Apple Turnover Murder (Hannah Swensen, #13)(30)

“Well, don’t worry. Patsy will take over for me at the library this afternoon so Jack and I can go look for dresses at Helping Hands. That’s where we got that lovely purple dress, you know.”

“I know,” Hannah said, and left it at that.

“We’ll do things the same as we did the last time. We’ll pick out several dresses in your size and bring them over to you around three this afternoon. You can try them on, choose the one you want, and we’ll take the others back to the thrift shop.”

“That’s fine. Thank you, Marge. I really appreciate it.”

“And I really appreciate how you’re helping Herb. He was just beside himself when Mary Kate’s mother called and said she had the flu.”

Hannah said goodbye and hung up the phone. There was a smile on her face when she turned back to Michelle. “Marge and Jack are going shopping at Helping Hands for me.”

“To pick out a magician’s assistant dress?”

“That’s right. I don’t know what time Lisa will get back so can you stay until I try them on?”

“I can stay for the rest of the day if you need me.”

“Great. I hope they can find something nice this time. That purple dress I wore at the fair was a horror.”

“What happened to it?” Florence Evans asked. She was sitting at the counter waiting for the box of Cinnamon Crisps Michelle was packing for Florence’s checkers at the Red Owl. It was clear that Florence had been listening to what they’d been saying. She wasn’t the type to make a pretence of politely ignoring their conversation.

“That dress is history,” Hannah told her. “I donated it to the Jordan High rummage sale.”

“Was it really that bad?” Michelle asked.

“It was worse. Some redheads can wear purple and other redheads can’t. I’m the kind of redhead that can’t.”

“Hannah’s right,” Bertie Straub said, leaning over to join their conversation. “You should have come down to the Cut ’n Curl before you went onstage with Herb. I’ve got a rinse that’s guaranteed to tone down the color in your hair.”

“That’s good to know,” Hannah said, wondering if it was the same rinse that gave several of Bertie’s regular silver-haired customers blue hair. “Thanks for the offer, Bertie, but I won’t have to worry about wearing that awful purple dress ever again!”

“Samantha Summerfield is a fascinating speaker,” Lisa said, stepping quickly to the walk-in cooler with the bowl of Molasses Cookie dough that she’d just mixed. “She told us all about a day in the life of a Hollywood star. It’s not all glamour, you know. When she’s shooting a movie or a television show, the car picks her up at five in the morning so she can get to the studio and be in makeup at six.”

“That doesn’t sound bad to someone who gets up at four-thirty and drives herself to work,” Hannah said.

“You’re right!” Lisa said, giggling a little. “I completely forgot that we do that every day!”

Hannah turned to smile at her young partner. Lisa had talked nonstop ever since she’d returned to The Cookie Jar. Hannah had heard all about the delicious luncheon, what a wonderful time she’d had talking to Delores, and the tidbits of information she’d learned about her favorite movie star.

“You really should have gone, Hannah. I just know you would have enjoyed yourself.”

“Wrong. But I’m very glad you did. What time is it, Lisa?”

“Five minutes to three.”

“Oh, good. Your dad and Marge should be here soon.”

Lisa turned to Hannah in confusion. “Why are Dad and Marge coming here?”

“They’re picking out a dress for me at Helping Hands.”

“A dress,” Lisa repeated, not looking in the least bit enlightened. “I thought you got all your dresses at Beau Monde because Claire gave you a discount.”

“I do.”

“Then why are Marge and Dad going dress shopping for you at the thrift store?”

“Because it seemed silly to pay good money for a dress I’m going to wear only once.”

“Only once?”

Hannah stared at Lisa for a moment. Her partner looked thoroughly confused. “I thought Herb must have told you. Mary Kate got the flu and I’m filling in for her as his assistant at the talent show tonight.”

“Oh! That’s really nice of you, Hannah. I wonder why Herb didn’t call to tell me. I always carry my cell phone when I’m not here at the shop.”

“Is it charged?” Hannah asked. It was a logical question, especially from someone who couldn’t even count the number of times she’d forgotten to charge her cell phone.

“I know it was charged. I just took it out of the charger this morning.”

“Is it turned on?” Hannah asked a second logical question, especially from someone who frequently forgot to turn on her cell phone.

“Yes, I always leave it on. I never know when I might get a call from Dad and … oh.”

“Oh, what?”

“I just remembered. I turned off my cell phone when we got to the school. There was a sign up asking people not to answer their cell phones during the luncheon or the speech. I completely forgot to turn it back on and check for messages when I got back here.”