurted out our brother’s name.
“You’re going to love this, Katie!” she said once she caught her breath. “And you better not tell anyone that I’m the person that gave you the scoop.”
“Promise,” I said. “What’s the deal? Did they get the marriage annulled already?”
She shrieked. “That’s not possible because they never got married!” She paused. “Did you hear me? Brody. Never. Got. Married.”
“Okay, I get it. Stop yelping in my ear.”
“I’m not yelping,” she said. “I’m dying! When I talked to our dear, sweet mother, she was so mad that I heard her say things that have never passed her lips before.”
“Like, ‘You were right. The asymmetrical haircut was a huge mistake.’ Or maybe, ‘I’m sorry that I embarrassed you by wearing those hideous lime green shorts to the church picnic.’”
Olivia snickered. “No, you crazy nut! And I’m not going to repeat any of the naughty words that she said. I’m at work. Plus, you know, Cooper and I are trying to really watch our language. The boys are taking a class in morals and ethics at school. You wouldn’t believe the things we talk about at dinner these days.”
“That sounds like a class all of us should take,” I teased. “Can adults audit any of the lectures?”
“So here’s the deal,” she said, skipping over my question. “I had a call from someone that I went to school with in Crescent Creek. She told me that another one of our classmates saw something on Facebook about Brody acting in a movie!”
“Our brother?”
She giggled. “I know! Too much, right?”
“Or too little,” I said. “As in, too little talent. What movie was it?”
“I don’t know the name of it,” Olivia answered. “It sounded kind of like Wedding Crashers, but it’s in Mexico on the beach and everyone’s totally hot and wearing bathing suits and sunglasses.”
“And what part does Brody play?” I asked.
“The groom!”
It took me a moment. But as soon as I processed Olivia’s comment, I guessed what had happened to get our mother so upset.
“This isn’t a joke?” I asked.
“It’s on Facebook,” she said.
“Well, sure,” I replied. “But did Brody confirm any of this?”
“He replied to one of my texts,” she said. “He met some people at a party in Beverly Hills when he drove up from San Diego for a long weekend. One of the women was a producer, and she was making a low-budget comedy. I guess she liked Brody’s face or something.”
“And then,” I said in disbelief, “the next thing anybody knows, someone tells our mother that her son eloped to Mexico?”
“Yep!” She squealed loudly into the phone. “Isn’t that simply hilarious? Our dear, ditzy mother fell for it!”
“Well, did you tell her that it’s not true?”
“I left a message on dad’s phone,” Olivia said. “But she and I had a little tiff, so it’ll probably take her a while to stop being stubborn and actually call back.”
“What about a text?” I asked. “Or email?”
“She’s got me blocked at the moment,” my sister replied.
“That sounds like more than a tiff,” I said.
Olivia laughed. “I told her that it was none of her business when she got snarky about something related to the boys.”
“Uh-oh,” I said. “Grandmother knows best, right?”
“Not always,” my sister said. “And definitely not when it comes to teaching morals and ethics to our kids.”
“I can’t argue with you there,” I said. “But I will give her a call in a few minutes to see if she’ll answer. If the rumor about Brody’s elopement is fake, I don’t want her to stew any longer than she already has.”
CHAPTER 44
“You busy?” Zack asked when he called the next afternoon around five.
I was sitting at the desk in the Sky High office, feet up, a decaf cappuccino within reach and the new issue of Bon Appétit on my lap.
“Swamped,” I said. “You wouldn’t believe how hard I’m working right now.”
He laughed. “You’ve got your feet up, don’t you?”
“Possibly,” I said.
“Nobody deserves a break more than you,” he replied. “But I need a favor.”
“Anything,” I told him.
“Can you come pick me up?” he asked. “The car’s back in the shop. They’re short-handed this after
noon, so nobody’s around to give me a lift.”
“Then it’s your lucky day, mister,” I said. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll be there.”
“Thanks,” he replied. “You’re my hero, my angel and my—”
“Chauffeur,” I said. “As well as your champion, your admirer and your—”
“Best friend,” he added tenderly. “I’d be lost without you, babe.”
The declaration left me momentarily speechless. Then it sent a rush of warmth through my heart. And then it triggered the familiar phrase that we’d been repeating to one another almost since the day we met.
“Where should we eat?”
He chuckled before running through a list of options: Café Fleur, the barbecue place near City Hall, Luigi’s for Italian, Drake’s Deli for a quick sandwich or Pepper & Roni’s for their whole wheat pizza with fresh marinara and buffalo mozzarella.
“Your choice,” I said. “Any of those would be awesome! Or there’s a new burger joint in the little strip mall that just opened on Adobe Road near Birch Street.”
“Yes, that’s it!” His volume increased tenfold. “I saw a killer review for that place on Small Town Sizzler. I also heard Harriet Bloom talking about it at the bank. She called it the best eatery to open in town this year.”
“It’s also the only new spot that’s opened since January,” I told him. “But who’s counting?”
“Sounds like you are,” he said. “Is there bad blood between you and Mrs. Bloom?”
“Not at all,” I answered. “And I’m sorry if I sounded grouchy just then. But Harriet is a little bit like a magpie; she’s most attracted to anything shiny and new.”
“Fair enough,” he said. “But why don’t we reserve judgment until after our meal?”
“The voice of reason,” I said. “Thank goodness you keep me grounded.”
“And I’m happy to do it,” Zack replied. “Because you do the same thing for me.”
I closed the magazine and dropped it on the desk.
“Alrighty,” I said. “I better get my rear in gear. I need to check the front door, do a spin through the kitchen to make sure that everything’s turned off and then I’ll hit the road.”
“I’ll be waiting,” he said. “I’ll be the lonesome cowboy in front of Duke’s body shop.”
“Giddy-up!” I replied with a laugh. “I’ll see you soon, buckaroo!”
Nana Reed’s Sky High Recipes
Cherry Chip Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 stick softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
2. Prepare two baking sheets: lightly grease or line with parchment paper.
3. Cream together softened butter and brown sugar.
4. Add the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract, blending thoroughly.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
7. Fold in 3/4 cup cherries and 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
8. Use teaspoons or scoop to form dough balls and arrange them on baking sheets.
9. Press remaining cherries and chocolate chips onto top of the dough balls.
10. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes.
11. Briefly cool on baking sheets before moving to wire racks to finish cooling.
Cherry Chip Bars
Ingredients
1 cup softened unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 21-ounce cans of cherry pie filling
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
2. Prepare 15x10x1-inch baking pan: lightly grease or line with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and salt.
4. Add eggs separately; beat well after each egg is placed in the bowl.
5. Blend in vanilla extract and almond extract.
6. Slowly add one cup of flour at a time; allow each cup to incorporate fully before adding the next.
7. Use a spatula to smooth dough onto prepared baking pan.
8. Cover dough with cherry pie filling.
9. Sprinkle chocolate chips and scoops of remaining dough across the top.
10. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Cool briefly before garnishing with Sky High Glistening Glaze (see next page).
Sky High Glistening Glaze
Ingredients
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon orange juice
1/3 cup orange zest
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Drizzle over bars before slicing and serving.
Cherry Chip Pie
Ingredients
5 cups pitted fresh cherries
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 stick chilled unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons ice water
Nana Reed’s Ready for Rollin’ Dough (see next page)
Directions
1. Position rack in lower half of oven.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
3. Divide dough into two equal portions; cover one half with towel or plastic wrap and set aside.
4. Roll out remaining dough on lightly-floured surface to form 10-inch round.
5. Transfer dough to 9-inch pie pan.
6. Press dough over bottom and sides of pan, trimming edges to about 1/2-inch.
7. Mix together cherries, lemon juice, vanilla extract, almond extract, sugar, cinnamon and chocolate chips.
8. Spoon fruit mixture into pie shell and dot with cubes of chilled butter.
9. Roll second half of dough to form 10-inch round.
10. Position second 10-inch round over fruit mixture, trimming and crimping edges.
11. Slice 3 or 4 air vents in top of pie.
12. Whisk together egg and water; brush resulting glaze over the top of the pie.
13. Bake 50 to 60 minutes on baking sheet until crust is golden brown and juices are visible through air vents. Cover crimped edges with foil if they appear to be browning too quickly.
14. Cool and serve plain or with vanilla ice cream.
Nana Reed’s Ready for Rollin’ Dough
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, zested
3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
Directions
1. Combine flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in large mixing bowl.
2. Add butter and mix with pastry blender or hands.
3. Use blender or hands to add egg yolk and ice water to dough.
4. Consistency of dough is essential for an ideal crust. As you blend ingredients, periodically squeeze small amount of dough between thumb and forefinger. The moisture level should be sufficient to bind dough without being too wet or sticky. Add small amounts of ice water and continue mixing until you’re satisfied with the consistency.
5. Shape dough into round disk.
6. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and r
efrigerate (30 to 60 minutes) until firm.
