by Eryn Scott
Hadley spotted two lamps near the front of the truck and wriggled them free. She began to whistle too.
Hours later, Paul closed the door to the rental truck with a clang. Luke thumped the metal bumper twice.
“That’s a wrap,” Paul said.
“Remind me to use you three when I’m moving my stuff into the new house, whenever it’s finished, that is.” Luke swiped sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.
“Yeah, when’s that going to be?” Suze asked.
“Considering I’ve still yet to decide on a design, a while. But this better be one rain check that doesn’t expire.”
They laughed and promised it wouldn’t.
Paul checked his phone and frowned. “I’ve got to head down to the station. McKay’s got Jessie and Stuart’s court date set, and he wants me to go over the charges.”
“He still only going to charge Jessie as an accessory?” Luke asked.
Paul said, “As far as I know. As of right now, she just provided Stuart with the bees and his alibi. He’s the one who put the weapon in the van and hid the man’s medication.”
According to Stuart, Jessie hadn’t been at the scene at all. And while the lipstick had been hers, he claimed it must’ve fallen from his pocket, being one of the things she’d asked him to hold on to for her. Whether or not he was telling the truth or just protecting Jessie was something they hoped would become clear during the court proceedings.
The four of them shook their head. “Hotheaded teenagers,” Suze said, her face etched with regret.
Paul wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Watch it, old lady. You’re starting to sound crochety.”
Suze wrinkled her nose. “I’m three months older than you two.” She pointed to Luke. “He’s the old man.”
Luke put his hands up in defense. “I’m sorry I was such a hyper kid that my mother didn’t want to risk putting me in school too early. And that I’m lucky enough to be blessed with a summer birthday.”
Suze made a gagging noise. “Get over yourself, Fenton. We already remembered that today’s your birthday.”
He laughed, but the smile was quickly replaced by a deadpan expression. “You did? I thought…”
Suze and Paul turned to glare at Hadley.
“Didn’t you tell him?” Paul asked.
Hadley’s cheeks heated up as she remembered. “Oh, right. Whoops.” She cringed. “It’s been crazy in my brain lately. I forgot.”
Luke blinked, still lost. “Forgot what?”
“We’re going to Seven Stones to celebrate later,” Paul said. “I’ll see you guys there after I meet with McKay.”
“I’m going to hitch a ride into town with PJ,” Suzanne said to Hadley, elbowing Paul playfully.
It was a gesture Hadley would never had thought twice about before, but this whole secrecy business was making her paranoid.
Suze seemed to catch Hadley’s inquisitive glare because she added, “I want to check on Leo. He’s been hanging out at the sheriff’s office more than he’s been at home lately.”
Paul nodded. “Poor guy. He could use the support.”
Hadley chewed on her bottom lip as they waved and walked away, sure Leo had been getting more support from the town than he could ever imagine.
Luke leaned in as Paul’s truck pulled away, leaving them alone. “Last time I saw him, the man was balancing three casseroles from the quilting society.”
Maybe she was feeling particularly emotional because of the move. Or maybe it had to do with feeling like the third wheel all week since she’d figured out Paul and Suze’s secret. But hearing Luke call out Suze’s odd behavior made her want to hug him.
“Right?” she said, turning to face him. “Something’s up with those two.” She pressed her lips into a thin line.
“Oh, for sure.” He nodded. “I don’t think they could be anymore obvious about it, honestly.”
Hadley blinked up at him. Had Luke figured it out too?
He opened his palms. “They’re going to get me a surprise birthday present.”
The laugh that spilled out of her served to vent most of her pent-up frustration. Luke smiled, obviously pleased with himself for getting such a reaction out of her.
He took a step back toward his own truck. “Well, I’ll let you finish up here, then. You probably need time to wrap my present.”
Hadley shook her head as she chuckled and waved goodbye to Luke. He was right, actually. She hadn’t wrapped it yet. But she still wasn’t sure how to wrap the new baseball cap she’d bought him to replace the dirty, red one. Maybe she could put it in a gift bag, instead. Snapping her fingers, she headed back inside.
“Now I just have to find where we put the box with my gift bags in it.” She bit her lip as she thought.
A warmth spread through her as she closed the door and walking into the living room. Sunlight from the beautiful sunset streamed in through the huge picture windows covering the A-frame house.
Ansel and Marmalade were curled up together in the overstuffed chair she’d haphazardly shoved against the sliding glass door to make room for the couch.
“Home sweet home,” she said out loud, letting the words reverberate through her chest.
Recipes
Honey-Sweetened Peach Chutney
Makes 8 half pints
4 pounds ripe yellow peaches (about 8-9 cups once peeled and chopped)
1 medium yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2 cups golden raisins
1 3/4 cups red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups honey
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (any color is fine)
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
zest and juice of 1 lemon
Cut peaches into quarters and remove pits. Pile peaches into a large, heat-proof bowl.
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Once it boils, pour the water over the peach quarters. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes, until the skins wrinkle and pull away from the fruit. Peel the skins away and chop the peaches.
In a large, non-reactive pot, combine the peaches, onion, raisins, vinegar, honey, mustard seeds, ginger, salt, red chili flakes, and lemon zest and juice.
Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring regularly, at a brisk simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the chutney thickens, darkens, and the flavors start to marry.
While the chutney cooks, prepare a boiling water bath canner and sufficient jars.
When the chutney is finished cooking, funnel it into prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool.
Once jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals. Sealed jars can be stored on the pantry shelf for up to a year. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
Peach Lavender Jam
Makes 7 half pints
4 pounds ripe yellow peaches (about 8-9 cups once peeled and chopped)
4 cups of sugar
4 tablespoons powdered pectin
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds (make sure you’re using culinary grade lavender)
Cut peaches into quarters and remove pits. Pile peaches into a large, heat-proof bowl.
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Once it boils, pour the water over the peach quarters. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes, until the skins wrinkle and pull away from the fruit. Peel the skins away and chop the peaches.
Prepare a boiling water bath canner and sufficient jars.
Place the chopped peaches in a large, non-reactive pot. Measure out the necessary sugar and whisk the pectin powder in to combine. Add the pectin-spiked sugar to the fruit and stir to incorporate. Add the lemon juice and stir again.
Place the lavender buds into a stainless s
teel tea ball or bundle them up in a length of cheesecloth (tie it tightly so that the lavender doesn’t escape). Tuck the lavender packet into the pot with the fruit.
Once the sugar has started to dissolve and the peaches look very juicy, put the pot on the stove over high heat. Bring the fruit to a boil and reduce the heat to medium high. Let the jam bubble vigorously for 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly.
As the fruit cooks down, use a potato masher to break up the bigger peach pieces. This gives a better texture and will prevent fruit and jelly separation later on.
The jam is finished when it has reduced in volume by at least one-third, is visibly thicker, and looks quite glossy.
Turn off the heat under the jam, remove the lavender packet, and stir the jam for a few moments off the heat. Funnel the jam into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
When time is up, remove jars from canner and let cool on a folded kitchen towel. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated. All sealed jars are safe for shelf storage.
Don’t miss the next book in the Stoneybrook series:
Follow Hadley, Paul, Suze, and Luke as they solve another mystery in the small town of Stoneybrook. Miranda, the sweet girl who works at the local candy shop, is missing after another teen is found dead in Cascade Ridge. Can they find her before she becomes another victim?
Pre-order your copy today!
About the Author
Eryn Scott lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their quirky animals. She loves classic literature, musicals, knitting, and hiking. She writes cozy mysteries and women’s fiction.
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www.erynwrites.com
[email protected]
Also by Eryn Scott
Mystery:
The Pepper Brooks Cozy Mystery Series
Stoneybrook Mysteries
Women’s fiction:
The Beauty of Perhaps
Settling Up
The What’s in a Name Series
In Her Way
Romantic comedy:
Meet Me in the Middle
