Chapter 25
Rocky was, as usual, waiting for her at the kitchen door, a look of annoyance on his face. Jane Marie had phoned and informed him of the occurrences that took place in Pamela's office this afternoon. It would not be pretty, she knew. She had done everything he warned her not too. She was not an obedient spouse. She'd probably get latrine duty.
"Babe," he cried, embracing her tightly. She remained in his arms as long as she could. She knew there would be a scolding.
When she finally pulled away, she asked, "Well, aren't you going to make me do forty push-ups?"
"No," he said, softly, "It's a waste of time. I've resigned myself to the fact that I have a daredevil for a wife. Tracking down and confronting cold-blooded killers unarmed. No, not going to even mention the foolishness of such actions, because it's obvious that my wife pays absolutely no attention to any of my warnings."
"The police were there all the time," she gulped bravely. "It was a set-up."
"And you were the bait."
A soft-spoken Rocky was scarier than a furious Rocky. At least, she was used to his being macho and wanting to protect her. Maybe they truly were in a new era where men and women, husbands and wives, were each responsible for themselves--and each other.
"It's just that I--I--had evidence of the crime and I knew how to make use of it to find who killed Charlotte. I just couldn't ignore it."
"I know."
Candide appeared from around the corner. He had heard his mistress's voice and came prancing in, wanting a scratch. Pamela obliged.
"Did Angie get home yet?" she asked her husband.
"Yup," he responded, "She dropped off her books, introduced me to that macabre Kent fellow who looks like something out of a horror movie, told me her mother had almost been killed by a maniac, then they took off in his car."
"Rocky," she smiled, "I told you Kent is perfectly harmless."
"Isn't that what you used to think about that Rex fellow who attacked you this afternoon in your office?" he responded, teeth clenched.
"Please, honey," she pleaded, "I'll explain everything." She pulled on his arm. "Maybe, you could give me another one of your relaxing foot massages," she hinted.
"Don't you want dinner?" he asked.
"Yes," she responded, hopefully.
"I didn't make anything," he announced, looking glum.
"What? You didn't cook anything?" Had Hell frozen over?
"When your secretary called about you, I couldn't even think straight. Cooking was the last thing on my mind. I don't believe I'll be able to think about cooking ever again unless you promise me you'll give up sleuthing" he said, peering deep into her eyes.
"Sleuthing?" she questioned, stunned. "Well, of course, I can promise that. My sleuthing days are over."
"Wonderful," he replied, "Then, you've got your cook back."
She hugged him. She meant every word of her promise. She did. What was the likelihood that someone else would be murdered in their little town? What was the likelihood that even if that happened she would be the only one with the expertise to solve it? Virtually nil. Yes, it was an easy promise to make.
"Let's eat," said Rocky. As he led her into the dining room, she realized his threat had been a ruse. He'd prepared all her favorite dishes and the dining room table was gleaming with candles.
"You devil," she pouted, "You tricked me."
"How does it feel?" he said, smiling
She breathed in the heavenly aroma and proceeded to nibble on his ear. "It feels wonderful," she whispered.
"Maybe an appetizer in the bedroom?"
"Sounds good."
"No," he said, putting his finger over her lips, "Absolutely no talk about sound tonight. And no talk about murder." With that, he scooped her up in his arms and they disappeared into the bedroom.
The End
Rocky's Recipes
Comfort Cocoa
2 TB. Sugar
4 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 C. milk
¼ tsp. vanilla
½ C. skim milk (for topping)
Rocky mixes the sugar and cocoa powder with a bit of the milk and the vanilla, forming a paste in a saucepan. Then he slowly adds the rest of the milk and heats it on the stove until almost (but not quite) boiling. After putting the finished cocoa in the serving cup, he prepares a foam topping of ½ cup skim milk (which works best for foam) in a small saucepan. He heats the milk while foaming it with a handheld latte foamer until the milk is light and frothy. He tops the finished cup of cocoa with the foam and a sprinkling of shaved chocolate or cinnamon.
Sergeant's Stew
1 lb. beef stew meat
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 potato
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 small can of peas
1 medium can of diced tomatoes
1 cup of red wine
1 16-oz container of chicken stock
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 TB.steak sauce
2 TB olive oil
Rocky sautés the stew meat in a TB of olive oil in a large frying pan until browned on all sides. Then he adds the red wine and simmers for 20 minutes. While waiting, Rocky next chops the onion and garlic clove and sautés them together in a TB of olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat until soft and brown. Then, he peels the potato and carrot. He chops the potato, carrot, and celery stalk into small chunks. Finally, he places all remaining ingredients in a large stew pot, and adds water if necessary to cover the raw vegetables. He lets the stew simmer on the stove for three or four hours, stirring occasionally.
Italian Sausage Soup
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup white wine
1 16-oz. container chicken stock
1 large potato
1 cup fresh spinach
fresh grated parmesan cheese
Rocky first removes the sausage from the casings and sautés it in a frying pan. He chops the onion and garlic finely and sautés them in a separate pan until golden brown. He peels and chops the potato into small chunks. Eventually, he puts all ingredients except the cheese into a large pot and lets them simmer on the stovetop for several hours. He sprinkles the cheese over each bowl just before serving.
Patricia Rockwell has spent most of her life teaching. From small liberal arts colleges to large regional research universities-and even a brief stint in a high school, her background in education is extensive. She was on the faculty at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for thirteen years, retiring in 2007. Her publications are extensive, with over 20 peer-reviewed articles in scholarly journals, several textbooks, and a research book on sarcasm, published by Edwin Mellen Press. In addition to publications, she served for eight years as Editor of the Louisiana Communication Journal. Dr. Rockwell is presently living in Aurora, Illinois, with her husband Milt, also a retired educator. The couple has two adult children.