I understood what Jessica meant. It was kind of her to take Bobby's case and defend him. Bobby was right that his uncle wanted no more to do with him. I felt a little bad for Bobby Bush because I wasn't convinced Uncle Eric wasn't more knowledgeable than he claimed about the plan to fast track him to take Charlie's place in the line of succession. If Hardy had been able to use the phone calls he'd recorded between Sid and Eric, we'd have a better idea. Jack insisted he destroy them.
Not that Sid had ever intended that Eric would end up in Charlie's position. Sid had also put Bobby up to giving the so-called vitamins to Charlie. Charlie had decided to retire, admitting that he didn't believe the pills Bobby gave him were vitamins, but he liked the way the steroids made him feel. At least, until they so revved him up so much that he couldn't think straight and almost destroyed his marriage, his friendship with Max, and his life.
When we entered the gathering room in the Visitor Center, it was magnificent. The music was live, the chatter happy, and the room glowed with a light imbued with a spirit of Christmas. The heroes who'd been rescued from the safety hub were laughing as we sat down to the dinner they were promised. Not just prime rib was on the menu, but the most beautiful roast Christmas goose I'd ever seen.
Before dinner, Max introduced them all and awarded them each an eye-popping bonus check with his gratitude. They hugged Max and had a few things to say about what a merry Christmas it would be. To which Max responded.
"It is going to be a Merry Christmas. An especially merry one because of the amazing gifts, friends, and family have bestowed upon me this year." As he said that, he raised up on his toes, a habit I imagined he'd developed as part of his desire to taller than his five-foot-three-inch frame allowed.
"First, let me thank our newest friends, who, despite the oddest of all introductions to Marley World, have signed on to help us build back and beyond. Please welcome our new investors, fully clothed, I might add." As they stood, the men bowed.
"New Arcadia is the gift!" one of the young men said. He couldn't have been much older than Hardy.
"A place where dreams become a reality," another said.
"If that isn't proof of Christmas miracles, I don't know what is," Carol said, leaning close and whispering.
"You won't get an argument from me," I replied, giggling.
"Speaking of dreamers, I want you to meet Hardy Hart. He's going to be around here often and for many Christmases to come. I just learned that I have a grandson who I didn't know existed until recently. He's already inspired me, and I'm never going to let him get away from me again." Max choked up as Hardy shook his hand and then gave his grandfather a "hearty" hug. Linda, who was seated at the table with him, whistled as if she were at a football game. Carol stood, urging the rest of us to join as she and Linda cheered and whistled.
"I'm glad you're standing, Carol, because I want you to come here for a second," Max said. Carol was puzzled but did as Max asked her to do. She wore an elegant after-five sheath that fit her petite figure perfectly. As she walked to join Max, her Marvelous Marley World shoes lit up. "Nice shoes!"
"I know," Carol replied, giggling.
"Carol is also a member of my family. She's an adopted granddaughter. This little piece of paper is intended to make apparent a truth she's made evident to me in so many ways. And I'm not just talking about flying out here with a bag full of money to pay my ransom! I'll never be able to take the place of your godmother, but I don't ever want you to believe your alone." Carol's tiny shoulders shook as she took the rolled-up paper, tied with a bow. She threw her arms around Max's neck and sobbed.
"Georgie, Jack, will you two please come and get this young woman?" I'd been fighting the urge to do just that. Jack had a daughter, sitting at the table with us, but Carol had become a second daughter. When we went to get to retrieve Carol, Jack hung back a little.
"Last but not least, I want you to meet two people who are like a son and daughter to me. Here," he said, handing Jack and me one of those scrolls tied with ribbon. "If I try to put into words what Georgie has done for me and my dreams over nearly thirty years, I'd start blubbering. Georgie and Jack have their first wedding anniversary in a couple of days. Once again, they've spent much of the time they were supposed to be celebrating, taking care of other people, and righting wrongs. Please join with me in singing Happy Anniversary to them, borrowing the tune from the birthday song."
As everyone sang, Larry and his kitchen crew rolled out the most beautiful cake in the shape of a Christmas tree. It was decked out with all the usual holiday trimmings made of icing. Behind the cake came Anastasia, prancing in her Christmassy bows and carrying a basket of flowers. A small battalion of bots followed. Miles and Ella rode aloft on the first two bots, sporting their bow tie and poinsettia collars. They looked like royalty in their matching Sphinx poses, and I started to laugh! When they stopped, the bots spun and flickered their lights. Then, Tidbit, looking as good as new, came forward carrying whisps of evergreen that he handed to Jack and me.
"To Georgie and Jack, and a love that, like the evergreen, stands fast in the face of the darkest winter." We took the glasses of champagne. Larry handed us and joined in the toast.
"This is a Christmas Anniversary to remember," I whispered to Jack.
"And it's only the first of many to come, my love!"
—THE END—
Thanks for reading A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #9. As Jack says—this is only there first anniversary, so it’s not the end, but another beginning. To find out more about the series and get word about the next book in the series, follow me on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Anna-Celeste-Burke/e/B00H8J4IQS.
Please leave me a review on Amazon, Bookbub, and Goodreads. Your reviews help other readers decide what to read, and help me decide what to write.
Jessica Huntington, Frank Fontana, and Anastasia have their own series. You can find Jessica Huntington’s series on Amazon too.
Recipes
White Chocolate Chip Spicy Cranberry Cookies
About two dozen cookies
Ingredients
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon sheets and set aside.
In a large bowl add the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric handheld mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, both sugars, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, until the mixture has a light fluffy texture—about two or three minutes. You can do this by hand, but it’ll take a few minutes longer.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Using a strong rubber spatula or wooden spoon, add the dry mixture to the wet in thirds, mixing slowly and stirring only until the flour begins to disappear. Overmixing can make your cookies dry.
Finally, fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
Using a large cookie scoop, about 3 tablespoons of dough in each scoop. Roll it into a ball. Place cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least one inch between each cookie so they have room to spread.
Continue this process until all the dough has been rolled. Place baking sheets in preheated oven and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden at the edges but still soft in the midd
le. Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Georgie’s Tips:
If you already have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, use it! Add the spices to the dry mix. Instead of chocolate and chips, raisins, and/or nuts, fold in the white chocolate chips and the dried cranberries. If you make them as big as these cookies are, they’ll be chewy. If you’d rather have a crispier cookie, use less for each cookie, and press them a little with the back of a spoon before baking them.
Drizzle icing made from white chocolate chips if you want these to be even more extravagant!
Cranberry and Sausage Christmas Quiche
8 Servings
Ingredients
1 deep dish pie shell 9", frozen or homemade
1/2 pound ground sausage
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon scallions or chives, chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
4 eggs lightly beaten
3/4 cups half and half or cream
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the pie shell for 7 minutes. If you’re using a frozen pie shell, let it stand 10 minutes at room temperature before baking. After baking, let the pie shell cool.
Brown the sausage and drain excess grease. Stir in dried cranberries, garlic, chopped chives or scallions.
Whisk eggs and half-and-half or cream in a medium bowl until well blended.
Sprinkle cheese on the bottom of the pie shell. Add sausage, cranberry, and scallion/chives mix.
Pour the egg mixture over the sausage, cranberries, scallions/chives, and cheese.
Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake 45 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Let the quiche stand for ten to fifteen minutes before cutting and serving.
Georgie’s Tips:
A frozen deep dish pie shell works fine, but if you have time and know-how, make your own pie dough the way you like it.
All sorts of sausage is tasty made into quiche this way. Spicy chorizo would be good with the Monterey Jack Cheese. Or vary the cheese too and try a combination of Italian sausage, mozzarella, and add fresh basil. Go on—be creative!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Anna Celeste Burke is an award-winning, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author who enjoys snooping into life’s mysteries with fun, fiction, and food—California style! She writes five mystery series set in California: The Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Series, The Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series, the Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery Series, the Seaview Cottages Cozy Mystery Series, and the Calla Lily Mystery Series. In addition, the Witches Academy multi-author series introduced Kitchen Magic. A paranormal cozy mystery, the book features a gorgeous celebrity chef with a knack for cooking up magic—and not just in the kitchen. To get the latest news, subscribe to her newsletter at: https://desertcitiesmystery.com.
A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #9 (Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series) Page 17
