The group fell silent for some time before Allan said, “Well, seems I was right about that lad, Howie Upton. I’m certainly glad I’m no longer in the corporate world.”
Ellie regarded her husband with puzzlement. “So am I, dear, but what brought that up?”
With his hearty laugh, Allan said, “I’d pegged Howie as a sociopathic genius, you see. If I were in the corporate world, I’d have been tempted to hire the boy for his genius, thinking I could control his sociopathy. That might not have been such a good idea.”
When everyone laughed, the mood lightened. “Del, what about the break-ins around town?” Maddie asked. “Were they connected with Trevor’s murder? And the rumors in Binnie’s blog, what about those?”
Del took a sip of champagne. “Given Howie’s lack of cooperation, we’re still working on those questions. It’s our hypothesis that Howie was trying to create the impression that a violent criminal was preying on Chatterley Heights businesses to throw suspicion off himself. Sort of a fallback plan, if you will. It’s interesting that he used a hammer to damage Lady Chatterley’s safe and a different hammer to kill Trevor Lane.”
“So Howie is a thematic sort of killer,” Olivia said.
Del grinned at her. “Nicely put. Howie wasn’t as smart as he thought he was, or he would have realized he should use Wade’s hammer for both crimes. Also, Howie shouldn’t have left the murder weapon in the band shell while Wade was in jail.”
“I find it curious that Howie chose to attack the head teller at the very bank where he works,” Olivia said.
Del toasted her. “That happens to be one of our best leads. The head teller was hard on Howie, for good reason. Choosing him to attack looks a lot like revenge.”
“At least Wade Harald has been cleared, and Struts gave him back his job at the garage,” Jason said. “I’m sure glad about that, especially because I was doing all the work. I mean, I love my job but jeez…”
“Stacey and the kids are back home, too,” Olivia said. “So far, Binnie has left them alone. I hope she’s ashamed of herself for hounding them, but I doubt it.”
“And speaking of Binnie,” Maddie said, “I hope she’s under indictment for something. Where did she get those nasty rumors for her blog?”
With a laugh, Del said, “Probably from Howie, but she claims to be protecting her sources. Not much I can do about that until I hear from a judge. Although Binnie still seems to be conducting a determined vendetta against Livie and me.” Del slid his chair closer to Olivia and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. “Lucas told me that he and Maddie have moved up their honeymoon to start tomorrow. So now I think we should toast the bride and groom one more time before they disappear to an undisclosed location.”
Allan refilled their champagne glasses. It might be a Monday, but no one at the gathering had any intention of going to work, not even Olivia’s brother.
To Olivia’s surprise, Jason stood to give a toast. He looked handsome in his new blue suit. He’d even gotten his dark hair trimmed so it no longer fell over his eyes. He held his champagne glass aloft, and said, “Maddie, I gotta tell you, I will never forget seeing you take down that jerk. Wow. And in a dress, too. Lucas, you are one lucky dude. If and when I ever find someone I want to marry, I want her to be just like Maddie.”
“Olivia was great, too,” Maddie said. “The way she pulled everything together.”
“Yeah, but she didn’t save the day,” Jason said.
“It was a cooperative effort,” Ellie pointed out. “Del did the investigating, Livie figured out the connections, and Maddie—”
“And Maddie,” Jason said, raising his glass to her, “was the muscle.”
Olivia raised her own glass to her circle of loved ones. “I want to propose a toast, too,” she said. “To each of you, my dear family and friends. You are the best of the best.” When Olivia’s breath caught in her throat, she stopped and said the rest in her heart.
Recipes
Ellie’s Lemon Chicken
6–8 boned, skinned chicken breasts
1⁄2 cup onion, finely chopped
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves (or to taste)
1⁄2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
lemon-pepper seasoning
Place chicken in ungreased oblong pan, 13 × 9 × 2 inches. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Sprinkle lemon-pepper seasoning over chicken mixture.
Cook uncovered in 375°F oven for 20 minutes. Turn and spoon sauce over chicken. Cook until thickest pieces are done, about 20–30 minutes longer.
Rose Wedding Cutout Cookies
2 1⁄2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
1 egg
1 1⁄2 teaspoon rosewater
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla emulsion (or extract)
Note: For a milder flavor, try one teaspoon each of rosewater and vanilla.
Using a sifter or a whisk, mix together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
Cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. (Use the paddle attachment, if your mixer has one.) Add the unbeaten egg, rosewater, and vanilla. Mix well.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Use the low setting if you are using a mixer. Mix until thoroughly blended, but try not to overmix the dough. Wrap the dough and chill for about thirty minutes.
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Using powdered sugar (rather than flour) on your rolling surface, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1⁄4 inch or less. (Powdered sugar keeps the cookies sweet tasting and more moist, especially if you reroll the remaining dough.) Use a round cookie or biscuit cutter if you wish to use the cookies for a cookie cake. Place the cookies about one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. If you wish, sprinkle the unbaked cookies with sparkling sugar, in place of icing. Bake for about 7 to 9 minutes, or until they brown slightly on the edges.
Makes about 3–4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookie cutter.
*If you wish to make a cookie cake, you might try using sparkling sugar before baking. If you want an iced cake, spread royal icing on cooled, baked cookies, and allow the icing to dry thoroughly before assembling the cake. Use a dab of royal icing to hold the cookies together as you arrange them in a pyramid. A dab of royal icing can be used, as well, to attach other decorations, such as organic or candied rose petals. Use your imagination and have fun!
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Virginia Lowell
COOKIE DOUGH OR DIE
A COOKIE BEFORE DYING
WHEN THE COOKIE CRUMBLES
ONE DEAD COOKIE
One Dead Cookie Page 27
