FM for Murder (24 page)

“I hope they don’t call during the ceremony,” she said to Rocky who was accompanying her, and who looked dashing in his summer suit—beige with his pale blue shirt and satin blue and beige tie. She was wearing a multi-colored flowery chiffon and a big-brimmed straw hat. She never wore hats, usually, but if you couldn’t wear a hat to an outdoor summer wedding, where else?

“Unlikely,” replied her husband, “but, in case, better put your cell on vibrate.”

“I can’t do that,” she retorted, “I’d just want to answer it then, and I can’t during the ceremony.”

“Just how likely is it to happen right during the ceremony? I mean, most weddings only last about twenty minutes. Ours was longer—it seemed like an eternity before they actually approved us as legal.”

“You were just anxious to….”

“I’m always anxious,” he said, smiling, his eyebrows wafting up and down in their usual amorous movement.

Shreeech!

“What was that?” she cried.

“Some weird monkey or bird,” he said. “It is a zoo, remember.”

“I know,” she answered, “Can you believe it? A wedding at a zoo! Leave it to Bob and Arliss to think of that.”

“What was that?” she cried again.

“I didn’t hear anything,” he said.

“Oh, it’s my cell,” she said, pulling her phone from her small formal clutch purse. She looked at the caller ID. “It’s Harold.” She greeted the lawyer on her cell phone, then listened as he spoke, nodding, smiling, and saying “yes” as he talked. When she hung up, she was excited.

“Amy had a boy—six pounds, eight ounces! Mother and son are doing well. Grandfather Bridgewater is too especially now that he has a new grandson. Not so well physically, but still holding on.”

“That’s great!” said Rocky, “Oops! Here come your friends.” As he spoke, Joan and Willard slipped into the seats beside them. Joan was the epitome of elegance in a a brocade suit and Willard was his jaunty best in crimson and grey seersucker.

“You’re just in time,” Pamela said, looking at her watch. Indeed, immediately recorded music rang out from the zoo’s loudspeaker system. Pamela and the rest turned and watched as Arliss MacGregor, dressed in a simple, yet lovely white tulle gown proceeded down between the rows of seats on the arm of an older gentleman that Pamela surmised was her father. As Pamela looked back at the central trellis, she saw that Bob Goodman had appeared from under the flowered bower, Mitchell Marks at his side as his best man. Arliss glowed as she reached Bob. Bob beamed. Pamela thought happy thoughts and mentally sent best wishes to Amy Bridgewater and her new son and wished them a wonderful life—just as she sent best wishes for a wonderful life to the two wonderful people standing in front of her who were just starting their life together.

An elephant roared. A bird squawked. The lovely sounds of a summer day. Oh, how she loved sounds!

###

Rocky’s Recipes

Pork Roast with Raisin Sauce

4 lb. boneless pork roast

½ tsp. of salt, cinnamon

¼ tsp. of garlic powder, pepper, and cumin

Rub the spices over pork. Roast uncovered until meat thermometer registers 170 degrees (about 2 and ½ hours). Serve with raisin sauce.

Raisin Sauce

1 ½ cup apple juice1 ½ cup raisins

¼ cup maple syrup½ tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsp. cold water1 tsp. cornstarch

Heat juice, raisins, syrup and cinnamon to boil. Reduce to simmer, add raisins and cook until tender (10 min.) Mix water and cornstarch in small bowl. Add to mixture and bring to boil, stirring (about a minute).

Chocolate Coconut Bars

4 cups crushed graham crackers 1 cup softened butter

½ cup powdered sugar 2 cups shredded coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts 12-oz. bag/ chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix crackers, butter and sugar and pat into bottom of 9’ X 13” pan. Bake 10 minutes. Mix coconut, milk, and vanilla. Spread over crust and bake additional 10 minutes. Melt chips in microwave until spreadable. Spread on top of coconut layer. Top with walnuts. Cool and cut into squares.

About the Author

FM forMurder
is the second book in the Pamela Barnes acoustic mystery series. The first,
Sounds of Murder
, represented Patricia Rockwell’s debut novel.

Patricia Rockwell has spent most of her life teaching. Her Bachelors’ and Masters’ degrees are from the University of Nebraska in Speech, and her Ph.D. is from the University of Arizona in Communication. 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 volume published by Edwin Mellen Press. In addition, she served for eight years as editor of the Louisiana Communication Journal. Her research focuses primarily on deception, sarcasm, and vocal cues. Dr. Rockwell is presently living in Aurora, Illinois, with her husband Milt, also a retired educator. The couple has two adult children.

Thank you, so much for reading
FM For Murder
. If you enjoyed Pamela and her escapades, please check out her first adventure—
Sounds of Murder
—by visiting our publisher’s website:
http://www.cozycatpress.com
.