Free Muffins & Murder (Sweet Bites Book 3) (Sweet Bites Mysteries) by Heather Justesen Page B
Authors: Heather Justesen
figured I’d see if you needed help with your research.”
I had all the help I could stand, but then again, Marge knew everyone and everything in town. She always gave me new perspectives when we spoke. “Sounds great. Maybe I can get a couple of minutes to sit with you.”
The men stood and moved for the door, leaving us nearly alone. I set out her treat and wiped down a couple of tables that had emptied recently. I grabbed some water to sip while we talked. “What’s on your mind?” I asked.
“Fill me in on what you know.”
It took a few minutes to describe the ins and outs, but soon she was up to date. “Cole seems like a great person to pin this all on, but I just don’t buy it,” I said. “I keep gravitating back to Connie. Mostly because I don’t like her attitude. That’s a pretty terrible reason to pin her as the killer.”
Marge nibbled on her cookie. “What about her husband?”
That confused me. “But he doesn’t seem psycho about the school pageant.”
“No. I mean, he works as a telemarketer, right? So his schedule might not be nine-to-five like most people’s. Maybe he’s the one who took his daughter to practice on Friday, not Connie, leaving her free to take care of her little problem.”
“I never thought of that.” I sat back in my chair and considered it. “It gives me one more avenue to look into, anyway.”
“I’ll see what I can find out.” Her eyes twinkled with anticipation. “And don’t worry, you’ll figure it out. You always do.” She shifted gears. “Now, do you guys need any more help with the wedding, or is it all under control?”
This was a topic I found far less confusing. Lenny joined us and we discussed what was left to get everything ready for that weekend.
Dough
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
Cinnamon filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp melted butter-separate
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp sugar and yeast over the warm water and set aside for five minutes or until frothy.
In the main mixing bowl mix eggs, butter and remaining sugar. Stir in buttermilk and yeast mixture then add the baking soda and salt to half of the flour and stir into the batter. Add the rest of the flour slowly until the dough forms a ball. Knead the dough on the counter for five minutes, or use your mixer’s knead setting. Cover and set aside for an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Dump onto clean counter, lightly floured, and roll it out to a 9 x 12 rectangle. Pour the melted butter onto it and spread it around, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar filling mixture. Roll it up and slice into 3/4-1” slices. Set out in 9x13 pan or cookie sheet so the sides don’t quite touch. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot for another hour or so.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until turning golden brown.
Powdered sugar glaze
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp water
Mix the sugar, butter and water until . Wait until cinnamon rolls completely cool before frosting.
When I had another lull at work, I pulled up the email Ali had sent me with the names of the people whose booths had been closest to Francine’s. It took nearly twenty minutes to track down their phone numbers and leave messages.
It was early afternoon before I got my first call back. Grace Watts was a kindergarten aid and had been running the beanbag toss. “Hi, Grace,” I greeted after she introduced herself. “I appreciate you calling me back so fast.”
“I wondered why you’d be calling me.” Her voice was distracted.
“Yes, I wondered if you saw anything the night of the carnival. Anything at all that seemed, I don’t know, off somehow.”
“Not unless you count not seeing Francine for the last twenty minutes or so before it all cleaned up. She was
I had all the help I could stand, but then again, Marge knew everyone and everything in town. She always gave me new perspectives when we spoke. “Sounds great. Maybe I can get a couple of minutes to sit with you.”
The men stood and moved for the door, leaving us nearly alone. I set out her treat and wiped down a couple of tables that had emptied recently. I grabbed some water to sip while we talked. “What’s on your mind?” I asked.
“Fill me in on what you know.”
It took a few minutes to describe the ins and outs, but soon she was up to date. “Cole seems like a great person to pin this all on, but I just don’t buy it,” I said. “I keep gravitating back to Connie. Mostly because I don’t like her attitude. That’s a pretty terrible reason to pin her as the killer.”
Marge nibbled on her cookie. “What about her husband?”
That confused me. “But he doesn’t seem psycho about the school pageant.”
“No. I mean, he works as a telemarketer, right? So his schedule might not be nine-to-five like most people’s. Maybe he’s the one who took his daughter to practice on Friday, not Connie, leaving her free to take care of her little problem.”
“I never thought of that.” I sat back in my chair and considered it. “It gives me one more avenue to look into, anyway.”
“I’ll see what I can find out.” Her eyes twinkled with anticipation. “And don’t worry, you’ll figure it out. You always do.” She shifted gears. “Now, do you guys need any more help with the wedding, or is it all under control?”
This was a topic I found far less confusing. Lenny joined us and we discussed what was left to get everything ready for that weekend.
Dough
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
Cinnamon filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp melted butter-separate
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp sugar and yeast over the warm water and set aside for five minutes or until frothy.
In the main mixing bowl mix eggs, butter and remaining sugar. Stir in buttermilk and yeast mixture then add the baking soda and salt to half of the flour and stir into the batter. Add the rest of the flour slowly until the dough forms a ball. Knead the dough on the counter for five minutes, or use your mixer’s knead setting. Cover and set aside for an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Dump onto clean counter, lightly floured, and roll it out to a 9 x 12 rectangle. Pour the melted butter onto it and spread it around, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar filling mixture. Roll it up and slice into 3/4-1” slices. Set out in 9x13 pan or cookie sheet so the sides don’t quite touch. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot for another hour or so.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until turning golden brown.
Powdered sugar glaze
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp water
Mix the sugar, butter and water until . Wait until cinnamon rolls completely cool before frosting.
When I had another lull at work, I pulled up the email Ali had sent me with the names of the people whose booths had been closest to Francine’s. It took nearly twenty minutes to track down their phone numbers and leave messages.
It was early afternoon before I got my first call back. Grace Watts was a kindergarten aid and had been running the beanbag toss. “Hi, Grace,” I greeted after she introduced herself. “I appreciate you calling me back so fast.”
“I wondered why you’d be calling me.” Her voice was distracted.
“Yes, I wondered if you saw anything the night of the carnival. Anything at all that seemed, I don’t know, off somehow.”
“Not unless you count not seeing Francine for the last twenty minutes or so before it all cleaned up. She was
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