Shredding the Evidence (A Cookbook Nook Mystery 9) Read online

  Alexa cracked the resistance band.

  I dodged to my left. “No, of course not. He gave it to Kylie, didn’t he? They were in love. Since high school. That must have driven you crazy. After you killed her, you tore off the locket and put it and a phony love letter from Savannah in the safe at Kylie’s apartment.”

  “Savannah. What a loser.” Alexa’s lip curled up in a snarl.

  “Everything you’ve done has been misdirection.” I patted my chest. ‘“Don’t look at me, police. Look over there, at them.’ You brought the crumpled articles to the crime scene to implicate others in Kylie’s murder. Even your own father. Was Benjamin’s yearbook photo, the one with him clowning around with his buddies, on some of the shredded paper at the crime scene?”

  “Why would I have included one of him?” Alexa sniffed. “That would have incriminated me.”

  True. Even so, I was certain a picture of Benjamin—Bunny—was among the shredded paper. To rub his death in Kylie’s face.

  “How did Benjamin die?” I asked. “Did you kill him?”

  Bailey slipped up behind Alexa.

  “No. He died in a car crash.” Alexa’s lower lip started to quiver. “I’d planned to win him back, but Kylie made that impossible. A year ago, he was on his way to see her. It was late, and he was tired from work, but she ordered him to drive anyway. All the way from San Francisco. She was selfish that way. He fell asleep at the wheel and ran off the road, and in an instant, he was dead.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  She went silent.

  “I don’t understand one thing,” I said. “Why didn’t you kill Kylie then, when Benjamin died? What wait until now?”

  Alexa pursed her lips. “When he died, she begged me to forgive her. Begged me to love her again. To trust her. My mother and father begged me, too.” Tears leaked down her cheeks. “So I did. I would be the bigger person, I told myself. But then I learned that she’d lied to me again.”

  “About your father?”

  “No!” Her scream was bloodcurdling.

  “About having an investor to buy the Courier?” I asked.

  “Shut up! Let me finish.”

  Bailey blinked. She mouthed something. I couldn’t make it out.

  “I discovered”—Alexa shot her free hand forward—“that Kylie planned to open her own studio. Exactly like this one. Can you believe it? When I asked her about it, she smiled and said she was going to put me out of business.”

  “Why would she do that?”

  “Because I had a happy family and she didn’t. Don’t you see? She was sick. Twisted.”

  Alexa was the twisted one, but I didn’t say it out loud.

  “Who was her investor?” I asked.

  “My father, of course.”

  Eugene had guessed correctly.

  “By extorting him, Kylie said she could start anew.” Alexa raised her chin. “I told her over her dead body. She was screwed up in the head. A hot mess. I told her she needed to change, but she refused.”

  You should have reformed read the message on the mirror. Alexa had warned her; Kylie hadn’t complied.

  Bailey raised the barbell. I knew what she planned to do. Knock Alexa out. But if she accidentally killed Alexa, she could go to jail for manslaughter.

  I shook my head.

  Alexa noticed my action. She spun around and elbowed Bailey, who stumbled backward.

  I charged Alexa, barbell first, and rammed her into the wall of equipment.

  At the same time, the door to the studio flew open.

  Cinnamon strode in, wearing civilian clothes, gun aimed. “Alexa Tinsdale, don’t move.” She glowered at me. “And you, Jenna? Really? This is not the reason I needed to get my sorry rear end out of the hospital bed.”

  “No? It seems to have worked.” I smiled with relief.

  Chapter 22

  Cinnamon hauled Alexa to jail. Neither Alexa’s father nor mother, after learning the truth, would pay for her bail. So much for devoted family.

  A week later, family and friends met at my father’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. Katie and Keller had done most of the cooking. I’d made the brie en croute recipe that I’d found in the Ina Garten book. Bailey had brought sweet potato soup. My aunt and Marlon Appleby were not in attendance for the occasion. Days after Alexa’s arrest, they had gone to Las Vegas to elope. Appleby’s son had shown up to protest, but he’d arrived an hour after they’d said “I do.” According to a text from my aunt, Appleby had told his son to Stuff it—his life, his decision. His ultimatum had not gone over well.

  “How are you?” Rhett asked as he handed me a glass of chardonnay.

  “Breathing deeply.”

  It was a warm night. Many of us had gathered on the terrace to enjoy a glass of wine and take in the view of the ocean. Katie’s little girl, Min-yi, was dutifully checking out Brianna in the living room. Tito had fashioned an enclosed area where both children could play without bumping into or breaking things.

  “You look incredible.” Rhett kissed my cheek.

  “Thanks.” I’d slipped into a copper brown sweater, matching corduroys, and closed-toed flats. Dangly gold earrings completed the ensemble. “You smell incredible.”

  “New cologne. Like it?”

  “Yum.”

  Rhett had been very attentive since my run-in with Alexa. He hadn’t wanted me out of his sight. Granted, wanting and getting a wish were virtually impossible, given his schedule at work, but all of the new hires were working out, and because they were, we’d agreed to follow through with our trip to Napa in early December to see his folks. While there, we would meet with Harmony and review every aspect of our June nuptials, right down to wedding gowns, tuxedos, and boutonnieres.

  Rhett slung an arm around my waist and faced the ocean. “Nice view.”

  “The nicest.”

  “Get a room, you two.” Cinnamon, casual in a sweater over leggings tucked into boots, sauntered up to me and addressed my father, who was rocking in the slat-backed rocker, a glass of whiskey in his hand. “Cary, what are we going to do about your daughter?”

  “We?” My father winked at Lola, who was sitting beside him in the companion rocking chair. “I have nothing to do with what my grown daughter does. She makes her own decisions.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” I murmured.

  “And if I recall, you gave her carte blanche to help in this investigation,” he added.

  “Who told you that?” Cinnamon stared daggers at me.

  “Not I!” I raised a hand. “Mum was the word.”

  “I believe your deputy shared the news with his intended, my devoted sister,” my father said and grinned. “C’mon, admit it, young lady, Jenna did help you suss out this murderer.”

  “Suss.” Cinnamon huffed. “What kind of word is suss? We would have come to the same conclusion.”

  “When?” I demanded. “When Alexa was on the flight to Argentina?” Going to Oregon for a hiking vacation hadn’t been Alexa’s true itinerary. A passport and ticket to Buenos Aires had been tucked into the outside pocket of her overnight case.

  “Her parents are heartsick,” Lola said.

  “And well they should be.” I sipped my wine. “Not only did Kylie pull the wool over their eyes, but their daughter had been a ticking time bomb since high school.”

  Rhett said, “I heard they’re getting divorced.”

  “Yep,” I said. “When Peter Pomerance said he’d buy the newspaper, Eugene and Audrey finally admitted to one another that Alexa was the reason they had stayed together. Separation will be good for them. Both need new beginnings. I hope they can find peace.”

  Bailey and Tito joined us on the terrace. “Speaking of Peter Pomerance, he’s offered Tito the position as newspaper editor, and he’s taking it.”

  “Hear, hear!” Rhett raised his glass in a toast. “Congratulations.”

  Tito blushed. “I hope I’m up to the task. I might need to get my head examined.”

  Rhett chortled.r />
  “Speaking of getting one’s head examined,” Cinnamon said, “did you hear Midge Martin canceled her TV show, and she’s hired another chef so she can spend more time with her daughter? Both are starting therapy.”

  “’Tis the season for healing,” I said. “Savannah and her mother are going to dual therapy, too.”

  “I heard food is therapeutic,” my father said, rising to a stand. “When’s dinner? I’m starved.”

  As if on cue, Keller and Katie appeared in the sliding glass doorway. Both were wearing aprons over their outfits emblazoned with Eat, drink, and be thankful. “Turkey’s on,” they said in unison.

  “About time.” Dad offered a hand to Lola and pulled her to her feet.

  As Rhett and I were passing into the living room, Keller waylaid us. “Guys, listen, I don’t want you to worry. I’m going to finish doing everything in your house, but—” He worked his tongue inside his cheek.

  “But?” I asked warily.

  “But then I’m hanging up my paintbrush.”

  “Why?”

  “I’ve decided I am not my father’s son. I love making ice cream. If I do any second job, it’ll be running Taste of Heaven for my mom.”

  “Good for you.” Rhett patted Keller’s arm. “Great decision.”

  I offered a supportive smile. “We’re pulling for you. We both know that a person has to do what inspires him, not necessarily what pays the bills.”

  Rhett clasped my hand. “Amen.”

  Recipes

  Bird’s Nest Salad

  Cocoa Bliss Balls

  Coconut Haystack Cookies

  Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette

  Mini Crab Cakes

  Pretzel Haystacks

  Pumpkin-Chocolate-Coconut Muffins

  Shredded Grilled Cheese Sandwich

  Bird’s Nest Kale Salad

  (Serves 6)

  From Katie:

  If I must say, this is one of my new favorite salads. It has so many delicious ingredients plus plenty of protein. I also love the fact that you can change it up by using a different dressing. In the mood for sweet? Use the ginger dressing. Salty? Use the peanut dressing.

  6 eggs, soft-boiled

  6 ounces kale, chopped

  6 ounces baby spinach

  6 ounces carrots, peeled, julienned

  3 ounces peanuts

  4 ounces shitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced

  1/2 cup peanut dressing or ginger dressing (recipes follow)

  Salt and cracked pepper, to taste

  Shichimi, to taste (Japanese 7-spice mixture)

  1 cup crispy wonton strips

  Soft-boil the eggs by bringing a pot of water to boil, then lowering the temperature to simmer and adding eggs (in shells). Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until warm to the touch, then peel off the shells.

  In a mixing bowl, add kale, spinach, carrots, peanuts, shitake mushrooms, and peanut (or ginger) dressing. Season with salt and cracked pepper, to taste.

  For each salad, set combined vegetables in the center of bowl and create a small “nest” or hollow in the center. Place the warm soft-boiled egg in the nest. Sprinkle each egg with a dash of shichimi.

  Arrange crispy wontons around the salad. Serve immediately.

  Peanut Dressing

  1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

  1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

  1-1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

  1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  2 teaspoons honey

  1 lime, juiced, yields about 1 tablespoon juice

  1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

  Water, as needed

  Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate.

  Ginger Salad Dressing

  1/2 cup minced onion

  1/2 cup peanut oil

  1/3 cup rice vinegar

  2 tablespoons water

  2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

  2 tablespoons minced celery

  4 teaspoons soy sauce

  2-1/2 teaspoons sugar

  2 teaspoons lemon juice

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate.

  Cocoa Bliss Balls

  (Yield: 12–16 balls)

  From Jenna:

  Katie will claim these are her famous bliss balls, but because it’s a 5-ingredient recipe, I’m sharing the recipe with you. I love having these little morsels on hand in my refrigerator. I adore a burst of protein that isn’t a shake or energy bar.

  1 cup cashews

  3/4 cup pitted dates, chopped

  1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  1/8 cup raw honey

  Splash of whole milk or almond milk

  In a blender, combine cashews, pitted dates, cocoa powder, and raw honey, and blend until incorporated. Add a splash of milk and blend again. The mixture should hold together but not be sticky. If it is, add a tad more cocoa powder. If it’s too dry, add another splash of milk.

  Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls, about the size of walnuts. Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate. These keep a very long time.

  Coconut Haystacks

  (Yield: 18–24 cookies)

  From Katie:

  These are super easy and fun for children to make. I can’t wait until Min-yi is old enough to bake with her mama. The hardest part is not to eat the entire batch in one sitting. At the end of the recipe, I’ve added a chocolate option. If you don’t like chocolate, try white chocolate or even butterscotch chips. Enjoy.

  5-1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

  1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray.

  In a medium bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and the vanilla extract. Blend well.

  Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop mounds (about 1 tablespoon each) of the coconut mixture onto the parchment paper. Leave about an inch between them.

  Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookies on a rack to cool.

  Chocolate Version

  If desired, you can dip the cookies “foot,” or base, after baking, in melted chocolate. To do so, melt 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons of butter. Dip the cookies in and set on parchment paper to cool.

  Or . . . you could drizzle the melted chocolate over the tops of the haystacks.

  Have fun.

  Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette

  (Yield: 1 ¼ cups)

  From Jenna:

  This is a go-to salad dressing for me. It’s my mother’s recipe. It works on just about every variation of salad. I keep it in the refrigerator at all times. The honey is the magic.

  Zest from 1 lemon

  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

  1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  1/8 teaspoon black pepper

  1/4 cup honey

  3/4 cup vegetable oil

  Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate.

  Mini Crab Cakes

  (Gluten-free or regular)

  (Yield: 16)

  From Lola:

  I love serving fish to my customers, whether baked, broiled, grilled, or fried. One of my favorite appetizers to serve is crab cakes—all the flavors of crab in bite-sized portions. Serve with homemade aioli, and voilà. These can be made using regular panko or gluten-free panko. I’m partial to Ian’s gluten-free panko, but any will do.

  2 6-ounce cans lump crabmeat

  1/3 cup Panko (use gluten-free if necessary)

  1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

  1/4 cup parsley, minced

  1 large egg, beaten

  1 clove garlic, minced (you can omit if you
have a garlic issue)

  1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use Best Foods, which is gluten-free)

  1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (found at the fish counter at your grocer)

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  1/4 teaspoon pepper, ground

  1/2 cup panko, extra for dredging the crab cakes

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  Aioli

  1 cup mayonnaise (see above re: gluten-free)

  2 cloves garlic, crushed

  2 tablespoons parsley, minced

  1 teaspoon lemon juice

  1/8 teaspoon salt

  1/8 teaspoon pepper, ground

  To make the crab cakes:

  Combine all the crab cake ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Shape mixture by tablespoonfuls into small cakes. Dredge with the extra panko. (They will be soft. It’s okay.)

  Heat olive oil on medium-high in a large sauté pan. Sauté crab cakes in oil until golden brown on both sides, about 4–5 minutes a side. Serve with aioli sauce.

  To make the aioli:

  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate what you don’t use.

  Haystacks

  (Yield: 30 cookies)

  From: Katie:

  This is another great recipe for children. It is a no-cook recipe. You will need a microwave. I like using white chocolate melting wafers instead of white chocolate chips because they hold together better. Also, note, don’t use the natural kind of peanut butter. It’s too oily. The cookies will not firm up well. I prefer Jif brand, but many mothers like Skippy. You decide.

  12 ounces white chocolate melting wafers

  12 ounces butterscotch chips

  1 cup peanut butter (not the natural kind)

  12 ounces pretzels

  Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

  In a medium-sized bowl, mix the white chocolate melting wafers and butterscotch chips and microwave for 30 seconds at a time. It should take 3 zaps. Stir in between each round.

  Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in the peanut butter and pretzels.