“Meow.”
I glanced at the sky one last time. It would be a risk to make the trip, but I couldn’t not go on the off chance Thea was still alive and Apollo’s insistence was to save her, not simply to discover her remains. Making a decision, I pulled back onto the road and headed toward Harthaven.
When Apollo and I arrived at Thea’s place I saw her car in the driveway. I still hoped she was alive and Apollo had brought us here for another reason. Once again, I prayed we weren’t too late. I opened my door, which allowed Apollo to slip out of the car before I could stop him. I watched as he went to the door, then joined him on the front porch, rang the bell, and waited. My heart was pounding the entire time. I waited another minute before ringing the bell for a second time. When Thea still didn’t answer, I knocked on the door and called out her name. When she still didn’t answer I tried to turn the knob. The door was locked.
“Maybe I should call Finn,” I said as the first raindrops began to fall. “Come to think of it, maybe that’s what I should have done in the first place.”
“Meow.” Apollo hopped off the raised porch and ran around to the back of the house.
I pulled the hood of my sweatshirt over my hair and followed him as the rain increased in intensity. At the side of the house, I found the wooden gate leading to the backyard open slightly. Apollo slipped inside and out of sight. I felt I had no choice but to follow, so I lowered my head and trotted to the gate. When I reached the back door I saw it was ajar, and Apollo was nowhere in sight. I opened the door wider, calling to Thea as I did so.
I walked through the kitchen to the main living area of the house. “Thea,” I called once again. “It’s Caitlin Hart. Are you home?”
My words were met with silence. I looked around for the cat and spotted him sitting on top of a small desk against the wall near the foot of the stairs. When he saw I’d found him, the cat jumped down and ran up the stairs. As I followed, I heard the first rumbling of thunder in the distance.
At the top of the stairs was a short hallway that led to four rooms. The first contained a bed and a dresser and looked like a guest room. It appeared to be empty and undisturbed, so I continued to the second room, which turned out to be a bathroom. The third room looked a lot like one of the rooms in my Aunt Maggie’s house that she used for a craft and sewing room, so I imagined the last door would lead to the master bedroom. When I saw a pair of feet sticking out from the far side of the bed I knew for certain what I had feared since Apollo had snuck into the house was true. Thea Blane was dead.
Recipes
Tortellini Chicken Soup—submitted by Nancy Farris
Grannie’s Potlicker Soup—submitted by Taryn Lee
Mexican Potatoes—submitted by Janel Flynn
Turkey Cheese Baked Soup—submitted by Marie Rice
Tortellini Chicken Soup
Submitted by Nancy Farris
One of my favorite quick weeknight meals. Add crusty bread and you have dinner!
12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1/2" cubes (I've also used pork cut in strips)
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup sliced leek or chopped onion
1 tbs. grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp. saffron threads (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of soy sauce to taste
1 9-oz. pkg. refrigerated tortellini
½ cup fresh baby spinach
Coat a large saucepan with olive oil. Heat, then add chicken and cook and stir for 3–4 minutes. Add broth, leek/onion, ginger, and saffron. Add salt, pepper, and soy sauce.
Bring to a boil. Add tortellini. Return to boiling, reduce heat, and cook according to instructions on tortellini package. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Ladle into bowls and top each bowl with some spinach.
Grannie’s Potlicker Soup
Submitted by Taryn Lee
1 tbs. vegetable oil
3 cups smoked ham, chopped
1 large Vidalia onion (sweet onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken broth
1 16-oz. bag frozen collard greens
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ham along with the onions and cook until the onions turn clear. Add the garlic and cook for about 1–2 minutes more.
Add the broth, then bring to a boil. Stir in the frozen greens and bring back to a boil, then reduce heat and cover; simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the rinsed peas and tomatoes along with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 15 more minutes and it’s ready to serve. Corn bread is a great addition to go along with the soup.
Mexican Potatoes
Submitted by Janel Flynn
Boil 10–12 med. potatoes (Gold or Yukon work best, in my opinion). Cool, peel, and cut into slices.
Combine:
¾ cup onion, chopped
1 cup mayo
¾ cup milk
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 cup American cheese (I like the Mexican cheese blend better)
¾ cup green olives and ripe black olives, mixed
Arrange in layers. Save ½ cup grated cheese to put on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20–30 minutes.
Turkey Cheese Baked Soup
Submitted by Marie Rice
1 large white onion, finely chopped
2 lbs. cooked turkey meat
1 26-oz. can cream of chicken condensed soup
1 32-oz. carton low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
½ tsp. black pepper
Dash or two of cayenne pepper
Dash or two of garlic powder (optional)
8 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Milled flaxseed (optional)
Sauté chopped onion in a 4-quart pot until cooked. Chop turkey meat into bite-size pieces and add to pot, along with all remaining ingredients except cheese and flaxseed. Warm over medium-high heat, stirring. Adjust seasonings as needed. Let cook for about 6 minutes once warmed up.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray or butter a deep 9 x 13 casserole dish or an 11 x 15 oversize casserole baking dish. Ladle ⅔ of the turkey sauce into the casserole dish. Spread about ⅔ of the cheese over the sauce. Layer the remainder of the turkey sauce, then the remainder of the cheese. Add an optional sprinkling of milled flaxseed over the final cheese layer for a little crunch in the topping.
Bake for about 35 minutes. Allow to cool 10–15 minutes before serving.
Notes:
* I frequently put a 3-lb. turkey breast roast into a slow cooker throughout the year. Depending on how quickly our family goes through the turkey meat, sometimes I can get one of these soups cooked.
* Leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas are perfect to use in this recipe.
* Use any combination of white and/or dark turkey meat.
* Chopped onion can be placed into the 4-qt. pot without sautéing it, but the sauté action gives it greater flavor.
* I find soup mugs to be the best way to serve this soup, versus a soup/cereal bowl, because you can also warm your hands on it.
Books by Kathi Daley
Come for the murder, stay for the romance.
Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery:
Halloween Hijinks
The Trouble With Turkeys
Christmas Crazy
Cupid’s Curse
Big Bunny Bump-off
Beach Blanket Barbie
Maui Madness
Derby Divas
Haunted Hamlet
Turkeys, Tuxes, and Tabbies
Christmas Cozy
Alaskan Alliance
Matrimony Meltdown
Soul Surrender
Heavenly Honeymoon
Hopscotch Homicide
Ghostly Graveyard
Santa Sleuth
Shamrock Shenanigans
Kitten Kaboodle
Costume Catastrophe
Candy Cane Caper
Holiday Hangover
Easter Escapade
Camp Carter
Trick or Treason
Reindeer Roundup
Hippity Hoppity Homicide – April 2018
Zimmerman Academy The New Normal
Ashton Falls Cozy Cookbook
Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries by Henery Press:
Pumpkins in Paradise
Snowmen in Paradise
Bikinis in Paradise
Christmas in Paradise
Puppies in Paradise
Halloween in Paradise
Treasure in Paradise
Fireworks in Paradise
Beaches in Paradise – July 2018
Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery:
Romeow and Juliet
The Mad Catter
Grimm’s Furry Tail
Much Ado About Felines
Legend of Tabby Hollow
Cat of Christmas Past
A Tale of Two Tabbies
The Great Catsby
Count Catula
The Cat of Christmas Present
A Winter’s Tail
The Taming of the Tabby
Frankencat
The Cat of Christmas Future
Farewell to Felines – March 2018
Writers’ Retreat Southern Seashore Mystery:
First Case
Second Look
Third Strike
Fourth Victim
Fifth Night
Sixth Cabin – May 2018
Rescue Alaska Paranormal Mystery:
Finding Justice
Finding Answers – May 2018
A Tess and Tilly Mystery:
The Christmas Letter
The Valentine Mystery
Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery:
Murder at Dolphin Bay
Murder at Sunrise Beach
Murder at the Witching Hour
Murder at Christmas
Murder at Turtle Cove
Murder at Water’s Edge
Murder at Midnight
Seacliff High Mystery:
The Secret
The Curse
The Relic
The Conspiracy
The Grudge
The Shadow
The Haunting
Haunting By The Sea
Homecoming By The Sea – April 2018
Road to Christmas Romance:
Road to Christmas Past
USA Today best-selling author Kathi Daley lives in beautiful Lake Tahoe with her husband Ken. When she isn’t writing, she likes spending time hiking the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. She has authored more than seventy-five books in eight series, including Zoe Donovan Cozy Mysteries, Whales and Tails Island Mysteries, Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mysteries, Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Series, Writers’ Retreat Southern Seashore Mysteries, Rescue Alaska Paranormal Mysteries, and Seacliff High Teen Mysteries. Find out more about her books at www.kathidaley.com
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