Murder at the Clinic: A Midwest Cozy Mystery

by Dianne Harman

  “Okay,” Detective Shafter began, “we were able to get quite a bit done in a rather short period of time. My computer expert did examine Dr. Nguyen’s computer and found the same information that was on Rochelle’s flash drive, at least we presume it was hers, but I guess we’ll never know what he was going to do with it, if anything. We took a statement from Matt Hendrick regarding Mrs. Salazar’s statement that she’d taken care of the situation with his wife.”

  “That just has the most ominous ring to it,” Kat said.

  “I know,” he said, “but here’s where the money is. The only fingerprints on the needles in the box we recovered from treatment room number three were those of Rochelle Salazar, and there was Digoxin on each of the needle tips. Our expert said there was enough poison there to kill several people. Along with her confession, we have a very good case against her. She’s also been charged with attempted murder. She said something I’ve never encountered before. She plans on entering a guilty plea at her arraignment, so she can avoid a trial. Mrs. Salazar said she loves Matt Hendrick so much she doesn’t want to embarrass him. Can you believe it? She wants to protect a guy that plays around like he does? People never fail to amaze me.”

  “Me, too. Well, I guess that’s the end of it. Thanks for everything.”

  “The only thing that might happen is she might change her plea, and it could go to trial. If that happens, you’ll have to testify.”

  “No problem. Happy to do my civic duty. Have a good weekend, Detective.”

  “You too.”

  After Kat ended the call, she turned to Blaine and said, “Well, that’s that. Glad you called Nick and told him what happened. I think it’s over. What a week.”

  Blaine walked over to her and gently put his arms around her. “Kat, it’s time. No more distractions.”

  CHAPTER 26

  Although the summer had been exceptionally hot, even for Kansas, it was as if the wedding gods were smiling down on Mitzi and Rex. At 5:00 in the afternoon, thirty minutes before they were to be married, the temperature was a comfortable seventy degrees. Kat and her gardener had put a lot of work in on her back yard, and it was a beautiful riot of colors. Her yard backed up to an urban forest of deep green trees which set off the white latticework arch where Mitzi and Rex were going to stand and say their vows.

  The guests had been greeted and seated, and just before Kat was getting ready to walk down the aisle as the matron of honor, Lacie whispered to her, “Mom, you look beautiful. This is so exciting, kind of a dress rehearsal for your wedding.”

  “Thanks, honey, but after the last two months I think I’m going to be happy we decided to have it at the country club. What started out as planting a few new flowers, getting a couple of new appliances, some throw pillows, and hardware for the doors turned out be nothing short of a major redecorating job. The only thing I can think of that we didn’t do was tear down some walls,” she said laughing.

  Blaine chimed in, “Kat, the house looks fabulous. Now we won’t have to do anything for years.”

  “Blaine, you had some great ideas,” Lacie said, “and I’m glad I had some backup from you on some of mine. Mom’s a little reluctant to spend money, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem with you,” Lacie said.

  “Quick, go take your seats,” Kat said. “It’s almost time, and as long as Rex and Mitzi have waited to get married, I want it to be perfect.”

  The music started and Kat walked down the aisle, beautiful in a pale apricot cocktail suit. She smiled broadly at Rex and his medical partner, Lou, who was serving as his best man. She turned to face the guests, as the music switched to “Here Comes the Bride,” and a glowing Mitzi slowly walked down the aisle, her eyes locked on Rex. Everybody loves a happy ever after story, and most of the guests had tears in their eyes or on their cheeks as they watched the happy couple exchange their vows.

  Kat and Blaine smiled at each other, knowing that soon, they too would be saying their vows. Mid-life romance, thank you, was alive and well in the small Kansas university town!

  Recipes!

  ORANGE BALSAMIC LAMB CHOPS

  Ingredients:

  4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided (You’ll see a lot written about extra virgin olive oil vs. regular, but when I’m doing a salad dressing or a marinade, I think extra virgin is better.)

  2 tsps. grated orange rind

  1 tbsp. fresh orange juice

  8 (4 oz.) lamb chops, trimmed (I usually buy a rack of lamb, cut them into individual chops, and trim them myself.)

  1 tsp. kosher salt (And yes, I do prefer kosher salt for most kinds of cooking when fine salt isn’t called for. Think it gives the dish more flavor - a major source of disagreement in the Harman kitchen depending on whether I’m cooking or my husband is!)

  ½ tsp freshly ground pepper (Believe me, it’s worth the extra effort.)

  3 tbsps. balsamic vinegar

  Cooking spray

  Directions:

  Combine 3 tsp. olive oil, orange rind, and juice and put into a large zip-lock bag along with the lamb chops. Coat well. Let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. When hot, add the lamb chops to the pan and cook 2 minutes per side medium rare, longer for medium or well done. (If the lamb chops are of different thicknesses, put the thickest ones on first and cook for about a minute longer. You may have to adjust more than that if there is a wide variation.)

  While the lamb is cooking, put the vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil to reduce it. Cook 3 minutes or until the vinegar is syrupy. Mix the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil with the vinegar and drizzle over the lamb chops. Enjoy!

  COLD TROUT CUCUMBER SALAD WITH CREAMY YOGURT DRESSING

  Ingredients:

  2 whole trout (Believe it or not, a lot of supermarkets do carry whole trout!)

  ½ head red leaf lettuce, shredded

  ½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded

  ½ cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly cut crosswise

  4 Roma tomatoes, quartered lengthwise (If you can’t find them, you can use another kind of tomato.)

  1 avocado, peeled and sliced into bite-size pieces (about ¾”)

  ½ red onion – slice the rings into bite-size pieces (about ¾”)

  8 mushrooms, quartered with stems removed

  ¼ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted in a frying pan for 3-4 minutes

  ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted in a frying pan for 3-4 minutes

  ½ cup creamy yogurt dressing (I use Boathouse Farms Cilantro Avocado, but if you can’t find it, look for something similar.)

  Lemon pepper for garnish (I use Lawry’s, but again, if you can’t find it, look for something similar.)

  Oil spray

  Directions:

  Trout: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the heads and tails with a cleaver and discard (If you’re like me, this is where husbands or significant others come in handy!) Place trout in a slightly oiled ovenproof dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place trout on a plate and chill in refrigerator for at least one hour. Place chilled trout on a cutting board, and with your fingers, peel off the skin on both sides and discard. With a sharp thin knife or a spatula scrape away and discard the dark material under the skin that runs down the center on both sides so you end up with clean white meat. Slide the knife along the backbone, separate the top filet from the backbone, and set aside. Starting at the head end, gently lift the backbone from the bottom filet and discard. Remove and discard the fins and any small bones not removed when the backbone’s removed. Return the boneless filets to the plate and refrigerate until ready to assemble the salad. (I know it sounds complicated, but it’s not, trust me!)

  Salad: Place all ingredients with the exception of the toasted nuts in a large bowl and gently toss while adding the dressing. Place dressed salad equally on 4 serving plates and sprinkle with toasted nuts. Sprinkle lemon pepper on each trout filet
and place one filet on top of each salad. Serve additional dressing on the side in case more is desired. Enjoy!

  NOTE: I recommend you prepare the trout several hours in advance. The filets are quite delicate and break apart easily. When transferring them to or from the refrigerator, use a long thin spatula and “scoop” each filet up lengthwise by sliding the spatula gently under the filet, starting at the thickest end.

  BEEF WELLINGTON

  Ingredients:

  1 center cut beef tenderloin about 8 inches long and 2 ½ lbs., trimmed

  4 tbsp. butter

  2 lbs. cremini mushrooms finely chopped in a food processor (If you can’t find cremini, don’t worry about it. Plain white mushrooms work just as well.)

  1 lb. frozen puff pastry (You can easily find this at the supermarket.) Thaw in refrigerator.

  ¼ cup flour

  1 egg, beaten

  ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided

  ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

  Directions:

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper on beef surface. In a large skillet over high heat, melt butter. When it foams, add a handful of the mushrooms. Cook for 1 minute. Repeat until all of the mushrooms have been sautéed or until the liquid they release evaporates and they’re brown. Season with remaining salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

  Sprinkle a sheet pan with cold water. Scatter the flour on a wooden surface and roll pastry dough into a rectangle large enough to completely wrap around the tenderloin. Evenly spread the cooled mushrooms over the dough. Place the beef along one long edge of the dough and roll the meat up in the dough so it’s completely enclosed in the dough. Place the wrapped beef on the sheet pan, seam side down. Seal each end by folding it under the beef.

  Using a thin sharp knife, make a series of diagonal slashes into the dough across the top. (Don’t cut into the meat when you’re doing this.) Brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. (You might want to use a meat thermometer as ovens vary. For rare, 120 degrees, medium, 125 degrees. Keep in mind that the temperature will rise another 5 degrees while the roast rests.)

  Transfer the roast to a serving platter and lightly cover it. Let it rest about 10 minutes. (I usually use loose tin foil or paper towels.) Use a sharp knife and cut pieces approximately 1” thick. You can plate it or let people serve themselves. Enjoy!

  OSSO BUCO

  Ingredients:

  3 veal shanks, about 1 lb. each, trimmed

  2 sprigs fresh rosemary

  2 sprigs fresh thyme

  4 tbsps. fresh parsley, chopped

  1 tbsp. lemon zest

  1 dry bay leaf

  3 whole cloves

  ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided

  ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

  Flour, for dredging

  ½ cup vegetable oil

  1 small onion, diced

  1 small carrot, diced

  1 stalk celery, diced (I use one from the center because I think it’s more tender.)

  1 tbsp. tomato paste (You can use canned or one that comes in a tube – I prefer the tube, because it seems every time I buy a can, I end up throwing the unused portion of it out.)

  1 cup dry white wine

  3 cups chicken stock (If you don’t have homemade, and most of us don’t, you can make your own from cubes or Wyler’s – think it’s a lot cheaper than buying it in a can or box.)

  Cheesecloth

  Kitchen twine

  Directions:

  Put the rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves in the cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni. Tie it off with the twine.

  Pat the veal shanks dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Secure the meat to the bone by tying each one with the kitchen twine. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off the excess flour.

  In a large Dutch oven pot, heat the oil on medium-high until it smokes. Add the veal shanks and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and put on a metal tray. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sprinkle with the remaining salt to draw out the moisture. Sauté until soft, about 7 – 9 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Add the veal shanks and the wine. Simmer over medium heat until the wine is reduced by half. Add the bouquet garni and 2 cups of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Check every 20 minutes and add additional chicken stock as needed so the liquid remains about ¾ of the way up the shanks.

  Remove shanks and place on serving platter. Cut off the twine and discard. Remove bouquet garni. Pour the juice and sauce over the shanks and garnish with lemon zest and parsley. Enjoy!

  KAT’S LITTLE LEMON CHEESECAKES

  Ingredients:

  2/3 cup sugar

  1/2 cup lemon juice

  4 tsps. finely grated lemon peel

  Two 8 oz. packages of cream cheese at room temperature

  1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

  2 extra-large or jumbo eggs (I prefer jumbo.)

  1/2 cup lemon curd (I buy it ready-made at the supermarket.)

  Nonstick vegetable oil spray

  Directions:

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 8 ramekins or custard cups with the spray. Beat sugar, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add softened cream cheese and ricotta cheese and beat until smooth. Add eggs and beat until well-blended.

  Divide the batter among the prepared cups and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 18 minutes or until puffed, set in center, and golden brown. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Enjoy!

  NOTE: I like to serve this with the Italian liqueur, limoncello, and top the cheesecake with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

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  ABOUT DIANNE

  Dianne lives in Huntington Beach, California, with her husband, Tom, a former California State Senator, and her boxer dog, Kelly. Her passions are cooking, reading, and dogs, so whenever she has a little free time, you can either find her in the kitchen, playing with Kelly in the back yard, or curled up with the latest book she’s reading.

  Her other books are available below:

  Amazon: Blue Coyote Motel

  Amazon: Coyote in Provence

  Amazon: Cornered Coyote

  Amazon: Coyote Series

  Amazon: Kelly’s Koffee Shop

  Amazon: Murder at Jade Cove

  Amazon: White Cloud Retreat

  Amazon: Marriage and Murder

  Amazon: Murder in Cottage #6

  Amazon: Murder in the Pearl District

  Amazon: Murder and Brandy Boy

  Amazon: Murder in Calico Gold

  Amazon: The Death Card

  Amazon: Murder at The Cooking School

  Amazon: Murder & The Monkey Band

  Amazon: Murder at The Bed & Breakfast

  Amazon: Murder at The Secret Cave

  Amazon: Murder in Cuba

  Amazon: The Blue Butterfly

  Amazon: Trouble at the Kennel

  Amazon: Murdered by Words

  Amazon: Murdered by Country Music

  Amazon: Murder at the Big T Lodge

  Amazon: Murdered in Argentina

  Amazon: Murder on the East Coast

  Amazon: Murder at the Clinic

  Please feel free to follow her on these social media sites:

  Website: http://www.DianneHarman.com

  Blog: http://www.DianneHarman.com/blog

  Email: dianne@dianneharman.com

  Twitter: @DianneDHarman

  Google+

  Facebook Author Page (Thriller)

  Facebook Author Page Cozy Mystery

  Amazon Author Page

  Blue Coyote Motel, an Amazon Kindle Best Seller, was a quarterfinalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award Conte
st and was also a Goodreads Psychological Thriller of the Month Book.