Brush with Death

by Karen MacInerney

  Charlene’s eyebrows rose at the sight of his ensemble, but she smiled politely. She was decked out in a form-fitting purple dress spangled with sequins that made my simple black dress look positively plain. “Sure does,” I said, looking around the room, which was filled with enormous oil paintings, none of which were to my taste. On the back wall, however, were a half dozen watercolors that were beyond anything I’d ever seen Gwen paint before.

  “Wow,” Charlene said, as we gravitated to the back of the gallery, both entranced by a watercolor of a small pond ringed by verdant green trees. A lone boat floated in the pond’s center, and the light was so pure I felt as if I could walk into the painting. “This is just gorgeous,” I breathed. “She really has improved.”

  “And how,” Charlene said, adding a low whistle. “The girl’s got talent.”

  “She did an oil of the same scene,” Munger said, pointing to a large, square canvas that vaguely mirrored the delicate watercolor, but lacked its ethereal beauty. “So much more impact. It’s more of a representational piece—not so exacting. A statement piece.”

  “I still like this one better,” I said.

  “Me too,” Charlene said.

  “Hey, you,” John said, materializing at my right arm with two glasses of white wine. He looked good enough to eat in a dark green sweater that brought out the color of his eyes and a pair of khaki pants. He bent down to give me a kiss. “You look lovely,” he said.

  “Thanks—but not as lovely as these new watercolors. Where’s Gwen?”

  “She’s freaking out in the back room,” he said, handing Charlene and me each a glass. “Here. Drink this.”

  I thanked him and took a sip of the slightly sweet wine. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone,” Charlene said, and headed toward the snack table.

  “It’s really just an excuse for a snack,” I said, leaning against John. “I wish Fernand could be here,” I said.

  “He’s here in spirit.”

  “Maybe.” I sighed. “I’m worried Gwen won’t come back. Zelda was going to be her mentor, but with her going back to New York …”

  “Something will turn up,” John said. “She’s got too much here to abandon it. You, the inn, Adam, the studio … and her art has grown so much recently.”

  “Her watercolors, anyway,” I said, eyeing a lurid blue canvas.

  “That’s her art,” John said. “This is a business proposition. A misguided one, in my opinion, despite Fernand’s encouragement. I hate what happened to him, but Gwen probably needed to find a mentor who would help her be true to her instinct.”

  “I hope she finds one,” I said, and took another sip of wine.

  _____

  “I can’t believe they sold in ten minutes,” Gwen said, eyes shining, as we trundled in through the front door of the Gray Whale Inn three hours later. The snow had started outside, falling in fat flakes that would almost certainly blanket the island by morning, and for the first time since Fernand died, I was feeling the Christmas spirit. Charlene and Adam had joined Gwen, Catherine, John, and me, and were planning to stay as we trimmed the tree; if it snowed too heavily, I’d just put them up in the inn. The air was scented with cinnamon and cloves from the apple cider I’d put in the crockpot before leaving the island, and our spirits were high as we peeled off our coats and filled the mugs I’d set out on the counter.

  “I told you watercolor was the way to go!” I said, grinning at my niece as she wrapped her hands around a mug.

  “Munger was kicking himself for not charging more for them,” she said.

  “Mimi Kuhn seemed interested in your work,” John said as I unwrapped the last plate of Eggnog Bread and opened a tin of fudge. Biscuit had perked up at our arrival, meowing hopefully; as I arranged a plate of goodies for the humans, John took pity on her and gave her a can of her favorite food.

  “She did,” Gwen said. “I’m so honored; she does the most beautiful work.”

  “Another mentor possibility?” I asked.

  “She wanted to have lunch in January, after I get back from California.”

  “So you will be back?”

  “Absolutely,” she said, grinning at Adam.

  “I certainly hope so,” he said. “Not too many lobsters in California.”

  She looked at him with shining eyes, and I found myself smiling. We had our old Gwen back—and she wasn’t planning on leaving.

  “Let’s go into the parlor,” I said, nibbling at a piece of Eggnog Bread and deciding I needed to make it again—soon. I pushed through the swinging kitchen door, my mug in one hand and the plate of bread in the other, and felt another surge of Christmas spirit at the scent of the fir tree in the corner. When I went to set the tray down on the table, I was surprised to see a small box with a red ribbon.

  “Why isn’t this under the tree?” I asked, setting down the tray and picking up the small package.

  “I want you to open it now,” John said, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.

  I carefully removed the silver paper; it was a jewelry box. I looked up at John. “But the mortgage back payment …”

  “Shh,” he said. “Just open it.”

  What was inside took my breath away. A beautiful sapphire, the color of the water out behind the inn, nestled between two starry diamonds on a slender gold band.

  “It’s beautiful,” I breathed.

  “So are you,” John said, taking my hand and slipping the ring onto my finger. I held it up to the light; it caught the twinkle of the lights on the tree and sparkled.

  “It’s just perfect,” Catherine said.

  “You don’t mind?” I said, looking at her.

  “Why would I? It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said. “I’m just so sorry about what happened to the original ring.” Her cheeks turned pink.

  “Not to worry,” I said, looking at Catherine, and Gwen, and John, and feeling a deep contentment surge through me. My family.

  I squeezed John’s hand, relishing the feel of the band on my finger, and gave him a quick kiss. “Now, then,” I said, turning to the tree. “Who wants to put up the first ornament?”

  THE END

  RECIPES

  WINTER KNITTERS CANDY CANE

  CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES

  Cookies:

  3½ cups all-purpose flour

  1 cup cocoa powder

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 cups sugar

  1½ cups butter, room temperature

  2 large eggs

  Filling:

  2 cups plus 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

  1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature

  1½ teaspoons peppermint extract

  4 drops red food coloring

  1 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes

  Cookies:

  Blend flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended, then beat in eggs. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1–2 hours.

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely, then repeat process with remaining batter.

  Filling:

  Beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.

  Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll e
dges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.

  CHILLY NIGHT HATCH CHILE STEW

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  3 cloves garlic, crushed

  1 onion, chopped

  3 large carrots, finely chopped

  1 large Yukon Gold potato, peel on, finely chopped

  2 cups chicken broth (more if needed)

  2 pounds shredded cooked pork

  1 teaspoon dried oregano

  1 teaspoon ground cumin

  ½ teaspoon salt

  Ground black pepper

  2 bay leaves

  2 4-ounce cans fire-roasted diced mild Hatch green chiles

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon chili powder

  Fresh cilantro for garnishing

  Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil; add carrots and potato, then add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables are tender, 1–2 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.

  Garnish with sour cream, grated jack cheese (if desired), and fresh cilantro. Serve with corn muffins or tortillas.

  CRUSTED GARLIC AND ROSEMARY PORK TENDERLOIN

  Two pork tenderloins

  ¼–½ cup fresh rosemary (or more), chopped roughly

  7–8 garlic cloves, crushed

  1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (if you have them)

  1−2 tablespoons sea salt

  ¼–½ cup olive oil

  Remove tenderloins from the refrigerator and let them rest for 30–60 minutes. Combine rosemary, garlic, thyme, sea salt, and oil, and rub on pork tenderloins until they are well coated. Brown both sides of tenderloins in oven-safe pan, then transfer to 325 degree F oven (still in pan) and roast until internal temperature is at 140 degrees. Terrific with roasted rosemary potatoes and/or crusty bread and a salad!

  RUSTIC SAUSAGE AND CHEESE LASAGNA

  ½ pound lasagna noodles, boiled for five minutes, tossed with

  olive oil, and set aside

  3 tablespoons olive oil

  ½ pound Italian sausage (sweet or hot, to taste)

  1 cup water

  5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, juices reserved

  Salt and freshly ground pepper

  Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  ½ pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 pieces

  6 ounces Provolone cheese, cut into 8 pieces

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  ¼ cup thinly sliced basil leaves

  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the Italian sausage, cover and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned all over. Add the water, cover and simmer until the sausage is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

  In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and cook over moderate heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sausage and its poaching liquid and simmer for 4 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat until thickened, about 12 minutes. Coarsely break up the sausage and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

  In a greased, 9-by-13-inch ceramic baking dish, arrange 3 lasagna noodles in different directions in the dish, leaving about 2 inches of overhang. Spoon a scant 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over each lasagna noodle and sprinkle with a little grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Set a piece of mozzarella and Provolone on each lasagna noodle and add a few chunks of sausage. Fold the overhanging lasagna noodles on top of the cheese and sausage. Repeat the process with the remaining lasagna noodles, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Provolone, and sausage, sprinkling with a little more Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Brush the softened butter on any bare pasta and curly edges and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

  Bake the lasagna on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until the sauce starts to bubble. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for about 7 minutes longer, until the top is nicely browned. Let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes, then scatter the sliced basil on top, cut into squares, and serve.

  EGGNOG BREAD

  Loaf:

  2¼ cups all-purpose flour

  2 teaspoons baking powder

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

  2 eggs

  1 cup sugar

  1 cup eggnog

  ½ cup salted butter, melted

  1 teaspoon vanilla or eggnog extract

  ½ teaspoon rum extract (optional)

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., then butter the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, eggnog, melted butter, vanilla, and rum extract (if using). Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Loaf is done if top springs back when touched. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a rack. Cool before icing!

  Eggnog Icing:

  ½ cup powdered sugar

  ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

  Dash of nutmeg

  2 to 3 teaspoons eggnog

  Combine sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Stir in enough eggnog to reach drizzling consistency. Drizzle cooled loaf with icing. Grate a little bit of fresh nutmeg over the icing, then let icing set completely before wrapping loaf.

  GWEN’S FAVORITE LEMON BLUEBERRY

  RICOTTA BERRY MUFFINS

  2 cups flour

  ½ cup sugar

  2½ teaspoons baking powder

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 cup ricotta cheese

  ½ cup milk

  4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

  2 eggs

  Zest of 2 lemons

  1 cup blueberries

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

  In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend together the ricotta, milk, and butter until completely blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add the lemon zest and mix well.

  Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together just until incorporated. Add the blueberries and stir together with a rubber spatula. Your batter should be relatively firm, but if it’s on the dry side you can add just a splash of milk.

  Divide batter evenly into 12 pre-greased or lined baking cups. Bake for 26–30 minutes, or until the tops are a light golden brown color. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for around 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.

  Makes 12 muffins.

  CHRISTMAS SIMMERING POTPOURRI

  Two cinnamon sticks, broken up

  One tablespoon star anise

  One tablespoon cardamom pods

  One tablespoon cloves

  One tablespoon dried orange peel (optional)

  Add to potpourri warmer with a bit of water, light, and enjoy!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank yous, as always, go first to my family—Eric, Abby, and Ian—for all their love and support; also to Dave and Carol Swartz and Ed and Dorothy MacInerney. I am so lucky to have my extended family so close! Thanks also to Bethann and Beau Eccles, my adopted family; my wonderful nieces and nephews on both sides; to my sister, Lisa, and her family; and to my fabulous grandmother, Marian Quinton (and Nora Bestwick). Thanks as always to Clovis and Maryann Heimsath, who introduced me to this beautiful corner of the world and inspired Cranberry Island.

  Many thanks go to my agent Jessica Faust, who is there for me at every plot turn. I cannot say enough good things about the fabulous Midnight Ink team—particularly Terri Bischoff, whose support and patience as I finished the man
uscript has been amazing. Thanks also to Connie Hill, editor extraordinaire, for finding my mistakes and making me look good, and Ellen Dahl, whose cover concepts rock.

  And a big thank you to all those supportive friends out there—particularly my wonderful Facebook community, who offer recipes and encouragement, along with all my friends at the Westbank Library and my local coffee haunts. Thanks also to all of the kind readers who take the time to tell me you enjoyed the books; I couldn’t do it without you!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Although she currently lives in Texas with her husband and two children, Agatha-nominated author Karen MacInerney was born and bred in the Northeast, and she escapes there as often as possible. When she isn’t in Maine eating lobster, she spends her time in Austin with her cookbooks, her family, her computer, and the local walking trail (not necessarily in that order).

  In addition to writing the Gray Whale Inn mysteries, Karen is the author of the Tales of an Urban Werewolf series. You can visit her online at www.karenmacinerney.com.

  Author photo by kennethgall.com.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Information

  Dedication

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-one

  Twenty-two

  Twenty-three

  Twenty-four

  Twenty-five

  Recipes

  Acknowledgments