“Okay, I guess.”
He looked me up and down on the stretcher inside the ambulance and let out chuckle. “Yeah, sure you are. Allie, this isn’t going to become a thing, is it? Cause I don’t think I—”
“It’s not going to become a thing,” I said defensively.
“So, how is she?” Javier asked Marcus—like he was the true keeper of information in the vehicle.
“Sprained wrist. Some cuts there too. Inhaled a bit of smoke. I think she’ll pull through.” He winked. “She would’ve been a lot worse off had you not put your cruiser through that wall and found her.”
Javier shook his head. “I wasn’t sure where she was. I was just hoping she wasn’t near the fire. I made a gamble.”
“Well, it paid off,” Marcus told him.
“Where’s Johnny?” I asked. “And how the heck did you get here so fast?” The next question was for Marcus.
“I can answer both of those,” Javier said. “Johnny smashed his car into the iron gate at the front in an attempt to swerve around my car when we got here. He’s banged up but sitting in the back of a patrol car right now. And, believe it or not, Mara Murdock called it in. She said there might be a fire at the barn with a woman inside. So, the fire crew and ambulance got here just after us.”
Well, I'll be.
“Mara explained what happened. She said she had to play along just enough to get away from Johnny herself.”
I gave Javier a dumb-founded look, complete with my jaw dropping. I’d thought she left me for dead. I had no words.
“So, I've got a lot of work to do on the scene. You know the drill. We’ll need to get an official statement from you. I’ll be in touch.”
“Thanks,” I told him earnestly. “Thanks for everything. I don't know what I would’ve done if you didn’t get here when you did.”
“Lucky for both of us, we don't have to think about that right now.” He tucked my hair behind my ear and flashed me his smile. If I was standing, my weak knees would’ve easily buckled. Javier gave me one last wave and smile, then he ducked out the back of the ambulance.
“All right,” Marcus said. “Let’s get you all checked out, cleaned up, and good to go.”
He closed the back door of the ambulance, then told his partner we were ready to leave.
23
Sunday morning, I was eager to go to church. I was as thankful as one can get after coming away from that burnt hull of a barn with only cuts, bruises, a sprained wrist, and a rattily cough.
Fittingly, it was Aunt Denise’s turn to host. But the setting wasn’t much like our typical Sunday. It was more of a party atmosphere, almost like a Christmas Eve when I was younger—complete with my grandmother’s punch. It consisted of Sprite and vanilla ice cream and wasn’t so much a punch as it was a bomb of sugary goodness.
In an effort not to clog my aunt’s driveway, I had Luke pick me up. Mom, Grandmother, and Jack’s parents had all beat us there. Kate and Marcus pulled in right behind us.
“Hi, Carole. It’s good to see you.” Kate wrapped my mom in a hug, acting as if the two of them were old friends.
“This must be Marcus,” Mom said, putting her arm out for him to join the embrace. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
“Yeah, nice to meet you too.” Marcus shot me a look—like I was to blame for their weird behavior? Think again.
I just shrugged, watching as Mom went in to give Marcus an even bigger squeeze than the one Kate had received. “Thank you so much for what you did for my Allie. I just don’t even know what I would’ve done.”
“Just doing my job,” Marcus assured her.
Per usual, Melanie and Jack showed up a few minutes late. But they were the guests of honor—I had to cut them some slack.
Melanie strolled in first, raising her hand so all of us could see the ring on her finger. “I said yes,” she said, smiling.
“She did,” said Jack. He glowed pink from embarrassment all the way to his ears.
It was my turn for a hug. Then I spent a few seconds ogling the round cushion diamond adorning Melanie’s left ring finger. “Jack did good,” I told her.
As happy as I was for Melanie, there was a definite sting in seeing her ring for myself. My younger cousin was engaged. I was nowhere near that monumental moment in life.
At least I had a boy that was a friend that was an almost, maybe quasi, boyfriend. Had this happened a year before, when I was in the middle of the biggest dating drought of my life, well, things wouldn’t have been good on the inside of Allie’s brain. Pints of Chunky Monkey would be sacrificed. They still probably will be, I thought to myself.
“So,” Mom poked her head between us, “how did he propose?”
“Before we dive into all the nitty gritty details, let's say grace,” Uncle Billy commanded. “I’m starving. And those deviled eggs are calling my name.”
“Pretty sure the good Lord doesn’t bless deviled eggs,” Dustin told his father.
“Pretty sure you can do the honors, son,” Billy said.
Mom called for everyone to take their seats.
Everyone joined hands and listened as Dustin prayed for the meal, but before we could say amen, Uncle Billy added his own version. He gave praises and asked for many blessings, mentioning Jack and Melanie’s upcoming wedding several times. Then he gave thanks for God’s good graces saving me from the fire.
“So, Jack, how did you propose?” I inquired with Uncle Billy satisfied as the food began to pass around the table.
“Yeah, how did you? I’m Luke, by the way.” In all the commotion, I’d forgotten to introduce him.
Jack looked like a dear caught in headlights. “Well, I…”
“Do you want me to tell it?” Melanie asked.
“No,” he said confidently. “I've got this, babe.”
“Well, if I'm going to be honest, it was supposed to happen last weekend. Ya know, at the dinner party thing. But with everything that happened, well, you understand. I just knew that Melanie has wanted a wedding at Bentley’s for who knows how long. I thought it’d be cool to propose there too. Kind of a full circle thing.”
“Very cool,” Luke put in.
“Yeah,” Jack agreed, “it would’ve been.” Jack continued to regale all the women of the family, and Luke, with the sweetest tale of how he set up a romantic afternoon picnic with rose petals beneath the giant oak tree in the park downtown. Everyone knew the oak tree he meant. The tree was the largest in town with large tufts of Spanish moss hanging down like the exquisite natural garland that it is. The location alone was swoon worthy.
“Yeah, it was a nice gesture,” Melanie interrupted. “But about fifteen minutes into our January picnic, I admitted that this girl couldn't take the cold any longer.”
Mom laughed. Grandmother, Aunt Denise, and I all shook our heads in sad solidarity—we Treadwell ladies are cold-natured.
“I sent her off to the truck with the keys to warm up while I cleaned the picnic up, and brought the remnants of the meal back to her.”
Melanie butted in again, “The food was never touched again.” Melanie and Jack gazed deep into each other's eyes.
“I couldn't wait any longer. As soon as I got in the truck, I had to ask her to be my wife.”
“And you know the rest,” Melanie said. “I said I’d think about it. Just kidding.”
“Get a room,” Dustin said, lightly shoving his sister on her shoulder.
Melanie shoved him back. “With all that’s happened,” she said, “I just can’t see having the wedding at Bentley’s. Allie, I’m sure you understand what I mean.”
“I understand,” I told her. “But I think things are turning around there. Blake should be released by now, and once he and Mara work through some things, I think Bentley’s will be the perfect venue. You should think about giving them a chance at least.”
“I’ll think about it,” Melanie agreed.
Luke squeezed my fingers under the table. “You should trust Allie. She’s g
ot excellent taste in everything. She wouldn’t steer you wrong.”
“Even guys?” Dustin asked him. “I’m not so sure I like her taste in guys.”
Always the joker. “Dustin!” I scolded him.
“No, Allie, it’s all right,” Luke said. Then he turned to Dustin. “Trust me. Allie has impeccable taste in men.”
The End
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Carole’s Mississippi Pot Roast
One of my favorite things to make in the Crockpot is Mississippi Pot Roast. Recently, my husband had success making it with his new go-to gadget, the Instant Pot.
Here’s what you need:
A chuck roast - you may want to trim the fat (we’re adding more).
Up to a jar of peperoncino peppers or 6 seeded jalapeño peppers (more on this later)
A packet of buttermilk ranch dressing mix
A one ounce packet of au jus gravy mix
One stick of salted butter (told you)
1 cup water
Combine the ingredients in the Crockpot. First, sprinkle the ranch dressing and au jus mix as if they too were seasoning, and finally dressing up the roast with the peppers - as much or little as desired.
For cooking, you could add one cup of water OR use the juice from the peppers, depending on your heat tolerance.
Cook on low for six to eight hours. Alternatively, you can speed the process up in the InstantPot for between 60 to 70 minutes on High Pressure, depending on size of the roast. Then let it naturally release.
I usually remove the peppers after cooking is complete.
Also by Christine Zane Thomas
Food File Mysteries starring Allie Treadwell
The Salty Taste of Murder
A Choice Cocktail of Death
A Juicy Morsel of Jealousy (Jan 2019)
The Bitter Bite of Betrayal (Feb 2019)
Comics and Coffee Case Files starring Kirby Jackson and Gambit
Book 1: Marvels, Mochas, and Murder (Dec 2018)
Book 2: Lattes and Lies (Jan 2019)
A Choice Cocktail of Death (A Foodie Files Mystery Book 2) Page 11
