A Death at the Yoga Café
Page 22
Suzy herself had moved back to Bakewell for the time being, although she had told Megan she planned to settle in Belfrey, and Christian was in jail awaiting sentencing, after pleading guilty. Duane had moved into the space left in Megan’s loft. They were at the table now, along with Ben and Jack, who was pushing Bambi’s hairy head from the table as the large dog eyed the meringues with obvious desire. It would have completed the picture, she thought wryly, if Raquel had been there with Duane, but she was nowhere to be seen, having taken up with an older, wealthy man from Matlock. Her brief incarceration in her own basement at the diner had obviously put her off Belfrey for a while. In a funny kind of way, Keeley almost missed her. Fortunately, Duane seemed to have taken Raquel’s latest defection in his stride and had even been out on a date with one of his colleagues at the gym, a pleasant girl with a tan that rivaled even his.
Wiping her hands on her apron, Keeley went to sit down with her friends, sliding onto the chair next to Ben and smiling as he reached for her hand under the table and squeezed it, running the rough pad of his thumb over her palm. She was officially moving in with him this week, and Darla would for the time being stay in the apartment upstairs, though Keeley privately thought that it wouldn’t be long before her mother took up permanent residence at Jack’s.
Ben had asked her to move in with him a week after Christian’s arrest, a shy look on his face as he had done so. Keeley had been taken aback. “You’re sure you just don’t want to keep an eye on me?” she had asked with suspicion. Ben had laughed at that. “If I thought it would keep you out of trouble, I might try it,” he had said, then his voice had turned soft as he added, “I want a future with you. And I want it to start now.” Keeley had said yes without even pausing for thought.
She looked up now as the door chimed to see Diana Glover coming in, a basket under her arm. Keeley got up to greet her, smiling warmly. Diana gave her a shy smile back, one that didn’t quite touch her eyes, which were sadder and more haunted than ever. Keeley sometimes thought she would give anything to see a bit of genuine joy on the older woman’s face.
“Here’s the eggs and cheese you asked for. I had a batch of muffins that needed eating, so I’ve popped them in too.”
“Thank you.” Keeley went to the till to take out the payment for the eggs and cheese, and as she passed it over to Diana she noticed how fragile and small the older woman’s hands were.
“Would you like a cup of tea, on the house?” Keeley offered. “We can try these delicious-looking muffins.”
Diana looked as if she was considering the offer, then shook her head. “No, I had better get back, Ted’s expecting me.” She rushed off without looking at the others. Keeley watched her go with a sigh, wishing there was something she could do to help. Looking up, she saw Jack watching her.
“That Ted Glover needs taking down a peg or two,” he said, taking a puff of his pipe. “And I reckon he’ll get his comeuppance sooner rather than later.”
“I hope so,” said Keeley quietly, “for Diana’s sake.”
“You mark my words,” Jack said with a decisive nod of his head. “One of these days, there’ll be murders up at that farm.”
Recipes from the Yoga Café
SUMMER FRUIT SMOOTHIE
Serves 1
Ingredients
• 225 grams (8 ounces) fresh blackberries
• 225 grams (8 ounces) fresh raspberries
• 225 grams (8 ounces) fresh blueberries
• 1 just-ripe medium banana, broken into pieces
• 150 milliliters (¼ pint) natural plain yogurt
• 150 milliliters (¼ pint) milk
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar, to taste
Method
Measure all the ingredients into a blender and whisk until smooth. Pour into a tall cool glass, garnish with a slice of lime and/or fresh mint leaves, and enjoy.
SUMMER STEW
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 3 pounds chopped green and yellow summer squash
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
• 2 pounds chopped sweet potatoes
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Method
1. Sauté onion in olive oil and butter for five minutes. Turn heat to medium, add garlic, rosemary, basil, and oregano, and cook for a further three minutes.
2. Add the vegetable stock and cook for seven minutes.
3. Add the squash and sweet potatoes, turn heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until root vegetables soften to taste.
4. Season and serve hot with fresh bread and grated Parmesan cheese.
SUMMER SALAD WITH HALLOUMI
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 250 grams (7 ounces) Halloumi cheese, thinly sliced
• flesh from 1 kilogram (2 pounds, 4 ounces) chunk of watermelon, sliced
• 200 grams (7 ounces) fine green beans
• small bunch mint, finely shredded
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• toasted pita breads, to serve
Method
1. Heat grill to high. Lay the cheese on a baking tray in a single layer, then grill for 2 minutes on each side until golden.
2. Toss the watermelon, beans, and mint together with the lemon juice and olive oil, season well, then layer on plates with the slices of Halloumi.
3. Drizzle with a little more oil if you like, and then serve with warm pitas.
GOAT’S CHEESE TART WITH LEMON AND WALNUT
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 25 grams (1 ounce) butter
• 2 medium leeks, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves
• zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1 lemon
• 375 grams (13 ounces) ready-rolled puff pastry
• 200 grams (7 ounces) soft spreadable goat’s cheese
• 50 grams (1.7 ounces) walnut pieces
• chopped parsley, to serve
Method
1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees C, 425 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the butter. Once sizzling, add the leeks and cook over medium heat until softened but not colored. Stir in the thyme and half the lemon zest, then increase the heat. Add the lemon juice and cook for about half a minute until the lemon juice reduces, then season well. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
2. Unroll the pastry and lay on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Lightly mark a half-inch border around the edges with the tip of a sharp knife, then prick the base all over with a fork.
3. Spread the lemony leeks on top of the pastry, within the border. Crumble over the cheese, scatter with the walnuts, then season with pepper. Drizzle with some olive oil, brushing the edges with a little oil as well. Put tart in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry puffs up around the edges and is golden brown. Scatter with parsley and the remaining lemon zest. Serve hot, warm, or cool.
RED PEPPER, SPINACH, AND POTATO OMELET
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 1 pound medium waxy potatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
Method
1. Boil 1 inch of water in a 4-quart sa
ucepan fitted with a steamer insert. Steam potatoes, covered, adding more boiling water as needed, until tender, about 1 hour. Let cool, then peel and thinly slice.
2. Preheat oven broiler. Heat oil in an oven-proof 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook garlic, pepper, and onion until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add spinach; cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in reserved potatoes and the butter, salt, and pepper. Stir in half the basil and the eggs and reduce heat to medium; cook until golden on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Broil until set and golden on top, about 3 minutes. Garnish with remaining basil.
SUMMER CREAM MERINGUES
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 3 egg whites
• 100 grams (4 ounces) caster sugar
• 250 grams (9 ounces) strawberries
• 100 grams (4 ounces) blueberries
• 150 grams (5 ounces) raspberries
• 500 grams (1 pound, 2 ounces) half-fat crème fraîche
• 85 grams (3½ ounces) icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons toasted flaked almonds
Method
1. Make the meringues: Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C, 130 degrees C fan, 300 degrees F, gas 2. Beat the egg whites with an electric hand whisk until stiff, then gradually add the sugar, beating all the time, until the meringue is thick and glossy and you can stand a spoon up in it. Use a bit of meringue to stick the baking parchment to the baking sheet, then dollop on the meringue in 5 or 6 nests. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then switch it off and leave them for a further 40 minutes. Take out of the oven, place on a wire rack, and leave until cooled.
2. Prepare the fruit by washing and hulling the strawberries and cutting them into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Reserve a few berries for the topping. Mix together the crème fraîche and icing sugar and place the mixture in a large bowl. Add the fruit, then lightly crush the meringues and stir it all together. Serve in individual glasses or dishes, topped with the remaining berries and the almonds.
Also by Michelle Kelly
Downward Facing Death
About the Author
MICHELLE KELLY is a writer living in Coventry, UK. Her recent Harlequin crime novel When I Wasn’t Watching went to number 1 in the UK and Australian crime charts. She is a passionate yoga practitioner and finds that, as the mother of two teenagers, her yoga practice keeps her sane. The Keeley Carpenter stories marry her three great loves: yoga, food, and murder mysteries. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Recipes from the Yoga Café
Also by Michelle Kelly
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Press.
A DEATH AT THE YOGA CAFÉ. Copyright © 2017 by Michelle Kelly. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.minotaurbooks.com
Cover illustration © Adrian Chesterman / Artworks
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Kelly, Michelle (Romantic fiction writer) author.
Title: A death at the yoga café / Michelle Kelly.
Description: First Edition. | New York: Minotaur Books, 2017. | “A Thomas Dunne Book.”
Identifiers: LCCN 2016037562 | ISBN 9781250067388 (hardback) | ISBN 9781466875654 (e-book)
Subjects: | BISAC: FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths. | GSAFD: Mystery fiction.
Classification: LCC PR6111. E5226 D43 2017 | DDC 823/ .92—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016037562
e-ISBN 9781466875654
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First Edition: January 2017