Wedding Cake Murder (44 page)

“What time is it?”

“It’s almost nine, but we’re only about fifteen minutes away. Don’t worry. They’ll wait another half hour at least, and we’ll be at the church before then as long as this constitutes an emergency. Does it?”

For a moment, Hannah was puzzled and then she understood. Mike could use his siren, but only in an emergency. “Yes, it’s definitely an emergency. It could even prevent another murder.”

“Another murder?”

“Yes. If I miss my own wedding, Mother will kill me.”

Mike laughed and, siren blaring and pedal to the floor, they sped down the freeway toward Lake Eden. Hannah took a deep breath and let it out in a shuddering sigh. Mike knew she’d been kidding about the attempted murder. Perhaps her mother wouldn’t have actually killed her, but she would have made Hannah feel guilty for the rest of her life.

“Hannah?”

“What is it, Mike?”

“Will you promise me that you’ll stop all this investigating once you’re married?”

Hannah stared at him in shock. “I was just about killed by a man with a knife, I had to dive into a Dumpster to save myself, and you’re trying to extort that kind of a promise from me?”

“Yes. Will you?”

“No!”

Mike sighed. “I didn’t think so, but it was worth a try.” He paused for a moment. “Hannah?”

“Yes, Mike.”

“What’s that in your hair?”

“I don’t know. What does it look like?”

“It’s red and it’s thick, and it looks kind of sticky.”

“Oh,” Hannah said. “I’m not sure what it is, but I really hope it’s spaghetti sauce.”

They got to Lake Eden in less than fifteen minutes, just as Mike had predicted. Mike took the corner by the rectory at a speed that was definitely unsafe, and squealed to a stop in front of the church. “Stay there,” he told her. “I’ll get your door.”

Mike ran around to open her door and Hannah clambered out. “Get inside!” he told her. “I’ll park in the back and come in that way.”

Hannah didn’t need any further urging. She raced up the steps of the church, intent on getting inside as quickly as she could.

As she barged through the doors, she heard several of the ushers gasp, but she didn’t stop in her headlong rush down the aisle. “I’m here!” she called out, heading straight for the front of the church. And that was when she saw the cameras.

Every single one of the Food Channel cameras was trained on her, documenting her dash into the church. No one said a word and Hannah stopped as she approached the front, as if there were some sort of invisible barrier. “Sorry I’m late,” she said as she faced the bank of cameras. “I was catching a killer.”

There was perfect silence in the crowded church for a few brief seconds, and then Grandma Knudson rose to her feet. “Relax,” she said, addressing the congregation. “That’s our Hannah for you!” And the moment she said it everyone including the members of the Food Channel film crew, burst out into laughter.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Hannah apologized, “but Chef Duquesne’s killer tried to attack me and I had to hide from him in a Dumpster, and then the garbage truck came, and . . .”

“Not now, Hannah,” Grandma Knudson interrupted her. “Claire? Take Hannah to the parsonage and get her into the shower, clothes and all. I don’t even want to think about what’s in her hair.” She turned to Hannah. “Go, Hannah. Your sisters will bring you your wedding gown.”

As Hannah meekly followed Claire to the side door of the church, she heard Grandma Knudson address the congregation again, “Come with me, everyone. We’re going down to the basement for refreshments before the wedding ceremony, instead of after. We’ll drink coffee and eat cookies while Hannah gets herself presentable. I made plenty of cookies and that’s good. From the looks of Hannah’s hair, it’s going to take a while.”

Chapter Thirty-three

I
n less than fifteen minutes, Hannah was squeaky clean. She’d dropped her clothes in a garbage bag, and they were now agitating in Grandma Knudson’s washer.

Hannah had just dressed in the lovely underclothes that Claire had chosen for her to wear, and she was sitting in a chair in front of Claire’s dressing table while Andrea applied her makeup and Michelle blow-dried her hair.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Relax,” Claire said. “We’re almost through. And before you even think to ask, I called and told Sally’s assistant chef that the wedding was delayed, and we wouldn’t be out there until ten-thirty. He said not to worry, that everything would hold, so you can put that right out of your mind. And I called Bob on his cell and he promised me that he’d keep the wedding service short and sweet.”

“Thank you,” Hannah said, grateful that she had such a good friend and such loving sisters. “Do you think everyone’s terribly mad at me?”

“Not at all,” Claire said. “You just gave everyone the most exciting wedding they’ve ever attended.”

Michelle laughed. “That’s right. The Lake Eden Gossip Hotline is going to have something to talk about for months to come.”

Hannah looked up at Andrea. “How about Mother? Is she terribly angry with me?”

“I’m sure she’s not,” Andrea answered. “She’s probably the center of attention at the church right now, and you know how Mother loves to be the center of . . .”

“What’s wrong?” Hannah asked her sister, who was staring out the window toward the church.

“It’s Mother. She just came out the side door of the church and she’s on her way over here.”

“Where’s my Hannah?” Delores called out, the moment she came in the back door.

“In here,” Claire called out. Then she turned to Hannah. “She certainly doesn’t sound mad. She sounds . . . like a mother who’s been worried about her daughter.”

Delores burst into the room and rushed over to Hannah. “Oh my!” she exclaimed. “You look just perfect, Hannah!”

“I had a little help,” Hannah told her, smiling at Claire and her sisters. “I’m almost ready, Mother.”

“Good! I’ll help Grandma Knudson round up everyone and get them back in the pews.” Delores took a step toward the door, but she turned back to give Hannah a kiss on the cheek. “That’s from Ross. He told me to say he loves you so much, he can’t see straight.”

“That’s so sweet!” Claire gushed.

“And this is from me.” Delores bent down to kiss the top of Hannah’s head. “I love you, Hannah. If your sisters weren’t here, I’d tell you that you were always my favorite.”

All three Swensen sisters burst into laughter. Delores laughed too, but Claire looked completely puzzled.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Mother told each of us that we were her favorite,” Hannah explained. “She knew we’d end up comparing notes and we’d get a good laugh out of it.”

“That’s true,” Delores admitted. “But when I said it to each of you, I meant it. All three of you are my favorites.” She stopped, grabbed a tissue from the box on Claire’s dresser, and dabbed at her eyes. “I’d better get back to the church before I ruin my makeup. Weddings always make me cry.”

As Hannah took Doc Knight’s arm and walked down the aisle, a phenomenon happened, something that had never occurred in the one-hundred and twenty-six-year history of the Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church. Heads swiveled to look at the bride, smiles appeared on every face, and the congregation broke into spontaneous applause.

Hannah smiled at everyone there, and then her eyes swept up to the altar, where her sisters, the bridesmaids, were standing on the bride’s side, and Ross, Norman, and Mike were standing on the groom’s side. She was here, she was ready, and as the traditional wedding march swelled in volume from the organ, she basked in the warmth of Ross’s smile. He loved her. She loved him. This was the perfect day for her perfect wedding.

The church and everyone in it were covered with a golden glow of happiness for Hannah as Doc Knight escorted her down the aisle and presented her to her groom. Hannah and Ross took their places in the center, and Reverend Bob began the wedding service.

The service was short and sweet, just as Reverend Bob had promised, and much sooner than usual, the bridal couple was ready to speak their vows.

“Do you, Ross Jeffrey Barton, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do you part?”

“I do,” Ross said, smiling at Hannah.

“And do you, Hannah Louise Swensen, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do you part?”

Hannah felt a chill run through her body. It had almost happened. Death had almost parted them. She’d almost died before their wedding!

Images ran through Hannah’s mind at the speed of light. If the bowl of oil hadn’t been under the counter in Sally’s kitchen, and if Rodney hadn’t slipped on the oil and fallen, and if the driver hadn’t been right there loading the Dumpsters, and if she hadn’t hoisted herself up and tumbled in, she would be dead right now and parted from Ross forever.

And then her eyes found Mike and she realized that he’d guessed what was running through her head. He was giving her the okay sign with his thumb and his index finger curled together in a circle. And then he winked and she winked back. They exchanged a look that meant complete understanding. Hannah turned and looked up at the man she loved and gave him a radiant smile.

“I do,” she said, in a loud, clear voice.

Wedding Cake Murder Recipe Index

Baking Conversion Chart

These conversions are approximate, but they’ll work just fine for Hannah Swensen’s recipes.

VOLUME

U.S.	Metric
½ teaspoon	2 milliliters
1 teaspoon	5 milliliters
1 tablespoon	15 milliliters
¼ cup	50 milliliters
cup	75 milliliters
½ cup	125 milliliters
¾ cup	175 milliliters
1 cup	¼ liter

WEIGHT

OVEN TEMPERATURE