Sentenced to Death bm-5

by Lorna Barrett

Tricia hurried to the door. “Yes, but I’m afraid it’s a private party.”

  “Oh, no sweat. I wanted to tell you that I can’t take the job here at your store. I’ve got a job at the Clothes Closet, and they’re going to help me with my legal problems, too.”

  “Congratulations,” Tricia said, and tried to edge Cheryl out of the doorway, but then Cheryl caught sight of Grace. “Hey, there’s Mrs. Everett. She’s my friend.” Cheryl pushed past Tricia, who shook her head and made to close the door, only to find Frannie, Julia Overline, Chauncey Porter, Mary Fairchild, and a bunch of the other Main Street booksellers approaching the store. Captain Baker was at the end of the line.

  “Ah, here’s the man of the hour,” Bob announced once everyone had entered. “Or should I say, the new year?” he added with a laugh. “Congratulations, Captain, on being named Stoneham’s new police chief.”

  Tricia whirled on Baker. “You didn’t tell me you’d been offered the job as Stoneham’s police chief,” Tricia said, feeling hurt.

  “I had to wait until the Board of Selectmen made a public statement—which was earlier today. Besides . . . you never asked where my new job would take me.”

  “Isn’t this exciting! Our own police force,” Frannie said, with delight. “How big a force will there be?”

  “Just six officers to start. We’ll see how that goes.”

  “This is all very nice,” Antonio said, “but this is Ginny’s celebration. Captain Baker—may I be so bold as to suggest you hold your own party—somewhere else.”

  Baker opened his mouth to protest, but it was Angelica who stepped in to defend him. “Antonio, it was Bob who brought up the subject,” she said, leveling a hard gaze at the Chamber chief.

  “Sorry,” Bob apologized.

  From the vicinity of the floor came a low growl. Tricia looked around but saw Miss Marple on her perch behind the register. She wasn’t good in crowds.

  “What’s that noise?” Bob asked, and bent down.

  The growl grew louder, and then a white blur emerged from Angelica’s purse, and soon attached itself to Bob’s trouser leg.

  “Sarge!” Tricia called, making a lunge for the tiny white dog. And though Sarge wasn’t a terrier, he was tenacious. It took both Angelica and Tricia to pull the feisty bichon frise away from Bob. Angelica held him to her cheek, and the dog immediately calmed. “Be still, my little sweetheart, I won’t let that big bad man hurt you.”

  Bob looked anything but a big bad man. He’d paled, shocked by the sudden attack.

  “What are you doing with Sarge? The receptionist at the animal hospital told me that the woman who adopted him was well known to the dog.”

  “I had a dream that Sarge was my little Pom-Pom reincarnated. I could hardly let him be given to just anyone,” she explained fervently.

  Sarge licked her chin and made mewling noises reminiscent of a kitten. Ginny, Grace and Mr. Everett, and Frannie were suddenly clustered around Angelica, each of them hesitantly petting the dog, who seemed to lap up the attention.

  “Have you thought this through? You lead a busy life. You can’t bring a dog into Booked for Lunch. And before you know it, you’ll be back on the road to promote your next cookbook.”

  “Oh, don’t be such a stick in the mud. This dog needs me.” She kissed the top of Sarge’s head. “And I need him.”

  Tricia glanced back at Miss Marple, who seemed quite annoyed.

  Still holding Sarge in the crook of her arm, Angelica nudged Frannie to pick up the tray filled with punch cups. Tricia took one. “Tricia, I think it’s time for you to propose a toast.” Angelica grabbed one of the glasses.

  Tricia smiled, holding her cup aloft. “To Ginny. May this new step be the start of a wonderful career.”

  “Hear, hear,” chorused the rest of the gathering.

  “I have something else to announce,” Ginny said, and Antonio beamed at her. She brandished the ring finger on her left hand, and on it was a gorgeous full-carat diamond solitaire. “Antonio and I are engaged.”

  “This really is a celebration!” Frannie squealed with delight, and rushed forward to give the bride-to-be a hug, nearly spilling her champagne punch.

  Tricia stepped back and let the others surround Ginny to give their hearty congratulations. Some part of her felt wistful as she remembered announcing her own engagement to Christopher and the whirlwind of parties and arrangements that occurred afterward. It had been the best time of her life. That idea disturbed her now. Surely the life she had was one to be envied, and yet the thought that her best days might already be behind her . . .

  Captain Baker stepped close and whispered in her ear. “Penny for your thoughts.”

  “Not a good bargain,” she said, grateful she’d managed to keep her voice steady.

  “We’ve both got new adventures ahead of us. You’ll soon have a new employee to train, and I’ll soon have a whole new life. I hope you’ll be a big part of that life.” He raised his glass, looking hopeful.

  Tricia raised hers to clink against his.

  Then again, who said the future didn’t offer pleasures yet to come?

  Angelica’s Recipes

  Turkey Curry

  2 cups milk

  2 chicken bouillon cubes

  2 cups diced peeled apples

  1 cup chopped onion

  1 rib celery, chopped

  ¼ cup vegetable oil

  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  2 teaspoons curry powder *

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

  4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken

  Hot cooked rice enough to serve four

  2 hard-boiled eggs, diced (optional)

  ½ cup dry roasted peanuts (optional)

  Minced cilantro (optional)

  In a small saucepan, heat the milk and bouillon, stirring until bouillon is dissolved. Set aside.

  In a large saucepan, sauté the apples, onion, and celery in oil until tender. Stir in the flour, curry powder, salt, and pepper until blended. Gradually add the milk mixture and lemon juice. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the turkey and heat through. Serve over rice. If desired, garnish with chopped egg, peanuts, and cilantro.

  Serves 4

  * If you’re like me and prefer your curry hotter, use up to 2 tablespoons hot curry paste.

  Pasta With Sun-Dried Tomatoes And Artichokes

  6 ounces uncooked penne

  2 hot Italian sausage links

  1 8.5-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, oil reserved

  1 8-ounce package of sliced mushrooms

  3 tablespoons chopped scallions

  6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (we like a lot of garlic)

  1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained

  Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.

  Partially cook the sausage links (about ten minutes), and then cut into coins.

  Pour half of the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes into a large frying pan and sauté mushrooms and garlic until soft. Add the sausage coins and cook through (about another five or ten minutes). Add the sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts to warm through. Add the pasta and mix thoroughly. Coat with the remaining reserved oil. Top with the chopped scallions.

  Serve warm with crusty Italian bread.

  Serves 2

  FB2 document info

  Document ID: 16040664-09ee-459d-b519-bdc5f044f4c4

  Document version: 1

  Document creation date: 15 November 2011

  Created using: FictionBook Editor Release 2.6 software

  Document authors :

  frenky_m

  Document history:

  1.0 — создание файла

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