Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #24)(55)

As all three of them listened, there was a thud and then a second, softer thud. A rustling ensued for several seconds and then all three of them heard the sound of loud purring.

“They’re done,” Hannah declared. “They’re both on the bed, nestled in the feather pillows, purring because they caused so much havoc.”

“But they think it’s fun,” Michelle added.

“Right,” Norman said. “And they love to see us react.”

They sat there for a moment, sipping their drinks and catching their collective breath. And then Hannah stood up.

“I have to stir the dinner in the Crock-Pot,” she said.

“And I have to get everything else ready,” Michelle stated, also rising to her feet.

“Can I do anything to help you?” Norman asked.

“I don’t think so, unless . . .” Hannah stopped speaking and looked thoughtful. “Would you mind running next door to Marguerite and Clara’s place? I’d like to ask Marguerite to join us for dinner if Clara doesn’t mind. I know Clara can’t join us because of her allergies, but we can always deliver her dinner. And if Marguerite comes here, she’ll have a chance to see Cuddles again.”

“Great idea!” Norman declared, heading for the door. “You girls go ahead and do what you have to do. I’ll invite Marguerite and be right back to help you.”

Hannah was stirring the contents of the Crock-Pot when there was another knock on the door.

“I’ll get it,” Michelle said, hurrying to answer the door. “It’s probably Norman and he locked himself out.”

Hannah listened, but she didn’t hear Norman’s voice. Instead, she heard Michelle greet Lonnie.

“Hi, Lonnie! Did Mike’s food-dar kick into high gear because we were cooking dinner?”

“Not exactly. We were next door at Marguerite and Clara’s condo when Norman came by.”

“Were you visiting them?” Michelle asked.

“No, Marguerite called the sheriff’s department and we came right out.”

Hannah clamped the lid back on the slow cooker and hurried to intercept Lonnie and Michelle. “Is something wrong with Marguerite or Clara?”

Lonnie nodded. “Yes, Marguerite called us an hour ago to tell us about Clara’s accident. Mike and I jumped in the cruiser and came out here right away. Mike’s still over there trying to calm them down and Norman’s helping him.”

“What kind of accident did Clara have?” Hannah asked as she ushered Lonnie into the kitchen, gestured to a chair at the kitchen table, and gave him a cup of coffee. “Is Clara hurt?”

“No, just frightened. She was outside, taking photos of that big pine tree at the edge of the complex, when someone ran out of the woods, pushed her down in the snow, and stole her cell phone.”

“Good heavens!” Hannah exchanged shocked glances with Michelle. “But why didn’t Marguerite call us? Michelle and I would have helped them.”

“She tried to, but you weren’t home yet. Neither were Lorna or Phil or Sue Plotnik. So Marguerite called the sheriff’s station, and Mike answered her call.”

Hannah glanced at her apple-shaped kitchen clock to see what time it was. “Phil and Sue always take Kevin over to his sister’s place on the weekends, and Lorna’s probably working late. Poor Clara. She must be terribly upset.”

“She’s more angry than upset. She hadn’t downloaded her shadow photos and now she doesn’t have them for her painting class. And to make matters even worse, she had her house key in her pocket and it must have fallen out when she tumbled into the snow.”

“Are they going to get their locks changed?” Michelle asked him.

“That’s expensive and Mike didn’t think it was necessary since the key was an extra one they had made and it wasn’t marked in any way. Even if someone finds it, there’s no way to tell which condo door it fits. Clara’s more upset about the photos she lost than anything else.”

“I’m sure her teacher will understand,” Michelle said.

“That’s what we told her. But she’s still upset because she had some really good pictures of the shadows the pine tree cast on the snow.”

“Did Clara call the phone company to turn off her service so the person who stole her phone can’t use it?” Michelle asked him.

“Norman’s doing that right now while Mike interviews Clara. He was asking her more about the man who pushed her down when I left.”

“Did she recognize the man?” Hannah asked.

Lonnie shook his head. “Clara said she didn’t, that she was almost certain that she’d never seen him before.”

“Then she didn’t think he lived in this complex?” Michelle followed up on Hannah’s question.

Lonnie shook his head. “No, and Marguerite told us that Clara’s on the homeowner’s board. She meets everyone who moves in because they deliver welcome packages to all the new arrivals.”

“The train tracks aren’t that far away,” Michelle pointed out. “Do you think that Clara’s attacker might have been a transient?”

“That’s doubtful,” Hannah vetoed that possibility. “The train doesn’t make any stops here, and there’s no reason for anyone to jump off here. It would make more sense for transients to ride into town and hop off there.”