Cedar Bay Cozy Mysteries #3

by Dianne Harman

  ALBONDIGAS (CUBAN MEATBALLS) IN SAUCE

  Meatball Ingredients:

  2 eggs

  1 cup cracker crumbs (I use packaged)

  ¼ cup milk

  1 ½ lbs. ground beef

  1 tsp. dry yellow mustard

  2 tsp. cumin

  ½ tsp. pepper

  1 small onion, chopped

  ½ green onion, finely chopped

  1 tbsp. olive oil

  Flour for coating meatballs

  Sauce Ingredients:

  2 tbsp. olive oil

  1 medium onion, chopped

  1 green pepper, chopped

  4 garlic cloves, mashed

  1/3 cup ketchup

  1 tbsp. white vinegar

  1 tbsp. brown sugar

  1 tsp. salt

  1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

  Directions:

  In a large bowl, combine eggs, cracker crumbs, and milk. Blend in the ground beef and remaining ingredients. (I use my hands to mix it.) Form into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Lightly roll meatballs in flour. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add meatballs to oil. Cook 3 – 5 minutes turning so all sides are browned. When fully cooked remove from oil and drain on a paper towel lined cookie sheet.

  To make sauce, sauté onion and green pepper in olive oil until translucent. Add mashed garlic during the last minute or two of frying. Remove garlic. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour sauce into a large sauce pan, add the meatballs, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low for about 30 minutes. To serve, remove meatballs to a serving platter, topped with desired amount of sauce. Enjoy!

  TRES LECHES CAKE (CAKE WITH THREE KINDS OF MILK)

  Cake Ingredients:

  1 cup sugar, divided

  5 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

  1/3 cup milk

  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  1 cup flour, sifted

  1 ½ tsp. baking powder

  ½ tsp. cream of tartar

  Directions:

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan. In a large mixing bowl beat ¾ cup sugar and 5 egg yolks for approximately 5 minutes or until the yolks are pale yellow. Gently stir in the milk, vanilla extract, flour, and baking powder.

  In another bowl, beat the 5 egg whites until soft peaks form, adding the cream of tartar after 20 seconds. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and continue beating until the whites are glossy and firm. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Pour the batter into a baking dish and bake 40 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cake cool completely on a metal rack. While the cake is cooling, prepare the syrup.

  Syrup Ingredients:

  1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

  1 cup sweetened condensed milk

  1 cup whipping cream

  1 tsp. vanilla extract

  1 tbsp. dark Cuban rum

  Directions:

  In a large bowl combine the ingredients until well blended.

  When the cake has cooled, pierce it about every ½ inch, taking care not to tear the cake. Keep the cake in the baking dish and place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch the syrup when it overflows. Slowly pour the syrup over the top of the cake, spooning the overflow back on top until all the syrup is absorbed.

  Topping Ingredients:

  1 cup whipping cream

  2 tbsp. granulated sugar

  ½ tsp. vanilla extract

  Directions:

  In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Gently spread over the top of the cake after the syrup has soaked in. Enjoy!

  MOROS Y CRISTIANOS (BLACK BEANS AND RICE DISH)

  Ingredients:

  1 ½ cups dried black beans

  ¼ cup olive oil

  2 ½ cups diced onions

  2 ½ cups green pepper, seeded and diced

  4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

  3 tsp. ground cumin

  1 tsp. oregano

  1 bay leaf

  3 tbsp. white vinegar

  2 tbsp. tomato paste

  2 tsp. salt

  ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

  4 ½ cups chicken stock

  3 cups long grain white rice

  2 tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

  Directions:

  Cover the dry beans with 4 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for one hour.

  Drain and rinse the beans. Add enough water to cover them and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until tender, about 45 – 60 minutes. Drain.

  Rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear. Use a large covered stockpot and sauté the onion and green pepper in the olive oil until tender. Add garlic and sauté 1 – 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, black beans, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, and vinegar. Cook for about five minutes, stirring gently. Add the chicken stock and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 – 30 minutes until rice is fully cooked.

  Adjust seasonings by adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf and serve. Enjoy!

  Up next is Trouble at the Kennel.

  Trouble at the Kennel

  CHAPTER 1

  “Mike, our trip to Cuba was amazing. I’m so glad we went. I still can’t believe I’ve been to Italy and Cuba, and in both places, I got involved solving a murder! I wonder what the chances are of something like that happening. The only down side was that it involved a lot of travel. Kind of a hurry up and wait at all the airports. I can’t seem to sleep on an airplane, and last night was no exception.

  “I know it’s early, but I’d like to go directly to the boarding kennel and pick up the dogs. I really missed Rebel and Lady,” Kelly said, as they began the drive from the Portland airport to their home in Cedar Bay located on the central coast of Oregon.

  “I missed them too,” the burly greying county sheriff said. “We’ll go there first, but you better be ready to get out your checkbook. That place is really pricey. The first time I ever saw it was when we took the dogs there on the way to the airport. Any place that has a video camera so you can watch your dog on your iPhone and has a lake behind the barn that was created just for the dogs has got to be expensive. Don’t think very many people have it as good as the dogs that stay there do.

  “Anyway, back to our trip. When I booked the trip to Italy, I was thinking more of food, wine, cooking, and seeing the sights of Tuscany rather than spending most of my time in an Italian police station helping the chief of police solve a murder. Of course, the Signor who owned the cooking school, did tell us when we left that we were always welcome to come back, and he wouldn’t charge us because he was so grateful to us for having helped catch the person who murdered his wife.”

  “I’d happily go back there, plus we did get to spend some time in Florence, and I loved that part of the trip. As far as I’m concerned Mike, it really was kind of like the honeymoon we never got to take right after we were married.”

  “I agree and you have to admit that Cuba was amazing. The setting was kind of like something you’d read about but never expected to see. Even though I got caught up in helping to solve the murder, I did love the fly fishing. That was pretty spectacular.”

  “Mike, the one thing I regret is that we couldn’t bring Cayo, the stray cat that kind of adopted me, back with us. After all, he’s probably responsible for saving my life. I got pretty attached to that little guy. I know it’s probably for the best, but…”

  She was interrupted by Mike who said in a no-nonsense tone of voice, “That was simply out of the question. Two dogs are enough. We are not starting a zoo and that’s final.”

  “All right. I know that tone of voice.”

  As they drove down the highway towards Cedar Bay, they spent time reminiscing about recent events and how good it would be to get home. “I know you’re not
going to like this, but if I could have, I also would have brought Caesar home with me from Italy. I think he would have thoroughly enjoyed living with all of us, but I know that big dog will have a good home with Dominico and his two boys. Hope his wife likes big dogs.”

  “Kelly, I’m serious. Two dogs are plenty. Lady’s a very well behaved dog, actually her name fits her perfectly, and there is no doubt in my mind that Rebel is an old soul. Nothing upsets that dog, but we’ve peaked on animals. I can’t imagine what we’d do with another one. Don’t forget, as Beaver County Sheriff, I have to keep the county safe, and you have to keep making people happy by feeding them the comfort food you serve them at Kelly’s Koffee Shop. With all the time our jobs require we just wouldn’t have time to care for a third dog or a cat. Nope, two dogs are definitely enough for us.”

  They were about twenty minutes from the kennel when Mike’s cell phone rang. Although drivers in Oregon can’t legally talk on a cell phone while operating a vehicle, there’s an exemption for law enforcement personnel, and Mike took advantage of it. “This is Sheriff Reynolds.”

  He listened and then said, “I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Oh, Mike, not business. I thought we were going to the kennel.”

  “We are, Kelly,” Mike said grimly. “That was one of my deputies. He’s there right now. Your friend, Mary Barnes, the owner of the kennel, has been murdered. Her daughter’s on her way there right now. Kelly, there’s something else I need to tell you. Whoever did it opened the gates on the dog kennels and released all of the dogs. Mary had two people who stayed at the kennel at night, and they’ve been able to round up several of the dogs and fortunately Lady was one of them. She’s all right, however, Rebel hasn’t been found, so keep your eyes peeled. Maybe we’ll see him on the way there.”

  “Oh, no, no! Not Rebel. He knows not to go in the street, but he doesn’t know this area at all, and he’s probably confused. Mike, we have to find him.”

  “Kelly, I have to investigate Mary’s murder. If we can’t find him on the way there, you take the car and start looking for him.”

  “I just had a horrible thought. The kennel’s only about a mile from the freeway. I hope none of the dogs went in that direction.”

  “So do I, sweetheart, so do I.” Even though Mike was driving his own car rather than his official patrol car, he justified his high rate of speed as part of getting to the scene of a crime. In a few short minutes they pulled up to the Doggie Love Kennel and saw the blue and red flashing lights of several sheriffs’ cars. Mike and Kelly jumped out of their car and ran up to a deputy who was standing nearby.

  “Any sign of Rebel, Ralph?”

  “’Fraid not, Mike. Noelle, Mary’s daughter, called several people to help look for the dogs, and I called the county animal shelter as well as putting a couple of our deputies on it.”

  “How many dogs do they think are missing? I know the kennel was the biggest one in the county.”

  “They estimate around thirty. They were able to find a number of them, and they’ve been placed in secure kennels. I’ve cordoned off the murder scene area, but I’ve been waiting for you. Thought you would want to oversee the investigation.”

  Mike turned to Kelly and handed her the car keys. “Start looking for Rebel and any other dogs that look like they may be strays or appear to be confused. Keep your phone next to you. If he’s brought in, I’ll call you.”

  Kelly ran back to their car, unsure where she should start looking. Her main concern was the freeway, so she began driving the roads that led to it. She drove back and forth on various different roads, trying to set up a grid type of search pattern. The thought crossed her mind that some of the dogs might have just taken off and were running through the nearby brush or residential yards and might make it to the freeway. She resigned herself to the fact that she couldn’t do anything about it.

  Fifteen minutes later she saw a beagle running alongside the road. She pulled in front of him, got out of the car, and began saying, “Kennel, boy, kennel.” The beagle stopped and looked at her. She chided herself for not thinking to bring any dog treats, something she always had in her minivan. She opened the back door of the car and said, “Kennel, boy, kennel.” The beagle jumped in the car, and she quickly closed the door behind him. She said a silent prayer of thanks to whoever had taught the beagle the “kennel” command, the one she always used for Lady and Rebel.

  A half hour later she’d found three other dogs, but no Rebel. She drove back to the kennel, went through the gate, and yelled to Ralph, “Here are four of the missing dogs. Have someone kennel them. Tell Mike I haven’t found Rebel yet. I’m going back out.” She put the car in reverse and left the kennel, slowly driving up and down nearby streets. When she neared a school, she slowed down and thought she saw some movement in the bushes next to the school. She stopped the car and looked out the window. There, lying down under a bush, she could just make out the fawn colored coat of a dog who was panting heavily. She opened the back door and began to slowly walk towards the dog, her heart thudding. “Rebel, Rebel, come,” she said, hoping against hope it was Rebel. Suddenly the big dog came running out of the bushes towards Kelly, almost knocking her down.

  “Easy, Rebel easy. Let’s go for a ride. Kennel, boy, kennel. We’ll get Lady and go home. No matter what the facts of the murder are, Mike is going to be one happy man when he sees you.”

  A few minutes later Kelly drove through the gate of the Doggie Love Kennel, and Mike strode towards the car with a big grin on his face when he saw Rebel sitting in the back seat. He opened the door and gave the big dog a hug. “Rebel, I’ve never been so glad to see a dog in my life. Come on. You look like you could use some water.” He walked Rebel over to the big tub of water Mary always kept filled for the dogs.

  He turned to Kelly. “Why don’t you take Lady and Rebel and go home? I’ll get a ride with Ralph when we finish here. There are still about twenty dogs missing. Mary’s daughter just got here, and I need to spend some time with her and see if she has any thoughts on why this happened.”

  “Okay, see you at home.” Kelly put Rebel back in the car and walked into the kennel area, found Lady, and took her out to the car. On the drive home Kelly thought about why anyone would want to kill Mary Barnes, one of the sweetest, most loving women she’d ever met.

  And to deliberately release dogs from a kennel? All of them would be unfamiliar with the surrounding area. What kind of a sick person does something like that? Talk about cruelty to animals. I know I’ve promised Mike several times I’d never get involved in another one of his cases, especially a murder investigation, but this one’s personal. If it hadn’t been for me, Rebel would probably be a statistic – just one more dog that was killed on a freeway. Thank heavens I found him.

  CHAPTER 2

  Susan Yates stood at her window and listened to the constant yelping and barking coming from the Doggie Love Kennel next door. Even though the kennel was situated on three acres of land, she could still hear the dogs, and she hated it.

  Darned dogs have it better than I do, she thought. I can barely make ends meet as it is with the small amount of money I get from the state for being disabled. Lucky my parents died and willed me this piece of property, or I’d be homeless. Be nice if my back didn’t hurt so much, and I could clean up the yard, but I’m the only one who lives here, and I don’t care. I suppose it really doesn’t matter, considering no one ever comes out here anyway.

  She looked out at the rusted washer and dryer sitting next to the driveway and the abandoned car with broken-out windows. Various other items of junk were scattered helter-skelter around the property. Inside the house was more of the same, only worse. She couldn’t bring herself to throw anything out, and over the years she’d become a hoarder. Trash and clutter were everywhere. The house was small, almost a dot on the two acres of property that were covered with weeds and dry dirt. There were a few trees here and there. An old rusted chain link fence on three sides
of the property separated her from her neighbors. The Doggie Love Kennel had replaced the fencing between its property and hers with a shiny new chain link fence, so none of the dogs could get loose from the kennel through the many holes in Susan’s fence.

  While she looked out the window, she thought back to how she’d gotten to this place in her life. She remembered when she’d been happily married to Jerry Yates. They’d lived in Cedar Bay in a house that overlooked the water. She’d loved the house with its tubs and baskets that she filled with brightly colored plants. As soon as the plants started to lose their blooms, she replaced them with fresh ones, so there was always plenty of color on the steps leading up to the house and on the patio.

  Things started to take a turn for the worse when Jerry lost his job. The sawmill where he’d been employed for many years had closed, and he couldn’t find any work. He became despondent and started drinking heavily. One morning she woke up and found a note from him, “Susan, I’m sorry. Goodbye. You deserve better than this. Since most of the lumber that comes into the United States comes from Canada, I’ve decided to go up there and see if I can find work. I’ll call for you when I find a job.”

  She turned away from the window and sat down, wondering if he was still alive. She’d never heard from him, and shortly after he’d left, she’d fallen over a box someone had inadvertently left in the hallway of the medical building where she’d worked as a receptionist. Het back was injured in the fall. Several operations later her back was no better, and her bank account was depleted. Although she’d been given a personal injury settlement by the insurance company who insured the medical building, it all went to pay for the unsuccessful surgeries. Her parents died in an automobile accident about that time and left their house to her. She couldn’t afford to stay in the house she and Jerry had owned, and she let it revert to the bank which had put a lien on it for nonpayment of the mortgage. She’d moved to her parents’ home and spent much of her time thinking about the past and how her life was seemingly over.