Free Hope Callaghan - Garden Girls 04 - Death by Dumplings by Hope Callaghan Page A

there.
    Margaret reached into her oversize handbag and pulled out a packet.  “It’s a little confusing, all the different stuff to invest in.  I’d have Don take a look at it but even he doesn’t know about the coins yet.”  Her husband, Don, recently retired as vice president of a local bank. 
    Gloria grabbed the papers and nodded.  James always took care of their finances.  She had a tidy sum in the bank, along with his pension and social security.  She got by just fine. 
    The coins weighed heavy on her mind.  Sometimes money was more of a burden than anything.  And it certainly brought out the worst in some people…
    She watched Margaret drive off before heading back inside.  It was time to start on dinner.  She pulled some olive oil, garlic and Worcestershire sauce from the cupboard.  Gloria liked to cook like she investigated her crimes.  With no real follow-by-the-rule-book plans. 
    She chopped two cloves of garlic and tossed it into the bottom of a glass baking dish.  Then she poured some olive oil and Worcestershire sauce in.  She whisked it with a fork before dropping two Ribeye steaks in the bottom.  She swirled them around in the dish before flipping them over and popping them in the fridge. 
    It was time to head to the root cellar.  The root cellar had been a fixture on the farm for as long as Gloria could remember. It was the perfect place to store all her vegetables.  This one was dug right out of the ground and there were several steps leading down to it. 
    She grabbed a flashlight by the door before heading outdoors in search of some potatoes.  There were still a bunch left over from last year’s garden.
    She made her way down the steps to the wooden red doors.  She opened the doors, clicked on the flashlight and stepped inside.  A cool dampness hung in the air.  She shivered as she made her way to the back of the cellar.  Not only were there still some potatoes, she had a few onions, some carrots and a couple heads of cabbage.
    She grabbed two nice-sized potatoes and an onion before heading out.  Mally was still sniffing around the storage bins.  “Sorry girl.  I don’t have any corn.”
    Mally dropped her head and followed behind Gloria.  Corn on the cob was her favorite. 
    Gloria latched the doors shut and headed up the steps.  “Don’t worry. I plan on growing at least three rows of yellow corn this summer just for you!” she promised.
    The day was filled with bright sunshine and warming up nicely.  Gloria was thankful for the lovely weather.  Nothing like trying to grill steaks in the cold - or worse yet - rain.
    Back inside, she scrubbed the potatoes and set them aside.  She looked over at Mally and Puddles, who wandered into the kitchen in search of a snack.  “I know, I know.  We’re all hungry!”
    She fed them both before pulling a bowl of vegetable soup from the freezer.  While she waited for the soup to unthaw in the microwave, she picked up the newspaper and glanced at the article again.  She prayed Dot hadn’t seen it but chances of that were slim. 
    She opened the paper and glanced at the inside.  Three pages in, her eyes zeroed in on a restaurant review.  She picked up her glasses and started to read: 
    “Pasta Amore Makes Me Want Some Moray” the headline read.  It was a five-star review for the new restaurant.  According to the food critic, who tried a sampler platter of baked Lasagna, Chicken Piccata and Five Cheese Ziti, the food was fabulous. 
    The critic ranted and raved about the creamy pasta, fresh spices and crusty, garlic bread.  The author even gushed over the salad. How the dressing had the perfect amount of tang.  The croutons fresh and made from scratch.  Gloria finished the review and then studied the photo of the food critic.  It was a young woman with long dark hair.  Amy Martola. 
    She doesn’t look old enough to be an experienced food critic , Gloria decided.  When Margaret and I eat there tomorrow night,