Read Murder & The Monkey Band: High Desert Cozy Mystery Series Online
Authors: Dianne Harman
“You’re not
the first one to ask, but the answer is no. I don’t know how it works, but I
just know it does work.”
“I’ll vouch
for that. I was a total disbeliever in the beginning, but you’ve converted me,”
Jeff said. “Do psychics drink or eat anything special?”
“Don’t know
about other ones, but on a hot night like tonight a vodka tonic made with Ketel
One goes down real easy.”
“Meet me at
the door when I show up for dinner tonight!”
LOU
Lou and his island lady,
Devan, were looking out at the blue Caribbean from the porch of his condominium
on Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman Island. Lou thought it was fitting that
they were sipping on mai tais which brought back memories of the Jensen fiasco.
It cost me
fifty grand, but a deal’s a deal. The housekeeper left the security system off
just like I’d asked. It wasn’t her fault someone got to the Monkey Band set
before I did and killed a woman in the process. Don’t know what that was all
about, but as soon as I realized what had happened, I put on one of my
disguises and got the heck out of Dodge. Anyway I needed a little R and R, and
the mai tais work real well on the rest part of R and R and lord knows, Devan
can sure help a man relax.
Think I’ll
lie low down here for a couple of weeks and then head back to the States. Heard
there’s some good jewelry in a house in Dallas that might be open to a heist.
I’m told the housekeeper there has a little gambling problem and might need a
little extra money. Yeah, it’s a good life.
JIM MORGAN
Jim never left Pam
Springs. He bought Mai Tai Mama’s from George Ellis, who could no longer run it
now that he was in jail awaiting his trial, and the judge had denied him bail.
George told
Jim he’d sell him the restaurant with the caveat that when he was released from
jail, because he was certain he’d be acquitted, he could buy the restaurant
back for the same amount of money he’d sold it to Jim.
Everyone but
George knew he was going to prison for a long, long time. His attorney had
recommended he accept a plea bargain a number of times, but to no avail.
Jim discovered
he was a born restaurateur. He loved greeting the customers and overseeing all
of the operations of the restaurant. It had taken him a long time to figure out
what he could be good at, but even Brian Jensen would have heartily approved of
the way he ran the restaurant.
It even looked
like he might make a marriage work, at least the hostess Jill was hoping it
would work out. Life was good, finally.
HENRY SIEGELMAN
Henry searched the
Internet diligently and increased the amount he paid the people who were on the
lookout for him for the three pieces he needed to complete his Monkey Band set.
His great
regret was that he couldn’t persuade Pam Jensen’s stepdaughter, Amy, to part
with the set. As soon as he’d heard she was the one who would be inheriting
Pam’s antiques, he’d gotten in touch with her and offered her an unbelievable
amount of money for the Monkey Band. She’d told him in no uncertain terms that
not only was she not interested in selling it, she would never sell the Monkey
Band under any circumstances. She told him she felt the set was a link to her
stepmother and even her father, since he had bought it for Pam. She told him
that of all the antiques she’d inherited, the Monkey Band was her favorite.
Henry spends
many a night thinking and scheming about how he can get the three pieces he
needs to complete his set, but so far he hasn’t found a way.
ROSA
Rosa loved being Amy’s
housekeeper. She’d always enjoyed every minute of the days she spent in Pam
Jensen’s home, and everything in it was special to her. She never considered
what she did as being work, just an enjoyable thing for her to do. It was Rosa
who suggested to Amy that she turn the pool house into a writing area, and it
proved to be a very good suggestion. Amy had just published her first book and
was deep into writing the second in what might prove to be a very profitable
series.
She never
heard from Lou again, and she used the money he’d given her to pay for her
granddaughter’s operation which was one hundred percent successful. The doctors
assured her that her granddaughter could now lead a totally normal life.
Because of
their deep religious faith, over time she and Julio had come to think of Lou as
an angel delivered to them by God from heaven above. They believed Lou was an
angel in disguise while he was here on earth, but that he couldn’t tell her who
he really was. Simply stated, he must have been a gift from God in the form of
an angel. Without Lou, Rosa knew her granddaughter’s life would have turned out
quite differently. What other explanation could there possibly be?
Julio had
found work as a gardener for a company that specialized in the residential area
where Rosa worked, so from time to time they could even have lunch together.
She’d never been happier.
JEFF AND MARTY
The attraction between the
two of them hadn’t lessened with time, and if anything, it had grown. Jeff had
become a fixture at the compound, and Marty spent many an hour listening to him
talk about his latest cases. She found she enjoyed it and often gave him some
of her thoughts and ideas that occasionally had actually helped him solve a
case. She began to wonder if maybe she had a little of what Laura had.
In addition to
the insurance company referrals, Marty was getting many referrals from people
satisfied with the work she’d done for them. Jeff thought she should hire a
couple of people and expand her practice, but she was happy the way things
were. Scott continued to pay her a large amount of alimony each month and that,
in addition to the money she made from appraising, allowed her to be free from
any financial concerns.
She recognized
that the alimony she was receiving could become a potential problem in her
relationship with Jeff. On one hand it allowed her to do pretty much whatever
she wanted, but on the other hand, if she ever married Jeff, and he had hinted
at it, under the terms of the divorce, the alimony would end. She knew the day
was rapidly approaching when she’d have to make a decision, but until then
she’d decided to let things continue as they were – having a very attractive,
attentive detective in love with her.
Hey, life
could be worse,
she often thought!
There's a surprise following the
recipes.
CUBANO SANDWICH (SERVES FOUR)
Marinade Ingredients:
Boneless pork shoulder butt roast (5-6
pounds)
4 garlic cloves, sliced into 16 pieces
2 large onions, sliced
1 cup orange juice
1 cup lime juice
1 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Sandwich Ingredients:
4 oval French rolls (shape of a hot dog bun)
¼ cup butter, softened
4 tbsp. Dijon mustard
8 thin sandwich dill pickle slices
¾ lb. sliced Black Forest deli ham
¾ lb. Swiss cheese slices
Directions:
Cut 16 one inch slits in roast.
Insert garlic slices.
In a large bowl combine onion, orange
juice, lime juice, and seasonings. Reserve ½ cup marinade. Put a layer of
aluminum foil on the bottom of a large shallow roasting pan to help with clean
up. Put the roast in the pan and cover with the remaining marinade. Refrigerate
overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain
marinade off of roast. Pour the reserved marinade over the roast and bake for 2
¾ hours – 3 ¼ hours, depending on size of roast. Let stand 15 minutes before
thinly slicing.
Sandwiches:
Cut rolls in half lengthwise. With a
serrated knife blade, trim a thin slice off the top and bottom of each roll.
Spread butter on the outside top and bottom of each roll. Smear mustard over
the inside top and bottom halves of each roll. Layer bottom halves of roll with
pickles, pork slices, ham, and cheese. Replace tops. Cook in panini cooker or
in heavy pan over medium high, turning when brown. Enjoy!
MEXICAN EGGS BENEDICT
Corn Bread Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
3 tbsp. honey
¼ cup cooking oil
1 cup milk
Remaining Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups cold water
¼ cup white vinegar
½ tsp. salt
8 large eggs
½ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey jack
cheese
½ cup chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Directions for Corn Bread:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place
the butter in 8” x 10” pyrex pan. Set in oven to melt. In large bowl, whisk the
dry ingredients and make a well in the center. Whisk the wet ingredients in
another bowl and mix the two together. Tilt the pan with the butter to coat all
sides and bottom, and then pour batter into pan. Bake until corn bread is
golden on top and begins to pull away from the edges, about 25 minutes. Cool
slightly and cut into 6 to 8 squares. Set aside.
Direction for Eggs and Beans:
Heat olive oil and garlic over medium
heat and add beans, stirring to coat. Add ¼ cup water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Combine the 3 cups of water, vinegar,
and salt in a large skillet and bring to a simmer. Crack the eggs, one at a
time, into a small bowl and gently slide them into the skillet. Poach the eggs,
spooning some of the water over the tops of the eggs occasionally. Cook until
the whites look firm and the yolks are slightly cooked through, about 4
minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs and transfer to a plate to
drain.
To assemble the eggs benedict, place
2 squares of corn bread on each plate and top with black beans, 2 poached eggs,
shredded cheese, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve and enjoy!
PAN FRIED RIB-EYE STEAK WITH CABERNET
REDUCTION SAUCE (SERVES TWO)
Ingredients:
16 oz. boneless rib-eye steak (thick cut)
2 tbsp. BBQ seasoning rub (Monterey Steak Seasoning
recommended)
1 tbsp. cooking oil
¼ cup shallots, rough chopped
½ cup cabernet sauvignon wine
¼ cup sliced green onions
¼ cup rosemary, chopped w/stems removed
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup mushrooms (quartered)
1 tbsp. dried herbs de Provence
1 tbsp. corn starch mixed w/two tbsp. water
Directions:
Trim all excess fat off steak.
Generously coat and pat both sides of steak with seasoning rub. Lightly oil 12”
frying pan and pre-heat on high. When pan is hot and thin film of oil is
sizzling add seasoned steak and cook for approximately 3 minutes on each side
for medium. Remove cooked steak from pan, cover w/foil and set aside while
sauce is prepared.
Reduce heat, add shallots and
mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add green onions and cook for 1 minute. Add
wine, increase heat to high and reduce volume by half (takes about 3-4 min’s).
Add butter, rosemary and herbs de Provence. Cook 2 min’s. Mix corn starch and
water in separate bowl until well combined. Slowly pour and stir into pan as
needed until proper thickness of sauce is obtained. Cut steak in half and
plate. Spoon wine sauce over steak and serve. Enjoy!
LAMB MEATBALLS WITH WARM YOGURT SAUCE
Ingredients for Meatballs:
1 lb. ground lamb (look for it in frozen
food section)
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup finely diced onions
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cumin
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups plain yogurt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill, plus more for
garnish
2 tsp. butter
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 16 oz. package egg noodles
Directions:
Combine lamb with the next seven
ingredients and mix well with your hands. Shape into 24 balls, dipping hands in
cold water as needed to keep mixture from sticking. In 12” frying pan heat
olive oil over medium heat. Add meat balls in single layer. (You may have to do
this in two batches) Fry gently, turning with two soupspoons or tongs so they
brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Remove meatballs to a plate and discard
any excess fat in pan. Return pan to medium-high heat, add broth, and heat for
2 minutes. Add meatballs, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Using
slotted spoon return meatballs to plate.
In a large bowl whisk yogurt, egg,
garlic and dill together. Slowly whisk in about ½ cup of hot broth. Pour yogurt
mixture into pan, cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until sauce thickens and
just begins to simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs to pan,
turning to coat. Cover and simmer until hot.
Boil the egg noodles per instructions
on packet (approximately 10 minutes) and pour in a strainer when cooked. Place
equal parts of cooked noodles in 4-6 separate bowls. Spoon meatballs and sauce
on top of warm noodles. Melt butter in small sauce pan and add red pepper
flakes and cumin. Swirl until butter is foamy and aromatic. Drizzle over each
portion and garnish with chopped dill. Serves 4 to 6. Enjoy!
Here's an incredible book
that turned my life upside down, literally.
I wish I'd read it 40 years back. It
would have saved me a lot of heartache and made life so much easier. I've never
come across something this good in recent times, and boy do I read a lot. The
author (
http://www.vivekrajanvivek.com
) has been endorsed by
Brian Tracy and T Harv Eker.
The Best Book on
Money and
Success
That'll Take You to the Top
CHAPTER 3
- Plugging Massive Energy Leaks
CHAPTER 4
- Empty Yourself First
CHAPTER 5
- Resistance Explained
CHAPTER 6
- Sin, a Wretched Invention
CHAPTER
9 - Actionless Action - Act Without Acting
CHAPTER
10 - Mother's Special Recipe for Success (Reader's Favorite)
CHAPTER
11 - The Power behind a Choice or Decision
CHAPTER
12 - Why do some people never get what they want?
CHAPTER
13 - Be Very Selfish & Don't Forget the F Word
CHAPTER
14 - Reverse Engineering your Deepest Fear
CHAPTER
15 - Living in the Now & The Secret of a Billion Bits
A
New Beginning
It was the first week
of March and Spring was just around the corner, eager to burst forth and bless
everyone with life and warmth once more. A beaming sun and blue skies dotted
with white fluffy clouds greeted all those who had assembled. Smiles abounded,
and even those who were grouchy couldn't help flashing their pearly or not so
pearly whites.
The organization
catered to those who needed someone "to listen" to them in their
moment of crises, and in the long run steer them away, tactfully, from committing
suicide. It had been in existence f or decades, tucked away in a quaint house
in a leafy neighborhood in the suburbs. What these callers didn't realize was
that
loneliness was killing them, slowly and softly.
Those who called the
helpline came from all walks of life and over the decades the clientele
included shop owners, taxi-drivers, cashiers, celebrities, office clerks, fast
food workers, engineers, nurses, waiters, waitresses, CEO's, customer service
reps, truckers, actors, actresses, loaders, baggage handlers, authors,
directors, producers, janitors, warehouse workers, journalists, secretaries,
bookkeepers, teachers, maids, pilots, maintenance people, lawyers, hoteliers,
government officials, pimps, hookers, bankers, ex-convicts etc.
Twice a year the
organization would hold a get-together where the Chairman would host a feast
for the volunteers who were educated, compassionate, eclectic, enthusiastic and
inspiring. The Chairman was a wise and generous man revered for his wisdom,
both, from a monetary and spiritual angle. He wanted to share his secrets,
"real secrets of life", with them.
There are principles
and then there are tactics or techniques. Principles are few and far in-between
whereas tactics range in the hundreds or thousands. He wanted to share his
life-transforming principles (and a few techniques), the best of the best, with
these good Samaritans; they deserved it. The possibilities were limitless once
the foundation was laid.
The chairman had a
handsome forehead, deep-set eyes, lush eyebrows, an aquiline nose and a head
covered with silvery-white hair. The volunteers could invite their family and
friends, and the event was always a memorable one.
The post lunch session
was the most precious part of the day. By then all barriers had been broken and
the gathering resembled one big, happy family. The Q&A session would begin
where they could ask the Chairman absolutely anything. No topic was deemed
inappropriate or juvenile, and they were free to go in any direction. The
volunteers came from all walks of life and despite vast differences, both
economic and social, they all shared a common thirst for love, money and
happiness. Yet, at times, the intensity of that thirst seemed to get in the way
of everything they yearned for.
What
do you want?
“So what's the first
question going to be?” asked the chairman, as he smiled magnanimously.