Murder at the Tremont House (A Blue Plate Cafe Mystery) (26 page)

“
Bread?” Chester croaked. “To go with this rabbit food.”

She shook her head.

I left cheered to see them back to normal, bickering as usual. Carolyn was in her element when she could boss Chester around. They’d be fine. Carolyn promised they’d come see me as soon as Chester got a little less grumpy, and he harrumphed and then, balancing on his crutches, gave me a big bear hug.

I nearly san
g all the way back to Wheeler.

****

A few nights later, I wondered why Rick didn’t come in for supper. But he showed up at eight thirty, just like he did when he thought I was in danger.

“
Came to walk you home,” he said.

“
That will be a nice treat.”

He ate a
chicken-fried steak while he waited, and about nine thirty we headed for my house.

“
Wait? I have to get something out of my car.”

I noticed he was in his own car tonight but didn
’t think it important. What he got out of his car turned out to be a really good bottle of wine.

We walked quietly, occasionally brushing shoulders. At the house, I unlocked the back door, grateful that I locked it and could avoid a scolding. Huggles greet
ed us with leaps of joy and wet kisses and then darted out the door.

“
It’s such a relief to be able to let him run,” I said. “Do you think she really would have hurt him?”

“
Don’t know. But I’m sure she really would have hurt you without your fast thinking. ’Course,” and now he drawled, “you’re lucky you didn’t kill her and yourself.”

“
I calculated pretty carefully,” I said.

“
Then you’re a damn fine driver, and I salute you.” He was opening the wine, getting out two glasses. He poured a generous serving in each.

“
Got to talk,” he said.

I
t was unlike Rick Samuels to talk seriously. He had only unburdened himself to me once, so I was puzzled about what was coming.

He swirled his wine, made a show of sniffing the bouquet, swirled a sip in his mouth like a wine connoisseur, and finally spoke.
“I’ve accepted the position of chief of police in Longview. Violent crimes and crimes against property there have risen sharply, and they’ve hired me to do something about it.”

“
You’re leaving Wheeler?” I’m not sure if there was disbelief or dismay in my voice.

“
Your fault. You created two violent crimes in a town that hasn’t had any in years. Gave me a great chance to show off what I can do. ’Course they don’t know you solved both of them, and I’m not telling.”

I smiled tentatively.
“Was that another compliment?”

“
Yes, ma’am, it was. But please don’t make a habit of creating crimes so you can solve them. The next police chief may not be as tolerant.”

“
I’ll wrap him around my finger, just as I did you,” I joked.

“
You probably will. Chester Grimes has applied for the position, and I’ll back him. Of course, he can’t begin until he gets that cast off.”

“
Chester and Carolyn in Wheeler? You’ll miss all the fun.”

He sobered,
“I know. And I’ll come back. But, Kate, we weren’t going anywhere, were we? Not that I could tell.”

Now it was my turn to avoid his eyes, play with my glass until I decided that wasn
’t fair. “No, I don’t think we were. If it was meant to be, it would have happened before now. Both of us should move on.”

“
I can’t help asking: will you move on right into David’s arms? I know he’s sweet on you, but you’re hard to figure.”

“
I don’t know. I find him attractive, but I find you attractive too. I don’t know what will happen.” And that, honestly, was the truth.

Over the rest of the bottle, we talked about his new job. He
’d begin in two weeks, and he’d go to Longview this weekend to look for housing. He didn’t need much, but I hoped he’d find something better than the tiny place he lived in now. He was truly excited about the prospect of a challenge.

“
Wheeler was a good transition for me, but all I do is paperwork and I want action. Not that the city is a hotbed of crime.”

The only other person he
’d told was Tom, when he submitted his resignation. Tom agreed to fill in during Rick’s absence both this weekend and in the interim before a new appointment. He’d talked to Tom about Chester, and Tom said he had to open the applications publicly and bring all before the council, but he’d keep Chester in mind.

I wondered if I could lobby. Really not much usually went on in Wheeler. Chester could handle it.

When he left, leaving an empty wine bottle behind, Rick put his arms around me, kissed me gently, and said, “I’ll miss you a whole lot, Kate Chambers. May I come calling now and then?”

“
I’d be disappointed if you didn’t. I’ll miss you too, miss saving you a sticky bun, miss wondering what you’ll order for dinner, miss having you scold me for messing in your business and being foolhardy.”

“
Was I that bad?”

“
Yeah, you really were.” I punched him lightly.

A kiss on the forehead and he was gone. I called Huggles in, put the wine glasses in the sink for tomorrow, threw the bottle away
and then, on second thought, rinsed it to save. Then I went to bed without even brushing my teeth. Gram would be horrified. And I had myself a good cry. I would miss him. Would he have stayed in Wheeler for me? I’d never know. And I’d probably never know if I’d made a huge mistake or not. Just as I was about cried out and wondering if between tears and wine I’d wake with a pounding head, Gram spoke.

“
The Lord moves in mysterious ways, child. You can’t change things that were meant to be.”

“
Did the Lord tell you that personally?” But of course, she was gone.

****

David and I had our much-delayed dinner at Currents in Tyler that weekend. Our talk was light, for which I was grateful. The talk with Rick had about done me in. David did say he’d taken on a partner in Dallas and expected to be working from his cabin on Callendar Lake at least half the time. He was tired of Dallas. And he’d volunteered to do some legal work for the city of Wheeler on a pro bono basis.

“
You’ll get tired of seeing me,” he teased.

“
I doubt it,” I said and raised a glass in a toast.

Maybe Gram was right.

THE END

RECIPES FROM THE BLUE PLATE CAFÉ

Salmon croquettes

1 14.75-oz. can of pink salmon (Pick the bones out if you can, and discard the black skin.)

One small onion, chopped

Das
h of Worcestershire

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of dry mustard

2 eggs

Ground saltine crackers

Beat everything but the crackers together and then add enough ground crackers to make it a mixture you can shape with your hands into patties about three inches
around. Sauté until browned on all sides and heated through (doesn’t take long and they burn easily—do this at medium heat). Serve with lemon or ketchup. Most diners will eat two, so this recipe serves three generously. (Real croquettes are shaped like logs, but they’re not as easy to brown evenly and work with; shaping them into patties is much easier.)

Potato casserole

2 lbs. frozen hash browns, thawed

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 c. grated cheddar

½ c. chopped onions

½ c. softened margarine

¼ tsp. each salt and pepper

1 16-oz. carton sour cream

Mix all together, being sure to add the sour cream last. Place in a buttered 9x13 casserole.

Topping

2 c. crushed Corn Flakes

¼ c. margarine or butter, melted

Mix Corn Flakes with margarine or butter. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake 45 minutes at 350°. For the café, Kate made six of these a day. One will serve ten.

Green Beans Vinaigrette

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled,
some of the grease saved

3 scallions, chopped

Vinegar to taste

1 28-oz. can
cut green beans (but not French sliced), drained

Fry bacon and remove from the skillet to drain on paper towels. Leave enough grease in the skillet to sauté scallions. Pour in vinegar to taste, and add drained green beans. Crumble the bacon over the beans. Serve hot.

Easy Beef Wellington from the cooking class

Olive oil

4 pieces frozen puff pastry dough square
s

2 thick, small pieces of beef tenderloin

Salt and pepper

1 egg

Thaw puff pastry as package suggests.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet to high. Brown steaks quickly on both sides. Meanwhile, lightly grease a baking sheet or cover it with parchment paper.

Use two pieces of the square dough for each steak. Lightly grease the edges of each square with olive oil on the tip of your finger. Put the steak on one piece. Lay second piece of dough over the steak, olive oil side down, and use your fingers to press the two pieces of dough together firmly so the seal is complete. If you want, you can flute the pastry edges, pinching between fingers as you would a pie crust.

Whisk egg and brush tops of both pastries. Bake for 20 minutes at 350
o
or until pastry is nicely browned.

Mushroom sauce to top Bee
f Wellington

Classic Beef Wellington is topped with foie gras beneath the steak and the dough, but many people don
’t like foie gras and this is a good substitute, but it’s not necessary. The steaks are good without.

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1-1/4 c. chopped mushrooms (any kind you like)

½ c. chicken stock, generously measured

1 Tbsp. flour

Salt and pepper

Mince garlic and chop mushrooms. Heat olive oil in skillet and add garlic for
one minute. Then add mushroom and most of the chicken stock, reserving 1 Tbsp. Mix flour with reserved chicken stock until flour dissolves, without lumps. Slowly stir into mushroom mixture and thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken piccata from the cooking class

4 boneless chicken breast halves

1 egg

1 Tbsp. milk

Flour

Cornmeal

4 Tbsp. butter

Juice of ½ lemon

½ cup chicken broth

Mix milk and egg in a shallow bowl; mix flour and cornmeal in a second bowl.

Pound chicken until it’s as flat as you can get it—¼ inch is the goal. Dip breasts in egg mixture and then in flour/cornmeal mixture.

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Sauté chicken breasts until browned on both sides, adding more butter if necessary. Remove to platter when browned and cooked through.

Reduce heat. Add lemon juice to skillet. Add broth slowly. Stir to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Return meat to skillet and cook five minutes until warmed through.

Serve with thin lemon slices and chopped parsley for garnish.

Gram
’s mild and tentative chili

1 lb. ground beef

Enough oil to sauté onion, garlic and beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup beer

4 tsp. chili powder or
more to taste

½ tsp. Tabasco

2 tsp. salt

2 c. beans
, preferably canned pintos

Brown onion and garlic; add hamburger and cook until all pink is gone.

Add everything else except beans and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes. Stir occasionally, and add more beer as needed. Taste and add more chili powder as needed. Add beans and heat just before serving.

Optional toppings served on the side at the café: chopped purple onion
, grated cheddar, and saltines to crumble (shh! Don’t tell Gram—she didn’t approve of crumbling crackers into chili or soup).

Gram’s Sunday Cake

1 box cake mix

1 box instant pudding

½ c. oil

4 eggs

1½ c. sour cream