Lorna Barrett - Bookplate Special

Tricia looked to her right and left. Was he actually speaking to her?

“Um…” At the edge of her peripheral vision, she saw Russ nearby, eavesdropping. Tricia smiled. “I think that would be very nice.”

“And I also wanted to tell you what you did for Pam Fredericks was decent and noble. Especially since you were only… sort of… friends.”

Tricia’s spine stiffened. She hadn’t mentioned this to anyone. How had he found out? “I don’t know what you mean,” she bluffed.

“Claiming her body, paying to have it buried. Apparently she wasn’t a very good friend to you, but you proved more than once you were probably the only true friend she ever had.”

Tricia grabbed his elbow, and pulled him away from the other guests. “How did you find out?” she hissed.

“You dealt with Baker Funeral Home, right? My cousin Glenn owns it.”

The breath caught in Tricia’s throat. “I assumed Mr. Baker would’ve been more discreet.”

“Don’t worry; he didn’t say a word. Our office was notified by the Medical Examiner when the body was released.”

Okay, she could believe that.

Angelica made a pass with her tray. “Hi, Captain Baker. Try one of these delicious spinach mini quiches.”

“Captain Baker?” Bob repeated, worry tingeing his voice-no doubt remembering Tricia’s threat to turn him in to the law. He stepped away-fast.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Baker said, taking an offered napkin and two of the quiches. He bit into one, chewed, and swallowed. “Hey, these are terrific.”

“Tricia helped make them,” Angelica said, beaming, then moved on to another guest.

“And you can cook, too,” he said, impressed.

Tricia shook her head and sighed. “My helping consisted of squeezing the water out of cold, wet spinach until it was dry. I’m not bragging when I tell you that I can barely boil water.”

Baker laughed, but his expression soon became serious again. He nodded toward Stuart Paige. “How did he get invited to this little shindig?”

“Mr. Paige and Grace-she’s the bride-have been friends for years.”

Baker nodded. “I understand you showed him a page from the diary.”

Tricia felt a squirm crawl along her spine. “Yes. I wanted to verify my suspicions on its author.”

“What have you done with the rest of your copy of the diary?”

“Copy?” she asked, in all innocence.

“Yes, all ninety-seven pages.”

She sighed. “Nothing, yet. I thought I might offer it to Eugenia Hirt. It’s not a very flattering portrayal of her birth mother-but it might give her an even greater appreciation for her adoptive mother. But I’ll wait a while before I mention it to her. She’s had enough upsets for now.”

“It’ll give her something to read while she awaits her trial.” Baker wiped his fingers on his napkin. “I’ve had a chance to go through all those letters we found in the shoebox in Pam Fredericks’s car. She was related to M. J. Collins, all right. The woman was Pam’s aunt-her mother’s sister.”

Tricia sighed. “That made Eugenia and Pammy first cousins. Imagine that-she tried to blackmail her own cousin.”

A burst of laughter came from the crowd around the buffet table, reminding Tricia that this was supposed to be a happy occasion. “Do we have to talk about Pammy anymore?”

“I still want to know why you did what you did-taking care of her in death,” Baker pressed.

Tricia gave another long sigh. “Because…”

She didn’t need to say anything. Officially, he needed no explanation.

Still…

She looked into his mesmerizing green eyes. “It was the right thing to do.”

The hint of a smile touched his lips. “Yes, it was.”

“Did you ever get that letter addressed to her at General Delivery?”

He nodded. “It was from her brother. It said, in no uncertain terms, that she was not to contact him or any other member of the family again. Apparently she’d taken not only the diary and the letters we found in the trunk of her car, but she’d cleaned out her mother’s jewelry box and taken other valuables the last time she’d visited.”

“Oh, my. Poor Pammy.”

“I’d say poor Pammy’s family.”

The sound of a champagne cork popping was a welcome distraction. Bob Kelly held the bottle of fizz aloft. “Time for the toast!”

Angelica worked the room, tray in hand, offering glasses that were already filled. She paused in front of Tricia and Baker, gave her sister a knowing wink, and then moved off to serve the rest of the guests.

Bob filled flutes for Mr. Everett and Grace before clearing his throat. He held his glass before him. “Friends, I’m sure everyone here will join me in wishing William and Grace a long and joy-filled life together. May they always be as happy as they are at this moment.”

“Hear, hear,” came the chant as everyone raised his or her glass in salute.

When everyone had taken a sip, Mr. Everett offered his glass. “To my beautiful bride.”

Again, those assembled raised their glasses and cheered.

Mr. Everett raised his glass once again. “And now, I’d like to say thank you to the person who made this all possible. To my employer and my friend, Ms. Tricia Miles. Thank you, Ms. Miles. You’ve not only made an old man feel useful again, but if it weren’t for you, Grace and I would never have”-he paused, and seemed unsure of his next words-“hooked up.”

Everyone laughed and then cheered.

Grant Baker turned to Tricia and lifted his glass. “Here’s hoping we can”-he paused, and did not say “hook up”-“start out by being friends, and see where that leads.”

Tricia raised her glass. “I’ll drink to that.” Out the corner of her eye, she saw Russ frown, but then he raised his glass, never breaking eye contact. “To us,” he mouthed.

Tricia sipped her champagne and smiled. The next few days, maybe weeks, maybe months-might be very interesting indeed.

She drank to that.

1½ pounds lean ground beef

⅔ cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten

1 large onion, chopped

¼teaspoonsalt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

¾ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine breadcrumbs, egg, onion, salt, and pepper; mix well. Add to ground beef and mix well. Shape mixture into a loaf in a loaf pan. Mix ketchup with Worcestershire sauce and pour over the top.

Bake at 350º for 70-80 minutes (or until meat thermometer reads 160º).

Serves 4-6. 297

6 medium potatoes, peeledand quartered

4-6 garlic cloves

5-6 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil (or softened butter)

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch ofpepper

Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid. Mash potato mixture. Add oil (or butter), salt, pepper, and reserved liquid; stir until smooth.

Serves 4-6.

1 baguette or small (8 ounces) loaf of French bread

¼ cup butter, softened

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 2minced garlic

cloves)

2 tablespoons dried parsley (but fresh is always

better)

Preheat oven to 400º.

In a small mixing bowl, combine butter with Parmesan cheese. Add other ingredients and mix well. Cut the baguette into half-inch slices-but do not cut all the way through. Spread mixture on both sides of each slice. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. (If you like it crispy, open the foil the last 5 minutes.) Serve hot.