by Lilly York
BBQ Dry Rub
1/3 cup cayenne pepper
1/3 cup chipotle pepper
2/3 cup paprika
2/3 cup garlic powder
2/3 cup onion powder
1/3 cup seasoned salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup ground cumin
Mix all ingredients and store in cool place. Use as a dry rub for barbecuing or add to your favorite liquid marinade base.
Please enjoy this excerpt from ‘Southern Fried Son of a Gun’, Book 4 of the Willow Crier Cozy Mystery Series
Chapter 1
The heat seeking missile sat poised, ready to fire. She took aim. The target locked. She fired. The explosion rocked the intersection…
“Mom, hello, earth to mom.”
Willow startled out of her daydream. “What?”
“What were you just doing?”
“Nothing.”
“Mom, answer the question.”
She pointed to the red pickup truck in front of them. “I just blew him up.”
Embry raised her eye brows. “A little extreme, don’t you think?”
“He cut me off. I was in line first. I was being nice and I gave him room to get through. He didn’t even acknowledge me. He had to go.”
Embry shook her head. “Mom, I’m not sure you should have a gun. It might not be the wisest decision.”
Willow patted her purse. “Oh, Honey, it’s fine. Just because I want to rid the world of all the idiots doesn’t mean I will.”
Willow pulled into the parking space in front of a rather drab dirty brown building. “Are you ready?” Her gun club was meeting for a potluck. The concealed carry class Steve signed her up for got along so well they had decided to get together. Willow had decided food was the one way to get Embry to the club.
“Ready as I’ll ever be. I guess.” Embry opened her door. “Do I have to do this?”
“Yes. You do.” She paused. “Well, I guess you don’t. But if you ever want me to make homemade chicken potpie again you will.”
“Mom, that’s not fair.”
“I don’t play fair. Never claimed to either.” Willow led the way to the front door and held it open for her daughter then followed her inside. The entry was a mini store and had glass cases with a few guns and some ammo. “You work downtown. Sometimes late at night. I’ve seen the kind of people who are wandering around at that time of night. I’ll feel better knowing you can protect yourself.” A deep southern voice ended their conversation.
“Willow, hey, how you doin’, girl?” The elderly man looked to Embry. “Don’t tell me. She’s your sister, right?”
Willow grinned. “Flattery will get you everywhere. Clancy. This is my daughter, Embry. Embry, meet Clancy.” She addressed Embry. “Clancy is a war hero.”
“Girl, don’t be goin’ on about me. She don’ wantta be hearin’ no old war stories. She got better things to do than that.”
Willow frowned. “Clancy, you should be proud of what you did. Not everyone would risk their own safety to help someone else. Especially if that someone else wasn’t exactly friendly.”
He waved her off. “Nah, anybody would have helped. I’m nothin’ special.” He went behind the counter and glanced at his watch. “You’re a bit early for the potluck. What can I help you two ladies with today?”
Willow loved Clancy’s range. It wasn’t fancy like the others in town. It was a little off the beaten path and if you wanted a cup of coffee or a soda, your only choices were the vending machine or the crusty pot Clancy kept on the counter. Granted, the coffee would put hair on your chest but once you got used to it, it was almost like coming home. She smiled. “You got me. My dish is in the cooler in the Jeep. Since I was coming anyway, I thought I’d get some practice time in.” She motioned to Embry. “She’s never shot a gun. I want her to be able to protect herself. So, I’d like two lanes. And a rental for Embry.”
Clancy nodded. “You got it.” He pulled out a Smith & Wesson revolver and some ammo. “This should do the trick. Jason, can you give this young lady a rundown on the 1911?”
“Sure Mr. C.” Jason put his duster behind the counter. “Which lane did you assign to her?”
“I put them in eight and nine. Maybe you can use the classroom and go over the rules and the gun.”
Jason nodded, took the gun and the ammo, and walked away.
Embry gave her mom a look then shrugged and followed the young man with the buzz cut through a hallway and into a small classroom. Willow entered right behind them. A refresher course wouldn’t hurt, nor would learning about another weapon. A half hour later Jason led both women to their lanes and got them each set up with a target. “Okay, why don’t you give it a go and I’ll stay here and help you out for a bit.”
Embry loaded the weapon as she had been instructed then took aim and fired. She looked to Jason for input. He simply nodded so she fired again.
This time he interjected. “You need to keep both eyes open.”
She nodded then fired again, making sure both eyes were fully open.
Jason motioned for her to set her weapon down and he brought the target forward. Two shots were off the paper to the right of the silhouette. One was in the chest. “See what happens when you are aware of your target? You hit it.” He sent a clean target out. “Let’s try it again.”
She spent her round of ammunition and then drew in the target. Every shot was a hit. Not all were kill shots, but she did have a couple. As much as she didn’t want to like firing the weapon, she had to admit, it felt good. Jason seemed impressed as well.
“You’re good at this. How long have you been target shooting?”
“This is my first time.”
“You’re kidding? I never would have guessed.” After watching her load her weapon he excused himself. “If you need anything just give me a yell.”
Willow watched as Embry put her earplugs in and joined her in warding off various criminals. All put out of their misery, of course. She knew her daughter would be a natural. It would have to run in the family.
Shortly before their time ran out on the lane the lights flickered. Willow glanced around but nothing seemed out of the ordinary so she finished off her round and cleaned her gun as she waited for Embry to do the same.
“Well, what did you think?”
Embry’s face lit up. “I loved it. I didn’t think I would, but I did.”
Willow laughed. “I knew you would.”
Together they turned in Embry’s weapon to Jason. “Clancy taking a break? He’s joining us for the potluck, right?”
“Yeah. He’s out back taking a smoke break.” He rolled his eyes. “He’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Willow holstered her gun and went for her cooler. She made a broccoli salad and chocolate chip cookies. She also picked up a couple of gallons of sweet tea. Birdie pulled into the parking spot next to Willow’s Jeep. She waved.
Birdie drank copious amounts of caffeine. She flitted from one thing to another. Willow wasn’t sure how it was possible for her to hold a gun still enough to hit any target, let alone one about to cause her physical harm. Willow watched as she popped out of her boxy-looking car and started for the building. Suddenly, she turned around.
“Willow, so sorry. Didn’t see you there.” She approached Willow and took the two gallons of tea from her then turned for the building. Willow lifted the cooler and tried to catch up, to no avail, of course. By the time Willow entered the classroom everyone was thanking Birdie for remembering to bring something to drink. The woman continued on as if she didn’t hear them. She neither accepted their thanks nor denied she brought the sweet drink. Willow had gotten used to her demeanor. Classic Birdie. Today, Willow chose to ignore it. She’d already blown up one vehicle and taken out an army of bad guys. The range was great for working off aggression. Birdie was safe, for today.
Willow placed her salad and cookies on the conference table. She noticed Embry was still talking with Jason and wondered what
Marshall would think of that. “You two seem to have a lot to talk about.”
Embry blushed. “Jason was telling me about Clancy’s time in Vietnam.”
So maybe everything is all right with Marshall then, good. I really like that young man. “Interesting, huh?”
“I’m not sure interesting is the right word. Makes me want to smack somebody.”
Willow laughed. “You better be careful. Next thing you’ll be blowing up trucks in intersections.” She looked around. “Clancy’s been gone a long time. Longer than normal. I wonder if he’s okay.”
Jason scoped out the room. “I’ll go look out front. Maybe he had a customer come in.”
More of her classmates filed into the room. Someone made fried chicken. Willow could smell it and looked down at her growling stomach. “Traitor.” She had every intention to lose a few pounds. Funny how being in a new relationship did that to a girl.
She selected a breast from the glass pan and added her broccoli salad and a helping of fruit to her plate. Just as she and Embry sat down, Jason appeared looking as if he were going to be sick.
“Jason, what’s wrong?” Willow scanned the room. “Where’s Clancy.”
He nodded then turned. Willow quickly followed him outside and around the building. She was thankful she hadn’t taken a bite. If she had she would be losing it.
A hot wire was hanging from the back of the building and Clancy was lying on the ground. The means of death was obvious. Someone fried their host. Clancy Cobb was electrocuted.
Author Bio
Lilly York (aka Darlene Shortridge, author of Contemporary Christian Fiction) is a transplanted northerner living in the southwest with her husband, children, grandchild, and adopted dog, Clover. Her many experiences in learning the southern way of doing things have been the basis for the Willow Crier Cozies. Including but not limited to drivers honking, making obscene gestures, and all the crazy phrases and southern drawl that make communicating a challenge. She wouldn’t change living here for the world though, the people more than make up for any difficulties a different culture presents.
To stay informed on the whereabouts and goings-on of the Willow Crier Cozy Mystery Characters as well as upcoming releases, recipes and maybe a clue or two, join Lilly’s e-mail club by going to…
LillyYork.com
A Yankee’s Guide to Southern Phrases
Bless Your Heart: The most back handed kind words spoken in the south. Means, while you’re sweet, you’re also stupid, you don’t quite get it and I feel sorry for you.
Fixin to: About to do something, almost ready, thinking about doing something.
Nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rockin’ chairs: Nervous to the point of being jumpy.
Reckon: So suppose or believe something is true.
Yankee: Anyone originating north of the Mason Dixon line.
Redneck: Polite, blue collar individual who loves hunting, country music, and blue jeans. Add alcohol and anything can happen.
Y’all: You guys
All y’all: More than five people
I could eat the north end of a south-bound polecat: Starving!
Jerk a knot in your tail: Typically used as a threat against someone as in, “If you do that again, I’m going to jerk a knot in your tail.”
Lil’ Dogie: A motherless calf, a calf separated from its cow.
Hankering: Craving something
Fair to middlin’: Doing okay
Three sheets to the wind: Drunker than a skunk
Passel: A whole bunch
You ain’t got no dog in this fight: It’s none of your business
To stay informed on the whereabouts and goings-on of the Willow Crier Cozy Mystery Characters as well as upcoming releases, recipes and maybe a clue or two, join Lilly’s e-mail club by going to…
LillyYork.com
Also by Lilly York
The Willow Crier Cozy Mystery Series
Chili to Die For (Book 1)
I Scream, You Scream (Book 2)
This Little Piggy Wound Up Dead (Book 3)
Southern Fried Son of a Gun (Book 4 – Coming Soon)
