Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(44)

“Thank you . . . Delores,” Barbara said, and both Hannah and her mother realized that it had been an effort for her to remember Delores’s name. A moment passed, and then another before Hannah broke the silence.

“Is there anything I can do for you, Barbara?” she asked, still wondering why Barbara had wanted to see her when Delores or Doc Knight could have told her Moishe’s name.

“Yes. Bring him to see me.”

“Your cat?” Delores asked her.

“Of course not. He died years ago. My mother and I had a funeral for him and he’s buried under the rhubarb bushes by the faucet in the back yard. I cried. He was a wonderful cat.”

“It’s always hard when a beloved pet dies,” Delores sympathized.

Hannah gave a sigh of relief. Barbara was back on track again. She’d realized that her childhood cat had died years ago without being reminded that it had happened. Perhaps it was only when it came to her dead father and nonexistent brother that her mind played tricks on her.

“Will you, Hannah? If Doc says it’s all right?”

“You remembered Doc’s name!” Delores exclaimed, giving Barbara a warm smile. “That’s just wonderful!”

Barbara looked thoroughly mystified for a moment and then she shook her head. “It’s not that wonderful, De . . . Del . . . Delores. I don’t remember Doc’s name.”

“But you called him Doc!”

“Yes. I did. He’s a doctor so I called him Doc.”

“Oh.” Hannah knew Delores was disappointed, but it didn’t show on her face. “You’re right, Barbara. It’s true that many people call doctors Doc. But you remembered my name and I could tell it was an effort.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Barbara looked pleased, and then she turned to Hannah. “I think I can remember your name now. When I see you, I remember that you make cookies with bananas and your name sounds like a banana. The only thing that sounds like a banana is Hannah so your name is Hannah. My nurse taught me how to rhyme with names.”

“It sounds like you have a wonderful nurse,” Hannah said.

“Oh, I do. I just wish I could remember her name. I know it sounds like money, and I called her Honey, but that’s not it. It’s some other kind of money, I think. But what could it be? Nickel?” Barbara started to laugh. “I’m almost sure her name isn’t Pickle!”

Hannah couldn’t help it. She laughed. And the moment she did, so did Delores. And then they all had a good laugh together.

“You’ll remember her name the next time you see her,” Hannah said, almost sure that was true. This was a good visit with Barbara. She really was improving.

“So will you do it, Hannah?” Barbara asked.

Hannah was about to ask what Barbara wanted her to do when the pieces flew into place. “You want me to bring Moishe to the hospital to visit you?”

“Yes. I don’t see why I can’t have a cat visitor. People around here get dog visitors. There was a little one here last night visiting the man next door. They were training him to be a therapy dog.”

Hannah made an instant decision. “If Doc Knight agrees, I’ll bring Moishe here tomorrow,” she promised.

“Oh, good. He’s a nice big cat and I need a big cat.”

“Why is that?” Delores asked her.

“For the monster that comes in my room at night. He looks a little like a big white rat. And I think a really big cat like Moishe could chase that monster away.”
MOM’S BRAN MUFFINS

DO NOT preheat oven yet—this batter bakes better when it’s chilled.

1 cup water

1 cup raisins (I used golden raisins)

2 cups bran flakes (you’ll use 4 cups in all)

1 cup brown sugar (pack it down when you

measure it)

? cup (1 stick, 8 ounces, ? pound) salted butter,

softened

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

? teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 and ? cups all-purpose flour (pack it down when

you measure it)

2 cups buttermilk (I’ve used whipping cream when I

didn’t have buttermilk on hand and it worked

just fine.)

2 cups quick cooking oatmeal (I used Quaker Quick

1-Minute)

2 cups bran flakes (this completes the 4 cup total)

Measure out the cup of water and bring it to a boil. You can do this in the microwave (1 minute on HIGH in a microwave-safe container is hot enough for this recipe), or on the stovetop in a saucepan.

While you’re waiting for the water to boil, measure out a cup of raisins and put them in the bottom of a medium-size mixing bowl.

Measure 2 cups of bran flakes and put them on top of the raisins.

When the water has heated, pour it over the bran flakes and raisins in the bowl and stir it around a bit. Try to keep those raisins in the bottom where they’ll be covered by the hot water. They need to plump up a bit.

Set the mixture aside on the counter to cool while you mix up the muffin batter.

Hannah’s 1st Note: This is so much easier with an electric mixer.

Measure out the cup of brown sugar, packing it down in the cup when you measure it. Place the brown sugar in the bottom of a larger mixing bowl. (This will be your work bowl.)