Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (15 page)

“Will you, Hannah? If Doc says it’s all right?”

“You remembered Doc’s name!” Delores exclaimed, giving Barbara a warm smile. “That’s just wonderful!”

Barbara looked thoroughly mystified for a moment and then she shook her head. “It’s not that wonderful, De . . . Del . . . Delores. I don’t remember Doc’s name.”

“But you called him Doc!”

“Yes. I did. He’s a doctor so I called him Doc.”

“Oh.” Hannah knew Delores was disappointed, but it didn’t show on her face. “You’re right, Barbara. It’s true that many people call doctors Doc. But you remembered my name and I could tell it was an effort.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Barbara looked pleased, and then she turned to Hannah. “I think I can remember your name now. When I see you, I remember that you make cookies with bananas and your name sounds like a banana. The only thing that sounds like a banana is Hannah so your name is Hannah. My nurse taught me how to rhyme with names.”

“It sounds like you have a wonderful nurse,” Hannah said.

“Oh, I do. I just wish I could remember her name. I know it sounds like money, and I called her Honey, but that’s not it. It’s some other kind of money, I think. But what could it be? Nickel?” Barbara started to laugh. “I’m almost sure her name isn’t Pickle!”

Hannah couldn’t help it. She laughed. And the moment she did, so did Delores. And then they all had a good laugh together.

“You’ll remember her name the next time you see her,” Hannah said, almost sure that was true. This was a good visit with Barbara. She really
was
improving.

“So will you do it, Hannah?” Barbara asked.

Hannah was about to ask what Barbara wanted her to do when the pieces flew into place. “You want me to bring Moishe to the hospital to visit you?”

“Yes. I don’t see why I can’t have a cat visitor. People around here get dog visitors. There was a little one here last night visiting the man next door. They were training him to be a therapy dog.”

Hannah made an instant decision. “If Doc Knight agrees, I’ll bring Moishe here tomorrow,” she promised.

“Oh, good. He’s a nice big cat and I need a big cat.”

“Why is that?” Delores asked her.

“For the monster that comes in my room at night. He looks a little like a big white rat. And I think a really big cat like Moishe could chase that monster away.”

W
hen Hannah reached the landing after ascending the covered staircase that led up to her condo, she was exhausted. It had been a terrible afternoon, but thankfully it was over. All she had to do now was make a sandwich for her dinner, and think of something to prepare for Mike when he came over to interview her at nine this evening.

Hannah stood on the bridge that ran between her condo and the condo across the way and wished that she hadn’t agreed when Mike had said he’d come by at nine to take her statement. All she really wanted to do was relax and enjoy the slight breeze that blew across the manicured grounds below without commitments for the remainder of the night. The sun had dropped behind the row of tall pines that hid her condo complex from the road, the temperature had lowered a good ten degrees, and the mosquitoes hadn’t found her yet.

As she stood there breathing deeply and feeling calmer, she watched the clouds make their majestic progress across the azure of the sky. There was something so comforting about dealing with nature instead of with people, even people she loved. You could watch nature change from one moment to the next and know that you didn’t have to attempt to influence it in any way.

There was a high-pitched whine that buzzed past her ear and Hannah knew her nature respite was over. One mosquito had found her and that was enough. Within thirty seconds the first mosquito would ring the dinner bell and bring hundreds of friends and relatives to the buffet table.

Hannah wasted no time thrusting her key in the lock and opening the door. She stepped back, braced herself, and caught the feline who hurtled himself into her arms. “Hi, Moishe. Did you miss me?”

The answer was a purr so loud that she knew he’d been waiting for her at the door. She stepped in, kicked the door shut behind her, dropped her purse in the chair by the door, and carried Moishe to his favorite perch on the back of the living room couch. This wasn’t easy. The last time she’d taken him to see his vet, Moishe had tipped the scales at twenty-two pounds. Between dragging Doctor Bev out of Miller’s pond, refilling the flour and sugar bins down at The Cookie Jar this morning, and carrying Moishe across the living room, Hannah figured she’d accomplished enough weight-lifting for the week, or perhaps even for the month.

As soon as she’d checked Moishe’s water bowl and poured herself something cold to drink, Hannah went back into the living room to see if there’d been any calls. The red light was blinking on her answering machine, and she pressed the button to play her messages.

“Hannah. It’s Norman. They just told me.”

There was a pause that was just long enough for Hannah to wonder why Norman sounded upset and then to realize that he was referring to Doctor Bev’s death.

“I’ve been so worried. How are
you
?”

Again, it took Hannah a moment to figure out that he was talking about how she’d discovered Doctor Bev’s body.

“It must have been horrible for you,” his voice went on.

“Mike told me you gave her mouth-to-mouth for twenty minutes before anyone arrived.”

Hannah thought about that. It hadn’t been awful except in retrospect. When she’d been engaged in the act of attempting to resuscitate Doctor Bev, she hadn’t thought about anything except forcing air into her lungs to get her to breathe again.

“You deserve a medal,” Norman’s voice continued. “I talked to Andrea a couple of minutes ago and she said Doctor Bev was really nasty to you on the Petersons’ porch. I’m sorry, Hannah. It’s my fault you had to go through all that.”

Guilt time
, her mind announced.
Norman’s been worrying about you for hours and you haven’t given him a thought.

“Anyway, please give me a call when you get home. I want to hear your voice and know that you’re all right. And if there’s anything I can do for you, please, please let me know. I love you, Hannah.”

He loves you more than you love him,
her mind accused her
. That’s crystal clear. He called you the moment he heard about Doctor Bev. You should have called him from the hospital, but you didn’t even think about it
.

“I was a little too busy at the time,” Hannah argued out loud. “And you’re right. I didn’t think about it. I didn’t think about anything at the time. I was in shock.”

“It’s no excuse!” Hannah shouted. “It’s the truth!”

“Rrrrrow!”

Hannah looked up to see Moishe regarding her curiously. Or perhaps it was an anxious expression. It was difficult to tell with a cat.

“I’m okay,” she told him, and he lowered his head to rest on his paws again. In no time at all his eyes had closed to slits and he was purring softly.

It took a total of five minutes to change her clothes, toss the ones she’d worn when she jumped into Miller’s Pond into the washer, and carry her lemonade back out to the living room again. She sat down on the couch, listened to make sure the load in her washer was balanced and not thumping unevenly, and reached for the phone. Her fingertips had just touched the receiver when it rang.

“Hello,” she answered, wondering if it was Norman and mental telepathy was at work. But that wasn’t the case because it was Andrea.

“Hannah?” Andrea asked a bit tentatively.

“Yes, Andrea.”

“I know you probably just got home and you’re resting, but . . . can I drive out to see you?”

Hannah didn’t hesitate even though she still had to think of something to make for Mike to eat. “Sure,” she said.

“I’ve got something for you, but I have to stop on the way to pick up some milk for tomorrow. Do you need anything?”

“I’m not sure I . . .” Hannah stopped speaking and began to smile as visions of pancakes swimming in butter and syrup danced through her head. Mike loved breakfast any time of the day or night, so she’d make pancakes and sausage. Mike also loved dessert and she was sure she had some cookies in the freezer. Teamed with the ice cream that she knew was there, they would make a fine dessert.

“Are you there, Hannah?”

“I’m here. I was just thinking about what I needed. Can you pick up breakfast sausage, quick-cooking oatmeal, milk, and maple syrup?”

“Sure. I’m writing a list. Anything else?”

“Where are you going?”

“The Quick Stop. The Red Owl’s already closed.”

“Do they have any fresh fruit out there?”

“Nothing fancy, but the last time I was there they had oranges and apples.”

“That’ll do just fine. I’ll need an apple.”

“Just one?”

Hannah considered that for a moment. If Andrea hadn’t eaten, she’d invite her to stay. And then there was Norman. When she returned his call, he might want to drive out to talk about Doctor Bev’s death. That would be dinner for four. And heaven only knew who else would call. She’d better plan for six, just in case.

“Hannah?”

“Sorry. I was trying to plan things. Better bring two apples, just in case. And you’d better bring enough breakfast sausage for six.”

“You’re expecting company?”

“Not exactly. I’m
anticipating
company. I never know what’s going to happen when I start to cook.”

“That’s because you’re such a good cook and everybody wants to come to your place to eat. I’ll see you in about forty . . . Hold on. I’ve got another call coming in.” Hannah held on and in less than a minute Andrea was back on the line. “That was Norman. He tried to call you, but your line was busy.”

“Of course it was busy. I was talking to you.”

“I know. That’s what I told him. You really ought to get call-waiting, Hannah.”

Hannah wisely said nothing. Her sister had been trying to talk her into getting conference calling, call-waiting, and automatic this and that ever since she’d first moved into her condo.

“I told Norman you’d call him back just as soon as you got off the phone with me. That’s okay, isn’t it?”

“That’s exactly what I was planning to do.”

“Good. I thought he sounded a little funny, but maybe we had a bad connection. I’m leaving now and I’ll be there in less than forty-five minutes.”

Hannah hung up the phone, got herself another glass of lemonade from the huge jug she kept in the bottom of her refrigerator, and returned to the couch. It was time to call Norman.

“Hannah,” Norman said, sounding pleased that she’d called. “I tried to call you earlier, but you were talking to Andrea.”

“I know. Andrea told me. I got your message, but Andrea called just as I was about to pick up the phone to return your call.”

“Are you all right?”

“I’m okay. How about you? That was really a shock.”

“Yes, especially since I was in the car with her less than four hours before it happened. She asked Tracey to go for a ride with her, and I didn’t think she should go alone, so I went along to chaperone her.”

“I know all about it. Tracey told me this afternoon.”

“I don’t think you know the
whole
story. Once Bev dropped Tracey off at the real estate office, she drove out to the Lake Eden Inn and insisted that I take her to lunch.”

“Dentist-napping?”

“That’s about what it amounted to. I wouldn’t have gotten in the car in the first place if it hadn’t been for Tracey.”

Norman sounded so sincere, Hannah nodded even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “I know that, Norman.”

“You know that Bev and I were through, don’t you?”

“I know.”

“She stopped by the clinic this morning and called me from her cell phone. She asked me to go for a ride and I told her I didn’t think it would be appropriate.”

Hannah smiled. That sounded like Norman. “What did she say to that?”

“She said it was just a ride and anyone could go along. She just needed someone local to show her the back way to the lake. I said okay, and I sent Doc Bennett out to show her the right road.”

“Oh, boy!” Hannah said under her breath. She had no doubt that Doctor Bev had been as mad as a wet hen. And at that moment, something else occurred to her. “You said you went to lunch with her. Tell me about that.”

“There’s not much to tell. Ask Sally and she can tell you how uncomfortable I was. I didn’t want to say anything that could possibly be misconstrued.”

“I understand that, but how about lunch? Did Doctor Bev have a lot to drink?”

“Just sparkling water. She said it was too early in the day and Roger had gotten her into the habit of having martinis at five.” Norman stopped speaking for a moment and Hannah knew the wheels were spinning in his mind. “You were thinking that she had too much to drink at lunch and that’s why she had the accident?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that’s not it. She didn’t have anything alcoholic, at least not at lunch. And she didn’t eat either. What puzzles me is Bev was a very good driver. As far as I know, she’d never had an accident before this. It makes me wonder if something went wrong with the car.”

“You must be very upset, Norman.”

Norman sighed so deeply that she heard it clearly over the phone. “I’m not very upset. And maybe
that
should be upsetting in itself. I don’t feel anything for her anymore, Hannah. I wrote Bev off that last night I confronted her in the Cities. When I danced with her at the grand opening of the hotel, she was like a stranger to me. I felt no connection at all. Does that make sense to you?”

“It makes sense. She wounded you in the past so you put on your protective armor. You squelched any feelings you might have and felt nothing.”

“That’s exactly it. Do you think that’s bad?”

Hannah realized that Norman sounded sad and a little anxious. It was clear to her that he needed a friend. “I don’t know. Have you eaten yet?”

“Eaten?” Norman gave a little laugh. “Now there’s a real non sequitur!” There was a long pause. “You know, I don’t remember eating. And all I had was coffee at lunch. I don’t think I’ve eaten since breakfast.”

“Well, get in the car and come out here. Andrea’s driving out, and Mike’s coming over later to take my statement about the accident. I’m going to make pancakes and sausages for everybody.”

“Are you sure you’ll have enough?”

“I always have enough,” Hannah promised. “Come out here, Norman. I really want to see you. And bring Cuddles if you want. She’s always welcome.”