Hope Early caught her reflection in the side window of the main entrance and leaned in for a closer look. With a critical eye, she inspected herself from top to bottom. Again. Did she look like the professional food blogger she was? Did she look too eager? Did she look as nervous as she felt?
I’ve got this.
She looked successful and efficient and ready to take on anything the staff of Cooking Now magazine could throw at her.
So why was she a bundle of frazzled nerves?
Because it was like the first day of school.
She pressed the door buzzer and tamped down her nerves. For goodness’ sake, before turning her food blog into a full-time career, she’d spent years as a magazine editor. She released the button and chided herself for being ridiculous.
A glimpse of someone walking toward the door caught her attention. She pulled back from the window and inhaled a deep breath.
The temperature had to have soared at least another ten degrees from the time Hope left her house. For her first day, she’d chosen a white, button-down shirt, navy pants, and her most comfortable pair of shoes. When she headed out her front door, she was confident she’d selected a perfect balance of professionalism and comfort, but standing out in the late-August heat, she doubted her choice because the shirt now clung to her back.
The door opened and a blue-haired, multipierced twentysomething appeared. An intern, Hope guessed.
“You’re Hope Early?” She opened the door wider. “We’ve been expecting you. I’m Kylie. Follow me.”
Hope stepped into the vestibule and welcomed the chill of the air conditioner. She followed the young woman, who’d found a balance in her own appearance by marrying the edginess of unusual hair coloring and multiple piercings with test-kitchen-appropriate clothing—black pants, a white shirt, and an apron with the magazine’s logo on it.
At the door to the kitchen, Kylie punched in her code. “You’ll get your own code sometime today.” She held the door open for Hope and gestured for her to enter.
It’d been a long time since Hope had been in a test kitchen. When she was the editor of Meals in Minutes, she’d visited their kitchen at least once a week for recipe tastings. The nervousness she’d experienced moments before had disappeared, and in its place was a twinge of nostalgia. She hadn’t realized how much she missed being part of a magazine.
Beyond the well-appointed test kitchen of stainless-steel appliances, bright lights, and thousands of dollars’ worth of photography equipment was the familiar buzz creating a magazine generated. The ideas, the disasters, the deadlines, the creative differences. It was what had fed Hope for years and, in one sweeping glance, what she yearned for again.
She shook off the thought. Her decision to leave publishing after her loss on the reality baking competition show The Sweet Taste of Success was the right one. As a food blogger, she was her own boss and in control of every aspect of her business. Like the collaboration with Cooking Now, which had been a year in the making.
Hope had worked on a sponsorship with a spice company, which led to a few articles written for Cooking Now’s website over the span of several months. That handful of articles led to this assignment to develop healthy, easy-to-make recipes. A mixture of giddiness and butterflies swirled in her belly and she smiled. But while it felt like home, she needed to remember this was only a visit.
The test kitchen was a combination food prep area, photo studio, and office for the main staff of the magazine, all of whom were busy starting their day. Hope walked farther into the kitchen and passed a wall of stainless-steel shelves loaded with a variety of bowls, plates, pots, and glassware. One by one, the heads of the magazine staff looked up and appraised Hope.
Yeah, it felt like the first day of school.
“Hope’s here!” After her announcement, Kylie broke away and went to one of the smaller kitchens, leaving Hope standing alone in the middle of the open space.
“Thank you for the announcement, Kylie.” A woman about Hope’s age pushed back her chair from her desk and stood. Hope recognized her as May Henshaw, senior editor, from her photograph in the magazine, though an irritated twist to her lips replaced the broad smile she’d flashed for her readers. Hope guessed the editor didn’t approve of Kylie’s very informal introduction.
“Good morning, May. I’m happy to meet you in person. I’m very excited to be here.” Hope extended her hand to the editor.
While they’d worked together previously on articles for the website, they’d never met in person. May stood a couple of inches taller than Hope, and her blond hair was pulled back into a severe bun and her crisp white chef’s jacket was buttoned up over a pair of black pants.
“Of course you are.” After the firm handshake, May shifted her body so she had a full view of the test kitchen. “We’ve never collaborated with a food blogger before. Let me introduce you, and then you can start work. I hope you’ll be able to adjust to our schedule.” May led Hope over to the cluster of desks. “It’s imperative we stay on schedule.”
“I understand. I was a magazine editor.” Hope wasn’t sure why she said that. May knew her credentials.
“Meals in Minutes. I recall. Cute magazine.”
Cute magazine? Now, if that wasn’t a backhanded compliment, Hope didn’t know what was. Yes, Meals in Minutes focused on shortcuts in the kitchen for the harried masses, but the recipes were solid, practical, and delicious. Hope remembered she was only here for a short time and it was best not to rock the boat.
“Hope, this is Kitty Ellis. She’s our test kitchen manager and we’d be lost without her.” May led Hope to a row of desks pressed up against a whitewashed exterior wall and bordered by a long section of more stainless-steel shelving filled with bins of linens, utensils, and flatware.
“Hi, Hope. I love your blog.” Kitty extended her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Hope said.
“You’ll work here.” May pointed to the desk beside Kitty. “You’ll find you’re all set up for emails and you’ll also find one with all the information you need about working here. Get yourself settled and then Kitty will get you situated in one of the kitchens so you can start working. Remember, this isn’t your home kitchen. We’re not here to socialize. We all have assignments and deadlines.”
With a firm nod, May turned and returned to her desk, clicking on her keyboard and then sipping her coffee.
Kitty smiled and leaned forward. “She’s really not too bad.”
“You sure?”
Hope slipped her tote bag off her shoulder and spent the next twenty minutes reviewing her emails and confirming her new passcode for the building.
Cooking Now magazine was located on the campus of Great Living Publications, just thirty minutes from Jefferson, making the commute easy, but not as easy as her current one. She went from her bedroom to her kitchen to her home office, definitely a sweet commute.
Though the opportunity to work with Cooking Now was too good to pass up and commuting for a few days wasn’t the worst thing. However, leaving her dog, Bigelow, home alone with the newest addition to the family, a fluffy white cat named Princess, was a little nerve-racking. Both of them had done some damage in the house as they worked through their personal boundaries. She hoped they called a cease-fire and slept all day.
“I stocked your refrigerator with all the ingredients you requested. You’re all set to start whenever you’d like. In the back room, across from the studio kitchen, you’ll find coffee and tea.” Kitty had approached Hope’s desk, ready to show her to her workstation.
Hope gathered her papers together. The butterflies in her belly returned. She’d been working on the recipes for the magazine for weeks to get them perfect for the six-page spread in the January issue. Her name would be prominently displayed, giving her a further reach to attract new readers to her blog. The recipes needed to be better than perfect.
Yeah, no pressure there.
“You run a very efficient kitchen.” Hope stood and followed Kitty to the middle kitchenette. The cooking area was fully equipped with everything she needed, including top-of-the-line appliances.
“Thank you. I love my job.” Kitty grabbed an apron from a shelf and handed it to Hope. “Let me know if you need anything.” She walked back to her desk.
Hope glanced at the logo on the apron. Two large C and N letters with the magazine’s name in smaller print and the tagline, cook with confidence & flavor. The magazine had gone through a major facelift five years earlier and shifted the original mission from talking to a narrow group of advanced cooks to reaching a broader group of beginner-to-intermediate cooks. Coinciding with an editorial shift, a staffing change had happened. New editors came on board with fresh ideas. From what Hope had seen so far, it looked like the publisher made the right decision.
After tying on the apron, she looked around her kitchenette. She took in a deep inhale.
Time to get to work.
She fell into her rhythm of cooking and blocked out the sounds of the test kitchen. She didn’t hear the chatter or the beeping of appliances or the hurried footsteps from one end of the room to the other. She was fully in her zone, focused on the recipes, and tuned out all the distractions around her. The result was two whole-grain noodle bowls and a smoothie.
The focus of the January issue was a healthy restart, and Hope wanted to make sure each recipe she contributed wasn’t only healthy and delicious but easy to make so any level cook could be successful, yet a little challenging so a more experienced cook could feel accomplished. It was a fine line to walk, but a necessary one if she wanted to continue working with the magazine in the future.
She finished chopping a bunch of chives and then moved over to the pot and ladled out a cup of vegetable broth over a bowl of noodles. She gingerly sprinkled the chives over the nutritious soup. She smiled with satisfaction.
“Looks delicious.” Kitty had come up behind Hope. “I think your feature is going to be a hit with our readers. It’s fresh.”
“Thank you. After a month of holiday baking and eating, by the time January rolls around, I’m looking for light-and-easy meals.”
“The annual sugar cookie coma. I’m very familiar with it.” Kitty laughed. “I can’t even think of the holidays. It’s too freakin’ hot. The humidity is a killer. Still hard to get used to. I came over to see if you’d like to join me for lunch. I can show you where the cafeteria is.”
“Sounds good. Let me clean up quick.” Hope popped the bowl of soup into the refrigerator and wiped the countertop after setting her pots and utensils in the dishwasher. After untying her apron, she grabbed her tote bag from her desk and joined Kitty on the walk to the main building.
To get to the two-story building where the editorial offices were located, they crossed the narrow road that stretched from one end of the campus to the other and traveled along a paved path bordered with well-maintained gardens. They chatted all the way to the entrance of the building. It looked like Hope had made a work friend already. The dread that had settled in her as she drove to the magazine about not fitting in had vanished.
The lunch menu in the Great Living cafeteria was impressive. Three prepared hot dishes, along with an endless combination of sandwiches and a salad bar. Staring at the chalkboard menu, Hope had a hard time deciding what to order. She chose a grilled chicken salad with dressing on the side.
“Do you always eat so healthy?” Kitty glanced at her grilled cheese and ham panini with a side of chips.
Hope wished. “No. I’m in the middle of baking pies for my blog, which means I need to watch what I eat.”
Hope followed Kitty to a table for two in the sunroom, which looked out onto the patio and a small pond filled with koi. The grounds of the publishing company were idyllic. It definitely wasn’t home, but she could see herself working here.
“How long have you worked here?” Hope drizzled the vinaigrette dressing on her salad.
After swallowing her bite of panini, Kitty reached for her soda. “About a year. I was a little hesitant to move out of the city, but once I did, I fell in love with the area.”
“It’s very different from working in the city. I mean, look at the pond.” Hope gestured out the window as a bird flew by.
“You’re originally from around here, right?”
Hope returned her attention to the younger woman seated across from her. Kitty’s strawberry blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her full face had only a hint of makeup, mascara, and eyeliner.
“I was born and raised in Jefferson and moved back a couple of years ago.”
“After the reality show?”
“I’d quit my job to appear on The Sweet Taste of Success. After the show, I had to decide whether to stay and get a new job or pursue my blog full-time.”
“Any regrets?” Kitty asked before taking another bite of her sandwich.
“Sure. But I don’t dwell on them. What’s done is done. What about you? Where did you study?”
“The Culinary Institute of America.”
“Impressive.”
A redness tinged Kitty’s cheeks. “It was tough. But worth every minute. I learned a lot and made good friends. Did you go to cooking school?”
“No, I’m self-taught. I learned most of what I know from my mom.”
“My mom isn’t a big cook. She makes the best reservations.” Kitty laughed. She plucked a chip out of the snack-size bag and crunched.
“Sounds like my sister.”
“Well, I think people like my mom and your sister serve a very important role. Without them, who would eat what we cook?”
“A very positive outlook.”
“Isn’t that what we need? Positivity? I mean, look at what’s going on in your town. The scandal with the former mayor and the developer. From what I’ve seen on the news, it looks really ugly.”
Hope took a bite of her salad to delay answering. Discussing the events that had played out at the beginning of the summer wasn’t on her top ten list of things to talk about. A murder had led to a corruption scandal, and Hope had managed to get herself involved in both investigations.
Not many people were happy with Hope’s snooping. Her sister, Claire Dixon, had tried to stop her from tracking down a killer. And Hope’s new boyfriend, Ethan Cahill, the chief of police, wasn’t happy with how close Hope almost came to getting herself killed.
Hope shook off the negative thoughts and focused on the here and now and didn’t want to talk about the current scandal rocking her hometown.
“Do you know either man?” Kitty pushed away her tray after draining the last of her soda.
Hope nodded. “I do. And because the case is about to go to trial soon, I don’t think I should discuss it.”
She hoped she wouldn’t have to testify. Each time she thought about it, she had an overwhelming feeling of the willies. The last thing she wanted to do was come face-to-face with the murderer again.
Kitty broke eye contact for a moment. “I understand. You do know it can be really boring up here. A little juicy gossip would be welcome.”
“I’m sure there’ll be a lot more to come out as the court date gets closer,” Hope said.
She finished her salad in silence while Kitty checked her phone for messages.
“All set?” Kitty slipped her phone into the back pocket of her pants.
Hope nodded again as she lifted her tray. “Thanks for asking me to lunch.”
“Hey, I know what it’s like being the new kid in school.” She smiled and then led Hope to the trash and recycling station on their way out of the cafeteria.
Hope pushed open the door of the main building and stepped out into the hazy, humid afternoon. For the past couple of weeks, she’d been obsessed with her first day at the magazine and the recipes, so she hadn’t given much thought to the recent events in Jefferson until Kitty mentioned them. Now they were front and center in her mind.
Kitty followed Hope out to the sidewalk, and they fell into a companionable silence, though Kitty did greet a few coworkers as they passed by.
Hope pushed away thoughts of the upcoming trial and enjoyed the walk across the campus on the return to the test kitchen. She had so much going right in her life for a change, she was just going to focus on the positives—a new opportunity and a chance to expand her business.
Hope opened the door of the Merrifield Inn and stepped into the foyer of the grand Victorian house on Main Street. Soft, classical music drifted from the living room. Hope peeked in, looking for Jane, but found several guests had gathered for what she expected was afternoon tea. Sunlight from the large windows overlooking Main Street and French doors leading to the patio bathed the room. Antique furnishings, handed down from one generation of Merrifields to another, filled the spacious room. Not seeing Jane, Hope continued to the reception desk.
There was a little brass bell on the desk and, just like when she was a little girl, Hope was tempted to ring it. She hovered her hand over the bell, ready to tap it, when Jane appeared from the kitchen, carrying a plate of scones.
“No need to ring the bell, dear. I’ve been expecting you.” Jane Merrifield’s face was bright and her signature pink lips curved into a smile.
Hope giggled as the older woman bustled by her.
“I’ll be right with you, once I deliver this plate to our guests.” Jane continued into the living room and a loud round of appreciation for the treats greeted her.
“They’re all set for now.” Jane returned to the lobby. She grabbed a folder from the desk on her way to the dining room.
Hope followed. The dining room, a mirror image of the living room minus the French doors, reminded Hope of when dining was more than a quick meal consumed between running here and there. A gleaming hardwood floor, intricately carved trim work, and well-curated art hanging on the walls harkened back to a time when meals were enjoyed over several courses and good conversation.
White cloths draped all the tables, and each was set for tomorrow’s breakfast service.
“Let’s sit in here and review the list for the scavenger hunt. Everything seems in order.” Jane chose the table closest to the entrance and sat.
“Good to hear. I hate to jinx it, but the hunt always goes off without a hitch.” Hope pulled out a chair. She’d been on her feet all day, except for the thirty-minute lunch break with Kitty. She was used to being on her feet because she tested and photographed recipes all the time in her home kitchen, but working on the hard floor of the commercial test kitchen had irked her lower back. She eased down onto the chair and set her tote bag on the floor.
The Annual Scavenger Hunt was started in Jefferson twenty years before to raise money to renovate the community center. The event continued to provide ongoing funding for the center. Hope’s mom was one of the first organizers, along with Jane’s sister-in-law, Sally.
The event was near and dear to Hope’s heart, and when she lived in the city, she’d made a point to come home for the weekend of the scavenger hunt. She joined dozens of town residents and together they all embraced the silliness of searching for so-called treasures throughout the town.
“No need to worry about jinxing the event, dear. I doubt anything can go wrong. We have everything all buttoned up, and the weather is going to be nice. No rain. It’s going to be a night of good fun for everyone.” Jane opened her folder.
Hope pulled out her own folder from her tote bag. “All the teams have been assigned?”
Jane looked up from her papers. “Two teams had been short one person, but luckily, we had two last-minute sign-ups. Our team is all set. It’s you, Claire, Drew, and me. By the way, how is she doing?”
Good question. Claire had lost the special election for mayor of Jefferson over the summer. Never known for not giving 100 percent, Claire had campaigned hard for the office. It was understandable to be disappointed about losing, but Hope wasn’t sure it was the defeat itself or the person who won the election that upset Claire so much.
“She’s doing okay.”
Jane slid Hope a doubting look. “Your sister isn’t used to losing. And the loss was a high-profile loss to boot. But I suspect it’ll make her stronger in the long run.”
“I hadn’t looked at it that way.”
“Make sure Claire does.” Jane’s head turned at the sound of the front door opening and then closing.
A guest hurried by them on the way to the staircase.
“I can’t believe I almost forgot to tell you.” Jane leaned forward and her blue eyes twinkled. “We’ve had two new guests check in. Both women have the same last name.”
“Relatives?”
Jane shook her head. “No. Both women said they didn’t have any family here and neither asked about the other woman.”
“Do they have a common last name? Like Smith?”
Jane tilted her head. “No. Their last name is Whitcomb.”
“As in Lionel?”
Jane nodded. “Sally says it’s a coincidence.”
“Are you telling her about our new guests?” Sally Merrifield ambled into the room carrying a glass of iced tea. The retired head librarian of the Jefferson Library was a spinster who preferred the company of her plants to most people. Her weathered face was thanks to her years of gardening from the first sign of spring until the beginning of winter. When her hands weren’t in freshly tilled dirt, she had her nose in a gardening book. “I have to keep my eye on her or else she’ll search their rooms.” Sally pulled out a chair at the table and joined Hope and Jane.
Jane feigned a look of hurt. “I’d do no such thing. It would be an invasion of their privacy. But I might follow them.” She flashed a mischievous grin.
Hope pressed her lips together. She attributed Jane’s overactive imagination to the fact that she’d written five mystery novels earlier in life. The now seventysomething widow was retired from writing, but her mind was still a fertile plotting ground.
“She’s always looking for intrigue.” Sally sipped her iced tea. “How’s the Scavenger Hunt going?”
“It looks like we have everything under control. All the teams are assigned, we have desserts coming, and the hunt list is all printed up.” Hope was impressed by how the event coordinator, Angela Green, managed the volunteers and organized all the tasks right down to the smallest detail without missing a beat. It meant Hope didn’t have to worry about anything other than her own part—baking.
Sally leaned forward and lifted a paper from the pile in front of Jane.
“Magazine subscription card. A restaurant napkin. Photo with the mayor.” Sally’s thinned eyebrows arched. “Does Maretta know about this?”
Hope tilted her head sideways. “She should. It’s been on the Scavenger Hunt list every year since the first hunt. The photo with the mayor is a town favorite.”
Silence descended upon them for a moment, and then the three of them chuckled at the thought of Maretta Kingston being besieged by town residents with their cell phones for selfies.
“I wish I could be at Town Hall Friday night,” Jane said between laughs.
“Me too. It’s all in good fun, so I can’t imagine Maretta’s nose getting too out of joint.” Hope returned to reviewing her list. She had a few dozen cupcakes and cookies to bake by Friday night. Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem, but with the assignment at Cooking Now, she was on a tight schedule.
“Tell us, how did your first day at the magazine go?” Sally asked.
“Good. I got through some recipes. The test kitchen manager, Kitty, is really nice. May, the senior editor, is . . . well . . . I don’t think she likes food bloggers much. All in all, it’s a nice change of pace to get out.” Hope closed her folder and shoved it back into her tote bag. “I think we’re good for Friday night. I’d better get going. Bigelow and Prin. . .
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