Murder in the Outback

by Anisa Claire West

  “Clive who?” The bewildered attendant asked with an amused curve of her slender lips.

  “Yeah, I don’t know his last name, but I swear I’m not stalking him,” I said with irony. “He told me that he was staying in this hotel and I need to talk to him. He’ll be happy to see me,” I persuaded as the college age girl gave me a quirky look before doing a double take.

  “Hey, I saw your picture in the paper this morning!” She exclaimed.

  “My picture is in the paper?” I asked incredulously.

  “Oh yeah! You helped the police to solve Corinne Foster’s murder! You’re a local hero now!” She sifted through a stack of papers on the desk until she found a slightly rumpled copy of the morning news. “Here it is! Look! Right on the second page!”

  Amazed, I scanned the article and the candid shot that a reporter must have taken of me when I wasn’t paying attention. Last night I had been so frazzled that my mind had gone fuzzy in the midst of all the flashbulb journalists and mob of curious onlookers.

  Smiling victoriously, I chirped, “See, I’m not some lunatic. You can tell me which room Clive is in!”

  Grinning, the girl searched her computer and typed in a few letters. “Clive MacDonald,” she announced. “Room 702.”

  “Clive MacDonald,” I marveled. “So that’s his last name? His family must have come from Scotland.”

  “He must be a real Scottish cutie for you to be going to all this trouble,” the girl observed.

  “Oh he’s definitely a cutie! Thanks for the info!”

  I raced towards the elevators, trying to devise a devastatingly clever and witty opening line before deciding to just be myself. Clive already liked me; there was no need to put on false airs. Sauntering down the corridor to the room marked 702, I couldn’t help but smile as I knocked on the door.

  A moment later, Mr. MacDonald answered the door, looking shocked but elated to see me. “Rita! Hi!”

  “Hi Clive,” I said, suddenly stricken with shyness. “You’re probably wondering how I found your room number.”

  “Actually, I really don’t care. I’m just glad to see you,” he said earnestly.

  “Have you had breakfast yet?” I inquired softly.

  “No, I haven’t…”

  “Because I was wondering if you’d like to grab a bite with me,” I said with an inviting gleam in my eyes.

  “Funny, those words sound very familiar. I wonder how many times I’ve asked you to ‘grab a bite’ with me since we met,” he said wryly.

  Giggling, I pressed, “So what do you say? Breakfast with a California girl?”

  Stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind him, he whispered intimately, “I thought you’d never ask.”

  ***

  Epilogue

  7 Months Later

  Kent, England

  Photographing the English Countryside

  My sneakers squished into the soggy earth as a smile played upon my lips. Torrential rain had fallen for 3 consecutive days in the English countryside; in Santa Monica it rarely ever rained even for 3 straight hours. But I didn’t care. Moving to England to be with Clive was the best decision I had ever made…right behind my daredevil trip to Australia.

  Everything around me was a vibrant shade of green, making me wonder if I had crossed the border into the Emerald Isle. Pouf’s paws were a muddy mess, but he was happy simply to be outdoors and away from his nemesis, Jangles. The two spoiled pets weren’t exactly best buddies, but they hadn’t killed each other yet either.

  “Should we take a picture of that farmhouse?” I asked Pouf as he yelped. “And how about those grazing cows?” I murmured, gripping his leash a little tighter.

  Zooming in on the bucolic scene, I sighed contentedly. There were no box jellyfish or poisonous snakes to worry about in England. Maybe my photography wasn’t as exciting as it could have been in Australia, but I felt perfectly at peace. Best of all, I had a brand new fiancé named Clive MacDonald.

  After enduring months of a strained long distance relationship, Clive had invited me to live with him in his native Kent. But I wasn’t willing to say yes unless he made me a more solid promise. So last month, halfway between our two homes, Clive proposed to me at the top of the Empire State Building in Manhattan. I won’t even bother to mention how many photographs I snapped that day! Suffice it to say that I almost broke my camera.

  His proposal came on the heels of Karen and Jenna’s convictions in Adelaide. The evidence had mounted against them like an avalanche; there was nothing they could do but accept their fate and trudge handcuffed through the doors of the Australian prison system. During the investigation, police had discovered that the sisters were wanted in Phoenix for armed robbery. Computer records also indicated that the miserly murderers had been plotting an international crime spree for months before arriving in Australia. Detectives maintained that the women had probably not intended to kill Corinne Foster but that the strong-willed widow had likely not cooperated when they tried to pocket her jewels. The likelihood that the murder resulted from a botched robbery did little to help Karen and Jenna’s case. The two were going away for a very long time. Those designer dresses and high heel sandals would be completely out of style by the time they saw the light of day again.

  Corinne Foster’s grieving family had set up scholarship funds at several universities across Australia to pay tribute to the slain woman. Clive and I had also made a modest donation in the victim’s name to the school where he taught. We couldn’t rewrite history, but we could breathe new life into future generations who would benefit from the woman’s legacy.

  “Are you coming inside now?” Clive asked, slipping an arm around my waist. “Jangles says she misses Pouf.”

  I laughed heartily. “I seriously doubt that! She’s probably been having a party without him.”

  “Oh, then I guess I miss you,” he said romantically.

  “I’ve only been out here for a couple of hours,” I giggled.

  “That’s long enough. We were apart for 7 months, so let’s not be apart anymore,” Clive breathed into my ear as tingles rushed through me.

  I leaned into his embrace, feeling safer and more loved than I ever had. Amy and her boyfriend were scheduled to visit us soon, and my parents would be embarking on their first trip to Europe shortly after that. Roger had no idea that I had left the United States and I intended to keep it that way, though I was sure that he was nothing but a leaking hot air balloon. He had threatened to fly to Australia but had not followed through. Yeah, stupid idiot Roger had more wind in him that a set of antique bagpipes.

  “Want to help me prepare for my interview on Monday?” I asked sweetly.

  “Sure. But I know you’ll ace it,” Clive reassured.

  My nerves were aflutter as I reflected on the competitive photography position for which I was a candidate. Feature Photo Editor at Outdoor Passion magazine was a career I couldn’t have possibly dreamed of before I left California. Even though the prospective job might force me to squeeze into a cubicle again, I was still pursuing the opportunity with everything I had in me. With Clive’s flexible teaching schedule, there would be plenty of chances for exotic adventures…we had already booked our honeymoon in New Zealand and were planning to take an excursion to Australia as well.

  “Anything else you’d like to take a picture of? Or should we go inside and practice that interview?” He grinned naughtily at me in a way that said he had other things on his mind.

  I parted my lips to speak before noticing a faint rainbow glistening over the horizon. “Just one more picture! I mean one more set!” I promised fervently as I captured the mystical rainbow on film. It was a sight I had never been privy to in California.

  “Okay, that’s enough for now. Let’s go inside,” I said, interlacing my fingers with Clive’s as Pouf skipped towards our home.

  Resolutely, I slid my camera into my purse and strolled into the house with my fiancé. There would be no more photographs snapped that
day. My life with Clive was already picture perfect.

  ***

  *BONUS SECTION*

  TEMPTING AUSTRALIAN RECIPES

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  DISCOVER EXOTIC AUSTRALIAN TEMPTATIONS!

  Australian Punch (Non-Alcoholic)

  3 cups green cordial

  3 cups water

  Ice cubes

  1 bottle Passiona soft drink (Mountain Dew can be substituted)

  Honeydew melon

  Mix together equal parts of green cordial and water. Fill a glass to the brim with ice. Fill glass to halfway with green cordial. Gently pour Passiona (or Mountain Dew) over ice to top of glass. Garnish with honeydew melon slices.

  Parmesan & Vegemite Rolls

  1 ½ cups flour

  ½ cup wholemeal flour

  80g butter

  2/3 cup milk

  1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

  ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

  1 tbsp Vegemite

  1 tbsp milk

  Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine both flours and butter. Rub the butter through the flours until you have a breadcrumb consistency, then add ¾ of the cheese combination and milk and work into a dough ball. Spread Vegemite over the top of the dough and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Roll the dough into a long rope shape. Cut it into eight equal rounds and place them on a lined baking tray. Brush with milk. Bake for 20 minutes then remove from oven and cool.

  Brown Sugar Meringues

  4 egg whites (from organic, cage-free eggs)

  1/2 cup white sugar

  1/2 cup brown sugar

  Preheat oven to 325. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside. Using a mixer, beat the egg whites on a high speed until they form glossy peaks. Beat in the white sugar by slowly placing one third at a time in the mixer. Sprinkle in the brown sugar a little at a time until all is combined. Spoon bite-sized rounds onto the baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes. Let the meringues cool for at least one hour. Your guests will never know how easy this recipe was and how you only used 3 ingredients!

  Beer Battered Fish

  Half dozen fresh cod or tilapia fillets

  1 ½ cups flour

  1 egg

  1 ½ cup beer

  Flour for coating

  Vegetable oil for frying

  In a bowl, add flour and beaten egg. Add beer slowly and whisk in.

  Place into fridge for half an hour to rest. Heat oil. Cut pieces of fish to serving sizes. Roll in flour. Take batter from fridge and give a light whisk. Using a fork, dip the fish pieces into the batter. Lay the fish into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown.

  Drain on kitchen towel and serve with wedges of lemon, pickles, and tartar sauce. Chef’s recommendation: “Chips” or fried potatoes with onions on the side!

  Koala Biscuits (the cutest cookies Down Under!)

  1 cup sugar

  2 tbsp milk

  Black food coloring

  8 circular plain biscuits (any brand)

  2 tbsp flaked coconut

  16 brown M&M’s

  8 black jelly beans

  8 marshmallows

  Sift sugar in a bowl. Add milk and combine to create a thick icing. Add food coloring very gradually until icing is gray. Spread icing onto biscuits. Sprinkle icing with coconut. Place two M&M’s for the eyes and one black jelly bean for the nose. Cut marshmallows in half horizontally and position two halves for the ears. This is a fabulous no-bake recipe for kids to create!

  Lemonade Scones

  1 cup lemonade

  1 cup heavy cream

  3 cups flour

  Egg wash

  Preheat oven to very hot 375. Mix flour, cream and lemonade. Turn onto a lightly floured board. Pat down. Use a round cookie cutter to cut scones. Brush tops with egg wash. Bake for 10 minutes; tops should be golden. If desired, enjoy your Australian lemonade scones with a bit of English clotted cream!

  Banana Damper (Aussie twist on classic banana bread!)

  3 cups flour

  1/4 cup brown sugar

  1/2 stick butter, cubed

  2 bananas, mashed

  1/2 cup milk

  1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

  Butter for spreading

  Maple syrup for topping

  Preheat oven to 350. Line a tray with baking paper and set aside. In a bowl, place the flour and brown sugar and mix. Rub the butter through the flour. Pour the milk into the mashed banana and mix. Add the banana and milk; mix. Turn out onto baking tray and pat into a large round. The dough will feel sticky. Press the walnuts into the top of the damper and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool. Spread soft butter and drizzle with maple syrup for an extra moist treat (hence the name, Banana Damper!)

  Prawns with Spicy Chili Dip

  ½ pound fresh cooked prawns

  ½ cup mayonnaise

  2 tablespoons sweet or spicy chili sauce

  Zest of 1 lemon

  Zest of 1 lime

  Lemon and lime wedges

  To make the chili dip, mix half the mayo with the sweet chili sauce in a bowl. Chop the zest of the lemon and lime and mix with the remaining mayo. Arrange prawns on a platter, place dips next to prawns and garnish with lemon and lime wedges. Serve with a giant tossed salad for a healthy, protein-packed meal.

  Buttermilk Lemony Date Scones

  3 cups flour

  6 tsp baking powder

  1 cup finely chopped dates

  2 tsp lemon zest

  ½ stick softened butter

  2 tsp sugar

  1 1/4 cups buttermilk

  Extra milk for brushing

  Preheat oven to 400. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in bowl. Rub in butter. With a spoon, mix in dates and lemon zest. Add milk and stir. Turn out onto floured surface. Shape your scones. Place onto a greased tray. Brush with milk. Bake for 15 minutes until tops are golden brown. These scones are scrumptious with a bit of strawberry jam; the sweetness of the strawberry complements the tartness of the lemon.

  Baked Apples on the Barbie

  6 green apples

  3 tbsp butter, softened

  3 tbsp brown sugar

  1/4 cup raisins

  1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

  Core a hole in the top of the apple to fill with the mixture. Mix the butter, brown sugar, walnuts and raisins together and fill the hole in each apple. Double wrap each apple with foil. Place on a preheated barbeque grill for 20 minutes, flipping once after the first 10 minutes. Caution: Apples will be very hot; let cool before enjoying. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of each apple is an excellent way to speed the cooling process!

  Australian Trifle

  Strawberry jam

  Lime Jam

  6 cups milk

  1 package vanilla pudding mix

  6 tbsp sugar

  1 cup whipped heavy cream

  1 package fresh strawberries

  1 cup fresh sliced peaches

  1 cup fresh mango slices

  1 Swiss roll or package of ladyfingers

  1/2 cup orange juice

  Prepare custard as per instructions in the mix. Refrigerate. Whip cream and refrigerate. Slice the Swiss roll and set in the bottom of a bowl. Soak with orange juice. Layer ingredients in this order: Lime jam, half of the custard, peaches, strawberry jam, second half of the custard, mango and top with a generous cloud of cream. Decorate with the fresh strawberries. While traditionally served at Christmas, this trifle makes a special dessert any time of year!

  Peach Melba

  1 can peaches, drained

  2 tsp vanilla extract

  1 cup water

  1 cup sugar

  1 bag frozen raspberries

  Raspberry Sauce

  Peach or vanilla ice cream

  In a saucepan, add the peaches, vanilla, sugar and water. Bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes. Pour into a bowl to cool. Using 1 cup of syrup from the peaches in a saucepan, add the raspberries and heat. Blend raspberry mix together and pour through a sieve to remove seeds.
Ladle peaches over ice cream, drizzle with raspberry sauce and garnish with raspberries.

  Fun Fact: Did you know that the French chef Georges Auguste Escoffier created this recipe to pay homage to the Australian opera diva Dame Nellie Melba? It’s true! The dessert is known as Pêche Melba in French and first delighted gourmands in 1893. Escoffier also created the snack food Melba Toast in the popular soprano’s honor.

  WHILE YOU’RE RELISHING AN AUSTRALIAN TREAT,

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  Special Preview of Anisa Claire West’s

  THE FRENCH MAID MURDER

  Prologue

  Newport, Rhode Island

  The Milton Mansion

  “Follow me. The dead body is this way,” Roberta Milton the mansion matriarch instructed nonchalantly.

  Trailing the flawlessly coiffed redhead down an ornate marble floored hallway, I tried to brace myself for the grotesque sight awaiting me. Even though I had been with the police force for a decade, I invariably became unraveled when dealing with death. And this case would be my nerve-wracking début as co-lead investigator. Gulping in a deep breath, I wore a mask of indifference as the lady of the house led me into a spacious den. Distastefully, I glanced around at the hunting prize heads proudly hung on the walls. Emotionlessly, as though she were a docent giving a tour of an art museum, Roberta Milton pointed to a body curled up on the floor next to a vacuum cleaner.

  “There she is. Poor Fifi,” Roberta mused, dotting invisible tears from her hazel eyes.

  Clad in a French maid uniform complete with a lacy white apron, black high heel shoes, and an upswept chignon, the victim appeared no older than 40 or so. I bowed my head sadly, willing myself to stay professional and not let my soft heart melt into a puddle at the victim’s feet. A summer breeze swayed in from the veranda, turning my attention to the magnificent ocean views outside the mansion. The Milton family was like a dynasty in Newport, famous for their wealth inherited from a successful wine making business. Their opulent oceanfront estate was located a short walking distance from the historical Breakers mansion where the Vanderbilts had resided during the Gilded Age. It seemed incongruous for such a tragedy to befall the Miltons’ perfect snow globe world.