Death of the Family Recipe (A Scotti Fitzgerald Murder Mystery Book 3)

by Anita Rodgers

  "I found Rory today. His grave." I winced. "Kathy Morrissey led me to it." Ted demanded details, and I gave them up without a fight. "What do you think?"

  Ted twisted his lips. "It’s pretty fucking weird." He frowned at me. "Which is not to say that I approve of you tailing people."

  "I didn’t intend to do it, it just happened." I searched his deep green eyes. "I’m not sorry though. Now I know where my dad is." I smirked. "No thanks to Joe."

  Ted chewed on his lip. "You two still haven’t made up?"

  I rolled my eyes. "Joe and I are over."

  "Do you want me to talk to him?"

  I shook my head. "Don’t you dare."

  He rubbed my belly. "Honey, this is too much to handle on your own."

  I struggled to sit up. "So what should I do. Just give up? Pretend like everything’s fine and welcome my aunt and cousin into the fold like there isn’t a big fat elephant in the room with us?"

  Ted pulled me into his arms. "I know you need to see this through. Hire someone else?" He looked at me. "Another P.I.?" I made a face. He nodded. "I know you wanted Joe — but if you two are over, then…"

  I nodded and lay down. "I’ll think about it."

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  A bad dream drove me out of bed and into the kitchen to make pies in the middle of the night. While I waited for the pies, I gnawed on a cold chicken leg and heated a slab of leftover lasagna in the microwave.

  Ted stumbled into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. "Your pies woke me up."

  "Sorry, I’ll tell them to keep it down next time."

  Ted frowned. "Scotti."

  I shrugged in supplication. "The babies were hungry, and eating woke me up so I decided to make pumpkin pies for you."

  He pulled up a stool. "Do you know what time it is?"

  The microwave beeped, and I pulled out the lasagna. "Time for pasta pie?" Never one to pass up food, Ted grabbed a knife and fork. I gave him a beer to go with it. He raised his eyebrows. "You’re on maternity leave, right?"

  He twisted off the cap and sucked half of it down like it was mother’s milk. "Any parmesan cheese?"

  After a pound of lasagna, a couple of beers, and three pieces of pumpkin pie, Ted fell asleep on the sofa. But I surged with an energy I hadn’t felt since early in my pregnancy and decided to roll with it. I went into the back room and assembled the mobiles and other baby contraptions. After that, I lugged the gift baskets up to the nursery and put away everything, then stacked the empty baskets in the hall closet.

  Back to the kitchen, I cleared out a cabinet to stow the baby items we’d need to hand — bottles, formula, baby wipes, breast milk containers and a dozen other things. Little babies need so much. Then I stocked the mini nursery in my office with diapers, wipes, ointment, blankets, pacifiers, rattles and a mobile for the crib. While I was at it, I dressed the crib with bumper pad, sheets and blankets. I was a tornado of baby preparation and couldn’t stop myself. After I ran out of baby prep tasks, I packed my hospital bag with pretty things and a teddy bear for each of the babies. While I was at it, I packed a bag for Ted — he was not going to ditch me in the hospital to fend for myself. Then I stripped the bed and did the laundry. And the bathroom smelled funny, so I snapped on rubber gloves and went to work.

  When Ted awoke around noon, I was whipping up brownie batter, while two lasagnas, a chicken, and a pork roast were going in the ovens. Ted wandered into the kitchen and sniffed the air. "What’s going on around here?" He frowned at the mess. "Have you been up all night?"

  I glared at him. "Shut up and don’t bug me. I’m cooking. It’s too bad if you don’t like it. And do you think you could try a little harder to hit the toilet when you pee? I just cleaned up in there, and it was disgusting." I pushed past him and got baking pans out of the cabinet. Ted cocked his head and laughed. I spun back on him so fast I almost nailed him with the baking pan. "Oh you think this is funny? Well, while you were snoozing on the sofa, I was on my hands and knees cleaning up this mess." I swept my arm around the kitchen. "This house is filthy. Why did I never realize that before? We’re getting a cleaning crew in here to clean top to bottom."

  "You’re nesting."

  I pushed the sweaty hair off my forehead. "I’m cooking."

  Ted put his arm around me. "You haven’t read any of those books? Not even a chapter or two?"

  I nudged past him and went to the fridge for butter. "Who has time to read?" I started greasing the pans. "Besides, why should we both have to read them?"

  "They’re very informative. You might learn something."

  "Well, I’m too busy to learn anything right now. And, we need to go shopping. Today."

  Ted kept laughing. "What for?"

  I stopped greasing and scowled at him. "Car seats. We only have two and we need a set for your car. And groceries. And I don’t have any nursing bras or post maternity panties." I scowled at him. "Will you stop laughing at me? This is serious stuff. Do you realize once we have two babies, neither of us will ever go anywhere again?" My eyes darted around the room. "Do you smell that?"

  Ted creased his brow. "The lasagna and roast chicken? Yeah smells great."

  I walked away from the mixing bowls and sniffed each corner of the room. "No, not the food. It smells like something died in here." I stared at him. "Why are you standing there, call the cleaning crew."

  Ted smirked. "Yes dear." He frowned. "Which one?"

  I threw up my hands and groaned. "I don’t know. You have a guy for everything don’t you? You must have a cleaning guy. Call him!" He stared at me, then I pointed to the door. "What are you waiting for? Go! Now!"

  Ted escaped the kitchen, and I poured the brownie batter, slid the pans into the oven, then started on the dishes. When Ted returned to the kitchen, he reported that a cleaning crew would be at the house the next morning at eight sharp. That news made me so happy that I cried. Gently Ted walked me upstairs, then got me into the shower and clean clothes. When I came downstairs, Ted was at the front door waiting for me.

  "Are you ready?" I stared at him. Ted jangled his keys. "Shopping, baby seats, nursing bras, groceries?"

  I gaped at him. "Are you nuts? We can’t leave now. I have food in the ovens. And Zelda and Matt will be here any minute to restock."

  Ted frowned and dropped his keys on the entry table. "Okay."

  "Good, tomorrow morning then."

  Ted pinched my cheek. "You don’t want to stay here to instruct the cleaning crew?"

  I groaned. "Stop trying to confuse me." I stomped back to the kitchen and found a bewildered Zelda and Matt. "It’s about time!"

  Matt gaped at the disaster area that was my kitchen. "Dude, who did this to your kitchen?"

  Zelda stared at me like I’d sprouted a third eye. "Do we need to do an intervention?"

  Ted came into the kitchen and spoke to Zelda over my head. "She’s been up since last night."

  Zelda nodded. "Okay, you put her to bed, we’ll clean up this mess."

  I snorted. "Excuse me, I’m not a four-year-old. Nobody’s putting me to bed."

  But it was easy for Ted to steer me out of the kitchen and into bed. I barely had the energy to tell him I wasn’t tired before I went out .

  <<>>

  When I stumbled into the kitchen after a four hour nap, Zelda and Ted flinched. I frowned at Zelda. "What are you doing here?"

  Zelda grabbed a dish towel and held it up in front of her. "Please don’t hurt me." Then she pushed out a stool with her foot. "We’re having a sleep over."

  I sat down. "What?"

  Ted stroked my back. "We’ve got it all worked out."

  Zelda slid off her stool and put on the tea kettle. "Yeah, you and I go shopping tomorrow, and Ted stays here to supervise the cleaning crew."

  Still tired and cranky I said, "You worked it all out, eh? What about the truck?"

  Ted handed me a glass of milk and two prenatal vitamins. "Matt and Eric are on truck duty tomorrow."

  I sighed. It was too
much to think about and my stomach gurgled. "I’m hungry."

  The tea kettle whistled, and Zelda turned off the burner. "Okay. Lasagna, roast chicken or roast pork?"

  I wrinkled my nose. "No. Chinese." I licked my lips and nodded. "Shrimp chop suey, orange chicken, noodles, spring rolls, oh and wonton soup."

  Zelda brought me my tea. "Okay, I’ll go."

  Ted pushed back his stool. "No, you stay here, I’ll go."

  Then a five minute argument ensued about who should go for takeout. I finally pounded the countertop with my fist, and they stopped. "Why don’t you both go? I could use some peace and quiet, and you two are driving me crazy."

  Zelda rolled her eyes at Ted. "Man, you weren’t kidding."

  I let the insult slide and pointed to the door. "Now! I’m eating for three, and we’re all hungry!"

  Ted bent down and kissed my cheek. "We won’t be long."

  I nodded and sipped my tea, but Ted hesitated. I shooed him away. "I’ll be fine. Lock the door and if anybody rings the bell, I won’t answer it, okay? I won’t even answer the phone if that’ll make you feel better."

  Zelda pushed Ted out the door. And then it was quiet. The babies did a little tap dance in my belly, and I said, "Daddy will be back with the food soon."

  But after a few seconds, I got bored waiting for Ted and Zelda and checked my email. Nothing that couldn’t wait. I tried logging onto the tipster website, but my log on didn’t work anymore, ditto for the email account. That stung a little but what did I expect? Just as I was ready to shut down the computer, the instant message box popped open.

  Bgirl357 said, ‘Hey Scotti, have you missed me?’

  I speed dialed Eric on my cell. "Eric it’s that Bgirl again, can you track her?"

  I heard clacking keys on his end. "Okay, I’m in. Keep her talking."

  ‘Hi, what happened to you?’

  ‘Oh, so you did miss me? Well, fear not, I’ve been keeping my eye on you.’

  My skin crawled. ‘You have?’

  ‘I have to say though, I’m very disappointed in the way you’ve let yourself go. Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you should eat with wild abandon. You know that weight isn’t all baby.’

  That pissed me off, and I was done playing games. ‘Really, Ingrid? What do you know about babies? Or any other human being besides yourself for that matter?’

  Eric said, "Scotti, what are you doing?"

  She didn’t respond. ‘You think I don’t know it’s you?

  Eric yelled, "Scotti!"

  "I’m tired of this shit, Eric. If this bitch wants a showdown then fine! She can bring it or shut the hell up!"

  Clacking keys sounded on his end.

  ‘Ingrid? Still there? What’s the matter, not so brave now that I know it’s you? What are you doing, murdering another guitar?’

  Ingrid said, ‘This isn’t over.’

  I said, ‘Of course it’s over. Ted married me. We’re having babies. You’re all alone with your crazy fantasies. Sounds over to me.’

  A box popped up saying Bgirl357 had logged off.

  "Damn bitch!" I took Eric off speaker and picked up my cell. "Still there?"

  "Man Scotti. Why’d you do that?"

  "Because I’m sick of being pushed around. And I don’t want that crazy bitch to think she can get to me." I sighed. "Same deal? Internet café?"

  Eric murmured, "Uh-huh."

  "Okay, send me the IP and anything else that might track her, and I’ll give it to the cops. Maybe they can find her." Eric didn’t respond. "Eric?"

  Eric blew out a long sigh. "Yeah, before she finds you."

  I scoffed. "She’s a coward, she’ll never come after me."

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Zelda and I left Ted to manage the cleaning crew and hit the stores. We found everything I needed in Macy’s maternity department. After they realized I had no shopping limit and was in the mood to buy, all three sales ladies waited on us like we were royalty. I bought every color and style of nursing bra, nursing pajamas, nursing shirts and lot of big fat post partum ugly panties. According to the senior sales lady, I needed big ugly panties for the post-birth period.

  "You don’t just shrink back to your original figure overnight, dear."

  "Oh no?"

  The lady shook her head and whispered. "Some people might think you’re still pregnant after you’ve delivered." I gasped and clutched Zelda’s arm. "Eventually though, you’ll start to recognize your figure again."

  I stared at the stack of ugly white, elastic banded, stretchy, full-coverage panties. "God, is my ass that big?"

  Zelda smacked me. "Shut up and give the nice sales lady your Am-Ex card."

  We completed the apparel leg of our journey, stowed the bags in the car and stopped for burgers before taking on the car seat search.

  Zelda stared at me as I put away a double bacon cheeseburger, a side of fries, a side of onion rings and a chocolate shake. "Damn, Scotti."

  I slurped the rest of my shake. "I’m eating for three, and that takes a lot of food." Zelda nodded, but she was frowning at something behind me. "What?"

  She shook her head and looked back to me. "Nothing." But her eyes kept wandering. I turned to look, but she grabbed my arm. "No, don’t."

  "Then tell me what has you making that face."

  Zelda leaned across the table and lowered her voice. "It’s the third time I’ve seen the same woman."

  "Where?"

  She looked past me again. "The box store, Macy’s, now here."

  "What does she look like?"

  Zelda glanced at me. "Middle aged, overweight, dyed red hair." She snatched one of my onion rings. "I’m probably just being paranoid."

  My eyes went wide. "Really intense red hair? Almost purple?"

  Zelda stopped chewing. "Yeah."

  "Kind of hard looking? Around the eyes and mouth?"

  Zelda frowned. "You know her?"

  I bent my head and whispered. "Where is she?"

  "At your three o’clock."

  I bent down, pretending to look for something in my bag and shifted my gaze. Kathy Morrissey sat at a two-top a few feet away, as though unaware of us. I straightened up. "I’ll be damned."

  "Who is it?"

  "Kathy Morrissey." Zelda gaped. I rolled my eyes to the side. "What’s she doing?"

  "Pretending to read a magazine. You think she knows you followed her the other day?"

  I pushed away my food. "I thought I was being so careful. Crap." Scraping back my chair I said, "Let’s see if she is following us."

  We walked past Kathy on the way out, but she kept her face buried in the magazine. We took our time going back to Macy’s, paused to look at window displays and to buy caramel corn, but Kathy didn’t follow. While we shopped for the car seats, we kept our eyes peeled, but she never reappeared. I found the car seats I wanted, and the shopping trip was finished. Even if I wanted to, I didn’t have the energy to buy one more thing.

  Zelda scanned the parking lot. "You think we were wrong about Kathy?"

  I glanced behind me and shrugged. "We walked right past her — she figured we made her and backed off."

  Zelda loaded the car seats into the back of my car. She closed the hatch, leaned on the back bumper and frowned. "What if she didn’t make you the other day? What if Jennifer told her about the conversations you two have been having?"

  I cringed. "Yeah, that would be worse, wouldn’t it?"

  Chapter Sixty

  Ted and Zelda unloaded the car — after the third trip, Ted gave me an exasperated look. "No, I didn’t buy the whole store. You think this is bad, wait until the babies are born."

  He smacked me on the butt. "Daddy may have to put Mommy on a budget."

  I rubbed my butt. "That hurt."

  Zelda laughed. "With all that blubber back there, bullshit."

  Ted bear-hugged me. "Stop being a brat — you can buy anything you want." He tweaked my nose. "Do you want to inspect the house?"

&nb
sp; I grinned and nodded. "Yes, please."

  The crew did a great job — the house sparkled and that funny smell was gone. "Did you give them a big tip?"

  Ted laughed. "There you go spending my money again."