Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #4)(11)

Jed looked down at his cousin. "No, you did it right. The wires came loose, that's all. It could have happened to anyone. I'll fix it and it'll work just fine."

"But I should fix it," Freddy insisted. "It's my fan and a man's got to stand behind his work."

Jed smiled and Hannah could tell that he approved of what Freddy had said. "You're right, buddy. I'll come down and you can fix it. Hold the ladder like I taught you, okay?"

"Okay. I'm holding it, Jed."

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As Freddy gripped the ladder tightly, Hannah realized that he looked different. His hair was shorter and his clothes were clean, but there was another change. Freddy was dressing better now that Jed had moved in with him. Instead of donning the baggy green trousers and old work shirts that had belonged to his father, Freddy now had jeans that fit him and cotton knit shirts with a pocket in the front. He even had new work boots that had replaced his battered old tennis shoes.

"Good job, Freddy." Jed stepped off the ladder and patted Freddy on the back. "That ladder didn't move an inch."

"Nope. I held it real tight, just the way you taught me."

Jed walked over to his toolbox and removed a rubber-handled screwdriver and a roll of black electrical tape. "Where's your tool belt, Freddy?"

"Gotta think..." Freddy stared up at the ceiling for a moment. "It's in the pantry, Jed. You told me to take it off when it bumped you."

"Right. Go get it, then. You're going to need it to carry tools up the ladder."

Hannah waited until Freddy had gone back to the kitchen and then turned to Jed with concern. "Are you sure Freddy should be working with electricity? It's pretty dangerous."

"As long as I'm here, he'll be fine. Freddy knows better than to try it alone."

Hannah studied the young man standing in front of her. He was like a sawier, more animated version of Freddy and no one would doubt that they were cousins. They had the same athletic build, the same sandy hair, and the same blue-gray eyes. They were both just under six feet tall and they were dressed the same, whether it was planned or by accident. The only difference was that Freddy's face was fuller, more childish, and Jed's features were sharply defined.

"Look, Hannah..." Jed reached out to place his hand on her arm. "It's good for Freddy to learn new things. Everyone in Lake Eden protects him just like his mother did and that holds him back. I know you do it out of kindness, but that's not really helping Freddy in the long run."

LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER 43

Hannah sighed. Jed had a point. "Maybe you're right. We 're just concerned, that's all."

"Well, you can relax now. I'm here and I'm going to take care of Freddy. He's my buddy. We played together when we were kids and I've always liked him. I want to see him lead a good life and do all that he can do."

"I got it, Jed." Freddy came through the door with a smile on his face. His tool belt was buckled around his waist and he looked determined to tackle the defective ceiling fan.

"Good." Jed handed him the screwdriver and the tape. "Find a place for this on your belt. Do you remember what to do when you get to the top of the ladder?"

"I remember. First you turn off the power."

"That's right. Hold on a second and I'll throw the circuit."

Once Jed had turned off the power, Hannah stood to the side and watched as Freddy climbed the ladder. He was a bit more hesitant than Jed had been, watching every step to make sure his feet were in place, but he climbed up steadily.

"Do you see those two wires hanging down from the hub on the fan?"

"I see'em, Jed."

"Wind the black one around the base of the black screw and tighten it down. When you're through with that, put a strip of tape over it so it doesn't come loose. Do the same with the red wire and the red screw."

"Okay. I can do that"

Hannah watched as Freddy tackled the job. It took him a while, but he was wearing a big smile when he'd finished. "I did it, Jed."

"Yes, you did. Come on down, Freddy."

"Okay. I'll take it real slow, Jed. Getting down is a lot harder than getting up. My head's up so high I can't see where my feet are going."

"Can you get down on your own? Or should I help you with your feet?"

Freddy looked confused and Hannah could understand

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why. Jed had asked two conflicting questions and now Freddy had to decide which one to answer first.

"Yes, I can get down," Freddy answered at last. "And no, I don't need you to help. Here I come, Jed."

Both Hannah and Jed watched as Freddy climbed down the ladder. There was a proud smile on his face, but he gave a big sigh of relief when his feet touched the ground. "Can I be the one to test it?"

"Sure," Jed said. "Let me turn on the juice and then you can try the wall switch."

Once Jed had given him the okay, Freddy flicked the switch and the blades started to revolve in perfect tandem with the other ceiling fans. "Look at that. I did it! Was that good, Jed?'*

"That was real good." Jed patted Freddy on the back and then he turned to Hannah. "If it's okay, we'll take our lunch now. We'll be back here at one to work on those shelves."