Pint of No Return Read online

  The dog crept out and nosed the door closed and sat looking at Papa, puzzled.

  Now Trinidad looked closer, too.

  Papa stood with an indescribable expression on his face, his thick thatch of black hair speckled with raindrops.

  “Trina?”

  “Yes?”

  “There is something…unexpected in my trunk.”

  “Like what?”

  “Perhaps you should come and see.”

  Something in the tone made her hurry to grab her raincoat and follow him out. The porch light illuminated the shining sides of the pristine Buick. Papa had closed the trunk but not all the way. He opened it again, and they looked inside.

  Next to the blueberry box was a rug.

  Under the rug was a bundle.

  To the side of the bundle, something white protruded.

  The white thing had five fingers and a palm.

  Before she could get out a sound, Papa took the tire iron and poked vigorously at the hand and then the bundle. It didn’t move. He reached in and gently applied two fingers to the wrist.

  “What…what is it?” Trinidad asked stupidly.

  Papa shook his head and withdrew his fingers. “A dead person.”

  “Dead? How dead?”

  “Thoroughly.”

  Her stomach clenched. “Who?”

  Papa reached in again to sweep away the blanket when a rumble of thunder roared across the sky followed by a spray of lighting.

  “I…” she said, just as the electricity failed and the porch light extinguished.

  Trinidad’s common sense kicked in. “Don’t touch anything, Papa. We have to get inside and call the police and an ambulance in case…I mean…to help.”

  He nodded, closing the trunk lid with his elbow but not fully. “We should stay inside with the coffee,” he said practically, leading her by the elbow back to the porch where Noodles awaited.

  She stumbled as if in a dream.

  But this wasn’t a dream.

  It was a real dead body…in Papa’s trunk.

  Trinidad’s Easy Key Lime Ice Cream

  1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk

  1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

  2 cups whole milk

  ⅔ cup heavy cream

  1 cup granulated sugar

  1 (3-oz.) package lime-flavored gelatin

  2 egg yolks, beaten

  1 cup lime juice

  6 whole graham crackers, broken into big pieces

  In a saucepan over low heat, combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, and heavy cream, whisking often. Once the mixture is almost hot to the touch, whisk in the sugar and gelatin mix, stirring until the sugar and gelatin are completely dissolved. Add a little of the hot sugar mixture to the beaten egg yolks to warm them, then add the yolks to the milk mixture. Raise the heat to medium and cook for five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lime juice. Let the mixture come to room temperature.

  Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. Once the ice cream has started to thicken, open the canister and add the broken graham crackers. They will break into smaller pieces as you churn for about five minutes more. Transfer to a freezer container, and freeze until solid for six to eight hours. Serves 8–10.

  Acknowledgments

  First and foremost, to the readers who have taken a chance on my little cozy. Thank you for coming along with me to Sprocket!

  To my Uncle Barry, who has Cuba in his heart, and my amazing parents, who shared their stories with me.

  Sisters, you know who you are! It’s not easy having an eccentric writer-type sibling who can’t remember the month or day, but you all keep me on track.

  Papa Bear, you’re my everything.

  Bear cubs, one day we will write a book with quicksand in it, I promise!

  Jessica Alvarez and BookEnds Literary Agency, you put the “super” in superagents!

  About the Author

  Dana Mentink is a national and Publishers Weekly bestselling author. She has written more than forty mystery and suspense novels for various publishers and is the recipient of the HOLT Medallion and Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award. A Northern California native, Dana is married to Papa Bear and mother of two young-adult bear cubs, affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo.

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