Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #4)(24)



"Hannah?" Norman's voice carried through the door. "I need to talk to you for a minute."

Hannah set the detergent on the counter and hurried to

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the door to let him in. "Hi, Norman. I just ditched the last of the coffee, but I can offer you a cookie."

"No, thanks. I gained some weight and I'm trying to take it off. No more snacking between meals."

Hannah eyed Norman closely. He didn't look like he'd gained an ounce. "How many pounds are we talking about here?"

"Three."

Hannah came very close to losing it. Three pounds were hardly worth going on a diet. She had almost seven times more to lose.

"What?" Norman asked. "You look angry about something."

"That's because I have more weight to lose than you do. And I'm not really angry. This is my regular Fm-on-a-diet expression."

"Why are you dieting? You look great to me."

"You're not just saying that?"

"I never just say anything. And I think people should look real, not like fashion models."

"But you think the models are attractive, don't you?"

Norman shrugged. "Sure. But I wouldn't want to date one, if that's what you mean."

"Why? They're really glamorous."

"I know, but that's not a big selling point for me. I think women should look like ... well,.. women. They shouldn't look like starving teenagers."

Hannah found herself feeling better by the minute. Perhaps she wasn't that overweight after all. Both Lisa and Norman had said that they didn't think she had to lose weight.

"I came to ask a favor, Hannah." Norman abruptly switched gears. "Mother called earlier and I know the body in the basement was Rhonda. I want you to investigate her murder."

Hannah blinked. Norman really ought to beep when he reversed directions like that. "Why do you want me to investigate?"

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"Because you're good at it. And because I have a vested interest."

Hannah sighed. Not the vested interest thing again! Norman was echoing her mother's reasoning. "Is it because you saw Rhonda's body and you feel a certain obligation?"

"Not really. It's just that the sheriff's department roped off the whole house as a crime scene and they won't let me tear it down until the case is solved. I've got the demolition crew coming on Saturday and I really hate to cancel. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I'm on a tight time schedule. If I don't start building before winter comes, I'll have to wait until the spring."

Hannah felt her stress level rise and she squelched the urge to grab a cookie. Her mother wanted her to investigate and now Norman was climbing on that bandwagon. What was a girl to do?

"Mike and Bill don't want me involved," Hannah said, not meeting Norman's eyes. Her excuse sounded weak, even to her.

"That's never stopped you before. Come on, Hannah. I'm asking you as a friend. After all, it's our dream house."

"I know," Hannah said. It was their dream house and a little digging around could do nothing but help Mike and Bill. She loved the blueprints they'd made together and she wanted to see their house built almost as much as Norman did.

"Then you'll do it?"

Hannah considered her options and discarded them one by one. She could bow out and risk alienating her mother and Norman, two of the most important people in her life. Lisa would be disappointed in her, too. She'd offered to take over the workload and that meant she wanted Hannah to investigate. Mike and Bill wouldn't be happy if she got involved, but they were the only ones. And wasn't there something about the greater good? Pleasing three people was more important than pleasing only two.

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"At least think about it," Norman urged, reaching out to take her hand. "This is very important to me, Hannah."

"It's important to me, too. Give me some time, Norman. I'll think about it tonight and let you know what I decide in the morning."

"That's good enough for me.T Norman stood up and smiled at her. "I know you'll do the right thing. You always do."





It was a good exit line and Norman took it, going out the door without another word. Hannah was left in a thoughtful mood as she started the dishwater, did her nightly check of the exits, and made sure everything was securely locked. Once that was done, she loaded up the leftover cookies and placed them in a box. She was just carrying it to the back door when the telephone rang.

Hannah groaned. She had a good notion to walk straight out the door and lock it behind her, but it was difficult to ignore a ringing phone. She set the box she was carrying on a stool and walked over to pick it up. "The Cookie Jar. This is Hannah speaking."

"What are you doing there so late?"

It was Andrea and Hannah sighed. "I was just about to leave, but the phone rang."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hold you up."

"That's okay," Hannah said, starting to grin. "I had to come back to answer the phone anyway."

"No, you didn't... I mean ... That doesn't make any ... You're kidding me, right?"

"Right." Hannah laughed out loud. Andrea's sputtering reaction was even better than she'd hoped for. "What did you want to tell me?"

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