Devil's Food Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #14)(65)

Hannah was confused. She’d never heard of a dental doll before. “What’s a dental doll?”

“You must have see those career dolls that mothers buy for their daughters. The girl astronaut, the girl teacher, the girl lawyer, and the girl doctor. I’m sure there’s got to be a girl dentist that looks just like Doctor Bev.”

“You don’t think she’s a real dentist?”

“That’s not it. I think she’s a real dentist, but I also think she’s playing some sort of part. She’s acting, Hannah. I can spot an actress a mile off. She’s playing sweet, and nice, and everybody’s friend, but she’s not really that way inside. I just wish I knew what she’s up to.”

Hannah thought about that for a long moment. Perhaps Michelle was right. When she’d seen Doctor Bev in action at the birthday party, she’d thought that there was something a bit disingenuous about her.

“Well? Do you think I’m totally wrong?” Michelle asked.

“No. I had similar feelings about her, but I thought it might be just jealousy.”

“You don’t have anything to be jealous about! You’re a much better person than she is!”

Hannah walked over to give her a hug. The Swensen family wasn’t usually that demonstrative, but Michelle deserved a hug. “What would you like for dinner?”

“Red meat. I’m taking you out to the Corner Tavern for a double burger. I worked a couple of extra hours last week and I’ve got the extra cash.”

“But you don’t have spend it on me.”

“I’m not spending it on you, I’m spending it on us. Besides, ever since Grandma Knudson mentioned that beef stew she was going to make for Reverend Matthew, I’ve had a hankering for red meat!”

Of course they didn’t go straight to the Corner Tavern, not after Hannah told Michelle that she’d recognized the voice of the woman Grandma Knudson thought was Paul’s counselee.

“Alice Vogel?” Michelle sounded surprised. “Why was she meeting with Paul?”

“She wasn’t meeting with Paul. Alice thought she was meeting with Matthew Walters. She used to date him when they were in high school, and rumor has it that she still had feelings for him.”

“Interesting. And you think she was with him in the church office on Sunday night?”

“That’s my guess. Doc Knight said the murder took place between midnight and two in the morning, so Alice isn’t a suspect if she left before midnight. It’s even possible she saw Paul’s killer when she was leaving the church.”

“Let’s stop by the bowling alley to talk to her on our way out to the Corner Tavern,” Michelle said. “I want to see her reaction when you tell her that Reverend Matthew was really his cousin Paul.”

Hannah brought cookies. Hannah always brought cookies. “Ready?” she asked Michelle as they walked up to the bowling alley entrance.

“I’m ready. Which cookies did you bring?”

“Nutmeg Snaps. Alice just loves them.”

“So do I. That’s JoAnn Hecht’s recipe, isn’t it?”

“Right.”

“Where did she go after she left her catering job with Sally?”

“She moved to California and opened her own company there. I wish she were still here. She could cater Mother’s book launch party, and I could just go and have fun.”

A blast of warm air, the good-natured banter of bowlers, and the smell of fresh popcorn from the popcorn machine rolled out to greet them as Hannah pushed open the door.

One look at the bowlers who crowded every lane and Hannah knew that Club League was in full swing. There wasn’t a lot to do in February in Minnesota. Outdoor recreation was limited to sledding, skating, and ice fishing, and no one braved the subzero temperatures on a night that was this cold. Instead, it looked as if almost everyone Hannah knew was bowling. Club League was fun because you didn’t have to actually join a league. All you had to do was belong to a club, get together with four friendly members, and take part in the tournament. If your team lost, you were out. But if your team won, you went on to play another club team. The club tournament winning team won baseball caps embroidered with their names and the date they won. That gave them bragging rights.

Several of tonight’s bowlers must have been winners in the past, because Hannah spotted Cyril Murphy wearing a green cap, and Digger Gibson sporting an orange cap.

“Alice is behind the refreshment counter,” Michelle said, steering Hannah in that direction. “She waved at us when we walked in. What are you going to ask her?”

“Leading questions, the kind that are designed to get her to talk.”

“Like what?”

Hannah shrugged. “I don’t know, but don’t worry. I’ll think of something before we get there.”

Gus York was standing in line, waiting for Alice to pour him a beer. Hannah noticed that Alice emptied the bottle into a large disposable paper cup before she handed it to Gus. The last time she’d bowled, which had been at least six months ago, Alice had simply given bowlers the bottle. Perhaps there’d been too many incidents with dropped or broken beer bottles.

Once they’d exchanged a few words with Gus and he’d left, Hannah turned to the person she’d come to see. “Hi, Alice,” she said handing over the cookies. “These are Nutmeg Snaps. Lisa said you liked them.”