Death of the Family Recipe (A Scotti Fitzgerald Murder Mystery Book 3) Read online

  DEATH OF THE FAMILY RECIPE

  A Scotti Fitzgerald Murder Mystery – Book 3

  Anita Rodgers

  Copyright © 2015 Anita Rodgers

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Contact at: [email protected]

  First electronic edition published by Anita Rodgers

  Death of the Family Recipe

  ISBN: 9780996624428

  Published in United States with international distribution.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design by: Jessica Wright

  Kindle Edition, License Notes

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and didn’t purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Dedication

  For every daughter looking for her mother.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Chapter Sixty

  Chapter Sixty-One

  Chapter Sixty-Two

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  Chapter Sixty-Five

  Chapter Sixty-Six

  Chapter Sixty-Seven

  Chapter One

  Do you have to know where you came from to know where you’re going? Conventional wisdom says to let sleeping dogs lie, but that assumes mystery is a normal state of being. If you’re defined by an unanswered question, isn’t there some point at which you deserve the answer? Even if it’s the one you dread the most?

  My name is Scotti Fitzgerald and I’ve been defined by the fact that my mother abandoned me when I was a baby and it has driven me in everything I’ve ever done. But not long ago, I discovered I was pregnant and the man I love proposed to me on the same day. The convergence of those two events set me on a path I never expected to walk.

  Ted spoke softly. "Scotti, did you hear me? I asked you to marry me."

  I looked away from the sparkle of the ring and up at Ted’s questioning face. His was the face I loved most. The face that promised I’d never be alone in the world. I smiled. "I have to tell you something first."

  He glanced quickly behind him. "If it’s about my family. They understand, they won’t…"

  I put my hand on his chest. "No, it’s not about your family." I chuckled. "Actually, it sort of is…" I looked into his eyes and the words stuck in my throat. I took his hand and placed it on my belly. "It’s about our family."

  Ted furrowed his brow, looked at his hand on my belly then at me then back again. "Our family?" Realization came into his eyes. "Really?"

  I nodded. "Really."

  He pulled me into his arms and lifted me off my feet. "We’re having a baby?"

  I whispered into his ear, "We’re having a baby."

  He kissed me softly then set me back on the ground. "So recruit, do I have to get out my shotgun to make you marry me?"

  Giddy with nerves, I smiled at him. "Yes I’ll marry you, you big gorilla."

  Ted slid the ring on my finger then kissed my hand and said, "Now you’re mine."

  I slid my arms around his neck. "I’ve always been yours."

  We kissed then stared into each other’s eyes. The moonlight, the scent of night-blooming jasmine and the stars that sparkled the sky held us there for a moment. Then he scooped me up in his arms. "How about we start practicing for the honeymoon now?"

  I laughed and kicked my feet. "Now? In the parking lot? Put me down."

  A chorus of happy murmurs sounded behind us and the Jordan clan stood clustered near the restaurant door.

  Ted glanced at his family then back to me — pleading with his eyes. I sighed and whispered, "Okay, but not a word about the baby. Not yet."

  Ted gave them a thumbs up then cranked a hand. "Okay troops, fall in."

  In seconds we were surrounded.

  Melinda took my hand and admired the ring — her green eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "It’s perfect. As though it was meant for you alone, Scotti."

  I held out my hand and had to agree. "It is perfect, isn’t it? I love it." My voice cracked, "And I love your son."

  Melinda hugged me. "Welcome to the family, darling." She released me, then clapped her hands. "All right, we’ve had our fun. Come on troops, mission accomplished." She winked at me and set the rest of her brood in motion. "See you Monday night at dinner."

  Arms around each other, Ted and I watched them saunter toward the parking lot until they were gone from sight.

  Ted pulled me close. "Want to try dinner again?"

  "Not hungry."

  Ted twisted his lips and frowned. "You barely ate."

  I shrugged. "I could go for something chocolate."

  Ted led me toward the lot. "I know just the place."

  <<>>

  We made love. In a candle lit room scattered with rose petals. But with a different kind of urgency — not a race to the finish line, but a long walk down the path of desire. Our connection was sealed — we were now one unit, one force, one entity. That night, we became husband and wife in the truest se
nse — our vows to each other were made in each touch, kiss, and sigh. The ceremony was merely a formality that would come later for the benefit of friends and family.

  Afterward, we lay entwined in his big comfortable bed, watching the candlelight dance shadows on the wall. Ted laced his fingers through mine. "I’m so glad you said yes."

  I raised my head and grinned at him. "Was there any doubt?"

  He looked into my eyes. "Plenty. Especially when you didn’t answer right away."

  I reached up and kissed him. "I had to tell you about the baby first. And I was scared."

  He lay his head on my breasts and traced circles on my belly with his finger. "I want our baby to look like you."

  I giggled. "You want her to be plagued with crazy hair and a flat chest?"

  He kissed my breast. "Definitely not flat from my perspective." He raised his head. "It’s a girl?" He smiled like that was the best thing since whiteboards. He murmured, "A little girl."

  I ran my hand through his shiny black hair. "I don’t know — I feel like it’s a girl."

  He pulled me on top of him, and I breathed in his scent. "Mother’s intuition?"

  Being referred to as a mother caught me by surprise, but I liked it. "Maybe. Val said we might be able to tell at the sonogram. Unless you don’t want to know? We could let it be a surprise."

  He reached up and played with my curls. "Whatever you want is what I want."

  I laughed and rolled off him. "I want chocolate." I propped against the headboard and nudged him with my foot. "And you promised."

  Ted rolled off the bed, grabbed a tray filled with chocolate truffles and fresh strawberries from the side table. Like a fancy maître d', he lay it before me. "Your wish is my command."

  I pulled the tray close and scolded him. "It’s been sitting here the whole time and you didn’t tell me?" I snatched a truffle and popped it into my mouth. "Oh my God. So good."

  Ted crawled back into the bed. "Can I help it if you distract me?" He popped a fat red strawberry into his mouth. "Tasty."

  I swatted his hand away. "Hey, you already ate."

  He propped back on his elbows. "Okay, have at it. We need to fatten you up anyway." He nudged me with his foot. "Can’t grow a baby with pie and coffee."

  I popped another truffle into my mouth. "I’m going to have to give up coffee?" I stuck out my lower lip. "That’s really sad."

  Ted rolled onto his back and lined up truffles on his naked body. "Small trade-off for such a big payoff." He rearranged the truffles to form a heart. "And I think we’ve got bigger challenges than that."

  I removed the truffles from Ted’s chest and put them back on the tray. Then crawled on top of him and nibbled his ear. "Like what?"

  "You can’t keep a baby secret for very long."

  I rolled off him and sighed. "Damn, I just lost my erection." I got out of bed and snatched my underwear from the floor. I switched on the bedside lamp and looked lovingly at my left hand. "At least I have a pretty ring."

  "You’re getting dressed?"

  I pulled my dress over my head and tugged it down. "I am dressed."

  Ted swiped his shorts from the floor and hopped into them. "Are we going somewhere that requires clothes?"

  I went toward the door. "That chocolate made me hungry for real food."

  He rolled his eyes. "Now she wants to eat."

  Chapter Two

  I raced Ted to the kitchen. But what I found was a gaping hole in the back of his house. "What did you do?"

  Ted caught up to me. "Damn, I wanted it to be a surprise."

  I hugged myself against the chill. "Yeah, where there was a wall is now plastic sheeting covering a gaping hole in your house. That is a surprise. And I’m surprised."

  What was once a perfectly good kitchen was now a mess of plaster, exposed beams, and unattached appliance hookups. The appliances were gone, along with half the cabinets and the walls that held them were stripped back to the studs. I sneezed.

  Ted pulled me back toward the door and put his arms around me. "I told you I was going to remodel the kitchen for you."

  I turned and faced him. "You’re doing it yourself?"

  He nodded. "Me and my brothers." I cringed and made a face. Ted puffed up his chest. "You don’t think we can do it? We know what we’re doing. Dave is a licensed contractor."

  I snorted. "For plants. He’s a landscaper." I frowned at the demolished room. "How do you eat? You don’t even have a fridge anymore."

  He kissed my neck. "That’s why God invented takeout, honey."

  I sighed and turned for the door. "Okay baby, but I can’t live here until you have a kitchen again, right?"

  He followed me into the living room. "What do you mean?"

  I plopped onto the big leather sofa and propped my feet on the coffee table. "What do you mean, what do I mean? I make pies for a living. If I don’t have a kitchen I don’t have a business. Do I?"

  Ted’s face fell. "Oh." He plopped onto the sofa next to me. "I was so excited about making you a new kitchen, I forgot about that part." He shrugged and grabbed my foot. "Guess we’ll have to step up the production." He massaged my arch with his thumb. "We’ll get it done."

  His nonchalance about the major undertaking made me doubt he and his brothers had built anything more serious than a bunk bed. "Honey, you do know how long it takes to gut a kitchen and remodel it, right? At least a couple of months." I threw up my arms. "And it’s going to cost a fortune."

  Ted patted my foot. "Nah, we can do it in a few weeks. We’ve built stuff before. Plenty of times." He tickled my foot. "We can afford it."

  I pulled my foot away. "We can, huh?"

  He gave me a smacking kiss on the cheek. "Yep, we have a house fund. I’ve been squirreling money away for years."

  I was glad the new kitchen wouldn’t bankrupt us, but I was still worried about the timetable. "So while we’re planning a wedding, getting married and going on a honeymoon, remodeling the kitchen is a piece of cake?"

  Ted frowned because I was ruining all his fun. "Right. There is that." He leaned back and went through the logistics in his head. "We’ll have to accelerate the timetable."

  I didn’t like the sound of that or the idea that Ted would show up at the altar in carpenter pants and a tool belt. "Or we could put off the wedding until the baby is born."

  Ted’s head snapped toward me and he shook his head. "Oh no, you’re not backing out now. We definitely aren’t waiting until the baby is born."

  I crossed my arms over my chest. "Who said I was trying to back out?" I squinted at him. "But know this — I’m not walking down the aisle with a basketball for a stomach."

  He puckered his lips and did more mental calculations. "Okay, okay, let me think."

  I sneezed and my stomach growled. "And the baby isn’t crazy about the plaster dust either." I giggled. "But she is asking about chili dogs."

  We continued the discussion all the way to Pink’s Hot Dogs in West Hollywood. We sat outside on the back patio for privacy and because it was a perfect summer night. And as I blew through three chili dogs, a side of fries and rings, two cream sodas and two pieces of chocolate marble cake, Ted had a cup of coffee. He watched in horror as I gobbled my way across the menu, leaving not a crumb, drip, or dribble behind. I burped and grinned. "We should probably think of some boys names too, don’t you think?" I rubbed my belly. "Maybe it’s not a girl."

  Ted creased his brow. "Or the baby is going to take after Zelda."

  I stuffed the trash into the takeout carton and pushed it aside. "We can’t blame this on Zelda." I patted my tummy. "We made this monster growing inside of me, and it’s hungry."

  Ted raised his brows. "Still?"

  I flapped my hands at him. "Ted, we have to get serious about this stuff. We need a schedule, a plan, a strategy. For once, I wish we had your whiteboard."

  Ted checked his watch and frowned. "Now? Let’s take a few days to sort it out."

  I laughed but more from nerves
than mirth. "We don’t have a few days. Your mother and five brothers will probably show up at your house tomorrow, wanting to talk about the wedding. Or they’ll show up at my house on Sunday to talk about the wedding. If we don’t have a plan by then, we’re sunk." I shook my head. "I thought we could wait to tell them about the baby, but Zelda knows." I frowned at him. "And you know how she is with secrets. It’ll be front page news by Monday if we don’t do something."

  Ted got a haunted look and gulped. "If we leave now, we can be in Vegas by morning."

  I walked the trash to the dumpster and tossed it. "Get married in a cheesy chapel with Elvis as the minister? Definitely, not an option."

  Ted’s voice cracked. "Are you sure?"

  My attention was drawn to a tall woman standing at the edge of the building. She stayed in shadows and I saw a flash of silvered hair as she turned and walked away. I stared after her, feeling an odd sense of dread.