Carrot Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #10)(90)

Hannah moved on to the drawer next to the refrigerator. That was where most summer cottage owners kept the minimal set of tools used to tighten doorknobs, hang pictures, or pry things open. She made her way through a light hammer, two screwdrivers, one of each type, and a pair of pliers. And under those tools was something that made her gasp and step back in surprise.

There it was, one of her grandfather’s ice picks. The paint on the red-and-green wooden handle was flaking off, but the point was sharp and wicked looking. Was this the ice pick that had killed Gus Klein? And if it was, what was it doing in the kitchen of the cottage that Mac and Patsy had rented for the reunion?

“Hannah?” Michelle called out. “There’s nothing in the bedroom or bathroom.”

“Nothing in the living room, either,” Andrea added.

“Are you almost done?” Michelle asked.

Hannah was silent. She hadn’t heard the question. Her mind was racing, trying to put the pieces together. Was it possible Mac had stabbed Gus when Gus refused to repay the old loan that Marge had told her about? And had he lied about seeing Jack from the kitchen window because he wanted to throw suspicion on someone whose memory was failing, someone who couldn’t defend himself?

“Hannah?” Michelle called out again.

“What’s wrong?” Andrea asked.

This time their voices broke through the busy workings of her mind, and Hannah whirled to see both of her sisters standing just inside the kitchen door.

“I’ve found the ice pick,” she said. “It’s in the tool drawer. And I think I know who killed Gus.”





Chapter Thirty


“Where are you, Hannah?” Mike answered on the first ring.

“Outside the pavilion with Andrea and Michelle. I found the ice pick, Mike.”

“Where?”

“In Mac and Patsy’s cottage. And I think Mac killed Gus.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Mike sighed. “But that doesn’t make sense, Hannah. If Mac killed Gus with the ice pick you found, why would he keep it?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he was afraid that the owner of the cottage would notice it was missing. And since Gus was killed with an ice pick, somebody like you would put two and two together and come up with him as the killer.”

“Okay. It’s circumstantial, and we don’t even know if the ice pick you found was the murder weapon, but I can see why you’re suspicious. Do you have anything else to point a finger at Mac?”

“Yes! Mac told me he looked out the kitchen window in the cottage where he’s staying with Patsy, and he saw Jack Herman out for a walk right around the time Gus was murdered. And he was lying.”

There was a long silence, and Hannah began to frown. “Mike? Did I lose you?”

“You didn’t lose me. It’s just that Mac told us the same thing. Why do you think he’s lying?”

“Patsy told me Mac went out for a walk that night. He goes for one every night, doctor’s orders. He couldn’t have seen Jack through the cottage window. There’s a big pine tree in the way. He saw Jack on the road, all right, but they were both out there. And all this time, I’ve been afraid that Jack killed Gus.”

“Me, too,” Mike said, “and there’s no way I wanted to believe that.”

“But you didn’t bring him in for questioning,” Hannah reminded him.

“No. I probably should have, but…why? We all know Jack’s memory goes in and out. And…well…there’s no real proof he did it.”

“You’re a good man, Mike,” Hannah said, meaning every word of it.

“Thanks. But maybe I’m not. Maybe I just didn’t think I could get anything useful out of questioning somebody with Alzheimer’s.”

“There’s that, too,” Hannah said, “but I prefer to think that you cut him some slack because you thought it was the right thing to do.”

There was another silence, and then Mike cleared his throat. “You said you found the ice pick. Where was it exactly?”

“It’s in the kitchen tool drawer.”

“You didn’t touch it, did you?”

“Of course not! I left it right where it was.”

“Okay. Everything you told me is circumstantial, but it’s the best we’ve got unless we actually find traces of blood on the ice pick. Do you think Patsy will testify that Mac went out for a walk?”

“I’m almost sure she will. She told me that Mac came to her and asked her to lie for him. He wanted her to say he was with her all night, but Patsy refused. She told Mac she wouldn’t volunteer the information, but if you asked her directly, she wouldn’t lie for him.”

“Good for her! I’ll be right out to pull Mac in for further questioning. He’s definitely a person of interest, if not more. Where is he right now? Do you know?”

“He’s watching the children’s talent show, and Patsy’s with him. Andrea and Michelle saw them in line, waiting to get inside the pavilion.”

“Good. Go on in and watch him for him, and don’t say anything to anybody. I don’t want him to know we’re interested in him. I should be there in less than fifteen minutes to take him in for questioning.”

“Okay. We’ll go inside and watch him. What do you want us to do if he leaves?”