“Well, that’s awfully good customer service on your part.”
“Yes, you could say that.” She purses her lips and stares at me with I-don’t-believe-you’re-really-a-delivery-driver eyes. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
I shrug and try to act casual. “Naw, just wondering what you heard about Ralph. I hear people are blaming that Maddy chick at The Three Scoops. She’s had one too many ‘accidents’ at her place if you get my drift.”
“Yes, it is rather fortunate that she has had her share of troubles.”
Wait. Did I just hear her right? Did she say it was good that I already had one incident because people wouldn’t look anywhere else if there were more?
“What do you mean ‘fortunate?’” I ask.
She shrugs. “Ralph saw things he shouldn’t. He knew secrets that were not his to keep. Sooner or later, you come to a crossroads. Either the secrets are released or buried forever. In Ralph’s case, he took the secrets to the grave.”
She took one of the chopsticks out of her hair and fiddled around with it. It transformed into a pen but — not just any pen — the same kind of pen that was found stuck in Ralph’s chest.
CHAPTER SIX
I want to run. I want to get as far away from Asian Dragon and its wackjob employees as I can. How long have I been here? Is it Becka calling Kyle time yet? I take a deep breath and decide to stretch for time. Becka will call when the ten minutes are up. I need to just stay alive till then.
“What secrets did Ralph know?”
“It would be better to ask what secrets did Ralph not know.” She waves the chopstick pen around as she talks. “He always acted so clever, as if we wouldn’t notice him loading and unloading our secrets like boxes of napkins. He couldn’t keep them locked up forever. It was only a matter of time before he went to the police with what he knew. We needed to make sure that didn’t happen.”
She points the chopstick pen at me. “Just like we need to make sure you don’t go to the police.”
“Too late, we’re already here!” Kyle and Steve enter with guns drawn. “Put the weapon down.”
Instead of putting it down, she throws it at me. Kyle reacts like he always does —to protect me, and throws himself in between me and the pen.
“Kyle!”
He pulls the chopstick pen out of his shoulder and motions at Steve to go after the fleeing suspect. He looks over at me and opens his mouth to say something, but doesn’t get that far.
Instead, he collapses.
*
“There really was poison on the pen.” I’m standing in Kyle’s hospital room. Becka and Steve are waiting outside. “You’re lucky we got you here in time or you could have ended up like Ralph.”
Kyle smiles weakly. “Better you than me. I’d do anything to protect you, Maddy.”
“I know.” I lean close for a kiss. “Thank you.”
“We’ve actually been tracking the Asian Dragon gang for awhile,” he says. “We just couldn’t connect them to Ralph’s murder until now.”
“What about that Mike guy?” I ask.
“He’s a Delivery Plus employee — or at least he used to be. He’s starting up his own delivery company and has been staking out the Delivery Plus routes, trying to approach their clients and offer them better deals with his company.”
“Hmm. I knew he was up to no good.”
“I actually wish you’d stayed on his tail rather than running straight into the mafia dragon’s den.”
“That’s me,” I joke. “Always in the wrong place and the wrong time solving a crime.”
“Just promise me not to do it again.” Kyle grimaces in pain. I know it’s almost time for me to leave and let him rest. “Leave the detective work up to the professionals. There might be a time when I can’t protect you, Maddy.” He shakes his head as if trying to banish the thought. “Please just stop the amateur sleuthing. Please. If you care about me at all —”
“I promise to try and stay out of trouble.” I lean down to kiss the center of his forehead. “Now get some rest. I’ll be back to visit you later tonight, okay?”
Kyle closes his eyes and already seems to be drifting off to sleep. I wait till his heart rate monitor slows to show he’s actually asleep before taking my crossed fingers out from behind my back.
I sort of lied. I’ve been bitten by the sleuthing bug. And if another mystery comes my way, I have a feeling I’m going to be at the forefront of the (unofficial) investigation team.
The End
Other Books by Lisbeth Reade
Scent of a Killer (Ella Sweeting Witch Aromatherapist Cozy #1)
Poison Shake (Three Scoops Ice Cream Shop Short Cozy #1)
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I hope you had as good a time reading Ice Creamed as I had writing it. If you did, please help spread the word about Maddy and the Three Scoops Ice Cream Shop short cozy series. Tweet about it, message your Facebook friends, and tell anyone else you know who might enjoy it, too.
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Always yours,Lisbeth
Recipes
Killer Green Tea Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
5 teaspoons green tea powder (matcha)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Warning: You’ll need an ice cream maker and some patience (or reading material) for this one.
2. Combine milk, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Use a hand mixer on low speed, or if you’re into gaining masochistic bragging rights, you can do it by hand with a whisk.
3. Stir in the heavy cream and green tea powder.
4. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. This gives you plenty of time to read a good mystery, or even two, depending on if you choose a short story or novel, and how much you lose track of time while you’re reading.
5. Turn on your ice cream maker and pour the cool, creamy, green mixture into the frozen freezer bowl. Let it mix until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
6. It’s ready… if you like your ice cream soft and creamy. If you want a firmer texture, transfer that green goodness to an airtight container and leave it in the freezer for about 2 hours. Take it out freezer about 15 minutes before serving or you’ll break a tooth on it (no, that’s not a good omen).
7. Enjoy! Just, you know, don’t go killing anyone right after you eat it. That isn’t very nice.
Super Sexy Soft Serve
INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 cups half and half, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Scotch whisky
DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour 1/4 cup of half and half in a small bowl and 2 tablespoons in another bowl. Yes, this is one of those recipes that dirties lots of bowls, has lots of steps, and leaves your kitchen in a general shambles that you hope someone else will tidy up.
2. Whisk the cornstarch into the first bowl until no lumps remain, and sprinkle the gelatin in second bowl.
3. Pour the rest of the half and half into a saucepan, and add the vanilla bean, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat, cover, and let steep for one hour. Read, baby, read.
4. Remove vanilla bean (you can save it to use again in a different recipe) and whisk the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan.
5. Heat the pan on medium heat, whisking frequently (yes, you’ll get ice cream elbow, I know), until a c
ustard forms. You want it to be at the point where when you swipe your finger it leaves a clean line.
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the Scotch. Heck, pour yourself a shot of Scotch while you’re at it. That’ll get the heat back up. ;-)
7. Strain the gelatin mixture to remove any lumps, then stir in and whisk until gelatin fully dissolves.
8. Transfer to an airtight container to chill, four hours to overnight. The custard will set into a wobbly gel, which is probably how you’re feeling if you haven’t managed to put that bottle of Scotch away yet.
9. Get out your ice cream maker and churn until the ice cream has that sexy creamy soft serve texture. You don’t want it to be runny at all (which should be obvious, since runny is not sexy.)
10. Eat immediately, or chill in freezer in an airtight container. To regain soft serve texture, let ice cream thaw until it’s just about to melt. But seriously, this stuff is best right when you make it. No excuses for leaving any over!
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
The End
Other Books by Lisbeth Reade
Recipes
Killer Green Tea Ice Cream
Super Sexy Soft Serve
Ice Creamed: A Three Scoops Ice Cream Shop Short Story (Three Scoops Ice Cream Shop Cozy Short Stories Book 2) Page 3
