Free Fatally Frosted by Jessica Beck Page B

to enjoy these treats.
INGREDIENTS
    Batter
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 egg
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¾ cup milk
    • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    Sift the dry ingredients together, then, in a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the milk. Add the wet mixture to dry and mix well.
     
    Additional Ingredients
    • Slices of bread, any kind (but we use white)
    • Jam or preserves (your favorite, cherry is one of ours)
    • Cinnamon sugar or icing sugar
    • Batter (the ingredients listed above)
    • Oil for frying, 360–370 degrees F
    Cut the crusts from the bread. Make jam sandwiches like you ordinarily would, then cut them into four squares each. Give each square a quick dip in the batter and fry them all until they’re golden brown.
    When they come out, dust them lightly with cinnamon sugar and eat.
    Yield: 8–12 squares

CHAPTER 4
    “Should I stick around?” George asked as he spotted Jake knocking on the door.
    “I appreciate your support, I truly do, but I need to talk to him alone.” I looked around the shop and added, “Besides, we’ve already taken care of this. The place looks great. I don’t know how I can thank you enough.”
    “No thanks needed,” George said as he put the apron in my hands. “I was glad to help. Any time, Suzanne, you know that. If you need me, I’m always just a phone call away.” He paused, then added, “Better yet, I’ll be across the road at the diner. Come on over after you’re finished with him.”
    I hugged him, and then let George out as Jake waited to come inside.
    After he was gone, Jake said, “What was that all about?”
    “He came by to give me a hand cleaning up,” I said.
    “He’s a good guy,” Jake said.
    “Is there something I can do for you?” I asked, keeping my voice level.
    Jake frowned. “I’m sorry about what happened earlier. I know I need to try harder than I have been.”
    It was quite a concession coming from him, but I could tell from his eyes that he wasn’t done. “There’s something more, though, isn’t there?”
    He nodded. “You have to keep something in mind yourself. I’ve got a job to do, and I can’t play favorites just because we’re involved. I’m doing everything in my power to help you, so you’ve got to cut me a little slack.”
    I couldn’t let that one go. “How exactly are you helping me?”
    He got close enough to me so that I could smell his cologne. “You’re not in jail, are you? If Chief Martin had his way, I’ve got a feeling you’d be sitting in a cell right now if I hadn’t intervened.”
    “That’s preposterous,” I said. “What evidence could the man possibly have against me?”
    “Suzanne, your donut killed that woman.”
    I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Jake, you’re acting as though I poisoned it myself! Somebody tampered with that donut after it left my shop, and I can’t control that any more than an automobile manufacturer can keep folks from driving drunk after they buy a car.”
    “Hey, I’m on your side, remember?”
    “I hope so,” I said.
    He glanced at the clock, then said, “I’ve got to be somewhere right now, but I wanted to stop by and make things right with us. I’d stay if I could, but I can’t miss this.”
    He hugged me briefly, and then he was gone.
    It appeared that Jake was going to bend overbackward to make sure no one thought he was playing favorites with me, and our chief of police was obviously already suspicious of me.
    I hated butting into an ongoing murder investigation, but it appeared that I really didn’t have any choice.
    “Hi. Can I join you?” I asked George as I walked up to his booth in the Boxcar Grill.
    “You know it,” he said as he pointed to the empty seat across from him.
    George was about to say something else when Trish came up with a glass of sweet tea and slid it in front of me.
    “I haven’t even ordered yet,” I said.
    “That’s okay. If you don’t want it, I’ll drink it