by Judi Lynn
When the men carried in the food, people gathered around the table, and talking dropped off as they ate. Conversation returned over pie and coffee.
Jerod’s dad said, “Jerod told us you finished your last house and sold it already, then he bid on a wreck on the south side of town and got it.”
Jazzi looked up, surprised.
“Sorry, I told Ansel while we grilled together,” Jerod said.
“A good price?” Jazzi asked.
“Right in the zone.”
They’d still have to restore the big three-story to dazzling to make a decent profit on it, but when the three of them put their heads together, they always came up with something good.
The men talked about the house and restoring it until people began to drift away. When the last person left, Jazzi and Ansel got busy cleaning up, and the kittens got brave enough to scamper underfoot.
George went to the back door to go out, and when Ansel opened the door for him, Inky dashed out with the pug. Ansel hurried in pursuit, holding him in one hand and scolding him as he carried him inside.
“These cats should never go outside,” he told Jazzi. “There’s a woods at the back of the field. I’ve heard a coyote before. Coyotes hunt small pets.”
Jazzi glanced out the window at George. “We don’t have to worry about one carrying off our pug.”
“Owls hunt cats, too,” Ansel said.
He didn’t have to convince her. “I’d rather keep Inky and Marmalade as house cats. I’ve seen strays go through our yard. Some of the dogs don’t look friendly.”
Ansel rubbed his chin, gazing at their property. “We should build a privacy fence around the small yard.”
“And ruin our view?” Jazzi loved the open space around their house.
“The cats would be safer. We could keep them closer to home.”
She didn’t want a fence. “An owl could sit in our tree and swoop down in the yard.”
“Maybe we should cut down the tree.”
She stared at him. “No. No fence, and the tree stays.”
“What about the cats?”
“We’ll buy shocker collars for them so they get zapped every time they run out a door.”
“Do those really exist?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll have to find out. What about a buried invisible fence? We could install one at the end of the patio. Then when the kittens are old enough, we could let them go outside to sit on the cement.” She knew Ansel took his pets seriously, but this was ridiculous. He was a little obsessed about keeping her safe, too. She thought about Greg. Maybe that was a good thing...as long as he didn’t push it too far.
Chapter 45
Jazzi, Jerod, and Ansel were sitting in the front room of their new fixer-upper when Gaff called. They’d brought four lawn chairs and a card table with them since there was no furniture.
“Can I stop by and talk to the three of you?” Gaff asked. “I have news.”
Was it good or bad? He wouldn’t tell her if she asked. He’d make her wait. “I brought extra sandwiches if you want to come for lunch.”
“What kind?”
Sheez! Everyone was getting picky these days, but she was ready for them. She’d made a pork roast with lots of garlic and citrus juices in the slow cooker last night. “Cubanos with pork and ham. I’m bored with plain old deli right now.”
“Never had one. I’ll be there. Twelve-thirty.” And Gaff clicked off.
She made a face when she turned off her phone.
Jerod had enjoyed the exchange, his expression downright ornery. “Have I told you that you need to step up your side dishes? We always get chips of some kind.”
She tossed him an evil look. “You’re right. I’ll start bringing fresh vegetables. We’ll be healthier.”
He groaned. “Please. No veggie tray. I love my Franny, but whenever she has to carry in a dish, that’s what we take.”
Jazzi took mercy on him. She had no desire to trash Franny’s offering. “We’ll stick with chips. We need the salt since we sweat so much.”
“I’m using that line,” he told her. “A defense of salt.”
They went back to drawing up plans for what they wanted to do, and in what order, to the house. First, the foundation.
“We’ll call Darby,” Jerod said. They’d worked with him more times than not when they needed someone who drove a cement truck. “We’ll see how soon he can get here.”
They were going to have to jack up the back corner of the house and repour that part of the foundation. They’d done it before, building forms and reinforcing them. Once they finished, the house would be on a solid footing again.
“We haven’t seen the old coot for a while now,” Ansel said. “Haven’t needed him for any cement work.”
“We might get lucky since it’s late in the season. He won’t be as busy since some of the builders have quit knocking up new houses.”
Jazzi couldn’t believe how many new subdivisions had gone up around River Bluffs this year. The city kept growing.
They turned back to their planning sheet. “Then the roof,” Jerod said.
“We should do the front porch after that,” Ansel said. “And the fence. Once we get all of the outside work done, then we can dig into the interior. That’s going to take the longest.”
Every room was small and poorly designed. They started listing the materials they thought they’d need to get started. They were still working on that when Gaff arrived.
He gave a quick knock and came to find them. He turned to look the house over and shook his head. “Did you guys get bored because the last house was too easy?”
Jerod snorted. “Make fun of it now, but wait till you see how it turns out.”
Gaff dropped into the extra chair. “I don’t have any doubts about that, but you’ve sure got your work cut out for you.”
“Talking about work, what did you find out about Greg?” Ansel glanced at Jazzi. He wanted answers.
“Let’s eat while we talk.” She got up, came back with the cooler, and handed a sandwich to each person.
The minute she was finished, Ansel said, “Is Greg the killer?”
“We arrested him at his apartment last night. I talked to Seth on Sunday afternoon, and he told me that Greg never got married. He was a serial monogamist but wouldn’t even move in with a girl. He didn’t want anything to tie him down. His last girlfriend was on the pill but went off it without telling him. When she got pregnant, she thought he’d marry her. He hated her for it, and now he’s stuck paying child support for a kid he never sees. Doesn’t want to.”
Seth had told Jazzi about that a long time ago, when she first asked him about Greg, but she’d lost track of it. Meghan was pregnant when she died. Had Greg snapped when she’d confessed that to him?
Jerod looked disgusted. “If he didn’t want kids, he should have bought a box of his own protection.”
“Greg didn’t see it that way,” Gaff said. “Precaution was the girl’s responsibility.”
“So all he did was show up and have fun.”
“Pretty much.” Gaff unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite. “Boy, this is good!”
Ansel scowled. “So Greg got Meghan pregnant and then strangled her because she was going to have his baby?”
Gaff took a swig of water before answering. “He denied everything until we got the results from the trunk of his car. He’d cleaned it. The dealership cleaned it, but we still found evidence. Then he broke down. He said it wasn’t fair. Meghan had faithfully taken her pills. He even used protection, but she still got pregnant. He said it was like the heavens were laughing at him.”
Jerod leaned forward, aggravated. “Then it wasn’t Meghan’s fault. What more did he want her to do?”
“He didn’t blame her, but he wanted her to abort it. They had a big
fight. She refused. She said she’d raise the baby by herself, that he could just walk away.”
“Then what was his problem?” Jerod reached for a beer and another sandwich.
“He said that any time she wanted to, she could ask for a paternity test, and then he’d be stuck. He was gearing up to start working as a mixologist, and a chef had agreed to partner with him. He had visions of big bucks. A baby could mess everything up. He said he just snapped. The next thing he knew, he was strangling Meghan with his tie, and Miles slammed through the door to stop him. He punched Miles down and finished killing Meghan, then grabbed a heavy skillet and smashed it into the back of Miles’s head.”
Ansel shook his head. “I’m not buying his story.”
Gaff looked surprised.
“Greg wore a tie when he came to see Jazzi. He never wears ties. When she asked him about his new car, he was ready to strangle her. If he wore a tie to see Meghan, he meant to kill her.”
“It was premeditated.” Gaff sat back in his chair, his expression serious.
Ansel reached for Jazzi’s hand. She thought it was more to assure himself than her. “He killed anyone who got in his way.”
Looks sure could be deceiving. All those girls who vied for his attention at the bar saw him as a good-looking, fun-loving guy. Jazzi thought about Leo. “Poor Leo died because his dog led him to the shallow graves where Greg had buried Miles and Meghan.”
Gaff nodded. “Greg must have used the binoculars when he took a break at work and seen Leo. He knew if the dog got close to the wetlands, he’d sniff out the bodies. It was easy enough for him to disappear for a while and kill Leo. Then later he tossed his body in the restaurant’s dumpster to make Seth look bad. Meghan died because, even though she was careful, she’d gotten pregnant by him. And Miles died trying to defend her.”
“How many people would Greg have killed to protect himself?” Surely, he’d worry that the more bodies that stacked up, the more Gaff would become suspicious of him.
Ansel’s voice had an edge to it. “As many as it took.”
Gaff let out a long breath. He wrapped up his sandwich to take with him and stood. “Well, as usual, thanks for your help.”
“We hope it’s the last time.” Ansel smiled to soften his words.
“Hey, I get it.” Gaff gave them a wave and let himself out.
They sat at the table a while longer, a little stunned. It took a while to shift back into work mode.
Jerod pointed at the list he’d written of materials that they needed. “I hope Greg rots in prison, but I don’t want his vibes anywhere near this house. Let’s figure out how to make it beautiful.”
A perfect sentiment.
Talk returned to crown molding, woodwork, and colors of paint. They might not be able to fix warped human beings, but they could fix houses. And they’d do a good job on this one.
Chapter 46
Ansel and Jazzi attended Isabelle and Reuben’s wedding the next Sunday. She’d bought a new hot-pink dress to wear. Ansel wore a tan suit and a pink dress shirt. Jazzi never thought she’d be one of those couples who dressed to match, but she had to admit that she and her Norseman looked pretty good together.
She didn’t think she’d ever be a weeper, either, someone who teared up at weddings, but she was so happy for Isabelle and Reuben, she misted up when they were finally officially married. The Oyster Bar couldn’t hold another person, but it felt good to be surrounded by people who’d come to celebrate with her friends.
Once the ceremony ended, the chef carried out trays of hot and cold oysters. Shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, and crab cakes followed. Tenderloin sliders provided something for non-seafood lovers. Isabelle and Reuben circulated from one knot of friends to the next until they finally reached them.
“Congratulations! I’m so happy for you!” Jazzi reached out to hug Isabelle, but her friend grabbed her arm and yanked her hand toward her.
“Is this an engagement ring?” Isabelle stretched Jazzi’s hand toward Reuben. “Look, hon. What do you think?”
Reuben’s face lit up. “Is this official?”
Ansel jammed his hands in his pockets. “We were going to tell you later, but we wanted today to be about you two.”
Isabelle tugged Jazzi into a fierce hug. “You’re engaged! When’s the wedding?”
Ansel almost spilled his drink when Reuben slapped him on the back. “We haven’t picked a date yet. We’re keeping it simple. Justice of the peace. The reception at our house.”
“You have to invite us!” Isabelle went to slide her arm through Reuben’s.
“Will your family be there?” Reuben asked Ansel. “If your brothers come, can I be rude to them?”
Ansel shook his head. “We haven’t gotten that far. When we do, we’ll tell you, but for today, we’re here to celebrate you.”
“But this makes it perfect, doesn’t it?” Reuben turned to see Isabelle’s reaction. “It’s a doubly happy day.”
“You two are perfect together,” Jazzi told them.
“That’s how we feel about you. We’ll have to stay friends for forever.” Isabelle hugged Jazzi one last time, then said, “We’d better finish seeing more friends, but this is”—she paused with a smile—“the icing on our wedding cake.”
And as soon as the words left Isabelle’s lips, the cake was carried out—a three-tiered wonder. But no one was in a rush. People went back for seconds of food, more wine, and more laughter.
When Isabelle and Reuben left to chat with the next group of people, Ansel slid his arm around Jazzi’s waist. “I can’t wait until we’re official. The sooner, the better.”
Jazzi turned a thoughtful gaze on Isabelle and Reuben. They looked so happy. Any doubts she’d had about Ansel were gone. She smiled up at him. “Early November?”
His blue eyes glinted. “Are you serious?”
“Why not?”
He lifted her off her feet for a bear hug and smashed his lips against hers. That kiss lingered for the rest of the reception.
On the drive home, Jazzi tried to contain the giddy feeling that bubbled inside her. Life was blossoming around her. Their fixer-upper business was good, and she and Ansel were spectacular. How much better could things get? And no more dead bodies, she told herself. Just work, play, and Ansel. A perfect trifecta.
Please turn the page for some recipes from Jazzi’s kitchen!
Cabbage Rolls
To begin, core one head of cabbage as deep as you can to get out most of the core.
Boil water in a soup pot or deep Dutch oven. Carefully lower the head of cabbage into it. When the outer leaves get soft and curl outward, peel each one back with tongs and put each leaf on paper towels to drain, being careful not to tear the leaves. Do this until you have enough leaves and only small ones remain.
For the filling:
In a mixing bowl, combine:
2 lbs. Bob Evans regular-flavored ground sausage
2 lbs. ground chuck
3 cups cooked rice
1 chopped onion
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons parsley
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon Tabasco
For the sauce:
1 lb. Bob Evans regular-flavored ground sausage
1 lb. ground chuck
1 chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
2 large cans of diced tomatoes
4 cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce
4 teaspoons dill seed
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Brown the ground chuck and the sausage, then add the other ingredients.
To assemble:
In a large Dutch oven: Place leftover, small cabbage leaves on bottom of Dutch oven. Place heaping tablespoon of meat mix in cente
r of each cabbage leaf. Fold two sides over filling, then roll up. Lay filled cabbage leaves on top to form a layer, add sauce, another layer, more sauce, etc. Bring to a boil. Partially cover and reduce to a simmer for 2½ hours.
Chicken Salad
Prepare the dressing first. It will be even better if you allow it to chill and “steep” overnight.
For one whole, baked chicken, mix together ½ cup each of mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, and sour cream.
Stir in:
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar or Stevia to taste
¼ cup finely chopped onion
salt and white pepper to taste
Dice the chicken. Add ½ cup finely chopped celery and a generous dash of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt.
Add dressing and toss. Chill until time to serve. If salad looks dry, add ¼ to ½ cup of Miracle Whip.
Note: This basic recipe is meant to be altered to fit your taste. The ingredients should stay the same unless substitutes are needed due to allergies. Grapes and walnuts are possible additions. Any leftover dressing makes a great cucumber salad; just slice cucumbers and onions and add dressing.
