A Vintage Murder

by Michele Scott

  Snakes, shysters, and other sinister surprises on the set of producer Kane Ferriss’s movie, set in the Australian outback, about the life and death of conservationist Elizabeth Wells, played by the talented Nikki Sands.

  According to Nikki, Lucy Swanson was indeed murdered as she’d suspected all along. Police have confirmed that winery owner Sarah Fritz murdered Lucy Swanson out of a deranged fear that her son, a security guard on the set, was falling in love with Lucy. When Nikki confronted the killer, she was beaten and held captive. Surprisingly, the killer’s son, Will, came to her rescue. Ms. Fritz is being held in a guarded psychiatric ward.

  However, the horror doesn’t end there. It would seem that Kane Ferriss and Shawn Keefer have been running a scam for years. I had the pleasure of speaking with Shawn, who decided to come clean. Shawn Keefer has admitted to being gay. For years he has been keeping up the ruse of a straight man at the behest of Kane. Kane had convinced Shawn that coming out of the closet would destroy his career. After some research, and word from an inside source, I found the money that Kane has made from Shawn’s movies totals over $500 million. He’s been known to say that Shawn is his cash cow. Shawn says he’s been nothing but Kane’s puppet, and he’s tired of it.

  Shawn knew he had to put an end to it when Kane approached him about wooing Nikki Sands. He told Shawn that if he could get Nikki to marry him within six months, Kane would sign him to three more movies with bonuses in excess of $30 million. Shawn told him he’d think about it, but when an unlikely source—Nikki Sands’s bodyguard and Jiu-Jitsu master Simon Malveaux—saw the actor so depressed, he asked him what was wrong. I quote Shawn Keefer: “Simon has been a good friend. He listened. He convinced me that I am better than a lie. I am tired of living lies and having others live them for me. I am coming out and saying that I am gay and proud of it.”

  I applaud Shawn for coming out, and I applaud Nikki Sands for solving Lucy Swanson’s bizarre death. I wish them both luck.—Marne Pickett

  Nikki looked around; some were still reading the article. Andy Burrow glared at Kane in disgust. “You did this, mate? That’s abominable. Shame on you. I don’t do well with liars.”

  Liam and Grace had come down because Nikki had spoken to them earlier. She had told them everything that occurred; they took it surprisingly well. Hannah was with them and for once she was smiling.

  “I always knew Sarah to be a little crazy but I never would have thought her capable of such a thing,” Grace had said. “I’m sorry for what happened to you.”

  “I’m fine. I’m sorry for the two of you, because I have a feeling that this movie is not meant to happen. I’m sure production will be shut down.”

  Liam waved a hand in the air. “It’s for the best. It is.” He put his arm around Grace.

  She kissed him. “I love you, Liam Hahndorf.”

  “And I you,” Liam said.

  Nikki had left feeling better about the two of them. She hated knowing that Liam was going to die, but she was pleased that he and his wife had put their differences aside and found the love between them.

  Nikki still had a bit of a problem with the fact that, for years, Shawn had sold a lie to the public. But she wasn’t one to hold a grudge against someone who decided to admit his wrongdoings and ask for forgiveness. Hell, who was she to judge?

  Now done reading the article, Kane screamed at Shawn. “How could you do this?”

  “I’m not like you. I don’t need the money to keep me happy.”

  “Oh, not now, after I’ve made you a bundle. Now, you can go telling the world that you’re gay, and it’s my fault you’ve been in the closet all these years.”

  “I’m tired of being your tool. All you care about is money. I’ve suffered. Fiona suffered. And then you wanted Nikki to go through it when she has a chance to be happy with someone she really loves.”

  “Shut the fuck up, Shawn. Fiona didn’t suffer and neither did you. I’ve gone the extra mile to keep the fact that you’re a fag out of the papers, to make you a huge star. Without me you’d be nothing. You have no idea all that I’ve done for you with paying people to stay quiet.”

  “You did this for me? No, you didn’t, Kane. You did it for yourself. I hope you never work in Hollywood again.”

  “You’re fired! You are fired from this movie.”

  “No, actually I quit.”

  “Me, too,” Nikki said. “I know what your plans were for me, too. I know you had your little plant Amy reporting lies to Marne, just so you could pump up this movie and then maybe a TV show you were pushing on me.”

  “You’re ridiculous. You would’ve been a huge star because of me. Now what, you’d rather sell wines?”

  “Actually, yes, I would.” She started to walk past Amy, who looked shocked. Instead she stopped. “You’re the nut job. Planting a note to make me look crazy; that was brilliant. In reality I wasn’t crazy at all. Lucy was murdered. I have to ask you, though, what gives with the antivenom you and Harv had? Or was that staged, too, to keep me guessing?”

  Amy looked down. “No. Harv thought he saw a snake after Lucy died and so we bought it for ourselves, just in case.”

  At least that had been innocent. Nikki actually felt sorry for Amy. One by one the other actors and the crew started to walk off.

  “I want all of you back here!” Kane screamed, but no one listened.

  Nikki, Simon, and Shawn walked to her trailer, where they took out a bottle of champagne and toasted one another.

  Shawn gave her a hug. “You are the best. I love you.”

  “Excuse me, does anyone want to tell me what the hell is going on here?”

  Nikki pulled away from Shawn to see Derek standing in the doorway.

  “You should tell him,” Shawn said, and walked out past Derek. “She’s one helluva woman, pal. I’d hang on to her if I were you.”

  Chapter 37

  “I think the man makes a good point,” Derek said. “But first I think there is someone the two of you might want to say hello to.”

  Marco stepped inside the motor home. “Bellisima,” he said and kissed her on each cheek.

  Tears sprung to her eyes. “Marco.”

  “Marco?” Simon said. “How, what, I . . .”

  Marco walked over to him. “I miss you.”

  “You do?” Simon asked. Marco nodded. “Oh God, I miss you, too.”

  “What do you say we go home? We let these two solve their problems and we go solve ours,” Marco said.

  “What time does the flight leave?”

  “Soon,” Derek said. “You better get a move on.”

  They all hugged good-bye and Marco and Simon were on their way.

  Derek turned back to Nikki. “Guess we better do what Marco suggested and figure out our stuff, too. I’ve been hearing some things about you and Shawn Keefer and all sorts of interesting stories, and I think you might want to start talking.”

  Nikki told him the whole story. When she finished, he told her to stand up. “What?”

  “Come with me.”

  “Wait. Don’t you think we should talk about us before you start ordering me around?”

  “No. Come with me and we’ll talk.”

  “What are you doing? What is going on?”

  “You have to trust me.”

  “Trust you! After this week? You left me high and dry. You never came after me when I walked out on you. And you didn’t call,” she said.

  “You’ll see why.”

  “No. I am not going anywhere with you. You have to tell me what happened between us and why you didn’t come after me and—what in the world is going on?”

  He kissed her on the lips again—long and slow and . . . oh so delicious. “Stop that. Just stop it now.”

  “Nope. You have to trust me now. I’ll explain everything. Please. I promise it’ll be worth it.”

  That kiss was nice. Worth it? Maybe. But what about commitment—and his seeming lack thereof?

  “Give me another chance. Last
one. I promise I will never hurt you again.”

  Oh no, were those going to be famous last words? Should she take a leap—yet again? Her heart said that yep, she definitely should, but that old brain of hers said run away, girl. Oh, the hell with the brain. What was the saying? It was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? And he was promising her. She believed in promises, and she believed in him. “Okay, I guess I’ll trust you.”

  “Do you need to let anyone here know that you’ll be gone for a couple of days?”

  “No. My movie-making days are over.”

  The next thing she knew she was seated in a limo. Derek poured her a glass of champagne. “To you,” he said.

  “For this week. For discovering the truth about Lucy Swanson’s murder, even when no one else believed you.”

  She held up a finger. “Except for your brother. It took some convincing, and I’m not so sure he ever believed me, but he did help me out a lot.”

  “Yes. He loves you.”

  “He’s a good friend.”

  “He is.” He kissed her cheek. “Nikki, I’m sorry. I know you’ve heard me say that before, and it probably sounds so lame, but dammit, you walked out on me in that hotel room before I ever had a chance to explain myself, and I got angry. I’m human, you know. I got angry over what you said about Andrés, about him being this and that and he sounded so perfect, and I started thinking . . .” He paused and took her free hand. “I started thinking that all the stupidity I was spouting was maybe true. I look back on that night and I see it now, and it was so stupid, so immature. I was testing you, seeing how far I could push you, or if you would walk. That’s not a man thing to do. That’s a stupid boy thing. I had all these stupid thoughts, like what if, what if she doesn’t really love me? What if this whole thing has been a façade, and we both got caught up in something that wasn’t real, but a fantasy—something we wanted to be real.”

  “Derek, it was never a fantasy for me. At one time . . . sure, I suppose. Isn’t that how most relationships start out? You meet the man or woman of your dreams, you place expectations and even labels on them, and then you wind up together and your fantasy is perfect for a while. It’s everything you expected and more and then wham, reality bites. You realize that neither of you is perfect or exactly what you expected. But the funny thing is, that’s where true love lies. If you can make it past the perfect, past the Cinderella and Snow White stories, and into the reality of each other, you can make it. I believe that. What I was afraid happened between us that night was that you could never and would never see past the fantasy. I know we’ve already faced so much together before we’ve even begun, but isn’t that a blessing in disguise? Doesn’t it only mean that the best is yet to come?” She knew that she was being a Pollyanna, but it was where her heart directed her, and she couldn’t deny it.

  “Yes. I would count it as a blessing. Most definitely, more than that, I count you as a blessing. You know, you just took the words right out of my mouth and said them a whole lot better than I could have.”

  “Ah, but for men, isn’t it all about the actions? As a woman, I would have to say that if your actions speak as loud as my words, then you’re forgiven.”

  He clinked his glass to hers. “Mmm. Dom Perignon.”

  “Only the best.”

  Soon, the car stopped. They were at the airport and before long they were on the Malveaux jet. “I sent the boys back on Virgin Atlantic, but I did let them go first-class.”

  “You went and found Marco?”

  “I figured it was the only way I was ever going to get you alone.”

  She laughed. Soon the jet screamed down the runway and they were quickly airborne. “You know, I don’t think I’m ready to go home yet.”

  “Who said anything about home?”

  After about an hour of more champagne and kisses, which left her tingly all over, the plane landed. A short drive out to a marina, they stepped onto a speedboat that took them out about thirty minutes to a luxurious yacht. “Oh my,” she said.

  He led her up some steps. There was a table set for two, crew members were dressed in tuxes, and the sun was beginning to set.

  “Welcome to the coral reef.”

  “It’s amazing. I don’t know what to say, Derek. This is . . . Wow.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” He kissed her. “This is only the beginning. Wait until you see what else I have in store for you.”

  She took his hand and stood up.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “I’m done waiting.”

  “Okay, then.” He got up from his chair, and led her to the master stateroom.

  Three-Course Dinner with Wine Pairings

  Finally Nikki and Derek get it all figured out. With Simon and Marco back together, these two can have that alone time they’ve been wanting. Their romantic dinner likely grew cold. It’s doubtful it mattered to them. Not many of us get the chance to have dinner for two on a luxury yacht, but turn off the lights; if you have an aquarium, turn those lights on; get some ocean-scented candles and play some ocean waves off a CD; and create a little romance of your own.

  For the perfect romantic dinner, here is what Nikki and Derek had (reheated, of course):

  LOBSTER BISQUE WITH RIESLING

  The 2006 Pewsey Vale Riesling Eden Valley South Australia is a medium-bodied wine combining citric fruit flavors of lime, lemon, and tangerine. It has a midpalate richness leading to a long finish. This is a wine to savor.

  2 tbsp minced shallots

  2 tbsp chopped green onions

  3 garlic cloves, crushed

  ¼ cup white wine

  2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

  2 tsp Tabasco sauce

  1 tsp dried thyme

  6 tbsp dry sherry

  1 tsp paprika

  1 cup hot water

  1 tsp lobster base (better than bouillon)

  4 oz tomato paste

  2 bay leaves

  2 cups heavy whipping cream

  4 tbsp butter

  ½ lb lobster meat, cut into small chunks

  In a sauté pan, heat a little oil over medium-high heat and sauté shallots, onions, and garlic for one minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the Worcestershire, Tabasco, and thyme and sauté for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the sherry. Add the paprika, hot water, and lobster base and combine well. Stir in tomato paste and add the bay leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream and the butter and bring to a boil. Add the lobster and simmer until cooked through.

  Serve with crusty garlic bread.

  Serves 2-4.

  ROSEMARY-LEMON CORNISH GAME HENS AND ROASTED POTATOES WITH 2005 DE BORTOLI “DEEN VAT 10” PINOT NOIR YARRA VALLEY VICTORIA AUSTRALIA

  The De Bortoli Pinot boasts light strawberry and raspberry flavors on the nose, along with a tad of fennel. It’s a delicious, fresh, crisp wine with a focus on red berry fruit. It’s a great value.

  2 tsp crushed dried rosemary

  ½ tsp salt, divided

  ¼ tsp black pepper, divided

  2 (1¼-pound) Cornish hens

  ½ lemon, halved

  Cooking spray

  2 cups cubed Yukon gold or red potato

  2 tsp olive oil

  Preheat oven to 375°.

  Combine rosemary, ¼ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp pepper.

  Remove and discard giblets from hens. Rinse hens with cold water; pat dry. Remove skin; trim excess fat. Working with 1 hen at a time, place 1 lemon piece in cavity of hen; tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under hen. Repeat procedure with remaining hen and lemon piece. Rub hens with rosemary mixture. Place hens, breast sides up, on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.

  Toss potato with oil; sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper. Arrange potato around hens.

  Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of a thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Remove twine from legs. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until the
rmometer registers 180°.

  Serves 2.

  CHOCOLATE SILK PIE WITH 2004 ZINFANDEL CHOOKSHED

  The 2004 Zinfandel Chookshed is a juicy, succulent Zinfandel. With aromas of spring flowers, blueberry liqueur, pepper, and spice. It’s expensive but worth the money.

  crust

  1 10-inch piecrust

  FILLING

  ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

  ½ cup sugar

  ½ cup unsweetened cocoa

  ¼ tsp salt

  1¾ cups 2% reduced-fat milk

  4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

  MERINGUE

  5 large egg whites

  ¼ tsp salt

  1¼ cups sugar

  ⅔ cup water

  grated chocolate (optional)

  Prepare and bake piecrust in a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Cool completely on a wire rack.

  To prepare filling, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.

  Remove from heat; add chopped chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Spoon chocolate mixture into a bowl; place bowl in a larger ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until chocolate mixture comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from ice.

  To prepare meringue, place egg whites and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 240°. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold 2 cups of the meringue into chocolate mixture.