by Cleo Coyle
I passed the CD-R to Tucker and asked him to pop it into our player. A minute later, a pure, sweet voice filled the coffeehouse. M sang about pain and longing and a love that could never be.
Hearing her words, and the powerful emotion in her delivery, Boris caught my eye. “Wery nice,” he said. “The voice is beautiful, lyrics, too, but production walues . . .” Boris shook his head. “Nyet,” he said, giving a thumbs-down. “Takes much money to make professional recording. Ten thousand, just for studio time.”
Ten thousand dollars was precisely the amount Moirin had planned to present to Dave, according to her scribbled note. It seemed clear enough: M wanted Dave to produce her songs, even if she had to bribe him to do it.
And from the poignant, heart-tugging lyrics M had written, something else was clear. Ross Puckett and my barista Dante were wasting their time when they hit on M. She wasn’t interested, and not because of what happened in Ireland.
It was because M wanted more from David Brice than a production engineer. She wanted the man’s love. Making a professional recording was only part of what she dreamed of sharing with him . . .
“Play that last song again,” I asked.
As the tune repeated, I gazed through the French doors. The winter sun was strong this morning, and a light snow began to fall. While the flakes swirled in midair, I mentally painted M there, looking in on us before taking her journey.
I didn’t see her as an earthly body anymore, or a smoky ghost. Now she seemed more like the snow, crystalline and ethereal; bright and beautiful. My vision was like a little-girl memory—lying in whiteness, working arms and legs until something special was left behind for everyone to marvel at.
It was then I knew what M had become.
An angel.
And when the heavenly host sang their hallelujahs at midnight tonight, she’d be right at home.
Epilogue
“I’LL see you tomorrow then, sweetheart, in time for Christmas dinner . . .”
I said good-bye, wishing Quinn a Merry Christmas. Then I put my cell on manner mode and took a deep breath. Mike Quinn had planned to be here with me, on Christmas Eve, but something came up at work. Once again, he was stuck in Washington.
I tried not to feel disappointed. Instead, I focused on the positive—and tonight, in Evergreen’s Recreation Center, there was enough buzzing energy to power a metropolis.
Even seniors who had a place to go for the holidays told their families to pick them up tomorrow. That’s how excited they were to see this show.
“Yeah, The Christmas Stocking is a great little play,” I assured Matt and Madame in seats on either side of me.
Matt pointed to the plateglass windows overlooking the beach. “I don’t know, given the rock-in-the-sock slingshot climax, I think Punch’s drag version of White Christmas is going to be the safer half of the evening.”
Madame raised an eyebrow and waved her program. “I didn’t know the White Christmas revue was going to be in drag.”
“You’re offended?” I asked, a bit surprised, given her long history with the Village people.
“Offended?” she chirped in outrage. “My dear, how can you even think such a thing! Torch Song Trilogy had its first read-through on the Blend’s second floor!”
“So sorry,” I said, biting my cheek.
She leaned close. “What concerns me is your actor friends. They better watch out for some of these older gentlemen.” She switched to mime, pinching her fingers together and pointing to her derriere.
“Mother’s right,” Matt said. “Some of these geezers still have the drive, but their vision isn’t so good.”
I waved my hand. “Believe me, Punch can take care of himself.”
The White Christmas revue began, and we settled down to enjoy a wonderful evening of singing, dancing, and comic repartee. Watching Punch in his blond Vera-Ellen wig, I was amazed. Resplendent in peacock blue, he truly looked like a woman.
That’s when I decided Tuck wasn’t entirely right about life on the stage. I thought about everything I’d been through this holiday season, all the fake names and false leads, the masquerades and murders. It seemed to me, in the end . . .
Sometimes what you see isn’t what you get.
* * *
A few hours later, I was sitting on a train in Penn Station, waiting for it to depart.
I couldn’t help myself. After Matt dropped me off in Manhattan, my duplex felt far too empty—and I’d had my heart set on making my special Panettone Pain Perdu for Quinn’s Christmas morning breakfast.
Now I still could.
After a few short hours napping on the rails, I’d be in Washington, in time to surprise Mike when the sun came up Christmas morning. How special would that be?
I smiled, thinking about his arms around me, enjoying breakfast, going to church. I could almost hear the jingle-jingle-jingle of the Village Blend–blue snowflake scarf I’d given him. He wore it all the time now, and it warmed my heart.
Jingle-jingle-jingle . . .
I blinked, realizing I actually was hearing that jingle bell scarf. I looked out the window, onto an arriving track. Another train was pulling out, and the platform revealed the source—Mike Quinn! Or was it?
Had that crazy guy hatched the same idea I had? Had he taken a late-night train to surprise me Christmas morning?! If it was him, and I didn’t do something fast, he was going to spend the holiday alone at my empty apartment while I’d be at his!
I wanted to call to the man, but the window was sealed. I sprang from my seat and moved down the crowded aisle. At the train’s open door, I shouted out—
“Mike! Mike Quinn! Is that you?!”
The man turned and peered across the platforms.
“Clare!”
It was Mike!
The next thing I knew, the train’s air brake whooshed and the cars began to move. I hurried back down the aisle, grabbed my overnight bag, and headed for the exit once more, but the car was so crowded. It took me forever!
When I finally reached the door again, I found Mike jogging down the platform, calling to me. I threw my bag to him, and he caught it.
“Jump!” he cried. “I’ll catch you!”
I took a breath for courage and flew into the air. Mike did as promised and I landed in his arms. We laughed and hugged.
“Let’s go home,” I said.
We climbed the steps, finding the station’s large waiting area nearly empty. A small knot of lone travelers sat together on a bench, sipping coffee, a guitar case open at their feet.
A man in the group began strumming “Silent Night.” A young woman joined in. She had dark hair and a lovely smile, and her pure voice made me think of freshly fallen snow.
Suddenly the big board fluttered with news of the updated departures, and I thought of Moirin. Her trip was complete now. She was at peace.
“Look,” Mike said, pointing at the station’s clock. “It’s after midnight.”
“So it is.”
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart . . .”
I wished him the same, but as he moved to kiss me, I stopped him with an upsetting thought. “Oh, Mike, I just remembered. I had your gift in a tote bag, all ready for the tree. I left it on the train!”
I wanted to cry. I’d picked it out special, wrapped it with care. “I’m so sorry. Your Christmas gift is lost!”
“No it isn’t,” he whispered, touching my cheek. “It’s right here.”
He smiled, and I did, too, feeling the magic of the hour as the duet of carolers echoed across the cavernous room. Then he bent his head once more, and together we exchanged the most profound gift of any Christmas.
In a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest . . . They are the magi.
—O. HENRY, THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
RECIPES & TIPS FROM THE VILLAGE BLEND
Visit Cleo Coyle’s virtual Village Blend at
www.CoffeehouseMystery.com
* Janelle’s “Best on the Planet” Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Eggnog Shortbread Cookies
* Pfeffernüsse
* New Mexican Biscochitos
* Candy Cane Frosted Brownies
* New Orleans Gingerbread (Gâteau de Sirop)
* Oatmeal Cookie Brittle
* Clare’s Gumdrop Cookies
* Leftover Cranberry Sauce Holiday Pastries
* Clare’s Panettone Pain Perdu with Maple Butter Syrup
* Matteo Allegro’s 8 Napkin Patty Melt
* and many others . . .
Recipes
Janelle’s Gingerbread Crackle Cookies
Clare Cosi certainly understood why barista Esther called these cookies “Christmas crack.” The spices, brown sugar, and molasses blend together in the oven to produce the quintessential aromas of the Yuletide holiday.
One of the best spice cookies Clare ever tasted, Janelle’s recipe produces a balanced, flavorful treat with the perfect contrasting textures of a chewy, spicy center and crisp, sugary surface. Her baker’s secret? Just the right amount of butter and molasses to keep the middle soft, while the white sugar inside and the raw sugar outside contribute to that satisfying crunch.
Janelle has a stern warning, though: Follow the recipe exactly. Before baking, roll the cookie dough balls in turbinado or demerara sugar (also known as raw sugar or Sugar in the Raw). If you substitute standard white, granulated sugar for this step, you will not get the same great cookie that Village Blend customers swoon over.
May you bake and eat them with the joy of this special season!
Makes 3 dozen cookies
3⁄4 cup (11⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3⁄4 cup white, granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons molasses, unsulphured, not blackstrap
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
21⁄2 teaspoons ground ginger
13⁄4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
11⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
21⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup turbinado (raw) sugar for rolling (*see note)
*NOTE: Do not substitute white, granulated sugar for this step. You will not get the same wonderful results. Turbinado sugar is the name of a coarse, natural brown sugar. In the United States, you may know it under the brand name Sugar in the Raw. In the United Kingdom, a version of this sugar is referred to as demerara.
Step 1—Make the dough: Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and two sugars until light and fluffy in texture. Add the egg, molasses, vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, salt, and pepper, and beat until blended. Stop the mixer, add the flour, and mix only until a smooth dough forms and all flour is incorporated. (Do not overmix at this stage or you’ll develop the gluten in the flour and your cookies will be tough instead of tender.)
Step 2—Chill it, baby: The dough will be soft and sticky. To firm it up, you must cover it in plastic and chill it for at least 3 hours (or overnight). This rest period also allows the spices to permeate the dough and the wonderful flavors to develop.
Step 3—Roll in sugar: When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. Butter your hands and roll the sticky dough into balls (about 11⁄2 inches in diameter). Gently roll each ball in the raw sugar (turbinado or demerara), making sure to completely coat. Arrange sugar-coated balls on prepared pans, allowing space for spreading.
Step 4—Bake: In your preheated (375°F) oven, bake 12–15 minutes. The cookie balls will flatten out and crack on the surface. Remove cookies from oven while still soft. If you bake them until they are hard, you have overbaked them! Remove pan from oven and allow soft, warm cookies to set up a bit before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
A holiday hit at the Village Blend, these cookies combine the sweet, luscious flavor of a soft chocolate cookie with the festive peppermint crunch of Christmas candy canes. When baked, they taste like a cookie-fied version of a Peppermint Pattie!
While these cookies are fantastic naked, you can also gild the peppermint lily by topping them with Tucker’s pink Candy Cane Frosting—a brilliant yet easy recipe that will also transform a plain, boxed brownie mix into a cookie swap treasure.
You can find Tucker’s recipe for pink Candy Cane Frosting and many more in Holiday Grind, another holiday-themed mystery in Cleo Coyle’s Coffeehouse series.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1⁄2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1⁄2 cup white, granulated sugar
1⁄3 cup plain whole milk yogurt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1⁄2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup finely crushed candy canes
(To finish) 1⁄4 cup white, granulated sugar
Step 1—Create dough: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add yogurt, egg whites, vanilla, and blend. Add cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, baking powder, and soda and blend until smooth. Finally add the flour. As the dough comes together, fold in the crushed candy canes. Do not overmix at this stage.
Step 2—Chill, baby: The dough will be sticky, so cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours (overnight is fine, too). Chilling and resting will make the dough easier to work with and allow the flavors to develop.
Step 3—Roll and bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease hands with butter and form dough into balls. Roll in white, granulated sugar (coat completely) and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone sheets, allowing space for spreading. Bake 8–12 minutes. Do not over- bake. When edges are firm, cookies are done. Remove from hot pan and cool on a wire rack.
Clare Cosi’s New York Cheesecake Cookies with Candied Strawberry Drizzle
This impressive stuffed cookie was one of Matt’s favorites back when he and Clare were married. These days, when he’s been very, very good, Clare still bakes up a batch for him. They’re easy to make because they use a cake mix starter. The simple addition of finely crushed graham crackers subtly mimics the flavor of a New York Cheesecake, and the sweetened cream cheese filling adds to the flavor illusion. The cookie is not complete until you’ve drizzled it with Clare’s candied strawberry syrup, which makes it an especially festive-looking cookie for the holiday season. Close your eyes, take a bite, and you’re practically sitting with Clare and Matt at a Village Blend café table.
Makes 10 big, coffeehouse-size cookies
For the Cheesecake Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
For the Cookie:
1 box of vanilla cake mix
2 tablespoons finely crushed graham crackers
2 large eggs
1⁄2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon lemon extract
Step 1—Make the cheesecake filling: Combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, carve out 10 balls of the filling and set them on a wax paper–covered dinner or pie plate. Place the plate in the freezer and chill for at least 4 hours.
Step 2—Create dough and chill: Finely crush the graham crackers using a food proc
essor. To crush by hand, place crackers in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin or other heavy object. Pour the crushed crackers into a large mixing bowl. Add the box of cake mix, eggs, canola oil, and vanilla and lemon extracts. Using an electric mixer, beat until well blended. The dough will be wet, sticky, and difficult to work with, which is why you must wrap it in plastic and refrigerate it until firm, about two hours (overnight is fine, too).
Step 3—Assemble: When the dough firms into an almost Play-Doh texture, it’s chilled enough. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a dinner or pie plate with wax or parchment paper and place in the refrigerator or freezer. To assemble the cookie, take a golf ball–sized piece of dough and flatten it in your hand. Place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center of the flattened dough and wrap the dough completely around it. Seal it up so that no cheesecake filling is showing. Gently roll this mass back into a ball and place it on the plate in your refrigerator or freezer. When you’ve formed all the cookies, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer chilled cookie balls.
Clare’s Tip: These cookies spread quite a bit, which is why she advises you to make not more than a few at a time.
Step 4—Bake: In your well-preheated oven, bake these cookies for 12–14 minutes. The cookies will flatten and their surface will begin to crack. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully slide the parchment paper, cookies and all, onto a wire rack to finish cooling. If you want to store cookies for more than a day, place them in a plastic container in the refrigerator, taking care to put wax paper between each layer.
Step 5—Finishing drizzle: When the cookies have cooled, they’re ready to finish with Clare’s Candied Strawberry Drizzle. The sweet tang of this drizzle is the perfect complement to offset the buttery, caramelized richness of the sweet cream cheese–stuffed sugar cookie. If you have no time to make Clare’s delicious recipe below, take a shortcut with a premade strawberry ice cream topping and . . . eat with joy!
