True Confections, page 15
part #1 of Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery Series
William took a step toward me and I took a step backward. He was suddenly menacing somehow.
“What do you know?” he said. He took a step to the side and pulled down the blind over the front window. “Are you trying to blackmail me too?”
“Of course not!” I said. “I am certainly not the sort of person to blackmail anyone. Besides, I don’t know what I could possibly blackmail you over.”
“Look, I’m not known for my patience,” William snapped. “You said you called out to my wife when your cat got in and she didn’t see you? Are you quite sure?”
“Yes, of course I’m sure,” I said.
“And you expect me to believe this story?”
“It’s the truth.”
William Willow certainly was behaving strangely and I had no idea why. I wondered if he had a drinking problem, or maybe all the stress had gotten to him.
He reached out for me, his long bony fingers digging into my shoulder. “Stop playing games. Tell me what you want from me.”
“I don’t want anything from you. I just want to find my cat.” I said the words slowly but loudly.
He loomed over me. “How much do you want?”
At that moment, the realization hit me. He thought I wanted to blackmail him.
Suddenly, inspiration hit me. “Greaves was blackmailing you, wasn’t he!” I regretted the words as soon as they were out of my mouth.
“Yes he was, as you no doubt found out from that interfering private detective. Greaves was blackmailing me all right. I was involved in a crime some years ago, a bank robbery to be precise, and I was the police informant. I left town and changed my name, and Greaves found out and said if I didn’t sell him the store at a cheap price, he would tell the criminals where I was.”
“Couldn’t you have gone to the police?” I asked.
“Of course not,” William snapped, his face turning an unpleasant shade of red. “I did a few other illegal things that wouldn’t be good for the police to know about. Greaves found out about them as well. My wife doesn’t know and I can’t let her find out. She would be devastated and would probably leave me. That’s why I had to kill Greaves. I didn’t want to, but I had no other option. I’m sure you understand that.”
I didn’t understand at all. I wondered if he was going to lunge at me. He was a large man with broad shoulders. I looked around for a weapon. Maybe I could grab one of the glass jars and hit him with it. My cell phone was in my purse, but I wouldn’t have time to get it out and call anyone. Cold fear coursed through my body.
William was still speaking. “Greaves was a nasty man. A very nasty man.”
“But how did you get the poison into him?” I said. I was curious, in spite of the dangerous situation in which I found myself.
“I knew he was due to come that day,” he said. “I told my wife that when Greaves came the next time, that she should leave the shop and I would close it, because I wanted to speak to him in private. She readily agreed and wasn’t at all suspicious—why would she be? I knew your sister put out samples of cupcakes, so I put out a plate of savory cupcakes. I filled them all with wolfsbane. I got rid of them all afterwards. I knew Greaves was heading straight to your sister’s store after he left mine.”
“Were you trying to frame my sister?” I asked him.
He looked surprised. “Of course not! Anyway, it worked. Now what am I going to do with you?”
I backed away from him. “Well, I won’t tell anyone. Actually, I’m surprised the private detective hasn’t told the police that Greaves was blackmailing you because then they would know you had a motive.”
William snorted rudely. “He isn’t really a private detective who is on the level,” he said. “He’s a criminal who was doing some work for Greaves, that’s all. He can hardly go to the police, and in fact I’m sure the police would like to get their hands on him.”
“But, but he gave me his card,” I sputtered.
William rolled his eyes.
I wondered if Matilda had ever been as naïve and gullible as I was. I sure had a lot to learn about sleuthing.
“I’m glad my wife didn’t see you,” he said. His fingers tightened once more around my shoulder.
“My roommates and sister know I’m here,” I said. It wasn’t true of course, but I didn’t know what else to say.
It all happened quickly. One minute William Willow had me by my shoulders and I was scared he was going to strangle me. Next thing I knew there was a loud crash. He collapsed, unconscious to the ground.
I looked at the ground to see broken glass. It took me a few moments to realize that a large glass bottle had broken over his head.
Mr. Crumbles nimbly jumped down from a high shelf and walked around my legs, purring loudly. I picked him up and hugged him. “Thank you, Mr. Crumbles,” I said. I then deposited him back on the ground and called the police, doing my best to stop my hands from shaking.
Chapter 23
We were all sitting in the apartment. Rebecca had closed the store early to celebrate with us. Everyone was fawning over Mr. Crumbles and he was certainly enjoying the attention. I had bought him a tin of sardines and a little packet of cat treats. I had also bought him his own set of keys to play with.
Eleanor had made Mr. Crumbles a birthday cake from layers of canned cat food.
Matilda pointed to the cake. “Why are there two candles on that cake? That cat isn’t even a year old.”
Eleanor’s cheeks puffed up. “A cake needs candles, and we don’t know his age.”
“But it’s not his birthday,” Matilda protested.
“How do we know? Anyway, it’s a reward cake, not a birthday cake.”
Matilda looked quite put out and opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. I expected she was going to point out that reward cakes are not likely to have candles, but thought the better of it.
“He’s a very clever cat,” Eleanor continued, “dropping that glass jar right on the murderer’s head before Mr. Willow could do Jane any harm.”
“Nonsense!” Matilda snorted. “The cat didn’t know what he was doing. He always knocks things off high shelves and he just happened to knock it onto the murderer’s head. It was all a coincidence.”
“It wasn’t a coincidence at all,” Rebecca said. “I have been praying for Jane’s safety. It was the Lord who saved her.”
“God saved her by means of Mr. Crumbles, of course.” Eleanor pulled a face at Matilda. “Mr. Crumbles was just like Moses, when God used him to part the Red Sea.”
Matilda was clearly furious. “What on earth are you talking about! Have you completely lost your mind, Eleanor?”
“Saved by the bell!” I exclaimed as the bell to the apartment rang. I made to stand, but Mr. Crumbles took a big leap onto my lap and purred. He sounded like a freight train.
“I’ll get it,” Eleanor said. She soon returned with Detective McCloud.
“I’m glad to see you’re all right, Jane,” he said by way of greeting.
Matilda leaned over to me. “When did you become Jane and not Miss Delight?” she asked in a stage whisper, causing my cheeks to burn.
“William Willow has been charged and I’ve come to take you downtown to give your witness statement, but only if you feel up to it now,” Detective McCloud said.
“I just need some more coffee and another chocolate or five before I feel ready to drive down there,” I told him.
“I’ll give you a ride,” he said, which made Eleanor and Matilda giggle, much to my embarrassment.
“Have you found that private detective yet?” Rebecca asked Detective McCloud.
He shook his head. “No, not yet, but I’ll have Miss Delight look through some mugshots, if that’s all right?”
“Sure,” I said, a little disappointed I had been demoted from Jane to Miss Delight. “I’m just glad it’s all over.”
“Yes, it is all over,” McCloud said. “And you’re not in any danger from that private detective even though he isn’t licensed and was working for Greaves.”
“Have a seat, Detective,” Matilda said. “Jane has a few more chocolates to eat before she’ll be ready.”
Eleanor walked back in from the kitchen—I had not noticed her leave—and set a steaming mug of coffee in front of the detective. She offered him a chocolate cupcake, which he declined.
“All’s well that ends well,” Matilda said.
“Is that a quote from Agatha Christie?” Eleanor said.
“No silly, it’s obviously from Shakespeare,” Matilda said snarkily.
Eleanor pulled a face. “I know that. I was being sarcastic. You usually only quote Agatha Christie. It can be quite bothersome at times.”
I looked at the bickering sisters and could not help but chuckle. All truly had ended well. We were all safe, and my sister got to keep her store with no more threats from Colin Greaves. And despite the fact that my husband was now married to a much younger woman, I didn’t mind any more. I had my own life now. I had the company of my sister and two rather quirky, elderly women who had already become my friends. I was sitting in their company with a delightful cat and a rather handsome detective. What more could I want?
Amish Recipe
Shoo-fly pie
Shoo-fly pie (wet bottom) Melassich Riwwelkuche
Ingredients
1 cup flour
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 egg
6 fluid ounces molasses
6 fluid ounces boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 9 inch unbaked pastry shell
1/4 tsp each of Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg
Method
Combine the flour, brown sugar, and shortening.
Set aside 1/2 cup of this mixture for the topping.
Add the egg, molasses, boiling water, and baking soda to the remaining mixture.
Spread this mixture into the un-baked pie shell.
Spread half cup of crumb topping over the pie.
Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 350°F and bake for 30 minutes or until firm.
Crumbs
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable shortening
Method
In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and butter or shortening. Rub with fingers to form fine crumbs. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Pie crust
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups butter or vegetable shortening, cubed
1 egg
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 cup water
Method
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add butter or shortening.
Pulse until pea-sized crumbs form.
Place dough in a large bowl. Bring the dough together with a wooden spoon.
Whisk together the egg, vinegar, and water in small bowl. Pour over the dough and mix until combined it sticky dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before rolling.
Place oven rack on the lowest. Preheat oven to 375°F.
Halve the chilled dough in half on floured surface.
Roll half of the dough to ¼-inch thick and place in a 9-inch pie dish.
Loosely fit aluminum foil over the lined pie dish and weigh down with pie weights, or uncooked rice. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and continue baking for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
Amish Recipe
Whoopie pies
Chocolate Whoopie Pies
Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 cup dry cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup hot water
Filling
2 egg whites, beaten
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening
Method
Cake
Combine sugar, oil and eggs in large mixing bowl. Beat until creamy. Sift together flour, dry cocoa and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with sour milk or buttermilk. Stir in vanilla.
In separate bowl, whisk baking soda and hot water together until soda is dissolved. Stir into batter until thoroughly mixed.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls of desired size onto well greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until top springs back when touched. (For moist Whoopie Pies, avoid over baking.)
Remove from sheets and allow to cool completely. Spread filling on flat side of one cookie and top with another. Wrap completed Whoopie Pies individually in Saran Wrap.
Filling
Combine egg whites, 2 cups of sugar and vanilla. Beat in vegetable shortening and remaining sugar.
Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow fluff and vanilla until smooth, for 3 minutes.
Fill cookies as above.
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Next Book in This Series
An Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery - Book 2
Previous Confections
The last thing Jane expects is to meet Cherri, her ex-husband’s new wife, but that’s exactly what happens. Worse still, Cherri wants Jane’s help in solving a murder.
It’s bad enough that Jane’s Amish sister has a broken arm, so Jane has to run the cupcake store with dubious help from Matilda, Eleanor, and naughty little cat, Mr. Crumbles.
Will Jane be able to solve the murder, keep the cupcake store from crumbling apart, and keep a level head around Detective Damon McCloud, or will it all end not so sweetly?
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