Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #4)(41)

"It's not for me," Hannah corrected her. "It'll be Norman's house, not mine."

Marjorie shrugged. "Whatever. I'm willing to bet you'll change your tune by the time it's ready. You can't find a nicer man than Doctor Rhodes."

There was nothing Hannah could say to argue with that,

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so she kept mum. She did, however, shoot her sister an entreating look and Andrea took over the conversation. After they'd discussed how bright Suzie was and how she was already learning her numbers, Hannah and Andrea headed back the way they'd come on Old Bailey Road.

"That was good, wasn't it?" Andrea asked, zipping out to the highway and driving toward town. "I mean, we learned something."

"Yes. We already suspected that Rhonda had a boyfriend, but now we know it for sure."

"Because of the aftershave?" Andrea asked, pulling out to pass a truck loaded with lumber.

Hannah reached down to make sure her seat belt was fastened securely. "Unless Rhonda preferred the scent of Old Spice to all the expensive perfumes she sold down at the drugstore, there's a man in the picture."

After Hannah loaded up the last box of cookies, Andrea glanced down at her watch. "We've still got twenty minutes and I really don't want to get there early. Could we run next door to Granny's Attic? Mother said Luanne found an antique rosewood cradle at an estate sale last weekend. She thinks it would be perfect for the new baby."

"Good idea. I want to check with Mother and Carrie anyway. They were going to ask around and try to find out who Rhonda's boyfriend was."

Hannah locked up her truck and the sisters walked across the parking lot to their mother's shop. The back door was unlocked for the convenience of customers who parked in the rear, and they made their way past boxed acquisitions and some pieces of old furniture.

"Norman's right. They need more storage space," Hannah muttered as she came perilously close to tripping over a three-legged table.

"I know. They've got things stacked up to the ceiling back

LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER 141

here. I told Mother I'd look around for a garage they could rent."

"Hello, dears!" Delores called out when she spotted them. "Go take a look at that cradle, Andrea. It's right next to the curved highboy with the leaded-glass doors on the east wall."

"Any news about Rhonda's boyfriend?" Hannah asked, joining her mother and Carrie at the counter.

"I'm afraid not." Delores frowned slightly. "We called everyone we could think of, but we still don't have a name."

"We did find out one thing," Carrie said, smiling slightly.

"What's that?"

"Rhonda got a little tipsy at the Goetz's New Year's Eve party. She told Geraldine that she was seeing someone, but she couldn't marry him."

Hannah added this to her small store of personal facts about Rhonda. "Did Rhonda say why?"

"Geraldine asked her, but she just said that there'd have to be a funeral first."

"A funeral?"

"Your mother and I think he was married and that was Rhonda's way of saying that he wouldn't divorce his wife."

Hannah thought about that for a moment. "You could be right."

"We did find out another interesting thing," Delores said, lowering her voice even though there were no other customers in Granny's Attic. "Bridget Murphy threatened Cyril last night."

Hannah had to work to keep her mouth from dropping open. Bridget Murphy was one of the sweetest, gentlest women in Lake Eden and there'd never been a hint of trouble in her marriage to Cyril. "You mean ... with a weapon?"

"Of course not. Remember that car he gave her for her birthday? Well, it's broken down three times. Bridget told Cyril that if he didn't fix it right this time, she'd paint a giant lemon on it and tow it down Main Street at the tag end of the parade."

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It was four o'clock when Hannah let herself in through the back door of The Cookie Jar. Her two catering jobs had gone well, and Andrea's new maternity outfit had totally tamed her mother-in-law. Their only private conversation had been about which color quilt Andrea would prefer for the nursery.

"Hi, Lisa." Hannah stepped into the coffee shop, joining Lisa behind the counter. "Do you need a break?"

"No, I'm fine. We had a big rush around three, but it's slowing down now. Mike was in earlier, looking for you."

Hannah sighed. "I was afraid I'd miss him."

"He said not to worry, that he was pretty tied up, but he'd call you before you left for the day. Did you see Jed when you came througii the kitchen?"

Hannah shook her head. "No. I just set down my purse and came straight in here."

"Well, he wants to talk to you. He sent Freddy in about twenty minutes ago to say they were almost through in the pantry. I think he was looking to get paid for the day."

"Okay. I'll pay them and then I'll start mixing up the dough for tomorrow."

Hannah greeted a few regular customers before going back to the kitchen. The new pantry shelves were all up. Jed was just tightening the last screw. "Hi, guys. That looks nice."