Cream Puff Murder (Hannah Swensen, #11)(80)

“Where are you?” It was Andrea’s voice, and she sounded anxious.

“I’m just leaving the complex. I should be there in twenty minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll wait fifteen minutes, and then I’ll pour coffee for you. Frank Hurley’s here, and he’s got something to tell you.”

“What?”

“He won’t tell us, only you. Do you think he’s interested, Hannah?”

“You mean interested in me?”

“Well, maybe not. He’s got to be almost thirty years older than you are. It’s probably because you’re leading our investigation and he wants to talk to the head person.”

“That’s probably right.”

“Lisa says to tell you that there was nothing on their Heavenly Bodies tapes. They watched all six hours. Then she went to bed, and Herb stayed up to watch a tape from the red-light camera at the mall. He says I should tell you he found out something very interesting.”

“What is it?”

“He won’t tell anybody except you and Mike.”

“Mike? What’s he got to do with it?”

“I don’t know. Herb knows he’s off the case, so it can’t have anything to do with Ronni’s murder. And then there’s Mother and Carrie.”

“What about Mother and Carrie?”

“I don’t know that, either. They’re here, but they want to wait until you come in to tell us some big news. Where are you now?”

“What do you mean, where am I? I’m right where I was when I answered the phone.”

“You’re not driving?”

“Of course not. Cell phones are distracting. I never drive and talk on the cell phone at the same time.”

“Right. I forgot about that. Only one more thing. I was supposed to remind you to call Detective Parks and ask her to check on the Macalester stalker.”

“I did that. I left her a voice mail.”

“Okay, then. I’m hanging up now. Hurry in because I’m dying of curiosity and nobody’ll tell me anything unless you’re here.”

Hannah pulled out on the road again and tromped on the gas. She was curious, too. The snowplows had been out, the roadway wasn’t slippery, and her tires hummed along as she drove just slightly over the speed limit. What did Frank Hurley want to tell her? What did Herb want to tell Mike and her? What was Delores and Carrie’s big news?

Her mind was sluicing through the possibilities as she turned in the alley and pulled into her parking spot at the back of The Cookie Jar. She shut off her truck and wasted no time rushing in the kitchen door, tossing her parka on the rack, and pushing through the swinging door to the coffee shop.

Every stool and chair was occupied with customers who all looked up as she came in. It seemed that everyone here wanted something from her. She just hoped she’d be able to provide it.

“Hannah!” Andrea rushed over to greet her. “We’re going to put you at the workstation in the kitchen since so many people want to talk to you in private.”

“Okay,” Hannah said, feeling a bit like Marlon Brando at the wedding in The Godfather. “Are there really that many people?”

“Not that many. Only six or so, unless somebody new comes in. I’ll bring your coffee and usher people in when you’re all set up.”

Hannah went back through the swinging door and sat down on a stool at the workstation. She had several seconds to think about horse heads and sawed-off shotguns, and then Andrea came in.

“Here’s your coffee. Do you want a cookie before we start?”

“Diet,” Hannah said, shaking her head.

“Right. Well, if you’re sure I can’t get you anything else, I’ll bring Frank Hurley back.”

Hannah had time for three sips of her coffee before Frank came through the swinging door. He took the seat across from her at the workstation and gave a little sigh. “I’m really sorry, Hannah. I forgot to tell you something about the night Miss Ward was killed.”

“What’s that, Frank?”

“It happened earlier, on my watch. I just didn’t connect the dots before. There was somebody hanging around the mall entrance to the spa. You know, where the window is. I wouldn’t have thought anything about it, but he just walked back and forth in front of the window, and there wasn’t anything to see inside. The receptionist was gone, and there were no lights in the front. I thought maybe he was waiting for someone to come out so he could sneak in, so I went over and asked him if he was a member. He said no, that he was just browsing. Browsing is a strange word to use at a spa. You browse in a store, you know? I got the impression he wasn’t all there, if you know what I mean.”

“I know what you mean. Can you describe him for me?”

“A male Caucasian in his midthirties, light-brown hair, average build, average height. He was wearing jeans and a dark blue parka with fur around the neck.”

“Do you think he was homeless?”

Frank shook his head. “I didn’t see anything that pointed in that direction. He was clean, his clothes were clean, and he was dressed for the weather. He just sent up red flags for me, you know? I told him to move along, and he went out to the parking lot. I didn’t see him again, and I left at midnight.”