Pecan Pies and Homicides by Ellery Adams

fearsome . . .” She turned the page, eager to read the next sentence, and frowned. Flipping back to the previous page, she shook her head. “No, no, no. This can’t be. The pages jump from one-twelve to one-seventeen. Someone’s torn out two pages!”
    Sliding the book under her lamp, she gently pressed the open pages as flat as they’d go and peered into the gutter. A pair of ridges was still embedded in the gauze glued to the spine, proof that two pages had been meticulously cut from the book.
    â€œDamn it!” Ella Mae swore and Chewy groaned in his sleep as if in sympathy.
    Fighting a wave of despair, Ella Mae kept reading, but whatever secrets Rupert Gaynor had been about to share concerning Lake Havenwood’s enchanted object and its guardian were gone. In his concluding paragraph, however, Gaynor confirmed Ella Mae’s theory that obtaining a Flower of Life was the key to freeing her mother and renewing the magical powers of her people.
    â€œâ€˜Seeds from the original Flower (as described in the Gilgamesh legend) were entrusted to a select group of water nymphs.’” Ella Mae read the words aloud, absorbing each and every one. “‘The seeds were planted in oceans and lakes across the world and were cared for by the nymphs. These lovely and lethal women were also tasked with helping or hindering those seeking the Flower. A Flower of Life was only given to the pure of heart during times of dire need and could be used to restore their health, magic, and vigor.’”
    Closing the book and switching off the lamp, Ella Mae lay back against her pillows and gazed out at the night sky. She wondered what Gaynor had written about the dangers lurking beneath the surface of Lake Havenwood.
    â€œI must find the Flower,” she whispered to the bright, high stars. “And figure out what monster I’ll face when I do.” She reached down and stroked Chewy’s fur. “I’d better work on purifying my heart, because all I want to do at this moment is strangle the person who cut out those two pages.”
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    The next morning, Ella Mae called Suzy from the pie shop to report her findings. Suzy gave a little shriek when she heard about the damage the book had suffered.
    â€œAll book vandals should be struck by lightning,” she said heatedly. “It sounds like someone took a straight edge to those pages. But why?”
    â€œTo make sure that no one could get the magic flower in Lake Havenwood. Think about it. The Gaynors’ powers have always been connected to water. What if they’re the nymphs bound to guard the Flower of Life?”
    Suzy made an unintelligible noise. “Neither Opal nor Loralyn strike me as being very nymph-like. Nymphs are willowy and ethereal—more like Eira. They love nature and are playful and capricious. Opal and Loralyn are slim and gorgeous, yes, but they’re bossy, ambitious, and direct.”
    â€œHave you ever met a nymph?”
    â€œNo. I’m just regurgitating facts,” Suzy said. “But I’ll swing by to pick up
Lake Lore of the Americas
during my lunch break. I want to take a look at the section where the pages were removed. Maybe Loralyn knows what happened to them.”
    Ella Mae snorted. “If she does, you’re my only hope of finding out. She’s not likely to lift a finger if it means helping me.”
    â€œI’ll give it my best shot,” Suzy promised. “Speaking of lunch, what are you serving today?”
    â€œA huge helping of happiness, warmth, and satisfaction,” Ella Mae said. “If I’m going to pack my café, reel in a bunch of catering jobs, and hire some of the folks from the Tennessee grove, then I need to turn my business around. Fast.”
    â€œWell, I’ll be there at high noon. There’s no way I’m going to pass up one of your enchanted pies.” After a moment’s