“Too late,” I assured her. “My wits were gone long ago.”
“Hah-hah, jolly good—”
“Dr. Sandstrom’s children are extremely grateful the murderer’s been identified,” a new voice spoke up. Dr. Yamoda. I swiveled my head and saw her earnest face. “They asked me to thank each of you who were involved. They loved their father.”
“Maybe Dr. Sandstrom was a father figure to Lisa too,” Avis murmured, then turned and walked into the main building.
“Unfortunately, Lisa despised her father, what?” Gilda added.
Some part of me wanted to laugh hysterically. Because Gilda had it in one. But I kept quiet for Dr. Yamoda’s sake.
Then there was a long silence. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Perhaps we were waiting to mourn Dr. Searle Sandstrom and Dr. Reed Killian properly. But the sunlight still sparkled with celebration. Even the insect buzzing in my ear seemed to sing with joy.
Avis suddenly appeared in front of me. In each of her gloved hands she held a giant bouquet of flowers. In the quickness of the moment all I could see was color—periwinkle-blue, yellow, lavender, coral, magenta, white, and more, sparkling in the light.
“For the bride and groom,” she announced and handed us the bouquets ceremonially.
“Happy honeymoon!” Felix whooped. And he didn’t even say “friggin’. “
And then Xanthe and Kevin were hugging us, squashing our flowers, and then Barbara, and then everyone else, their identities lost in the deluge of varying squeezes, kisses, textures, and smells.
Wayne and I glanced at each other after the last dizzying hug, linked hands, and ran to our car under the sweet rain of rose blossoms.
Soba Noodle Imbroglio
12 ounces soba noodles or linguine
1 pound marinated, diced tofu
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon hot mustard
1/4 tablespoon crushed ginger root
4 sliced green onions
venison (extremely optional!)
1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Allow to cool.
2. Combine soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and mustard into a smooth dressing.
3. Toss noodles, dressing, onions, tofu, and carrots.
4. Refrigerate, and serve cold as revenge.
4-6 servings as a side dish
2-4 as an entree
Table of Contents
Kate Jasper Mysteries
Acknowledgments
Cast of characters
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Soba Noodle Imbroglio Recipe