by C A Phipps
“Brad and Magnus were friends and jocks at school. I knew Brad was a great swimmer and in the swim team. It was a hunch that Magnus was too, nothing more.”
“Hmmm.”
“Can we open it together?” she asked, trying to keep her excitement tamped down.
He took it from her and placed it on the desk. Deputy Jacobs shifted the gun so he could get a better look.
Ethan cut the seal and peeled back several layers of plastic. Inside was a tin.
“Just a minute.”
Ethan headed to a room behind the desk and came back with a packet. He opened it and dropped a key onto the desk. Maddie recognized it immediately.
Heart racing, fingers rapping on her leg, she could barely contain herself waiting for him to open the tin. She held her breath as he pulled out a sheaf of papers.
“Well?” she asked.
“Dates, names, places, and stock—it’s all here!”
“Well done, Maddie!” Deputy Jacobs cheered, and another two deputies clapped.
Ethan raised an eyebrow at them. “Yes, well done. Rob, call Detective Jones and tell him the news.” He turned back to her. “I don’t know whether to thank or scold you.”
Maddie tried to look apologetic and was apparently unsuccessful.
He sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Dinner? Gran’s invited everyone back from last night.”
His mouth twitched, then he gave another more exaggerated sigh. “That sounds good. I could do with more home cooking like last night. Steak and salad get a bit old when you have it most nights.”
She grinned. “Have I got a deal for you. My cooking glass is up and running if you’re up for it.”
“I have the distinct memory of you saying that I would intimidate everyone if I came. Plus I’m Layla’s babysitter.”
“There’s always Beth? She’s done it before.”
“Yeah, cooking classes side by side with my competitive sister? No thanks. What about someone on one training at another time?”
She laughed. “Maybe. Perhaps we could discuss that tonight, Sheriff.”
For a few moments it felt like they were the only two people in the room, then they both became aware that the group had turned into a larger one who were very interested in this conversation. Deputies or not, any news was fodder in a small town like Maple Falls.
Ethan coughed. “We should also discuss your flouting of this departments requests requests to stay out of trouble.”
She nodded, gave him a cheeky wink and waved at the others.
At the door, another sigh was audible, and she restrained herself until she got back to Honey, where she gave in to belly laughs. Relief and love could make a person ridiculously happy.
The handsome Sheriff thought she was a handful, but finding the tin and its proof was a big deal, and the gun could provide another important piece of evidence if it turned out to be the murder weapon and they could prove who the owner was.
When she got back home, Big Red ran out to meet the car and meowed in his unique way. He was annoyed with her, yet glad to see her.
“I wasn’t long. Next time you can come. I promise.”
He sulked for a few more seconds, then wound himself around her legs. All was forgiven.
Epilogue
The girlz sat at Gran’s large wooden table surrounded by Luke, Suzy’s parents, Ethan, Detective Jones, and Deputy Jacobs, who were all chatting about the case and Beth, who sat close to Angel and watched the room as if she couldn’t believe she was there.
“I’m glad that’s over with.” Maddie stretched, pleased to be clean, dry, and warm once more. She’d had enough of any water that didn’t come from a shower or a tea cup. “I’m almost looking forward to getting back to Gran’s non-spring cleaning.”
“Me too,” Angel said, raising her glass of wine to her friends so they could chink glasses. “And I’d be pleased to help. You know, a few days ago I didn’t think it would turn out this way.”
Suzy nodded. “Brad must have had a radical change of heart, to ensure the proof stayed hidden by getting Magnus to hide it. That was a stroke of genius.”
“Especially not knowing where it was hidden,” Maddie agreed “It sounds like he was already turning his life around before Caleb came after him. The people who were meeting up with him outside of his group in AA, sure gave him great references, according to Ethan.”
She shot a quick look to where the Sheriff was assuring Suzy’s father that Caleb would pay for his crimes if found guilty.
Angel leaned forward and sensing an unburdening, the others did too.
“Is it bad that I still don’t want Brad to stay in Maple Falls when this is all sorted?” she whispered.
“Not at all.” Maddie insisted. “He’d hurt you, and by coming here, he put you in danger. Brad should have told the police in Destiny or Portland and left you out of it.”
Angel shook her head. “He had no one he could trust and, as it happened, he wasn’t wrong, was he?”
Suzy took a thoughtful sip. “It is odd that he thought you were the only person he could turn to after what happened between you.”
“We’d known each other for years before we married and despite his bad attitude at times, he could be the nice guy I fell in love with. That man appeared less and less with the alcohol, but I still remember how it was at the beginning. I hoped to see that side of him again, which is why I stayed with him so long.”
Maddie tapped the table top. “Are you still in love with him?”
Angel looked her straight in the eye. “I can truthfully say that I’m not. I fell out of love with him over time, but there was something that kept me from leaving until it was all gone. I can’t imagine getting any of that back, and I don’t want it.”
“Not even a piece?” Suzy asked gently.
“No,” Angel said emphatically.
Having already decided that Angel was over Brad, but needing it clarified, Maddie gave her an innocent look. “I know a certain detective who would find that interesting.”
Angel checked to see that the Detective wasn’t in hearing distance, her cheeks reddening even as she denied it.
“Detective Jones is a professional. He’s not interested in me other than as a witness.”
“Whatever. That man can’t drag his eyes from you. Every time he sees you he looks dazed.”
“Suzy! You’re such a storyteller. No wonder you made a great teacher.” Angel gave her a gentle push.
The others laughed, and Maddie wondered how long it would take for Angel to allow herself to see the truth of it. Both tall and good looking, they made a darn cute couple and Angel had enough sass that Steve Jones would be challenged to keep up his staunch front.
“What about Deputy Neilson?” Gran asked Ethan.
Everyone wanted to hear that answer.
“He lived not far from the twins’ farm and was a drinking buddy of Caleb’s. Turns out he was taking back-handers for not checking on reports and generally looking the other way to Caleb’s exploits. Caleb threatened to oust him unless he took a position in Maple Falls and move the whole shipment to the cave Maddie and the Girlz found.”
“So he made Brad’s escape look like someone had broken in to free him when Neilson was inside all along?” Maddie asked.
Ethan nodded. “That’s right. After visiting Angel, who naturally let him in, he picked up Brad, making them both his prisoners. Then he took them out to the cabin and dropped them off so he could get back to the station.”
“But why would he damage his career this way?” she pressed.
“Caleb promised no one would find out it was him, and Neilson preferred it to death, so he says.”
“That means he was going to kill Angel.”
Laura’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears until Deputy Jacobs put an arm around her shoulders. She didn’t move away, although she looked like a deer in headlights.
Detective Jones coughed. “Luckily, that didn’t happen
, and that is all you’re getting from the department until the hearings.” He turned to Gran with a semi-smile. “Thank you, Mrs. Flynn, for inviting me. Your food is amazing and the company even better.” He nodded to everyone, but his final look before he left was to Angel.
“Tell me he’s not interested,” Suzy nudged Angel.
Rosy-cheeked she took another sip, but a smile played around her lips, and they all heard Gran sigh with pleasure.
Maddie rolled her eyes, but inside she was doing cartwheels. Everyone was where they were supposed to be—safe and healthy, apart from Suzy’s ankle.
And, this latest batch of love in Maple Falls was shaping up to be a good one.
Thank You
Thanks so much for reading Doughnuts and Disaster, the fourth book in the Maple Lane Mystery series.
Don’t forget to leave a review, because your opinion matters to me.
Recipes
These recipes are ones I use all the time and have come down the generations from my mum, grandmother, and some I have adapted from other recipes. Also, I now have my husband’s grandmother’s recipe book. Exciting! I’ll be bringing some of them to life very soon.
Just a wee reminder, that I am a New Zealander. Occasionally I may have missed converting into ounces and pounds for my American readers.
My apologies for that, and please let me know—if you do try them—how they turn out.
Cheryl x
Doughnuts
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dash ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
Instructions:
1Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3Mix in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk and egg until smooth.
4Knead lightly, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat to 1/4 inch thickness.
5Cut with a doughnut cutter, or use two round biscuit cutters of different sizes.
6Carefully drop doughnuts into hot oil, a few at a time. Do not overcrowd pan or oil may overflow. Fry, turning once, for 3 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels.
7When still slightly warm dip in cinnamon flavored sugar.
Fillings:
Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick, poke a hole into one side of each donut. Using a pastry bag, fitted with a small round nozzle, insert the tip into the hole of each donut and gently squeeze to fill.
Chocolate Custard
Ingredients
2 ounces chopped 70% cocoa chocolate
4 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup cream.
Instructions
1Place 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.
2Whisk 4 large egg yolks with 6 tablespoons sugar, and ¼ cup cornstarch in another bowl.
3Combine ¼ cup cocoa powder and ½ teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally.
4Pour ¼ of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Repeat until all the milk mixture is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
5Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
6Strain the custard through the sieve into the bowl of chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth.
7Cool before covering, then refrigerate until set enough and cool enough to use.
Quick Raspberry Jam
Ingredients
2 cups frozen raspberries
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of water
Instructions
1Mix 2 cups frozen raspberries, ½ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, and salt with 2 tablespoons of water in a medium pot over medium heat.
2Stir until the mixture thickens—about 10 minutes.
S’mores
Ingredients
A box of graham crackers
One bar milk chocolate, broken into pieces
Pinch salt
marshmallows
Instructions
1Break a cracker in half and top each half with a square of chocolate
2Warm the marshmallow over a flame using a steel long-handled fork or a stick if it’s at a bonfire
3Add to the chocolate topped crackers
4Press down slightly and eat while still warm.
Microwave for fast delivery!
1On a plate add half the graham cracker, cover with a square of chocolate.
2Top the graham crackers with a marshmallow.
3Microwave for 15 seconds.
4Top with the other half of graham cracker press down a little and enjoy!
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup crunchy or smooth peanut butter (your preference)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter softened, or 1 cup margarine,
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1⁄2 cups plain flour
Instructions:
1Cream butter, peanut butter, white and brown sugar together.
2Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.
3Add baking soda, baking powder and vanilla extract.
4Sift flour and stir in .
5Roll into balls, and flatten cookies with a fork.
6Bake on baking paper at 350 degrees C or 180 degrees F for 6-8 minutes .
Eclairs and Extortion
Money can be a weapon!
Maddie did not see it coming.
When a relative comes home after many years, it should be a time of happiness and celebration.
But family is not always what they seem and no matter what you wish, you don’t get to choose the ones that are your blood.
Thankfully, there are friends who feel like family. Friends who’ll pitch in when along with money problem comes a nasty murder.
The sheriff was some ideas, but will Maddie want to listen to them?
About the Author
C.A Phipps is a USA Today Bestselling Author.
‘Life is a mystery.’
Cheryl loves a good mystery filled with feisty heroines, and wonderful small towns with heart-warming tales of strong family ties mixed in with a little romance and humour.humor
She lives in a quiet suburb of New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, with her wonderful husband, who she married the moment she left school (yes, they were high school sweethearts).
A lover of animals, with a few children, and even more grandchildren, who keep her young, she loves family times, dining out, and travel, in that order.
www.caphipps.com
[email protected]
