A Basketful of Murder

Book 0: Farm-to-Fork Mystery

by Lynn Cahoon

Genres: Amateur Sleuth; Culinary Cozy Mysteries

Synopsis

Angie Turner’s Idaho restaurant, the County Seat, owes its success not only to its farm-fresh fare, but also to its devoted and passionate staff. And while murder is never on the menu, it often shows up as an uninvited guest . . .

A Pumpkin Spice Killing
At a much-deserved arts-and-crafts themed retreat, Angie and her County Seat staff find themselves helping an older guest uncover the whereabouts of his missing son . . .

Have a Deadly New Year
It’s a rockin’ New Year for Angie and her crew as they cater a bash for a famous band, but there are hints of discord when one of the musicians is found with a drumstick in his chest . . .

Penned In
The County Seat’s crew goes on a quarterly out-of-office meeting at the Old Idaho Penitentiary near the Boise Foothills, a prison brimming with ghostly lore. The lock-in features actors role-playing as guards, fascinating prison stories . . . and an unscripted murder.

Release date: March 7, 2023

Publisher: Kensington

Print pages: 279

Sample

Chapter 1

Sunlight streamed into the oversized kitchen and sparkled on the marble floor. Angie Turner, owner of the County Seat, watched as Hope Anderson, County Seat’s dishwasher—and soon-to-be newest chef, starting next summer—took in the over-the-top room. Angie had to admit, it felt a little intimidating for her as well. Her home kitchen was the size of this place’s pantry. And she could have fit two of the County Seat kitchen in the opulent space. The rich were different. And once the party was over tonight, this would be their kitchen for a week.

Felicia Williams, Angie’s partner, had set up this catering job with one of her old boarding school buddies. Not only were they getting paid, they got use of the cabin for a week after the event. Angie had all kinds of projects planned for her kitchen staff. She just wished all of her cooks had been able to attend. Nancy Gowan had her kids this week and had bowed out of the job. Which Angie understood. Nancy worked so much it wasn’t easy for her to find quality time to spend with her kids. But it would have been nice.

“Who did you say owned this place? The Kardashians?” Hope bounced over to Felicia, who was sitting at the table planning out the setup of dinner service. “I can’t believe you went to school with this guy. What are you? Wealthy?”

Felicia didn’t look up from the notebook where she was writing. “My parents are. I’m not. And Cliff wasn’t either until his band took off. Look, you can’t go all starstruck when you meet people tonight. They’re just normal everyday people who have a band.”

“And live in places like this. My parents’ house could fit in this kitchen.” Hope held out her arms. Then she saw Felicia’s glower. “Fine, I’ll stop being such a peasant and ogling. What’s the name of the band? Do I know them?”

“Probably not. They were really popular a few years ago.” This time Felicia did look up and met Angie’s gaze. She sighed. “Fine. Cliff’s the lead singer for Postal Mutiny.”

Hope’s eyes widened even more, and she sank into a chair. “OMG. Cliff Henry? That Cliff? He’s like a rock legend. I thought Postal Mutiny broke up?”

“They did. Now they’re going to do another album. This dinner is to celebrate their signing the contract in the California studios on Monday. They’ll leave here for L.A. first thing in the morning, and we’ll have the house to ourselves for a week.” Felicia looked around as they sat in stunned silence. “Come on, guys, don’t tell me you’re all starstruck.”

Estebe looked up from his tablet. “I am not struck by the stars. I do not know this band.”

“Well, I do.” Matt Young sank into a chair by Felicia. “This is going to be an amazing way to kick off the new year. Well, actually, end this year, since they’ll be gone by the time the new year arrives. Is this why you took away our cell phones in the van? So we can’t take pictures?”

“Exactly. You’ll get them back on Monday after everyone’s left. Cliff doesn’t mind if we say we were in his house or that we catered the dinner, but no announcing the address or pictures of the band.” Felicia made eye contact with each of them. “This is important, guys, I gave Cliff my word that we’d be discreet.”

“Then we’ll honor that, right?” Angie went to stand next to Felicia. “Matt’s right, this is an awesome way to end our year. I’ve been excited about how well the restaurant has been doing, so part of our brainstorming is going to be about monthly themes. We get a week to live in this house. Just don’t break anything. My umbrella policy isn’t that large.”

“So no using Ming vases for football practice?” Matt grinned but pointed to Dom, who was sleeping in the corner of the kitchen on the bed Angie had brought with them. “What about him? Does he know the rules too?”

Angie worried about Dom’s ability to be careful in the expensive rooms. But she had a plan to keep him away from the really delicate items and close by her side. Maybe they’d leave with the house unharmed. At least she hoped that was what would happen. “Keep an eye out for him, will you? And if he seems to be somewhere he shouldn’t be, bring him back to the kitchen.”

“We will watch out for Dom. He’s one of us,” Estebe said as he closed his tablet.

Dom lifted his head, huffed, and lay back down. Apparently, he agreed.

“Are we ready to start cooking? Dinner’s at five thirty.” Angie reviewed the menu for the evening. They were going all out for their guests. An opening salad, then a garden gazpacho soup. A caviar-topped scallop appetizer. Beef tenderloin in a Wellington preparation for the main course along with potato/turnip mash, and one of Felicia’s chocolate-on-chocolate desserts.

Tomorrow they’d start to work on a winter menu plan for the County Seat. She wanted some new ideas to spark more complex dishes to serve to their customers. But today, they had customers to feed. She wanted to have a good showing on the dishes. One, for the sake of the County Seat, and two, to show Felicia’s old schoolmate what an amazing woman she’d turned out to be. Angie had a few high school naysayers she’d like to show what kind of person she turned out to be. But maybe that was just her. “Then let’s get going.”

The serving staff that Felicia had hired from the local temp agency showed up at five fifteen. Felicia left her spot where she’d been watching the chocolate souffle in the oven. Angie hadn’t seen her friend so wound up about a service. Maybe there was more to this Cliff guy than just an old friend. Maybe they’d dated. The staff started getting ready to serve. With three of them, the food would go out to the formal dining room quickly and in one fell swoop.

Felicia had just come in from setting up the dining room with the servers when Cliff Henry breezed through the door.

He glanced around the room, his gaze falling on Felicia. “There you are. I wanted to get here earlier to greet you, but Bailey and I went shopping. I forgot to pack a jacket. Can you believe it? One of our crew members loaned me his for the trip into town. It’s terribly out of fashion, but as the saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers.”

“The jacket looks fine, Cliff. Man, it’s good to see you. It’s been too long.” Felicia fell into the rock star’s arms. “You always promise you’re going to come in a day or two early or fly back late when you’re playing a local venue. But it never comes to be. What happened this time?”

“I guess I stopped in early this time, poppet.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Introduce me to your lovely friends.”

Matt ran to the guy’s side. He pumped his hand with a maniacal look. “I’m Matt Young, sir. Thank you for coming to the end of the earth for your getaway.”

“That’s what getaway means. If I’m here, no one will look for Cliff Henry, the rock star. I’m just Cliff, the guy with way too much money that lets this place sit empty too many days a year. All the locals know me and judge me on that character flaw. Like every other rich person who has a cabin up here.” Cliff slapped Matt on the back. “I’m trying to live up to their expectations of me.”

“You’re always trying to live up to someone’s expectations,” Bailey mumbled, and Cliff shot her a look. She rolled her eyes but went back to staring at her manicure.

“Muffy thinks getting the band together is a bad idea. We’re not exactly on friendly terms right now, but at least we’re trying. And it’s the music that’s important, right?” He hugged Felicia, then addressed the rest of the group. “I can’t believe this one owns her own restaurant. I mean, she was always smart. She helped me through Algebra II and Calculus. But really, she was known for being the best-looking girl at school. Captain of the cheerleading squad. Drill team. Didn’t you win a few beauty pageants senor year?”

Felicia rolled her eyes. “Mother’s idea. She wanted me to earn scholarships to make sure I felt obligated to go to Brown. Her alma mater. My dad was pushing for Harvard. When Boise State offered me a full ride to the culinary program, I grabbed it. They didn’t talk to me for a year. Thanksgiving dinner that first trip home was brutal.”

“Cliff, give your friend a break and stop calling me Muffy.” Bailey stuck her finger into Cliff’s stomach. She smiled at Felicia as she added to the discussion. “I think you should do what you want with your life. You only have one. And living here must be amazing.”

Angie got the feeling that Bailey’s words weren’t totally aimed at Felicia’s situation. She locked gazes with Felicia. “I’m glad you chose Boise State. I wouldn’t have met you otherwise.”

“And I wouldn’t have this cool job where I get to meet Cliff Henry,” Matt added. When everyone turned to him, he shrugged. “What? I have a personal motto that it’s all about me.”

“You’re the leading man in your own play,” Cliff agreed. “So many people don’t get that about life. Or if they do, they think the rest of us are two-bit players and not important. I suppose you’ll be doing New Year’s resolutions during your week? Make sure they’re about you and not what others think you should do.”

The venom behind the words surprised Angie, but once he realized he’d shown more than what he’d expected, Cliff let a smile transform his face. And she was left wondering if she’d imagined the pain she’d caught from his statement.

“Anyway, I just wanted to check in. We’ll have about thirty people here for dinner, then all but six of us will leave tonight for home. The band will fly out tomorrow to L.A. for some business and promotion stuff.” He sighed. “That part I haven’t missed. I love sitting alone or with Dane writing songs. And performing isn’t bad. But the media? They’re vultures.”

“You’ll just have to plaster on that pretty smile of yours and they’ll be eating out of your hand.” Bailey ran her hand up and down Cliff’s arm.

He turned to her and smiled. It was clear to Angie that Bailey was the rock Cliff clung to. She and Ian had a different relationship. He was at her house this week, feeding Precious the goat and Mabel the black-and-white hen. He was also working on a plan for a greenhouse at her farmhouse. If she could grow her own veggies during the winter, she’d have a better feel for what she could buy for the restaurant. They were independent of each other. Bailey and Cliff seemed to be joined at the hip.

Reminding herself that all relationships were different, Angie pushed away the judging thoughts. “Well, at least you’ll get a good last supper before you have to start the media tour. Food can sustain you, especially during times of stress.”

Felicia beamed at her. “Angie’s on point. And the menu tonight will be filled with power foods, so you all should be ready to fight off any attacks.”

“Unless they’re from within,” Bailey muttered.

Cliff turned and stared hard at her, making Bailey drop her gaze. Maybe he was stronger than he looked. “Sounds like a terrific meal. Anyway, we’ve got to go hang out with the guys for a while. FYI, there are ski runs in all directions here. So all you have to do is slap on a pair of skis, and head out on a trail. The lodge has a shuttle that will drop you off at the end of the driveway.”

Bailey pointed toward the road that couldn’t be seen out the kitchen window. “Not at the end of the driveway, but where our road meets the highway. It’s about a half-mile trek, so make sure you’re dressed warmly.”

“They’ll be skiing, darling. How else would they dress?”

Bailey blushed, and Angie wondered about their relationship. Again. Everyone else was starstruck with this guy, and she wanted to know more about his relationship. Angie wondered why she was even thinking about this. What was wrong with her? Angie tried to defuse the situation. “I don’t think anyone brought skis.”

“No worries, I keep a supply in the equipment shed.” Cliff walked over to the wall by the door and took off a set of keys. “There’s also snowmobiles and snowshoes available.”

“We shouldn’t, I mean, we’re here for a retreat, not to ski,” Angie said, but then she saw the pained look in Matt’s eyes. She took a deep breath. “Fine, we’ll carve out some time for some skiing. But nobody break any bones. If you do, I’ll refuse your work comp claim. And I mean that.”

Estebe chuckled. “Like a good boss, you’re always thinking about the business first.”

“Honestly, I just don’t want anyone to have to go to the hospital. It really messes with the vibe of the retreat.” Angie took the key from Cliff. “I’m putting it back on the wall, but seriously, if anyone takes off, please just let someone know so we’re not worried. I’d hate to have someone freeze to death because we didn’t know where to look.”

“Safety first. In winter sports or in the kitchen.” Felicia snapped to attention and sent Angie a sharp salute.

“Funny girl.” Angie hung the keys back. “Anyway, we need to get back to work.”

“We didn’t mean to keep you,” Bailey said as she laid a hand on Cliff’s arm. “Thank you for agreeing to come and cater. The local girl didn’t seem interested in doing the event.”

“Maybe she was busy.” Cliff put his arm around her. “We’ve got things to do before tonight’s dinner. Lots to discuss. Wish me luck tonight.”

And with that, the couple spun around and headed out the door. When Angie knew they were outside of eavesdropping range, she turned and studied her team. “Did that seem strange to anyone but me?”

“Rock stars are strange. Alice Cooper slept with his snake,” Matt added to the discussion as he started plating the salad course.

“That’s an urban myth,” Felicia challenged. Then she held up a hand. “Besides, Cliff is one of the most stable guys you’ll find in or outside the music business.”

Angie shook her head. “Even I’ve heard stories about the band. Postal Mutiny is thought to have broken up because of the arguments between Cliff and Dane.”

“That’s probably true. I know Cliff would have stood his ground, especially if he thought he was on the right side of the music.” Felicia glanced up at the clock. “If we’re going to be ready to serve at five thirty, don’t you think we should get busy?”

They were just completing the first course plating when a woman dressed in a blazer, white shirt, and pressed jeans stepped into the kitchen. Her long straight black hair was pulled back off her face, and she wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses. She held up her hands. “Sorry, guys, we’re going to have to push service back to six. Dane and Suzie just got back from skiing and need a few minutes to get ready.”

Angie groaned, on the inside. The salad would have to be remade, as there was no way it would hold for thirty minutes. “Are you sure?” She stepped to the woman. “I mean, we’ll have to remake the first course if we push it back. Will they be ready at six? Or will we have to push it again?”

“Look.” The woman looked at Angie’s chest, trying to find a nametag. When she didn’t find one, she sighed. “I’m sorry, what’s your name?”

“Angie Turner. Head chef of the County Seat. We were hired to prepare a dinner that started at five thirty by Cliff Henry. So who exactly are you?” Angie narrowed her eyes as she took in the woman, who had to be some sort of admin or secretary or personal assistant. The aura of positional power seeped out all around her.

Surprise filled the woman’s face. Angie wondered if anyone had ever talked back to her barking orders before.

She glanced at the clipboard before she answered. She put on a smile that was friendly and apologetic at the same time. “Sorry, I should have introduced myself before shouting orders. I apologize. I’m Carolyn Hughes, Mr. Pines’s personal assistant. I guess you could say I’m the band’s cat herder.”

Ignoring the joke and the attempt to win her over with what Carolyn must perceive as charm, Angie glanced at the clock. “You’re asking for the dinner to be pushed back to six? Will everyone be available to eat by then?”

“Yes. I’ll have everyone in the room so you can serve exactly at six.” Carolyn’s head bobbed as she saw a solution to her issue.

“Good. We’ll serve then. By the way, your serving staff will have to be available then for another hour, so please remember that when it’s time to pay the temp agency,” Angie reminded her.

“I don’t personally pay the bills, but I’ll send a note to the accounting department of the change of circumstances.” She looked around the room, paused her scan at Felicia, then nodded. “I better go round up the cats then.”

Angie stepped back to the counter and glanced at the plated salads Matt had already completed. “Let’s trash those and start over.”

“Will do, boss.” He glanced at the servers who were gathered in a corner of the kitchen. “Anyone hungry?”

The three women all came and grabbed a plate, as did Hope. Angie took two over to where Felicia was sitting and placed them on the table in front of her friend. “Was I too direct?”

Felicia laughed and picked up her fork. “No, and thank God for that. Carolyn’s notorious for switching plans at the last minute. I bet she had some menu changes on that clipboard that she’d intended to bring up, but with you crawling down her throat at the change of time, she thought better of pushing it.”

“Well, then, I guess I did my job. I hate catering, just for this reason. Remember the lady in San Francisco who changed her menu on the birthday meal for fifty, three times? The last time I had to tell her I was going to charge her three times what I’d quoted just for the changes.” Angie bit into the salad. She smiled, finished the bite, then called out. “Great dressing on this, Matt!”

“Thanks, boss.” Matt beamed at the compliment.

Felicia glanced at the clock. “All we have to do is get through the next four hours. Then they’ll be gone when we wake up tomorrow, and we can have our retreat.”

Angie nodded, but her first thought was that four hours was a very, very long time. She hoped Felicia’s prediction would be true and the time would fly by quickly. From the way the dinner had started, Angie didn’t believe they’d be that lucky.

Chapter 2

The shouting started during the meat course. Angie and her crew had just sent out thirty perfectly cooked beef Wellingtons to the dining room. They were starting to plate dessert when the raised voices came through the walls.

Matt walked over to the doorway and peeked through to the dining room. He turned back with a grin. “And so it starts. We’re witnessing history.”

“We’re witnessing two guys who can’t get along.” Felicia kept working on the dessert plating. “Cliff always complained about Dane’s attitude. He didn’t like Cliff’s ideas or the way the band was set up. Basically, Dane hates everything. It’s really hard to be around all of that negative energy day after day. There’s no way the band is going to be able to stay together after this album. All I can say is that someone must need the touring money really. . .