Fudge Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #5)(44)

Chapter Sixteen





Monday morning came earlier than Hannah anticipated. It arrived at four-thirty in the morning when she rolled over on what felt like small boulders in her bed and discovered the Moishe had brought her the contents of his food bowl during the night.

"All right, I give up," Hannah sighed, sitting up to switch on the lamp by her bed and jam her feet into her slippers. Moishe wanted his regular food back. That much was clear. And perhaps he'd done her a favor by waking her up this early. If she could manage to get ambulatory and awake enough to drive by five, she could get to work early and finish the baking before she left to have breakfast with Mike and Bill.

Hannah fed Moishe his regular fare and downed a second cup of the strong coffee her grandmother had called Swedish Plasma, then walked back to the bedroom to excavate her sheets from beneath the senior cat food rubble. Rather than try to save the nuggets, Hannah opened the bedroom window, brought the corners of the sheet together to make a bundle, and shook it out as an offering to passing cats that were not as discriminating as Moishe.



"What would you like, Hannah?" Mike said, smiling at her across the table.

An explanation of what's going on with you and Shawna Lee, Hannah thought, but she said, "Pancakes, maple syrup, and eggs sunny side up."

"Coffee?" the waitress asked, favoring Hannah with a smile.

"Yes, please. And lots of it. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Me, neither," Mike said, and Hannah clamped her lips shut. No way she was going to ask why!

"I slept like a baby," Bill volunteered. "I think it was because the pressure was off. It was awful not being able to prove I didn't do it."

"Just be glad you're not in France." Mike reached out to pour a cup of coffee for Hannah from the carafe. "Their system is guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around like us."

Hannah clamped her lips shut. It seemed to her that the Winnetka County Sheriff's Department had adopted the French system. Bill had been suspended until he could prove his innocence.

Twenty minutes later, their food had been served and they'd done a good job of cleaning their plates. Bill went up to the counter to order Andrea's takeout breakfast while Mike stayed behind in the booth with Hannah.

Mike gave her a big smile and reached out to touch her hand. "I've really missed you the past couple of days, Hannah."

It's been seven days, and that's more than a couple, Hannah thought, keeping her expression as neutral as possible. She could have argued with the verb in Mike's sentiment as well. How could sharing a booth at Bertanelli's with Shawna Lee Quinn possibly be construed as missing her?

"I sure could have used your help last night," Mike went on.

"Oh, really?" Hannah's eyebrows shot up. From where she'd been sitting it hadn't looked as if Mike had needed help from anyone! "With what?"

"Remember the secretary I introduced you to the last time you came out to the station?"

Hannah looked thoughtful, pretending to make an effort to remember. "You mean the new one? Sharon Lee, or something like that?"

"Shawna Lee. She was with the Minneapolis Police Department. I used to work with her."

Hannah did her best to look innocently interested. "I think you might have mentioned that."

"She's only been here for a month and she doesn't know anyone in town. She could really use a friend."

How about an enemy? I could manage that, Hannah thought, but she didn't say it. Jealousy was an ugly emotion and it was better to keep it close to the vest. "I'm sure she'll find one. People are friendly around here."

"That's true. I didn't really expect you to take her on as your pet project, but I thought maybe you could introduce her to somebody that…"

"Ronni," Hannah interrupted him.

"What?"

"Ronni Ward," Hannah named Lake Eden's three-time bikini contest winner and the biggest flirt in Winnetka County. "Does she still teach that step aerobics class out at the station?"

"Yes, she does. It's really popular with the deputies."

"I'm sure it is. Maybe Shawna Lee should enroll. I think she'd have a lot in common with Ronni and they're about the same age."

"Thanks, Hannah." Mike gave her a smile that sent Hannah's blood pressure soaring. "I knew you'd come up with something. You're the nicest person I know and you're a real problem solver."

Hannah was just wondering if putting two flirts together would neutralize them, like subtracting a number from itself, when she looked up to see Bill approaching the booth. It was amazing what a difference an alibi made. Now that he was back on the job, Bill was standing up straighter, walking with more confidence, and smiling a whole lot more.

"They said Andrea's takeout will be ready in ten minutes and the waitress will bring it over to you. Mike and I should leave. We've got a lot to do today."

"I'm really glad I'm not in the doghouse with you anymore, Hannah." Mike scooted over to Hannah's side of the booth and kissed her on the cheek. Hannah had the urge to turn her head so that his lips connected with hers, but since Bill was watching, she didn't. "I bet you're really relieved," Mike said with a grin.