by Jessica Beck
“You didn’t know your sister as well as you thought you did. My way is better,” she said fiercely.
“I don’t see how that’s possible,” Momma said, and Anna poked her back with the gun hard enough to make my mother grunt out in pain. Part of my plan had been to lead the way so I could get to that sword before Anna got there, but that had meant getting in front of Momma and leaving her directly in contact with Anna. I just hoped my plan worked. If anything happened to Momma, I didn’t know what I’d do. Then again, I was pretty sure that she’d feel the same way about me if our roles were reversed.
“You rigged her brakes, didn’t you?” I asked. “You told us about the class on auto repair you took, so it couldn’t have been all that hard for you to do.”
Anna frowned. “Yes, I did it, for all the good that it ended up doing me. Somehow Jean managed to get herself out of that mess just fine. That’s when I knew that I had to do something a bit more direct.”
We were finally in the attic, but the sword wasn’t where I’d left it. Had Momma moved it? Where was it? I couldn’t fight back unless I had a weapon, and I didn’t exactly have enough time to look for it before Anna caught on to what I was doing.
“Where’s this note you promised me?” Anna asked.
“It’s over there,” I said, pointing in the general direction of where I’d last seen the sword.
“Well, what are you waiting for? I’m not going to get it myself.” She stopped and pulled my mother closer to her, using the gun as a threat. “You fetch it, Suzanne, and don’t get any ideas. If you try anything, your mother is going to die right in front of you.”
It iced me for a split second, but I knew that if I didn’t do something, we were both surely going to die anyway. Any risk was one worth taking at that point of desperation. I moved a few old blouses as I searched for the sword, and I’d nearly given up when I finally spotted it. It had fallen between two boxes, and as I reached down to grab it, I said, “You should confess everything to the police chief, Anna. The truth can be a double-edged sword that can kill you or set you free. It’s not too late for you to make things right.”
I doubted that it would make much sense to Anna, but I hoped that my mother would get it.
“What nonsense are you spouting now? I’m never giving up,” she said as I grabbed the only weapon within sight.
As Momma saw me come up with our ancestor’s sword, she dropped to the floor of the attic as though there was a trapdoor underneath her. It caught Anna completely off-guard, and I took two steps and skewered her before she could fire a single shot.
The gun dropped as I stabbed her, and Momma picked it up before she stood.
“You stabbed me!” Anna screamed as she fell and started fighting to pull the sword out of her shoulder. I’d been aiming for her chest, but she’d shifted at the last second. She might need surgery, but she’d survive, not that it was a top priority of mine at the moment.
“I’d leave that in if I were you,” I said calmly. “It might be all that’s keeping you from bleeding to death.” I looked over at my mother, who was showing renewed signs of life now. I had to admit that it was a real relief seeing the spark in her eyes again. “Momma, give me the gun and call the police.”
It was as though I hadn’t spoken.
Her grip was tightening on the gun, and she made no sign of even hearing me.
“Momma!”
That finally got her attention.
“Give me the gun. Now!”
At last, she did as she was told.
It turned out that simple sentences were the best.
“Listen to me very carefully. You need to take out your cellphone and call 911.”
My mother looked over at me, but she still couldn’t seem to focus on me completely, she was so far under the spell that she’d been swept up in. “Momma, I need you to do what I ask. Please.”
That finally got her attention. “Of course, Suzanne,” she said as she finally pulled out her cellphone.
Anna was still on the ground writhing around, clearly in pain from the stab wound, but I kept the gun trained on her nonetheless.
Four minutes later the chief showed up, followed closely by an ambulance.
When they took Anna off on the stretcher, the sword was still in place, standing proud, a flag waving as a tribute to our family history, and saving our lives once again.
Chapter 26
“You just can’t manage to stay out of trouble, can you?” Jake asked me the next day after Aunt Jean’s funeral was over. He’d made it in time to be there by my side, and I didn’t know what I would have done without him. We’d fed a ton of strangers at the house afterwards, everyone buzzing about what Anna and Greta had done. The conversations had stopped the instant either Momma or I was in sight, but we knew what they were talking about nonetheless.
“What can I say?” I asked him. “It seems to follow me wherever I go. I’m just glad that you’re here with me now.”
“You know that there’s nowhere else that I’d rather be. I’m just sorry I didn’t get her sooner.”
“I am, too, but we managed somehow.”
“I’d say you did more than that. What made you use an old Civil War sword to defend yourselves?”
“It was the only weapon in the house, so I didn’t have a whole lot of choice,” I said. “Have you heard from Chief Kessler today?”
“I spoke with him a few minutes ago,” Jake said. He’d become fast friends with the police chief upon arriving, but those were always the easiest friends for Jake to make. “Anna is out of surgery and doing fine. Her shoulder’s going to hurt for a while, and she’s going to need some rehab, but she’ll survive.”
“Okay,” I said. I hadn’t regretted stabbing her for one second, given what she had already done, not to mention what she was about to do.
“What are you going to do with this place?” Jake asked as he looked around my aunt’s rambling old house. “They may never find all of the jewelry that Greta stole, but at least you’ve still got this house.”
“I was thinking about donating it to the same charity my aunt favored,” I admitted. “Would I be crazy to do it?”
“No, I think that’s a fine idea,” I said.
“I think it’s perfect nonsense if you ask me,” Momma said as she drifted over to us.
“Why is that?” Jake asked her, honestly curious about my mother’s reaction.
“My sister donated what she wanted to that conservation group. Suzanne, she meant you to have this.”
“Do you expect me to keep it, just because it’s been in the family for years?” I asked her. “What am I going to do with a house in Maple Hollow?”
“Of course you’re not going to keep it. Neither one of us want this place as a reminder of what we’ve lost. Sell it, and then take the dream trip that you’ve always wanted to take. That was what my sister would have wanted.”
I looked at Jake. “Well, we have been talking about going to Paris someday. What do you think?”
He just shrugged. “It’s your house. You should do what you want with it.”
I considered the possibilities, and then I realized that most of all, above all else, my aunt would have wanted me to be happy.
After all, that was what we each wanted for the other.
“It’s settled, then,” I said.
“You’re donating it?” Momma asked, the disappointment clear in her voice.
“No, I’m selling it. That’s good advice you just gave me, and I plan on taking it.” Then I turned to Jake. “So, what do you say? Are you ready to finally go to Paris?”
“I am if you are,” he said with a grin.
“Then let’s go.”
It was, in the end, a fitting way to pay tribute to the love my late aunt shared with me. My only regret was that she couldn’t go with us. Then again, it would be special spending time alone with the man I loved in the City of Lights.
And I could hardly wait.
BAKED L
EMON GLAZED DONUTS
I’ve been on a lemon donut kick lately, as you’ll see by the following recipes, having fun with all kinds of lemony experiments. It’s funny, but the older I get, the more I grow to appreciate the subtle nuances lemon can add to a donut recipe. Adding the zest to the batter and glaze as well is a fun twist, too. Be aware that lemon extract will do in a pinch if you don’t have any real lemons available, but for every tablespoon of real lemon juice, substitute just a teaspoon of lemon extract. Too much extract can give you an overwhelming bite if you’re not careful! Also, it’s fun to play with the hybrid Meyer lemons sometimes, adding a distinctly different flavor to your recipes. Half the fun is experimenting, so enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
DONUTS
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (I like unbleached)
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
zest of 3 large lemons (reserve 1/2 teaspoon for glaze)
1/2 cup half and half (whole milk, 2 percent, or even 1 percent can be substituted)
1/2 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh)
5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
GLAZE
1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Oil for Frying
Canola or Peanut Oil, about 1 quart
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Then, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, blend the half and half, sour cream, melted butter, beaten egg, lemon juice, and food coloring. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet until thoroughly mixed. Lightly coat your donut pan with a non-stick vegetable spray. Fill the wells three quarters full, and then bake for 8-10 minutes, until the donut springs back lightly to your touch. While the donuts are cooling on the rack, you have time to make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice and zest. Drizzle the glaze over the cooling donuts and wait for the glaze to set, or grab one and get started while everything is still warm!
Yields around a dozen donuts.
EASY LEMON DONUTS OR HOLES
Sometimes I don’t have time to make a recipe, but I’m still craving a taste of lemon. That’s when the premade biscuit doughs really come in handy. It’s amazing how many different donuts you can make with one of these, so I always try to keep some on hand in my fridge. While the donut itself won’t be lemony, the glaze certainly is. In this recipe, the donut is merely a delivery system for the glaze! You can use the lemon glaze recipe above, or try a simple lemon sugar topping like the one listed below. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try both on the same donut!
Ingredients
1 can biscuit dough (I like Pillsbury Grands)
Lemon Sugar Topping
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 quart Canola or Peanut oil for frying
Directions
Preheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Form the dough into balls or cut using a donut cutter, then mix the lemon zest with the sugar until it’s incorporated. When the oil reaches the proper temperature, add your donuts, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3-6 minutes, turning halfway through the process until the donuts are golden brown. Remove and drain for a few minutes, then add the lemon glaze or lemon sugar topping while the donuts are still warm.
Makes about 4-10 donuts or holes.
DOUBLE LEMON GLAZED DONUTS
These donuts pack a double punch of lemon flavor, both in the dough and the glaze. I love using the zest as well as the freshly squeezed lemon juice in my recipes whenever possible. Not only does it appeal to my frugal nature to use as much of the lemon as I can, but I really like the texture the zest brings to the donut, both in the batter and the glaze.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
Glaze
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk (2% or 1% will do as well)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, canola oil, beaten egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla or lemon extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing thoroughly. Coat your donut pan with non-stick vegetable spray and fill each donut well half to three quarters full. Bake until the donuts are golden brown, approximately 8-12 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove the donuts onto a wire rack. While they are cooling, in a separate bowl, mix the confectioner’s sugar, milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest until it is well incorporated. Now dip the donuts in the glaze or drizzle them with the mix, wait until the glaze sets, and then enjoy!
Makes 8-12 donuts.
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