Chocolate Cream Pie Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  “Are they going to get their locks changed?” Michelle asked him.

  “That’s expensive and Mike didn’t think it was necessary since the key was an extra one they had made and it wasn’t marked in any way. Even if someone finds it, there’s no way to tell which condo door it fits. Clara’s more upset about the photos she lost than anything else.”

  “I’m sure her teacher will understand,” Michelle said.

  “That’s what we told her. But she’s still upset because she had some really good pictures of the shadows the pine tree cast on the snow.”

  “Did Clara call the phone company to turn off her service so the person who stole her phone can’t use it?” Michelle asked him.

  “Norman’s doing that right now while Mike interviews Clara. He was asking her more about the man who pushed her down when I left.”

  “Did she recognize the man?” Hannah asked.

  Lonnie shook his head. “Clara said she didn’t, that she was almost certain that she’d never seen him before.”

  “Then she didn’t think he lived in this complex?” Michelle followed up on Hannah’s question.

  Lonnie shook his head. “No, and Marguerite told us that Clara’s on the homeowner’s board. She meets everyone who moves in because they deliver welcome packages to all the new arrivals.”

  “The train tracks aren’t that far away,” Michelle pointed out. “Do you think that Clara’s attacker might have been a transient?”

  “That’s doubtful,” Hannah vetoed that possibility. “The train doesn’t make any stops here, and there’s no reason for anyone to jump off here. It would make more sense for transients to ride into town and hop off there.”

  “You’ve got a point,” Lonnie said. “It’s cold at night out here, and there’s a shelter in town at the Bible Church.”

  Michelle nodded agreement. “Reverend Strandberg provides three meals a day in the church kitchen for anyone who comes in hungry.”

  “And don’t forget about the Helping Hands Thrift Store in town,” Hannah reminded them. “They give all sorts of warm clothing and boots to everyone who can’t afford them.”

  “Are you and Mike going out to look for the man in the woods?” Hannah asked Lonnie.

  “Not tonight. Mike said it could wait until morning. It would be different if Clara had gotten hurt, but she’s okay physically. The snow was deep and it cushioned her. She told us that her elbow’s a little sore because she tried to catch herself, but Mike checked it out and it looked okay to him. He called Doc Knight to be sure, and Clara promised to go into the hospital for an X-ray in the morning.”

  “Stealing her phone is a crime, isn’t it?” Michelle asked him.

  “You bet! If it had happened in the middle of the day, we would have gone after him, but Mike decided that tracking him at night would be close to impossible. It’s not supposed to snow tonight, so his tracks won’t be covered with new snow.”

  “That makes sense,” Hannah agreed. “Why don’t you run back over there, Lonnie, and invite Mike here for dinner. And of course you’re invited, too. I’d invite Marguerite, but I don’t think she’ll leave Clara.”

  “We can always dish it up and I can run over with their dinner,” Michelle offered.

  “Great idea!” Hannah complimented her.

  “I’ll go over there right now.” Lonnie finished the last of his coffee, pushed back his chair, and headed for the door again. “I’ll let them know that you’ll deliver their dinner, and be back in a minute or two.”

  When the door had closed behind Lonnie, Michelle turned to Hannah. “Do we have anything to serve with your main dish?”

  “The meat has carrots, onions, and red potatoes around it, but we may need something else.”

  “How about a cooked vegetable salad?” Michelle suggested. “You have a package of mixed vegetables in the freezer. I was going to make them during the blizzard, but we didn’t need them.”

  “Vegetable salad would be good. There’ll be a gravy with the brisket and we can always put that in a gravy boat. I think I’ll try to make Savory Tortilla Cups to fill with the vegetable salad.”

  “Savory Tortilla Cups? What are those?”

  “I’ve got a package of tortillas that I can dip in Italian dressing, coat with finely grated Parmesan cheese, and press into muffin cups. I’ll bake them, cool them, and then we can fill them with the salad.”

  “Sounds great! I don’t remember having Savory Tortilla Cups before.”

  “That’s because I’ve never baked them before. The recipe for Tortilla Snickerdoodle Cookies popped into my mind when I was baking them the last time. And I’ll make Sweet Tortilla Cups dipped in cinnamon and sugar, too. There’s ice cream in the freezer and we can have those for dessert.”

  Michelle looked slightly concerned. “I’m always a little nervous about trying out new recipes on company,” she confessed.

  “Normally, I’d agree with you. It’s always risky without a trial run, but I’ve had more successes than failures. Besides, this time these recipes are foolproof.”

  “Foolproof? What do you mean?”

  “I mean there’s everything to gain and nothing to lose. If the Savory Tortilla Cups don’t work, we’ll just toss them in the trash, put the vegetable salad in a bowl, and let everyone serve themselves at the table. And if the Sweet Tortilla Cups don’t work, we’ll serve the ice cream in dessert dishes.”

  Michelle thought about that for a moment, and then she started to smile. “You’re right. They are foolproof. I just wish . . .”

  Michelle’s voice trailed off and Hannah noticed that her sister looked thoughtful. “What do you wish, Michelle?”

  “I was just wishing that love could be as foolproof as trying your recipes for Savory Tortilla Cups and Sweet Tortilla Cups. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

  Hannah gave a little laugh. “It certainly would! If love were as easy as trying out new recipes, I’d be a lot happier today!”

  “Because you never would have married Ross?”

  “You got it! If I’d tried out love with Ross back in college, I wouldn’t have even considered marrying him later. Instead, I would have taken him to the airport and let him fly off without getting engaged.”

  “Really?” Michelle looked surprised at her sister’s admission.

  “It could have happened that way. And right now, I wish it had happened that way. I would have saved myself a lot of grief.”

  Michelle nodded. “That’s true. But maybe your heart would have won out and you would have married him anyway.”

  “I guess that’s possible. Baking is a lot easier than love, isn’t it!”

  It was a statement rather than a question and Michelle laughed. “You said it!” she said, and then she hurried off to the freezer to get the package of mixed vegetables.

  BEERY GOOD BEEF BRISKET

  You will need a 4 to 5quart slow cooker for this recipe.

  8 small red potatoes (not peeled, just wash them)

  12 fresh carrot nuggets (found in produce aisle al- ready pared—I used Bunny brand)

  4 small onions, quartered

  1 small can button mushrooms, drained

  4-pound beef brisket, trimmed and cut in half

  1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth (I used Swanson)

  ½ cup dark molasses (spray inside of measuring cup with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray for easy removal)

  1 cup beer (I used Guinness Stout)

  1 teaspoon marjoram

  1 teaspoon thyme

  ¼ teaspoon cardamom (if you don’t have it, use cinnamon)

  1 Tablespoon minced jarred garlic

  ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

  2 packages dry beef gravy mix, the kind that makes 1 cup (I used Schilling)

  salt and pepper to taste

  Hannah’s 1st Note: If you don’t want to use beer in this recipe, you can substitute a cup of beef broth or a cup of tomato juice.

  Spray the inside crock of your slo
w cooker with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. (This will make it easier to wash later.)

  Place the red potatoes in the bottom of the crock.

  Place the carrot nuggets on top of the potatoes.

  Place the onion quarters on top of the carrot nuggets.

  Place the drained, button mushrooms on top of the onion pieces.

  If you haven’t already done so, cut the beef brisket in half and trim off the layer of fat to make it as lean as possible.

  Add both pieces of brisket to your crock.

  Place the beef broth in a mixing bowl.

  Add the dark molasses to the beef broth.

  Add the cup of beer to the bowl.

  Add the marjoram, thyme, and cardamom (or cinnamon) to your bowl.

  Add the jarred garlic to the bowl.

  Add the coarsely ground black pepper to the bowl.

  Sprinkle the contents of ONE package of dry beef gravy mix over the pepper in the bowl.

  Put the 2nd package of gravy mix on the counter next to the Crock-Pot in case you need it later. (You may, or you may not – it all depends on how juicy your onions and meat are.)

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: I’ve used Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper in place of the coarsely ground black pepper. It’s good!

  Mix the ingredients in the bowl together with a whisk or a wooden spoon. Continue to whisk or mix until everything is well blended.

  Pour the contents of the bowl over the ingredients in the crock.

  Put the cover on your slow cooker, plug it in, and turn it to LOW.

  This dish needs to cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. You can also turn it up to HIGH for 2 hours and then turn it back down to LOW for an additional 4 to 5 hours.

  You will be through cooking when you can easily pierce the brisket with a fork and the potatoes and carrots are also fork tender.

  To serve, remove the pieces of brisket from the crock and place them on a cutting board. Cut the brisket into 8 to 12 pieces.

  Remove the vegetables from the crock and place them in a serving bowl.

  Cover the bowl and the meat platter with foil to keep them warm.

  Check the gravy that has formed. If the gravy isn’t thick enough, turn the Crock-Pot up to HIGH and sprinkle in the 2nd package of dry beef gravy mix.

  Stir in the gravy mix and cook until the gravy is thick enough to pour over the warm brisket on the meat platter.

  Yield: 8 to 10 servings of tender beef and tender vegetables.

  SAVORY TORTILLA CUPS

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

  1 bottle Italian dressing (I used Kraft)

  1 can finely grated Parmesan cheese (I used Kraft in the green foil can)

  12 ten-inch flour tortillas

  Spray the inside of 12 regular-size muffin cups with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.

  Hannah’s 1st Note: Usually muffin pans have 12 cups in them. You can also use 2 muffin pans with 6 cups in them.

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: I’ve filled these baked Tortilla Cups with mixed vegetables, rice, or beans. Just don’t try to fill them with something that’s too wet or the cups will get soggy.

  Place the Italian dressing in a shallow bowl that’s larger than the size of the tortillas.

  Place the finely grated Parmesan cheese in another shallow bowl a bit larger than the size of your tortillas.

  Using tongs, dip one tortilla in the bowl with the Italian dressing. Then flip it over so that both sides are coated with the dressing.

  Again using tongs, remove the tortilla from the bowl with the dressing and lay it flat in the bowl with the finely grated Parmesan cheese.

  Flip the tortilla over so that both sides are coated with the cheese.

  With impeccably clean fingers, place the center of the coated tortilla in one of the muffin cups, pressing it down to the bottom.

  Once the bottom is flat, press the tortilla cup against the sides of the muffin cup. Your object is to form a tortilla cup that lines the inside of the indentation.

  Bake your Savory Tortilla Cups at 350 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are beginning to brown slightly.

  Take the muffin tin out of the oven and set it on a cold stove burner for 10 to 15 minutes or until the muffin tin and its contents are cool to the touch.

  Hannah’s 3rd Note: Letting the Savory Tortilla Cups cool in the pan will firm them up so that they will maintain their cup shape when you remove them.

  Flip the muffin tin over on a wire rack. The Tortilla Cups should tip right out. Since they’re now upside down on the rack, flip them over, place them on a platter, and fill them with contents of your choice.

  Michelle’s Note: I’m going to use these Savory Tortilla Cups for potato salad, chicken salad, and tuna salad.

  SWEET TORTILLA CUPS

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

  5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  1 cup white (granulated) sugar

  ½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces, ¼ pound) salted butter

  12 flour tortillas (I used Mission brand 8-inch size.)

  Hannah’s 1st Note: I like to add a bit of cardamom to this recipe so I use 4 and ½ teaspoons of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of cardamom.

  Place the cinnamon in a shallow bowl on the counter that is an inch or so larger than the size of the tortillas.

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: I usually use a 10-inch pie pan for the spices and sugar and another one for the butter.

  Add the white sugar to the bowl with the cinnamon (and cardamom if you used it) and mix them together with a fork.

  Place the cup of salted butter in a second shallow bowl that is microwave-safe.

  Heat the butter on HIGH in the microwave for 30 seconds. Check to see if your butter is melted. If it is, take the bowl out of the microwave. If it isn’t, heat it for another 15 seconds on HIGH.

  When the butter is melted, take the bowl out of the microwave and set it on your kitchen counter next to the bowl with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. (Be careful. The bowl with the melted butter could be hot.)

  Move the prepared muffin pan next to the bowls for easy access.

  Using your impeccably clean fingers or tongs, dip a flour tortilla into the bowl with the melted butter. Be sure to coat both sides of the tortilla.

  Take the tortilla out of the butter bowl and dip it in the bowl with the cinnamon and sugar. Again, be sure to coat both sides with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

  With your impeccably clean fingers, press the center of your buttered and coated tortilla into one of the muffin cups. Then press the sides of the tortilla against the side of the muffin cup. (You may have to overlap the sides of the tortilla together to get a good fit.)

  Repeat the above steps with the remaining 11 flour tortillas.

  Hannah’s 3rd Note: If you have quite a bit of melted butter and cinnamon and sugar mixture left, don’t worry. You can always save it to make Tortilla Snickerdoodle Cookies. (The recipe is also in this book. You may have to re-melt the butter, but that’s easy to do in the microwave.)

  Bake your Sweet Tortilla Cups at 350 degrees F. for 13 to 15 minutes or until they are a nice golden brown.

  Take the muffin tin out of the oven and set it on a cold stove burner for 10 to 15 minutes or until the muffin tin and its contents are cool to the touch.

  Hannah’s 4th Note: Letting the Sweet Tortilla Cups cool in the pan will firm them up so that they will maintain their cup shape when you remove them.

  Flip the muffin tin over on a wire rack. The Sweet Tortilla Cups should tip right out. Since they’re now upside down on the rack, flip them over, place them on a platter, and fill them with a scoop of ice cream drizzled with syrup, or fruit pieces topped with sweetened, whipped cream.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Hannah glanced at the alarm clock on her dresser. It was three in the morning on Monday and she was wide awake. Her neck was stiff and she changed positions, but it didn’t seem to help. She looked over at the cats sleeping beside
her and realized that Cuddles was sleeping on Moishe’s pillow, and Hannah’s resident feline had appropriated her pillow in defense.

  No wonder her neck felt stiff! Perhaps that was why she had opened her eyes an hour and a half before she had to get up.

  She sat up and assessed her condition. Wide awake. Feeling reasonably well rested. Longing for a hot shower to erase the ache in her neck. Hannah knew that if she shooed Moishe off her pillow and tried to go back to sleep, she’d toss and turn for the entire hour and a half before her alarm went off.